Archaeology
Geometric petroglyphs at Toro Muerto may represent ancient songs
A new study, published in the Cambridge Archaeological Journal, suggests that geometric petroglyphs found at Toro Muerto in Peru are representations of ancient songs.
Toro Muerto, meaning “Dead Bull”, is a collection of petroglyphs in Peru’s Castilla province. The site contains over 3000 volcanic rocks inscribed with petroglyphs from the Wari Culture, a Middle Horizon civilisation the flourished from between AD 500 to 1000.
One of the unique aspects of the petroglyph iconography at Toro Muerto are images of dancing anthropomorphic human-like figures known as danzantes, which are accompanied with geometric motifs of zigzag line variants and sometimes with accompanying dots or circles.
Previous interpretations have suggested that the zigzag lines might be symbolic of snakes or lightning, with a possibly association to fertility and water cults.
However, by drawing on parallels with the Tukano people of the Colombia rainforest, the study authors suggest that the petroglyphs at Toro Muerto are abstract representations of ancient singing and songs.
Tukano motifs in art is rooted in visionary experiences evoked by the ritual consumption of the psychoactive drink yajé/yage made from Banisteriopsis caapi jungle vine.
Image Credit : A. Rozwadowski
They created art forms with concentric circles, dots, wavy lines, zigzags and crenellation motifs, that referred to creation myths that were topics the Tukano implied in dances and songs sung to the accompaniment of musical instruments.
Furthermore, different examples of Mesoamerican iconography (Maya, Mixtec and Nahua codices) have such dots or lines (also spiral-shaped) that possibly depict songs in visual form as a representation of the sonic sphere of culture.
Therefore, considering how important the sonic sphere, including songs, is in the cultures of both Amazonia and the Andes, the study authors argue that the graphic depiction of songs in petroglyphs might not be a unique phenomenon and may have existed in various other cultures such as the Wari at Toro Muerto.
According to the study authors: “In our study we show that some geometric images could have been representations or embodiments of songs themselves, in their own right, independent of any depictions of mouths or bodies. We base this study on the case of the petroglyphs at Toro Muerto in Peru, while the source of our interpretative proposal is ethnographic knowledge, more precisely an ethnographic analogy from Amazonia, specifically the art of the Tukano people.”
An expansion of this hypothesis proposes that certain intricate compositions, featuring dancers and linear geometric patterns, symbolised a journey to the afterlife.
Header Image Credit : A. Rozwadowski
Sources : Cambridge Archaeological Journal – Rozwadowski A, Wołoszyn JZ. Dances with Zigzags in Toro Muerto, Peru: Geometric Petroglyphs as (Possible) Embodiments of Songs. Cambridge Archaeological Journal. Published online 2024:1-21. doi:10.1017/S0959774324000064
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
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
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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