Tag: ancient history

First Americans May Have Arrived by Sea Ice Highway as Early as 24,000 Years Ago

One of the hottest debates in archaeology is how and when humans first arrived in North America. Archaeologists have traditionally argued that people walked through an ice-free corridor that briefly opened between ice sheets an estimated 13,000 years ago.

But a growing number of archaeological and genetic finds—including human footprints in New Mexico dated to around 23,000 years old—suggests that people made their way onto the continent much earlier. These early Americans likely traveled along the Pacific coastline from Beringia, the land bridge between Asia and North America that emerged during the last glacial maximum when ice sheets bound up large amounts of water causing sea levels to fall.

Now, in research presented Friday, 15 December at the American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting (AGU23) in San Franciso, paleoclimate reconstructions of the Pacific Northwest hint that sea ice may have been one way for people to move farther south.

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Scientists Just Found Human Evolution’s Missing Link in Europe 

Recent fossil evidence challenges the prevailing narrative of human evolution, shifting the focus from Africa to Europe’s westernmost reaches. Conventional beliefs, rooted in the Out of Africa theory, face scrutiny as scientists suggest our last common ancestor may have resided in Europe over two million years ago. The study challenges established timelines linking Neanderthals, Denisovans, and Homo sapiens to a single ancestor, Homo heidelbergensis. The Pit of Bones in Spain, also known as Atapuerca, houses fossils dating back 800,000 years, adds complexity. Genetic analysis hints at an unknown hominin species, a potential missing link connecting Neanderthals and Denisovans.

This discovery prompts a reevaluation of the human evolutionary tree, emphasizing the enigmatic genetic makeup of these fossils. The implications extend beyond challenging preconceptions; they underscore the intricacy of unraveling our evolutionary history. The fossils, with their mysterious genetic traits, defy easy classification, leaving scientists grappling with questions that may reshape our understanding of the common ancestry shared by Neanderthals and Homo sapiens.

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The Ancient History of UFOs and the Oppenheimer-Einstein Report

An unidentified flying object, or UFO, in its most general definition, is any apparent anomaly in the sky that is not identifiable as a known object or phenomenon. Although its definition encompasses any unexplained aerial phenomena, in popular culture the term has generally become synonymous with an extraterrestrial spacecraft.

UFO sightings have been reported throughout recorded history and in various parts of the world, raising questions about life on other planets and whether extraterrestrials have visited Earth. They have become a major subject of interest, and the inspiration behind numerous films and books. However, sadly they are also the focus of intense ridicule. 

For decades there has been a move, deliberate or not, to diminish the importance of UFOs and create a public belief that UFOs are part of some form of elaborate hoax. Nevertheless, unexplained aerial observations of UFOs have been reported throughout history, from prehistoric times up until the present day.

Some ancient depictions of flying objects in the sky were undoubtedly astronomical in nature, most probably comets, bright meteors and planets that can be seen with the naked eye, or atmospheric optical phenomena such as lenticular clouds. An example is Halley’s Comet, which was recorded first by Chinese astronomers in 240 BC and possibly as early as 467 BC. Such sightings throughout history often were treated as supernatural portents, angels, or other religious omens.

However, we cannot just assume that what our ancient ancestors saw and recorded on cave walls or in ancient texts were astronomical or environmental phenomena. Like today’s sightings, there appears to be a small percentage of sightings that are simply inexplicable. Many of the records existing from our ancient past certainly arouse curiosity, such as the prehistoric cave painting above.

The cave painting bears a striking similarity to images painted hundreds of years later in the 16th century Summer’s Triumph Tapestry. UFO imagery on this tapestry also ties in closely with modern-day UFO accounts. There are also the Aboriginal cave paintings of the Wandjina sky beings, which appear to represent alien visitors.

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Moroccan Cave Find Shows Ancient Humans Made Clothes 120,000 Years Ago

Researchers have announced the discovery of bone tools in a cave in Morocco that appear to have been used to carefully remove skins and fur from the bodies of dead animals. The skins recovered this way were apparently used to make clothing.

Such a find would not normally be considered remarkable. But these particular tools are approximately 120,000 years old, which pushes the timeframe for clothes-making practices farther back into the past than scientists would have once believed was possible. 

“These bone tools have shaping and use marks that indicate they were used for scraping hides to make leather and for scraping pelts to make fur,” anthropologist and research team leader Dr. Emily Hallett explained in a press release from science journal publisher Cell Press.

“At the same time, I found a pattern of cut marks on the carnivore bones from Contrebandiers Cave that suggested that humans were not processing carnivores for meat but were instead skinning them for their fur.”

The ancient fur and leather makers were early Homo Sapiens (modern humans), who at this point had yet to leave Africa to explore and colonize the rest of the planet. Even before the original great migration that scattered their populations across the globe, the earliest humans were showing a surprisingly sophisticated range of behaviors.

“Our study adds another piece to the long list of hallmark human behaviors that begin to appear in the archaeological record of Africa around 100,000 years ago,” stated Dr. Hallett, who along with most of the scientists involved in this research project is affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Germany.

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Petroglyph Discoveries Offer Breakthrough in Understanding Pueblo Culture

In a significant archaeological development, a team from the Jagiellonian University (JU) has made groundbreaking discoveries regarding the ancient Pueblo culture along the Colorado-Utah border. This Polish team, one of the few European groups active in this region, has been exploring the area for over a decade, unraveling the mysteries of the 3000-year-old Pueblo culture.

The team’s research is focused on the Castle Rock Pueblo settlement complex, located on the Mesa Verde plateau, a region renowned for its Pre-Columbian settlements and rock art. The Pueblo communities, known for their advanced building techniques and artistic creations, developed multi-story stone houses, intricate jewelry, and ceramics with distinctive black-on-white motifs.

These artistic expressions, alongside their advanced architectural and agricultural practices, reflect a rich and complex society that has left a lasting imprint on the region’s cultural heritage.

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31,000-YEAR-OLD ARTIFACTS REVEAL USE OF ADVANCED PROJECTILE WEAPON MILLENNIA EARLIER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT

A forensic examination of 31,000-year-old artifacts has revealed the potential use of advanced spearthrowers by Stone Age Europeans, according to the results of a controversial new study.

Archaeologists previously believed that spearthrowers, which are sometimes called atlatls, were first put into use sometime around 17,000 or 18,000 years ago based on evidence of their use found in European caves, primarily located in southern France.

However, the results of the recent study appear to put those original findings in doubt by showing that these advanced weapons may have been in use millennia earlier than previously believed.

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Native Americans Share Aboriginal Australian Ancestry

Recent DNA studies on the peopling of the Americas challenge established narratives, revealing a complex ancestry for Native Americans. The research identifies a surprising link between Native Americans and the Australo-Melanesian genetic group, encompassing Australians and Melanesians. This revelation challenges conventional theories, as scientists grapple with the timing and routes of migration.

Two conflicting studies, conducted independently, uncovered traces of Australian and Melanesian DNA in Native American populations. While one posits an early migration, the other suggests a more recent genetic contribution.

The debate centers on the origin of this connection, with theories ranging from an ancient migration to a later gene flow during the postulated Beringian crossing. The findings not only challenge previous notions about paleo-American populations but also shed light on the intricate web of human migration.

Indigenous South American communities, notably in the Amazon and Peru, exhibit Australo-Melanesian ancestry, challenging preconceived notions about their genetic makeup. As scientists continue unraveling the genetic tapestry of Native Americans, these discoveries underscore the need for more extensive genomic analysis to fully comprehend the intricate history of the Americas’ original inhabitants.

World’s oldest fortress discovered in Siberia: Defensive complex built 8,000 years ago could reshape understanding of early human societies

Archaeologists made a groundbreaking discovery in a remote area of Siberia, unearthing an approximately 8,000-year-old fortress built by hunters and gatherers.

The Amnya I and II fortress is believed to be the world’s oldest fortified settlement and could cause historians to reassess how complex societies evolved.

The Amnya fortress is located on a sandy area alongside the Amnya River, suggesting the hunter-gatherers chose the site to control abundant fishing spots.

Archaeologists found evidence that the site was burned to the ground several times from stratigraphy, or the collection of sediment, soil, and debris – and they discovered arrowheads in the outer ditch, indicating violent conflict in the region.

The team discovered wooden palisades indicating a fortified inner area when excavating the site from 1987 to 2000. 

“These things we think about now, like property ownership and social inequality—people have been thinking about since we became human,” Colin Grier of Washington State University told Science.org.

The remains of 10 pit depressions are located within the wall, making up Amnya I. 

Another 10 huts were found outside the fortified structure, suggesting a hierarchical structure of an inner fortified area and an outer, unprotected section identified as Amnya II.

Construction features like central elevated fireplaces indicated the structures were long-term dwellings, contradicting the belief that permanent settlements and defensive structures only emerged in farming societies.

In their study, the authors at Freie Universität Berlin state that the Amnya fort was built ‘many centuries before comparable enclosures first appeared in Europe,’ adding that although ancient hunter-gatherer groups constructed defenses throughout the world, ‘the very early onset of this phenomenon in inland western Siberia is unparalleled.’

Researchers and archaeologists previously operated under the assumption that competition and conflict didn’t exist in hunter-gatherer societies.

However,  using radiocarbon dating on collected samples, archaeologists could confirm ‘the prehistoric age of the site’ and establish it ‘as the world’s oldest-known fort.’

Radiocarbon dating is a technique that looks at the decay of carbon-14 isotope found in samples, which can accurately identify the age of materials dating as old as 60,000 years.

‘Through detailed archaeological examinations at Amnya, we collected samples for radiocarbon dating, confirming the prehistoric age of the site and establishing it as the world’s oldest-known fort. Our new palaeobotanical and stratigraphical examinations reveal that inhabitants of Western Siberia led a sophisticated lifestyle based on the abundant resources of the taiga environment,’ a Freie Universität Berlin press release said.

‘This finding reshapes our understanding of early human societies, challenging the idea that only with the advent of agriculture would people have started to build permanent settlements with monumental architecture and have developed complex social structures,’ it added.

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Archaeologists find 3,200-year-old ‘cursed tablet’ that features earliest inscription of God’s name – which was used to put evil spells on people

An ancient postage stamp-sized tablet could bear the earliest inscription of the Hebrew name for God: Yahweh.

International archaeologists believe the small folded sheet of lead found in the West Bank was created at least 3,200 years ago and features text calling on God to curse anyone who breaks their word.

If confirmed by future research, the discovery would make it nearly 2,000 years older than the previous find – The Mesha Stele slab, which dates back to 840 BC.

The team translated the 48 letters to read: ‘Cursed, cursed, cursed — cursed by Yahweh.’

The tablet was found at the Biblical Mount Elba, said to be in the Promised Land, and could feature writing older than any known Hebrew inscription from ancient Israel. 

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7000-YEAR-OLD PERISHABLE ARTIFACTS PRESERVED BY ICE ARE REVEALED IN ANCIENT VOLCANIC LANDSCAPE

Archaeologists say an undiscovered trove of ancient, perishable artifacts has been revealed by the thawing of ice in northern British Columbia, Canada, according to new research.

The discovery of the ancient tools, some from as early as 7000 years ago, is unique, given that many are composed of materials that otherwise would not have been preserved in warmer climates.

From crude containers made from tree bark and animal hide to ice picks and hand axes made from bone and obsidian, the discoveries were made near Canada’s Mount Edziza Provincial Park in 2019, based on a study published earlier this year.

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