đ§ Ancient Beat #141: Matrilineal Celts, solar compasses, and hidden Inca tunnels
Hi folks! Welcome to issue #141 of Ancient Beat. Letâs get it â hereâs the latest ancient news. đ
đ Ancient News: Top 5
Groundbreaking Study Finds Hidden Inca Tunnel Network Over a Mile in Length â "Groundbreaking"... I see what ya did there đ. As the title suggests, archaeologists have uncovered a Chinkana (meaning "labyrinth") tunnel system extending over 1.1 miles beneath Cusco, Peru. This subterranean network connects the Temple of the Sun to the Sacsahuaman citadel, with branches leading to Callispuquio, Muyucmarca, and behind the Church of San CristĂłbal. The discovery was facilitated by ground-penetrating radar and acoustic prospecting, guided by historical documents from the 16th to 18th centuries. Notably, a 1594 account by a Jesuit provided key insights into the tunnel's layout. This finding sheds light on the architectural ingenuity of the Inca civilization and offers new avenues for exploring their urban planning and ceremonial practices.
Ancient Celtic Tribe Had Women at Its Social Center â Genetic analysis of a Late Iron Age burial site in southern England (100 BCEâ100 CE) revealed a matrilocal society among the Durotriges, a Celtic tribe. Unlike earlier patrilocal societies, where women moved to their husband's community, here, men joined their wives' families. DNA from over 50 individuals shows that most were related through the maternal line, a pattern rarely seen in European prehistory. Women likely held social and economic influence, remaining embedded in extended family networks. While not a matriarchy, they had control over property and household decisions. Similar genetic patterns were found at other Iron Age cemeteries across Britain, suggesting this custom persisted for centuries. The findings align with historical accounts describing influential Celtic women and may indicate strong tribal cohesion, possibly linked to external warfare.
Sutton Hoo Burials May Belong to Anglo-Saxons Who Fought for the Byzantine Empire â Recent research suggests that individuals interred at the Sutton Hoo site in Suffolk, England, may have been distinguished Anglo-Saxon warriors who served in the Byzantine Empire during the 6th century CE, rather than kings or local aristocrats. This theory is supported by the presence of artifacts with Byzantine connections, such as silver spoons with Greek inscriptions and a silver platter bearing the monogram of Emperor Anastasius I (491â518). These items likely arrived in England as personal belongings of warriors returning from Byzantine military campaigns. In the 6th century, the Byzantine Empire recruited skilled cavalry warriors from across Europe, including Britons celebrated for their woodland fighting skills. The prestige gained through these military campaigns may have elevated the social status of returning soldiers, leading to lavish burials like those at Sutton Hoo.
Medieval Stone Disks Found in Ukraine Could Be Viking Solar Compasses â Recent research suggests that eight pyrophyllite stone disks discovered in Ukraine, dating to the 12th and 13th centuries, may have functioned as solar compasses for navigation. These artifacts, unearthed in medieval settlements such as Kyiv, Listven, and Liubech, feature concentric circles and radial lines. The design parallels Viking sun compasses, which utilized a gnomon to cast shadows for determining direction and latitude based on the sun's position. The local availability of pyrophyllite indicates these disks were likely produced in the Ovruch region, yet their form and function suggest influence from Scandinavian traders and sailors active along the trade routes connecting the Baltic and Black Seas. This hypothesis aligns with similar navigational instruments found in Greenland and the Baltic Sea area, indicating a shared technological heritage.
Study Reveals Ephesos Skull Is Not Cleopatraâs Sister but an 11-Year-Old Boyâs â Advanced analyses have debunked the long-held belief that a skull found in 1929 in Ephesus, Turkey, belonged to ArsinoĂ« IV, Cleopatra's sister. Utilizing micro-CT scans, radiocarbon dating, and DNA testing, researchers determined the remains are of an 11- to 14-year-old boy who lived between 36 and 205 BCE. The skull exhibited premature fusion of cranial sutures, leading to an asymmetrical shape, and an underdeveloped jaw, suggesting the child had developmental anomalies. This finding challenges previous assumptions about the Octagon tomb's occupant and raises new questions about the boy's identity and the reasons for his burial in such a prominent structure.
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-James
Twitter: @jamesofthedrum
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