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Stone Age

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Britain's Oldest Cave Art Vindicated, Dating to 17,000 Years Ago
human-history1 month ago

Britain's Oldest Cave Art Vindicated, Dating to 17,000 Years Ago

New dating and image-analysis of Bacon Hole cave in south Wales confirm that its red markings are ancient abstract art dating to about 17,000 years ago, making them the oldest rock art in the British Isles; previously dismissed as mineral staining and graffiti, uranium–thorium dating and enhanced imagery reveal human-like symbolic lines and dots, likely created by Upper Paleolithic hunter–gatherers, with surrounding mineral deposits supporting the minimum age.

via Gizmodo|
#archaeology#caves#dating
Ancient 430,000-Year-Old Wooden Digging Stick Found in Greece Rewrites Prehistoric Tool History
archaeology1 month ago

Ancient 430,000-Year-Old Wooden Digging Stick Found in Greece Rewrites Prehistoric Tool History

Archaeologists at Marathousa 1 in southern Greece unearthed two wooden tools dating to about 430,000 years ago, including an 81 cm alder digging stick—the oldest handheld wooden tool known—suggesting Homo heidelbergensis or early Neanderthals used wood alongside stone tools in a glacial lakeshore habitat and expanding our view of early technology.

via ZME Science|
#archaeology#homo-heidelbergensis#neanderthal
Stone-Age Woman Buried with Male Tools Signals Fluid Neolithic Roles in Hungary
science4 months ago

Stone-Age Woman Buried with Male Tools Signals Fluid Neolithic Roles in Hungary

A study of 125 skeletons from two Neolithic cemeteries in eastern Hungary (circa 5300–4650 BCE, about 7,000 years ago) shows that men and women generally had distinct burial patterns, but some individuals were buried in ways that did not align with their biological sex. Female burials were often on the left with shell bead belts, and male burials on the right with polished stone tools, yet an older female’s toes indicated a kneeling pattern more like the men’s. The researchers say these exceptions reveal that gender roles were flexible and shaped by multiple factors in this Stone Age society.

via Live Science|
#burial#gender-roles#hungary
Stone Age Sweden graves reveal feathered headdresses and fur footwear via new soil-analysis method
science4 months ago

Stone Age Sweden graves reveal feathered headdresses and fur footwear via new soil-analysis method

A newly developed soil-analysis technique examined 139 samples from Skateholm graves in southern Sweden (5200–4800 BCE) and uncovered perishable grave goods, including a boy buried with a woodpecker‑feather headdress and others with feathered footwear and fur garments, indicating that early hunter‑gatherers used organic materials in burial attire and suggesting widespread decorative use of feathers in Mesolithic Sweden.

via Live Science|
#archaeology#feathers#science
40,000-Year-Old German Glyphs Hint at Prehistoric Writing
sciencearchaeology4 months ago

40,000-Year-Old German Glyphs Hint at Prehistoric Writing

Archaeologists studying 40,000-year-old engravings and artifacts from a Swabian Jura cave in Germany report 22 recurring symbols that may constitute the oldest form of writing, with patterns reminiscent of proto-cuneiform. The team suggests these glyphs could reflect complex symbolic thought—potentially including calendrical tracking—indicating that Stone Age hunter-gatherers may have conveyed information in a structured way well before known writing systems, potentially pushing back the origins of writing by about 30,000 years, though the exact meanings remain uncertain.

via New York Post|
#archaeology#germany#proto-cuneiform
Ancient Italian teen fell to a bear 28,000 years ago, new bone analysis confirms
science5 months ago

Ancient Italian teen fell to a bear 28,000 years ago, new bone analysis confirms

A Paleolithic teen buried in the Arene Candide cave in Liguria, Italy, has been identified as Il Principe. Microscopic and 3D analyses show massive shoulder and facial trauma at death, consistent with a bear attack (likely brown or cave bear), with bone healing indicating the teen survived the mauling for up to three days. The well-preserved grave goods—a shell headdress, shells and teeth, and a flint blade—mark a formal burial, and the individual lived about 28,000 years ago at age 14–17. This find sheds light on dangerous encounters with megafauna and ritual treatment of exceptional burials in Late Paleolithic hunter‑gatherer communities.

via Live Science|
#archaeology#bear-attack#burial
Ancient Stone Age Settlement Discovered Beneath Danish Seas
science10 months ago

Ancient Stone Age Settlement Discovered Beneath Danish Seas

Archaeologists have discovered a 8,500-year-old Stone Age coastal settlement off Denmark's coast, submerged due to rising sea levels after the last ice age. The site, part of a European Union-funded project, offers insights into ancient coastal life and how early societies adapted to changing landscapes, with well-preserved artifacts like tools and animal bones found underwater. This research helps understand past climate impacts and sea level changes, relevant to current climate change concerns.

via CBS News|
#archaeology#denmark#science
Hyperrealistic Reconstructions of Ancient Czech Mine Sisters
archaeology11 months ago

Hyperrealistic Reconstructions of Ancient Czech Mine Sisters

Researchers have created hyperrealistic 3D reconstructions of two Stone Age sisters who lived over 6,000 years ago in the Czech Republic, based on analysis of their remains found in a prehistoric chert mine. The sisters, who worked in heavy labor, lived to their 30s or 40s despite injuries and poor childhood nutrition, and were buried with a dog and a mysterious newborn. The study offers insights into the social and physical hardships of early mining communities, highlighting exploitation and resilience.

via Live Science|
#archaeology#czech-republic#mining-community
Ancient DNA Reveals Lifelike Faces and Dark Skin of Stone Age Europeans
science1 year ago

Ancient DNA Reveals Lifelike Faces and Dark Skin of Stone Age Europeans

Researchers and artists have created a detailed facial reconstruction of the 'Margaux woman,' a Stone Age hunter-gatherer from Belgium who lived around 10,500 years ago, revealing insights into her appearance, including likely blue or light eyes and a medium-toned skin, based on skeletal remains and ancient DNA. The project highlights the diversity and complexity of skin pigmentation in post-ice age Western Europe.

via Live Science|
#ancient-dna#belgium#prehistoric-woman
Ancient Ritual Site with 35,000-Year-Old Carved Tortoise Unearthed in Cave
archaeology1 year ago

Ancient Ritual Site with 35,000-Year-Old Carved Tortoise Unearthed in Cave

Researchers have discovered a potential 35,000-year-old Stone Age ritual site in Manot Cave, northern Israel, suggesting communal rituals took place around a carved boulder resembling a tortoise or turtle. The site, located in a separate chamber from living quarters, features mineral deposits and evidence of fire use, indicating that ancient humans, possibly related to the first modern Europeans, conducted rituals there. This finding adds a cultural dimension to the cave's history, previously known for a 55,000-year-old cranium linked to early human migration.

via Gizmodo|
#archaeology#manot-cave#neanderthals