Tag

Bronze Age

All articles tagged with #bronze age

science19 days ago•5 min saved

Gigantic Underwater Cairn Stuns Archaeologists in the Sea of Galilee

Divers found a 60,000-ton, cone-shaped cairn of unworked basalt stones beneath the Sea of Galilee, about 10 m tall and 70 m in diameter. First detected in 2003, the structure appears human-made with no signs of cutting or walls, suggesting a ceremonial site or ramp. Its age is uncertain, potentially dating to the Bronze Age (third millennium B.C.), and no underwater excavation has taken place due to cost and logistics, leaving researchers to debate its function and origin.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#archaeology #bronze-age #megalith

science20 days ago•5 min saved

Ancient Sheep Carries Clues to an Earlier, Livestock-Linked Plague

A 4,000-year-old sheep bone from Arkaim yielded DNA from Yersinia pestis, marking the first recovery of the plague genome from a non-human Bronze Age sample and suggesting livestock played a role in ancient transmission, indicating a dynamic between people, animals, and a still unidentified reservoir across Eurasia.

via Indian Defence Review|

#arkaim #bronze-age #livestock

archaeology21 days ago•7 min saved

Meteoric Iron Shines in Bronze Age Iberian Hoard

Archaeologists studying the 3,000-year-old Treasure of Villena in Spain identified two iron items made from meteoritic iron, marking the first known use of space-derived metal in the Iberian Peninsula and suggesting Bronze Age elites prized a rare meteorite material before terrestrial iron became widespread.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#archaeology #bronze-age #iberian-peninsula

science28 days ago•4 min saved

Barn Renovation in Czech Village Reveals Bronze Age Spearhead Mold

A man in Morkuvky, Czech Republic, during a barn renovation, found a nine-inch stone mold made of volcanic rhyolite tuff used to cast Bronze Age bronze spearheads over 3,000 years ago. Archaeologists from the Moravian Museum confirmed it as a matrix for hollow-based spearheads, highlighting advanced Bronze Age metallurgy and suggesting long-distance trade in raw materials (origin likely from northern Hungary or southeastern Slovakia). The artifact, linked to the Urnfield culture, appears to have been redeposited in the village long after its creation.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#archaeology #bronze-age #czech-republic

archaeology29 days ago•96 min saved

Backyard find reveals Bronze Age spearhead mold and ancient trade links

A Czech homeowner unearthed a nearly 9-inch stone mold used for casting Bronze Age spearheads, dating to about 1350 B.C. The rhyolite tuff mold, likely imported from northern Hungary, shows signs of repeated use and serial production, suggesting broader trade and production networks in Central Europe. The artifact was found in 2007, studied in detail by researchers and published in 2025, highlighting how such molds facilitated bronze casting and offering a glimpse into Urnfield-era metallurgy and exchange.

via Live Science|

#archaeology #bronze-age #mold

science2 months ago•4 min saved

Meteoric Iron Rewrites Iberian Bronze Age Metalwork

Testing two ferrous-looking items from the Villena Treasure—the hollow iron hemisphere and a bracelet—found evidence they are made of meteoritic iron, indicated by nickel content measured despite heavy corrosion. Dating places them around 1400–1200 BCE, earlier than the Iberian Iron Age’s terrestrial iron production (~850 BCE), suggesting advanced metallurgical skills in Iberia over 3,000 years ago. While the results are not conclusive due to corrosion, non-invasive methods could further confirm the meteoritic origin and timing.

via ScienceAlert|

#bronze-age #iberian-peninsula #meteoritic-iron

archaeology2 months ago•4 min saved

3,800-Year-Old Nebra Disc: Europe’s Earliest Celestial Map

A 3,800-year-old bronze Nebra Sky Disc unearthed in Germany is thought to be the oldest known depiction of the cosmos, showing a crescent moon, a sun or full moon, and 32 stars including a Pleiades cluster. Likely used as a celestial map and ritual calendar to track solstices, the artifact was created in multiple phases—initially with moons and stars, later with gold arcs and a bottom arc, and finally with mounting holes. Geochemical analysis confirms local origin, and its alignment with nearby landmarks suggests an astronomical function and status as a sacred tool; it is now housed in Halle’s State Museum of Prehistory.

via Indian Defence Review|

#archaeology #astronomy #bronze-age

archaeology2 months ago•55 min saved

Bronze Age Nebra Disc May Depict the Pleiades, An Ancient Sky Atlas

The Nebra Sky Disc, a Bronze Age bronze and gold disk found in Nebra, Germany and dated to around 1600–1800 BCE, is regarded as the world’s oldest depiction of astronomical phenomena. Its gold inlays illustrate celestial features, including a cluster some interpret as the Pleiades, and its arcs may mark horizons and solstices; when aligned with the hill where it was buried, it likely functioned as an ancient sky calendar, though questions about its exact origin persist.

via Live Science|

#archaeology #astronomy #bronze-age

history3 months ago•2 min saved

Family Discovers 3,000-Year-Old Treasure Near Lewes

A family in Lewes, East Sussex, discovered 3,000-year-old Bronze Age copper ingots and bronze artifacts while metal detecting, which they donated to a local museum, highlighting the historical significance of their find.

via BBC|

#archaeology #bronze-age #history

archaeology3 months ago•3 min saved

Ireland's Largest Bronze Age Hillfort Settlement Redefines Ancient Society

Scientists have uncovered Ireland’s largest prehistoric hillfort settlement at Brusselstown Ring, revealing over 600 dwellings and challenging previous notions of Bronze Age social organization, suggesting a large, egalitarian community with sophisticated planning, which was gradually abandoned in the third century BCE.

via Archaeology News Online Magazine|

#archaeological-discovery #archaeology #bronze-age

archaeology3 months ago•2 min saved

Ancient 3,500-Year-Old Wagon Reveals Early Burial Customs

The Lchashen wagon, a well-preserved 3,500-year-old covered wagon from Armenia, was discovered in a Bronze Age cemetery and exemplifies early wheeled vehicle innovation, likely used for transporting a deceased leader to the afterlife.

via Live Science|

#archaeological-discovery #archaeology #armenia

science3 months ago•2 min saved

Ancient Bones Uncover 3,700-Year-Old Case of Father-Daughter Incest in Italy

A genetic study of Bronze Age remains in southern Italy revealed extreme parental consanguinity, including a likely father-daughter incestuous relationship, providing insights into prehistoric social structures and kinship patterns in small, isolated communities.

via The Jerusalem Post|

#ancient-dna #bronze-age #family-ties

science3 months ago•7 min saved

Ancient DNA Unveils Unique Bronze Age Community and Incestuous Relationships in Calabria

Archaeologists in Italy discovered the oldest known evidence of father-daughter incest from 3,700-year-old bones at Grotta della Monaca, revealing a rare case of first-degree inbreeding in ancient times, with genetic analysis showing the young male was the son of a buried adult male and his own daughter, though the reasons for this behavior remain uncertain.

via Live Science|

#ancient-dna #archaeology #bronze-age

archaeology3 months ago•2 min saved

Ancient Bronze Age Mass Burial Uncovered Near Sanquhar

Archaeologists uncovered a mysterious Bronze Age mass burial site near Sanquhar, Scotland, dating back around 3,300 years, which likely resulted from a catastrophic event such as famine, with multiple individuals cremated and buried together in tightly packed urns during construction of a wind farm.

via BBC|

#archaeology #bronze-age #famine

science3 months ago•4 min saved

Ancient Sheep Bone Uncovers Origins and Spread of Bronze Age Plague

A groundbreaking DNA study has identified the world's earliest known plague carrier in a 4,000-year-old domesticated sheep from the Bronze Age, revealing how the plague spread before fleas became its primary vector, and highlighting the complex interactions between humans, livestock, and natural reservoirs in ancient Eurasia.

via ScienceAlert|

#archaeology #bronze-age #dna