Sometimes you just come across several interesting articles about what people were doing thousands of years ago -
* 400-600 A.D. & 3150 B.C- Egyptians using medicinal herbs in wine
* 30,000 years ago- using flax fibers to make cords in western Asia & related garments depicted on "Venus" figurines
* 35,000 to 40,000 years ago- bone and ivory flutes found in Germany- currently the oldest musical instruments found!
* 72,000 years ago- using heat to treat stones prior to tool manufacture in southern Africa
* 75,000 to 100,000 years ago- the creation of meaningful designs on red ochre in southern Africa Continue reading →
The largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found has been discovered in Staffordshire County, England. 1500 objects made from various metals - 5kg of gold and 1.3kg of silver were found, and the quality of the workmanship is superb. It's said that studying this hoard will change what is known about 7th & early 8th century Anglo-Saxon England, including the complicated transition from paganism to Christianity. Continue reading →
There was an interesting find at a long term dig in Britain last year. Touted as possibly being the grave of a druid circa CE 43, the group Honouring the Ancient Dead is asking for respectful treatment of these remains. There is also a link to a find in Israel of a 12,000 year old grave believed to be that of an ancient shaman.
Continue reading →
The color green is often used today in ritual jewelry to denote green nature. Did our ancestors do the same? See this BBC News article- First farmers made 'lucky beads' 16 June 2008
And for possibly the world's oldest (happens to be shell) jewelry: Study reveals 'oldest jewellery' 22, June 2006
New research by the Universities of Exeter, UK and Wollongong, Australia looked at the collapse of the North American (Laurentide) Ice Sheet, 8,000 years ago. They posit that the resultant flooding of the Black Sea lead to flooding myths, the Noah's Ark story, and the expansion of farming and pottery production across Europe. (Hmm- I wonder if this particular ice sheet collapse also coincides with great flood myths from outside of Europe?) '‘Noah’s Flood’ Kick-started European Farming? (Science Daily, 11-19-2007)
originally posted May 30th, 2008
Sometimes you just come across several interesting articles about what people were doing thousands of years ago -