š§ Ancient Beat #60: Neanderthal hunters (vs sapiens), underwater roads, and early migrations to the Americas from China
š§ Ancient Beat #60: Neanderthal hunters (vs sapiens), underwater roads, and early migrations to the Americas from China
Hi folks! Welcome to issue #60 of Ancient Beat. š§
This is a special weekend for my family since we welcomed our first child into the world a few months back. So Iād like to take a quick moment to wish my beautiful wife, Teela, and all the other mothers out there, a very very HAPPY MOTHERāS DAY!!! You are all complete and utter heroes. Thank you for all you do. ā¤ļø
Hereās the latest ancient news. š
š Ancient News: Top 5
Ancient Female Figurines Sheltered by Boar Tusks Discovered in Ukraine Cave āĀ After 200 years of investigation, Ukraineās Verteba Cave is still bearing fruit! Researchers believe that the primary function of the cave was as a refuge and hiding place during tough times. But the latest discoveries show that it was also a place of worship and burial. Most notably, they found a niche in a wall so small that only a hand could fit inside. Within, they retrieved five female clay figurines that they believe to be associated with the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture, of which little is known other than that they were very advanced for their time, with large settlements, agricultural, and metallurgical skills. According to Sokhatskyi Mykhailo, āFemale figurines are not rare in Trypillian contexts, and hoards of figurines are known, but these were sheltered by the tusks of a wild boar.ā There are no parallels for this, and it may shed light on the ritual practices of the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture. Over the years, ornamented pottery vessels, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic clay figurines, stone tools, bone tools, copper tools, and various ornaments have been discovered in the cave.
Evidence of Ice Age Human Migrations from China to the Americas and Japan ā Scientists have traced a female lineage known as D4h from northern coastal China to the Americas (Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, and California) in two migrations ā one 26,000-19,500 years ago, during the last ice age, and the other 19,000-11,500 years ago, in the melting period. The researchers also found an unexpected genetic connection between the Americas and Japan, and it turns out that around the time of the latter migration, there was also a migration from China to Japan. This may explain archaeological similarities (such as similar stemmed projectile points) that have been noticed between the three distinct locations. The genetic picture of the Americas has come a long way since the time when we thought all peoples in the Americas migrated from Siberia. But according to Qing-Peng Kong, āThe origins of several founder groups are still elusive or controversial. Next, we plan to collect and investigate more Eurasian lineages to obtain a more complete picture on the origin of Native Americans.ā Why the migrations occurred and the exact location in northern coastal China that they came from are both still question marks. Interesting stuff, particularly so soon after the news I covered in last weekās issue about three newly identified Homo sapiens migrations into Europe.
Archaeologists Discover Submerged Road from Neolithic Period ā A 7,000-year-old road was discovered at the submerged Neolithic archaeological site of Soline, off of the island of KorÄula in Croatia. It is 12 feet wide and consists of stone slabs. KorÄula was originally part of the mainland, but the sea level rose after 12,000 BCE, and by 6,000 BCE, this archipelago was roughly what it is today. Previous dating of artifacts at Soline, which is associated with the Hvar culture, dated it to 4,900 years ago. The researchers involved also found another settlement with a similar configuration on the other side of KorÄula. Stone blades, a stone ax, and millstone fragments have been recovered at the new site. A stone road thatās 12 feet across is pretty impressive for the time period if you ask me, but you wouldnāt know it from the article, which is cool as a cucumber about the whole thing.
Tooth Enamel Provides Intriguing Clues To Hunter-Gatherer Lifestyle Of Neanderthals ā A new study of chemical properties within tooth enamel found that Neanderthals living near the Almonda Cave system in Portugal hunted large animals (wild goat, horses, red deer, rhinoceros) over a wide area, while Homo sapiens hunted smaller creatures (rabbits, red deer, wild goat, fish) in an area about half the size (600 km vs 300 km). It should be noted that this may not be as much to do with the species as it is to do with the population density of the times, as the Neanderthals whose remains were tested lived 95,000 years ago, while the sapiens lived 13,000 years ago. The method used is fascinating. According to Bethan Linscott, āUsing laser ablation, we can measure the variation of strontium isotopes over the two or three years it takes for the enamel to form. By comparing the strontium isotopes in the teeth with sediments collected at different locations in the region, we were able to map the movements of the Neanderthals and the Magdalenian individual. The geology around the Almonda caves is highly variable, making it possible to spot movement of just a few kms.ā
Immaculate 2,000-Year-Old Carvings of 'True Beauty' Found Buried in Wales āĀ A metal detectorist in Llantrisant Fawr, Wales discovered a hoard that included a Roman pot and a Celtic bucket mount dating to the Roman Era and Iron Age. The Roman finds may suggest an unknown settlement in the area. Excavation then revealed more artifacts, such as a bowl with an oxās face, two wooden tankards, eight vessels, a copper bowl, a cauldron, a strainer, and two Roman copper alloy saucepans. Hereās an image, but itās worth looking at the article to see other photos ā the craftsmanship is fantastic.
Thatās it for the free Top 5! If youāre a free subscriber, sign up for the paid plan for another 21 stories and 7 recommended pieces of content covering the origins of language, the Mongol Empireās conquest, prehistoric distribution networks, mysterious statues, psychedelics, the site of Bargny 1, and mothers in ancient Greece. (And if you want access but itās a little too steep for you right now, just shoot me an email.)
Otherwise, have a wonderful weekend! And may you find some fascinating rabbit holes to explore. š
-James
Twitter: @jamesofthedrum
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š Ancient News: Deep Dive
The Impact of the Mongol Conquests on Earthen Cities in Central Asia āĀ A study now suggests that the widespread urban abandonment of earthen-built cities of the Persianate Khwarazmian Empire (modern-day Kazakhstan to the Persian Gulf and the Caucasus) was not directly caused by the Mongol Empire. It was previously thought that the Mongols destroyed these cities in the 12th-14th centuries, but there is little archaeological evidence of direct destruction by the Mongols. Instead, the study suggests that the abandonment was actually brought about by depopulation ā the cities lacked the people to maintain the earthen structures and irrigation systems. But of course, the Mongols didnāt help the situation. Economic, political, and environmental stress caused by the Mongol Empire probably made pre-existing issues worse and brought about the decline of already-struggling cities. According to Katie Campbell, āThe specific properties of earthen architecture, especially the availability and affordability of mud as a building material, led to low-level reuse, and a widespread pattern of the eventual movement of cities after it was no longer possible to maintain them.ā
Chimpanzee Study Offers Glimpse of Early Language ā According to a new study, the ability to convey meaning through sequences of vocalizations may date back to the last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees ā six million years ago. By exposing wild chimps to a fake snake, researchers observed the chimps combining two types of calls (one for surprise and another for recruiting help during threats/hunts). These calls evoked a stronger response in surrounding chimps. Ipso facto, a sequence of vocalizations takes on a new meaning. And thatās a big step in the direction of language.
Longstanding Cultural Continuity at Oldest Occupied Site in West Africa āĀ A new study showed technological continuity for 140,000 years at the oldest directly-dated archaeological site in West Africa. The site is known as Bargny 1 and itās in Senegal. Middle Stone Age toolkits were in use at the site starting roughly 150,000 years ago. And these tools persisted until 10,000 years ago ā tens of thousands of years after stone tool technologies in other regions of Africa improved. In northern, eastern, and southern Africa Middle Stone Age toolkits were set aside 30,000-60,000 years ago. According to the study, one explanation for this is that since West Africa showed environmental stability over the last 150,000 years, specialized technological developments that took place elsewhere did not need to take place there. Potential isolation from other peoples in Africa may have led to demographic stability, which would have had an impact as well.
Copper Artifacts Reveal Changing Connections In Prehistoric Europe ā Changes in prehistoric distribution networks in Europe have been discovered thanks to the geochemical analysis of 45 copper artifacts including axes and chisels dating to the 4th and 3rd millennia BCE. Until now, little was known about the use and distribution of copper in Neolithic Europe. The analysis showed that artifacts from earlier than 3500 BCE were exclusively from mines in southeast Europe (particularly Serbia). Later artifacts, however, have ore from the eastern Alps and Slovak Mountains (and much later, maybe the British Isles). There was also a decrease in the prevalence of copper artifacts around 3000 BCE. Changes like this in sourcing and availability indicate fluctuations in distribution networks, which may have been caused by things like changing economies, social structures, communication networks, and technologies. According to the researchers, this study proves that these artifacts connected Europe over long distances.
Monkās 1,400-Year-Old Writings Uncovered in Home Near Cemetery in Egypt ā During excavations at the necropolis of Meir in Egypt, a large structure made up of Christian monksā cells was discovered. On the upper level, writing was discovered on the walls ā eight lines of prayers in Coptic, written in black ink. The building had a courtyard, storage rooms, and a fireplace. The upper level of the building dates to 1,400 years ago, in Egyptās Byzantine era. The lower level dates to the Late Period (664-332 BCE). On the lower level, fragments of coffins, a funerary mask and collar, pottery vessels, copper mirrors, and faience beads were discovered.
Riddle of ancient Egyptās āimpossibleā sculpture is finally solved in Scotland āĀ A 3,000-year-old statue of a child pharaoh being held by a commoner has been baffling Egyptologists for a long time. The statue shouldnāt exist because commoners could not touch a reigning king, and carving the statue would have been seen as heresy. But new research identified the source as the site of Deir el-Medina in Egypt, where craftworkers designed, built, and decorated pharaohsā tombs. The researcher believes that the person who commissioned the statue would have been the senior scribe, the idea being that this person (and other craftworkers) was privy to highly confidential information about the pharaohs and, as I understand it, this may have provided special privileges or maybe made the rules a bit more flexible.
2000-Year-Old Riverside Wall Built to Protect London From Uprising Tribes Unearthed āĀ Three pieces of a 2,000-year-old Roman wall were found on the Thames River in London, England. The new discovery makes up 330 feet of the 6,000-foot Riverside Wall. This Riverside Wall is a part of the better-known London Wall which encircles the cityās core. The wall would have protected Londinium 2,000 years ago, contributing to the cityās prominence.
New Video Footage Reveals Intriguing Viking-Style Shipwreck At The Bottom Of Norwayās Largest Lake MjĆøsa āĀ New video footage showed what is being touted as Norwayās oldest known shipwreck at the bottom of Lake MjĆøsa. It probably dates to between 1300 and 1850 CE. The video is brief because, by the time the underwater vehicle got all the way down 1,200 feet, it only had 6% battery left. But the sonar images show that it was a clinker-built boat, a type of boat that was used in Norway from the Iron Age until the 20th century. The researchers also say that it looks a lot like a Viking ship. Further investigation is underway.
Israeli Researchers Create AI to Translate Ancient Cuneiform Akkadian Texts āĀ An artificial intelligence model has been created that can accurately translate Akkadian text written in cuneiform characters into English. This is big news given the hundreds of thousands of tablets that have been found over the years ā wayyy too many for the few people who can read them to translate. I covered a similar AI called the āFragmentariumā in issue #47.
Ancient Egyptian Figurines Depicting Osiris Found in Poland āĀ A valuable collection has been found in Poland, where it was presumably hidden from the German SS. It includes two figurines of the Egyptian deity, Osiris. The figurines were dated to the 1st millennium BCE. A bust dated to the 1st century CE was also discovered in the same deposit, and it depicts Bacchus, the Roman deity associated with winemaking. And there was also a portion of a ceremonial sword from the 17th century.
Archaeologists Examine Possible Hilltop Powerbase āĀ Archaeologists are shedding light on a fort found on a hill near Stirling, Scotland. Itās thought to be the political center of the Maeatae, a confederation of tribes in Roman Britain from whom the Roman politician and soldier, Virius Lupus, bought peace at the end of the 2nd century. Little is known about the hill fort, other than that it may have marked their northern boundary. It has a central citadel and a roundhouse with ramparts. The latest finds include pottery, a brooch, and evidence of metalworking.
Lump of Soil Hid Ancient Viking Artifact of a Mysterious Animal āĀ According to a recent press release, a small artifact was discovered in Norway a couple of years back. It was covered in dirt but X-rays showed the presence of gold and bronze so they cleaned it up and found an intricate buckle or brooch dated to roughly 1000 CE. It has interconnected loops and appears to display some animal, possibly a lion encircled by serpents. Or a horse or dragon.
Ancient Settlement Explored in Western Anatolia āĀ A city gate, walls, and rock-cut tombs were discovered during the first-ever excavation of the 4,500-year-old site of Mobolla in Turkey. Previous surface surveying in the early 2000s found civil structures, sanctuaries, cisterns, and dwellings.
Late Roman Watchtower Discovered on Swiss Border ā A 4th-century Roman watchtower was discovered in a nature reserve on the shores of the Rhine in Switzerland. Artifacts had been found in the area previously, but folks werenāt quite sure why. Turns out the siteās watchtower is part of a chain of watchtowers that were constructed roughly a mile apart from each other. It was built to protect the Romans from the Alemanni, a confederation of Germanic tribes. There are no physical remains above the surface, but the foundations of a square building were found below the surface, measuring roughly 21x21 feet, with meter-thick walls. Also found were roofing tiles, a military belt, a fibula, an amphora-shaped strap end, and a coin dated to 311 CE.
Roman Naval Base of Haltern in Germany Was Rebuilt Four Times 2,000 Years Ago ā Excavations of a former Roman shore fort in the town of Haltern am See, Germany have revealed that the fort was rebuilt four times with a different layout each time. This small military river port had a wall made of wood-earth and a moat. It dates to about 2,000 years ago. As to why they completely redid the place so many times, there was no mention.
Fourteen Ancient Buddha Statues Discovered in Bolikhamxay Province ā Three guys stumbled upon 14 Buddha statues, 22 swords, and a gong in Yiang cave in Laos. Local authorities reported that 13 of the statues appear to be made of gold. No word on how old they are, but the swords look pretty darn old to me.
Remnants of Temple Made of Sandstone Found in Preah Vihear ā A small, abandoned temple known as Neang Ngor was ādiscoveredā in Cambodia. People of the nearby village, Kulen Tboung, were familiar with it, but few beyond the village knew of it. Dating is underway.
8-Year-Old Girl Unearths Stone Age Dagger by Her School in Norway āĀ A 3,700-year-old stone dagger was discovered by an 8-year-old girl in Norway while playing outside of her school. It is nearly five inches long and made of flint, which is not native to Norway, so it may have come from Denmark. This type of dagger is often found in sacrificial finds, so more investigation will take place.
Your Big Nose Might Be The Result of an Ancient Affair With a Neanderthal āĀ A new study suggests that some of the genes responsible for our noses may have been inherited from Neanderthals (who had biggish noses). First Nations peoples of the Americas have a gene called ATF3 that is inherited from Neanderthals. The gene is affected by another gene that affects the shape of the face, and the researchers suggest it may affect the nose. Very few people of European descent have the gene. The researchers believe the gene helped Neanderthals (and later, sapiens) adapt to colder climates. There are other genes that may affect the nose as well, and those may have also come from Neanderthals or Denisovans. Fun fact: Other genes from interbreeding have also been a big help ā for example, they give us safer births and improved resistance to viruses and infections.
Archaeologists Map Important Archaeological Landscape Where First Australians Lived More than 60,000 Years Ago āĀ Ground-breaking (no pun intended) methods of sub-surface imaging and aerial surveys of the floodplains in the inland Red Lily Lagoon region of Northern Australia have shown that the ocean once reached the region about 8,000 years ago. This has significant implications regarding the oldest (60,000 years) archaeological site in Australia, Madjedbebe. The subsequent environmental changes are reflected in rock art at the site, as fish, crocs, and birds were depicted when the floodplain went from ocean to swamps and freshwater habitats. According to Jarrad Knowlessar, āBased on the results of this study, all Pleistocene sites in western Arnhem Land were near the ocean and, subsequently, mangrove swamps at some point during the transformation of the landscape. This has important implications for the paleogeographic settings of these sites, which must be considered when interpreting changes in stone artifacts, food resources, and the isotope composition of materials from this period of the first Australians.ā
ā¤ļø Recommended Content
Since itās Motherās Day this week, hereās an article about women and mothers in ancient Greece. They didnāt have Motherās Day per se, but they did celebrate and honor motherhood.
Psychedelics: Not just for Silicon Valley visionaries anymore. š
Hereās an article about the Hopewell First Nations culture in Ohio, and the unusual raw materials that came to them from distant places.
Hereās a video about the missing megaliths of Gƶbekli Tepe.
Hereās an article that takes you through archaeological sites on the Riviera Maya (and beyond). It includes some really beautiful photos of the sites, so itās worth a look.
Hereās a listicle about some of the top marvels of the Inca empire, though many would disagree with the label of āIncaā on some of them.
Hereās an easily-digestible table of the evolution of Egyptian Bronze-Age art:
Thatās it for now, thanks for reading!