History

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Grave of 'real-life Asterix' who fought Caesar found amid a trove of weapons and possessions in West Sussex

Henry Bodkin

© PA 'Unique find': the artefacts have been carefully studied for the last decade - PA

The grave of a real-life Asterix containing what is believed to be an ancient Gallic warrior who came to Britain and fought Julius Caesar has been discovered, archaeologists have announced.

The unique and highly-elaborate resting place was found on a West Sussex building site.

The Iron Age warrior, buried with his glamorous and ornate head-dress, is thought to have been a refugee French Gallic fighter who fled Julius Caesar's legionnaires as they swept across continental Europe in about 50BC.

Archaeologists have described the discovery, which will go on display at Chichester's Novium Museum in January 2020, as "the most elaborately equipped warrior grave ever found in England".

© PA Part of a headdress from a helmet belonging to the warrior

The grave was found during excavations ahead of a Berkeley Homes housing development in North Bersted in 2008, but it has taken years of conservation and scientific analysis to prepare the artefacts for display.

Dr Melanie Giles, senior lecturer in archaeology at the University of Manchester, said: "It really is absolutely a unique find in the British Isles and in the wider continent, we don't have another burial that combines this quality of weaponry and Celtic art with a date that puts it around the time of Caesar's attempted conquest of Britain.

"We will probably never know his name, what we know from the archaeology is that he is either someone from eastern England who may have gone and fought with the Gauls that we know was a problem for Caesar, we were allies with the French, helping them with their struggle against him.

Gallery: Amazing archaeological finds (Photo Services)

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"Or he might be a Frenchman himself who flees that conflict, possibly a real-life Asterix and coming to us, just as in Asterix in Britain, to lend us aid in terms of the knowledge he has about strategy, tactics, he knows Caesar is going to try to divide and rule."

"Also he brings with him his kit, extraordinary weaponry, a beautiful sword which is not like the swords we have, a new technology, style and design and helmet which is absolutely unique with these wonderful Celtic openwork crests which exaggerate his height and make him absolutely fabulous."

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/grave-of-real-life-asterix-who-fought-caesar-found-amid-trove-of-weapons-and-possessions-in-west-sussex/ar-AAEHkoJ?li=BBoPWjQ

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Pictish man who was ‘brutally’ killed may have been royalty, researchers say

By Conor Riordan, PA Scotland

© Provided by The Press Association Researchers at the University of Dundee did a facial reconstruction of the Pictish man (University of Dundee)

A Pictish man who had a “brutal death” about 1,400 years ago could have been royalty, researchers now say.

Archaeologists found the skeleton in a recess of a cave in the Black Isle in the Highlands.

He was discovered in a cross-legged position with stones weighing down his limbs while his head had been battered multiple times.

Analysis carried out on behalf of the Rosemarkie Caves Project now suggests he was a prominent member of the community, such as royalty or a chieftain.

The findings show he had a high-protein diet, which researchers have few other examples of during that period.

Simon Gunn, the founder of the project, said: “He was a big, strong fella – built like a rugby player – very heavily built above the waist.

“It’s rather peculiar that he had a very high-protein diet throughout his life, to the extent that it’s as if he had been eating nothing but suckling pigs.

“He was a bit special, that could be royalty or a chieftain.

“Obviously he had a rather brutal death, but he was buried quite carefully in that cave.”

© Provided by The Press Association The remains were discovered while archaeologists were trying to establish how long the caves had been in use (Rosemarkie Caves Project)

Mr Gunn added he was only aware of two examples of people in Scotland around that time having a similar diet.

A bone sample sent for radiocarbon dating indicates that he died sometime between 430 and 630.

The man stood at 5ft 6ins and was aged about 30 at the time of his death.

His skeleton had no injuries other than those inflicted during his death. This suggests he was not a warrior or engaged in arduous labour.

Mr Gunn also said the cave burial could have been a way to place his body at an “entrance to the underworld” as part of a ritual.

The team believe there was a feast after Rosemarkie Man’s death, either in celebration or reverence of his passing, as there were piles of animal bones near where he was discovered.

Forensic anthropologist Dame Sue Black previously helped to detail his injuries.

Earlier analysis from 2017 shows the first three impacts broke the man’s teeth, fractured his left jaw and back of his head.

The fourth strike went through his skull from one side and out the other as he lay on the ground, while the fifth blow was to the top of his head.

Professor Black added: “It could well be that we are looking at someone prominent.

“If you have a high-protein diet you are eating well and are not in the poor of the community.”

Researchers at the University of Dundee later did a facial reconstruction of the man.

The Rosemarkie Caves Project has been surveying a series of caves along the coast of the Black Isle.

Evidence shows the caves were being used in some way from 2,300 years ago until the recent past.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/pictish-man-who-was-brutally-killed-may-have-been-royalty-researchers-say/ar-AAEIvbP?li=AAnZ9Ug

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100 years ago, French daredevil flies under Arc de Triomphe

Early on a Thursday morning 100 years ago, a French WWI veteran took off on a secret mission that would propel him into the record books: a daredevil flight under the monumental Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Charles Godefroy pulled off the stunt on August 7, 1919, to the astonishment of crowds gathered below on the Champs-Elysees.

Dozens fled or threw themselves on the ground as the biplane whizzed just a few metres over their heads.

Like other airmen who fought during World War 1, Godefroy took offence when pilots were ordered to march alongside other soldiers during the national Bastille Day military parade just a few weeks earlier on July 14.

He was determined to remind the country of pilots' exploits and sacrifices during the war, and began preparing his flight with the help of a journalist friend, Jacques Mortane.

Other aviation pioneers had already renounced the attempt, including Roland Garros who claimed that trying to fit through the narrow 14.5-metre (48-foot) opening would lead to an untimely death, according to French historian Philippe Gras.

But Godefroy had practised by flying under a bridge at Miramas on the Mediterranean coast and chose a Nieuport fighter plane with a wingspan of just nine metres.

Mortane was waiting when Godefroy zoomed under the monument at around 8:00 am and captured the feat on film. ****

Despite having flouted any number of military rules, Godefroy got off with a mere warning from his superiors and became a hero in his hometown of La Fleche in western France, which erected a plaque in his honour.

Since then, several illicit flights under the arch have been made over the years while other daredevils have buzzed under the much wider arches of the Eiffel Tower.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/100-years-ago-french-daredevil-flies-under-arc-de-triomphe/ar-AAFsx4F

VIDEO ****

 

Edited August 7, 2019 by CaaC (John)
Spacing correction

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Drought reveals lost Buddhist temple in Thailand

By Jeremy Schultz, Reuters

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A knight's trail: New bridge joins King Arthur's Tintagel Castle to the mainland for the first time in 400 years as part of £5million redevelopment

The original bridge was said to be so narrow that three knights could have defended Tintagel Castle against an entire kingdom

 A family day out Tintagel Castle has been closed since last October and work was not finished in time for the start of the busy school holidays. There was also concern over the impact the new structure would have on the natural landscape

But more than four centuries after that bridge collapsed, visitors to the supposed birthplace of the mythical King Arthur can gaze in awe at the views from its ultra-modern replacement.

 Tintagel Bridge in north Cornwall will reopen to the public on Friday. The sleek new bridge is set over a 190ft gorge made from oak and Cornish slate and leading to Tintagel Castle

The sleek new bridge of steel, oak and Cornish slate over a 190ft gorge mean tourists are no longer confronted with a demanding trek up and down a steep path.

Built as part of a £5million redevelopment of the site, it's unveiling today – before it opens to the public – will bring a sigh of relief from local businesses. Tintagel Castle has been closed since last October and work was not finished in time for the start of the busy school holidays. There was also concern over the impact the new structure would have on the natural landscape.

Picturesque: In the 13th century a rock bridge linked one part of the castle on the mainland to the rest and inspired its name, which comes from the Cornish Din Tagell, meaning ¿the Fortress of the Narrow Entrance¿

Inspired by the legend of King Arthur, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, built a castle on the jagged headland in the 13th century. A rock bridge linking one part of the castle on the mainland to the rest inspired its name, which comes from the Cornish Din Tagell, meaning ‘the Fortress of the Narrow Entrance’. Medieval scholar Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote that ‘three armed men would be able to defend [it], even if you had the whole kingdom of Britain at your side’.

The bridge is part of a £5million redevelopment of the site. Richard, Earl of Cornwall, built a castle on the jagged headland in the 13th century after he was inspired by the legend of King Arthur

But the link collapsed in the 15th or 16th centuries. English Heritage chief executive Kate Mavor said: ‘Tintagel has been made whole again. Our new bridge both protects the castle’s archaeology and brings its story to life.’

The original bridge was said to be so narrow that three knights could have defended Tintagel Castle against an entire kingdom

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/a-knights-trail-new-bridge-joins-king-arthurs-tintagel-castle-to-the-mainland-for-the-first-time-in-400-years-as-part-of-£5million-redevelopment/ar-AAFuD7Z?MSCC=1565246755&ocid=chromentp

Edited August 8, 2019 by CaaC (John)

[Azeem]

Just saw a video that Stonehenge is very close to a busy highway that it might danger its foundations.

Why did they build Stonehenge right next to a road anyway 

Edited August 8, 2019 by Stick With Azeem

[CaaC (John)+]

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Stick With Azeem said:

Just saw a video that Stonehenge is very close to a busy highway that it might danger its foundations.

Why did they build Stonehenge right next to a road anyway 

More than likely didn't know traffic would damage foundations, also the governments could not give 2 shits about historical sites like Stonehenge as the roads, motorways and cars have right of way over this.

Imagine if the government wanted to build a motorway or road right through Buckingham Palace...that beggars belief as HM the Queen would have something to say about that and if she did they would arrest her...I think... after she started a fight...cough, cough  

 

 

 

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Student recreates the face of a druid from Stornoway

The face of a woman believed to have been a Scottish druid has been recreated by a student from the University of Dundee.

The woman could have been more than 60 years old when she died during the Iron Age, sometime between 55BC and AD400.

Nicknamed Hilda, she is thought to have lived near Stornoway.

She is thought to be of Celtic origin and her skull now resides in the Anatomy Collection at the University of Edinburgh.

The skull was first presented to the Phrenological Society of Edinburgh in 1833, described as one of the six "Druids of the Hebrides"...

FULL STORY

 

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Ancient reptile the size of a gecko with 'large, blunt, tusk-like teeth' lived on the supercontinent Gondwana 237 million years ago

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An ancient reptile the size of a gecko with 'large, blunt, tusk-like teeth' lived on the southern supercontinent Gondwana 237 million years ago, a new study reveals.

Fossilised jaws and skull bones from the creature were discovered in rocks dating back to the Triassic period.

That makes it the oldest known fossil of its kind in Gondwana, which would eventually become Africa, Antarctica, Australia, India, and South America.

Researchers from Midwestern University discovered the fossils in the Rio Grande do Sul state in southern Brazil.

They say the new species, known as Clevosaurus hadroprodon, was a small animal, similar in size with common house geckos.  

It belongs to the Sphenodontia, a group of lepidosaurs, which also includes snakes, lizards and amphisbaenians. 

This group was very diverse and widespread during the Mesozoic era - which includes the Triassic, Jurassic and Creataceous periods around 250 to 65 million years ago - but today has only one remaining living species in New Zealand.

The name 'hadroprodon' is Greek for 'larger first tooth' in reference to the tusk-like teeth found on the creature.

'Clevosaurus hadroprodon is an important discovery because it combines a relatively primitive sphenodontian-type tooth row with the presence of massive tusk-like teeth, said Annie Schmaltz Hsiou, associate professor at the University of São Paulo and head of the study.

Gallery: Species that have gone extinct in our lifetime (Photo Services)

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'These were possibly not for feeding, but rather used for mate competition or defence.'

The dentition of Clevosaurus hadroprodon is an unexpected mix of primitive and derived teeth. 

It is the oldest occurrence of the typical fully acrodont dentition - teeth fused to the top of the jawbones - of sphenodontians, but most of its teeth are relatively simple and blade-like.

This differs from other, only slightly younger Clevosaurus species that possess well-developed medial-posteromedial - side-to-side - expansions of the teeth for complex grinding.

In addition to its unique dentition, the authors stress that also adds to the growing evidence that the early diversification of sphenodontians occurred in the widely separated regions of Gondwana destined to become South American and India. 

This illustrates the importance of the role of the Gondwanan lepidosaur fauna in our growing understanding of the earliest stages of sphenodontian evolution and the global biogeographic distribution of lepidosaurs.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/ancient-reptile-the-size-of-a-gecko-with-large-blunt-tusk-like-teeth-lived-on-the-supercontinent-gondwana-237-million-years-ago/ar-AAFQ8TN

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Mural from 3,800 years ago unveiled by Peru archaeologists

A mural thought to be 3,800 years old has been revealed by archaeologists in Peru.

The wall, unveiled on Monday, was found inside a public ceremonial building at the Vichama site, north of Lima.

The complex carved scene depicts iconography including a human-like toad and representations of people.

Dr Ruth Shady Solís, director of the Caral Archaeological Zone (ZAC), believes the scene represents the "arrival of water" through rainfall.

She says that in Andean civilisation, toads represented water and says the face below it represents humans waiting for rainfall to give continuity of life.

Another depiction found nearby shows four human heads with snakes encircling them and what appears to be a seed with a face.

Researchers said the sculptures would probably have been produced in a period of scarcity and famine.

Tatiana Abad, another archaeologist at the site, said at a news conference on Monday the carving represented a time of "crisis" for the people living there.

The Vichama site is located in Huaura province in modern-day Peru, about 150km (90 miles) north of the capital Lima.

Excavation started there in 2007 and experts believe it was an ancient agricultural and fishing community.

They consider it one of the most important population centres from the Caral civilisation, also known as Norte Chico, thought to date back 5,000 years.

The Secret City of Caral, in Peru's Barranca Province, is described as the oldest centre of civilisation found in the Americas. The site was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2009.

The civilisation is thought to have mysteriously declined in about 1800 BC - and Dr Shady said on Monday that the new Vichama murals, representing changes to the local climate, may point to why.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-49407795

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Titanic sub dive reveals parts are being lost to the sea

BBC VIDEO

The first people to dive down to the Titanic in nearly 15 years say some of the wreck is deteriorating rapidly.

Over the course of five submersible dives, an international team of deep-sea explorers surveyed the sunken ship, which lies 3,800m down in the Atlantic.

While parts of the wreck were in surprisingly good condition, other features had been lost to the sea.

The worst decay was seen on the starboard side of the officers' quarters.

Titanic historian Parks Stephenson said some of what he saw during the dive was "shocking".

"The captain's bathtub is a favourite image among Titanic enthusiasts - and that's now gone," he said.

"That whole deckhouse on that side is collapsing, taking with it the staterooms. And that deterioration is going to continue advancing."

He said the sloping lounge roof of the bow section would probably be the next part to be lost, obscuring views of the ship's interior.

"Titanic is returning to nature," he added.

Strong ocean currents, salt corrosion and metal-eating bacteria are attacking the ship.

The RMS Titanic has been underwater for more than 100 years, lying about 600km (370 miles) off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

The passenger liner, which was the largest ship of its time, hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in 1912. Of the 2,200 passengers and crew on board, more than 1,500 died.

The Titanic expedition was carried out by the same team that recently made the deepest-ever plunge to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, which lies nearly 12km down the Pacific Ocean.

The dives took place in a 4.6m-long, 3.7m-high submersible - called the DSV Limiting Factor - which was built by the US-based company Triton Submarines.

Navigating the sub around the wreck, which lies in two main pieces about 600m apart, was challenging.

Bad weather in the Atlantic and strong underwater currents made the dives difficult. Getting entangled with the wreck was also a significant risk for the team.

A history of Titanic exploration

1985 - Titanic site discovered by American-French team

1986 - Submersible Alvin explores the wreck

1987 - First salvage expedition collects 1,800 Titanic artefacts

1995 - James Cameron visits the wreck - the footage is used in his film Titanic

1998 - First tourists dive there

1998 - Section of the Titanic hull is raised

2005 - Two crewed submersibles dive to the wreck

2010 - Autonomous robots map the site

2012 - Wreck now protected by Unesco

2019 - DSV Limiting Factor sub makes five dives

The dives have been filmed by Atlantic Productions for a forthcoming documentary.

As well as capturing footage, scientists on the expedition have also been studying the creatures living on the wreck.

Despite the near-freezing conditions, pitch-black waters and immense pressure, life is thriving there.

This though, said expedition scientist Clare Fitzsimmons, from Newcastle University, was a factor in the Titanic's decay.

"There are microbes on the shipwreck that are eating away the iron of the wreck itself, creating 'rusticle' structures, which is a much weaker form of the metal," she said.

These rusticles - stalactites of rust hanging off the wreck - are so fragile that they can crumble into a cloud of dust if disturbed.

The scientists are studying how different types of metal erode in the deep Atlantic waters, to assess how much longer the Titanic has left.

Commenting on the expedition, Robert Blyth from the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich said it was important to go down and document the wreck in its current state.

"The wreck itself is the only witness we've now got of the Titanic disaster," he said.

"All of the survivors have now passed away, so I think it's important to use the wreck whilst the wreck still has something to say."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49420935

 

 

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Scientists reveal the discovery of new species of stegosaur

A new species of one of the most recognisable types of dinosaur is also the oldest of its kind ever discovered, British scientists believe.

Remains of a stegosaur, a dinosaur made famous through the Jurassic Park films, were studied by a team from the Natural History Museum and belong to a new genus which walked the earth around 168 million years ago.

Stegosaurs are armoured dinosaurs recognisable by spike-like bones protruding from their spine and tails.

Despite the specimen including only a few vertebrae and an upper arm bone, scientists concluded it was a new species and genus which dates to the middle Jurassic period – much earlier than most known stegosaurs.

The team, led by Dr Susannah Maidment, named it Adratiklit boulahfa, meaning “mountain lizard” in the Berber language.

Boulahfa is a reference to the locality in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco where the specimen was found.

“The discovery of Adratiklit boulahfa is particularly exciting as we have dated it to the middle Jurassic,” said Dr Maidment.

“Most known stegosaurs date from far later in the Jurassic period, making this the oldest definite stegosaur described and helping to increase our understanding of the evolution of this group of dinosaurs.”

The specimen is the first stegosaur, a thyreophoran dinosaur, to be found in North Africa.

Gallery: T. rexes and other dinosaur skeletons look almost alive in a new set of remarkable photos (Business Insider)

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Thyreophoran dinosaurs are found across much of the globe and have been mainly attributed to Laurasian rock formations, the team explained.

This has suggested that when the earth was divided into two supercontinents, Laurasia and Gondwana, thyreophorans were more common and diverse in Laurasia. But the recent discovery could dispute that.

Dr Maidment added: “Most stegosaurs we know of, including the Natural History Museum’s Sophie, the most complete stegosaur discovered, have been found in Laurasian rock formations.

“This, however, may not mean that stegosaurs were not so common in Gondwana and in fact, maybe due to the fact that Gondwana rock formations have been subject to far fewer excavations and detailed studies.”

The team said the discovery adds to the theory the Gondwanan fossil record of armoured dinosaurs is significantly biased by geological factors and collection efforts.

Dr Maidment said: “What is exciting about this is that there could be many more thyreophoran dinosaurs to find in places that until now have not been excavated.”

Further discoveries in the region will provide an improved view of the distribution of this group of dinosaurs and could result in a more complete specimen of Adratiklit boulahfa, the team said.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/techandscience/scientists-reveal-discovery-of-new-species-of-stegosaur/ar-AAG4CsK?MSCC=1566456831&ocid=chromentp

Edited October 5, 2019 by CaaC (John)
Spelling corrections

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45 Historical Sites That No Longer Exist

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DNA to solve the mystery of Napoleon's general lost in Russia

© Denis Maximov Genetic analysis is being carried out to confirm the identity, using DNA from one of the general's descendants

Archaeologists are set to unveil the answer to a 200-year-old question over the remains of a French general who died during Napoleon's 1812 campaign in Russia.

Charles Etienne Gudin was hit by a cannonball in the Battle of Valutino on August 19 near Smolensk, a city west of Moscow close to the border with Bela

© Denis Maximov The Franco-Russian search team checked a theory by a witness of the general's funeral and found pieces of a wooden casket buried under an old dance floor in the city park

His leg was amputated and he died three days later from gangrene, aged 44.

Related Slideshow: Historical events that nobody can explain (Provided by StarInsider)

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The French army cut out his heart, now buried at the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris, but the site of the rest of his remains was never known until researchers found a likely skeleton this summer.

"As soon as I saw the skeleton with just one leg, I knew that we had our man," the head of the Franco-Russian team that discovered the remains in July, Marina Nesterova, told AFP.

Genetic analysis is being carried out to confirm the identity, using DNA from one of the general's descendants, with the results to be announced on Thursday.

Gudin is said to have been one of Napoleon's favourite generals and the two men attended military school together. His name is engraved on the Arc de Triomphe monument in Paris.

The fresh search for his remains has been underway since May, funded by a Franco-Russian group headed by Pierre Malinowski, a historian and former soldier with ties to the French far-right and support from the Kremlin.

The team in Smolensk first followed the memoirs of a subordinate of Gudin, Marshall Davout, who organised the funeral and described a mausoleum made of four cannon barrels pointing upward, said Nikolai Makarov, the director of the Russian Institute of Archaeology.

© Denis MAXIMOV Charles Etienne Gudin is said to have been one of Napoleon's favourite generals and the two men attended military school together

When that trail ran cold, they checked another theory by a witness of the funeral and found pieces of a wooden casket buried under an old dance floor in the city park.

A preliminary report concluded that the skeleton belonged to a man who died aged 40-45.

Gudin's death near Smolensk came near the beginning of Napoleon's march toward Moscow, 400 kilometres (250 miles) further east.

Napoleon had hoped to defeat the Russian army at Valutino and sign an advantageous treaty, but it managed to escape and Russian Tsar Alexander refused to discuss peace.

"This battle could have been decisive if Napoleon hadn't underestimated the Russians," Malinowski said.

"Heavy losses in this battle showed Napoleon that he was going to go through hell in Russia."

Napoleon's march on Russia ended in a disastrous retreat as Russians used scorched earth tactics and even ordered Moscow to be burnt to sap Napoleon's resources.

Less than 10 per cent of his Grand Armee survived Russian invasion

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/dna-to-solve-mystery-of-napoleons-general-lost-in-russia/ar-AAGs7k2

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Arctic shipwreck frozen in time astounds archaeologists

To investigate the lower decks of the H.M.S. Terror, a Parks Canada archaeologist inserts a miniature underwater drone through a skylight.

The wreck of H.M.S. Terror, one of the long lost ships from Sir John Franklin’s 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage, is astonishingly well preserved, say Parks Canada archaeologists, who recently used underwater drones to peer deep inside the historic vessel’s interior.

“The ship is amazingly intact,” says Ryan Harris, the lead archaeologist on the project. “You look at it and find it hard to believe this is a 170-year-old shipwreck. You just don’t see this kind of thing very often.”

Discovered in 2016 in icy waters off King William Island in Canada’s far north, the shipwreck hadn’t been thoroughly studied until now.

Taking advantage of unusually calm seas and good underwater visibility, a team from Parks Canada, in partnership with Inuit, earlier this month made a series of seven dives on the fabled wreck. Working swiftly in the frigid water, divers inserted miniature, remotely-operated drones through openings in the main hatchway and skylights in the crew’s cabins, officers’ mess, and captain’s stateroom.

“We were able to explore 20 cabins and compartments, going from room to room,” says Harris. “The doors were all eerily wide open.”

What they saw astonished and delighted them: dinner plates and glasses still on shelves, beds and desks in order, scientific instruments in their cases—and hints that journals, charts, and perhaps even early photographs may be preserved under drifts of sediment that cover much of the interior.

“Those blankets of sediment, together with the cold water and darkness, create a near-perfect anaerobic environment that’s ideal for preserving delicate organics such as textiles or paper,” says Harris. “There is a very high probability of finding clothing or documents, some of them possibly even still legible. Rolled or folded charts in the captain’s map cupboard, for example, could well have survived.”

 

The only area below decks the team was unable to access was the captain’s sleeping quarters. Apparently the last person to leave closed the door. “Intriguingly, it was the only closed door on the ship,” says Harris. “I’d love to know what’s in there.”

Just as tantalising is the possibility that there could be pictures of the expedition awaiting discovery. It’s known that the expedition had a daguerreotype apparatus, and assuming it was used, the glass plates could still be aboard. “And if there are, it’s also possible to develop them,” says Harris. “It’s been done with finds at other shipwrecks. The techniques are there.”

A great mystery

The fate of the Franklin expedition has been one of history’s great mysteries. What’s known is that Sir John Franklin set sail in May 1845 with a crew of 133 men and orders to discover the Northwest Passage—a goal that had eluded explorers for centuries.

Then as now, geopolitics was a driving force in Arctic exploration, with the Royal Navy wanting to secure the fabled shortcut to the Pacific ahead of the Russians, who had maritime aspirations of their own. With this in mind, no expense was spared.

Franklin was given command of two state-of-the-art ships, Erebus and Terror, both equipped with stout, iron-sheathed hulls and steam engines, as well as the finest scientific equipment and enough food and supplies for three years in the high Arctic. It was one of the best equipped and best-prepared expeditions ever to leave Britain’s shores.

After brief stops in Scotland’s Orkney Islands and Greenland, the two ships set off for Arctic Canada in hopes of picking their way through its labyrinth of straits and bays and islands and eventually reaching the Pacific Ocean. The last European eyes to see the ships were the crews of two whaling vessels who encountered Erebus and Terror in late July 1845, on the crossing from Greenland to Canada’s remote Baffin Island. After that, they were never seen or heard from again.

As years passed with no word of the expedition, search parties were sent out. Over time the discovery of skeletons and discarded equipment—as well as disturbing evidence of cannibalism—made clear that the expedition had met with disaster. But how and why has remained a mystery.

A brief note found under a cairn gives a bit of the story. Dated April 1848 and signed by Francis Crozier—captain of the Terror, who by then had taken command of the expedition—it stated that the ships had been locked in ice for a year and a half, that 24 of the men were already dead—including Franklin—and that Crozier and the other survivors planned to attempt to walk overland to a remote fur-trading outpost hundreds of miles away on the Canadian mainland. None of them ever arrived.

What caused such a well-equipped expedition to go so badly wrong remains a mystery. But in recent years the two biggest pieces of the puzzle—the ships themselves—were discovered: Erebus in 2014, lying in 36 feet of water off King William Island, and Terror two years later, found in a bay about 45 miles away, in 80 feet of water and largely intact.

Why the ships ended up so far apart, which one went down first, and why and how the ships sank are questions archaeologists hope to answer.

“There’s no obvious reason for Terror to have sunk,” says Ryan. “It wasn’t crushed by ice, and there’s no breach in the hull. Yet it appears to have sunk swiftly and suddenly and settled gently to the bottom. What happened?”

Teasing out the answers won’t be easy, even with such a bounty of artefacts. There are plans to excavate both wrecks, but it will be a slow process requiring years.

“Diving up here is extremely difficult,” says Ryan. “The water is extremely cold, making it impossible to stay down for very long, and the diving season is short—a few weeks if you’re lucky, a few days if you’re not.”

Even so, this season’s work on Terror has already provided some tantalising clues that will help researchers develop a chronology of the disaster.

“We noticed the ship’s propeller still in place,” says Ryan. “We know that it had a mechanism to lift it out of the water during winter so that it wouldn’t be damaged by the ice. So, the fact that it’s deployed suggests it was probably spring or summer when the ship sank. So, too, does the fact that none of the skylights were boarded up, as they would have been to protect them against the winter snows.”

No doubt there are a lot more answers lying beneath the sediment in those cabins, says Ryan. “One way or another, I feel confident we’ll get to the bottom of the story.” 

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/arctic-shipwreck-frozen-in-time-astounds-archaeologists/ar-AAGuAT0

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The Most Famous Shipwrecks Still Waiting to Be Discovered

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The Most Famous Shipwrecks Still Waiting to Be Discovered

Shipwrecks are the stuff of stuff of movie magic. Nothing makes for better blockbuster fodder than a giant glamorous vessel crashing into an iceberg and sinking to the bottom of the ocean—just ask James Cameron. However, these incidents on the high seas are just as much fact as they are fiction. And while technological advancements and the concerted efforts of treasure hunters have led to the discovery of many of the greatest ships lost at sea (the Titanic included!!), there are still dozens out there. From Christopher Columbus' Santa Maria to "Australia's Titanic," here are some of the most famous shipwrecks that have yet to be discovered. And for more mysteries of the deep, check out these  30 Reasons Why the Ocean Is Scarier Than Space.

 

[CaaC (John)+]

Battle of Worcester artefacts unearthed for the first time

Artefacts from the site of the final battle of the English Civil War have been unearthed for the first time.

Musket balls, horse harness fittings and belt buckles were found at the Battle of Worcester site in Powick, Worcestershire.

Historians have always known the area was the site of the 1651 battle, but it is the first time physical evidence has been recovered.

The artefacts will now be analysed and recorded.

Archaeologists from Worcestershire County Council were able to explore an area of land close to Powick Church while the Worcester Southern Link Road is being built.

They had hoped artefacts might be uncovered as there is shot damage on the church tower, while Powick Bridge was reportedly the location of intense fighting.

The 98 finds were found buried deep at the bottom of a river valley, covered by flood deposits accumulated over hundreds of years since the battle.

The finds show the battlefield site was further south than previously thought.

The English Civil War lasted from 1642 to 1651. Although usually called the English Civil War, it was a much wider conflict also involving Scotland, Ireland and Wales

Richard Bradley, the on-site lead archaeologist, said it was "fantastic" to be able to locate and map physical remains of the battle.

"We are just outside the registered battlefield area but this is still a nationally significant site," Mr Bradley said.

"The construction work has given us the opportunity to investigate the floodplain across which thousands of infantry and cavalry engaged, and to get down to the level where artefacts were deposited.

"Many of the lead musket and pistol balls show evidence of firing or impact and these tangible signs of the conflict offer a poignant connection to the soldiers who fought and died here."

Archaeology teams were supported in their work by the construction teams, using their engineering equipment which was already on site.

Richard Shaw, chairman of the Battle of Worcester Society, said: "How exciting that 368 years after the Battle of Worcester these artefacts should be discovered.

"We are sure that there was fighting at this location on 3rd September 1651.

"Parliamentary forces had crossed the river at Upton-upon-Severn and were driving the Royalists back towards Worcester. The discoveries really bring the events of that day to life."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-49551833

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Incredible Fossils Link Ancient Creature to Earliest ‘Footprints’ on Earth

© Image: NIGPAS Yilingia spiciformis fossil (left), track marks (right), an artist’s reconstruction (centre).

Aquatic, worm-like animals capable of crawling through mud appeared at least 550 million years ago, according to new fossil evidence. The discovery is helping to resolve a longstanding question as to when segmented, mobile animals first appeared on the planet.

It’s the paleontological equivalent of finally being able to put a face to a name.

In this case, a team of scientists from Virginia Tech and the Chinese Academy of Sciences were able to connect an ancient species to the trail marks it left behind. Prior to this study, the same group of scientists detected animal tracks in rocks dated to between 551 million and 539 million years old. Trouble is, these tracks could not be connected to a specific organism, leaving the features ambiguous in nature; it’s exceptionally rare to find a fossilized creature resting next to its fossilized trail marks. 

New research published today in Nature showcases one such example. The fossilized remnants of a newly described creature, dubbed Yilingia spiciformis, were found in rocks pulled from China’s Dengying Formation in the Yangtze Gorges area. These rocks date back to the Ediacaran period, long before the appearance of dinosaurs and the Pangea supercontinent. The track marks found in these rocks are among the oldest known on Earth—and we finally know who made them.

FULL REPORT

 

Edited September 6, 2019 by CaaC (John)
Spacing correction

[Panflute]

^Finally I get to break out my "akzhually that's prehistory" line

[CaaC (John)+]

Dead Sea scrolls study raises new questions over texts' origins

The Dead Sea scrolls have given up fresh secrets, with researchers saying they have identified a previously unknown technique used to prepare one of the most remarkable scrolls of the collection.

Scientists say the study poses a puzzle, as the salts used on the writing layer of the Temple scroll are not common to the Dead Sea region.

“This inorganic layer that is really clearly visible on the Temple scroll surprised us and induced us to look more in detail how this scroll was prepared, and it turns out to be quite unique,” said Assistant Professor Admir Masic, co-author of the research from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.

“These salts are not typical for anything we knew about associated with this period and parchment making,” he added.

Found in the middle of the 20th century but dating back to between the third century BC and the first century AD, the Dead Sea scrolls are made up of copies of writings that form parts of the Hebrew Bible, hymns and writings about religious texts and practices. Some sections are mere fragments while others are intact scrolls.

The discovery of the ancient texts itself sounds like something out of scripture: nomadic Bedouin shepherds found cloth-wrapped scrolls hidden in jars in the Qumran caves of the West Bank.

Most of the writings are on parchment sheets – some of which have been tanned, an eastern practice, while some are untanned or lightly tanned, a western practice.

One of the most remarkable intact scrolls is the Temple scroll, a manuscript that was reportedly sold by the Bedouins to an antique dealer who wrapped it in cellophane and stuck it in a shoe-box under his floor. The scroll is now housed with many of the other Dead Sea scrolls in the Shrine of the Book, part of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

The bright, pale scroll – which is more than 8 metres long and written on parchment sheets whitened through treatment with a salt called alum – has a number of unusual features. It is wafer-thin – experts have suggested it might have been made from an animal skin split in two – and unlike most scrolls, the text is on the flesh side of the skin. Even more surprisingly, the text is written on a thick mineral-containing layer that forms a writing surface on top of the collagen.

“The layer reminds [one] of plaster on a wall,” said Prof Ira Rabin, another author of the study.

Now, writing in the journal Science Advances, Masic and colleagues report that they have analysed a fragment of the Temple Scroll to unpick the makeup of this mineral-containing layer.

The results suggest the writing surface is largely composed of sulfate salts, including glauberite, gypsum and thenardite – minerals that dissolve in water and are left behind when the water evaporates.

However, the researchers say these salts are not typical for the Dead Sea region, raising questions of where exactly they came from.

Prof Timothy Lim from the University of Edinburgh, who was not involved in the study, said the findings did not show that the Temple scroll did not come from the region, even if the salts used in its preparation might come from elsewhere.

However, Prof Jonathan Ben-Dov from the University of Haifa disagreed: “I am not the least surprised to learn that a part of the scrolls was not prepared in the Dead Sea region. It would be naive to assume that they were all prepared there.”

Rabin said: “We believe the [Temple scroll] primary treatment is consistent with the ‘western’ way [of parchment preparation]. But the detailed treatment is rather unique.”

The team say the findings raise questions of how best to conserve the Dead Sea scrolls, noting that the sulfate salts might mean the scrolls are more sensitive to small changes in humidity than previously thought.

Among those who welcomed the findings was Dr Kipp Davis from the Dead Sea Scrolls Institute at Trinity Western University in Canada, one of the academics who recently revealed that the trade-in fragments of the Dead Sea scrolls were full of fakes.

“This is an important study that reveals a number of things which promise to continue to be helpful in the study of ancient Jewish scribal culture, but moreover also in our efforts to develop more robust and reliable techniques for evaluating authenticity and forgery in ancient manuscripts,” he said.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/dead-sea-scrolls-study-raises-new-questions-over-texts-origins/ar-AAGWiEA

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Archaeologists claim 2,200-year-old ruins in Israel could be the remains of the biblical town Emmaus where Jesus travelled after his resurrection

Archaeologists in Israel have claimed to have discovered the true location of the biblical town of Emmaus, where Jesus first appeared to two followers after being crucified and resurrected.

The remains of a 2,200-year-old fortification at Kiriath-Jearim, a hill on the outskirts of Abu Ghosh, a village near Jerusalem have been uncovered by researchers.

The massive walls of the Hellenistic fortification are believed to have been built by the Seleucid general who defeated Judah the Maccabee, the Jewish leader spoken of in the Hanukkah story.

© Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited Emmaus is significant in Christianity as Jesus appeared to two of his apostles on the road to the town after his crucifixion and resurrection

Tel Aviv University professor Israel Finkelstein, who leads the archaeologist project with Thomas Romer and Christophe Nicolle of the College de France, now claims that the hill and village should be identified as Emmaus.  

In Christianity, Emmaus is significant as Jesus appeared to two of his apostles on the road to the town after his crucifixion and resurrection. 

In Luke 24:13-35, the town is described as being fortified and about seven miles west of Jerusalem. 

This matches the location of Kiriath-Jearim, Abu Ghosh and Jerusalem, as well as the distance between them. 

However, Benjamin Isaac, emeritus professor of ancient history from Tel Aviv University, warned that there are at least two other sites nearby which also have strong claims to be Emmaus.

He said: 'Finkelstein and Römer have a good case archaeologically, geographically, and topographically.

FULL REPORT

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Cryodrakon Boreas: Enormous, Dinosaur-eating Reptile Is One of the Biggest Flying Creatures Ever Discovered

An enormous reptile discovered in Alberta, Canada, is one of the biggest flying creatures ever discovered, with a wingspan of up to 32 feet—roughly double the height of an average giraffe. The species, which has been named Cryodrakon boreas, lived about 77 million years ago and may well have fed on small animals such as lizards and baby dinosaurs.

The fossilized remains were first found over 30 years ago but previously assigned to a different flying species of pterosaur—Quetzalcoatlus. This was another giant flying reptile, which weighed up to 550 lbs and had a wingspan of up to 34 feet.

Over the last three decades, as more ancient remains were uncovered, researchers realized there were key differences between the two species. In a study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, researchers have now named and described the new species.

Both Quetzalcoatlus and Cryodrakon are types of azhdarchid—a family of pterosaurs that lived during the late Cretaceous Period. These creatures had long necks and stork-like bills. While most species were extremely large, researchers have recently identified a cat-sized azhdarchid.

In the latest study, David Hone, from the Queen Mary University of London, and colleagues showed how the neck bones in the newly identified species are shorter and wider than in Quetzalcoatlus, while Cryodrakon has a thinner humerus. "Really as soon as I started looking in detail it was clear there were some differences between the two," he told Newsweek. "I think a fair number of researchers have suspected as much for a while, but sitting down to do the work and getting into the details takes time."

The team said that Cryodrakon and Quetzalcoatlus were probably of a similar size and build, with a similar flight performance and muscles. Combined with the somewhat greater length of the humerus in Cryodrakon, it is likely that Cryodrakon was slightly heavier than Quetzalcoatlus, but their overall mass was likely similar.

Azhdarchids were found across the globe, with species identified on almost every continent. Despite probably being able to cross oceans, azhdarchids tended to stay around the land. They are believed to have been predators and, because of their limited mouth size—with the beak being very long and thin—it is thought they tended to eat small prey.

Cryodrakon was mainly identified from the fossil of a juvenile and scientists used this to estimate its size as an adult. Potentially, Hone said, there could have been larger individuals, but finding evidence of this is unlikely.

"Finding any bone is good, finding a good one of a giant animal is going to be unlikely," he said. "The biggest azhdarchids may have pushed the limit [of] how big a flying animal you can have but Cryodrakon, while probably not the largest—based on what we have—is certainly in the mix of these giant animals."

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/cryodrakon-boreas-enormous-dinosaur-eating-reptile-is-one-of-the-biggest-flying-creatures-ever-discovered/ar-AAH5s8A

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Adria, the world's lost continent: Greenland-sized landmass smashed into Europe 100million years ago but was then obliterated

Geologists have revealed the history of a lost continent in painstaking detail for the first time. 

Greater Adria would have been about the size of Greenland and attached to what are now France, Spain and Africa.

In a 427-page long record of 240million years of world history, researchers have detailed how the continent essentially crumbled into what is now Europe.

The paper is the most detailed reconstruction of how the Earth's landmasses could have looked a quarter of a billion years ago.

And Greater Adria, which could have stretched from the Alps to Iran, may have been the driving force behind the formation of mountains throughout Italy, Turkey, Greece and south-eastern Europe.

FULL REPORT

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Cavemen were eating cheese 6,000 years ago - despite being lactose intolerant

A groundbreaking study has found cavemen were drinking milk and possibly eating cheese and yoghurt 6,000 years ago - despite being lactose intolerant. 

Scientists at the University of York identified milk protein entombed in the mineralised dental plaque of seven prehistoric British farmers.

The fascinating discovery represents the earliest direct evidence of milk consumption anywhere in the world.

The ancient human remains tested as part of the research lived in modern-day Britain during the Neolithic period, around 6,000 years ago.

Interestingly, it's known humans at that time were lactose intolerant, so it's believed Stone Age people were only drinking small amounts of milk at a time.

Alternatively, they could have been processing it into other foodstuffs such as cheese and yoghurt, thereby removing most of the lactose, researchers say.

The caveman remains came from three different Neolithic sites - Hambledon Hill and Hazleton North in the south of England, and Banbury Lane in the East Midlands.

Individuals from all three sites showed the presence of milk proteins from cows, sheep or goats, suggesting people were exploiting multiple species for dairy products.

The proteins were entrapped within dental plaque which had become mineralised by components of saliva to form tartar or 'dental calculus'.

Lead author of the study, Dr Sophy Charlton, from the Department of Archaeology at the University of York, said: "The fact that we found this protein in the dental calculus of individuals from three different Neolithic sites may suggest that dairy consumption was a widespread dietary practice in the past.

"It would be a fascinating avenue for further research to look at more individuals and see if we can determine whether there are any patterns as to who was consuming milk in the archaeological past - perhaps the amount of dairy products consumed or the animals utilised varied along the lines of sex, gender, age or social standing."

Dr Charlton said the discovery of milk proteins is particularly interesting as recent genetic studies suggest people who lived at this time did not yet have the ability to digest the lactose in milk.

Dr Charlton added: "If you are lactose intolerant and you consume very, very small amounts of milk, then it doesn't make you too ill. You can just about cope with that.

"The alternative option, which I think is perhaps slightly more plausible, is that they were processing the milk in such a way that it's removing a degree of the lactose.

"So if you process it into a cheese, or a fermented milk product, or a yoghurt, then it does decrease the lactose content so you could more easily digest it.

"That idea fits quite well with other archaeological evidence for the period in which we find dairy fats inside lots of Neolithic pottery, both in the UK and the rest of Europe."

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/cavemen-were-eating-cheese-6000-years-ago-despite-being-lactose-intolerant/ar-AAHh35t

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Denisovans: Face of long-lost human relative unveiled

Researchers have provided the first glimpse of what an ancient group of humans looked like.

Denisovan remains were discovered in 2008 and human evolution experts have become fascinated with the group that went extinct around 50,000 years ago.

One of the biggest questions had been over their appearance, with no full sketches of the Denisovan drawn up.

But now a team of researchers have produced reconstructions of our long-lost relatives.

Who were the Denisovans?

Around 100,000 years ago there were several different groups of humans including modern humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans.

"In many ways, Denisovans resembled Neanderthals but in some traits they resembled us and in others they were unique," said Prof Liran Carmel, a researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Denisovans are thought to have been based in Siberia and eastern Asia.

Scientists have found evidence that the Denisovans lived at high altitudes in Tibet, passing on a gene that helps modern people cope at similar elevations.

It is not yet known why they disappeared.

They only came to the attention of the world after archaeologists investigated remains in a cave in Siberia little over a decade ago.

So far, the only Denisovan remains discovered are three teeth, a pinky bone and a lower jaw.

About 5% of the ancestry of people from Oceania can be traced to Denisovans, according to studies.

What do the new reconstructions tell us?

The reconstructions - based on complex DNA analysis of Denisovans, Neanderthals, Chimpanzees and humans - show that the Denisovan skull was probably wider than that of us or Neanderthals. They also appeared to have no chin.

The experts predict many Denisovan traits that are similar to that of Neanderthals including a sloping forehead, long face and large pelvis and others that are unique among humans, like a large dental arch.

Denisovans lived at high altitudes

Prof Carmel told the BBC he was delighted to find that some of their predictions had been confirmed by the discovery of a Denisovan jawbone by separate researchers.

"The jawbone was reported and we were very excited to see how it matched. It was kind of an independent confirmation of our method," he said.

The reconstructions were just the start in Denisovan research, Prof Carmel said.

"They were humans very similar to us so pointing out the differences between us is critical to understand what makes us human and what might have led to the way we adapted to the world," he said.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-49760240