🧐 Ancient Beat #103: Crater villages, wood crafting, and pushing (back) the plow
Happy Saturday, folks! And welcome to issue #103 of Ancient Beat. Spring is in the air and I’m ready for it. You? ☀️😎
Here’s the latest ancient news. 👇
🗞 Ancient News: Top 5
Exciting Find In The Swiss Alps - First Furrows And Animal Tracks Are Evidence Of Prehistoric Plowing — In the Swiss Alps, researchers have discovered 7,000-year-old soil layers with furrows and animal tracks, providing evidence of prehistoric plowing. These findings in Sion, Switzerland, push back the known use of plows in Europe (and I believe, anywhere) by about a thousand years, to between 5100 and 4700 BCE. The animals used for plowing appear to be oxen and goats. This discovery, preserved by rapid sediment cover from a nearby stream, challenges previous beliefs about the development of agriculture, indicating that Stone Age societies might have been more advanced and wealthier than previously thought.
Early Humans Used Sophisticated Wood Crafting Techniques to Hunt and Clean Animal Hides — At an ancient hunting ground in Schöningen, Germany, 300,000-year-old wooden tools were discovered, demonstrating early human ingenuity in woodworking. Analysis of spears and throwing sticks revealed refined and diverse methods for shaping the tools, including the “wood splitting” technique. They also found evidence of the repair and recycling of broken tools. This demonstrates the critical role wood played as a material for hunting and tool-making during a period at the tail end of a warm interglacial era.
Sandstone Object Found on South African Coast May Depict a Stingray — A sandstone object found in 2018 on South Africa's coastline has been analyzed. The researchers believe it depicts a stingray, highlighting early human artistry around 130,000 years ago. The artifact, measuring approximately 14 by 12 inches, was examined against images of a blue stingray, showing a remarkable similarity in size and shape, barring the missing tail. This discovery suggests early humans might have traced around a stranded stingray, marking a rare instance of naturalistic art from this period.
Bronze Age Fort Identified Off Ireland’s West Coast — An island in Clew Bay, off Ireland's west coast, has been identified as a Bronze Age fort, dating from 1100 to 900 BCE. The fort's remains, including large ramparts faced with limestone blocks, become visible on the tidal isthmus connecting Collanmore Island to the mainland during very low tides. These structures, previously known to locals but not recognized for their historical significance, were part of a strategically important site for societies engaged in tribal warfare.
Odd, Circular Crater Spotted from Space Was Actually Ancient — And Human-Made. See It — In northern France, an unusual circular formation visible from space was discovered to be an ancient human-made structure. Using LiDAR technology, which employs lasers from satellites to scan the ground, researchers identified about 20 structures dating back to the Iron Age, between the 8th and 5th centuries BCE. The structures are positioned in a circle within an artificial crater. This village likely belonged to the Gallic community, offering new insights into Iron Age life.
That’s it for the free Top 5! If you’re a free subscriber, sign up for the paid plan for another 22 stories and 10 recommended pieces of content covering lots of newly discovered sites and artifacts, along with some chickens, rabbits, and pirates.
Until next time, thanks for joining me!
-James
Twitter: @jamesofthedrum
P.S. If you want access but it’s a little too steep for you right now, just email me — I want this to be accessible.
P.P.S. Paid members, read on!
🗞 Ancient News: Deep Dive
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Ancient Beat to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.