Archaeology isn’t just about digging through dirt. Much of the work happens in labs, where researchers study artifacts to find clues about humankind’s unrecorded history.
2022 was a busy year for archaeologists. Here are some highlights of their discoveries: a 31,000-year-old leg amputation, ancient cheese, and more. Learn more at Britain’s favorite archaeology magazine, Current Archaeology.
Leg Amputation
archaeology news digging in Borneo have uncovered the skeleton of a hunter-gatherer who had their lower leg surgically removed and survived. Their discovery is the earliest-known case of amputation, predating the next oldest by tens of thousands of years.
When researchers unearthed the skeleton of the unidentified man or woman (the team is not sure whether it was male or female), they noticed that the left lower leg bone, called the tibia and fibula, was missing from the middle to the end. It didn’t look broken or smashed, but cleanly cut. The tibia and fibula also had overgrowth on them, similar to what you would expect from the healing process after a leg amputation.
The discovery of this amputation is significant because it proves that foragers knew how to perform surgery. It’s also evidence that they were able to provide ongoing post-operative care to the individual. This is important because it shows that these individuals could continue to play their vital roles in their communities despite being handicapped.
Tim Maloney, an archaeologist at Griffith University in Australia and lead author of the new study, says that this finding suggests early humans developed a good understanding of the human body. He adds that the fact that the amputation was successful indicates these foragers were able to navigate veins, arteries, and other tissues to avoid complications.
Maloney and his colleagues uncovered the skeleton at a cave in Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. The site is rich in prehistoric art, including ochre hand stencils on the walls of chambers dating back to 40,000 years. The researchers plan to return to the site to dig further. The skeleton was part of a grave that also held the remains of a man and a woman, and a trove of objects.
Ancient Poop
Researchers sift through a lot of stuff when excavating archaeological sites, including shards of pottery and bits of animal bones. But a new method for recovering DNA allows them to take a closer look at something else: poop.
Known as paleofeces, this scat can reveal a lot about ancient diets, health, and lifestyles. And it can even give clues about how societies crumbled, like when the 13th century population of a large pre-Columbian settlement fell from thousands to just a few people.
In the case of Stonehenge, a new analysis of coprolites—or partially fossilized feces—provided some important clues about the ceremonial celebrations that took place during construction. The feces, discovered at the Durrington Walls settlement that housed the workers who built Stonehenge, were dated to more than 14,000 years ago.
The feces contained the remnants of the parasite Giardia duodenalis, which causes dysentery. And when analyzed, they revealed that the ancient humans living there suffered from the parasite as well. It was a sign that the settlers were settling into a more permanent existence, which may have contributed to their illness.
Paleofeces also help researchers understand how hunter-gatherers became more sedentary, and this was particularly true for the inhabitants of the 5,000-year-old city of Cahokia in what is now Illinois. They developed a variety of health problems, including intolerance for certain foods, that may have been due to a move from a mobile lifestyle.
While a find of preserved poop might not generate the initial excitement that a shiny artifact does, archaeologists are increasingly turning to the stuff for insight. It can be a valuable source of information because it can tell scientists the genetic makeup of a person and everything they’ve eaten, as well as the organisms they shared the food with.
Mummy Embalming Tools
While unearthing mummies in Egypt, archaeologists discovered a trove of tools that were used to preserve them. The tool kit included a series of pottery storage containers that were filled with oils and tars. The jars, found deep inside a shaft at the cemetery of Abusir, contain mixtures that were likely used to embalm humans or sacred animals. They are the largest such cache to ever be uncovered, and scientists say it provides a “cookbook” for embalming the dead.
The discovery was made during excavations of a subterranean embalming workshop and burial chambers from the 26th Dynasty at Saqqara. The outside surfaces of 121 pots were labelled with instructions for treating the head, preparing linen mummy bandages, washing the body, and treating the liver and stomach. Some had inscriptions referring to administrators, and others contained ingredients like cedar oil, animal fats, heated beeswax, bitumen (a dense, oily substance), and pistachio resin.
Mummification was a time-consuming and costly process, so it was not a common procedure for all Egyptians. In fact, it’s thought that only the elite were mummies in ancient Egypt. But researchers have found a clue that suggests the procedure was used more widely than we thought: an embryonic brain-removal tool that’s lodged in the skull of a female mummy that dates to around 3,500 B.C.
Scientists have been unable to identify the exact tool used because it’s an organic stick, unlike an iron hook that was commonly used for this purpose in modern medicine. The find suggests that the removal of brains was an optional step in the embalming process, a choice made possible by this organic stick. The scientists report their results in the journal Nature.
Hezekiah’s Name
The Bible describes Hezekiah as one of Judah’s good kings, a ruler who reformed his people and brought them back to worshiping God. The king even prayed and God answered his prayers by adding 15 more years to his life (2 Kings 18:5-7).
Now, a team of researchers led by Israeli epigrapher Gershon Galil has announced that they have deciphered an eighth-century BC inscription bearing the name of Hezekiah. This stone is the first of its kind to include the biblical king’s name, LiveScience reports.
It is located in the ancient city of Lachish, southwest of Jerusalem. The inscription is in the form of an ankh symbol, which symbolizes life. The researchers hypothesized that Hezekiah used the inscription to mark a transition in his life. It came after he was struck with a deadly illness—perhaps anthrax—that threatened his life (2 Kings 20:12-21). Hezekiah prayed to God, who healed him and added more than 15 years to his life, the Bible says.
This inscription is just a fragment of the larger monument. It’s only 5.5 x 4 x 2 inches (14 x 10 x 5 cm) and contains two lines of four letters each. But the team believes it reveals Hezekiah’s name, which would be spelled Hizqyhw (the first letter is missing).
This is just the latest in a series of discoveries that appear to support the Bible’s accuracy. This is great news for Bible believers who are often confronted by skeptical scholars claiming that only minimal archaeological evidence exists to back up the Old Testament’s historicity. The more archaeological discoveries that validate the Bible, the better. But some archaeologists have complained of an apparent lack of academic oversight regarding discoveries like this one. More than 30 academics signed an open letter calling for peer review and publishing of research findings before making announcements to the media.
Shipwreck
The underwater archaeology of shipwrecks is a specialized field, and the discovery of a historic wreck can reveal details about sailing, warfare, trade routes and even the lives of the people who were on board. While some wrecks are discovered accidentally, other researchers search for the best sites and carefully plan each excavation to ensure that the artifacts can be preserved. Some shipwrecks are salvaged and brought back to shore for study, while others are scuttled in order to spur reef growth.
In the last century, researchers have been able to find more than a dozen shipwrecks that were lost at sea during World War II. Those discoveries provide new insight into the history of naval warfare, but some of the most important research has been conducted on shipwrecks that sank during earlier periods of exploration.
A wreck site off the coast of England has revealed the remains of an ancient wooden ship and some of its cargo, and the 13th century vessel is gaining fame as the “Mortar Wreck.” The ship was a clinker-style vessel made from overlapping timbers and was carrying a cargo of mortars and grinding stones that were used to grind grains and other substances.
The scuttled wreck of a British Navy ship in the waters off Antarctica has provided scientists with a rare opportunity to learn more about the crew’s experiences aboard during the winter of 1912. A research team has been able to gather data on the weather conditions that accompanied the sinking, which could be important for future research into Antarctic climate change and how it might impact humans living at the extreme south pole.
For two years, residents of Corolla, North Carolina watched a battered wooden hull bobbing just offshore. During the summer, tourists swam out to it, but a nor’easter in late 2009 dislodged it from its place in the sand, and it threatened to break apart. So, a group of volunteers and the state’s Underwater Archaeology Branch joined forces to haul the hulk back to shore.
Conclusion
Archaeology continues to reveal fascinating insights into our ancient past. Through meticulous excavations and research, archaeologists unearth artifacts and uncover forgotten civilizations, shedding light on the evolution of human history and culture. The field’s ongoing discoveries captivate our imaginations and deepen our understanding of the world’s rich heritage.
FAQs:
- What is archaeology? Archaeology is the scientific study of past human societies through the examination of physical remains, artifacts, structures, and landscapes. It helps us understand how people lived, their cultures, technologies, and interactions with the environment. Archaeologists use various methods to reconstruct and interpret the past.
- Why is archaeology important? Archaeology is essential for understanding our collective human history. By piecing together the past, archaeologists provide valuable insights into the development of civilizations, cultural traditions, and the evolution of societies. It also helps us preserve and protect cultural heritage for future generations, fostering a sense of identity and connection to our roots.