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Obsidian blade linked to Coronado’s expedition to find the fabled city of gold

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Archaeologists suggest that a flaked-stone obsidian blade could be linked to the expedition led by Francisco Vasquez de Coronado to search for the fabled city of gold.

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado was a Spanish explorer and conquistador, who led an expedition from what is now Mexico to present-day Kansas from 1540 to 1542.

Coronado was searching for Cibola, also known as the Seven Cities of gold, which according to legend was a fabled province that held vast cities constructed from gold.

The legend may have its roots in a Portuguese myth about seven cities founded on a mythical rectangular island called Antillia in the Atlantic Ocean, as depicted in the 1424 portolan chart of Zuane Pizzigano.

However, most reports about Cibola originate from shipwrecked survivors of the Narváez expedition, a failed colonial enterprise to establish settlements and garrisons in the Florida area in 1527.

The obsidian blade was found in the region of the Texas panhandle, which according to researchers from the Southern Methodist University (SMU) was likely dropped by a member of Coronado’s expedition, that included people indigenous to Mexico.

A spectrometer analysis of the blade’s chemical composition reveals that it originates from the Central Mexico’s Sierra de Pachuca mountain range, where indigenous people used obsidian to produce cutting tools until the Spanish conquest.

SMU anthropologist, Matthew Boulanger, said: “This small unassuming artefact fits all of the requirements for convincing evidence of a Coronado presence in the Texas panhandle.”

“It is the correct form of artefact, it is fully consistent with other finds, the correct material, found in the correct location, and there are no indications of an intentional hoax,” added Boulanger.

Further studies have traced the path of the expedition passing through the United States by studying other examples of central Mexican obsidian blades discarded by the expedition members.

Header Image Credit : Alamy

Sources : Southern Methodist University – Artefact could be linked to Spanish explorer Coronado’s expedition across Texas Panhandle.

This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily

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Archaeology

Egypt’s first pyramid was constructed using hydraulic lift

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A recent study, published in the journal ResearchGate, proposes that the Pyramid of Djoser could have been constructed using hydraulic lift.

The Pyramid of Djoser, also known as the Step Pyramid, is a proto-pyramid built as the final resting place of Djoser, the first or second pharaoh of Egypt’s 3rd Dynasty (2670–2650 BC) during the Old Kingdom period.

The pyramid rises from the Saqqara plateau in six steps to a height of around 60 to 62 metres, serving as the centre of a vast mortuary complex.

Due to the absence of authentic sources from the pyramid architects’ working sphere, there is currently no confirmed comprehensive model for the method used in the pyramid construction.

The prevailing theory suggests that the heavy stone blocks were transported on apparatuses such as rollers, and raised to height using a series of ramps.

In the study, a survey of watersheds near to the pyramid indicate that the Gisr el-Mudir (enclosure) has features of a check dam for trapping sediment and water. Furthermore, the topography beyond the “dam” shows a possible ephemeral lake west of the Djoser complex, and water flow inside the moat surrounding it.

The study authors explain: “In the southern section of the moat, we show that the monumental linear rock-cut structure consisting of successive, deep compartments, combines the technical requirements of a water treatment facility: a settling basin, a retention basin, and a purification system.”

Based on this finding, the study proposes that the Gisr el-Mudir and moat’s inner south section worked as a unified hydraulic system for regulating flow and improving water quality. In addition, the pyramid’s internal architecture is consistent with a hydraulic elevation mechanism never reported before.

“The ancient architects likely raised the stones from the pyramid centre in a volcano fashion using the sediment-free water from the Dry Moat’s south section. Ancient Egyptians are famous for their pioneering and mastery of hydraulics through canals for irrigation purposes and barges to transport huge stones. This work opens a new line of research: the use of hydraulic force to erect the massive structures built by Pharaohs,” said the study authors.

Please note: This study was submitted to PLOS ONE on December 7, 2023. After two rounds of review by peers, the paper was formally accepted by PLOS ONE on June 27, 2024. Since July 23, 2024, it has been the subject of new consultations and review by the PLOS ONE Editorial Board.

Header Image Credit : Shutterstock

Sources : ResearchGate | Piton, Guillaume. (2024). On the possible use of hydraulic force to assist with building the Step Pyramid of Saqqara. PLOS ONE.

This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily

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Archaeology

Lost splendour of the Great Synagogue of Vilna rediscovered

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Constructed between 1630 and 1633 in a Renaissance-Baroque style, the Great Synagogue of Vilnius served as the religious centre of a complex of synagogues, mikvahs, and community institutions devoted to Torah study in Vilnius, Lithuania.

According to a press statement by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA): “The Great Synagogue of Vilna was the beating heart of the Lithuanian Jewry, which included 12 synagogues and study houses, the community council building, the home of Rabbi Eliyahu – the Vilna Gaon, Kosher meat stalls, the famous ‘Strashun’ library, a bathhouse and more.”

During World War II, the synagogue was looted, burned, and partially destroyed by the Nazis in the holocaust. Soviet authorities completely demolished the remaining structure to build a school, intending to prevent any future restoration of Jewish worship.

Only three original pieces of the synagogue survived the destruction: a door of the Holy Ark, a reader’s desk, and a bas-relief with the Ten Commandments, which are now on display at the Vilna Gaon Jewish Museum.

Image Credit : Israel Antiquities Authority

In a recent study conducted by the IAA, the Association of Lithuanian Archaeology, the Good Will Foundation, and the Jewish Community of Lithuania, archaeologists have rediscovered traces of the synagogue’s decorated walls and remnants of flooring with red, black, and white floral patterns that paved the main hall.

Excavations also uncovered huge water reservoirs to feed halachically pure water to the mikva’ot, and one of the giant pillars that surrounded the Bimah (prayer platform).

Dr. Jon Seligman from the IAA and Justinas Rakas from the Lithuanian Archaeological Society, said: “The magnificent remains we are rediscovering bring back moments in the life of a lost vibrant community.”

Header Image Credit : Israel Antiquities Authority

Sources : IAA

This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily

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