via ScienceDaily, again.
A new theory has been proposed regarding the Lesser Dryas climate event occuring about 13000 years ago. The Lesser Dryas was a cooling trend that briefly interrupted the warming climatic trend that ended the last ice age about 20000 years ago (which we are still experiencing). The Lesser Dryas is held responsible for a major extinction event that occurred about the same time that eliminated a number of the large mammal species in North America.
The theory? An impact event in the area of the Great Lakes, possibly a comet, that struck the ice sheet covering the area north of the lakes in present day Canada. The evidence? A large concentration of carbon rich soils pointing to such an impact event found in over 50 Clovis culture archaeological sites throughout North America, with the highest concentrations centered in the Lakes region.
"The researchers propose that a known reversal in the world's ocean currents and associated rapid global cooling, which some scientists blame for the extinction of multiple species of animals and the end of the Clovis Period, was itself the result of a bigger event. While generally accepted theory says glacial melting from the North American interior caused the shift in currents, the new proposal points to a large extraterrestrial object exploding above or even into the Laurentide Ice Sheet north of the Great Lakes."
Interesting. The one trouble with the theory is no impact crater, but that is easily explained by the ice sheet absorbing the impact. The results of such an impact would have been pretty devastating to both animal and human populations, and might explain the concentration of late era Clovis sites in the American Southwest.
Showing posts with label Science - Early human civilization. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Science - Early human civilization. Show all posts
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Early Corn Found in Mexico
The earliest evidence of domesticated corn has been found in Mexico - from 7300 years ago, 1200 years earlier than thought.
"Professor Mary Pohl conducted an analysis of sediments in the Gulf Coast of Tabasco, Mexico, and concluded that people were planting crops in the "New World" of the Americas around 5,300 B.C....."This research expands our knowledge on the transition to agriculture in Mesoamerica," Pohl said. "These are significant new findings that fill out knowledge of the patterns of early farming. It expands on research that demonstrates that maize spread quickly from its hearth of domestication in southwest Mexico to southeast Mexico and other tropical areas in the New World including Panama and South America."
Naturally the shift from nomadism to agriculture helped to establish the sophisticated Mezoamerican civilizations in the New World, such as the Olmec civilization that predates the better known Mayans and Aztecs conquered by the Spanish. Pohl has found evidence that farmers began to cultivate their crops along coastal areas where they also had access to fish stocks. These early finds in Tabasco challenge the idea that corn was developed in semi-arid areas in the central Mexican highlands.
"Professor Mary Pohl conducted an analysis of sediments in the Gulf Coast of Tabasco, Mexico, and concluded that people were planting crops in the "New World" of the Americas around 5,300 B.C....."This research expands our knowledge on the transition to agriculture in Mesoamerica," Pohl said. "These are significant new findings that fill out knowledge of the patterns of early farming. It expands on research that demonstrates that maize spread quickly from its hearth of domestication in southwest Mexico to southeast Mexico and other tropical areas in the New World including Panama and South America."
Naturally the shift from nomadism to agriculture helped to establish the sophisticated Mezoamerican civilizations in the New World, such as the Olmec civilization that predates the better known Mayans and Aztecs conquered by the Spanish. Pohl has found evidence that farmers began to cultivate their crops along coastal areas where they also had access to fish stocks. These early finds in Tabasco challenge the idea that corn was developed in semi-arid areas in the central Mexican highlands.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Seeking Ancient Ithaca
via MSNBC.
On a far more interesting note this morning, an amateur British archaeologist has come up with a new theory regarding the legendary home of Odysseus, the legendary Greek king of the Homeric tale The Odyssey, sequel to the Trojan epic The Illiad. The island of Ithaca has long been identified with the island presently called Ithaki, but it does not closely match the description given by the poet - that of a low lying land and the outermost island of the chain, whereas present day Ithaki is mountainous and lies inside the larger island of Kefallina. The new theory being espoused by Robert Bittlestone is that Kefallinia may have been separated from its penninsula Paliki by a narrow channel of water in the time of Homer.
"Because no one has ever been able to find Ithaca, people felt the Odyssey was like a Lord of the Rings story," Bittlestone said in an interview. "This would say Ithaca was a real place — it doesn't say Odysseus was a real person, that's another jump."
The theory is that this channel, called "Strabo's Channel" in ancient times, was filled as a result of tectonic activity in the intervening years. Bittlestone has acquired some assitance from Dutch geologic firm Furgo, which plans to use ground pentrating radar and other tools to probe the area of the channel to determine the makeup of the soil there. If solid rock, then the theory isn't correct, but if it is mad eup of loose debris, then it certainly seems possible that the ancient home of the legendary Greek traveler, if not the man himself, appears likely to have existed after all.
On a far more interesting note this morning, an amateur British archaeologist has come up with a new theory regarding the legendary home of Odysseus, the legendary Greek king of the Homeric tale The Odyssey, sequel to the Trojan epic The Illiad. The island of Ithaca has long been identified with the island presently called Ithaki, but it does not closely match the description given by the poet - that of a low lying land and the outermost island of the chain, whereas present day Ithaki is mountainous and lies inside the larger island of Kefallina. The new theory being espoused by Robert Bittlestone is that Kefallinia may have been separated from its penninsula Paliki by a narrow channel of water in the time of Homer.
"Because no one has ever been able to find Ithaca, people felt the Odyssey was like a Lord of the Rings story," Bittlestone said in an interview. "This would say Ithaca was a real place — it doesn't say Odysseus was a real person, that's another jump."
The theory is that this channel, called "Strabo's Channel" in ancient times, was filled as a result of tectonic activity in the intervening years. Bittlestone has acquired some assitance from Dutch geologic firm Furgo, which plans to use ground pentrating radar and other tools to probe the area of the channel to determine the makeup of the soil there. If solid rock, then the theory isn't correct, but if it is mad eup of loose debris, then it certainly seems possible that the ancient home of the legendary Greek traveler, if not the man himself, appears likely to have existed after all.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Human Migration of the Pacific
via ScienceDaily.
New genetic studies of domestic and feral pigs show that the theory regarding the colonization of the Pacific by early humans may have been a bit too simplistic. The theory held that humans and all their domesticated animals they brought with them all originated in or near Taiwan when they sailed to the other Pacific islands. It appears from these new findings that their animals not only had origins further to the southwest, but that the people may have travelled different routes than expected. Archaeological and linguistic evidence of humans has always appeared to support the Taiwan theory.
"Scientists from Durham University and the University of Oxford, studying DNA and tooth shape in modern and ancient pigs, have revealed that, in direct contradiction to longstanding ideas, ancient human colonists may have originated in Vietnam and travelled between numerous islands before first reaching New Guinea, and later landing on Hawaii and French Polynesia."
The genetic differences between the various pig gives us a great way to measure these migrations since the pigs obviously didn't swim all the various islands in the Pacific, but had to be taken there by their human keepers.
New genetic studies of domestic and feral pigs show that the theory regarding the colonization of the Pacific by early humans may have been a bit too simplistic. The theory held that humans and all their domesticated animals they brought with them all originated in or near Taiwan when they sailed to the other Pacific islands. It appears from these new findings that their animals not only had origins further to the southwest, but that the people may have travelled different routes than expected. Archaeological and linguistic evidence of humans has always appeared to support the Taiwan theory.
"Scientists from Durham University and the University of Oxford, studying DNA and tooth shape in modern and ancient pigs, have revealed that, in direct contradiction to longstanding ideas, ancient human colonists may have originated in Vietnam and travelled between numerous islands before first reaching New Guinea, and later landing on Hawaii and French Polynesia."
The genetic differences between the various pig gives us a great way to measure these migrations since the pigs obviously didn't swim all the various islands in the Pacific, but had to be taken there by their human keepers.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Ancient Astronomical Observatory in Peru
via ScienceDaily this time.
The earliest known astronomical observatory in the America discovered in Chankillo, Peru. The site has long been known but the mysterious 13 stone observatory nearby was only recently analyzed, both to determine its use and age. It dates back to the 4th century BC, 500 years before similiar finds built by the Mayans in Mexico.
"Chankillo is a large ceremonial center covering several square kilometers in the costal Peruvian desert. It was better known in the past for a heavily fortified hilltop structure with massive walls, restricted gates, and parapets. For many years, there has been a controversy as to whether this part of Chankillo was a fort or a ceremonial center. But the purpose of a 300meter long line of Thirteen Towers lying along a small hill nearby had remained a mystery..
The new evidence now identifies it as a solar observatory. When viewed from two specially constructed observing points, the thirteen towers are strikingly visible on the horizon, resembling large prehistoric teeth. Around the observing points are spaces where artifacts indicate that ritual gatherings were held. The current report offers strong evidence for an additional use of the site at Chankillo -- as a solar observatory. It is remarkable as the earliest known complete solar observatory in the Americas that defines all the major aspects of the solar year."
Inca rulers considered themselves descended from the Incan Sun god, and such a site would have had important cultural and political significance. The site was used to track the rising and setting of the sun to denote the timing of both religious festivals and planting and harvest cycles. The early dating of the site suggests that detailed astonomical data had been gathered even earlier, leading to the construction of the sites by ruling political and religious castes in order to cement their power over the population.
The earliest known astronomical observatory in the America discovered in Chankillo, Peru. The site has long been known but the mysterious 13 stone observatory nearby was only recently analyzed, both to determine its use and age. It dates back to the 4th century BC, 500 years before similiar finds built by the Mayans in Mexico.
"Chankillo is a large ceremonial center covering several square kilometers in the costal Peruvian desert. It was better known in the past for a heavily fortified hilltop structure with massive walls, restricted gates, and parapets. For many years, there has been a controversy as to whether this part of Chankillo was a fort or a ceremonial center. But the purpose of a 300meter long line of Thirteen Towers lying along a small hill nearby had remained a mystery..
The new evidence now identifies it as a solar observatory. When viewed from two specially constructed observing points, the thirteen towers are strikingly visible on the horizon, resembling large prehistoric teeth. Around the observing points are spaces where artifacts indicate that ritual gatherings were held. The current report offers strong evidence for an additional use of the site at Chankillo -- as a solar observatory. It is remarkable as the earliest known complete solar observatory in the Americas that defines all the major aspects of the solar year."
Inca rulers considered themselves descended from the Incan Sun god, and such a site would have had important cultural and political significance. The site was used to track the rising and setting of the sun to denote the timing of both religious festivals and planting and harvest cycles. The early dating of the site suggests that detailed astonomical data had been gathered even earlier, leading to the construction of the sites by ruling political and religious castes in order to cement their power over the population.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Clovis Peoples Not First in N. America
via National Geographic.
New and more accurate radiocarbon dating of previously dated Clovis culture artifacts leads scientists to believe that the Clovis peoples were not the first humans in Norht America, as had been previously believed. The new results show that the Clovis period was both later in time and of far shorter duration (200 years) than thought, which would not give that culture time to travel all the way to South America.
Finds in South America dating to the same time have been found without the distinctive Clovis features, leading to the conclusion that the Americas were already peopled when the Clovis culture arrived. The existing population did probably adapt Clovis technology when it appeared, however. The theories about the human migration of the Americas are probably far more complicated than we ever believed. With new findings regarding the peopling of Australia by sea as early as 40,000 years ago, the technology certainly existed for people to arrive in the Western hemisphere much earlier than Clovis.
New and more accurate radiocarbon dating of previously dated Clovis culture artifacts leads scientists to believe that the Clovis peoples were not the first humans in Norht America, as had been previously believed. The new results show that the Clovis period was both later in time and of far shorter duration (200 years) than thought, which would not give that culture time to travel all the way to South America.
Finds in South America dating to the same time have been found without the distinctive Clovis features, leading to the conclusion that the Americas were already peopled when the Clovis culture arrived. The existing population did probably adapt Clovis technology when it appeared, however. The theories about the human migration of the Americas are probably far more complicated than we ever believed. With new findings regarding the peopling of Australia by sea as early as 40,000 years ago, the technology certainly existed for people to arrive in the Western hemisphere much earlier than Clovis.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Early Civilization
via ScienceDaily.
Excavations at ancient site of Hamalkour in modern Syria show the walled city was destroyed around 3500 BC, with evidence of large fires. Large scale semi-industrial areas near the city were discovered that leads archaeologists to believe that obsidian workings there were an impetus toward urbanization, much in the same way the large scale agricultural production and public hydroworks were an impetus toward urbanization in Mesopotamia.
"Hamoukar was on a key trade route that led from Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) across Northern Syria and the river Tigris into Southern Mesopotamia. Some evidence of this long-lasting trade was found in an area to the south of Hamoukar's main site-- a large mound. The team found obsidian fragments in an area of over 700 acres (280 hectares), which they dated to 4,500 -- 4,000 B.C. using pottery fragments found with the obsidian. In addition to tools and blades, the team found large amounts of production debris such as cores, a discovery that is even more significant than finding actual tools.
"Finding cores and other production debris tells us that they are not just using these tools here, they are making them here," Salam al-Kuntar, the Syrian co-director of the expedition, explained. Obsidian does not occur around Hamoukar but had to be brought in from Turkey with the nearest sources being over 70 miles away. "
Specialization and trade allowed for the accumulation of wealth and the development urbanization, allowing the local population to purchase or trade for their food from surrounding communities and exporting their manufactured goods, and building the defensive walls to protect themselves. Interestingly enough, it appears as though the city may have been in the process of converting toward working in copper when it was destroyed, as a large number of copper implements have been found in the excavation.
Excavations at ancient site of Hamalkour in modern Syria show the walled city was destroyed around 3500 BC, with evidence of large fires. Large scale semi-industrial areas near the city were discovered that leads archaeologists to believe that obsidian workings there were an impetus toward urbanization, much in the same way the large scale agricultural production and public hydroworks were an impetus toward urbanization in Mesopotamia.
"Hamoukar was on a key trade route that led from Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) across Northern Syria and the river Tigris into Southern Mesopotamia. Some evidence of this long-lasting trade was found in an area to the south of Hamoukar's main site-- a large mound. The team found obsidian fragments in an area of over 700 acres (280 hectares), which they dated to 4,500 -- 4,000 B.C. using pottery fragments found with the obsidian. In addition to tools and blades, the team found large amounts of production debris such as cores, a discovery that is even more significant than finding actual tools.
"Finding cores and other production debris tells us that they are not just using these tools here, they are making them here," Salam al-Kuntar, the Syrian co-director of the expedition, explained. Obsidian does not occur around Hamoukar but had to be brought in from Turkey with the nearest sources being over 70 miles away. "
Specialization and trade allowed for the accumulation of wealth and the development urbanization, allowing the local population to purchase or trade for their food from surrounding communities and exporting their manufactured goods, and building the defensive walls to protect themselves. Interestingly enough, it appears as though the city may have been in the process of converting toward working in copper when it was destroyed, as a large number of copper implements have been found in the excavation.
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