Archaeology

[[Syl]]

(some Navajo sandpaintings look like microchips 2 me! )

That's just the peyote, Danlo.

[Kinslaughterer]

Recently I took part in a phase I survey of a possible Native American camp/village site. It appears that it could be quite old as shovel tests revealed several Archaic/Paleo-Indian projectile points. We are hypothesizing that it could yield a mammoth kill site which are not unknown in Jefferson county WV. Hopefully we can get some funding and see whats really there.

[Kinslaughterer]

The latest issue of Archaeology has an article about an Ecuadorian site near the border with Peru. According to the article, a joint French-Ecuadorian team has excavated several burial mounds belonging to a yet unknown culture. The artifacts are dating to about 4500 years ago and include intricately carved bowls, jewelry, and iconography that seems to link it to the Chavin culture. This could be big and interesting.

[Kinslaughterer]

Although not exactly archaeology, physical anthropolgists have been studying the chimp genome and found they are 99.4% related to humans, more than previously thought. Several anthropologists are pushing to have chimpanzees moved from the species Pans to Homo making them essentially human.

[Ylva Kresh]

Oh -archaeology... I am still planning to take some courses in archaeology in a few years. Unfortuantely there are absolutely no jobs for archaeologists in Sweden so I had to decide on an other occupation first to get some money, but when I can afford it, I will certanly take some courses.

But this was not my question. And it is not archaeology, but more myth. Perhaps you can answer anyway. I went to a conference on Ireland last week and managed to take two days extra to go to Galway and from there to the Aran Island. Here I found a legend of Hy-Brazil (a concept I have only encountered in Erik Viking before). It was said that you on certain times could spot the island of Hy-Brazil at the horizon. I did not, I´m afraid. But what is Hy-Brazil? Any connection to Atlantis (which according to some half-mad scientists in 1800 in fact is Uppsala, Sweden - the center of the earth...)? Any connection to Brazil - south america? Eldorado?

[Kinslaughterer]

Hy-Brazil appears to in fact be the nation and surrounding land we now call Brazil. Apparently, ambitious and stalwart Irish sailors trekked the Atlantic without fear much like the Norse.
Nearly every mention of the place is regarded as myth. I'm inclined to believe that some early Celtic sailors stumbled upon South America purely by accident. Perhaps some stayed and the others returned to Ireland. Return expeditions were either impractial or impossible not to mention dangerous. Perhaps the conditions that existed (ie abnormal ocean currents, etc.) stablized preventing a return. Since there were conditions for seeing the island, the underlying meaning was it could only be reached during a particular time of year. As time goes by the fact becomes myth.
Slowly the legends grow but each has a basis in truth. The name Brazil is of celtic origin. St. Brendan the monk is also mentioned with Hy-Brazil. Many think he may have discovered North America as well.
For many years various fringe anthropologists, treasure hunters, and psuedo-historians have claimed that a celtic race existed in Brazil but had hid themselves in the Amazon for whatever reasons. Many tales of white, red haired indians have surfaced in Brazil as well. It seems there is considerable evidence that supports some form of connection between the Irish and South America.

If you're looking for a job, you could work at a major university as a researcher or professor of archaeology, I think the government of Sweden hires accredited archaeologists for certain projects, and some large museums also hire archaeologists.

[Fist and Faith]

The latest issue of Archaeology has an article about an Ecuadorian site near the border with Peru. According to the article, a joint French-Ecuadorian team has excavated several burial mounds belonging to a yet unknown culture. The artifacts are dating to about 4500 years ago and include intricately carved bowls, jewelry, and iconography that seems to link it to the Chavin culture. This could be big and interesting.

That's amazing!!! I take it the Incas were from a different time period altogether? Or is it that they just haven't proven these sites to be Inca?

Several anthropologists are pushing to have chimpanzees moved from the species Pans to Homo making them essentially human.

I know a few people who should, perhaps, move from Homo to Pans.

[Ylva Kresh]

Thank you for this Hy-Brazil-answer! But were the Irish at that time really red-haired, were they not celtic (short and darkharired) in appearence? Or am I mixing up the time-line here? BTW talking of celts:
A friend of mine comes from Austria and they obviously have a lot of what they call "celtic" archeaeologic finds. Is this the same celts that were driven to the british isles and further?

Sorry, but the Swedes have no money left for archaeology these days... To get to be a doctoral student you practically have to pay to work. But I can always become a amateur archaeology when I´m finished with my thesis (2.5 years from now... Always follow the rule: the one who has most study-credit points and least money when he/she dies wins). Amateurs can at least always drive the real archaeologists mad...

[Kinslaughterer]

The short dark-haired people were the Picts, possibly originating in Iberia. The Celts were a very large genetic group but many prehistoric/Iron Age sites in Europe get the name "Celtic"
What do you think about the subject of Hy-Brazil?

[Ylva Kresh]

Since my vision of Hy-Brazil is very much influeced by Terry Jones I do not think I am the right person to speculate (I just see it sinking while the king is telling everybody it is not). Is the name Brazil really celtic in origin?

Actually it was another strange thing with the Aran Isles: the fortresses built there are supposed to be over 4000 years old. Who could threaten isles so far out in the Atlantic at this time? Our guide claimed it was the Danes. I have a hard time to believe that they went all the way around Ireland to conquer the Isles (or possible Galway bay). It sounded more like viking-stuff to me (and that is not 4000 years ago...)

I personally believe these were not fortresses, but rather some kind of religious buildings. Avalon perhaps? No, perhaps I should leave these shores of long lost isles now...

[Kinslaughterer]

Fist, the Incas (Quechuas) arose sometime after 1200 AD.
I live in the state that boasts the most troglodytes and the quickest 3 legged sheep.
I'm not sure how long these decisions take but it will be interesting to see the reactions if it is accepted....

[Kinslaughterer]

Unfortunately, we didn't get the funding for the mammoth kill site. Instead Shepherdstown is restoring their tobacco warehouse that sits along the Potomac River. We are in charge of the initial excavations before the restoration begins. It should be interesting enough...

I'm almost finished with the artifacts from the last dig...

[Kinslaughterer]

A physical anthropologist and a primatologist working in the central Congo (Zaire) have found evidence a new primate species. The creature in question has the facial apperance akin to a chimp but the body type and size of a gorilla. Apparently the evidence, which includes footprints, hair, and sleeping "nests" suggests the great ape is nearly 6' tall around 500 lbs. and has a size 14 foot (U.S.) Locals have described seeing them for years but so far none have been seen by the researchers. They plan send an expedition back very soon to catch a live specimen for blood samples and tests.
Could be the "missing link"? or an African Bigfoot?

[danlo]

You're kidding right?

[duchess of malfi]

No, he's not. I saw the same thing awhile back. In fact, I posted it in Damelon's forum at the Hangar.

I was just reading about an interesting dig site in Colorado in a magazine I get called American Archaeology. It is near the town called Gunnison. It appears to be a manmade rock structure made by the people who used Folsom points, and is thought date back to somewhere between 11,500 and 13,000 years ago. It is called the Mountaineer site and is on top of a mesa. Luckily the mesa top is owned by a university (Western State), so the site should remain safe. The dig is being funded by the Colorado Historical Fund and the city of Gunnison. This site is believed to be from the Folsom period due to the huge number of artifacts associated with it and a campsite found some 200 feet away on the same mesa. They are still awaiting their dates, however. If the dates check out then this will be the first structure found from that era and that people. The campsite dig is being conducted by a man named David Meltzer, from Southern Methodist University, who is called a Paleo-Indian expert, and his team of graduate students. Working on the structure site are Mark Stiger and his team from Western State, who originally found it.

[Kinslaughterer]

I hadn't heard about Mountaineer before, but from what you've said they think they have the earliest site to display folsom points and related artifacts?
13,000 is quite old but the Meadowcroft Rock Shelter in SW Pennsylvania is nearly 20,000 years old and displays much of the Folsom technology.

[duchess of malfi]

Ah, but this isn't a rock shelter. This appears to be the remains of some sort of human made living quarters.
They even have a nice color picture of the stone foundation.

I have heard about that site you are referring to. That sounds like a really interesting place, too. I have long thought that the dates they taught me in school for people coming to the Americas didn't give them enough time to spread over two continents and develop the complex empires and civilizations that they did (especially since the theories they then taught said that they supposedly did their spreading out on foot chasing herds of big game). These early sites please me greatly, as it gave people thousands of more years to do their thing. I also like the newer theories about people coming over in watercraft following the edges of the ice pack and following the coastline down.

The same issue of the magazine also has an intersting article about an intriguing early site in Maryland. But that one is close to home for you, so you probably know all about that one.

[Kinslaughterer]

Ok, I see, they had free-standing stone construction. It should prove to be very interesting....
You overestimate me, I think. I'm baited. What is the name of the MD site? or location?

[Kinslaughterer]

More evidence has come to light recently further supporting a pre-columbian Chinese "discovery" or prolonged exploration of the North American west coast.
A new book I think is called "1421 the year China discoverd America ", details some of these ideas.
Many have theorized this for years but evidence is apparently piling up to reinforce or cause archaeologists to reassess this notion.
Lots of fringe historians and archaeologists have been trying to prove that many, mostly european, explorers had landed in North or South America prior to or in some instance significantly sooner than Columbus. Most have very little merit or evidence to support their interesting but farcical theories.

[Skyweir]

lol .. i havent heard about this book .. but i read a few years ago when doing a maths assignment a book that said that in the americas there are connections with ancient egyptian maths tools .. and calendar

that was really interesting

a much earlier ancient connection between the old and new worlds