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In Campeche archaeologists discover a 1,200-year-old burial
The Yucatán Peninsula has seen a variety of archaeological discoveries as a result of the Maya Train project, and now there is a brand-new one: the estimated 1,200-year-old skeletal remains of a human.
INAH archaeologists have discovered the bones of someone believed to be an important figure in the ancient Maya site known as El Tigre. (Insituto nacional de Antropología e Historia / Cuartoscuro.com
The discovery was made public on Monday by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). According to INAH, the find is significant since the deceased's bones, who were still relatively young at the time of death, were discovered inside a sizable burial container with "a showy and well-preserved jade ring."
The Mesoamerican Late Classic period (600–800 AD) artifact was found in Campeche's El Tigre archaeological zone. El Tigre, also known as Itzamkanac by the Chontal Maya and located on the Candelara River's bank, was a significant ceremonial and commercial center in antiquity. During his 1525 voyage to Honduras, Hernán Cortés is said to have murdered Cuauhtémoc, the last Mexica ruler, there.
An INAH press release emphasized the skeleton’s “showy and well-preserved jade ring,” which likely denotes the importance of the person who was buried with it. (INAH / Cuartoscuro.com)
Diego Prieto Hernández, the chairman of INAH, stated this during the news conference held by President López Obrador on Monday morning. "A green stone ring, a jade ring, was placed as an offering." This is "a very important component that speaks to the significance of this person."
Before coming together in Escárcega, Campeche and going on to Palenque, Chiapas, the Maya Train travels through the state of Campeche on two different lines, one from Mérida, Yucatán and one from Bacalar, Quintana Roo.
The Program for the Improvement of Archaeological Zones (Promeza) is overseeing archaeological excavation in three locations along the Maya Train route: Moral-Reforma in the state of Tabasco, Palenque, and El Tigre.
With the most recent discovery, Section 1 of the Maya Train now has 177 pre-Columbian human burials, according to Prieto Hernández. These findings were made while archeological monitoring was being done during track construction.
One of the vessels found at El Tigre. The skeleton with the jade ring was found in a similar vessel. (INAH / Cuartoscuro.com)
Prieto Hernández reported that discoveries up until August 14 along the portion of the train that goes from Escárcega to Palenque included 2,698 houses, 248 pieces of furniture, 281,353 ceramic shards, and 55 natural features connected to pre-Columbian human activity.
The opening of El Tigre to tourists is progressing. Activities geared toward achieving this goal include building a visitor center and exploring and conserving the site's main square, market square, and so-called triadic complex.
Iron and Bronze Age populations' genes are being sequenced in order to better understand early Mediterranean migration patterns
More information regarding the movement patterns of individuals who lived nearby the Mediterranean Sea throughout the Iron and Bronze centuries has been discovered by an international team of anthropologists, archaeologists, and geneticists. The team sequenced the genetic material from the remains of 30 people who lived in Sardinia, Tunisia, and mainland Italy during the Iron or Bronze Age for their study, which was published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.
Data overview and relevant geography and chronology. a, Locations of the 4 archaeological sites examined here, as well as a map of the areas settled by Phoenician, Greek and Etruscan speakers by 550 BCE. b, Timeline showing the dates for the newly reported individual genomes, with the methods of dating indicated. Indirect radiocarbon dating refers to using the radiocarbon date of a different individual in the same tomb. A single date estimate for each individual in the study was determined by the average of lower and upper estimates of the 95% confidence interval when using accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dates and the average of the lower and bound inference dates when using archaeological and historical context for dating. The full 95% confidence intervals are reported in Supplementary Dataset 3. The map was generated using the World_Basemap_v2 from the ArcGIS online platform. Credit: Nature Ecology & Evolution (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02143-4
The majority of what is known about humans who lived in the Mediterranean region during the Iron and Bronze Ages comes from research on the objects they left behind, as the researchers point out. However, they note that such evidence does not reveal much about those people's backgrounds or where their ancestors originated. In this new study, the research team used DNA sequencing to track movement patterns in order to better understand the origins of these individuals.
In order to understand migration patterns for people living in the northern, central, and southern parts of the eastern part of the Mediterranean during the Iron and Bronze Ages—a time, the researchers note, when people were traveling farther due to advancements in boat and shipbuilding—the researchers conducted shotgun sequencing on samples collected from unearthed bones of ancient people living in Italy, Tunisia, and Sardinia. The scientists then contrasted its findings with those of other sequencing projects carried out on both contemporary and prehistoric inhabitants of the area.
They discovered signs of extensive migration around the Mediterranean, pointing to close relationships between far-flung groups. Indicating an increase in migration, they also discovered heterogeneity in Iron Age populations and changes in ancestry in Sardinia and North Africa throughout the Bronze Age. More particular, the study showed that neolithic farmers moved more frequently from what is now Morocco and Iran to Sardinia and Tunisia, and considerably less frequently to what is now Italy.
The research team contends that as more individuals traveled the Mediterranean Sea for a variety of reasons during the Iron and Bronze Ages, migration increased as was to be expected, influencing the heritage of those who resided in the area.
British Museum: Protests from Nigeria and China over their relics - "Bring back the stolen"
Following the scandal of the theft of two thousand objects from its premises, the British Museum is facing protests from countries such as China and Nigeria, who are demanding the return of looted relics that are in the museum's possession.
The argument that the British Museum is entitled to keep priceless cultural treasures from other countries because it is safer is collapsing, and calls for the repatriation of the stolen items are growing around the world. Among them, Nigeria, which is looking for the "Benin Bronzes," the ornate copper plates dating from the 13th to the 16th centuries. In 1897 they were looted by British forces and subsequently sold to the British Museum to finance military campaigns.
"They are an object of looting. They were illegally transported out of the country. These are stolen objects and they must be returned to Nigeria to the communities they belong to," says Abba Isa Tijani, Director of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments of Nigeria.
China also claims its plundered relics. Especially since in 2004, 10 Chinese masterpieces were stolen from a storage room of the British Museum. And nobody knows how much was lost in the last theft.
“It's hard to believe that no Chinese heirlooms were lost in the stolen lot. (…) The lost heirlooms may very likely be lost forever and cannot be replaced,” says Wang Zhongjie, a specialist in repatriation of heirlooms.
Chinese newspaper Global Times demands British Museum return 'stolen' items
Chinese state media tells the British Museum to return colonial-era "stolen" artifacts.
"We formally request the British Museum to return all Chinese cultural relics acquired through improper channels to China free of charge," the Global Times said in an editorial or opinion on Monday, 8/28.
The intervention is seen as a possible widening of the rift between the Asian nation and the West.
The newspaper said the museum had 23,000 Chinese artifacts and cited, as examples, a Tang Dynasty painting and bronze vessels dating back to the dawn of the Asian nation's civilization.
"Most of the Chinese collections were certainly looted or stolen by Britain when it created and later took advantage of China's crisis, or even robbed China directly," the nationalist paper said, referring to the 19th century upheaval in the Asian nation. The Global Times added that it supported other countries seeking the return of the items.
"The vast majority of the British Museum's vast collection of up to 8 million objects came from outside the United Kingdom, and a significant proportion of it was acquired through improper channels, even by dirty and sinful means," the editorial reads, among other things.
The article comes just ahead of an expected visit by UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverley to Beijing in a bid to repair relations damaged by the Communist Party's crackdown on pro-democracy Hong Kong opposition and other issues.
The British Museum now faces a serious question of credibility.
No list of the priceless antiquities lost from Britain's iconic museum has yet been made public.
Chinese archaeologists have discovered tombs from the Shang Dynasty that contain more than 200 priceless burial objects. Check Them Out!
Chinese archaeologists have discovered a massive site of rammed earth structures, graves, and bronze casting factories on the Loess Plateau in north-central China. These structures date back around 3,200 years.
A turquoise-inlaid ornament unearthed in Shaanxi province. Image: Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology WeChat.
The Shang dynasty, which lasted from 1600 to 1046 B.C.E., saw the establishment of a regional power at the site, which today is located in Shaanxi province. In Shang dynasty archaeology, it has been hailed as a significant breakthrough.
More than 200 burial artifacts have been discovered by archaeologists since their investigation began in June 2022. They want to learn more about the site's political and cultural ties to Yinxu, the Shang dynasty capital, which is some 350 miles to the east on the Yellow River plains of China.
A copper ornament with turquoise-inlay unearthed in Shaanxi province. Photo: Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology on WeChat.
Archaeologists found nine tombs there that belonged to high-ranking nobility, making it the largest site of its kind ever found in the region. They discovered a treasure trove of priceless artifacts inside, including equipment for horses and chariots, a turquoise-inlaid swallow-shaped pendant, bone implements decorated with animal designs, gold earrings, copper arrowheads and axes, and lacquerware.
The discovery of late Shang dynasty horse and chariot accessories in the Loess Plateau is significant because it may shed light on the evolution of burial practices. Additionally, researchers observed several aesthetic connections between the bronze, lacquerware, and bone artifacts and those previously discovered at other Shang dynasty sites, like as Yinxu.
A jade bird unearthed in Shaanxi province. Photo: Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology on WeChat.
The Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology posted on WeChat, China's all-in-one social media platform, that the early archaeological work "has revealed the highly developed bronze civilization that existed in northern Shaanxi during the late Shang Dynasty, one that was closely related to the Yinxu culture of the Central Plains, far exceeding previous understanding." In order to better understand the Shang Dynasty's political and geographic organization, it is crucial to study its archaeology in northern Shaanxi.
The Shaanxi excavation is one of four that have just lately been investigated by archaeologists. The Shang dynasty, which is China's earliest with well based archaeological and textual evidence, is currently enjoying something of a resurgence of rediscovery. China's National Cultural Heritage Administration claims that other artifacts have been discovered in the nation's capital Beijing, Hebei province, and Henan province.
Below are some pictures of the finds.
A jade face found in Shaanxi province. Photo: Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology on WeChat.
Gold earrings found by archeologists in Shaanxi province. Photo: Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology on WeChat.
A carved bone tool found by archeologists in the site in Shaanxi province. Photo: Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology on WeChat.
The gruesome truth behind Poland's high number of vampire graves
People in post-medieval Poland were a little bit obsessed with the dead. People used to think that early epidemic deaths, suicides, and even deaths just before baptism were caused by vampires possessing the souls of the deceased.
The grave of a 'child vampire' found in Poland in 2023 / Professor Dariusz Poliński, Nicolaus Copernicus University
Due to this, a large number of tombs from the 17th century have recently been discovered by archaeologists. Recent discoveries include the final resting site of a "vampire child" who had been padlocked and buried face down as part of a tradition to prevent the dead from returning to torment the living.
Dariusz Poliski, a professor at Toru's Nicolaus Copernicus University, thinks that was "very typical for an anti-vampire security practice."
Additionally, it isn't the first of its kind. A young woman's body was again discovered in 2022 by Poliski's squad with a padlock this time on her toe. A sickle was also placed over her throat.
It is a tragic story. As part of an apotropaic funeral, the locks and sickle were intended to fend off evil. According to reasoning, if a vampire awakens, the lock could keep it in place. The sickle over the throat should be fairly obvious. But why did individuals harm one another in this way?
These types of apotropaic tombs have also been found in Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and Romania. In some of the graves, the deceased were also beheaded, had stakes driven through their hearts, and had coins placed in their mouths. They typically originate from bad times like epidemics, wars, and other tragedies when people can be more inclined to think evil is all around them.
Such ideas were very prevalent in Poland in the seventeenth century.
War, crisis, and extremely cold weather characterized this century, according to Poliski. "There was a brief ice age."
Cholera epidemics that affected Eastern Europe were among the plagues of the 1600s and may have contributed to the growing dread around mysterious deaths. According to a 1674 report, a guy who was rumored to drink human blood terrorized a community to the point that they decapitated him.
Marek Polcyn, an anthropologist from Lakehead University in Ontario, proposed a different explanation for this type of burial. She said in a study that while Catholic priests fueled rumors of witchcraft and the devil, the growth of Catholic theology during the Counter-Reformation—a time when the Catholic Church resisted Protestants—led to a comeback of folkloric beliefs.
In the meantime, Polisky and his crew found three other children's remains in a trench close to the child's grave, with evidence of copper, potassium permanganate, and gold on the bone around the teeth. Poliski suggested that a remedy created to treat vampirism in people may be to blame.
17th Century Vampire Grave Unearthed in #Poland
— Ancient Origins (@ancientorigins) September 5, 2022
Learn more: https://t.co/MIaUB1fmOl pic.twitter.com/1s1g2yRCXm
"The main benefit of this site, yes, is that we can learn more about [what] the main traditions and customs were for the context of treating people who were 'different' and excluding people who were different," he stated.
"Everything about this suggests that this was a cemetery for the outcasts, for those who should be forgotten."
He did, however, add that it's also possible that the mother and child's graves were caused by something much more commonplace.
He adds, "It may have also been something pretty straightforward, like a dispute between neighbors.
His team is conducting more tests on the human remains in an effort to learn more. But just now, we are only in the dark.
Human remains from antiquity show how the Stone Age buried its dead
After examining ceramic jars unearthed in two pits along with human remains, archaeologists in Galera del Slex, Spain, have found evidence of unusual early Neolithic burial practices.
A bone fragment of the ilium of an adult female from the Galleria del Silex cave. (Molina-Almansa et al., Quaternary Science Reviews, 2023)
The discovery highlights the Atapuerca Mountains as an important border for early humans looking to settle in the region by presenting an early example of several Neolithic funerary traditions deep within the interior of the Iberian Peninsula.
According to a team led by Spanish archaeologist Antonio Molina-Almansa from the University of Alcalá, "the new evidence... illustrates that it could have been used as a funeral gallery whose use extended from the Early Neolithic through the Chalcolithic and lasted until the beginning of the Bronze Age."
Few remnants of the grave rites performed by Neolithic "pioneers" in the center of Iberia remain today. There isn't much proof of their procedures for decently disposing of their dead because they regularly moved in small groups.
Communities of the time routinely buried their loved ones in caverns when they passed away throughout what is now France, Portugal, and Andalusia. However, early Neolithic practices among populations who started to settle in one location included burying the deceased in the earth on the Spanish peninsula.
The results of Galera del Slex offer a striking contrast to this method.
The cave, which was discovered in 1972, has wall murals and rock inscriptions as well as strewn ceramic, animal, and human bones.
Because they were each buried at the bottom of two distinct pits that were more than 300 meters (984 ft) from the entrance, the two sets of human remains examined in this study are noteworthy.
The experts state that "Galera del Slex is an extraordinary site" because it was locked off at the end of the Bronze Age and has remained undamaged ever since.
Prior to the discovery of Early Neolithic ceramic vessels among the Bronze Age human remains in the two pits known as Sima A and Sima B, the site's entire population of human remains had been dated to the Bronze Age.
An intriguing adjustment was made by radiocarbon dating of human teeth and bones from four distinct individuals that were discovered in the two sites. The other three human remains were from the early Neolithic period and dated to between 5307 and 4897 BCE, placing them in the early Bronze Age whereas one Sima A's body was undoubtedly alive during the early Bronze Age, sometime between 1880-1690 BCE.
The experts identified one of the early Neolithic people as a young girl between the ages of 13 and 14. Her remains were found in Sima A next to six ceramic jars. The scientists believe that the girl was purposely interred with the vessels as memorial tributes.
According to Molina-Almansa and colleagues, this indicates that the people who lived in the Galera del Slex cave were among the first in the area to develop sophisticated burial customs, as seen by the graves' purposeful location inside the cave and away from the entrance, which appears out of the ordinary for this period.
They note that there are just two known caves in this region that contain Early Neolithic human remains. Human remains found in household settings in both caves "indicate that there was no special place reserved for the burial of their dead," the researchers write.
The fact that the burials were in a different spot implies that there may have been something unique about the location, which should be taken into account as an example of the kinds of areas our more nomadic predecessors would have chosen to create more permanent settlements in.
The distance between the spot where human remains were buried and the ancient cave entrance, they add, "there is no doubt that it was used for funerary purposes."
Galera del Slex's recent investigation offers an insightful look into the early Neolithic inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula.
These people appear to have lived in a sophisticated, complex civilization with a deep culture and set of beliefs.
What is contained in a time capsule buried at West Point when Lee was a cadet?
No one is aware of what is contained in a lead box that was found this spring inside a memorial to Revolutionary War hero Thaddeus Kosciuszko, but that is about to change.
Chris Branson, from the West Point Association of Graduates, discovered a time capsule in the base of the Thaddeus Kosciuszko monument on May 30, 2023. West Point officials believe the box, which measures a cubic foot, was placed in 1829, the year a Virginia cadet named Robert E. Lee graduated from the academy. The contents of the lead box will be revealed on Aug. 28 on a livestream broadcast.
During a livestream event on Monday 28th of August at the United States Military Academy, the box will be opened, revealing the solution to a history riddle that has been brewing for nearly 200 years. It is thought to be a time capsule from 1829, when a Virginia cadet named Robert E. Lee received his West Point diploma.
When workers were removing the crumbling base of the Kosciuszko monument in late May 2023, they came upon the box and realized it was a time capsule left there by cadets.
The box, which is one cubic foot in size, was taken into custody by the post's archaeologist as this is a military academy. He took notes and pictures of the object. A member of the academy's department of physics and nuclear engineering trained a powerful X-ray apparatus on the box within weeks, but because to the lead construction of the box, they were unable to obtain any conclusive information regarding its contents.
Due to this, it was decided to have the box's contents revealed in person at a ceremony at 10:30 a.m. in Robinson Auditorium of the academy's Thayer Hall, live on YouTube.
The occasion might be a stunning success or a bust similar to Geraldo Rivera's live television broadcast of him unlocking Al Capone's vault on April 21, 1986. Rivera realized it contained nothing but dust and trash in front of a live audience of 30 million viewers.
What might be in a time capsule buried barely 26 years after the academy was established has likewise sparked all kinds of speculation.
Conversion of unknowns to knowns
History is something Jennifer Voigtschild, the command historian at West Point, is used to finding, not history finding her. For hints, Voigtschild combed through the West Point archives.
An ad placed nationally in October 1824 offers $50 to the winning designer of a monument to the memory of Gen. Thaddeus Kosciuszko. The winner was JHB Latrobe, a former cadet who left the academy after the 1821 death of his father, Benjamin Latrobe, the man who designed the U.S. Capitol.
A Kosciuszko memorial was to be built at West Point, and she discovered an advertisement from October 1824 in a national newspaper giving a gold medal worth $50 for the best design. Because Kosciuszko's Garden used to be his favorite getaway during leisure time, it was chosen as the "rude romantic location."
The winner of the design competition was John Latrobe, a former cadet who had finished first in his class until he was forced to leave West Point in 1821 due to his father's passing a year earlier. Because he created the U.S. Capitol, his father Benjamin Latrobe was an expert on monuments.
The 8 1/2-foot bronze statue of Kosciuszko would be installed in 1913, and the younger Latrobe's design consisted of a base with a 10-foot tall fluted column on top.
While the monument's base bears a carving stating that the corps of cadets built it in 1828 with plans to dedicate it on July 4 of that year, Voigtschild discovered there was a delay of about a year.
Whether the time capsule was buried in 1829 or the statue was erected in 1913 was a matter of debate. However, a few circumstances compelled the historian to choose the earlier date: the base's bricks were pre-1850, time capsules buried in the 1910s were more frequently constructed of copper than lead, and there was no record of a time capsule in 1913, when such a fact would not have gone unmentioned.
Benedict Arnold, Major Andre, and Kosciuszko
In order to construct West Point and prevent British ships from navigating the crucial Hudson River, Gen. George Washington named Col. Thaddeus Kosciuszko as his chief engineer in 1778.
He served as West Point's principal engineer for 28 months, from April 1778 to August 1780, according to Voigtschild. They later dubbed it the Gibraltar of the Hudson because he performed such an excellent job.
Benedict Arnold assumed command at West Point in August 1780, the same month Kosciuszko left.
Arnold's efforts to provide British spy Maj. John Andre with a map of Kosciuszko's defenses a month later could have given the British control of the crucial Hudson River and divided the rebel provinces. Andre was found hiding the West Point defense plans in his boot, which revealed the plot's demise. In Tappan, New York, where Washington held his headquarters, Andre was executed on October 2, 1780. Arnold fled to Canada and later, to Britain.
The monument to Thaddeus Kosciuszko on the campus of the United States Military Academy at West Point was dismantled for restoration after cracks were discovered in its base. This led to another discovery, a time capsule placed by cadets circa 1829. Plans call for the monument to be restored by August 2024.
Kosciuszko, a Polish soldier who was essential to American independence, served as a colonel during the revolution but was elevated to the rank of brigadier general in 1783 after the war's conclusion, according to Voigtschild.
In addition, a bridge over Newtown Creek connecting Brooklyn and Queens is named after Kosciuszko.
What's in there? There are many different theories.
In a video titled "Tap, Tap, Tap," which was uploaded to the West Point Instagram page, a worker is seen using a chisel to gauge the effectiveness of the box's seal. What might be inside the time capsule, the post speculates?
One poster makes the following conjecture in reference to the Army's love of polished metal and the fact that Lee was a cadet at the time: 'My hunch' A cadet borrowed and never returned CDT Robert E. Lee's Brasso (metal polish) can.
Voigtschild paused before responding to a question about whether Lee may have had a say in the placement of the capsule and dedication of the memorial.
“Oh, I don't know”, she remarked. “We will observe more.”
"(West Point Chief of Staff Sylvanus) Thayer might have been the perpetrator. The cadet committee might have been responsible. The dedication speech that was not given may have been written by Charles Petigru. Cadet Thompson, who graduated in July 1828, might have been the candidate. He presided over the committee that selected the layout. We are unaware of so many fascinating things.
The historian observed the box and noted that the bottom has a seam that appears to have partially separated and has signs of aging. That could indicate that the contents were wetted.
However, she noted that the monument's foundation was rather dry.
Jennifer Voigtschild is command historian at the United States Military Academy at West Point. The discovery of a box inside the base of the Kosciuszko monument at West Point set her on a journey to learn more about the monument.
Whatever the case, "a great story"
In his analysis of Monday's opening ceremony, Voigtschild adopts a historical perspective.
No matter what is contained in the box, she added, "we believe that it's a fantastic example of cadets or academy staff leaving something because they thought that Kosciuszko was so important to the history of the academy and to the country for what he did during the Revolutionary War."
Even if the box is empty, the fact that it existed and that someone thought to do this for future cadets and people of the country is still a great narrative.
Despite knowing of only one recent time capsule at West Point, Voigtschild claimed to be aware of no additional ones that have been discovered there.
She stated, "We do have one that we put into Davis Barracks in 2018, when we built that barracks, and maybe some uniform items," adding that it contained a curriculum book, notes on academy and cadet history.
The historian speculates that perhaps a copy of Petigru's speech is within the box to demonstrate how it was consecrated.
The endeavor to rebuild the statue's base and return it to its perch overlooking the Hudson is still ongoing. The original base will be replaced with a new one made of solid granite covered in marble, with one minor modification: "They're going to build a little vault for us to put a new time capsule back there," Voigtschild added.
Israel finds a sizable portion of an aqueduct from the Second Temple in Jerusalem
The discovery "may also shed light on the question of who built the first aqueduct - whether it was the Hasmoneans or perhaps King Herod," the researchers stated.
Aerial view of the excavation of the Upper Aqueduct at Givat Hamatos.
According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, the longest continuous portion of the ancient aqueduct that formerly connected Jerusalem to the outside world has been discovered in Givat Hamatos.
Prior to the Municipality of Jerusalem's intended expansion of the settlement, archeological investigations in the region uncovered a section of the ancient aqueduct that is around 300 meters (or 1,000 feet) long. The city intends to construct schools.
The archaeological endeavors were supported by Arim, one of the businesses involved in the building of Givat Hamatos.
Numerous old coins, including one produced during the First Jewish-Roman War, were also found.
Regarding the aqueduct
The Jerusalem aqueduct was constructed to satisfy the expanding water needs of the ancient city, according to Dr. Ofer Shyam and Ruth Cohen, heads of the Antiquities Authority excavations.
"Jerusalem expanded substantially in the final years of the Second Temple. The water that flowed in conduits and cisterns was no longer adequate for the thousands of pilgrims and locals because the Temple had been constructed, they say. "Water had to be transported from afar to the city."
As a result, the Hasmoneans and later King Herod constructed two aqueducts to Jerusalem in order to meet the city's expanding water needs. The Jewish and Armenian Quarters of the Old City were the upper city, which was served by one of the aqueducts known as "the Upper Aqueduct." The Temple received water from "the Lower Aqueduct," the other.
These aqueducts are referred to by Shyam and Cohen as "among the largest and most complex water systems in the land of Israel - and indeed, in the ancient world."
Each of the aqueducts, which connected Jerusalem to the water's source at Bethlehem Springs over a distance of around 10 kilometers, was a magnificent engineering achievement.
Exposure of the ancient water conduit. (credit: Emil Aljam, Antiquities Authority)
In addition, "we found about 25 coins scattered at relatively equal distances in the foundations of the aqueduct from the days of the Tenth Legion," Shyam and Cohen added. We believe this was not an accident because it resembles the modern practice of leaving money there for good luck fairly closely.
A coin from the Second Temple period that was struck in the 67–68 CE period, during the Great Jewish Revolt, sometimes known as the first of the three Jewish-Roman wars, was also discovered in the aqueduct's infrastructure.
According to the press release, the researchers hypothesized that when constructing the conduit, the ancient Jerusalem aqueduct's builders built it into the structure's foundations.
Roman bath excavation discoveries will be shown in Carlisle
In the fall, two enormous sculptured stone heads that were found during the excavation of Carlisle's Roman Bathhouse will be put on display.
The well-preserved heads have been described as "rare and priceless"
The "once in a lifetime" discoveries were made at the city's cricket club during a communal dig.
At the location of what is thought to be the largest building on Hadrian's Wall, over 1,000 items have been discovered since 2021.
At Tullie House, the 1,800-year-old artifacts will be on display.
The sandstone artifacts were once a part of full-figure sculptures that were between 3.5 and 4.5 meters (12 to 15 feet) high.
Frank Giecco, the lead archaeologist, described them as "unique and priceless."
The finds will be displayed at Tullie House from 23 September
Even though several of these artefacts were just uncovered by our volunteers this summer, Mr. Giecco noted that they are already well-known discoveries on a global scale.
"We hope that this exhibition can convey the significance of Roman Carlisle and the utter uniqueness of these finds."
The Digging Deeper show, which runs from September 23 to November 11, will include the heads, a group of intaglios (carved jewels), and a stone carving of a dolphin.
According to Mr. Giecco, the carvings on jewels depicted mythological tales and provided insight into the thoughts of Roman bathers from 1800 years ago.
Volunteers have been working at the site since 2021
The actual excavation was a collaborative effort involving more than 1,678 volunteer days over the course of the previous two years.
"When we first started exploring the site for the new cricket pavilion six years ago, I told Frank Giecco to find either nothing or to truly find something immense, and without a doubt he's delivered," said Mike Rayson, chairman of Carlisle Cricket Club, which owns the artifacts.
"We are rewriting Carlisle's history, it just takes it to a different level, the immenseness of it," one researcher said of the site's discoveries.
Peru's 3,000-year-old priest's tomb is discovered by archaeologists
A 3,000-year-old tomb that was discovered by archaeologists in northern Peru is said to have been built to honor a prominent religious figure in the Andean nation some three millennia ago.
The priest was buried under six layers of ash mixed with black earth, according to Peru's Culture Ministry.
The "Priest of Pacopampa," as the highland archaeological zone where the tomb was discovered is known, was buried under six layers of ash mixed with black earth, decorated ceramic bowls, and seals that suggested ancient ritual body paint used for people of elite standing, according to a statement released on Saturday by Peru's culture ministry.
Along the upper margins of the tomb, there were also discovered two seals: one had a jaguar design facing west and the other had an anthropomorphic face gazing east.
The head of the project, Yuji Seki, described the vast size of the tomb as "very peculiar," as well as the position of the person lying face down with one half of his body stretched and feet crossed. The tomb was approximately two meters (2.2 yards) in diameter and one meter (3.3 feet) deep.
He stated that a bone in the shape of a tupu, a sizable pin that Andean Amerindians used to hold ponchos and cloaks and would have been used to hold a woman's blanket, was also discovered with the remains.
Archaeologists hold pieces of pottery from the tomb, which also contained decorated ceramic bowls and seals indicating ancient ritual body paint used for people of elite standing.
Even though this guy is a man, Seki thought the connotations were strange. I believe that he was a leader in his era.
The priest would have been buried around 1,200 B.C., making him roughly five centuries older than the tombs of the "Lady of Pacopampa" and the "Priests of the Serpent Jaguar of Pacopampa," which were discovered in 2009 and 2015, respectively. The Pacopampa Archaeological Project has been working in the area since 2005, the ministry said.
However, it is thought that the "Priest of the Pututos" discovery from last year is older.
FT: The silence from Greece is a sign that a deal for the Sculptures is close
The president of the British Museum told his colleagues that he was reassured (regarding the talks about somehow having the Parthenon Marbles in the Acropolis museum) because Mr. Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister of Greece, who is personally handling the negotiations for the marbles, has not yet attacked the British Museum for the thefts, writes the Financial Times.
The source from the British Museum cited by the Financial Times says that "you can read a lot in silence". "There was a significant limitation at the heart of the Greek state." They believe that this silence was a sign that Athens believes that an agreement is close.
The newspaper quotes a statement from a Greek government official who said that the events at the British Museum are being closely monitored and that he, like others in the cultural community, is shocked by the magnitude of the theft.
"These issues are not directly related to our campaign for our legal right to have the Parthenon Marbles returned to Greece, which continues unabated."
President George Osborne confirmed on Saturday that discussions on a partnership with Athens were "ongoing and constructive."
The British newspaper often hosts opinion pieces to shut down any discussion of the return of the marbles.
Labor MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy told the Guardian that the thefts exposed the British Museum's "ridiculous" attitude toward the return of the marbles.
Illustration by Dimosthenis Vasiloudis
Karphi (Karfi): The Minoan Site that Survived the Bronze Age Collapse
Karphi: A Bastion Amidst Chaos: Unraveling the Minoan Stronghold that Defied the Bronze Age Turmoil
The island of Crete, situated in the Mediterranean, has always been a significant hub for ancient civilizations. Its rich history is dotted with tales of the Minoans, Europe's first advanced civilization. While the palatial centers like Knossos and Phaistos garner most of the attention, the lesser-known site of Karphi (often spelled Karfi) holds a special place as it tells the tale of resilience during one of the ancient world's most challenging periods: the Bronze Age Collapse.
Achaean presence in Crete
The island of Crete, historically known as the cradle of the Minoan civilization, witnessed a significant shift around the 15th century BC when it came under the influence of the Mycenaeans from mainland Greece. As archaeological evidence suggests, this colonization resulted in a blending of cultures, evident in aspects like art, architecture, and script. Crete was a melting pot of diverse groups even before the Mycenaean arrival, with the indigenous Eteocretans, who might have been direct descendants of the Minoans, and the Kydonians, primarily associated with the city of Kydonia (modern-day Chania).
Additionally, ancient sources occasionally reference the presence of Achaeans and Pelasgians on the island. This intricate tapestry of ethnicities and cultures gave Crete its rich historical and cultural legacy, where traditions merged and new practices emerged, forming the foundation for the subsequent historical developments on the island.
Bronze Age Collapse: A Quick Overview
The Bronze Age Collapse, occurring between c. 1200 and 1150 BC, represents one of the most dramatic and transformative periods in ancient history. Several once-mighty civilizations of the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East—including the Mycenaeans, Hittites, and Canaanite city-states—suddenly and inexplicably fell into decline. This rapid unraveling was characterized by the widespread destruction of cities, a significant decline in complex trade networks, and the loss of literacy in many regions.
While the precise causes remain debated, scholars attribute the collapse to a combination of factors: external invasions (notably by the mysterious Sea Peoples), climate change-induced droughts, internal socio-political unrest, and possibly a series of natural disasters. The aftermath of this collapse paved the way for the rise of new cultures and the onset of the Iron Age.
From Mycenaean Ruins to City-States: Greece's Mysterious Dark Age Transformation
The so-called Dark Ages of Greece, spanning from around 1100 BC to 800 BCE, marked a profound transformation in Greek society. Following the collapse of the Mycenaean civilization, this period witnessed a sharp decline in population, cultural output, and economic complexity. The grand palatial centers, which had once been the hub of Mycenaean political and economic power, were abandoned or destroyed, resulting in a significant shift in settlements. Urban centers dwindled, and many inhabitants moved to more isolated, defensible sites or ventured to the fringes of the Aegean in search of new lands. This societal fragmentation was mirrored in the loss of literacy, as the Linear B script used by the Mycenaeans was forgotten, only to re-emerge centuries later with the adoption of the Phoenician alphabet. The Dark Ages, though less illustrious compared to the epochs that bookended them, laid the groundwork for the emergence of the distinct Greek city-states and the classical era that would profoundly influence Western civilization.
Karphi: A Mountain Refuge
Amidst this turmoil, the Minoans of Crete faced their own challenges. Their palatial centers were abandoned, and there was a need for safe havens. Karphi, located on a mountainous plateau at an elevation of about 1,100 meters above sea level, was a settlement built by the Minoans seeking refuge from the disruptions below. The location was not chosen for its agricultural potential but for its defensive advantage, a testimony to the troubled times.
The peak of Karfi was once a peak sanctuary, with a typical location on a high shoulder and a wide "viewshed" connecting it with sightlines to other sites, typical of the network developed from the "first Palace period" onwards. However, it was likely abandoned, perhaps as a result of increased religious centralization. A split stone protrusion that is clearly reminiscent of the carved and formed crescent-horn stone altars renowned in Crete and Cyprus dominates the rocky region.
Archaeological reconstructions indicate that the warlike mixed population from the Peloponnese, known as the Dorians, would have found the Minoans coexisting with the Mycenaeans as an underclass when they arrived on Crete after approximately 1100 BC. Despite the fact that inscriptions were now written in Linear B and were all in a version of Greek associated with a Mycenaean elite class, it is safe to assume that the Minoan language was still used by the peasants.
The final towns with Minoan material culture are in more remote locations; one of the biggest and most extensive villages was at Karfi, high in the Dikti Mountains; it appears that the Dorians drove the locals up into the hills. A portion of Minoan civilization was preserved intact for approximately 400 years on this high, isolated, ancient, and sacred site following the occupation of Knossos.
The final Eteocretan Minoan communities at Karfi relocated to the mountain's slopes, from where they could see the Sea of Crete, the valley of Pediada, and the plateau of Lassithi with Iraklion, where the artifacts from Karfi are currently on display in the Archaeological Museum. A non-Greek language was still being used in the Eastern Crete highlands, and it was sometimes written down during the Classical era. The speakers of this language were still referred to as "Eteocretans"—"true Cretans."
Archaeological Findings
First excavated in the 1930s by British archaeologist John Pendlebury, Karphi revealed the remnants of a relatively large community. The ruins included houses, public spaces, and even sanctuaries. Some of the most significant findings include Stone-built houses, pottery, and religious relics.
The houses were primarily constructed using local limestone. Unlike the opulent palaces, these were modest, suggesting a simpler lifestyle. The pottery found in Karphi differed from the classical Minoan ware. It showcased simpler designs, suggesting a shift in both aesthetics and production techniques. Several shrines and sanctuaries indicated that religious activities continued in earnest at Karphi. One notable find is the terracotta figurines depicting a goddess, possibly a version of the Minoan "Mountain Goddess."
The Significance of Karphi
The importance of Karphi is multifold:
1. Resilience and Adaptation: While many sites were abandoned during the Bronze Age Collapse, Karphi showcases the Minoan spirit of resilience. The inhabitants adapted to their new mountain life, finding ways to sustain their community amidst adversity.
2. Cultural Continuity: The Minoan culture, though evolved, persisted in Karphi. This continuity underscores the idea that while societies may undergo transformations due to external pressures, core elements often endure.
3. Historical Marker: Karphi serves as a reminder of the Bronze Age Collapse and offers researchers insights into how ancient civilizations coped with widespread crises.
Karphi stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of humanity. While it might not have the grandeur of the Minoan palaces, its significance cannot be understated. It offers a window into a tumultuous period in history, showcasing human adaptation, endurance, and the unyielding desire to preserve culture against all odds.
A bloody tale is depicted in cave paintings in Malaysia
Many of the hundreds of drawings of humans found in the Gua Sireh cave in Sarawak, Malaysia, appear to be caught up in violent fights.
The dated rock art. Credit: Andrea Jalandoni
The drawings' provenance has been verified by carbon dating by an international team of archaeologists.
The images were created during the 17th and 19th centuries, coinciding with a rise in hostilities between the indigenous residents of the area, such as the Bidayuh people, and the invading Malay aristocracy.
The team of archaeologists from Australia, Malaysia, and New Zealand believes this is the first time radiometric dating has been used to determine the age of Malaysian rock art.
Professor Paul Tacon, an archaeologist at Griffith University and co-author of a study explaining the discovery that was published in PLOS One, says that it is difficult to date rock globally.
Mohammad Sherman Sauffi William from the Sarawak Museum and Jillian Huntley harvesting sample GS3. Credit: Paul S.C. Taçon.
Although radiocarbon testing can estimate an object's age to be as old as 50,000 years, most pigments, such as the red that served as the foundation for many Malaysian cave paintings, don't contain carbon.
"The paintings that are black, if they were made with charcoal, they could potentially be directly dated," explains Tacon.
According to Tacon, there are "quite a number" of sites with black drawings throughout Peninsular Malaysia, as well as a few in the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah on the island of Borneo.
The designs resemble those that have been discovered in the Philippines and Sulawesi, where some have been dated to 3,500 and 1,500 years ago, respectively.
Infographic showing the dated rock art. Digital tracing and design by Lucas Huntley
Since they don't want to inflict even minor harm to it, Tacon adds that it might be challenging to obtain a permit to sample the art in several places where she has been researching it alongside Malaysian archaeologists for the past 14 years.
To take small samples from Gua Sireh, Tacon and his colleague Mohammad Sherman Sauffi William, curator of the Sarawak Museum Department, obtained a study authorization. The cave has been inhabited by mankind for at least 20,000 years, according to additional evidence.
These examples demonstrated to them that the images' production dates, which correspond to the area's frontier violence, were between 1670 and 1830.
According to Tacon, "there are figures holding what appear to be fighting swords."
"Many of these lesser figures surround some of these larger ones. Additionally, we know from history and ethnography that the paintings we've identified as being from a time of intense conflict between Malay elites and the indigenous Bidayuh people and the Iban people who lived along the beaches.
As a result, "the iconography, the images, and the dates we have fit exactly with the historical record of frontier violence at that time."
William, a Bidayuh descendent, claims that this data also accords with the Bidayuh people's oral history.
The dated rock art at Gau Sireh alongside micrographs of the bamboo charcoal used to draw them. Credit: Huntley et al., 2023, PLOS One, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288902
He claims that during territorial conflict in the early 1800s, when a very strict Malay Chief demanded that they hand over their children, the Bidayuh used Gua Sireh as a haven.
They declined and withdrew to Gua Sireh, where they at first successfully repelled a party of 300 armed men who were attempting to enter the cave from a valley approximately 60 meters below.
The majority of the tribe managed to escape by a corridor at the back of the largest entry chamber that extends hundreds of meters through the Gunung Nambi limestone hill despite suffering some losses (two Bidayuh were shot and seven were captured and sold into slavery). However, they were able to save their children.
Two short-bladed Parang Ilang, the primary weapons used during combat that marked the first decades of white dominance in Borneo, as well as a Pandat, which was used only for battle or protection, were sketched alongside the figures.
Paleolithic rock art's missing topographical details are revealed using stereoscopic imaging
In addition to the previously mentioned cave paintings, research conducted at Complutense University in Madrid has uncovered a variety of older cave paintings. The team adds information lacking from earlier photographic photos in a study titled "Animals hidden in plain sight: stereoscopic recording of Paleolithic rock art at La Pasiega cave, Cantabria," which was published in Antiquity.
Using brand-new digital stereoscopic recording techniques, the researchers went back to the rock art in La Pasiega cave and found previously overlooked animal figures there. They specifically found previously unidentified new representations of horses, deer, and a huge bovid (perhaps an aurochs).
Previously, several figures were thought to be unfinished, as though the artist abandoned the rendering midway through. These partial forms were reimagined as complete animal representations thanks to stereoscopic photography and a greater understanding of how real rock formations were incorporated into the artwork.
The researchers were able to establish relationships between the photos and the variations in the cave's rock walls thanks to stereoscopic photography. In conventional two-dimensional images, these relationships were difficult to see.
The ancient artist exploited the surrounding environment to enrich or become a part of the artwork by blending natural rock features into the representations, resulting in a harmonious coexistence of man-made and natural elements. The approach can give the depicted persons and scenes depth and three-dimensionality.
The cave walls' topographical details might have also served as creative inspiration for the artists. Pareidolia, the psychological phenomena of seeing accidental forms in nature, such as seeing shapes in clouds, may have occurred to cave dwellers. If a rock outcrop vaguely resembles a horse's head, the artist may visualize the entire form, filling in the remaining features.
One recently found horse image, for instance, is crimson with irregularly spaced dots and measures about 460 by 300mm. The corner of the mouth, an eye, an ear, and the start of the cervico-dorsal line are all depicted on the head. The head and chest of the figure are outlined by fractures in the rock, which are natural elements of the cave wall. A concave portion of the wall is accommodated by the cervical-dorsal line.
Another horse, measuring 600mm from head to hindquarters, is painted in yellow ochre. The head, mane, back, and hindquarters are the previously named painted anatomical parts. The authors propose that a rock edge defines the horse's belly, with natural rock fissures also defining the foreleg, taking into account the contour of the rock surface. The surface of the natural granite conjures various anatomical aspects even without paint.
The team was able to find numerous links between photos and cave rock wall abnormalities using stereoscopic images that are not apparent in traditional photography. La Pasiega cave serves as a great illustration of a location where earlier studies primarily focused on describing the art based on color, form, and painting or engraving technique, with only sporadic mention of the natural rock surfaces.
As the two aspects cannot be separated, the authors come to the conclusion that paleolithic rock art should be defined by more than only drawn, painted, or engraved signs but also by the topographical features of the rock on which they are inscribed.
A Fossil 8.7 million years old suggests that African apes and humans may have shared a common ancestor in Europe
The paleotological site of Orakyerler in central Anatolia, Türkiye, has yielded the fossilized bones of the Miocene-era ape species Anadoluvius turkae.
Graecopithecus freybergi lived 7.2 million years ago in the dust-laden savannah of the Athens Basin. Image credit: Velizar Simeonovski.
One of the most contentious issues in paleoanthropology is the origin of the hominines, which include humans and African apes.
Since Charles Darwin, it has been widely accepted that hominines and hominins, including humans and their fossil cousins, originated in Africa, the continent that is still home to all extant non-human hominines.
On the basis of the examination of Late Miocene apes from Europe and Central Anatolia, a European origin has lately been suggested.
Given that several species of hominines have been present in the eastern Mediterranean for at least 2.3 million years, Anadoluvius turkae attests to the long history of hominines in Europe.
The University of Toronto's Professor David Begun, a paleontologist, said that the findings "suggest that hominines not only evolved in western and central Europe but spent over 5 million years evolving there before spreading to the eastern Mediterranean before eventually dispersing into Africa, probably as a result of changing environments and diminishing forests."
At the moment, only Europe and Anatolia have members of this radiation that Anadoluvius turkae belongs to.
The Anadoluvius turkae partial skull, which is well-preserved and has the majority of the facial anatomy and the front part of the brain case, was discovered in 2015 at the orakyerler site in central Anatolia.
Using several features and attributes that are coded into a program intended to assess evolutionary links, Professor Begun remarked, "The completeness of the fossil allowed us to do a broader and more detailed analysis."
"After using mirror imaging, the face is largely finished. The forehead is the new section, with bone up to the cranium's crown still present. These fossilized brain cases are more numerous than in previously documented specimens.
Anadoluvius turkae (50–60 kg), who lived in a dry woodland environment and probably spent a lot of time on the ground, was roughly the size of a large male chimpanzee.
According to Dr. Ayla Sevim-Erol, a researcher at Ankara University, "We do not have limb bones, but judging from its jaws and teeth, the animals found alongside it, and the geological indicators of the environment, Anadoluvius turkae probably lived in relatively open conditions, unlike the forest settings of living great apes."
"More akin to the settings that we believe early humans in Africa lived in. Strong jaws and big, heavily enameled teeth point to a diet rich in rough or hard foods from terrestrial sources, such roots and rhizomes.
The species that coexisted with Anadoluvius turkae included giraffes, wart hogs, rhinos, various antelope, zebras, elephants, porcupines, hyenas, and carnivores that resembled lions. These creatures are now frequently seen in African grasslands and dry woods.
According to the research, the biological community appears to have moved from the eastern Mediterranean into Africa sometime after 8 million years ago.
The ancestors of the African apes and humans can now be added to the list of immigrants, according to Dr. Sevim-Erol. "The founding of the modern African open country fauna from the eastern Mediterranean has long been known," he stated.
According to the research, Anadoluvius turkae sprang from the same evolutionary branch of the tree as chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and humans.
The authors come to the conclusion that despite the fact that modern African apes and the oldest humans are exclusively known from Africa, their ancestors originated in Europe and the eastern Mediterranean.
The fossil apes Ouranopithecus and Graecopithecus, which are from adjacent Greece and Bulgaria, and Anadoluvius turkae, are a group that most closely resembles the earliest known hominins, or humans, in terms of morphology and ecology.
The new fossils offer the strongest proof to date that this group of early hominines originated in Europe before dispersing into Africa since they are the best-preserved examples of this group of early hominines.
The partial skull of female Anadoluvius turkae. Image credit: Sevim-Erol et al., doi: 10.1038/s42003-023-05210-5.
According to the team's findings, the Balkan and Anatolian apes descended from forebears in western and central Europe.
The study's more complete data show that these other apes were also hominines, making it more likely that the entire group evolved and diversified in Europe rather than the alternate hypothesis in which distinct ape branches first independently moved into Europe from Africa over the course of several million years, went extinct without a hitch, and then disappeared.
Although it continues to be a favorite theory among those who reject the idea that humans originated in Europe, there is no evidence for the latter, according to Professor Begun.
These results run counter to the widely held belief that humans and apes evolved only in Africa.
Until the first hominid came in Africa around 7 million years ago, early hominine fossils were completely absent from Africa, despite being common in Europe and Anatolia.
While not conclusively proving it, the new data "supports the hypothesis that hominines originated in Europe and dispersed into Africa along with many other mammals between 9 and 7 million years ago."
To prove a concrete link between the two groups, further fossils from Europe and Africa that are between 8 and 7 million years old are required.
Neanderthal and other ancient human traces are still present in our DNA
Our own genomes contain DNA from Neanderthals and Denisovans, two ancient human lineages that have been discovered via genetic study. And there may possibly be more to discover.
Humanity was much more diversified tens of thousands of years ago than it is today. Neanderthals and Denisovans were two of the many human lineages that made up the species Homo that formerly roamed the planet. The last surviving member of the group is Homo sapiens today. But our DNA still contain traces of those extinct humans.
We are aware of several occasions throughout our history when our ancestors interbred with both Neanderthals and Denisovans. In our modern genomes, DNA fragments from both groups were left over from those trysts. The percentages can reach up to a few percent of the human genome and vary depending on ethnicity. Neanderthal genes have been linked to a variety of modern biological features, including our immune systems, hair, and skin.
The Origins of Hominins
A more complex picture of the relationships between the two groups has been formed in recent years by studies into the linked histories of humans and our hominin relatives. Multiple instances of human interbreeding with both lineages suggest a complicated common past. (Anthropologists disagree as to whether Neanderthals and Denisovans should be considered different species; the term lineages is frequently used.)
Even more research has suggested that our genomes may contain genetic material from undiscovered human lineages. Although they can be seen as weak echoes in our genomes, so-called "ghost lineages" have not yet been connected to real fossil evidence.
Around ten years ago, the first genomes of Neanderthals and Denisovans were sequenced, giving ancient human research a significant boost. Anthropologists can now examine the genomes of H. sapiens and other ancient people to look for commonalities for the first time. The findings showed unmistakable evidence of interbreeding, as the human genome is capable of containing DNA segments that strikingly resemble both the Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes.
Humans' Neanderthal DNA
Although we are aware that both Neanderthals and Denisovans contributed DNA to humans, the proportions vary. About 2% of the DNA of people with European and Asian ancestry comes from Neanderthals. Contrarily, denisovan DNA is only found in individuals from Asia and can range from a few to about 5% of their genomes.
Africans were long believed to lack Neanderthal or Denisovan DNA because these ancient humans only acquired those genes after leaving Africa. Contrary to that long-held belief, a study from 2020 found trace quantities of Neanderthal DNA in people from Africa. According to the authors, it most likely resulted from people returning to Africa from Europe or other places.
The story has recently been expanded by the discovery of more fossils. Scientists revealed in 2018 that they had discovered the remains of a young girl who was a Neanderthal-Denisovan hybrid. The "Denisova 11" specimen, who lived more than 50,000 years ago, had a Neanderthal mother and a Denisovan father. According to a report published in 2021 that examined the oldest human DNA ever discovered, which was discovered in the Bacho Kiro cave in Bulgaria and dates to roughly 45,000 years ago, the humans had Neanderthal forebears only a few generations ago.
Modern humans and Denisovan DNA
Similar results from comparisons of contemporary human DNA with the Denisovan genome suggest that our ancestors interbred with prehistoric hominins. Denisovan DNA has been found in the genomes of persons of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage in recent studies.
Scientists believe that after arriving to the area tens of thousands of years ago, their ancestors eventually mixed with Denisovans. These genes have occasionally shown to be advantageous. By inheriting a crucial gene from Denisovans, current Tibetans are better able to withstand the damaging effects of altitude, according to research on a Denisovan jawbone discovered in a cave high on the Tibetan plateau.
Neanderthal genes have also been connected to various diseases like myocardial infarctions, depression, allergies, and how our skin responds to UV light. We'll probably learn more as we gain a better understanding of the DNA of both human beings and other hominins.
Ancient Genetic Ghosts' DNA
There are indications that certain genes in contemporary humans come from unidentified hominin lineages. One study combed through genomes using sophisticated modeling tools and identified genes from an unidentified hominid in the Denisovan genome. The scientists claim that some of these genes were later passed on to humans, albeit they are unable to identify these early forebears.
There is evidence from earlier studies that humans and other hominid lineages may have interbred in Africa at some point. Homo naledi and Homo heidelbergensis, two now-extinct lineages of humans, co-existed on the continent at one time, and it's probable that they mated with our own ancestors at some point.
Even though we are aware that humans and Denisovans interbred, current findings suggest that the group presently known as Denisovans may have actually included several distinct lineages. If true, more than one different group may have contributed to the Denisovan DNA in H. sapiens.
DNA from the past and human history
Even as we discover more about our distant past and the hominin subspecies that share our genetic makeup with us today, it's important to keep in mind that not everything is certain.
In recent years, our understanding of many aspects of human history, such as when we left Africa and how many diverse groups of prehistoric humans there were, has evolved. Some of our current beliefs might not be valid once new information becomes available. And additional investigation could reveal totally new facets of our past.
Therefore, even while we are aware that ancient human populations have left DNA behind in us, we are unable to determine exactly how much or how many lineages it originates from. There is still a lot to learn, and that is the only thing that is definite.
