#stoneage

#stoneage

9,000-Year-Old Stone Age Shrine Discovered in Jordan DesertA ritual complex predicted to be 9000 years of age has just been discovered in Jordan. A joint Jordanian and French archaeologist team discovered it in the eastern desert of the country.The shrine was found in a Neolithic campsite near large structures known as “desert kites,” or mass traps that are believed to have been used to confine wild gazelles for slaughter. According to Jordanian archaeologist Wael Abu-Azziza, who is a co-director of the project, the site was exceptionally well-preserved, given its age. Everything was nearly intact. Inside the shrine stood a pair of carved stones bearing anthropomorphic figures as well as an altar, hearth, marine shells, and miniature model of the gazelle trap.Image: Jordanian Tourism Ministry/South Eastern Badia Archaeological Project#archaeology #Jordan #desert #shrine #stoneage

4,400-Year-Old Shaman "Snake Staff" Unearthed in FinlandArchaeologists in Jarvensuo, Finland have discovered a 4,400-year-old neolithic wooden staff carved like a life-size snake. The staff may have been used in rituals by a Stone Age shaman:The figurine from Järvensuo certainly looks like a real snake. Its slender body is formed by two sinuously carved bends that continue to a tapered tail. The flat, angular head with its open mouth is especially realistic. Koivisto and Lahelma suggest it resembles a grass snake or European adder in the act of slithering or swimming away.via NBC NewsImages: Satu Koiviato#snake #shaman #staff #StoneAge #archaeology

How Did Stone Age Humans Light Their Caves? Cave-dwelling humans in the Stone Age didn't have flashlights, but they didn't necessarily live in complete darkness. To shed light on how our ancestors lit up their Paleolithic caves, archaeologists in Spain recreated ancient lighting techniques: torches, grease lamps and fireplaces.Ars Technica explains:... measurements showed that the various lighting sources had very different characteristics and, thus, were probably used in different contexts. The wooden torches, for instance, emitted light in all directions, up to nearly six meters (19.6 feet), and lasted an average of 41 minutes. The torches exhibited uneven light intensity and often needed to be relit by waving them from side to side, and they produced a lot of smoke, so they worked best for exploring caves or crossing wide spaces. The team also found that adding resin intensified the flame, while adding animal fat extended its duration.By contrast, the grease lamps emitted weaker light akin to the intensity of a candle over a span of three meters (9.8 feet) or so. They burned consistently, and didn't smoke, for over an hour, but they had a dazzling effect if the person was moving and didn't illuminate the floor very well.Research paper at PLOS ONE#cave #stoneage #archaeology #light #lamp #firepit