🧐 Ancient Beat #128: Female rulers, walrus ivory, and craft beer

Welcome to issue #128 of Ancient Beat, and happy Friday! Here’s the latest ancient news. 👇

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🗞 Ancient News: Top 5

• Oldest Evidence Of Beer Comes From Raqefet Cave, Dating Back To 11,000 B.C. - The oldest known evidence of beer production has been found at Raqefet Cave in Israel, dating back to approximately 11,000 BCE and the Natufian culture. Fascinating that it goes back at least that far! Open mortars carved into bedrock were used to crush and soak plant starches, converting them into sugars, which were then fermented in containers made from fibers. This process, known as mashing, indicates that beer brewing was closely tied to early agriculture. The inhabitants of Raqefet Cave used wild grains, tubers, and fruit to brew their beverages, diverging from the modern reliance on cereals like barley and wheat. This discovery suggests beer is nearly as ancient as farming itself, challenging contemporary ideas of beer brewing. The site shows that beer was made long before the 15th-century rise of hops-flavored beer in Bavaria, where beer laws later defined the beverage as water, barley, and hops only. 🍻

• Two 10,000-Year-Old Ornaments With Leopard, Vulture, and Human Figures Found in Sefertepe Excavations — During excavations at Sefertepe in southeastern Turkey, two stone ornaments dating back 10,000 years were discovered. These ornaments feature carvings of leopards, vultures, and human figures, reflecting the artistic and symbolic practices of early Neolithic societies. The artifacts likely held significant ritual or cultural importance, showcasing the region’s rich symbolic traditions. Sefertepe, an important early Neolithic site, also yielded other evidence of ancient life, including stone tools and remains of structures, offering insight into the social and religious lives of its inhabitants.

Image credit: AA

• Ancient Peru Throne Room Points To Possible Female Ruler, Archaeologists Say — Archaeologists in Peru have discovered what may be a throne room in the ancient ruins of the Mochica civilization, dating from 200 CE to 850 CE. Located in the Lambayeque region, the structure contains ceremonial platforms and a large stone seat, potentially used by a female ruler — as suggested by artifacts found nearby, including gold jewelry and intricately carved pottery. The discovery shows that the Mochica, known for their advanced irrigation systems and striking pottery, may have been led by women in certain regions.

• Well-Preserved Viking Era Cemetery Unearthed In Denmark — Archaeologists in Denmark have uncovered a Viking-era cemetery in exceptional condition, dating to between 800 and 1050 CE. The site includes multiple burial mounds with both cremation and inhumation burials, a reflection of the transition from pagan to Christian burial practices. Items discovered alongside the graves include weapons, jewelry, and everyday tools. Notably, a well-preserved Viking sword was found, adding to the site's significance. The site also included horse burials, which were often reserved for elite members of Viking society.

• Retracing Walrus Ivory Trade of Viking Age Reveals Early Interactions Between Europeans and Indigenous North Americans — In the Viking Age, Norse Vikings ventured into the High Arctic of Greenland to trade for walrus ivory with Arctic Indigenous peoples. Medieval Europe's demand for luxury items like walrus ivory spurred these expeditions. Genetic analysis of walrus artifacts suggests that Vikings sourced ivory far from their main Greenland settlements, in remote Arctic regions. These findings underscore the Vikings' sophisticated seafaring abilities, allowing them to navigate challenging Arctic waters and interact with Indigenous groups such as the Thule Inuit. This interaction involved significant cultural exchanges between European Norse, characterized by their plank-built vessels and woolen clothing, and the Arctic-adapted Inuit, distinguished by their fur attire and skin boats.

That’s it for the free Top 5! If you’re a free subscriber, sign up for the paid plan for another 13 discoveries and 7 recommended pieces of content covering hidden churches, sweet potatoes, dingoes, battles, and nerdy fantasy stuff.

Until next time, thanks for joining me!

-James
Twitter: @jamesofthedrum

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🗞 Ancient News: Deep Dive