Archeology

December 11, 2024

Indigenous Elders Decode Ancient Rock Art Filled With Shamans Spiritually Transforming Into Animals

Archaeologists have finally deciphered the meaning of a series of prehistoric rock art images with the help of local Indigenous elders and ritual specialists. The Serranía de la Lindosa, a 12-mile-long sandstone outcrop in Colombia’s Guaviare department, is covered with thousands of red ochre paintings, some believed to date back over 11,000 years. For much of the last century, research in this northwestern region was obstructed by political unrest and inaccessibility.

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November 30, 2024

The Oldest Written Text in the World Is 5,500 Years Old

Nestled in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia, Sumer stands as the earliest known civilization. It’s no surprise, then, that the oldest written text can be traced back to Kish, an ancient Sumerian city in modern Tell al-Uhaymir, Iraq. Named after the location of its discovery, the Kish Tablet dates back to the Uruk period (c. 3500–3200 BCE), and features proto-cuneiform signs. Proto-cuneiform emerged in Mesopotamia and was largely rooted within a pictographic system.

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November 12, 2024

Archeologists Discover “Tiny Home” in Pompeii Filled With Well-Preserved Frescoes

Nearly 2,000 years after its destruction, Pompeii continues to surprise archeologists. The ancient port city, covered in ash during the Mount Vesuvius eruption of 79 CE, is filled with clues about life in ancient Rome. From bakeries and snack bars to richly painted houses, these glimpses into the past are critical to our understanding of history.

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