🧐 Ancient Beat #124: Cave bridges, wild asses, and mustachioed mounds

That title was weird and I’m sticking with it.

Welcome, friends! This is issue #124 of Ancient Beat and you’re awesome.

Here’s the latest ancient news. 👇

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🗞 Ancient News: Top 5

• What a Submerged Ancient Bridge Discovered in a Spanish Cave Reveals About Early Human Settlement — A submerged 25-foot stone bridge in Genovesa Cave on the Spanish island of Mallorca has provided new insights into early human settlement in the western Mediterranean, settling the debate about when exactly that happened. The study suggests humans settled on the island much earlier than previously thought—around 6,000 years ago—closing a gap between the settlement of the eastern and western Mediterranean. The bridge, discovered in a flooded cave system, shows signs of strategic construction. Why build a bridge in a cave? Apparently, they saw the cave’s water as a resource and built infrastructure around it. Calcite encrustations and a distinct coloration band on the bridge have allowed researchers to accurately date it, aligning human settlement with the extinction of the Myotragus balearicus, a goat-antelope species native to the region.

  

  Image credit: R. Landreth

• Running Wild Donkey Figure Carved Into the Ground Stone Discovered in Karahan Tepe — A depiction of a running wild donkey was discovered in Karahan Tepe, a Neolithic site dating back 12,000 years. This settlement played a crucial role in the transition to settled life. Similar to Göbekli Tepe, T-shaped obelisks were found, offering insights into Neolithic beliefs. The donkey figure, about 8 inches long, was carved into a flat stone near a grinding stone. Unlike other animals depicted in Karahan Tepe, this is the first moving wild donkey motif. Animals like gazelles and wild donkeys, consumed by humans, played a significant role in daily life. The structure where the figure was found is partially underground with a wattle and daub roof system, and ongoing excavations are expected to uncover more. Probably worth noting that it’s not quite what you’re imagining (if you’re imagining what you see at Göbekli Tepe).

  

  Image credit: Ministry of Culture and Tourism

• ‘Amazing’ Viking-Age Treasure Traveled Half the World to Scotland, Analysis Finds — A silver vessel from the Galloway Hoard, unearthed in Scotland and buried around 900 CE, has been identified as originating from west Asia. This intricate 5.5-inch-high lidded vessel, adorned with crowns, fire altars, and animals like leopards and tigers, reflects Zoroastrian iconography from the Sasanian Empire. Scientific analysis traced the silver to a mine in modern-day Iran, and the vessel likely belonged to a high-status family. Discovered in 2014, the Galloway Hoard contains over 11 pounds of silver and gold artifacts, including a rock crystal jar. The vessel's extraordinary journey from Iran to Scotland raises questions about its significance to Viking-age Scots, possibly linked to pilgrimages to the Holy Land.

• Romans’ Siege Wall in Masada May Have Been Built in a Fortnight, Study Finds — New research suggests that the Roman siege of Masada in 72-73 CE was far quicker and more efficient than previously thought. While traditionally depicted as a prolonged standoff, calculations now estimate that the siege wall encircling the fortress could have been constructed by 6,000-8,000 Roman soldiers in just 11-16 days. Further, the ramp used to breach the fortress may have been completed within a month, shortening the entire siege to around two months. Despite its brief duration, the siege's importance to the Romans may have been tied to protecting the production of balsam, a valuable perfume, rather than just military dominance.

• Mysterious 'Mustached' Burial Mounds in Kazakhstan Date to the Middle Ages — Archaeologists in Kazakhstan have discovered 10 burial mounds, or kurgans, dating to the Middle Ages in the Ulytau region. Three of these kurgans feature ridges of stone across them, forming what are called "mustached" kurgans. These mounds, common in central Kazakhstan, range from 10 to 50 feet in diameter. One excavated kurgan, lacking the "mustache," revealed the remains of a man buried with a triangular arrowhead. His identity and cause of death are unknown. The exact age of these mounds remains uncertain, but they likely belonged to nomadic groups that thrived in the region between 600 and 1500 CE. Some of these groups lived settled lives, while others, like the Mongols who later conquered the region, were nomadic. The newfound kurgans may predate the Mongol conquest. Okay, I think we need to address the elephant in the room… “mustached kurgan”? 😂 I’ve gotta assume the term was coined after a conversation that went a lot like this:

  • Archaeologist 1: “You know that kurgan we found? Not the normal one, but the one with [guy with mustache walks by]… uh… with the mustache? The mustached kurgan?”

  • Archaeologist 2: “Um. What?”

That’s it for the free Top 5! If you’re a free subscriber, sign up for the paid plan for another 16 discoveries and 4 recommended pieces of content covering plays, migrations, pollution, hoards, and nomadism.

Thanks, folks!

-James
Twitter: @jamesofthedrum

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🗞 Ancient News: Deep Dive