Was CARNAC A Huge Astronomical Observatory? MegalithHunter 2026-09-22 | Was CARNAC A Huge Astronomical Observatory?
What Was Going On In This LEVANTINE CAVE 35,000 Years Ago? MegalithHunter 2025-01-29 | A engraved boulder found in a cave in Israel has been analysed to see whether its carvings are anthropogenic or natural. Interestingly, researchers think that it's a depiction of a tortoise shell that was cerated by hunter-gatherers more than 35,000 years ago. This find is significant because it was discovered in a part of a cave separate from the domestic areas so was probably a part of group ritual practices. It's the first time that evidence for a separate ritual area has ben found in a palaeolithic site in the Levant. In this video I discuss the paper detailing this fascinating research. #archaeology #paleolithic #prehistoric ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:50 Early Palaeolithic Art 03:03 The Manot Cave08:18 Tortoise Symbols✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSBlueSky: @MegalithHunter.bsky.socialX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESBarzilai, O., Marder, O., Tejero, J.M., Ayalon, A., Bar-Matthews, M., Abulafia, T., Lavi, R., Goder-Goldberger, M., Shemer, M., Edeltin, L. and Wiegmann, A., 2024. Early human collective practices and symbolism in the Early Upper Paleolithic of Southwest Asia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(51), p.e2404632121.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 Images about the Manot Cave discovery, credit: Barzilai, O., et al in the paper referenced above. CC BY 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Replicas of paintings at Lascaux Cave, credit: JoJanCC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Venus of Willendorf, credit: Bjørn Christian TørrissenCave lion, credit: Rainer Halama CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 An excavation at Manot Cave, credit: Manot Cave Expedition
Why Did A STONE From Northern SCOTLAND End Up At STONEHENGE? MegalithHunter 2025-01-26 | Over the past few years it's become apparent that the altar stone at Stonehenge did not originate in Wales as previously thought. After much research and analysis it's now become clear that it came from the Orcadian Basin somewhere in northern Scotland, although the exact location hasn't been determined. Now a new paper published in the journal Archaeology International has suggested reasons why such a journey may have taken place and how. The altar stone may well have been an important gift from a geographically distant Neolithic community. In this video I discuss all the research on the altar stone so far, as well as this latest paper. #archaeology #neolithic #stonehenge ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:01 Stonehenge03:35 The Altar Stone05:07 The Orcadian Basin 09:01 A Neolithic Connection ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSBlueSky: @MegalithHunter.bsky.socialX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESBevins, R.E., Pearce, N.J., Ixer, R.A., Pirrie, D., Andò, S., Hillier, S., Turner, P. and Power, M., 2023. The Stonehenge Altar Stone was probably not sourced from the Old Red Sandstone of the Anglo-Welsh Basin: Time to broaden our geographic and stratigraphic horizons?. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 51, p.104215.Clarke, A.J., Kirkland, C.L., Bevins, R.E., Pearce, N.J., Glorie, S. and Ixer, R.A., 2024. A Scottish provenance for the Altar Stone of Stonehenge. Nature, 632(8025), pp.570-575.Bevins, R.E., Pearce, N.J., Hillier, S., Pirrie, D., Ixer, R.A., Andò, S., Barbarano, M., Power, M. and Turner, P., 2024. Was the Stonehenge Altar Stone from Orkney? Investigating the mineralogy and geochemistry of Orcadian Old Red sandstones and Neolithic circle monuments. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 58, p.104738.Parker Pearson, M., Bevins, R., Bradley, R., Ixer, R., Pearce, N. & Richards, C., (2024) “Stonehenge and its Altar Stone: the significance of distant stone sources”, Archaeology International 27(1), 113–137. doi: doi.org/10.14324/AI.27.1.13John, B.S., 2024. A bluestone boulder at Stonehenge: implications for the glacial transport theory. E&G Quaternary Science Journal, 73(1), pp.117-134.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 Images, credit: Bevins, R.E., et al, 2023, in the paper referenced above. CC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images, credit: Clarke, A.J., et al in the paper referenced above. Images, credit: Bevins, R.E., et al in the paper referenced above. Images, credit: Parker Pearson, M., et al in the paper referenced above.Images of Fishguard Volcanic Group and Anglian Glaciation, credit: John, B.S., in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Stonehenge trilithon, credit: Mike PeelCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Stonehenge with visitors, credit: Margaret Anne ClarkeCC BY 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 Plan of Stonehenge, credit: Anthony JohnsonCC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 Stonehenge, credit: allen watkin Hanson Log Boat, credit: Roger from Derby, UKStones of Stenness, credit: John FergusonRing of Brodgar, credit: DJBRecumbent stone circle Loanhead of Daviot, credit: Mike and Kirsty GrundySherd of Grooved Ware pottery, credit: The Portable Antiquities Scheme/ The Trustees of the British MuseumSkara Brae, credit: John AllanCC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0]Stonehenge at sunrise on the winter solstice, credit: Vicky WJCC BY 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Altar stone, credit: The Stones of Stonehenge
Is This CARVING The EARLIEST Known 3D MAP? MegalithHunter 2025-01-23 | A group of engravings discovered in a cave in France during the 1950s have recently got attention from a team of geoscientists who think something hugely significant has been overlooked. After analysing other engravings, as well as natural features in the cave, they think that what we might be looking at is the earliest known example of a 3D map. In this week's ancient history news I discuss this research as well as ongoing excavations at the Mesopotamian site of Kurd Qaburstan in Iraq and the discovery of a 7,000-year-old Neolithic settlement in France. #ancienthistory #archaeology #paleolithic ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:03 Possibly the earliest known 3D map found in France04:01 Site in Iraq may have been the ancient city of Qabra07:25 Neolithic settlement belonging to the Cardial culture discovered in France✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSBlueSky: @MegalithHunter.bsky.socialX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESCassella, C. (2025). ‘Earliest Known 3D Map Found in Prehistoric French Cavern, Say Experts,’ Sciencealert, 8 January. sciencealert.com/earliest-known-3d-map-found-in-prehistoric-french-cavern-say-experts Thiry, M. and Milnes, A., 2024. PALAEOLITHIC MAP ENGRAVED FOR STAGING WATER FLOWS IN A PARIS BASIN SHELTER. Oxford Journal of Archaeology.University of Central Florida. (2025). ‘Lost Civilization Unveiled: Middle Bronze Age Tablets Reveal Hidden Mesopotamian History,’ SciTechDaily, 20 January. scitechdaily.com/lost-civilization-unveiled-middle-bronze-age-tablets-reveal-hidden-mesopotamian-historyRadley, D. (2025). ‘Archaeologists discover France’s oldest Neolithic settlement on the French Riviera,’ Archaeology News, 18 January. archaeologymag.com/2025/01/frances-oldest-neolithic-settlement ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Stele of Dadusha, credit: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP (Glasg)CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Cardial culture map, credit: JoostikOtherImages related to the 3D map, credit: Thiry, M., and Milnes, A., in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology as referenced above. Images related to Kurd Qaburstan, credit: University of Central Florida. Images related to the Neolithic settlement in France, credit: Sylvain Barbier, INRAP.
Were These NEOLITHIC SUN STONES A Response To a MAJOR CATASTROPHE? MegalithHunter 2025-01-20 | Why did the Neolithic inhabitants of Bornholm, Denmark deposit hundreds of decorated stone plaques into the ditch of a causewayed enclosure? Not only was such art unusual in northwestern Europe during the Neolithic, but this was a huge project that probably took place in a single event. Since many of the motifs on the stone plaques look like depictions of the sun and plants, archaeologists think their deposition may have been a response to a catastrophic cooling event that negatively affected agriculture. The team's research, published in the journal Antiquity, details evidence for a volcanic eruption that may have triggered this unique behaviour. #ancienthistory #archaeology #neolithic ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:51 Neolithic Engraved Plaques06:16 Volcanic Eruption 2900 BCE✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSBlueSky: @MegalithHunter.bsky.socialX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESIversen, R., Nielsen, P.O., Sørensen, L.V., Svensson, A., Steffensen, J.P., Land, A., Thorsen, M.S. and Nielsen, F.O.S., 2025. Sun stones and the darkened sun: Neolithic miniature art from the island of Bornholm, Denmark. Antiquity, pp.1-17.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images related to the ‘sun stones,’ credit: Iversen, R., et al. in the paper referenced above.
RUJM EL HIRI Wasn’t An ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY After All! MegalithHunter 2025-01-15 | Rujm el-Hiri is a massive megalithic monument in the Golan Heights that was first discovered in the 1960s. Made up of concentric circles with a huge tumulus in its centre, archaeologists have carried out several excavations there only to yield few artefacts. The lack of finds and the monument's uniqueness in the near East mean that its function has never been figured out with any certainty. However, various ideas have been thrown around over the years including that it was an astronomical observatory. A new paper in the journal Remote Sensing refutes this hypothesis based on tectonic changes in the region. In this video I discuss this and other interesting observations outlined in the paper. #archaeology #bronzeage #archaeoastronomy ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:07 Rujm el-Hiri 03:56 Remote Sensing Study ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSBlueSky: @MegalithHunter.bsky.socialX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESKhabarova, O., Birkenfeld, M. and Eppelbaum, L.V., 2024. Discussion Points of the Remote Sensing Study and Integrated Analysis of the Archaeological Landscape of Rujm el-Hiri. Remote Sensing, 16(22), p.4239.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images of the remote sensing project art Rujm el-Hiri, credit: Khabarova, O., et al. in the paper referenced above. CC BY 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Tumulus at Rujm el-Hiri, credit: BukvoedCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Side view of Rujm el-Hiri, credit: StaselnikCC BY 2.5 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5 Aerial view of Rujm el-Hiri, credit: Zeev Stein
Large BRONZE AGE Fortified Site Discovered In Northwestern ARABIA MegalithHunter 2025-01-11 | It's long been debated how urbanisation in the ancient past should be defined. However, there us a general consensus on which characteristics made a settlement urban. In northwestern Arabia the lack of data on Bronze Age residential sites has made the subject all the more complicated in that region. Now, the discovery and partial excavation of al-Natah in the Khaybar Oasis has provided archaeologists with new and important information on urbanisation in northwestern Arabia and how this may have been influenced by similar settlements in the Southern Levant. In this video I discuss the paper detailing the work that's been carried out at al-Natah. #archaeology #bronzeage #realarchaeology ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:31 The Oasis of Khaybar 03:11 Al-Natah 06:28 Low Urbanisation✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSBlueSky: @MegalithHunter.bsky.socialX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESCharloux, G., Shabo, S., Depreux, B., Colin, S., Guadagnini, K., Guermont, F., Dupuy, S., Bussy, M., Bec Drelon, N., Poulmarc’h, M. and Albukaai, D., 2024. A Bronze Age town in the Khaybar walled oasis: Debating early urbanization in Northwestern Arabia. PloS one, 19(10), p.e0309963.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images of al-Natah, credit: Charloux, G., et al. reprinted with permission from AFALULA-RCU-CNRS, 2024 in the paper referenced above. above.
3D SCAN Of Scroll Inside An AMULET Reveals Remarkable INSCRIPTION MegalithHunter 2025-01-10 | An Early Christian amulet from the ancient Roman settlement of Nida is the earliest evidence for Christianity north of the Alps and a recent scan of the scroll within it has uncovered some interesting features. In this video I discuss this exciting analysis as well as the discovery of thirteen mummies with gold tongues and nails at a Ptolemaic Egyptian site, an unusual sculpture found in Kuwait and the study of an undeciphered script on a basalt tablet in Georgia. #ancientegypt #ancientegypt #RealArchaeology ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:56 1,800-year-old amulet is the earliest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps 05:13 Archaeologists excavate 13 ancient Egyptian mummies with gold tongues06:23 Strange-looking sculpture dating back 7,500 years found in Kuwait08:15 Previously unknown script identified in Georgia✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSBlueSky: @MegalithHunter.bsky.socialX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESKillgrove, K., (2024). ‘1,800-year-old silver amulet could rewrite history of Christianity in the early Roman Empire', Livescience, 20 December. livescience.com/archaeology/1-800-year-old-silver-amulet-could-rewrite-history-of-christianity-in-the-early-roman-empire Jarus, O., (2024). ‘13 ancient Egyptian mummies found with gold tongues to help them talk in the afterlife', Livescience, 18 December. livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-egyptians/13-ancient-egyptian-mummies-found-with-gold-tongues-to-help-them-talk-in-the-afterlifePolish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw. (2024). ‘Kuwaiti-Polish team discovers figurine, local pottery production, and environmental clues', Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw, 28 November. https://pcma.uw.edu.pl/en/2024/11/28/kuwaiti-polish-team-discovers-figurine-local-pottery-production-and-environmental-clues/ McRae, M., (2024). ‘Ancient Tablet Etched With Mysterious Language Found in Georgia', Science Alert, 17 December. sciencealert.com/ancient-tablet-etched-with-mysterious-language-found-in-georgia ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Roman kitchen excavated from the Roman city of Nida in northwest Frankfurt, credit: Haselburg-müller CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 Map of Roman Nida: Haselburg-müller using openstreetmap.org OtherImage of the amulet, credit: Archaeological Museum FrankfurtImage of the CT scan of the amulet, credit: Leibniz Institute for Archaeology in MainzImages from the tomb at Oxyrhynchus, credit: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and AntiquitiesImages from Bahra 1, credit: Adam Oleksiak /CAŚ UWImages of the tablet from Georgia, credit: Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology.
What Does the LATE PLEISTOCENE Rock Art in the AMAZON Depict? MegalithHunter 2024-12-22 | A recent paper published in the journal Rock Art Studies discusses some of the enigmatic red ochre paintings out of the tens of thousands of motifs that were created in the Columbian Amazon more than ten thousand years ago. Combining ethnographic and ethnohistoric research, the authors of the paper give an insight into how the perspectivist and animistic cosmologies of local indigenous groups informed these incredible tableaus. #Amazon #RealArchaeology #rockart ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:49 Serranía de la Lindosa background 05:13 Ethnographic context ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSBlueSky: @MegalithHunter.bsky.socialX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESHampson, J., Iriarte, J. and Aceituno, F.J., 2024, August. ‘A World of Knowledge’: Rock Art, Ritual, and Indigenous Belief at Serranía De La Lindosa in the Colombian Amazon. In Arts (Vol. 13, No. 4, p. 135). MDPI.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Photographs and maps, credit: Hampson, J., et al., in the paper referenced above.
TWO MEGALITHIC Stone Circles Discovered In DEVON MegalithHunter 2024-12-16 | In this week's ancient history news my headline story is about the discovery two megalithic stone circles in Devon. I then discuss the reevaluation of an earthen and stone monument in Cornwall known as King Arthur's Hall and the discovery of an inscription in Syria that may push the invention of the alphabet back by five hundred years! #ancienthistory #Neolithic #RealArchaeology✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:58 Two previously unknown Neolithic stone circles found on Dartmoor05:06 Earthen and stone enclosure found to be 4,000 years older than previously thought 06:46 What may be the earliest example of the alphabet discovered in a tomb in Syria✨ RELATED VIDEOHow Turquoise Miners In Ancient Egypt Invented the Alphabetyoutu.be/tPdQKo8FIWs ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSBlueSky: @MegalithHunter.bsky.socialX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESMetcalfe, T., (2024). ‘2 Stone Age circles discovered on English moorland may have been part of a 'sacred arc',’ Livescience, 21 November. livescience.com/archaeology/2-stone-age-circles-discovered-on-english-moorland-may-have-been-part-of-a-sacred-arc Addley, E., (2024). ‘Cornish monument is 4,000 years older than was thought and ‘without parallel’,’ Guardian, 7 November. theguardian.com/science/2024/nov/07/cornish-monument-king-arthurs-hall-4000-years-older-without-parallel Naddaf, M., (2024). ‘Evidence of oldest known alphabet unearthed among Syrian tomb treasures’, Nature, 24 November. nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03876-3 ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Merrivale menhir, credit: HerbythymeGrimspound hut circle, credit: HerbythymeCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Grimspound Bronze Age settlement, credit: Vince HoggKing Arthur’s Hall, credit: Dietrich KriegerSerabit el-Khadim, credit: Roland UngerCC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 Merrivale stone rows, credit: Sandy GerrardPublic domainA standing stone at King Arthur’s HallProto-Sinaitic scriptOtherPhotographs of the Dartmoor stone circle, © Alan Endacott.Photographs of the clay cylinders, © Glenn Schwartz, Johns Hopkins University.
Is CAPRICORN Depicted In This ROCK CARVING? MegalithHunter 2024-12-08 | The earliest evidence for the zodiac goes back to Bronze Age Mesopotamia. During the 1st millennium BCE it then appeared in the Graeco-Roman world, with numerous mentions in texts and depictions in carvings. In Ptolemaic Egypt one famous representation of the zodiac was found on the ceiling of the Temple of Hathor at Dendera. Up until now, no depictions of the zodiac had ever been found in rock art. A new paper published in the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology argues that a petroglyph at the site of El-Hosh is a goat-fish and may represent the zodiac sign of Capricorn. Let's discuss this exciting discovery and what it contributes to our understanding of the zodiac in Graeco-Roman Egypt. #ancienthistory #ancientegypt #realarchaeology ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:14 The History of the Zodiac10:35 The Petroglyph at El-Hosh✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESEvans, L., Hardtke, F. and Claes, W., 2024. The Goat-Fish of El-Hosh: An Unusual Petroglyph Identified. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, p.03075133241288920.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSGoogle EarthMap of EgyptCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Photographs and diagrams related to the petroglyph, credit: Evans, L., et al. in the paper referenced above.CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Twelve classical constellations, credit: Till CrednerCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 The ecliptic path, credit: Tau’olungaGemma Augustea, credit: Dioscurides CC BY 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 Rectangular zodiac at Dendera, credit: Olaf TauschCC BY-NC-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 Greenstone seal of Adda, credit: © The Trustees of the British MuseumGreenstone facies cylinder seal, credit: © The Trustees of the British MuseumLimestone kudurru, credit: © The Trustees of the British MuseumMUL.APIN, credit: © The Trustees of the British MuseumOtherDendera zodiac, credit: © 2008 Louvre Museum, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Christian Décampshttps://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010028871 Public domainDrawing of Capricorn by celestial cartographer Johann Bayer
Unique STONE-PAVED CELLAR Discovered In NEOLITHIC House MegalithHunter 2024-11-13 | In this week's ancient history news my headline story is about the discovery of a Funnel Beaker house in Denmark with an unusual feature. It appears that the Neolithic inhabitants of the area built a cellar for agricultural produce which is an unexpected find. I then discuss a megalithic necropolis in Spain, the human remains from which have recently been reinvestigated. A sex bias in the excavated graves that persisted over a long period of time suggests people were buried based on matrilineal descent rather than the more frequently discovered patrilineal graves. I also look at a new study which uses network science and archaeology evidence to model the Late Bronze Age collapse in the Eastern Mediterranean. #ancienthistory #Neolithic #RealArchaeology✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:35 Stone paved cellar discovered under a Neolithic dwelling in Denmark03:03 Megalithic necropolis in Spain found to contain twice as many women as men04:52 New study models what may have caused the Late Bronze Age collapse ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESBrinch, M., Philippsen, B., Groß, D. and Kanstrup, M., 2024. STONE-PAVED CELLARS IN THE STONE AGE? ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR A NEOLITHIC SUBTERRANEAN CONSTRUCTION FROM NYGÅRDSVEJ 3, FALSTER, DENMARK. Radiocarbon, pp.1-25.Marta, DZ.B., Gonzalo, A.J., Margarita, S.R. et al. Female sex bias in Iberian megalithic societies through bioarchaeology, aDNA and proteomics. Sci Rep 14, 21818 (2024). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-72148-xLinkov, I., Galaitsi, S.E., Trump, B.D., Pinigina, E., Rand, K., Cline, E.H. and Kitsak, M., 2024. Are civilizations destined to collapse? Lessons from the Mediterranean Bronze Age. Global Environmental Change, 84, p.102792.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Photographs and diagrams related to Panoría, credit: Marta, DZ. B., et al. in the paper referenced above.Photographs and diagrams related to the Late Bronze Age collapse study, credit: Linkov, I., et al. in the paper referenced above.CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Pottery vessel belonging to the Funnel Beaker culture discovered in Denmark, credit: NationalmuseetCC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 Reconstruction of a Funnel Beaker culture house, credit: melalouiseOtherPhotographs and diagrams related to the stone-paved cellar, © Brinch, M., Philippsen, B., Groß, D. and Kanstrup, M., 2024 published in the journal Radiocarbon as referenced above
The Maltese CART-RUTS: Bronze Age or Classical Period? MegalithHunter 2024-10-25 | The ancient cart-ruts in the Maltese islands are unique for the sheer number of them which outmatches any other location where similar tracks are found carved or worn into the bedrock. Since they are not featured on preshistoric artefacts or mentioned in historic texts, it's been difficult for experts to explain what they were for, when they were created and who made them. Many hypotheses about their origins have been put forward, some scholarly, others wild! However, field experiments, surveys, mapping and other research by archaeologists and geologists have gone a long way towards solving the conundrum. Join me as I look into the literature on Maltese cart-ruts and visit some incredible sites. #ancienthistory #mediterannean #realarchaeology ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:08 Features of a cart-rut03:36 Maltese history 06:04 The function of a cart-rut13:10 Sea-level change15:11 Method of transport ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESBonnici, H., 2007. The significance of Cart-Ruts in Ancient Landscapes. Santa Venera: Midsea Books Ltd. Malone, C., Grima, R., McLaughlin, R., Parkinson, E.W., Stoddart, S. and Vella, N., 2020. Temple places. In Excavating Cultural Sustainability in Prehistoric Malta, Volume 2 of Fragility and Sustainability–Studies on Early Malta, the ERC-Funded FRAGSUS Project. McDonald Institute Monographs, Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSPhotographs and videos of the cart-ruts, credit: MegalithHunter Aerial images, credit: Google Earth
OLDEST Known Map Of The World DISCUSSED MegalithHunter 2024-10-04 | The oldest known map of the world was carved onto a tablet in Mesopotamia around 3,000 years ago. Annotated in Akkadian in the cunieform script, the obverse contains geographic references and the reverse is about mythological regions featuring monsters and other characters. In this video I discuss this amazing artefact, along with the discovery of a large Neolithic agricultural complex in Morocco and the identification of more than 300 more geoglyphs on the Nazca Pampa plateau in southern Peru. #ancienthistory #Neolithic #RealArchaeology✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:08 Babylonian tablet depicting a map of the world discussed on Curator’s Corner05:20 Archaeologists discover evidence for the oldest farming society in Morocco 08:56 Hundreds more glyphs have been discovered in Peru✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESbritishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1882-0714-509 youtu.be/LUxFzh8r384?si=g-se2HgiFA3HXp5ZBroodbank C, Lucarini G, Bokbot Y, et al. (2024). Oued Beht, Morocco: a complex early farming society in north-west Africa and its implications for western Mediterranean interaction during later prehistory. Antiquity. Published online 1-20. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.101Starr, M. (2024). ‘Hundreds of Mysterious Nazca Glyphs Have Just Been Revealed,’ Sciencealert, 24 September. sciencealert.com/hundreds-of-mysterious-nazca-glyphs-have-just-been-revealed Sakai, M., Sakurai, A., Lu, S., Olano, J., Albrecht, C.M., Hamann, H.F. and Freitag, M., 2024. AI-accelerated Nazca survey nearly doubles the number of known figurative geoglyphs and sheds light on their purpose. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(40), p.e2407652121.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Photographs and diagrams related to Oued Beht, credit: Broodbank, C., et al. in the paper referenced above.CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 Photographs and diagrams related to the Nazca geoglyphs, credit: Sakai, M., et al. in the paper referenced above.CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 Photographs of the Babylonian tablet, credit: © The Trustees of the British MuseumNazca bird geoglyph, credit: Diego DelsoNazca linear geoglyph, credit: Diego Delso
Who INVENTED The GAME Of Fifty-Eight Holes? MegalithHunter 2024-10-02 | The ancient game of fifty-eight holes was played across a wide geographic area, from north Africa to southwestern Asia. Most of the research into it compares the different types of game boards and its different layouts, as well as suggesting what the rules may have been. Now, a new study on game boards excavated from Azerbaijan looks into how the game may have been transmitted. Interestingly, unlike the wooden and ceramic game boards found in other areas, those in Azerbaijan are pecked into large stone slabs making them immovable which means it's improbable that they were imported. This, along with other evidence, also leads the authors of the paper to suggest that the game may have originated in southwestern Asia rather than Egypt as is generally thought. #ancienthistory #ancientgames #RealArchaeology✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:04 The game of fifty-eight holes04:07 Game boards excavated from Azerbaijan07:46 Cultural influences ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESCrist W, Abdullayev R. Herding with the Hounds: The Game of Fifty-eight Holes in the Abşeron Peninsula. (2024). European Journal of Archaeology, 1-20. doi:10.1017/eaa.2024.24✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images about the ancient game research, credit: García Sanjuán L, et al., in the paper referenced above.Public domainGame of fifty-eight holes game board and game pieces from ancient Egypt
NEW Dates For SUBMERGED NEOLITHIC Bridge In MALLORCA MegalithHunter 2024-09-28 | Research on a submerged Neolithic bridge in a cave on Mallorca that was thought to date to the Naviform period, has yielded a much earlier date of around 6,000 years ago. Not only does this change the date of the bridge, but it also pushes back the timeline for the human occupation of Mallorca by more than a millennium. In this video I discuss this research, as well as an analysis of copper pollution at the ancient Khufu harbour in Egypt and the direct and indirect evidence for the use of skin boats in Neolithic Scandinavia. #ancienthistory #Neolithic #RealArchaeology✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:44 Submerged Neolithic bridge in Mallorca reveals earlier date than previously thought04:18 Copper pollution in Egypt found to date back 5,000 years06:15 New study suggests Neolithic Scandinavians used skin boats✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESUniversity of South Florida, (2024). ‘What a submerged ancient bridge discovered in a Spanish cave reveals about early human settlement,’ Phys Org, 30 August. phys.org/news/2024-08-submerged-ancient-bridge-spanish-cave.html Onac, B.P., Polyak, V.J., Mitrovica, J.X. et al. (2024). Submerged bridge constructed at least 5600 years ago indicates early human arrival in Mallorca, Spain. Commun Earth Environ 5, 457. doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01584-4 Howell, E. (2024). ‘5,000-Year-Old Copper Pollution Found near the Pyramidst,’ Eos, 23 August. eos.org/articles/5000-year-old-copper-pollution-found-near-the-pyramids Fauvelle, M., Horn, C., Alvå, J. et al. Skin Boats in Scandinavia? Evaluating the Maritime Technologies of the Neolithic Pitted Ware Culture. (2024). Journal of Marine Archaeology, doi.org/10.1007/s11457-024-09408-4✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 Photographs and diagrams related to the submerged bridge, credit: Onac, B.P., et al. in the paper referenced above. Map of Khufu branch of the Nile, credit: Sheisha, H., et al. 2022. CC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Photographs and diagrams related to the skin boats, credit: Fauvelle, M., et al. in the paper referenced above.CC BY 2.5 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5 The Great Pyramid of Giza, credit: NinaPublic domain,Pyramids of GizaGoogle EarthLocation of Mallorca
How Did The ANCIENTS Build The DOLMEN OF MENGA? MegalithHunter 2024-08-31 | The Dolmen of Menga is one of the most magnificent megalithic structures in Europe. Dating back more than 5,000 years, the ancient builders of this burial monument transported and placed enormous megaliths including one weighing approximately 150 tons. Unlike other Iberian monuments it was not oriented to the solstices, but towards a natural land formation where a cave full of Neolithic art has been found.A new study has analysed the logistical and engineering complexities that would have gone into the construction of the Menga Dolmen and has found that the ancient megalith builders were incredibly sophisticated. Furthermore, these Neolithic engineers appear to have been innovators since there don't seem to be simpler versions of the dolmen in the area that would show a gradual improvement in construction skills over time. #ancienthistory #megalithic #neolithic ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:47 The Antequera Megalithic Site05:00 The Dolmen of Menga✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSX: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESJosé Antonio Lozano Rodríguez, et al. ,Early science and colossal stone engineering in Menga, a Neolithic dolmen (Antequera, Spain).Sci. Adv.10,eadp1295 (2024).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.adp1295 García Sanjuán L, Medialdea A, Balsera Nieto V, et al. A multimethod approach to the genesis of Menga, a World Heritage megalith. Quaternary Research. 2023;111:1-20. doi:10.1017/qua.2022.33García Sanjuán, L., Montero Artús, R. and Mora Molina, C., 2021. Waterscapes through time. The Menga well as a unique hydraulic resource in its geographic and historical context. Human Made Environments.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC-BY-NC 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 Images about the Dolmen of Menga engineering research, credit: José Antonio Lozano Rodríguez, et al., in the paper referenced above. CC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images about the Dolmen of Menga dating research, credit: García Sanjuán L, et al., in the paper referenced above.CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Dolmen of Menga entrance and area in front of it, credit: Pedro J PachecoAlignment towards La Peña de los Enamorados, credit: Malopez 21CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Dolmen of Menga entrance, credit: GrezCarnac alignments, credit: PinpinNewgrange, credit: Ingo WinklerWell inside the Dolmen of Menga, credit: Juan de VojníkovCC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0Dolmen of Menga pillars, credit: Ángel M. Felicísimo Public domainCromeleque dos Almendres
Why Did The MYCENEANS Collect Large Animal FOSSILS? MegalithHunter 2024-08-22 | In ancient Greece collecting fossils was associated with mythology. The legends of heroes and monsters were inspired by the fossilised remains of large animals that had long since been extinct. However, researchers haven't been able to determine how far back the tradition of collecting of large animal fossils in the Aegean goes. Evidence from the Late Bronze Age has been found in the past but the artefacts often came from unsecured contexts. Now, a reanalysis of a fossil from the Bronze Age Mycenaean citadel has shown that the people who lived there did collect them. Of course, it's still not clear why they did, but there's a strong possibility it was for magical or ritual reasons.In this week's ancient history news I discuss the paper that details the research into this fossil from Mycenae, as well as the discovery of a Maya stone slab featuring 123 glyphs and the excavation of a cult temple at the Etruscan necropolis of Sasso Pinzuto. #ancienthistory #bronzeage #mycenaeans ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:34 Evidence of large animal fossil collecting found at Bronze Age Mycenae06:44 Stone slab discovered featuring 123 Maya glyphs 08:14 Temple discovered at the Etruscan necropolis of Sasso Pinzuto✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESMeier, J.S., Pliatsika, V. & Shelton, K. The earliest evidence of large animal fossil collecting in mainland Greece at Bronze Age Mycenae. Sci Rep 14, 19158 (2024). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-68778-wStarr, M. (2024). ‘123 Maya Glyphs Found on Huge Stone Reveal Secrets of a Lost City,’ Sciencealert, 15 August. sciencealert.com/123-maya-glyphs-found-on-huge-stone-reveal-secrets-of-a-lost-city Milligan, M. (2024). ‘Cult temple found in Etruscan necropolis of Sasso Pinzuto,’ Heritage Daily, 27 July. heritagedaily.com/2024/07/cult-temple-found-in-etruscan-necropolis-of-sasso-pinzuto/152754 ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 Diagrams related to the DNA study of the plague, credit: Meier, J. S., et al., in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 2.5 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5 Lion’s Gate at Mycenae, credit: Andreas TrepteCC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0Path up the Lion’s Gate at Mycenae, credit: Andy HayNohoch Mul pyramid, credit: Gautier Poupeau Other Images of the Maya stone slab from Cobá and the excavation, credit: National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH)Image of the Etruscan cult temple, credit: Centre for Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies (CAMNES)
Who were the TARTESSIANS? MegalithHunter 2024-08-19 | Not a great deal is known about the Tartessians who occupied the area around the Guadalquivir river valley on the Iberian Peninusla in the Iron Age. Heavily influenced by Phoenician culture, most of what is known about them comes from ancient Greek writers and several archaeological sites. #ancient #ancienthistory #archaelogy ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ VIDEO & PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Tartessian warrior stelaeCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Tartessian gold headband, credit: Aliseda diadema de tipo ibéricoMap of Tartessos, credit: Tyk CC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0Tartessian earrings found on a statue, credit: Ángel M. Felicísimo Tartessian script, credit: Mesas de Castelinho
The ENIGMATIC eye idols of TEL BRAK MegalithHunter 2024-08-18 | These eye figurines were excavated from a site known as Tell Brak in Syria. Dating back to the Chalcolithic they were discovered in a building referred to as the eye temple. They were probably votive offerings to an unknown goddess. It's thought the eye temple is the earliest site of organised religion in the region. #ancient #ancienthistory #archaelogy ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ VIDEO & PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSEye idol, asset number, 23122001Eye idol, asset number, 23125001Eye idol, asset number, 23117001Eye idol, asset number, 433327001Eye idol, asset number, 433329001© The Trustees of the British Museum. Shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) licence.
STONEHENGES altar stone travelled from SCOTLAND! MegalithHunter 2024-08-16 | Last year I posted a video about research into the altar stone at Stonehenge. Unlike the sarsen stones which were sourced locally and the bluestones which had somehow arrived there from Wales, the altar stone's provenance was not known with any certainty. Researchers carried out a range of tests on previously obtained samples and discovered that it probably originated much further afield. Now, they've gone a step further and narrowed down the altar stone's source as the Orcadian Basins of northeast Scotland. This includes Orkney and part of the mainland so there's an intriguing possibility that the earlier megalith builders of the Stones of Stenness or their descendants had a connection to the south of England. #ancienthistory #megalithic #stonehenge✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESBevins, R.E., Pearce, N.J., Ixer, R.A., Pirrie, D., Andò, S., Hillier, S., Turner, P. and Power, M., 2023. The Stonehenge Altar Stone was probably not sourced from the Old Red Sandstone of the Anglo-Welsh Basin: Time to broaden our geographic and stratigraphic horizons?. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 51, p.104215Clarke, A.J.I., Kirkland, C.L., Bevins, R.E. et al. A Scottish provenance for the Altar Stone of Stonehenge. Nature 632, 570–575 (2024). doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07652-1✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Diagram of the geological layers of Britain. CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Stonehenge from inside the inner circle, credit: BeltanemoonStonehenge trilithon, credit: Timothy DarvillStonehenge in the fog, credit: Cbuske46CC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0Stonehenge, credit: mari
OLDEST Example of VISUAL STORYTELLING Identified in ROCK ART MegalithHunter 2024-08-13 | Visual storytelling has a long history but the date just got even earlier! In Europe both figurative and narrative art didn't become a feature of cave paintings until the end of the Late Pleistocene, around 20,000 years ago. However, in Indonesia such art goes back much earlier. New dating techniques applied to two scenes on the island of Suwalesi have yielded even earlier dates than before which means this tradition is incredibly ancient. #ancienthistory #palaeolithic #prehistory ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:02 Cave painting of a hunt re-dated using laser-ablation 06:10 3,500-year-old furniture shopping list discovered in Turkey07:10 Cuneiform tablets detailing omens related to a lunar eclipse have been deciphered08:31 Woman who died 12,000 years ago in Turkey may have been a shaman ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESOktaviana, A.A., Joannes-Boyau, R., Hakim, B. et al. Narrative cave art in Indonesia by 51,200 years ago. Nature 631, 814–818 (2024). doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07541-7 Tjandra, K. (2024). ‘3,500-year-old tablet in Turkey turns out to be a shopping list,’ Livescience, 31 July. livescience.com/archaeology/3500-year-old-tablet-in-turkey-turns-out-to-be-a-shopping-list Jarus, O. (2024). ‘'A king will die': 4,000-year-old lunar eclipse omen tablets finally deciphered,’ Livescience, 6 August. livescience.com/archaeology/a-king-will-die-4-000-year-old-lunar-eclipse-omen-tablets-finally-deciphered Yirka, B. (2024). ‘Woman buried 12,000 years ago in Turkey may have been a shaman.’ Phys org, 31 July. phys.org/news/2024-07-woman-years-turkey-shaman.html#google_vignette ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images about the cave art research, credit: Oktaviana, A.A., et al, in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Hunting scene in Lascaux Cave, credit: NachosanLion Man, credit: Dagmar HollmannOtherImages of the cuneiform tablet from Turkey, credit: Courtesy of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and TourismCuneiform tablet from Iraq, credit: © The Trustees of the British MuseumPossible shamanic burial, credit: Associate Professor Doctor Ergül Kodaş
The BEAUTY and MYSTERY of the CASTELLUCCIO CULTURE MegalithHunter 2024-08-12 | Bronze Age Sicily was home to several fascinating Bronze Age cultures. In the inland areas of the southeast the Castelluccio Culture, with its distinctive pottery and elaborate tombs, flourished for several hundred years. Some amazing artefacts have been preserved from the Castelluccio Culture including a tomb cover with an intriguing spiral motif. #ancienthistory #bronzeage #Sicily ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ VIDEO & PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Pottery of the Castelluccio Culture, credit: ZdeTomb in the Cava d’Ispica, credit: Davide MauroOrsi tomb, credit: Davide Mauro CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Tomb cover with spiral motif, credit: Davide MauroOtherGlobular bone carving, credit: F. Nicoletti
Which are the OLDEST CITIES in the AMERICAS? MegalithHunter 2024-08-11 | The Sacred City of Caral-Supe is widely thought to be one of the oldest urban centres in the Americas. Other similar settlements sit along the same river valley and provide evidence for complex societies more than 5,000-years-ago in what is now Peru. #ancienthistory #ancientamerica #archaeology ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ VIDEO & PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 Caral-Supe pyramids, credit: Percy MezaCC BY 2.5 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5 Monolith at Caral-Supe, credit: I, XauxaTerraced construction of a pyramid at Caral-Super, credit: I, XauxaPublic domainSunken plaza
Was The OLDEST PYRAMID Built Using WATER POWER? MegalithHunter 2024-08-10 | A fascinating new paper has put forward the idea that the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara was built using a hydraulic lift system. This intriguing hypothesis suggests that features close to this ancient Egyptian pyramid acted as a dam and water treatment system. Its shafts, granite boxes and other structures then made up a hydraulic mechanism for lifting the huge stone blocks into place. As far as I know, this idea has only been suggested for the Step Pyramid. However, it would be interesting to see if attributes of other ancient Egyptian pyramids also look like they could have been part of such a system. Let me know what you think of the hypothesis and the evidence to support it in the comments! #ancienthistory #ancientegypt #saqqara ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:14 Saqqara Water Sources04:03 The Gisr el-Mudir ‘Dam’06:04 A Water Treatment System07:53 Central Hydraulic Lift System✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESLandreau, X., Piton, G., Morin, G., Bartout, P., Touchart, L., Giraud, C., Barre, J.C., Guerin, C., Alibert, A. and Lallemand, C., 2024. On the possible use of hydraulic force to assist with building the Step Pyramid of Saqqara. PloS one, 19(8).✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Diagrams related to the hydraulic lift, credit: Landreau, VX., et al., in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Step Pyramid of Djoser, credit: GT1976CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Step Pyramid of Djoser from a distance, credit: Buyoof
EXPLORING the CYCLOPEAN walls of SEGNI MegalithHunter 2024-08-05 | I recently visited Segni in the Lepini Mountains southeast of Rome. This town is something special! Aside from the beautiful location and many historic ruins from different time periods, it's also home to lots of megalithic cyclopean walls. As you may know from my longer videos on the cyclopean walls in Italy, there's an air of mystery around them. Supposedly Roman, they are remarkably different to the most common construction types the Romans used. Legend has it they were built by a Bronze Age Aegean culture, but there's practically no evidence to support this. Let me know what you think in the comments. #ancienthistory #ancientrome #segni ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ VIDEO & PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSAll videos and photographs, credit: MegalithHunter
Did The PLAGUE Cause The NEOLITHIC Collapse? MegalithHunter 2024-07-27 | In this week's ancient history news I discuss two new research papers on the Neolithic origins of both the plague and brucella melitensis, as well as the discovery of a subterranean structure underneath a Maya ball court in Mexico and an interesting find related to a dyed textile fragment from the Cave of Skulls in Israel. #ancienthistory #archaeology #Neolithic ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:53 Plague may have caused the Neolithic population collapse04:22 Preserved genome reveals that Brucella melitensis has a Neolithic origin06:02 Underground Mayan structure discovered in Mexico 07:37 New study reveals a red pigment used to dye an ancient piece of cloth travelled far✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESSeersholm, F.V., Sjögren, KG., Koelman, J. et al. Repeated plague infections across six generations of Neolithic Farmers. Nature (2024). doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07651-2L’Hôte, L., Light, I., Mattiangeli, V. et al. An 8000 years old genome reveals the Neolithic origin of the zoonosis Brucella melitensis. Nat Commun 15, 6132 (2024). doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50536-1Geggel, L. (2024). ‘Mysterious Maya underground structure unearthed in Mexico,’ Livescience, 14 July. livescience.com/archaeology/mysterious-maya-underground-structure-unearthed-in-mexicoHale, T. (2024). ‘3,800-Year-Old Red Cloth Found In Cave Of Skulls Came From Far, Far Away,’ Livescience, 19 July. iflscience.com/3800-year-old-red-cloth-found-in-cave-of-skulls-came-from-far-far-away-75155 ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Diagrams related to the DNA study of the plague, credit: Seersholm, F. V., et al., in the paper referenced above. CC BY 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Diagrams related to the DNA study of the brucella melitensis, credit:L’Hôte, L., et al., in the paper referenced above.CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Tikal ball court, credit: Simon Burchell CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Hjelmars rör passage grave, credit: Gunnar CreutzOtherLiDAR of the site, credit: Žiga Koka via INAH.Part of the subterranean structure, credit: Octavio Esparza Olguín via INAH.Flint tool from the newly discovered pyramid, credit: Octavio Esparza Olguín via INAH.Ceramic animal from he newly discovered pyramid, credit: Octavio Esparza Olguín via INAH.Textile from the Cave of Skulls, credit: Dafna Gazit / Israel Antiquities AuthorityExcavation at the Cave of Skulls, credit: Yuli Schwartz / Israel Antiquities AuthorityPublic domainPhotomicrograph of Brucella melitensis
New RESEARCH On LEBANON’S MEGALITHIC Monuments MegalithHunter 2024-07-25 | The 45 extant megalithic tombs near Menjez in Lebanon are sophisticated structures dating to the Chalcolithic and the Bronze Age. A new study called the 'MEG-A project - First megalith buildings in the northern Levant,' is shedding new light on these incredible monuments. In this video I discuss the excavation history of these tombs and look at some interesting research that's been done into them including a recent paper based around the current project that analyses their architecture and geomorphology. #ancienthistory #archaeology #megalithic ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:15 The Menjez Monuments 05:36 Tomb ST_11807:17 Tomb ST_129✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESDefours Rivoira, M., Cousseau, F. & Steimer-Herbet, T. The Levantine Megalithic Building Techniques: A Groundbreaking Method Applied to Menjez’s Monuments (Akkar, Lebanon) from the 4th–3rd Millennium BCE. J Archaeol Method Theory (2024). doi.org/10.1007/s10816-024-09654-9Steimer-Herbet, T., Cousseau, F., Haïdar-Boustani, M., Porra-Kuteni, V. and Besse, M., 2020. Megalithic art in the Levantine Rift Valley: the case of the Menjez megalithic monuments in the Akkar (Northern Lebanon). Akkadica, 141(1), pp.1-24.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images about the Standing Stones Circle research, credit: Defours Rivoira, M., et al, in the paper referenced above.
The important MESOLITHIC site of STAR CARR MegalithHunter 2024-07-20 | Star Carr is a Mesolithic site in England dating back more than 11,000 years. Sitting on the edge of a palaeolake, numerous artefacts have been found there. The more interesting finds include almost two hundred barbed points, a decorated pendant and carved antler headdresses. #ancienthistory #archaeology #mesolithic ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Drawing of the Star Carr Pendant, credit: Milner, N., et al.CC BY-NC 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 Star Carr location, credit: Star Carr projectCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Antler headdress, credit: Jonathan Cardy Barbed points, credit: Jonathan Cardy
The Incredible Tomb Of Agamemnon MegalithHunter 2024-07-18 | Skara Brae is a well-preserved Neolithic village on Orkney in Scotland where prehistoric farmers lived in insulated houses that mostly had similar layouts. These villagers are known as Grooved Ware people because of their pottery that seems to have evolved on Orkney rather than having been imported. It then spread throughout Britain and Ireland. #ancienthistory #bronzeage #mycenaeans✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Entrance to the Tomb of Agamemnon, credit: NikosFF Side chamber within the Tomb of Agamemnon, credit: ZoeCC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0Tomb of Agamemnon from the front, credit: Ken Russell SalvadorPublic domainSketch of the Tomb of AgamemnonCorbelled dome of the Tomb of Agamemnon
NEW Study Into The STANDING STONE CIRCLES Of Saudi Arabia MegalithHunter 2024-07-16 | A new study details comprehensive research into the Standing Stone Circles in AlUla County, Saudi Arabia. These megalithic structures were built during the Neolithic by nomadic pastoralists as domestic dwellings. Excavations have yielded numerous flint tools, animal bones and stone objects and radiocarbon testing has given a date range of between the 6th and 5th millennia BCE. This new research is incredibly important because archaeological excavations of this specific area have been limited so little was known about the nomadic pastoralists that inhabited the region during the Neolithic. #ancienthistory #archaeology #megalithic ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:54 00:54 Harrat ‘Uwayrid03:11 Standing Stone Circles07:29 Neolithic Lifestyle✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESMcMahon, J., Stileman, F., Shipton, C., Strolin, L., Nassr, A., Porr, M., AlBalawi, Y., Kennedy, M. and Thomas, H., 2024. New evidence for Neolithic occupation in north-west Arabia: Standing Stone Circles on the Harrat ‘Uwayrid. Levant, pp.1-19.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images about the Standing Stones Circle research, credit: McMahon, J., et al, in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Mustatil structure, credit: Kennedy et al. Google EarthLocation of Harriet ‘Uwayrid
ETRUSCAN HOUSE Remains Found In CORSICA MegalithHunter 2024-07-12 | In this week's ancient history news my highlight story is about the discovery of the remains of an Etruscan house in Corsica. This is the first domestic building from the Etruscan period to ever be found there. Such finds are rare even on the Italian peninsula where the Etruscan civilisation originated. I then discuss the discovery of 20 rock art sites in Venezuela, an unusually large burial mound in the Czech Republic, and an ancient temple in Peru. #ancienthistory #archaeology #etruscans✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:44 Archaeologists excavate the first Etruscan domestic structure ever to be found in Corsica05:01 Newly discovered rock art in Venezuela could be from an unknown culture07:20 Burial mound found in the Czech Republic is one of the largest in Europe09:20 5,000-year-old temple discovered in Peru✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESInrap. (2024). Chiusevia, an Etruscan habitat on the eastern plain (Ghisonaccia, Upper Corsica)[Press release]. [Accessed 11 July 2024]. Available from https://www.inrap.fr/chiusevia-un-habitat-etrusque-en-plaine-orientale-ghisonaccia-haute-corse-19443 Nalewicki, J. (2024). ‘5,000-year-old ceremonial temple discovered beneath sand dune in Peru,’ Livescience, 8 July. livescience.com/archaeology/5000-year-old-ceremonial-temple-discovered-beneath-sand-dune-in-peru Jarus, O. (2024). ‘4,000-year-old rock art in Venezuela may be from a 'previously unknown' culture,’ Livescience, 2 July. livescience.com/archaeology/4000-year-old-rock-art-in-venezuela-may-be-from-a-previously-unknown-culture Metcalfe, T. (2024). ‘6,000-year-old burial mound in Czech Republic may be one of earliest funeral monuments ever found in Europe,’ Livescience, 3 July. livescience.com/archaeology/6000-year-old-burial-mound-in-czech-republic-may-be-one-of-earliest-funeral-monuments-ever-found-in-europe ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC-BY-NC 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 Diagrams related to the DNA study, credit: Parasayan, O., et al., in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Etruscan urn, credit: Dom8Mi Tomb from the Necropolis of Banditaccia, credit: JohnbodFunnel-Beaker culture vessel, credit: SkarpsallingkarretOtherImages of the Etruscan site in Corsica, credit: Inrap. Specifics below site details. Development: ChiuseviaScientific control: Service régional de l’archéologie, Drac de CorseArchaeological research: InrapScientific manager: Brice Chevaux, InrapAerial views of the site, aerial view of the domestic dwelling, archaeologists excavating the occupation layer: © B. Chevaux, InrapArchaeologists excavating the site: © Jean-Baptiste Jamin, InrapCross-section of the foundation: © F. Tacchini, InrapCross-section of a post hole: © A. Jamai-Chipon, InrapImages of the pottery sherds: © R. Antonietti, InrapImages of the rock art in Venezuela and the surrounding landscape, credit: José Miguel Pérez-GómezImages of the burial mound in the Czech Republic, credit: UHK Department of ArchaeologyImages of the temple in Peru, credit: DDC Lambayeque
Who lived in SKARA BRAE on ORKNEY? MegalithHunter 2024-07-06 | Skara Brae is a well-preserved Neolithic village on Orkney in Scotland where prehistoric farmers lived in insulated houses that mostly had similar layouts. These villagers are known as Grooved Ware people because of their pottery that seems to have evolved on Orkney rather than having been imported. It then spread throughout Britain and Ireland. #ancienthistory #archaeology #neolithic ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0An entrance in Skara Brae, credit: DanielhbordeleauInside of one of the Skara Brae houses, credit: YmblanterCC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 Skara Brae looking towards the coast, credit: Stuart Wilding Grooved Ware pottery sherd, credit: The Portable Antiquities Scheme/ The Trustees of the British MuseumPublic domainSkara Brae site plan
Examples of SKEUOMORPHISM from the NEOLITHIC MegalithHunter 2024-07-04 | Skeuomorphs are objects with design elements that copy structural features of similar objects, without being necessary to their particular function. When Greek temples were built in stone they often featured designs which copied the wooden beams of earlier structures. In this video I give a couple of examples from the Neolithic. #ancienthistory #archaeology #neolithic ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Neolithic pottery, credit: Einsamer SchützeC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Etruscan Necropolis of Banditaccia, credit: JohnbodPublic domainNeolithic potĦal Saflieni Hypogeum
HUGE And UNIQUE MINOAN Structure Found On CRETE MegalithHunter 2024-06-30 | In this week's ancient history news I lead with the discovery of a huge, circular Bronze Age structure on Crete. Although there's evidence it was built by the Minoan civilisation, nothing similar has been found and its not clear what its function was. I also discuss a DNA study that's been carried out on individuals from a Neolithic grave and pinpoints an important time in European prehistory, as well as the latest discoveries from a Bronze Age site in Wales. #ancienthistory #bronzeage #minoan ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:53 Unusual Bronze Age circular building excavated on Crete03:33 DNA from a Neolithic burial identifies an important time in European prehistory06:32 Ongoing excavations reveal more Bronze Age finds at a park in Cardiff✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESPaphitis, N. (2024). ‘4,000-year-old Greek hilltop site mystifies archaeologists. It could spell trouble for new airport,’ Livescience, 11 June. phys.org/news/2024-06-year-cretan-hilltop-mystifies-greek.html Curry, A. (2024). ‘Ancient family burial tells story of migration that reshaped Europe,’ Science.org, 19 June. science.org/content/article/ancient-family-burial-tells-story-migration-reshaped-europe Parasayan, O., Laurelut, C., Bôle, C., Bonnabel, L., Corona, A., Domenech-Jaulneau, C., Paresys, C., Richard, I., Grange, T. and Geigl, E.M., 2024. Late Neolithic collective burial reveals admixture dynamics during the third millennium BCE and the shaping of the European genome. Science Advances, 10(25), p.eadl2468.Morris, S. (2024). ‘‘Prehistory under our football pitches’: bronze age finds excavated from Cardiff sports field,’ The Guardian, 25 June. theguardian.com/science/article/2024/jun/25/prehistory-under-our-football-pitches-bronze-age-finds-excavated-from-cardiff-sports-field✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC-BY-NC 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 Diagrams related to the DNA study, credit: Parasayan, O., et al., in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Knossos, credit: Bernard GagnonOtherImages of Minoan structure, credit: Ministry of Culture, GreeceNeolithic burial in France, credit: INRAP Images of site in Cardiff, credit: Vivian ThomasPublic domainLayout of the Minoan building
How Did STONEHENGE’S Megaliths Really Get There? MegalithHunter 2024-06-20 | It's widely accepted that the 'bluestones' that make up part of Stonehenge have an origin in west Wales. This is in contrast to the sarsen stones which were quarried close to the monument. However, how the 'bluestones' made their way from Wales to the Salisbury Plain has long been debated. Many archaeologists argue for human agency. They have suggested that a Neolithic group quarried the stones in west Wales before erecting a stone circle nearby and then, eventually, moved them almost 200 miles to the Salisbury Plain to build Stonehenge. Several quarries in the Preseli Hills have been identified as being the origin of the 'bluestones.'Within the earth science community this hypothesis is not so well supported. It's argued that the 'bluestones' made their way east via glacier ice, possibly during the Anglian glacial episode around 450,000 years ago. A new paper written by geomorphologist Brian Stephen John and published in the E&G Quaternary Science Journal revisits this hypothesis. John analyses a large clast known as the Newall boulder that was excavated from Stonehenge. #ancienthistory #geology #stonehenge✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:20 The ‘Bluestones’06:20 The Newall Boulder✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESJohn, B.S., 2024. A bluestone boulder at Stonehenge: implications for the glacial transport theory. E&G Quaternary Science Journal, 73(1), pp.117-134.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images about the bluestones research, credit: John, B.S., in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Stonehenge landscape, credit: Juan BarbadoCC BY 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Stonehenge from the south, credit: TobyEditorCC BY 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 Drone footage of Stonehenge, credit: Ben Kenobi, 2014. CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 Waun Mawn, site of the possible original Stonehenge in Wales, credit: Hansjoerg LippCC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0Stonehenge, credit: garethwiscombeOtherMap of basic Pembrokeshire geology, credit: John, B.S., modified from aPembrokeshire Coast National Park base mapNewall Boulder, credit: Institute of Geological Sciences/British Geological SurveyEast sector plan, credit: Cleal, et al. (1995)Plan of bluestone and sarsen locations at Stonehenge, credit: Johnson, A. (2008).Durrington Rhyolite cobbled, credit: Wessex Archaeology
Was SEAHENGE Built For An ANCIENT Cuckoo RITUAL? MegalithHunter 2024-06-08 | A new interdisciplinary study makes the rather intriguing suggestion that two Bronze Age timber circles in England were constructed to carry out a cuckoo ritual and to bury a sacrificial warrior. Combining archaeoastronomy, archaeology and folklore, the author of the paper discusses how this ritual may have been enacted as a response to severe environmental change. In this week's ancient history news I talk about the study and also discuss an intervisibility analysis that has been carried out on the Gor River Valley megaliths in southeastern Spain. #ancienthistory #archaeology #bronzeagecomics ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:09 New study suggests Seahenge may have been built as a cuckoo enclosure 11:43 Intervisibility analysis carried out of the Gor River Valley megaliths in Spain✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESNance, D.A., 2024. Holme I (Seahenge) and Holme II: ritual responses to climate change in Early Bronze Age Britain. GeoJournal, 89(2), p.88.González, C.C., Almonacid, A.G. and Serrano, J.A.C., 2024. Approach to the visual landscape of the Gor river megalithic necropolises (Granada, Spain). Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, 33, p.e00335. ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images and diagrams about Seahenge and folklore, creditL Nance, D. A., in the paper referenced above. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 Images and diagrams about the Gor River megaliths, credit: González, C. C., et al., in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Artefacts of the Bell Beaker Culture, credit: Junta de Castilla y León, Archivo Museo Numantino, Alejandro PlazaCC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0Seahenge on display at the British Museum, credit: -JvL-Calanais Standing Stones, credit: M J Richardson CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Dolmen in the Llano de Olivares, credit: Falconaumanni
NEOLITHIC Site in GREECE Dated Using COSMIC Rays MegalithHunter 2024-05-27 | In this week's ancient history news I talk about how a waterlogged Neolithic village in northern Greece has been accurately dated using dendochronology and cosmic rays. I then discuss two surveys of intriguing rock art in the Eastern Desert of Sudan which speak of a wetter environment several millennia ago and the discovery of an elite Neolithic burial in Bavaria, Germany. #ancienthistory #archaeology #cosmicrays ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:51 Neolithic site in Greece dated using a Miyake event05:02 Rock art mapped in the Eastern Desert of Sudan08:49 6,800-year-old burial uncovered in Germany✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESMaczkowski, A., Pearson, C., Francuz, J., Giagkoulis, T., Szidat, S., Wacker, L., Bolliger, M., Kotsakis, K. and Hafner, A., 2024. Absolute dating of the European Neolithic using the 5259 BC rapid 14C excursion. Nature communications, 15(1), p.4263.Cooper, J. and Vanhulle, D., 2023. Rock Art Surveys in the Sudanese Eastern Desert: Results of the 2018–2019 Atbai Survey Project. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 109(1-2), pp.189-208.Metcalfe, T. (2024). ‘6,800-year-old burial of Neolithic 'mayor' unearthed in Bavaria,’ Livescience, 21 May. livescience.com/archaeology/6800-year-old-burial-of-neolithic-mayor-unearthed-in-bavaria ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images and diagrams on the Atbai research, credit: Cooper, J. And Vanhulle, D., in the paper referenced above. Images on the Dispilio research, credit: Maczkowski, A., et al., in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Dispilio tablet, credit: МикоReconstruction of Neolithic houses at Dispilio, credit: Tryfon ManolisReconstruction of pottery at Dispilio, credit: МикоCC BY 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 Dispilio settlement remains, credit: Hristina SavvatianouOtherImages from the excavation at Exing, credit: Dingolfing-Landau District
ARCHAEOLOGISTS Discover Multi-Period Site Next To A SPRING In FRANCE MegalithHunter 2024-05-22 | In this week's ancient history news my headline story is about the excavation of a site in France that was in use during the Neolithic, Iron Age and Roman period. The site is centred on a spring which appears to have had ritual significance to different cultures over the millennia. I then discuss the discovery of an unusual ancient funerary monument, also in France, the excavation of a Neolithic settlement in Serbia and the detection of a subsurface structure in the Western Cemetery of the Giza Plateau in Egypt. #ancienthistory #gizapyramids #neolithic ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:41 Roman ruins found on top of a more ancient site in France02:18 Unusual Neolithic monument discovered in France04:52 7,000-year-old settlement discovered in Serbia06:49 L-shaped subsurface structure identified in Giza, Egypt✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESMetcalfe, T. (2024). ‘1,700-year-old Roman ruins discovered atop much older Neolithic sacred spring,’ Livescience, 19 April. livescience.com/archaeology/romans/1700-year-old-roman-ruins-discovered-atop-much-older-neolithic-sacred-springInrap. (2024). A rural occupation and an ancient monumental installation in Chamborêt (Haute-Vienne). [Press release]. [Accessed 8 May 2024]. Available from https://www.inrap.fr/une-occupation-rurale-et-une-installation-monumentale-antiques-chamboret-haute-17962 Nalewicki, J. (2024). ‘'Unprecedented' discovery of mysterious circular monument near 2 necropolises found in France,’ Livescience, 18 April. livescience.com/archaeology/unprecedented-discovery-of-mysterious-circular-monument-near-2-necropolises-found-in-franceInrap. (2024). A protohistoric funerary sector in Marliens (Côte-d'Or). [Press release]. [Accessed 9 May 2024]. Available from https://www.inrap.fr/un-secteur-funeraire-protohistorique-marliens-cote-d-or-17934 Kiel University. (2024). ‘Archaeology team discovers a 7,000-year-old settlement in Serbia,’ Phys org, 30 April. phys.org/news/2024-04-archaeology-team-year-settlement-serbia.html Jarus, O. (2024). ‘Mysterious L-shaped structure found near Egyptian pyramids of Giza baffles scientists,’ Livescience, 14 May. livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-egyptians/mysterious-l-shaped-structure-found-in-giza-cemetery-what-is-it Sato, M., Saito, R., Abbas, A.M., Mesbah, H., Taha, A., Gaweish, W.R., Aldeep, M., Ali, A.M., Kurokouchi, H., Takahashi, K. and El‐Qady, G., 2024. GPR and ERT Exploration in the Western Cemetery in Giza, Egypt. Archaeological Prospection.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 Images about the discovery in Giza, credit: Sato, M., et al., from in the paper referenced aboveCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Giza pyramids, credit: Berthold WernerOtherImages of the excavation of the spring in France, credit: © Pierre Dupont, Inrap Development: DIRCO 87Scientific control: Regional Archeology Service (Drac Nouvelle-Aquitaine)Archaeological research: InrapScientific manager: Frédéric Devevey, InrapImages of the horseshoe-shaped monument, credit: © Jérôme Berthet, Inrap Development: Gravière EqiomScientific control: Regional Archeology Service (Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Burgundy-Franche-Comté)Archaeological research: InrapScientific manager: Régis Labeaune, InrapImage of the settlement in Serbia, credit: Cluster ROOTS/Museum of Vojvodina Novi Sad/National Museum Zrenjanin/National Museum PančevoImages of wheel model and geophysical survey being carried out and map of surveyed sites, credit: Fynn Wilkes
NEW Study Finds 31 PYRAMID COMPLEXES Sat On Lost Branch Of The NILE MegalithHunter 2024-05-20 | A new palaeoecological study has revealed the lost Ahramat branch of the Nile River along with several of its tributaries and may finally explain why 31 Old and Middle Kingdom pyramids were constructed where they were. Based on archaeological finds, experts have long thought that the valley temples, connected to pyramids via causeways, were harbour buildings. However, palaeoecological evidence to support this hypothesis had been lacking. Now a team of researchers has found that the existing valley temples between Lisht and Giza sit alongside the Ahramat Branch and its inlets. Those pyramids where valley temples have not yet been found, also run close to these water sources. So, it's likely that these channels helped in the construction of the pyramid complexes and were also a part of the funerary rituals that took place in them. #ancienthistory #ancientegypt #gizapyramids ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:02 The Khufu Branch03:18 The Ahramat Branch ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESSheisha, H., et al. (2022). Nile waterscapes facilitated the construction of the Giza pyramids during the 3rd millennium BCE, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2202530119 Ghoneim, E., Ralph, T.J., Onstine, S., El-Behaedi, R., El-Qady, G., Fahil, A.S., Hafez, M., Atya, M., Ebrahim, M., Khozym, A. and Fathy, M.S. (2024). The Egyptian pyramid chain was built along the now abandoned Ahramat Nile Branch. Communications Earth & Environment, 5(1), p.233.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 All images and drawings related to the Khufu Branch research, credit: Sheisha, H., et al., in the paper referenced aboveCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 All images and drawings related to the Ahramat Branch research, credit: Ghoneim, E., et a., in the paper referenced above CC BY 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Holocene water bodies and vegetation in the Sahara, credit: Larrasoaña, J. C., et al., in Dynamics of Green Sahara Periods and Their Role in Hominin EvolutionCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Map of Giza plateau showing remains of pyramids, mortuary temples and valley temples, credit: MesserWolandGiza Pyramids, credit: Morhaf Kamal AljaneeOtherReconstruction of possible harbour complex at Giza, credit: Ancient Egypt Research Associates (AERA)OtherMaps of the Rudston Cursus monuments and the Dorset Cursus, credit: Chris Collyer at ww.stone-circles.org.uk CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 Rudston Monolith, credit: Trish Steel
Ancient CURSUS Complex Revealed By LIDAR In IRELAND MegalithHunter 2024-05-04 | Cursus monuments are huge earthworks in Britain and Ireland dating to the Neolithic that look like long ceremonial pathways. They mostly stretch for hundreds of metres, but in some cases are much longer. Although their function is unknown, archaeologists think they may have played a role in tracking the agricultural seasons for and for commemorating the ancestors. In 2022 a lidar survey revealed a cluster of five cursus monuments in Ireland which were subsequently visited on the ground. A new paper published in the journal Antiquity discusses this incredible discovery. #ancienthistory #archaeology #neolithic ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:14 The Ancient Landscapes of Britain and Ireland 04:42 The Baltinglass Cursus Complex✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESO'Driscoll, J., 2024. Exploring the Baltinglass cursus complex: routes for the dead. Antiquity, pp.1-18. ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images and diagrams about the Baltinglass cursus monuments, credit: O’Driscoll, J., in the paper referenced above.CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Approximate course of the Dorset Cursus, credit: Jim ChampionGoogle EarthLocation of the Newgrange CursusOtherMaps of the Rudston Cursus monuments and the Dorset Cursus, credit: Chris Collyer at ww.stone-circles.org.uk CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 Rudston Monolith, credit: Trish Steel
Upcoming LUNAR Event May Prove STONEHENGE’S Alignment With The MOON MegalithHunter 2024-05-02 | The station stones at Stonehenge are known to align with the moon, but was this intentional? An upcoming rare lunar event will give archaeoastronomers the opportunity to study these alignments in more depth and hopefully answer this long-held question. In this week's ancient history news I discuss this story, as well as the discovery of a tomb belonging to a royal official and a priestess in Egypt, how machine learning is digitising the Indus Valley Script and what fossilised plants can tell us about the Iron Age Philistine culture. #ancienthistory #archaeology #stonehenge ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:52 The builders of Stonehenge may have incorporated lunar alignments 03:43 Tomb of a priestess and royal official found in Egypt05:03 Machine learning is helping to digitise texts from the Indus Valley Civilisation07:20 Plant analysis reveals Philistine ritual practices✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESMorris, S. (2024). ‘Rare lunar event to shed light on Stonehenge’s links to the moon,’ The Guardian, 15 April. theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/15/once-in-a-generation-lunar-event-to-shed-light-on-stonehenges-links-to-the-moon Jarus, O. (2024). ‘4,300-year-old Egyptian tomb with stunning wall paintings was burial place of priestess and royal official,’ Livescience, 24 March. livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-egyptians/4300-year-old-egyptian-tomb-with-stunning-wall-paintings-was-burial-place-of-priestess-and-royal-official Lowenstein, A. (2024). ‘Researcher uses machine learning to help digitize ancient texts from Indus civilization,’ Phys Org, 22 March. phys.org/news/2024-03-machine-digitize-ancient-texts-indus.html Frumin, S., Maeir, A.M., Eniukhina, M. et al. Plant-related Philistine ritual practices at biblical Gath. Sci Rep 14, 3513 (2024). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52974-9✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Diagram of solar calendar, credit: Darvill, T. (2022). Images and drawings from Gath, credit: Frumin, S., et al in the paper referenced aboveCC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Stonehenge, credit: Colin21958CC BY 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Copper plates with the Indus Script, credit: Vasant Shinde, Rick J WillisCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Aubrey holes, credit: AdamsanHarappa, credit” Smn121CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 Three stamp seals in the Guimet Museum, credit: ALFGRNCC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0Stonehenge at sunrise, credit: Stonehenge Stone CircleAubrey hole marker, credit: Rachelle HaunBent Pyramid, credit: Kristina Susa seal with Indus signs, credit: ALFGRNPublic domainStonehengeDiagram of major and minor lunar standstills Unicorn seal Tell eṣ-ṢâfīOtherImages of the Dahshur tomb, credit: DAI, Kairo / Stephan Seidlmayer
LARGE HENGE Monument Discovered Near Ruined Abbey In ENGLAND MegalithHunter 2024-04-14 | Local traditions near to a ruined medieval abbey in Lincolnshire, England, talk about a hermit who moved near there in the 7th century and inspired a later monastic community to grow up around the site where he had lived. However, interesting elements of his biography talk about a 'mound,' something that was also observed and drawn by antiquarians in the 18th century and picked up by modern geophysical surveys. Could it be that Saint Gulthlac built his hermitage on the site of a former Bronze Age barrow cemetery? Several thorough excavations took place a few years ago with the aim to answer this question and now a new paper published in the Journal Field Archaeology has revealed that the site is much more complex than previously thought. The remains of a a large henge have been found, the size of which is unusual in that particular part of England and several other interesting artefacts and buildings belonging to different time periods have emerged. #ancienthistory #archaeology #neolithic ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:00 Local Traditions 05:10 Recent Excavations✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESWright, D.W. and Willmott, H., 2024. Sacred Landscapes and Deep Time: Mobility, Memory, and Monasticism on Crowland. Journal of Field Archaeology, pp.1-20.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Drawings and images related to Crowland, credit: Wright, D.W. and Willmott, H., in the paper referenced above.CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 Crowland Abbey, credit: MymArch in Crowland Abbey, credit: Barbara CarrPublic domainBeginning of Felix's Life of St Guthlac, 8C, Parker Library, Corpus Christi College
Why Were GIANT HAND AXES So Big? MegalithHunter 2024-04-13 | One of the most prolific artefacts made by early humans was the hand axe. Thought to have been used as cutting tools hand axes can be found in many different sizes and shapes. However, some are so big or so small that they couldn't have been very practical. Were they symbolic? Were they used in rituals? Or maybe they played a role in attracting a partner? #ancienthistory #earlyhumans #palaeolithic ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Furze Platt axe, credit: José-Manuel Benito AlvarezFlint biface from Saint-Acheul, France, credit: Didier DescouensCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 A hand axe made of Miorcani flintPublic domainAtypical flint biface from the Lower Paleolithic Acheulean site of Kesselt
MULTI-PERIOD Ritual Burial Complex Discovered In GERMANY MegalithHunter 2024-04-10 | In this week's ancient history news my headline story is about the discovery of a burial site in Germany that was used by different cultures over several millennia. I then discuss a cave necropolis in Spain that was also used for thousands of years, sixteen 2000-year-old rock art sites in Brazil and the excavation of a Hittite clay tablet from the city of Büklükale.#ancient #archaeology #neolithic ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:41 Archaeologists find large Neolithic burial site in Germany 03:30 Researchers find that a cave necropolis in Spain was in use for four thousand years06:00 2,000-year-old rock art discovered in Brazil07:29 Mostly intact Hittite tablet discovered at Büklükale✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESNakewicki, J. (2024). ‘'Astonishing' Neolithic burial containing a human, cattle and chariot discovered in Germany,’ Livescience, 20 March. livescience.com/archaeology/astonishing-neolithic-burial-containing-a-human-cattle-and-chariot-discovered-in-germany Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt - Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte 2024. Burial mounds and a chariot grave. Archaeologists discover a Neolithic burial landscape on the Eulenberg near Magdeburg. [Press release]. [Accessed 18 May 2009]. Available from: https://idw-online.de/de/news830373 Metcalfe, T. (2024). ‘Ancient humans used cave in Spain as burial spot for 4 millennia, 7,000 bones reveal,’ Livescience, 4 March. livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-humans-used-cave-in-spain-as-burial-spot-for-4-millennia-7000-bones-reveal Felizola, L. (2024). ‘2,000-year-old carvings of celestial bodies and animals discovered on rocky cliffs in Brazil,’ Livescience, March. livescience.com/archaeology/2000-year-old-carvings-of-celestial-bodies-and-animals-discovered-on-rocky-cliffs-in-brazil Metcalfe, T. (2024). ‘3,300-year-old tablet from mysterious Hittite Empire describes catastrophic invasion of four cities,’ Livescience, 11 March. livescience.com/archaeology/3300-year-old-tablet-from-mysterious-hittite-empire-describes-catastrophic-invasion-of-four-cities ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images and diagrams about the Bronze Age vial and its contents, credit: Eskandari, N., et al., in the paper referenced above.Diagrams about the DNA study, credit: Simões, L.G., et al., in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Baalberge vessel, credit: Einsamer SchützeSchneiderberg tumulus, credit: Einsamer SchützeCC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 Lion Gate at Hattusa, credit: Carole RaddatoOtherImages from the Neolithic burial in Germany, credit: State Office for Heritage Management and Archeology Saxony-AnhaltImages from the Cova dels Xaragalls, credit: IPHESImages from the rock art in Brazil, credit: Rômulo MacêdoHittite clay tablet, credit: Excavation at Büklükale, credit: Kimiyoshi MatsumuraPublic domainMap of the Kingdom of Mittani
NEW STUDY Into ROCK ART Next To DINOSAUR Footprints In BRAZIL MegalithHunter 2024-04-07 | The Serrote do Letreiro site in northeastern Brazil has been studied extensively over the years by palaeontologists due to the theropod, sauropod and iguanodontian dinosaur tracks that can be found there. However, up until recently, little research had been done on Serrote do Letreiro's many petroglyphs, which are often found close to the dinosaur footprints. A new study published in the journal Scientific Reports analyses these petroglyphs and their relationship to the footprints. It seems that the ancients respected the dinosaur fossils and chose to intentionally include them in their graphic panels. #ancienthistory #archaeology #palaeontology ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:49 Serrote do Letreiro Site02:14 The Petroglyphs✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESTroiano, L.P., dos Santos, H.B., Aureliano, T. et al. A remarkable assemblage of petroglyphs and dinosaur footprints in Northeast Brazil. Sci Rep 14, 6528 (2024). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56479-3✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images and diagrams about the research at Serrote do Letreiro, credit: Troiana, L.P. et al. in the paper referenced aboveCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Dinosaur Valley National Monument, credit:Lucia Barreiros da SilvaPoison Spider Dinosaur Tracks, credit: The Dye Clan
What MEGALITHIC Monuments Did The TALAIOTIC Culture Build? MegalithHunter 2024-03-25 | The Talaiotic Culture built incredible megalithic structures on the Balearic Islands of Majorca and Menorca. They appeared during the Bronze Age, but even though their towers resemble those of the Nuragic people on Sardinia, there's no definite connection between the two cultures. On Menorca, some of their most intriguing monuments are the T-shaped pillars called taulas. They also constructed huge chamber tombs called navetas. #ancienthistory #bronzeage #mediterranean✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 Talaiot, credit: DreizungCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Taula, credit: DreizungPublic domainTalaiotic villageNaveta
What were ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SCARABS used for? MegalithHunter 2024-03-24 | Many ancient Egyptian artefacts in the form of the scarab beetle have been found all over the Mediterranean. Worn as jewellery and used as a seal, these artefacts were symbols of the deity Khepri, who represented the rising sun. #ancient #ancienthistory #ancientegypt✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSPublic domainGreen scarab from the Second Intermediate Period / Early New KingdomScarab with Throne Name of Senwosret II Scarab ringWinged scarabBlue scarab from New Kingdom
NEW Research On The OLDEST MEDITERRANEAN BOATS Found So Far MegalithHunter 2024-03-23 | The submerged site of La Marmotta in Lake Bracciano near Rome, has yielded amazingly well-preserved artefacts over the past few decades of excavations. From analysing their textiles, baskets, wooden utensils and house remains, archaeologists have slowly built up a picture of how the Neolithic inhabitants of this settlement lived. It was at La Marmotta that the oldest boats found so far in the Mediterranean were discovered. These five canoes, parked next to the houses, which had been suddenly abandoned, are large enough to have been used for lake, river and sea navigation. In this video I discuss the latest study on these ancient canoes. #ancienthistory #mediterranean #neolithic ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction01:16 Neolithic Seafaring02:26 La Marmotta05:14 The Canoes✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESGibaja JF, Mineo M, Santos FJ, Morell B, Caruso-Fermé L, Remolins G, et al. (2024). The first Neolithic boats in the Mediterranean: The settlement of La Marmotta (Anguillara Sabazia, Lazio, Italy). PLoS ONE 19(3): e0299765. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299765Mineo M, Mazzucco N, Rottoli M, Remolins G, Caruso-Ferme L, Gibaja JF. Textiles, basketry and cordage from the Early Neolithic settlement of La Marmotta, Lazio. Antiquity. 2023; 97(392):314-330.✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images and diagrams about the canoes at La Marmotta, credit: Gibaja, JF., et al. in the paper referenced above. Images of other artefacts at La Marmotta, credit: Mineo, M., et al. in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Map of the spread of farming during the Neolithic, credit: Gronenborn, D., et al.
How TALL is the largest STANDING STONE in the UK? MegalithHunter 2024-03-15 | The Rudston monolith is the tallest standing stone and Britain. Situated in the grounds of a Norman church in Yorkshire it's nearly eight metres tall and appears to be covered in cup and ring marks. There are also four prehistoric cursuses in the surrounding area that may be older than the Rudston monolith. #ancient #ancienthistory #megalithic ✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Rudston monolith landscape view with the church and graveyard, credit: Mum's taxiCC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0Rudston monolith with the church in the background, credit: Kristi HerbertPublic domainRudston monolith with graves in the background
NEW Study Reveals One Of The Worlds OLDEST Red LIPSTICKS MegalithHunter 2024-03-10 | A Bronze Age vial discovered in Iran more than 20 years ago and its contents have been analysed by experts to determine the object's age and function. This slim, decorated stone artefact, which was buried in an ancient cemetery and upon examination appears to have been a red lipstick. In this video I discuss the study into this, as well as the discovery of a Bronze Age settlement in Switzerland, the world's oldest bread found in Turkey, a monumental Etruscan tomb, a new DNA study into prehistoric France and a mystery surrounding the Treasure of Villena. #ancienthistory #bronzeage #archaeology ✨ IN THIS EPISODE00:00 Introduction00:49 Research on a Bronze Age vial reveals an early example of red lipstick03:44 Bronze Age settlement discovered in Switzerland05:09 World’s oldest bread discovered in Turkey06:19 Monumental Etruscan tomb discovered in the Necropolis of San Giuliano07:25 New DNA study gives insights into social dynamics in prehistoric France09:37 Researchers find that Iberian Bronze Age artefacts were made from meteoritic iron✨ JOIN MY CHANNELyoutube.com/channel/UC0Hs5t0U6Uf993Tba22YmKA/join✨ SUPPORT VIA PATREONpatreon.com/MegalithHunter✨ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALSInstagram & Facebook: @MegalithHunterTwitter: @Megalith_Hunter ✨ REFERENCESEskandari, N., De Carlo, E., Zorzi, F., Dall’Acqua, S., Furlan, C., Artioli, G. and Vidale, M., 2024. A Bronze Age lip-paint from southeastern Iran. Scientific Reports, 14(1), p.2670.Newsweek. (2024). ‘Archaeologists look for Roman workshop - find puzzling Bronze Age settlement,’ Newsweek, 21 February. newsweek.com/archaeologists-look-roman-workshop-find-puzzling-bronze-age-settlement-1872000 Anadolu Agency. (2024). ‘World's oldest bread discovered in Neolithic settlement in Türkiye,’ Daily Sabah, 6 March. dailysabah.com/life/history/worlds-oldest-bread-discovered-in-neolithic-settlement-in-turkiyeCarvajal, G. (2024). ‘Monumental Etruscan Tomb Discovered in the Necropolis of San Giuliano North of Rome,’ La Brújula Verde, 24 February. labrujulaverde.com/en/2024/02/monumental-etruscan-tomb-discovered-in-the-necropolis-of-san-giuliano-north-of-romeSimões, L.G., Peyroteo-Stjerna, R., Marchand, G., Bernhardsson, C., Vialet, A., Chetty, D., Alaçamlı, E., Edlund, H., Bouquin, D., Dina, C. and Garmond, N., (2024). Genomic ancestry and social dynamics of the last hunter-gatherers of Atlantic France. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(10), p.e2310545121.Science Alert. (2024). ‘Strange Metal From Beyond Our World Found in Ancient Treasure Stash,’ Science Alert, 23 February. sciencealert.com/strange-metal-from-beyond-our-world-found-in-ancient-treasure-stash ✨ PHOTOGRAPH CREDITSCC BY 4.0 DEED creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Images and diagrams about the Bronze Age vial and its contents, credit: Eskandari, N., et al., in the paper referenced above.Diagrams about the DNA study, credit: Simões, L.G., et al., in the paper referenced above. CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0Çatalhöyük settlement, credit: Murat Özsoy 1958CC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0Bull horns at Çatalhöyük, credit: Verity CridlandOtherBronze Age settlement, credit: Daniel Breu, © Archaeological Service of the Canton of BernExcavation site at Çatalhöyük where the bread was found, credit: AA PhotoImages of the Etruscan tomb, credit: Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti Paesaggio Etruria MeridionalePhotographs of the Treasure of Villena and individual artefacts, credit: Municipal Archaeological Museum of Villena)Google EarthLocation pins
