Month: October 2015

October 31, 2015

11,500 Year Old Infant Burials in Alaska Studied

Archaeologists have found two infants buried with a stone cutting tool and animal antlers with spear points in an 11,500 year old burial at the Upward Sun River site in Alaska. They belong to two genetic groups. Their genetic makeup lends itself to the idea that humans lived in a dry area that existed between Siberia and Alaska 30,000 years ago called Beringia. Humans may have spent as many as 10,000 years in Beringia before moving rapidly into America 15,000 years ago. Since the two lineages represented by the two infants lived so far north so long ago, their genes support the “Beringian Standstill Model.” The genetic variation of the two may be showing that the 10,000 year hiatus in Beringia gave rise to genetic diversity before they came into the Americas. The lineages of the infants are not found in Siberia or Asia, so they must have drifted from Asiatic groups during those 10,000 years in Beringia.
Genetic material has been found at eight sites in North America older than 8,000 years. In these eight sites, all five major lineages of Native Americans are present, indicating the the Beringian population gave rise to all of the lineages. One of the two infants is the ancestor of tribes in Arizona, California, Bolivia, Tainos and in Illinois. The other infant is the ancestor of Washington, Arizona, California and Peruvian tribes.

(my note; The idea is that populations in Beringia could not move into the Americas during those 10,000 years of the standstill due to a huge untrekkable area of ice that stood between them and the Americas. This still does not preclude the idea that other Asiatic peoples escaped this standstill by taking a canoe route down the Pacific Coast in earlier times. The Pre-Clovis finds at Monte Verde, Chile and Paisley Cave in Oregon would be examples of these earlier arrivers).

My Pre-Clovis and Clovis web site has a section on Beringian studies, published before this research, as well as on Paisley Cave and Monte Verde, for further elucidation.

Mike Ruggeri’s Pre-Clovis and Clovis World
http://bit.ly/11wqze5

The Daily Mail has the report on the two infants with their usual great illustrations;
http://dailym.ai/1PbgKON

October 29, 2015

Inca Mountain Sanctuary Used for Child Sacrifice Uncovered

An Inca mountain sanctuary used to sacrifice children to the gods has been discovered in the Vilcamba mountains near Cusco. They also found a cave system used as a necropolis to bury the sacrificed. The site dates to 1471-1493 CE. At this time in Inca history, children were sacrificed in times of drought and natural disaster, in hopes the gods would bring relief. Children were also sacrificed upon the death of a king. The ceremony was called Capacocha. Unblemished children were selected, married, returned to their local communities, before being sacrificed to the Llullaillaco Volcano. The team has found 50 structures. The site was found using satellite imagery and local stories. Rectangular buildings called kanchas, surrounded by other buildings have been found there. The site may be part of the legendary Kingdom of Vilcabamba, the last Inca nation.

The Daily Mail has the story with their usual excellent photos of the find. They are the best in the business for archaeology news photos;
http://dailym.ai/1RbCSHH

Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Andean News on Tumblr
http://mikeruggerisancientandeannews.tumblr.com

Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Andean News Magazine
http://bit.ly/1KJvVt1

October 28, 2015

Mississippian Influence in the Fort Ancient Culture Found

Researchers have investigated the dental isotopes of individuals from six Fort Ancient, Ohio sites, and one site in Indiana. They studied 152 individuals. They found that 18% of the population studied are potentially non-local. The Turpin Site, the most Mississippian of the sites studied, had the most non-local individuals. The study also shows that maize eating in the Fort Ancient culture was an abrupt new dietary adaptation. This is linked to the arrival of Mississippians, possibly from Cahokia. The new arrivers may have come as missionaries, captives or marriage partners.
The research is published in the Journal of Archaeological Science

The great Bradley T. Lepper Publishes this synopsis in the Columbus Dispatch;
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/science/2015/10/25/1-did-missionaries-influence-earliest-ohioans.html

Mike Ruggeri’s Adena and Hopewell World
http://bit.ly/Mj7I1L

Mike Ruggeri’s Adena, Hopewell, and Fort Ancient Cultures Magazine
http://bit.ly/1966ruf

October 24, 2015

Mummies Uncovered at the Chimu site of Chan Chan

Peruvian archaeologists have found 32 mummies at and near the site of Chan Chan. Jewelry, textiles and other artifacts were buried with the mummies. The Chimu culture built the city of Chan Chan between 900-1500 CE. All the mummies were adults, and the majority were women. The newly found artifacts date to 1400 CE. The females were probably sacrificed to accompany authorities buried in a main chamber. The artifacts will be rigorously tested to find out more. At the same time, archaeologists found a female mummy covered in textiles in a basket woven of dried stalks. Cotton and corn were placed next to her. She may be from the Lima Culture dating to 900-1470 CE. Excavations will now begin in this area.

Ancient Origins has the story with photos here;
http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/thirty-two-pre-hispanic-mummies-uncovered-peru-004245

Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Andean News on Tumblr
http://mikeruggerisancientandeannews.tumblr.com

Mike Ruggeri’s Sican/Chimu Era Peru
http://mikeruggerissicanchimu.tumblr.com

October 20, 2015

Zacpeten Arrowheads Show Human Bloodletting

An ancient obsidian arrowhead found at the Maya site of Zacpeten in Guatemala with human blood on it is indicative of a Maya bloodletting ceremony. The Maya were feeding the gods with the life force of human blood. Researchers studied 108 arrowheads from five sites in Guatemala dating from 1400-1700 CE. They found blood on 25 of the arrowheads. Two of the arrowheads had human blood. The rest had animal blood. The Mesoamericans also used jadeite spikes, obsidian blades, stingray spines and shark’s teeth in bloodletting ceremonies.
The research is published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

Ancient Origins has the story here;
http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/human-blood-found-ancient-maya-arrowheads-bloodletting-rituals-feed-life-020576

Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Maya News on Tumblr
http://mikeruggerisacientmayanew.tumblr.com

Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Maya News Magazine
http://bit.ly/1CeeXyu

October 16, 2015

New Vast Area Finds at the Pig Point Site in Maryland

Archaeologists at the Pig Point site in Maryland, which dates back to 7,205 BCE, are now finding evidence of a vast settlement surrounding the ceremonial core of the site. 450 test pits over a quarter mile area almost all had artifacts. They have already found projectile points and pottery going back to 6,000 BCE. In 2012, they found a burial grounds with 1,000 individuals spanning thousands of years. A new projectile point find dates back to 8,000 BCE. 14 new sites have been uncovered in the last few seasons. As the sea rises along the coast, much of this archaeology will be under water.

The Capital Gazette has the news here with a video;
http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/ph-ac-cn-pig-point-plus-1011-20151011-story.html

Mike Ruggeri’s The Ancient America’s Breaking News
http://bit.ly/UbLO7x

October 12, 2015

Unusual Burials found at a Site Dating Back to 7,000 CE in California

A  site in California, Marsh Creek Village, that stretches back 7,000 years has been found with unusual burials. Six individuals were decaptitated and six others with an extra skull by their sides. In two graves, the skulls have been crafted into polished bowls. There are no signs of violence. The site was uncovered in 2002. They found 500 burials, and artifacts dating back 7,000 years. These were people who lived as sedentary hunter-gatherers, eating acorns, seeds, fish and small game. The ones found with no skulls and those with extra skulls buried with them are not unique. Researchers have studied the chemistry of the teeth and bones of 200 individuals at the site. The burials with the skull ritual had the same strontium signature in their teeth as the others at Marsh Creek. And there was no sign of violence or injury. The skull ritual may have been related to kinship and ancestor worship. Often, in these kinds of cases, bones are made into flutes and whistles. The teeth in two of these special burials show a sharp drop in nitrogen in their diet at 12-21 months of age. Both had been weaned from their mothers suddenly and at a young age. Perhaps the mothers died early, and the two were adopted. Perhaps the skulls were re-united with the mother in death.
These findings are posted in the journal American Antiquity.

Western Digs has the report here with photos;
http://westerndigs.org/severed-heads-skull-bowls-found-in-california-graves-were-tributes-not-war-trophies-study-finds/

Mike Ruggeri’s The Ancient America’s Breaking News
http://bit.ly/UbLO7x

October 9, 2015

Decapitated Spaniards from 1520 Convoy Uncovered at the site of Zultepec-Tecoaque

In 1520 CE, the Alcohua town of Zultepec-Tecoaque captured a supply convoy of 15 Spaniards and 45 foot soldiers of Cuban and African descent, women and 350 Indian allies a year after the conquest of Tenochtitlan. The townspeople carved clay figurines of the captives, and sumbolically decapitated the figurines. The captives were then sacrificed and eaten. The captives were held in cells for six months and then all were slowly cannibalized, to ask the gods for protection from them. The pigs the Spaniards brought were left uneaten. These would have been strange creatures to the invaded. The captives were torn apart and the meat removed from their bones. One woman was found dismembered with the skull of a one year old placed in her pelvis. Spanish valuables like majolica china, jewelry, spurs, stirrups were tossed into wells. A horse’s rib bone was carved into a musical instrument. The heads of the captives were placed on a skull rack. Cortes dispatched a punitive expedition. The townspeople then hid all of the remains of the Spaniards, which has allowed archaeologists to find the remains.

CTV News has the report here from INAH;
http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/excavation-of-mexican-site-reveals-decapitation-of-conquistadors-1.2602422

Mike Ruggeri’s Mesoamerica News on Tumblr
http://mikeruggerismesoamericanews.tumblr.com

Mike Ruggeri’s Toltecs and Aztecs
http://mikeruggeristoltecsandaztecs.tumblr.com

October 9, 2015

Decapitated Spaniards from 1520 Convoy Uncovered at the site of Zultepec-Tecoaque

In 1520 CE, the Alcohua town of Zultepec-Tecoaque captured a supply convoy of 15 Spaniards and 45 foot soldiers of Cuban and African descent, women and 350 Indian allies a year after the conquest of Tenochtitlan. The townspeople carved clay figurines of the captives, and sumbolically decapitated the figurines. The captives were then sacrificed and eaten. The captives were held in cells for six months and then all were slowly cannibalized, to ask the gods for protection from them. The pigs the Spaniards brought were left uneaten. These would have been strange creatures to the invaded. The captives were torn apart and the meat removed from their bones. One woman was found dismembered with the skull of a one year old placed in her pelvis. Spanish valuables like majolica china, jewelry, spurs, stirrups were tossed into wells. A horse’s rib bone was carved into a musical instrument. The heads of the captives were placed on a skull rack. Cortes dispatched a punitive expedition. The townspeople then hid all of the remains of the Spaniards, which has allowed archaeologists to find the remains.

CTV News has the report here from INAH;
http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/excavation-of-mexican-site-reveals-decapitation-of-conquistadors-1.2602422

Mike Ruggeri’s Mesoamerica News on Tumblr
http://mikeruggerismesoamericanews.tumblr.com

Mike Ruggeri’s Toltecs and Aztecs
http://mikeruggeristoltecsandaztecs.tumblr.com

October 6, 2015

Possible Pre-Clovis Find With Wolly Mammoth in Wisconsin

A wooly mammoth dated to between 11,700-15,000 years ago has  been excavated in Michigan. Large parts of the remains of the mammoth were excavated aling with possible stone tools for cutting and anchoring. The vertebra were arrayed in correct anatomical sequence and not scattered. A pond may have been used for storage. Cut marks on the bones will be sought and dated. The dates may be within the Clovis range, but there is a chance that the dates will be Pre-Clovis.

Archaeology.org has the report here, with a photo;
http://www.archaeology.org/news/3736-151005-michigan-mammoth-bones

And Mashable has a number of photos here;
http://mashable.com/2015/10/03/michigan-mammoth-fossils/#TKAcVLp6ePq5

Mike Ruggeri’s Pre-Clovis and Clovis World Magazine
http://bit.ly/1uAWdvk