MIKE RUGGERI’S THE ANCIENT AMERICAS BREAKING NEWS
BREAKING NEWS FROM MESOAMERICA, THE ANDEAN CULTURES, MISSISSIPPIAN CULTURES, ADENA AND HOPEWELL CULTURES, THE ANCIENT SOUTHWEST, THE PRE-CLOVIS AND CLOVIS CULTURES, ANCIENT CARIBBEAN AND AMAZONIAN CULTURES
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May 23, 2012
Maya Trade Patterns and the Maya Collapse
Shifts in trade patterns contributed to the Maya collapse. The key trade item was obsidian for making tools and weapons. Obsidian trade flowed along inland riverine networks early on. But in time, it was traded by way of coastal trade networks. Inland centers began to decline as coastal centers flourished. The shift in trade involved inland centers also being cut off from other goods. The Field Museum researchers studied sites in Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala for obsidian trade details. The trade was analyzed from 250-1520 CE. Perhaps riverine trade had become dangerous and the development of larger canoes may have made seagoing transport more efficient.
The study will be published in the journal Antiquity.
EurekAlert has the story here;
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-05/fm-srt052312.php
May 23, 2012
Huge Tomb Found at Pachacamac
An archaeology team from Brussels has uncovered a huge tomb containing 80 individuals from 1000 CE at the Pachacamac site in Peru, near Lima. The tomb has escaped looting and is completely intact. 12 new born babies were distributed around the perimeter. Ceramic vessels animals, copper and gold, masks and more were buried with them. They appear to be related and some had mortal injuries or illnesses. These individuals may have traveled to this site seeking cures. Were the infants sacrificed? Were they all buried at the same time? Were they immigrants? How did they die? These are questions under study now.
Heritage Daily has the story here with good photos;
http://www.heritagedaily.com/2012/05/new-archaeological-discoveries-in-peru/
May 17, 2012
Maya Wall Calendar Discovery at Xultun
David Stuart, one who wrote the report with William Saturno has informed me that the press has the story wrong. This is not the earliest calendar found. Here is what he wrote me;
"The Xultun tables do NOT represent the earliest Maya calendar(s). The media has run with this meme, but it's not what we said at the press conference. Just want to clarify."
William Saturno has found a very early Maya calendar in wall paintings, dating to the 9th century, charting the motions of the moon and Mars and Venus. The drawings were found at the site of Xultun in Guatemala. The 360 day "tun", the 20 day "final" and the one day "k'in" are represented. Lunar semesters of 177-178 days are calculated. It looks like the lunar "semester" was calculated on the calendar for 13 years. The finding is reported on in the May 11 issue of Science. Another table represents the 18,980 days of the Maya calendar round. It appears they were also notating the movements of Jupiter in relationship to the moon.
Scientific American has the report here;
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=xultun-mayan-calendar
And the NY Times added this bit of important information to the story;
"The principal scribe, who may have been related to the royal family, also left his mark on the north wall, near the presumed king’s picture. Four long numbers there represent dates that stretch over 7,000 years. The scientists said this was the first place that seems to tabulate all these cycles in this way. Another number scratched in the plaster records a date that translates to A.D. 813."
The Boston Globe has a slide show of the find here;
http://www.boston.com/news/science/gallery/mayan_calendar/?
And National Geographic adds that the murals were painted during a time of intense drought at the site and folks may have been looking to the scribes for answers.
And the BBC adds that the dates written on the mural stretch 7000 years into the future, thus disproving the Maya end of the world theme.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18018343
May 16, 2012
Pre-Clovia at Vero Beach
Human and mammoth remains had been found at Vero Beach, Florida. The question was if they were there at the same time. It has been determined that mammoths survived in some pockets in the Americas till 7,600 years ago. Previously, it was believed that mammoths disappeared 12,000 years ago. Using rare earth element analysis, scientists have found the bones of the two almost complete human skeletons found at the site have the same combination of rare earth elements as the mammoths, proving the humans and mammoths lived together at Vero Beach. All of the bones show an age in the 13,000 years ago range. This is an important Pre-Clovis find.
The study is published online today in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Live Science has the report here;
http://www.livescience.com/20088-early-floridians-mingled-mammoths-mastodons.html
May 2, 2012
INAH Finds Proof of Sacrificial Knives
INAH researchers have found blood cells and muscle, tendons, skin and hair on 2000 year old obsidian knives, showing these were knives used for human sacrifice. The knives were found at the site of Cantona in Puebla. Electronic microscopic study of the knives show that the knives cut deeply into muscle for sacrifice. Some knives had more blood. Others more skin. Others more muscle, indicating different uses for each knife. This study has taken 20 years to complete.
Newsday has the report here;
http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/mexican-experts-find-ancient-blood-on-stone-knives-1.3695711
And INAH has its report (in Spanish) here, with photos of the knives.
April 15, 2012
Pre-Clovis at Lamb Springs?
Archaeologists at the Archaeology Conservancy believe the Lamb Springs site near Denver may hold Pre-Clovis activity. Giant mammoths lived there with camels, horses, sloths, llamas and wolves 13,000 years ago. Humans certainly lived there with mammoths 8000 years ago. Archaeologist Dennis Stanford (of the Paisley Cave Pre-Clovis coprolite find) found a 30 pound rock with possible tool marks on it. The stone had to be carried to this spot by humans. It sits at the 16,000 years ago sediment layer.
(My note; the problem here is that there is only this stone, which could have been worked on by humans many thousands of years later. And a heavy stone like this is not enough proof from the 16,000 years ago layer of sediment. There would have to be other tools and human artifacts found there as well. This is still pretty thin evidence of Pre-Clovis at this site.) They will continue excavating at this site in hopes of finding more.
The Denver Post has the report here;
April 14, 2012
The “Big Bird” Mummy Bundle in Peru
The California Institute for Peruvian Studies publishes this amazing story with photos of the excavation of the giant mummy bundle shaped like a big bird found at Cerillos, Peru and dated at 718 CE.
http://www.cipstudies.org/wallace.htm
April 4, 2012
Ancient Burial in Cholula
INAH has found a multiple burial of 13 individuals in Cholula dating to 1150-1321 CE. A piece of jade, an engraved plaque with a human face, both of the Mexcala style, serpentine, an alabaster plate and a Teotihuacan style jadeite were also found. More material was found as far down as the Pre-Classic period from 900-1 BCE.
INAH has the report here (in Spanish) with an excellent slide show of the dig. (click on the red camera icon)
April 4, 2012
Moche Altar Found in Peru
An altar of human sacrifice constructed by the Moche 1000 years ago has been found in the Cerro Campana at the summit of Mount Hood in Trujillo, Peru. Men were beheaded here and then thrown from the mountain cliff. This ritual is found on Moche ceramics. Geoglyphs, the temple of the eagle, a Pre-Columbian cemetery and ancient terraces have been found nearby in the past investigations.
El Comercio has the report here (in Spanish) with a photo;
http://elcomercio.pe/peru/1396516/noticia-descubren-altar-sacrificios-humanos-cultura-moche
April 2, 2012
Ancient Sources for Maya Blue Found
The exact source for Maya Blue has been discovered. Maya Blue is formed by combining indigo and the clay mineral palygorskite. In a paper published in the March 16 Journal of Archaeological Science, researchers from the Smithsonian and other agencies, found that the material for Maya Blue came from 2 locations in the northern Yucatan. The present day mines at Sacalum and Ticul were identified as the ancient sources as well. 33 samples of the mineral from various places in the Yucatan were analyzed over 32 years. An additional 167 samples were gathered in 2008 from 5 different places in the Yucatan. These samples were than compared to Maya Blue at Chichen Itza and Palenque. The Chichen Itza samples were found to have been from Sacalum. The Palenque samples came either from Sacalum, another mine called Yo' Sah Kab, or another unknown source.
More information: Arnold, D.E., et al., The first direct evidence of pre-columbian sources of palygorskite for Maya Blue, Journal of Archaeological Science (2012), doi:10.1016/j.jas.2012.02.036
Physorg. has the report here;
http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-04-discovery-evidence-pre-columbian-sources-maya.html
March 29, 2012
Animal Effigy Mounds Found in Peru
A University of Missouri anthropologist has found numerous animal effigy mounds in Peru, in the area of the Nazca lines and Chan Chan. Some of them are more than 4000 years old. They pre-date ceramics. Google Earth reveals birds, a giant condor, an orca, a duck and a caiman/puma monster that is also seen on bone and petroglyph carvings in the area. They look to support the idea of an Andean zodiac. The mounds are astronomically oriented. Each season, more have been found.
The research was published in Antiquity with much help from Peruvian agencies. There were no pictures in the Eurekalert report below. I will post these as soon as I see them.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-03/uom-ram032912.php
Here is the full article with many photos from the journal Antiquity on the Peru animal effigy mounds.
http://www.antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/benfer329/
March 20, 2012
Pre-Clovis Find in Ohio
The leg bone of a giant sloth found in Ohio has been found to have been butchered more than 13,000 years ago. This is the earliest evidence of human activity in the Great Lakes area. This is further evidence of a Pre-Clovis coastal route from Asia, starting perhaps as early was 16,000 years ago. The sloth was found 95 years ago in an Ohio swamp and has been sitting in a local museum overlooked for a century. Archaeologists in the US needed to determine if the 44 incisions on the sloth's femur were made by men stripping meat from the sloth. A forensic expert was called in and he confirmed the marks were made by stone tools. The sloth has been dated to 13,345-13,738 years old, well within the Pre-Clovis period. (My note; This would mark the 4th scientifically verified find of Pre-Clovis activity in the Americas. The other three sites being at Monte Verde, Chile, Paisley Cave in Oregon and the Manis Mastodon site in Washington. This one does lack human artifacts, but the verified date of the sloth and the tool made cut marks on it makes this look genuine, unless other peers can discredit the human tools diagnosis.)
Canada.com has the story here;
March 5, 2012
Hopewell Genetic Study
Biological anthropologist Dana Beehr has studied 43 individuals buried at the Hopewell sites of Utica and Albony mounds in Illinois and 38 individuals from the Hopewell mound group in Ohio. She studied the proportion of two strontium isotopes in their teeth over their lives. She found that the Ohio group had more immigration than the Illinois sites and identified five potential immigrants. They match isotopic signatures from Minnesota populations. There could be other areas with this same isotopic signature. The Ohio mound group may then be a particularly important Hopewell Center, drawing more immigrants to it.
The Ohio Arcaheology Blogspot has the report here;
http://ohio-archaeology.blogspot.com/
And the full dissertation of Dana Beehr here;
http://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/29673/Beehr_Dana.pdf?sequence=1
February 25, 2012
Tomb of Atahualpa Found?
A site has been found in Ecuador that may be the tomb of Atahualpa, the last Inca chief. Athualpa was taken captive by the Spanish at Cajamarca, Peru and was executed by strangulation. The site where the tomb key be is in a massive complex in an area called Sigchos, south of Quito. A complex of walls, aqueducts, stonework are in the Machay rural retreat. Machay means burial in Quechua. The design is late imperial and contains rectangular rooms set around a trapezoidal plaza. There is a walkway leading to stairs that form a pyramid that could be the tomb of Atahualpa. There is a channel of water cut from a waterfall called "the Inca's Bath." The area was known as Atahualpa's personal domain.
News24 has the story here;
http://www.news24.com/SciTech/News/Clue-to-Inca-emperor-tomb-found-20120229
February 25, 2012
Water and the Maya Collapse
A study by the Yucatan Center for Scientific Research in Mexico and Eelco Rohling of the University of Southampton in the UK shows that there were only modest rainfall reductions in the Maya realm between 800-950 CE. This represented a 25-40% drop in rainfall. But this was large enough for evaporation to overtake rainfall and rapidly reduce water supplies. Critical water shortages during the summer months resulted in the abandonment of Maya cities as multi-year droughts took place. The entire study is at Science Journal below;
M. Medina-Elizalde, E. J. Rohling. Collapse of Classic Maya Civilization Related to Modest Reduction in Precipitation. Science, 2012; 335 (6071): 956 DOI:10.1126/science.1216629
Live Science has the report here;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120223142455.htm
February 24, 2012
Patolli Game Found at a Maya Site
The Mesaoamerican board game "Patolli" has been found by INAH at the site of Dzibilnocac in Campeche during restoration at the Central Tower Building. The game was apparently played during the 600-900 CE period--the Late Classic. Like other Patolli games in the Maya area, the game was found in an enclosure difficult to access, to watch the game. The Maya version of the game looks like a quincunx with the number of cells that players could traverse corresponds to the 52 year cycle and the 260 day calendar. This could have been a divination tool to predict the future of individuals or events. The INAH report details new architectural elements also found at the site during restoration work.
INAH has the story here (in Spanish) with their usual very good slide show (click on the little red camera icon);
February 21, 2012
Maya Water Engineering at Xcoch
University of Cincinnati researchers are studying the water regulation system the Maya used at the site of Xcoch in the Yucatan. Xcoch has a great pyramid and other large structures built above cave systems. The archaeologists found a network of cisterns and reservoirs alongside of broken pottery and charred human remains. The cave has been in use from 800CE. There is no surface water in the area, so the construction of reservoirs and cisterns under the main plaza and extending into residential and farm areas is indicative of the work the Maya did here to overcome the dry months and droughts. Xcoch was the largest city in the region from 800 BC-100 CE. It was probably abandoned during a drought between 100 CE-300 CE. The growth of stalagmites during these centuries tell archaeologists when there were droughts.
The broken pottery was "sacrificed" ritually. The human remains are being studied for signs of sacrifice.
Eurekalert has the report here;
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/uoc-rrw022112.php
February 20, 2012
Ancient Andean Yeast Discovery
Yeast biologist Javier Carvajal Barriga in Ecuador collected scrapings from ancient clay fermentation vessels dated to 680 CE used by Andean peoples to ferment an alcoholic beverage called Chicha, and coaxed dormant yeast cells back to life using a special scientific method. He found that the yeast was unlike any modern strains of yeast and confirmed Spanish reports that the Incas fermented their Chicha with human saliva, feces and animal bones. They may have added psychotropic plants to the brew which produces only 4% alcohol. Strangely enough, this yeast also turned up in a study in Taiwan in fermented tea. Was this due to contact between Polynesians and South Americans thousands of years ago? Carvajal found yet another ancient yeast that has been collected in Australia, Costa Rica and the Galapagos and the genetic analysis is identical among the three. This yeast is associated with flowers of the sweet potato.
Scientific American has the story here;
February 16, 2012
Acoustic Research at Chavin de Huantar
New archeo-acoustic research at Chavin de Huantar appears to show that conch-shell trumpet sounds were used for "selective sound transmission between the site's Lanzon monolith and the Circular Plaza: an architectural acoustic filter system that favors sound frequencies of the Chavín pututus [conch-shell trumpets] and human voice." The Lanzon is the central deity of the center. A duct was built to connect the Lanzon monolith with the Circular Plaza to filter a certain sound range that is emitted by the Chavin pututu instrument. The Lanzon is believed to be an oracle with the power to speak through a hole in the chamber. Whether participants at Chavin were affected spiritually by these acoustical sounds cannot be proven, but the acoustics can be.
Popular Archaeology has the report here with good photos of the site and of the Lanzon monolith.
February 13, 2012
Aztec Carved Stone Tablets Found at the Templo Mayor
INAH has found 23 volcanic rock tablets depicting images relating to the myth of the magical birth of Huitzilopochtli and the origin of the Holy War which brought the Mexica to Tenochtitlan. The tablets were carved between 1440-1469 CE during the reign of Moctezuma I. The slabs are complex and all refer to the founding myths of the Mexica. They were found in the vicinity of the Templo Mayor in downtown Mexico City.
INAH has the news here (in Spanish) with a good slide show of some of the tablets (click on the little red camera icon to see the slideshow);
February 2, 2012
Aztatlan artifacts found in Sinaloa
Three 1000 year old urns with offerings placed in them, including canine figures and burnt shells have been found in Sinaloa. This represents the first artifacts of the Aztatlan culture found in Sinaloa. The urns date to 900-1200 CE. The Aztatlan culture settled in Nayarit, Colima, Sinaloa and Jalisco. Their characteristic pottery was red or orange with black stripes and their funerary urns. The representation of animal designs is something new. Human bones were found in the urns and scattered outside as well. They appear to have been boiled as part of a funerary ritual. There were canine symbols on some of the pottery near the urns, and this connotes animal companions for the dead.
INAH has the report here (in Spanish) with a slide show (click on the tiny red camera icon);
January 26, 2012
Southern Altai and Ancient Migrations to America
University of Pennsylvania and Russian anthropologists have located the Altai region of southern Siberia as the genetic source of the earliest Americans. That region is at the intersection of Russia, Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. People of this region began to move to northern Siberia and into the New World 20,000-25,000 years ago. The researchers studied the genetics of the people living in this region, looking at mitochrondial DNA which is maternally inherited, and the Y chromosome DNA linked to paternal inheritance. They also compared those genetics to samples from southern Siberia, Central Asia, Mongolia, East Asia and American indigenous groups. Their study has a high degree of precision. There is a unique mutation shared by Native Americans and souther Altaians known as lineage Q. The southern Altaian lineage diverged from Native Americans 13-14,000 years ago.
EurekAlert has the story here;
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/uop-pac011912.php
January 26, 2012
New Teotihuacan Discoveries
INAH has uncovered 33 burials on the outskirts of Teotihuacan dating to 250-550 CE. The burials were found in 5 domestic structures with one of the buildings serving as a residential area for the middle class. 2000 stone objects and 31,000 pottery fragments and one artifact from the Gulf Coast circa 500 CE have been uncovered.
INAH stated that the larger structure "In what we call the Building or Structure 8 were found the remains of five rooms, three playgrounds, an arcade, two systems of channels and a perimeter wall and remnants of red paint on stucco floors, as well as bodies of water (small sunken courtyards filled with water) and drainage systems. " Some of the dead exhibited cranial deformation, a Mesoamerican custom. The majority of stone objects are of golden-green obsidian from Pachuca. 36% are gray obsidian from Otumba.
INAH has the report here (in Spanish);
June 25, 2012
Stalagmites Used to Determine the Rise and Fall of Mesoamerica
An international team of researchers at the University of Nevada have used stalagmites to study the climate in Mexico over 2,400 years. The rise and fall of Mesoamerican civilizations are linked to rainfall in this study. The report will appear in the journal "Geology." The team analyzed a stalagmite in Juxtlahuaca Cave in Guerrero. Stalagmites are ancient rain gauges. They grow more rapidly than tree rings and leave a longer record. Stalagmites can be used to determine climate variations on an annual timescale. There was above average rainfall in Mexico, according to the stalagmite record, between the 1st and 3rd centuries when Teotihuacan rose to power. Then came a 500 year drying period with a drought of 150 years coinciding with population decline at Teotihuacan at 550 CE, when springs dried up there.
The Sacramento Bee has the story here;
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/25/4213455/blame-it-on-the-rain-scientists.html
January 19, 2012
1,300 Year Old Pottery Oven Found in Oaxaca
A pottery oven built between 600-900 CE has been found at the Zapotec site of Atzompa, confirming the long tradition of pottery making in Oaxaca. It was built under the platform of the House of the Altar at the site. The oven has a circular adobe wall. Atzompa was a satellite city of Monte Alban used to disperse population from the overcrowded site of Monte Alban. 40 structures have been found there so far including 3 ball courts, one of them, the largest ever found in the Zapotec area. Trade items from Teotihuacan have also been found there.
INAH has the story here (in Spanish) with a great slide show and video (click on the tiny red camera and video icons);
January 9, 2012
Maya Jadeite Necklace Discovery
Guatemala archaeologists have uncovered a very beautiful jade necklace in Structure 6 at Takalik Ab'aj, made up of 70 beads of jadeite. The necklace was deposited between 190 BCE and 10 CE. The jade necklace appears to have begun a series of offerings at the site over the centuries. In 2010, they found two ceremonial heads named "the Lord of the Fret Design" for an apparent powerful ruler.
The Guatemala Times has the report here with several very striking photos of the find;
The 2010 discovery of the jadeite ceremonial heads is published here with more very remarkable photos;
December 29, 2011
Update on massive Sican Grave
A few days ago I posted a story about the discovery of a mass sacrifice at a Sican site near Huaca Las Ventanas in Peru. National Geographic has posted a longer follow up report on the mass burial. The burial would be between 900-1100 CE. 100 bodies have been found so far, buried nude, some headless. Almost all are adult males. There are two children with an adult woman also in the burial site. It is believed that the dead were willing participants from the locality, engaged in a religious sacrifice. But the grave is very unusual in its outline. The remains were not placed carefully. Some bodies were thrown in, some folded elaborately. One body was placed over a ceramic jar used to make corn beer or chibcha. They probably drank vast quantities of this in the ritual. They are investigating exactly how the buried died. Ceramic heads of the Sican deity and other decorative heads that decorate chibcha cups were also found. The ceramics were broken intentionally in a ritual fashion. The bodies were placed there in 3 events. The 3rd event saw the bodies re-arranged and the skull pit was crafted. Archaeologists deduce that this may lead up to a tomb find of a Sican royal. They have found a clay seal in a new test pit which may cover such a tomb.
National Geographic has the story here with a nice photo;
December 29, 2011
Paleo-Indian Genetic Find
There has been continuing controversy about the X2a and C4c haplogroups in paleo-indian Native American populations as to whether this has a connection to the Solutrean Culture in France and Spain. A new analysis shows that the haplogroups have clear roots in Asia and that the two haplogroups arrived together from Beringia during the ice free corridor period. The new findings definitively dismiss the idea of an Atlantic glacial route. The paper was published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Vol. 147.
The Ohio Archaeology blog has the report here;
http://ohio-archaeology.blogspot.com/2011/12/rare-dna-variant-may-disprove.html
December 20, 2011
Sican Mass Grave Uncovered
Archaeologists have found a mass grave at a Sican site in Peru
containing 60 people slaughtered in sacrificial offerings around 900 CE. The remains include headless skeletons and 30 skulls. It appears the sacrificed were violently thrown from above.
(The mention of horses in the report would refer to Spanish horses at a much later date at the site)
Living in Peru has the short report and a photo here;
http://www.peruthisweek.com/news-1204-Mass-pre-Inca-grave-found-in-Lambayeque-Peru/
December 20, 2011
New Discoveries in the Mesa Verde Region
The Dillard Site in southwestern Colorado is giving archaeologists new insights into early Pueblo Society in the Southwest. The ruins there were built during the Basketmaker III period of the Anasazi. The site dates from the 7th century and has a great kiva and many pit houses. 120 pithouses have already been found nearby. Stone-and-mortor masonry was used to build the great kiva. This is 200 years before the earliest known masonry of this kind in the Southwest. One of the pithouses appears to have a ramped entryway, going against the rooftop entryway model of other pithouses.
Basketmaker III lasted from 500-750 CE. It was a period of rapid population growth in the Mesa Verde region of the Dillard Site. Wide scale immigration into the central Mesa Verde area brought with it domesticated beans, pottery, the bow and arrow. A favorable climate may have been the reason for the influx. The Crow Canyon Archaeological Society is instrumental in these digs at Dillard and is looking for volunteers. Contact; www.crowcanyon.org or call 800-422-8975.
Popular Archaeology has the story with photos;
December 19
Tombs Filled With Gold in Panama
Archaeologist Julia Mayo and her team began studying the Panama site of El Caño in 2005. Ancient graves were turned up, and then in 2010, they found a warrior chief bedecked in gold, lots of it. In 2011, another huge grave find of a chief, this one with "two gold breastplates in front, two in back, four arm cuffs, and a luminous emerald." A baby adorned in gold was next to him. And the skeletons of possibly sacrificed slaves or captives. The burials date to 900 CE. Earlier huge finds of graves overflowing with gold had been made nearby at the site of Sitio Conte in the 1930's. The Smithsonian is now analyzing the material and have found the gold came from the area of the site and not further south, where supposedly more advanced cultures were located. Mayo believes there may be 20 more tombs like this. The work is so painstakingly deliberate, it would take 196 years to uncover it all. Luckily, these tombs were never looted and this area may be akin to Egypt's Valley of Kings in terms of gold wealth.
Ann R. Williams of National Geographic wrote this fascinating report here;
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/01/nata-chiefs/williams-text
And National Geographic has posted a great slide show of some of the finds here;
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/01/nata-chiefs/coventry-photography
December 14, 2011
Teotihuacan Discovery
The ongoing dig beneath the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan has finally hit a new discovery. Archaeologists believe they have found the original offering placed at the site before the pyramid was built. They have uncovered seven burials, some of them infants. They have found a green serpentine mask that is so detailed that it may have been a portrait, along with 11 clay pots dedicated to Tlaloc, the rain god. The bones of an eagle as well as feline and canine animals were also found. The remains date back to 50 CE. These offerings have been found in the lava tube tunnel underneath the pyramid.
Archaeologist George Cowgill said "The discovery of seven humans suggests that they were probably sacrificial victims, along with several species of fierce animals."
The Sacramento Bee has the report here by way of AP. No photos in this story. I will pass those on when they are posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/13/4121018/original-offering-found-at-teotihuacan.html
INAH has now posted a slideshow with a few photos of the finds. Click on the little red camera icon to see the slideshow.
December 11, 2011
Ancient Traverse Corridor
Michigan archaeologist Charles Cleland posited that there had been an ancient "Traverse Corridor" that stretched from Grand Traverse Bay to the Mackinac Straits. He won an NSF grant and began digging in the corridor with his students. He found 30-40 pre-historic sites where ancient groups lived in the summer. He was able to show that one group came from Canada to fish for whitefish and lake trout. By 900 CE, they were using gill nets. A second group came from the Upper Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Georgia. They hunted, fished and grew maize in the corridor. A 10,000 year old flint spear point was found in the area. The ancient groups gathered flint from a quarry in the area to make tools and weapons. Gathered wild food remains have been found in abundance as well. In, 1962, Cleland also found the only organic Paleo-Indian artifact in Michigan--a Barren-ground caribou foot bone. This was one of the first indications of Paleo-Indian caribou hunting at the time. And finding this so far east was a surprise.
The Traverse City Record Eagle has the story here with a few photos and a map of the corridor.
http://record-eagle.com/local/x1181957070/Traverse-Corridor-A-prehistoric-crossroads
December 5, 2011
Olmec Burial Found in Puebla
A burial going back to 1,500 BCE has been found in Puebla, that is Olmec in style. The remains were found under a Jesuit property dating back to the early colonial period. Two skeletons have been found, a male and female, with 26 ceramic pieces, an orange funerary pot, anthropomorphic figurines and pectorals of green stone, two magnetite mirrors. The figurines are noticeably Olmec in style as well as the pottery style. A DNA study will be done on a molar that was uncovered to determine ethnicity and spectroscopy and other tests will be taken on the figurines to try and determine the provenance of the material. The findings will be presented at the First International Congress of Anthropological Studies of the State of Puebla, which takes place from 5 to 9 December at the Autonomous University of Puebla.
INAH has the report below (in Spanish) with a slide show of both the ancient artifacts and some colonial art that was also excavated. (My note; the artifacts do indeed appear to be pure Olmec in style. However, there is a piece with straight arms---a few of these were in the find---that looks more central highlands in style, of the kind later produced at Teotihuacan.) You can see the slide show by clicking on the little red camera icon near the top.
December 2, 2011
The Sinagua and the Sunset Crater Volcano Eruption
Researchers have investigated the impact of the Sunset Crater volcano on the Sinagua peoples who lived nearby at the time of the eruption around 1000 CE. The eruption created an 1,100 foot volcano. The researchers have found that the lava flow from the volcano lasted up to 3 months, shorter than previous estimates. The researchers chose minerals in the hearths of the Sinagua that would have become demagnetized when they heated up and re-aligned when they cooled to measure. This measurement has revealed the eruption taking place between 1050-1100 CE. They then measured the levels of strontium in tree rings in the vicinity. Strontium is absorbed by trees during eruptions. The trees nearby had a spike in strontium at 1085 CE. The ash and cinder deposited over a large area acted as a mulch to preserve rainwater. This allowed the Sinagua to expand their farmlands and grow their population. Before the eruption, they lived in small clusters of pit houses. After the eruption, they built large pueblos. Their Wupatki pueblo expanded to 3 stories and 100 rooms.
Physorg has the report here;
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-12-volcanic-destruction.html
December 2, 2011
Carriacou’s Pre-Columbian Past
Archaeologists have found a very diverse collection of pre-Columbian non-native animal remains on the Caribbean island of Carriacou. Five species were introduced there between 1000-600 CE; opossum, peccaries, armadillos, guinea pigs and small rodents called agoutis. The remains are scarce suggesting these were consumed by the elite. The team will now attempt to locate housing with the remains to verify this. Carriacou's diversity in this area also suggests that the island served as an important trade nexus between South America and the rest of the Caribbean. The research has been published in the Journal of Biogeography.
North Carolina University News has the report here;
http://news.ncsu.edu/releases/wmsfitzpatrickanimals/
November 20, 2011
Ancient Andes Child Burials Uncovered
Archaeologists at the Sillustani site near Lake Umayo, in Peru, have found the bodies of 44 children that are suspected sacrifices between 1300-1400 CE. They were buried in pairs in baskets around funerary towers. They were newborn to 3 years old. They appear to be from the Kolla culture. They had volcanic stones placed on their chests and were surrounded by offerings; animals, food, dishes. Ceramics with war motifs buried with them suggest they were buried during a war. 200 other people have been found at this site.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-15813793
November 17, 2011
New Discovery at Kabah
INAH archaeologists have found a space at the Maya site of Kabah in the Yucatan where food for the elite was prepared. The material dates from 750-950 CE. The area is 40 by 14. They have found 30,000 pieces of pottery, plates, vases, animal remains, metates, hammers, blades, knives and scrapers. Chemical studies have confirmed theses finds.
They are determining what foods were prepared there. The kitchen is near the royal family quarters. In 1991, they found a similar large kitchen at Labna.
INAH has the report here (in Spanish) with a photo;
http://www.inah.gob.mx/index.php/boletines/17-arqueologia/5360-descubren-la-cocina-real-de-kabah
November 14, 2011
Ancient Bronze Artifact Found in Alaska
University of Colorado researchers have found the first pre-historic bronze artifact ever found in Alaska. It is probably from East Asia. It was found at the site of a 1000 year old house at the Bering Land Bridge National Park. Some leather on the object was dated to 600 CE. The object may be older than the leather. It appears to be a buckle or part of a harness. The object had to have been obtained by long distance trade to Korea, China, Manchuria or southern Siberia. The researchers are studying climate change in the area from 800-1400 CE.
Colorado.edu News has the story here with a video and a podcast of the find; www.colorado.edu/news/ and clicking on the story headline. A podcast on the find can be found at www.colorado.edu/news/podcasts/.
October 28, 2011
Sugiyama Finds a Numerical Engineering Pattern at Teotihuacan
The 5th Teotihuacan Round Table is ongoing in Mexico City. Teotihuacan archaeological expert Saburo Sugiyama, speaking at the Roundtable, has found a numeral design in the city equivalent to 83 centimeters.
He stated, "the stairway, the roof beams and the distance between the sculptures of snakeheads at the Quetzalcoatl Pyramid all use this measurement. The roof beam measures 1.66 meters in length, which corresponds to twice the unit I'm suggesting. The same thing occurs with the distance between the snakeheads which is four times the unit, and with the length of the stairway, which 13.2 meters, which is equivalent to 16 times the unit. One can also observe this numerical pattern in the pyramids of the Sun and Moon, as well as in the Citadel." He also spoke on the symbolism of the Pyramid of the Moon.
Indo Asian News Service has the story here;
http://in.news.yahoo.com/numerical-pattern-found-ancient-mexican-city-053724854.html
October 26, 2011
Sican Tomb Uncovered in Lambayeque
Archaeologists in Lambayeque, Peru have uncovered a 900 year old Sican tomb in the site rich area of Chotuna-Chornancap. The elite tomb included a copper and silver crown, mask and a necklace of ornaments of copper.
Andina has the short report here;
http://www.andina.com.pe/Ingles/Noticia.aspx?id=8zV4pTCsLEo=
And ITN News has a very good short you tube video of the find in HD--showing the artifacts found in the tomb very nicely.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JJ9yghKxLI
October 20, 2011
Pre-Clovis Mastodon Kill
In a crucial piece of evidence about ancient North American mastodon hunting related to the "Manis Mastodon" site in Washington state, evidence now points to the Pre-Clovis date of the mastodon kill at that site. When a sharp bone was found embedded in a mastodon rib in the 1970's, some archaeologists claimed the bone was 14,000 years old. Others argued that the bone was not a tool shaped by human hands. And that the sharp bone found in the mastodon's ribs could be part of the mastodon's skeleton. New tools have now been used to settle the argument. Bone protein has been extracted from the mastodon's damaged rib and has been radio-carboned. The specimen was dated at 13,800 years old, 800 years before the Clovis era. The sharp bony tip embedded in the rib was placed under a high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scan. Using this technique, they saw that the needle sharp shaft of the projectile point had been whittled down and sharpened. Bone protein and DNA was extracted from the projectile point. It was found that the bone implement was not from the mastodon that was killed. And it appears that the point was thrown by the use of an atlatl or spear thrower. Although one artifact does not make incontrovertible proof, the findings are seen as convincing. If this is true, we would now have three confirmed Pre-Clovis sites, the two others at Monte Verde, Chile and Paisley Cave in Oregon.
Live Science has the report here with a slide show and video of the kill within the story;
http://www.livescience.com/16641-early-american-hunters-mastodon.html
October 20, 2011
11,000 Year Old Tools Found in Baja California
INAH has discovered tools from 11,000-9000 years old in Baja California Sur at the site of El Coyote. Although these tools are within the Clovis era dates, the fact that they have been found in this coastal area supports the idea of a coastal migration route from Asia for the First Americans. Stone tools, shells and snails manipulated by humans have been found at the site as well as seafood the migrants consumed. Mother of pearl hooks have also been found. No human skeletons have yet been found there, so ethnicity of the group cannot be determined.
INAH has the story (in Spanish) here;
October 6, 2011
Major Finds at the Templo Mayor
Archaeologists have found a round Aztec ceremonial platform with 19 stone serpents heads at the Templo Mayor in Mexico City. It was built circa 1469 CE. Records indicate there were five such platforms in the complex. One other was found last year. Archaeologists are stating that they are getting closer to finding the tomb of an Aztec emperor now. Work in a nearby neighborhood site discovered a few years ago, and suspected of being the possible tomb of Aztec emperor Ahuizotl, found a stairway and offerings, but no tomb as of yet. Though the work there continues.
The Huffington Post has the story here;
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/06/aztec-temple-mexico-city_n_999145.html
And INAH reports on its finds directly;
The structure was found five feet deep and corresponds to Stage IV B, during the rule of Axayacatl. And again, INAH states that this may be close to a sacred precinct where emperors were buried. They have also found two tablets of stone with a Mexica shield related to Huitzilopochtli and to smoke and fire, perhaps referring to cremation. They will continue to excavate carefully and look especially for a staircase that could lead to a tomb.
INAH has the report here (in Spanish) with a very good slide show of the finds. Click on the tiny "fotos" link near the top.
October 5, 2011
Maya Road Uncovered in El Salvador
University of Colorado archaeologists have uncovered an ancient white road or sacbe buried by a volcano 1,400 years ago. The road led to the site of Ceren in El Salvador. Payson Sheets and his team, who found the buried village, has found the sacbe. Canals of water were running on both sides of the sacbe. The report states that this is the first sacbe found outside of the Yucatan. The sacbe looks like it is headed to two ceremonial structures that were unearthed in 1991.
One structure is believed to have been used by a female shaman. The adjacent structure contained the bones of butchered deer, a deer headdress painted red and blue and a large alligator-shaped pot. A celebration was going on when the volcano erupted. People ran to the south, possibly on the sacbe, when the eruption came in 630 CE, and the volcano was only one third of a mile away. Corn was left in pots and dishes left unwashed. People ran south, possibly on the sacbe. No human remains have been found as of yet.
12 buildings have been excavated at the site. 200 lived in the village. There are dozens of unexcavated structures and perhaps more settlements under the ash. In 2009, Sheets found intensely cultivated manioc fields. This is the first and only evidence of intense manioc cultivation in the New World. 10 tons of manioc were grown in the season before the eruption.
(my note; there was a sacbe uncovered at the site of Xochicalco in central Mexico, possibly built by Maya related invaders after the fall of Teotihuacan).
A video news story on Ceren is available by going to http://www.colorado.edu/news/ and clicking on the story headline.
Images of the site are available by entering the keyword "Ceren" at http://photography.colorado.edu/res/sites/news/.
EurekAlert has the report here;
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-10/uoca-ctd100511.php
October 4, 2011
Teotihuacan Beads Conundrum
An Idaho State University anthropologist and flintknapper, JIm Woods, is studying tiny obsidian beads found at Teotihuacan. The beads are of a golden hue obsidian. They were found 10 years ago at the site. All the obsidian that was the raw material for these beads came from one quarry. Woods is attempting to replicate how these beads were made. They were made from thin fragments of obsidian blades. Notches were made on the blades and then tiny pieces were broken off of the blade to make the bead. But they are having trouble rounding the beads. The Teotihuacanos had some kind of a tool to tap the center of the piece to punch out a cone piece and then smooth it into a circle. But the process is very difficult to copy. And they have not succeeded yet.
The Idaho State Journal has the report here;
http://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/article_20ad0fa6-ed89-11e0-967c-001cc4c03286.html
September 23, 2011
Maya Femaie Ruler Remains Found
A Maya woman ruler's skeleton, with her head placed between two bowls, has been uncovered at the site of Nakum in Guatemala. It is dated at 2000 years ago, found under a 1300 year old tomb. The body in the upper tomb may have also been a woman. These are the first burials found at the site. The burial spot may have been a royal mausoleum. The September issue of the journal Antiquity has the full story.
National Geographic has the report here with a slide show of the remains, showing flint knives with blue pigment, the color of sacrifice, and decorated signet rings among other things.
September 18, 2011
Mass Child Sacrifice Uncovered in Peru
Peruvian Archaeologist Oscar Gabriel Prieto has uncovered 42 children and 74 camelids remains that were sacrificed approximately 800 years ago in the fishing town of Huanchaquito in Peru. The mass sacrifice formed part of a religious ceremony of the pre-Inca Chimu culture for the fertility of the ocean and the land, and it represents the most important discovery related to human and animal sacrifices of the Chimu culture in terms of numbers of excavated individuals.
The International Business Times has the slide show report here, and the slides are striking.
September 9, 2011
Ancient Decorated Discs Found in Alaska
A University of Alaska Museum of the North team has found some first of their kind artifacts in northwest Alaska. They have found four decorated clay discs with complicated etchings on them. They have just begun to excavate the site. Boulders with petroglyphs had been found at the site in the Noatak National Preserve earlier. The meanings have not been deciphered and the dates on the finds have not yet been completed.
Past Horizons has the report with good photos you can enlarge;
September 9, 2011
Defensive Walls Found in a Maya Realm
Archaological surveys are turning up a series of stone walls used as Defensive borders between the Maya sites of Yaxchilan and Piedras Negras. They are 3 to 6 feet tall and stretch 4 miles through the rain forest. The walls were built circa 700 CE. Evidence of attacks on the walls have not been found yet, but the excavations are in their early stages. This is the first known case of defensive walls between Maya cities. Stephen Houston says that growing populations by 700 CE led to conflicts about land. There are a series of Maya settlements; Chicozapote, La Pasadita, Tecolote, and El Túnel near the walls. The Maya probably garrisoned warriors there to defend the borders. Construction began under the reign of Shield Jaguar III of Yaxchilan, who was under the control of Ruler 4 of Piedras Negras. By 713 CE, Yaxchilan was becoming more powerful and had defeated some Piedras Negras allies. And Shield Jaguar III was building these defensive walls quickly. There is a 10 year gap in the records between the death of Shield Jaguar III and the ascension of Bird Jaguar IV. This is referred to as the "interregnum." Bird Jaguar IV expanded the city and 20 military victories are recorded during this time. The long wars between Yaxchilan and Piedras Negras ended in 808 CE when Yaxchilan finally defeated Piedras Negras and burned the city. But Yaxchilan was soon abandoned and the walls left to decay.
Archaeology Magazine has the story here with photos;
http://www.archaeology.org/1109/features/maya_warfare_yaxchilan_piedras_negras.html
September 1, 2011
New Structures Excavated in Chiapas
Archaeologists working at the site of Plan de Ayutla in Chiapas have continued to uncover structures at the site each field season. The newest find is within a sunken courtyard dating to 50 BCE-50 CE. The city may be Sak T'zi or Ak'e. Sak T'zi means "white dog" in Maya and that city is referred to in the murals of Bonampak, where the defeat of that city took place in 787 CE. The city was fought over or in alliance with Bonampak, Yaxchilan and Tonina. In the last season, they uncovered a terrace used for food preparation and storage. This structure, structure 4, dates from 800 CE and was occupied up to 1000 CE. Two burials have been found from 900-1000 CE. One appears to be an offering due to the way in which she was buried. And the other is of a male of age 40. Work is ongoing.
INAH has the story here (in Spanish) with their usual very good slide show of the site. (click on the tiny "foots" link near the top.
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