🧐 Ancient Beat #119: Stone faces, submerged hieroglyphs, and the use of hydraulics in pyramid construction

Welcome, friends. This is issue #119 of Ancient Beat and I’ve got some cool things to cover, so let’s get right into it.

Here’s the latest ancient news. 👇

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🗞 Ancient News: Top 5

• Mysterious Stone Carving Depicting a Human Face Found in Kazakhstan — A stone carving featuring a human face was uncovered in the Akmola Region of Kazakhstan during a survey. The carving, believed to date back to the early Bronze Age (around 4,000 years ago), is unique due to its detailed facial features, which include a prominent nose and expressive eyes. It’s 27cm x 21 cm and it was found near a rock ceiling and a poorly preserved image of a deer, indicating that this may have been part of a ritual complex. What a cool thing to stumble upon. That’s the dream.

Image credit: Margulan Institute of Archaeology

• New Research Reveals How Ancient Egyptians Built Their First Pyramid — Engineers have discovered that the ancient Egyptians used a hydraulic system to construct Pharaoh Djoser’s pyramid, dating to around 2680 BCE. This system included a hydraulic lift at the pyramid’s center, allowing limestone blocks to be raised and constructed in a ‘volcano’ style. The study, using satellite radar images and historical reports, identified water management structures such as a check dam and a sophisticated water purification system. These structures harnessed seasonal floods, purified the water, and directed it to a vertical shaft within the pyramid. This hydraulic lift mechanism involved filling a granite chamber with water to raise an elevator. This advanced technique, attributed to the architect Imhotep, suggests that water power played a significant role in early pyramid construction, alongside traditional methods like ramps and sledges. The findings highlight the technical ingenuity of ancient Egyptian civilization and open new avenues for understanding the construction of other pyramids.

• Giant Moat Found Separating the City of David from Temple Mount — Archaeologists have discovered a massive moat in Jerusalem, measuring approximately 100 feet wide and 30 feet deep, that once separated the City of David from the Temple Mount. Dating back to the Kingdom of Judah, this monumental structure highlights the city's advanced defensive capabilities. The moat, likely created around the Middle Bronze Age (circa 1800 BCE), served as a formidable barrier, emphasizing the city's strategic importance.

• Archaeologists’ Most Exciting Finds: Found Traces Of Sami Settlement In The Viking Age — Archaeologists have discovered evidence of a Sami settlement from the Viking Age in central Norway, dating back to around the 8th to 11th centuries CE. The site includes remnants of dwellings, hearths, and artifacts such as tools and pottery, indicating a settled lifestyle rather than a purely nomadic existence. This find challenges previous assumptions about the Sami during this period, suggesting they were more integrated into the Viking Age society than previously thought.

• Ancient Egyptian Carvings Found Submerged In Lake Nasser — A joint French-Egyptian archaeological mission discovered Ancient Egyptian carvings beneath Lake Nasser, Egypt. These submerged artifacts include detailed carvings from temples and monuments, dating back to the New Kingdom period (circa 1550-1070 BCE). The carvings depict pharaohs and hieroglyphics. No matter how many times I write that word, I spell it wrong. Hieroglyphics. Nailed it. The pharaohs depicted were Amenhotep III (reigned 1390–1352 BCE), Thutmose IV (reigned 1400–1390 BCE), Psamtik II (reigned 595–589 BCE), and Apries (reigned 589–570 BCE). The site was above water until the construction of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile.

Image credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

That’s it for the free Top 5! If you’re a free subscriber, sign up for the paid plan for another 21 discoveries and 9 recommended pieces of content covering rock art, alchemy, potatoes, Star Carr, Homo naledi, and lap dogs.

Until next time, thanks for joining me!

-James
Twitter: @jamesofthedrum

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🗞 Ancient News: Deep Dive