PIGEON FORGE — A team of archaeologists from University of Tennessee and other agencies set up under the Old Mill General Store next to the Little Pigeon River Thursday to excavate remains of Iron Forge, the original forge for which the city was named.Iron Forge, built in 1817, included a bloomery furnace and water-powered trip hammer to smelt and mold ore into iron bars.
“The forge was a small operation, a small forge,” said Alan Longmire, a blacksmith and archaeologist in the environmental division of the Tennessee Department of Transportation. “There’s iron ore all along the ridge up there by Middle Creek Road, and they would just bring that down here and put in the forge.” Read more.
An archaeological survey on the famous Scots isle of Iona – where St Columba landed 1450 years ago to spread Christianity in Scotland – has shown signs of ancient burials.
This is the first geophysical investigation to be undertaken away from the core focus of the Columban monastic enclosure and the Benedictine Abbey.
The surveys were carried out on National Trust for Scotland land on the island by Dr Sue Ovenden and Alastair Wilson of Rose Geophysical Consultants.
The pair examined two areas in the fields to the south of the village - one close to the current village hall and south of the Nunnery and the other at Martyr’s Bay.
The area close to the village hall seems to show features of recent or natural origin which will be excavated later this year. Read more.
Archaeologists have long debated when early humans began hurling stone-tipped spears and darts at large prey. By throwing a spear, instead of thrusting it, humans could hunt buffalo and other dangerous game from a safe distance, with less risk of a goring or mauling. But direct evidence of this hunting technique in early sites has been lacking. A new study of impact marks on the bones of ancient prey shows that such sophisticated killing techniques go back at least 90,000 years ago in Africa and offers a new method of determining how prehistoric hunters made their kills.
Other researchers have used indirect methods to study the use of projectiles, such as analyzing impact fractures on ancient stone points or identifying traces left by hafting on the points. Such evidence suggests that early humans created throwing spears as early as 500,000 years ago in Africa. But that kind of evidence leaves room for doubt and is frequently disputed. Read more.
SCIENCE!
science has figured out how to open a portal to hell
It’s Cthulhu!!!!!!!!
- sand
- alcohol or lighter fluid
- sugar
- Mix 4 parts powdered sugar with 1 part baking soda.
- Make a mound with the sand. Push a depression into the middle of the sand.
- Pour the alcohol or other fuel into the sand to wet it.
- Pour the sugar and baking soda mixture into the depression.
- Ignite the mound, using a lighter or match.
Oh tumblr, what would we do without you.
REBLOGGING AGAIN FOR THE EXPLANATION
Archaeological News: Archaeologists uncover Pagan skeletons at housing development near Stonehenge »
Archaeologists have discovered six Pagan Saxon skeletons dating back over 1,000 years on a housing development site just a few miles from Stonehenge.
The discoveries, which also include round barrows dating back to the Bronze Age 4,000 years ago, were unearthed at a redundant brownfield development site in Amesbury, Wiltshire, which is also famous for the Amesbury Archer – an early Bronze Age man found buried among arrowheads.
The remains are thought to be those of adolescent to mature males and females. Five skeletons were arrayed around a small circular ditch, with the grave of a sixth skeleton in the centre. Two lots of beads, a shale bracelet and other grave goods were also found, which suggest the findings are Pagan. Read more.
BELIZE CITY – The penalty for the near-total destruction of one of the biggest Mayan pyramids in Belize — which the government called “unforgivable” and left archaeologists speechless — may leave conservationists speechless: just $5,000.
Police have launched an investigation and anyone found responsible could face five to 10 years in imprison, a fine of about $5,000 or both.
To avoid the fee, fingers are frantically pointing in the Caribbean country, with the owner of De’ Mar’s Stone Co., the road-building company that has been blamed for the incident, saying the landowner gave him permission to extract the material. Read more.
