🧐 Ancient Beat #144: Abstract thought, Indo-European languages, and the origin of money

Happy (day after) Valentine’s Day, folks! And welcome to issue #44 of Ancient Beat. Here’s the latest ancient news. 👇

---

---

🗞 Ancient News: Top 5

• Landmark Studies Track Source of Indo-European Languages Spoken by 40% of World — Recent DNA analyses have pinpointed the origins of the Indo-European language family to the Caucasus Lower Volga region in present-day Russia, around 4,500 BCE. These early speakers inhabited areas from the steppe grasslands along the lower Volga River to the northern foothills of the Caucasus Mountains. Over time, they mixed with neighboring groups, leading to the emergence of the Yamnaya culture. The Yamnaya, known for innovations like horseback herding and oxen-towed wagons, began expanding around 3,000 BCE, spreading their language and culture across vast territories from Mongolia to Ireland. This expansion played a pivotal role in disseminating Indo-European languages, which today are spoken by more than 40% of the global population.

• Were Levantine Hominins Capable of Abstract Thought? — High-resolution 3D surface analysis of five artifacts from Manot, Qafzeh, and Quneitra caves in Israel revealed intentional geometric engravings aligned with the objects' surfaces. These deliberate patterns suggest that Middle Paleolithic (~300k-50k BP) hominins in the Levant engaged in abstract thought and symbolic behavior. In contrast, similar artifacts from Amud Cave displayed shallow, non-patterned incisions consistent with utilitarian use, indicating varying cognitive and cultural practices among these populations.

• LiDAR Study Reveals a Vast Fortified City — A recent LiDAR study has unveiled the extensive scale of Guiengola, a 15th-century Zapotec site in southern Oaxaca, Mexico. Covering over 360 hectares (890 acres), the city comprises more than 1,100 buildings, four kilometers (2.5 miles) of defensive walls, an extensive road network, and an urban layout featuring temples, ballcourts, and distinct neighborhoods for elites and commoners. Previously considered a military fortress, this discovery redefines Guiengola as a vast fortified city, highlighting its significance in the Zapotec civilization's defense against Aztec invasions between 1497 and 1502. The preservation of structures, including standing houses with visible doors and hallways, offers a remarkable glimpse into the city's historical context.

  

  Image credit: Pedro Guillermo Ramón Celi

• Ancient DNA from El Mirón Cave Reveals a 46,000-Year Lineage of the Red Lady — Recent sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) analysis from El Mirón Cave in northern Spain has unveiled a continuous genetic record spanning over 46,000 years. The study identified that artisans of the Solutrean culture (circa 25,000–21,000 years ago) belonged to the "Fournol" genetic lineage, previously found in France and Spain. This lineage later integrated with "Villabruna" ancestry from the Balkans during the Magdalenian period, contributing to the genetic makeup of the individual known as the Red Lady, who was buried in the cave around 19,000 years ago. Additionally, sedaDNA revealed the presence of species such as hyenas, leopards, and Asiatic dholes, offering insights into the region's ancient ecosystem.

• Money May Have Originated Through Long Distance Trade, New Theory Suggests — A recent study proposes that money emerged to facilitate long-distance trade in pre-state societies, rather than to address internal barter inefficiencies. In regions like Western North America, indigenous groups used shell beads as currency thousands of years before European contact. These beads enabled traders to conduct transactions across vast areas, spanning multiple cultures and languages, where trust-based exchanges weren't feasible. Similarly, in Bronze Age Europe, standardized bronze objects likely served as money, supporting trade over extensive distances. This theory challenges traditional views by highlighting the role of external trade networks in the development of monetary systems.

That’s it for the free Top 5! If you’re a free subscriber, sign up for the paid plan for another 20 discoveries and 5 recommended pieces of content covering cult sites, the Little Ice Age, Sacsayhuaman, and love.

Until next time, thanks for joining me!

-James
Twitter: @jamesofthedrum

P.S. Here’s my Buy Me A Coffee link if you’d like to support my efforts with a donation.

P.P.S. If you want access to the paid version but it’s a little too steep for you right now, just email me — I want this to be accessible.

P.P.P.S. Paid members, read on!

🗞 Ancient News: Deep Dive