Lost World Found: 11,000-Year-Old Megastructure Unearthed Under Baltic Sea
Analysis revealed that the structure, dubbed the Blinkerwall, consists of approximately 1,670 individual stones deliberately placed to connect around 300 larger boulders. Led by geophysicist Jacob Geerson of Kiel University, the team believes hunter-gatherers constructed the wall on land next to a lake or marsh during the Stone Age.
The Blinkerwall likely served as a driving lane for reindeer, directing the animals into a bottleneck for easier hunting. Despite being submerged for approximately 8,500 years, the structure remains remarkably well-preserved, offering valuable insights into the subsistence patterns and socioeconomic complexity of early hunter-gatherer communities.
"The site represents one of the oldest documented man-made hunting structures on Earth, and ranges among the largest known Stone Age structures in Europe," the researchers write in their paper.
"It will become important for understanding subsistence strategies, mobility patterns, and inspire discussions concerning the territorial development in the Western Baltic Sea region."
"Based on the information at hand," the researchers write, "the most plausible functional interpretation for the Blinkerwall is that it was constructed and used as a hunting architecture for driving herds of large ungulates." Those would have consisted, at the time, primarily of reindeer or bison.
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India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
1,00,000-year-old burial site in Israel is changing what we know about early humans
Archaeologists believe they have found one of the oldest burial sites in the world at a cave in Israel, where the well-preserved remains of early humans dating back some 100,000 years were carefully arranged in findings at Tinshemet Cave in central Israel, published in an academic journal earlier this year, build on previous discoveries in northern Israel and add to a growing understanding of the origins of human particular interest to archaeologists are objects found beside the remains that may have been used during ceremonies to honour the dead and could shed light on how our ancient ancestors thought about spirituality and the afterlife. 'This is an amazing revolutionary innovation for our species,' said Yossi Zaidner, one of the directors of the Tinshemet excavation and a professor of archaeology at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. 'It's actually the first time we are starting to use this behavior.'Archaeologists working at Tinshemet since 2016 have discovered the remains of five early humans that date to around 110,000 to 100,000 years ago, according to various skeletons were discovered in pits and carefully arranged in a fetal position, which is known as a burial position, said Zaidner. Many were found with objects, such as basalt pebbles, animal remains or fragments of ochre, a reddish pigment made from iron-rich objects, some sourced from hundreds of kilometers (miles) away, had no known practical use for daily life, so experts believe they were part of rituals meant to honor the dead.A window into early human burialsTinshemet Cave is a dark slash in central Israel's rolling hills filled with squeaking fruit bats. Inside and around the cave is an unassuming stone mound which Zaidner calls 'one of the three or four most important sites for study of human evolution and behavior during the Paleolithic time.'The Paleolithic era, also known as the Stone Age because of the onset of stone tools, lasted from as early as 3.3 million years ago until around 10,000 years ago. Tinshemet Cave is from the Middle Paleolithic era, roughly between 250,000 to 30,000 years of the Tinshemet researchers' core findings were published in March in Nature Human Behavior. A key discovery were the remains of five early humans, including two full skeletons and three isolated skulls with other bones and teeth. Also of note were more than 500 differently sized fragments of red and orange ochre, a pigment created by heating iron-rich stones to a certain temperature — evidence that early humans had the means to create decorative we see a really complex set of behaviors, not related to just food and surviving,' Zaidner hand chisels and delicate, pen-sized pneumatic drills that resemble dental tools, archaeologists will need many more years to excavate the site. The field work, which started in 2016, is usually done over the summer months. This year, a dozen archaeology undergraduate and graduate students fanned out across the site, painstakingly documenting and removing each fragment of tool, object or the entrance to the cave, the skull of one of the early humans is slowly emerging from the rock sediment; it will be years before it is fully is exceptionally important to archaeologists because the local climate preserved the bones, tools, and ornaments in good condition, unlike many other parts of the world where these items were lost to time, said Christian Tryon, a professor at the University of Connecticut and a research associate at the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian Institution, who was not involved in the skeletons and objects were so well preserved because of ash from frequent fires, likely for rituals. This large amount of ash mixed with rainfall and Israel's acidic limestone, creating optimal conditions for perseveration. One skeleton was in such good condition archaeologists could see how the fingers were interwoven, hands clasped beneath the window into a little-known periodTryon said the Tinshemet findings are bolstering earlier discoveries from two similar burial sites dating to the same period in northern Israel — Skhul Cave and Qafzeh Cave. Skhul Cave was excavated almost 100 years ago, and Qafzeh Cave mostly around 50 years ago, when archaeological practices were more haphazard.'There were so many uncertainties with those sites, but this is confirming it's a pattern we know, and they're really nailing down the dates,' Tryon has helped archaeologists conclude that burial practices started to become more widespread during this time, representing a shift in how early humans treated their archaeologists believe intentional burials started earlier. In South Africa, the Homo naledi species — an ancient cousin of Homo sapiens — may have been intentionally placing their dead in caves as early as 200,000 years ago. But many archaeologists said the findings are controversial and there is not enough evidence to support the claim of intentional burials.A bridge between peoplesadvertisementIn ancient times, Israel was a bridge between Neanderthals from Europe and Homo sapiens from Africa. Archaeologists have identified other subgroups of early humans in the area, and believe the groups interacted and may have have been studying the two full skeletons brought from Tinshemet for years, but it's still unclear if they were Neanderthals, Homo sapiens, a hybrid population or another group mix of subgroups created opportunities for different groups of early humans to exchange knowledge or express identity, said Zaidner. It's around this time that archaeologists first see examples of early jewelry or body painting, which could be ways early humans started outwardly belonging to a certain group, drawing boundaries between 'us' and 'them,' he Hershkovitz, a physical anthropologist at Tel Aviv University and the co-director of the Tinshemet site, said the concept of cemeteries in prehistoric life is important because it symbolizes 'a kind of a territory.'He said that same kind of claim over land where ancestors are buried.- EndsTrending Reel
NDTV
4 days ago
- NDTV
Archaeologists Find Burial Sites With 100,000-Year-Old Bones At Israel's Tinshemet Cave
Israel: Archaeologists believe they have found one of the oldest burial sites in the world at a cave in Israel, where the well-preserved remains of early humans dating back some 100,000 years were carefully arranged in pits. The findings at Tinshemet Cave in central Israel, published in an academic journal earlier this year, build on previous discoveries in northern Israel and add to a growing understanding of the origins of human burial. Of particular interest to archaeologists are objects found beside the remains that may have been used during ceremonies to honor the dead and could shed light on how our ancient ancestors thought about spirituality and the afterlife. 'This is an amazing revolutionary innovation for our species," said Yossi Zaidner, one of the directors of the Tinshemet excavation and a professor of archaeology at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. "It's actually the first time we are starting to use this behavior.' Archaeologists working at Tinshemet since 2016 have discovered the remains of five early humans that date back to around 110,000 to 100,000 years ago, according to various technologies. The skeletons were discovered in pits and carefully arranged in a fetal position, which is known as a burial position, said Zaidner. Many were found with objects, such as basalt pebbles, animal remains, or fragments of ochre, a reddish pigment made from iron-rich rocks. These objects, some sourced from hundreds of kilometers (miles) away, had no known practical use for daily life, so experts believe they were part of rituals meant to honor the dead. Tinshemet Cave is a dark slash in central Israel's rolling hills filled with squeaking fruit bats. Inside and around the cave is an unassuming stone mound, which Zaidner calls 'one of the three or four most important sites for study of human evolution and behavior during the Paleolithic time.' The Paleolithic era, also known as the Stone Age because of the onset of stone tools, lasted from as early as 3.3 million years ago until around 10,000 years ago. Tinshemet Cave is from the Middle Paleolithic era, roughly between 250,000 to 30,000 years ago. Some of the Tinshemet researchers' core findings were published in March in Nature Human Behavior. A key discovery was the remains of five early humans, including two full skeletons and three isolated skulls with other bones and teeth. Also of note were more than 500 differently sized fragments of red and orange ochre, a pigment created by heating iron-rich stones to a certain temperature — evidence that early humans had the means to create decorative objects. 'Here we see a really complex set of behaviors, not related to just food and surviving,' Zaidner said. Using hand chisels and delicate, pen-sized pneumatic drills that resemble dental tools, archaeologists will need many more years to excavate the site. The field work, which started in 2016, is usually done over the summer months. This year, a dozen archaeology undergraduate and graduate students fanned out across the site, painstakingly documenting and removing each fragment of tool, object, or bone. At the entrance to the cave, the skull of one of the early humans is slowly emerging from the rock sediment; it will be years before it is fully excavated. Tinshemet is exceptionally important to archaeologists because the local climate preserved the bones, tools, and ornaments in good condition, unlike many other parts of the world where these items were lost to time, said Christian Tryon, a professor at the University of Connecticut and a research associate at the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian Institution, who was not involved in the study. The skeletons and objects were so well preserved because of ash from frequent fires, likely for rituals. This large amount of ash mixed with rainfall and Israel's acidic limestone creates optimal conditions for preservation. One skeleton was in such good condition that archaeologists could see how the fingers were interwoven, hands clasped beneath the head. Tryon said the Tinshemet findings are bolstering earlier discoveries from two similar burial sites dating back to the same period in northern Israel — Skhul Cave and Qafzeh Cave. Skhul Cave was excavated almost 100 years ago, and Qafzeh Cave mostly around 50 years ago, when archaeological practices were more haphazard. 'There were so many uncertainties with those sites, but this is confirming it's a pattern we know, and they're really nailing down the dates,' Tryon said. Tinshemet has helped archaeologists conclude that burial practices started to become more widespread during this time, representing a shift in how early humans treated their dead. Some archaeologists believe intentional burials started earlier. In South Africa, the Homo naledi species – an ancient cousin of Homo sapiens – may have been intentionally placing their dead in caves as early as 200,000 years ago. But many archaeologists said the findings are controversial and there is not enough evidence to support the claim of intentional burials. In ancient times, Israel was a bridge between Neanderthals from Europe and Homo sapiens from Africa. Archaeologists have identified other subgroups of early humans in the area, and believe the groups interacted and may have interbred. Experts have been studying the two full skeletons brought from Tinshemet for years, but it's still unclear if they were Neanderthals, Homo sapiens, a hybrid population, or another group altogether. The mix of subgroups created opportunities for different groups of early humans to exchange knowledge or express identity, said Zaidner. It's around this time that archaeologists first see examples of early jewelry or body painting, which could be ways early humans started outwardly belonging to a certain group, drawing boundaries between 'us' and 'them,' he said. Israel Hershkovitz, a physical anthropologist at Tel Aviv University and the co-director of the Tinshemet site, said the concept of cemeteries in prehistoric life is important because it symbolizes 'a kind of a territory.' He said that the same kind of claim over land where ancestors are buried still echoes in the region. 'It's a kind of claim you make to the neighbors, saying 'this is my territory, this part of the land belongs to my father and my forefather' and so on and so on.'
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Time of India
5,500-year-old Polish ‘Pyramids' discovered, older than Egypt's Pyramid of Giza
In a groundbreaking archaeological discovery, a set of 5,500-year-old megalithic tombs have been discovered in Poland, nicknamed the "Polish pyramids." They were found during a routine field survey in the Chłapowski Landscape Park in the village of Wyskoć, reports add. These monumental earth structures, reportedly, date back to the late Stone Age and shed new light on the prehistoric Funnelbeaker culture that once thrived in the region. As per the reports, a team from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and announced by the Complex of Landscape Parks of the Wielkopolska Voivodeship. The tombs are located in the Wielkopolska province and are some of the largest megalithic structures ever found in Poland. Remarkably well-preserved, they are believed to have been built by one of the region's earliest sedentary agricultural societies. Megalithic giants of the North The tombs, also referred to as "the beds of giants", are elongated trapezoidal mounds reaching up to 200 m in length and about 4 m in height. Constructed in a triangular shape, the front of each structure is several metres wide and gradually narrows into a 'tail' at the rear. Some of the boulders used in their construction weigh as much as 10 tonnes, an extraordinary feat for Neolithic builders using only primitive tools and manpower. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Đây có thể là thời điểm tốt nhất để giao dịch vàng trong 5 năm qua IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Read more: No more shoe checks: TSA updates airport screening rules; what flyers need to know The monumental tombs are oriented with impressive precision. The wider front end faces east, while the tail stretches westward, a design suggesting the builders had a sophisticated understanding of direction and possibly astronomy. According to archaeologists, this alignment was likely symbolic, with the rising sun associated with life and the setting sun with death. The Funnelbeaker culture's legacy The structures are attributed to the Funnelbeaker culture (4000–2700 BCE), a Neolithic society known for its large-scale burial architecture, early farming practices, and finely crafted pottery. Though these communities were largely egalitarian, special tombs were reserved for significant figures such as leaders, shamans, or priests. 'Although the Funnelbeaker cultures were quite egalitarian, these tombs likely held important figures — a leader, a priest, a shaman,' said Artur Golis from the regional landscape park association. These burials typically included a single skeleton placed on its back with legs pointing east, accompanied by grave goods. While skeletal remains may not have survived in the newly excavated tombs, archaeologists hope to recover ceremonial objects such as stone axes, hatchets, clay vessels, and possibly copper ornaments or opium containers. This is only the second time such megalithic tombs have been discovered in Wielkopolska — the first being in 2019. Until now, most similar finds were concentrated in the Kuyavia-Pomerania region, where they are professionally known as megalithic tombs of the Kuyavian type. Read more: 6 unmissable stops that make Chandigarh to Shimla hill tour worthwhile The newly discovered sites offer rare insight into the social, religious, and engineering capabilities of Neolithic societies in Europe. Their sheer scale and design not only rival other prehistoric sites like Stonehenge but also predate the Egyptian pyramids. "For thousands of years, people have needed the stones, so they have taken them, split them, hence the object has been quite heavily degraded," Golis said, noting the fragility of what remains. Currently, the site remains closed to the public to allow for careful excavation and preservation. A decision about public access will be made once research and protective measures are completed. These 'Polish pyramids' may not rival Giza in height, but they stand tall as silent sentinels of a lost civilization, offering a powerful connection to humanity's ancient past, right in the heart of Europe.
