Month: July 2014

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The Neanderthals Were Omnivores, According to Recent Study

Neanderthal Mans Head

PLOS ONE online journal, the paper written by a group of geologists stated that the feces of the Neanderthals contained high portions of plant sterols which show that they did indeed eat plants. They also found much higher portions of cholesterol and coprostanol which supports the idea of high meat consumption. The scientists in this study were Ainara Sistiaga, a geo-archaeologist from the University of La Laguna in Tenerife, Spain, and Roger Summons, a geobiologist from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. They looked at different biomarkers of meat and plants in fossilized feces from five different places at El Salt. This is more indicative of an omnivorous diet than the study that found the nitrogenous compounds in the teeth of the Neanderthals, Sistiaga states, as these biomarkers were in their feces. Only humans and other primates are able to convert cholesterol to copropostanol in the form of 5B-stigmastanol, hence why they were so sure that the feces were of human origin and not another mammal. They also made sure that it wasn’t any other primate by looking for any bones belonging to other primates in the surrounding area, and found none. The researchers also looked at the parasites and coprolites in the soil, and discovered only species associated with humans. Some scientists are not convinced with this finding, however. Michael Richards, paleoanthropologist at the University of British Columbia, states that it is difficult to identify the species of coprolites, and that animals passing by that area over thousands of years could have passed by and even settled in the area Neanderthals were, which would produce feces with similar biomarkers as the Neanderthals. Amanda Henry, paleobiologist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, thinks the study is very exciting and could disprove the idea that Neanderthals were only carnivores, but says the study is incomplete as the researchers would have been better off using DNA or parasites unique to humans to make the findings conclusive.]]>

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Discovery of Roman Skeleton to Rewrite British History?

Diagram of a Human Skeleton

th century when the Roman empire began to decline. Unlike most archaeology students, who are content with finding pieces of glass or pottery in their first dig, the undergraduate students of the Bournemouth University have actually stumbled upon a piece of history that could rewrite the entire Roman history of Britain. For the first time in history, the modern generation has managed to uncover the skeletons of a family from a Roman villa in Dorset field. According to Dr. Miles Russell, a lecturer in archaeology at the Bournemouth University, this finding is very significant because of the fact that none of the occupants of the 700 odd Roman villas in Britain were ever found before. This finding could spur the uncovering of the graves of the owners of these Roman villa all over the country and finally allow historians to understand just who used to live in these villas. This landmark discovery was uncovered by a group of 85 students in their early twenties or their late teens in a corn field next to Winterbourne Kingston, Blandford while carrying out a study. The students were expected to establish whether the ancients living in these Roman villas were British or European. They managed to map the ground with the help of a geophysical survey. To the surprise of students, as well as the faculty, they managed to uncover an enclosure of almost 300 feet of an ancient Roman villa. After excavating the site, the skeletal remains of 2 adult males and females and 1 elderly female were found. It is believed that these remains belonged to 3 generations of a family that used to live in the Roman villa about 1700 years ago. The remains are now being analyzed in order to get a better picture of exactly who used to live in these villas. This groundbreaking work is also expected to become a part of the final year dissertation for the students. According to Dr. Russell, one of the main objectives of the group is to understand who lived in these villas and what sort of changes did Britain go through during the time. They also wish to ascertain whether the people in these villas were Britons or Europeans/ Romans who had moved to exploit the land. Dr Russell also estimates that if these skeletal remains belonged to the Romans, they were most probably tax collectors, politicians or statespeople. He believes that these people represented the top 2 – 3% of the society. Hopefully, the bones should offer more insights into their age and their health. Unfortunately, world history has majorly suffered as many of the Roman villas of Britain that were uncovered in the 19th century could not be cared for properly due to the lack of knowledge and technology. As a result important details of world history were lost to time. Hopefully, these findings could spur a new era where we finally understand just what happened in Britain towards the end of the Roman era.]]>

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The Amistad Slave Rebellion

Amistad Slave

th anniversary of the Amistad Slave Rebellion. In 1838, on the 2nd of July, about 53 Africans aboard the Amistad, a slave carrier, managed to break out of their chains, kill two crew members and disarm the rest of the crew. After seizing control of the vessel, the slaves tried to sail all the way back to their homeland, but ended up sailing North instead. These slaves travelled approximately 1400 miles from Cuba all the way to Long Island in New York, where the navy finally picked them up. This rebellion was termed as the Amistad Rebellion and despite its popularity, it was just one of the thousands of rebellions that have been recorded. About 12 million Africans were forced to become slaves as they were shipped off to the New World between the 16th – 19th centuries. It is believed that almost 1.5 million Africans perished even before reaching land, due to the horrifying conditions present on-board. At the time of the Amistad Rebellion the United States, as well as most other major slave destinations in North and South America, had abolished the process of importing slaves. However, since slavery itself was legal unlawful activities were the norm. For example, a Spanish slave trader by the name of Pedro Blanco was believed to live like an aristocrat along the coast of Sierra Leone and was said to have continued the slave trade with the help of a local leader. The 53 Africans who found themselves aboard the Amistad were rounded up at Lomboko, Blanco’s slave depot. They were then marched all the way through the interior and kept in slave barracks where diseases and beatings were common. According to the testimony of these slaves, they were also shackled around the neck, ankles and wrists and were forced to sleep in contorted positions without even being offered enough room to stand straight. Whippings and beatings on flimsy grounds were common and dead bodies were thrown into the ocean almost every single day. What made this rebellion so famous was that despite being from 9 different ethnic groups, the slaves joined hands towards a common cause – freedom. This was something that was relatively unseen in Africa. The rebellion was led by Cinque, a rice farmer before he was turned into a slave. The captain of the ship was slashed to to death and two other crew members threw themselves overboard. However, to the dismay of the slaves, they had to depend on the Spaniards to set the course since they had no idea about charting out directions on the sea. The Amistad stopped on a number of islands in the Bahamas before it finally reached the United States. It was on August 26 that a US Navy brig entered the ship and imprisoned the Africans in Connecticut, a slave state at the time. These Africans received immense media coverage and thousands of locals also paid “entry fees” to look at them. A few influential people against the slave trade helped them to set up a trial in Hartford. In what became a historic ruling, the Hartford Court ruled that since the Africans were brought in illegally, they were not slaves. Despite having lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court, the decision could not be overturned. Thus, these slaves were finally made free after spending 18 months in the US. During the journey back to Sierra Leone, the number of surviving Africans fell to 35  who at last arrived home on 26th November 1841. This is just one of the many stories of the horrors of the slave trade and the efforts of a few individuals who played a huge role in abolishing slavery and making the world a much better place to live in.]]>

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Chapel of 11th Dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Unearthed

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Editorial

Was the Long Edwardian Summer Really Britain's Golden Age?

Edwardian Lady in a Hat

The Strength of Edwardian Britain There is no denying that there were plenty of reasons why the Britons of 1914 would want to take pride in their country’s achievement. The country had faced no serious threat of foreign invasion for a century, and no battle had taken place on British territory since the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. The Industrial Revolution in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century had transformed Britain into a leading industrial and commercial power. Coal production in 1913 reached a record level never ever to be surpassed. British goods, locomotives and other machinery were in demand all around the world. A look at a world map showed that a quarter of the globe was now absorbed in the British Empire. The state visit of the newly crowned King George V to India in 1913 with the colourfully clad Indian princes paying tribute to the Emperor was as clear a demonstration as you could ask of Britain’s greatness. Behind the Imperial Façade If you look deeper into the fabric of Edwardian Britain the impression of one long summer’s day of peace and prosperity appears in a different light. The rejection on health grounds of so many volunteer soldiers in the Boer War (1899-1902) shocked the public with details of the extent of malnutrition and stunted development of the youth in the country’s industrial cities. In 1899 social researcher Seebohm Rowntree carried out a survey of living standards in the city of York. Although York was a major railway junction it was not part of the northern industrial belt yet Rowntree’s study found that 27% of the city’s inhabitants were living at a level as low as that found in the slums of Manchester, Glasgow and other major industrial conurbations. While the elites of British society may have been enjoying the delights of motoring, country house parties and Rag Time music, many more of Britain’s inhabitants were living in great deprivation. Although the terrors of the Workhouse described by Dickens in “Oliver Twist” had been ameliorated to some extent people still lived in fear of ending their days in this dismal institution. The level of popular discontent can be judged by the tide of industrial unrest that swept Britain in the decade prior to the outbreak of the First World War. The growing power of the trade union and Labour movement expressed itself in national strikes on the railways, mines, ports and other key industries. The strikers enjoyed some success in forcing the employers to improve their wages. Although trading conditions were generally favourable, it can be seen in hindsight that Britain was losing its position as the world’s leading economic power. The growth of the German economy outpaced that in Britain. The advantages of the superior technical education available in Germany and France were already making themselves felt as those nations took up newer technologies with more enthusiasm than their British counterparts. The political scene was becoming increasingly confrontational. The 1906 General Election returned a substantial number of working class Labour MPs to challenge the hegemony of the Liberal and Conservative parties. The Suffragette movement had turned increasingly militant with breaking of shop windows and even arson attacks in an attempt to have women granted the franchise. Far more menacing were the voices coming from Ireland. After many attempts to introduce Home Rule for Ireland the Liberal government was close to passing the necessary legislation. The opposition of the House of Lords was overcome by a threat to swamp the House with newly created Liberal peers. The Protestant population of Ulster were strongly opposed to anything that would weaken the tie with the British mainland. Under their leader Edward Carson they organized a formidable militia determined to resist Home Rule by force. They had a number of sympathisers in key positions in the British army. The possibility of violent conflict tearing the nation apart had never been closer. Even in distant New York a small number of Indian political activists laid the foundation of the campaign for Indian independence. Some historians thus contend that the outbreak of World War One actually saved Britain from violent unrest or even revolution. The cessation of industrial and political unrest as most people united behind the war effectively relieved pressures that might have otherwise torn the nation apart.]]>

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Unintelligent Neanderthal Is A Myth

Neanderthal-Human Head

PLOS ONE, currently available scientific evidence does not support the premise of intellectual inferiority-based extinction. The paper was the combined work of lead author Paola Villa, a researcher and curator at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History and co-author Wil Roebroeks, an archaeologist at Leiden University in the Netherlands. They wrote the paper after executing a large scale review on recent Neanderthal research. “The evidence for cognitive inferiority is simply not there,” Villa remarked. “What we are saying is that the conventional view of Neanderthals is not true.” Villa and Roebroeks examined several hypotheses including the one that claimed Neanderthals did not apply any elaborate symbolic communication. Other hypotheses claimed that the Neanderthals were less competent hunters compared to the early anatomically modern human. Some of the hypotheses also suggest the Neanderthals used low-grade weapons and that they had a limited range of diet which forced a competitive disadvantage on their side. Not a single hypothesis was supported by the available research. Evidence from multiple archaeological sites in Europe suggests that Neanderthals hunted as a group, using the landscape to aid them. Villa and Roebroeks show that Neanderthals had the ability to strategise. There is evidence that suggest Neanderthals likely drove hundreds of bison, rhinoceros and mammoths to their death by steering them into a sinkhole and ravines in south western France. These findings mean that Neanderthals were able to communicate effectively as a group, could plan ahead and were intelligent enough to take their surroundings into calculations. At another archaeological site, excavated artefacts proved that Neanderthals did in fact have a diverse diet. There were some traces of microfossils found in Neanderthal’s teeth and food remains which lead to the conclusion that Neanderthals may have eaten nearby available foods such as acorns, wild peas, grass seeds, pistachios, wild olives, date palms, and pine nuts. Other findings including ochre, a kind of earth pigment, at sites inhabited by Neanderthals. This may have been used for body painting, while ornaments suggest that Neanderthals had cultural rituals and symbolic communication. Villa and Roebroeks said that the previous misconception of Neanderthals’ intellectual capability may be due to researchers’ affinity to compare Neanderthals from Middle Paleolithic to modern Homo sapiens from Upper Paleolithic period, the time when technology advancement occurred. “Researchers were comparing Neanderthals not to their contemporaries on other continents but to their successors,” said Villa. “It would be like comparing the performance of Model T Fords, widely used in America and Europe in the early part of the last century, to the performance of a modern-day Ferrari and conclude that Henry Ford was cognitively inferior to Enzo Ferrari.” Villa also said that there is no support of any kind from the field of archaeology despite many attempts to relate the Neanderthals’ downfall to a single cause like intellectual or technology inferiority. However, one question continues to linger in the researcher’s mind. What is the real reason behind the Neanderthal extinction if it is not because of them being cognitively and technologically inferior? Whatever the reason might be, Villa and Roebroeks are in agreement that it is possibly a complex explanation. However, both researchers are of the opinion that some hints might be found in the recent studies of the Neanderthal genome. These studies suggest the possibility of inter-breeding between Neanderthals and modern humans that lead to the birth of infertile male progenies that unable to bear children. This would then lead to a decline in the Neanderthals’ population. Another suggestion based from studies was that Neanderthals lived in small communities. This leads to the possibility of assimilation and integration into a much larger modern humans’ population. So far, there is no solid explanation regarding the real causes of the Neanderthals extinction, but we all can bet that intellect inferiority is not one of them.]]>

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Hammer of Thor Found

Thor with Hammar

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Rome’s Colosseum Used As Condominiums in the Medieval Era

Roman Colosseum

th century until the year 1349 when the iconic monument was terribly damaged by a major earthquake. This fact was uncovered after a 3-week excavation that uncovered a few arched entrances which lead into the arena. Archaeologists discovered the foundations of a 12th century wall that was used to enclose a particular property in the Colesseum, potshards and terracotta sewage pipes. According to Rossella Rea, the Director of the Roman Colosseum, these excavations allowed archaeologists to identify a complete housing lot from the Medieval era. It is believed that this unusual condominium also consisted of workshops and stables and that area within the Colosseum was rented out by friars of the Santa Maria Nova Convent who had control of the monument. Further research also indicated that all houses opened onto the area where the gladiators once used to fight. Professor Riccardo Santangeli Valenzani, teaching medieval archaeology at the Roma Tra University, believes that the area that once hosted glorious gladiator battles was transformed into a common space for the Romans living there in the medieval era. It is believed that this courtyard was buzzing with goods, animals and people. Archaeologists also uncovered cooking pottery along with the figurine of a tiny monkey that was carved from ivory. It is believed that this piece was used as a pawn in a chess set during the medieval era. The Roman Colosseum dates back to the year AD 72 when it was built by the great emperor Vespasian on the bed of a drained lake. It is considered to be the most popular remains of Ancient Rome. Many might not know this, but the Amphitheatre was actually opened in the year AD 80 by Titus, Vespasian’s son. This amphitheatre was inaugurated with a festival that lasted for 100 days and consisted of naval battles, fights and gladiatorial combats. Another reason why the Colosseum became so popular over the centuries was the fact that it survived 3 major earthquakes as well as a huge fire. It transformed into a garbage dump after emperor Honorius banned bloody gladiatorial combats as well as a stone quarry for buildings such as the St. Peter’s Basilica. The recent excavations have uncovered yet another piece of history for the Roman Colosseum. The Roman Colosseum is currently undergoing a $43 million restoration and cleaning project, the cost of which is being sponsored by Tod’s, a popular leather bag company in Italy. According to Rea, the dig should continue in the year 2015 when the second phase of the cleaning and restoration starts. More and more mysteries pertaining to the most visited monument of Italy are expected to be uncovered during the second phase of excavations. ]]>

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Protection for World War 1 Ships in Focus

World War 1 ships

th anniversary, members of UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural  Organization)  met in Belgium in order to discuss how to best protect the underwater heritage of the historic event. The organization is expected to extend the 2001 convention so as to safeguard a number of sites, particularly World War 1 shipwrecks that are being threatened by looting, destruction and salvaging. The 2001 Convention introduced by UNESCO aimed to help the member countries to protect their shipwrecks, submerged valuables and ruins and other fragile segments of the underwater heritage. According to UNESCO, there are about 3 million undiscovered shipwrecks that are still scattered all over the globe. This number is said to include about 12500 sailing vessels that were lost at sea between the years 1824 and 1962. The constant advancements in technology have made these shipwrecks very easy to detect, thereby making them vulnerable to salvage operations, looting and treasure hunters. The 2001 Convention had originally included sites that were sunk more than 100 years ago. However, according to the current changes, this status is expected to be extended in order to cover thousands of other sites as well. The naval losses of the World War 1 might have been lesser than the carnage seen in the trenches, but it still constitutes a significant portion of history to ensure that it remains preserved for years to come. It is said that Britain had mobilized a total of 11000 vessels out of which 1100 had been sunk. The Germans also lost hundreds of warships and as many as 35000 men. Since the locations of these sinkings are well known, it is easy to discover the ruins and undertake looting, salvaging operations and treasure hunting activities. According to reports, the number of ships being salvaged has kept increasing over the years as more and more ships are being dismantled for aluminium, copper and brass. The increase in the number of protected sites is obviously expected to place a major strain on the already strained resources of the member nations. According to Dr. Innes McCartney, the leader of the research expeditions of the ships from the Battle of Jutland, the English Channel is full of war graves that have been subjected to looting, salvaging and treasure hunting in the recent past. Dr. McCartney also states that the only way to stop the looting is to allocate the proper resources and protect many more underwater sites. He also states that the one of the major challenges would be to show people what lies out there and how important it is to the culture and the legacy of the world. UNESCO had asked all ships at sea to use a commemorative signalling on Saturday, the 28th of June 2014, by lowering the ensigns or flags to half mast. A sound signal was also made a part of the procedure that served as a symbol of reconciliation and peace, a remembrance to those who lay down their lives in the war and a reminder to the public on the need to protect the land and underwater cultural heritage. ]]>

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Chariots and Gold Found in a Bronze Age Burial Site

Greelan Chariot

nd half of the 3rd millennium B.C. have also been uncovered in the region of South Caucasus. This leads to theories that interactions between the nomadic tribes from the Eurasian steppes and the farming communities located in and around South Caucasus were present. It is these interactions that seem to have allowed certain individuals like this Bronze Age chief to gain enough influence to receive elaborate burials. The armchair that was discovered at the site also showcases the kind of power individuals like the chief had. Scientists believe that armchairs were used to demonstrate power in the Early Bronze Age and that it was put in the kurgan as a sign of the chief’s power. The kurgan was first uncovered in the year 2012 close to the Lagodekhi municipality, eastern Georgia. ]]>