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Archaeology

50,000-year-old spearhead made from horse bone found in rock shelter

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Archaeologists from IPHES-CERCA have unearthed a 50,000-year-old spearhead during excavations near Capellades, Spain.

The discovery was made at the Abric Romaní archaeological site, a large rock shelter located on the north side of the Cinglera del Capelló.

Previous excavations of the rock shelter interior have uncovered archaeological assemblages from the Middle Palaeolithic and evidence of Neanderthal occupation.

A new study published in the journal Scientific Reports has identified traces of animal bones used as raw materials for tool production, including a 50,000-year-old spearhead made from horse bone.

The spearhead shows clear signs of intentional carving, in addition to the presence of wear marks and an impact fracture at the tip.

According to the archaeologists, this marks the first discovery of Neanderthals on the Iberian Peninsula using animal bones to manufacture spear points. Computed microtomography has also identified internal fractures that likely occurred from an impact.

This research is significant because it demonstrates that Neanderthals extensively utilised available animal resources, not just for nutrition, but also for hunting.

The study, led by Mateo-Lomba, provides an in-depth interdisciplinary analysis that combines technological, taphonomic, and functional perspectives, enabling the identification of evidence related to the manufacture, handling, and use of these tools.

According to Mateo-Lomba “this discovery contributes to our understanding of Neanderthal hunting behaviour and the importance of bone tools in their technological repertoire”.
In this sense, he adds that “the flexibility and adaptability of Neanderthal technology is highlighted, providing evidence of a bone technology, which is sometimes hidden in the archaeological record, and offering valuable data on their hunting strategies during the Middle Palaeolithic”.

Header Image Credit : IPHES-CERCA

Sources : IPHES-CERCA

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

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Archaeology

Sacred chapel destroyed during German Peasants’ War rediscovered

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Archaeologists from the State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology (LDA) of Saxony-Anhalt have rediscovered the Mallerbach Chapel at the site of the Kaltenborn monastery.

Between 1524 to 1525, a large number of peasants, urban lower classes, and lesser nobles living in the German-speaking areas in Central Europe rebelled against a combination of economic, social, and religious factors. These include:

Economic hardship and inequality: Peasants faced heavy burdens from taxes, dues, and rents imposed by landlords, the church, and secular rulers.

Feudal oppression: Many peasants grew increasingly resentful of the limitations placed on their freedoms by feudal lords, including restrictions on hunting, fishing, and access to communal lands.

Religious influence: The Reformation inspired many peasants who saw in it a call for social and economic reform against a corrupt church.

Legal grievances: Peasants sought greater control over local governance and justice. They were frustrated by the arbitrary decisions made by their lords and demanded more influence over the laws and rules that governed their daily lives.

Image Credit : LDA

Following the outbreak of the Peasants’ War, insurgents from the nearby villages of Riestedt and Emseloh plundered the Kaltenborn monastery near Allstedt in the German district of Mansfeld-Südharz, leading to the monastery’s decline and eventual dissolution in 1538.

According to a press statement by the LDA: “It’s destruction – an act of rebellion against the Cistercian convent of Naundorf, which was in charge of the Chapel of St. Mary and to which the Allstedt residents were subject to taxes – can be seen as the first flare-up and harbinger of the coming uprising of the ‘common man’ against the authorities.”

Recent excavations at the monastery site have located the 12th/13th century Mallerbach chapel, a sacred place of worship for pilgrims who came to witness a weeping image of the Virgin Mary.

Archaeologists have uncovered the original floor plan of the chapel, which measures around 17 metres in length with a rectangular choir and semicircular apse. Excavations have also found the altar foundations, as well as traces of burning from the time of the German Peasants’ War.

Header Image Credit : LDA

Sources : State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology (LDA)

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

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Archaeology

Traces of ancient city that revolted against Rome uncovered

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Archaeologists have excavated the remains of Fregellae, an ancient city in central Italy that revolted against the Roman Republic.

Fregellae was founded during the 4th century BC near the present-day commune of Arce in the province of Frosinone. Due to the strategic location of the city, the Romans established a colony in 328 BC as a bulwark against Samnite incursions.

In 125 BC, the inhabitants of Fregellae revolted against Rome, demanding equal standing as Roman citizens. In response, Rome dispatched a force led by praetor Lucius Opimius, who swiftly suppressed the uprising and razed the city to the ground.

Archaeologists from the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA) and the University of Trier have excavated the remains of an agricultural villa which belonged to the local elite within the extent of Fregellae.

Image Credit : Dominik Maschek

Based on archaeological evidence, the villa was constructed around AD 45 and produced wine, fruit and grain in a dedicated production complex.

Prof Dr Dominik Maschek, project manager at LEIZA, said: “The wine was probably not only produced for the local market. It is quite possible that it was traded within Mediterranean exchange networks as far as Spain and France. The cultivation of grain and fruit, on the other hand, was certainly intended for the local market.”

Excavations also revealed traces of the encampment used by the Roman forces that destroyed the city. The camp covered an area of 90 x 143 metres and was surrounded by a defensive rampart and ditch.

Archaeologists suggest that the destruction of Fregellae dealt a severe blow to the region’s economy, leaving the area uninhabited for more than 170 years until the site was reused as a rubbish dump in AD 50.

Header Image Credit : Dominik Maschek

Sources : Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA)

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

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