đ§ Ancient Beat #41: Painted bones, bear skins, and the lost city of Zippalanda
Happy (almost) new year, folks!!! And welcome to issue #41 of Ancient Beat.
The holiday sale is still going on for a few more days. Click here to get 20% off the premium subscription! The offer lasts until the end of the year. đ
And hereâs the latest ancient news. đ
đ Ancient News: Top 5
Oregon State Archaeologists Uncover Oldest Known Projectile Points in the Americas â Projectile points from 15,700 years ago have been unearthed at the Cooperâs Ferry site in Idaho in the U.S. Thatâs 3,000 years older than the famous Clovis points. And itâs not just their age that is important, but also their similarity to projectile points found in Hokkaido, Japan from 16,000-20,000 years ago. This may provide more information regarding the possible connection between ice age peoples of Northeast Asia and those of North America. The points are slender with two distinct ends and were likely attached to darts, not arrows or spears.
Strange Circular Structure Unearthed in Turkey Could Be a Long-Lost Ancient City â A circular structure from the Hittite era is being excavated at the site of UĆaklı HöyĂŒk in Turkey, and some believe it may have been a temple in the lost city of the Hittites (1650-1190 BCE) known as Zippalanda. I know, it sounds like something out of Dr. Seuss, but itâs actually one of the ancient Hattic cult centers â tablets have been recovered that mention the city, its customs, and a temple to their storm god, Ziplantil. According to Anacleto DâAgostino, âThe structure, together with the other finds discovered over the years, would help to strengthen the identification of UĆaklı with the important Hittite city of Zippalanda, the cult centre of a powerful Storm God, a royal residence, and mentioned in several festivals in which the king took part.â
Humans Have Been Wearing Bear Skins for At Least 300,000 Years â Cut marks were found on the metatarsal and phalanx of a 300,000-year-old cave bear found at the Schöningen archaeological site in Germany. This is an area of the body with little meat, so the researchers believe the marks are indicative of skinning rather than retrieving meat. This is one of the few examples of bear skinning from the Lower Paleolithic, making this a significant find. According to Nicholas Conard, âThe use of bear skins is likely a key adaptation of early humans to the climate in the north.â
Polish Archaeologists have Uncovered Nine Crocodile Heads Within Ancient Egyptian Tombs of Nobles â Nine crocodile heads were discovered within two tombs in the Theban Necropolis of Egypt. The tombs belong to a high-ranking official and a high-status member of the royal court. While crocodiles have been found entombed before, this find is unique, as stated by Patryk Chudzik, âIn our case, things are different. Firstly, only the heads and not the entire bodies of these Nile reptiles have been deposited in the tombs where we work. Secondly, they were not mummified but only wrapped in linen (there is a significant difference in this, as no preservatives were used). Finally, the remains were found in the tombs of humans, not the catacombs of sacred animals.â
Characterizing Red Pigment in Ancient Bone Samples in Peru to Reveal Their Sources â In a new study of red pigments used in funeral rites by the people of ancient Peru, researchers analyzed samples of red paint from bones and artifacts dated to between 1000 and 1825 CE. They found that most of the pigments were made with iron-based ochres like hematite, but others were made with cinnabar (a mercury-based pigment that you might remember from issue #31, when researchers noticed that Maya cities were contaminated with mercury⊠but I digress). The cinnabar was not native to the area, indicating that it was used for people of importance and/or wealth. Also notable is that the remains with red pigment were mostly those of men. The pigment was applied either with textiles, leaves, or fingers, long after the deceased had been skeletonized. It is not clear when exactly the paint was applied to the bones, but according to the researchers, the paint may have been applied to protect loved ones from the European invaders.
Thatâs it for the free Top 5! If youâre a free subscriber and youâd like to read another 11 headlines and 7 pieces of content covering medieval cats, the Tower of Jericho, Peruvian funerary structures, Chinese tombs, Greek statues, Roman temples, a shipwreck, and more, sign up for the paid plan below. And donât forget about that discount! If you want access but itâs a little too steep for you right now, just shoot me an email. đ
đ Ancient News: Deep Dive
Archaeologists Unearth 14 Ancient Tombs in Central China â Fourteen tombs spanning from the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 CE) to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE) were found in Chenzhou, China. Two types were found: brick chamber tombs and earth pits. Pottery, stone ornaments, ironware, and bronze ware were also found in the tombs. And interestingly, a thin layer of sand found in some of the tombs seems to be related to the gender of the deceased.
Viking Age Grave Containing Remains of Shield Uncovered â A grave from the Viking Age was discovered in Oslo, Norway. It is a cremation burial with fragments of a soapstone vessel, a buckle, a Celtic brooch (AKA a penannular brooch), two knives, a horse tack, and a shield boss. The grave goods indicate that itâs from sometime late in the first millennium CE.
Possible Funerary Structures Uncovered at Peruâs Huaca Bandera â What appear to be funerary structures dating to 850 BCE have been discovered at the Moche site of Huaca Bandera in Peru. The finds include a red- and cream-colored ceremonial bench, a wall with rows of painted niches, and a burial on a pyramidal platform.
2,000-Year-Old Sculptures Unearthed in Turkey â The heads of statues of the Greek gods Eros and Dionysus, and the demigod Heracles, have been uncovered at the ancient city of Aizanoi in Turkey. The finds date back 2,000 years.
Artifacts Recovered from Franklin Expedition Shipwreck â 275 artifacts have been recovered from the wreckage of HMS Erebus, which was lost in the Arctic while its crew searched for the Northwest Passage in 1845. Most of the recovered artifacts came from the stewardâs pantry, including elaborate table settings. They also found a leather book with a feather quill tucked inside its cover. Conservators will attempt to read the notes of the journal. They also found drafting implements which would have been used for mapmaking.
Sensational Archaeological Discovery Hidden Beneath GdaĆskâs Town Hall âRewritesâ Cityâs History â A wooden defensive rampart from roughly 930 CE was discovered beneath the town hall of the city of GdaĆsk, Poland. This means that there was a Slavic settlement there before the Polish state was first established. According to Waldemar Ossowski, âWe discovered the remains of a Slavic settlement under the main Town Hall, which unquestionably indicate the foundation of GdaĆsk in 930. In this way we have moved the chronology of the city 60 years backwards.â
2,000-Year-Old Candle Discovered by Local Children in Israeli Kibbutz â Three elementary school students found a 2,000-year-old clay candle in Israel near their school and, coincidentally, near another site that was being excavated. The find may help those archaeologists determine how far the borders of the site theyâre excavating reaches.
Ukrainian Troops Uncover Ancient Roman Settlement While Digging Trenches in Kherson Oblast â Ukrainian border guards found fragments of clay jars and amphorae while building defensive earthworks. While an excavation will have to wait, for obvious reasons, it is thought that they found a Roman settlement.
New Findings at Temple of Khnum in Egypt â Excavations at the Temple of Khnum in Esna, Egypt revealed a Ptolemaic-era building, a Roman bathhouse, and various artifacts behind the main structure. The bathhouse included a hypocaust (essentially Roman central heating).
2,600-Year-Old Prehistoric Necropolis in France Reveals Treasures â An individual bedecked in copper jewelry was uncovered in the necropolis of Aubagne in France, which was in use between 900 and 600 BCE. They had a torc around their neck, three bangles on each ankle, three toe rings, a brooch, and a large ceramic urn. Another burial had an individual with a twisted copper alloy bracelet with a pearl and a stone on their left shoulder, along with two ceramic pots near their head, typical of this time period.
Surprising Discovery of Almost Intact Roman Sanctuary with Temples in the Netherlands â A Roman sanctuary was discovered in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. So far, statues of gods, reliefs, and painted plaster have been found, as well as several complete votive stones (altars) that are dedicated to certain gods and goddesses. The finds date to between the 1st and 4th centuries CE. Two or more temples once stood on the site, one of which was a Gallo-Roman temple with colorful walls and a tiled roof. There is also a large stone well with a staircase, and evidence of sacrificial fires.
â€ïž Recommended Content
Hereâs a one-star review of the megalithic site of Filitosa in France. âDidactically completely inadequate.â Pretty sure Iâm offended, but hold on a sec, let me get my dictionary. đ
Hereâs a fascinating video about the Tower of Jericho, as well as other nearby towers which predate Gobekli Tepe.
Tutankhamunâs tomb has been getting a lot of press lately. Howard Carter tends to get all the accolades for finding it, but some say most of the credit actually belongs to a young boy. Hereâs a short video about it.
Anyone fond of cats? Hereâs an interesting article detailing what medieval manuscripts can teach us about cats in the middle ages. Itâs surprisingly similar to what youâd see today, despite some misgivings that folks had due to associations with paganism and witchcraft.
Here's a collection of beautiful photos of megalithic sites in the UK â itâs really worth a quick look.
With 2022 coming to an end, here are 96 of the most fascinating finds of 2022.
And hereâs a list of discoveries made in 2022, specifically to do with human evolution.
Well, thatâll do it for this week. As always, let me know your thoughts!
And until 2023, thanks for joining me. đ
-James
(newish twitter: @jamesofthedrum)
P.S. If you like what youâre seeing, please consider forwarding it to a friend. It would mean a lot! đ