Tweet
SCIENTISTS UNCOVERED HUMAN BRAIN DATING 6 THOUSAND YEARS BACK
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.01.2009 18:56 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In a cave overlooking southeastern Armenia's Arpa
River, just across the border from Iran, scientists have uncovered what
may be the oldest preserved human brain from an ancient society. The
cave also offers surprising new insights into the origins of modern
civilizations, such as evidence of a winemaking enterprise and an
array of culturally diverse pottery.
Excavations in and just outside of Areni-1 cave during 2007 and 2008
yielded an extensive array of Copper Age artifacts dating to between
6,200 and 5,900 years ago, reported Gregory Areshian of the University
of California, Los Angeles, January 11 at the annual meeting of the
Archaeological Institute of America. In eastern Europe and the Near
East, an area that encompasses much of southwest Asia, the Copper
Age ran from approximately 6,500 to 5,500 years ago.
The finds show that major cultural developments occurred during the
Copper Age in areas outside southern Iraq, which is traditionally
regarded as the cradle of civilization, Areshian noted. The new cave
discoveries move cultural activity in what's now Armenia back by
about 800 years.
"This is exciting work," comments Rana Ozbal of Bogazici University
in Istanbul, Turkey.
A basin two meters long installed inside the Armenian cave and
surrounded by large jars and the scattered remains of grape husks
and seeds apparently belonged to a large-scale winemaking operation.
Researchers also found a trio of Copper Age human skulls, each buried
in a separate niche inside the three-chambered, 600-square-meter
cave. The skulls belonged to 12- to 14-year-old girls, according
to anatomical analyses conducted independently by three biological
anthropologists. Fractures identified on two skulls indicate that
the girls were killed by blows from a club of some sort, probably in
a ritual ceremony, Areshian suggested.
Remarkably, one skull contained a shriveled but well-preserved
brain. "This is the oldest known human brain from the Old World,"
Areshian said. The Old World comprises Europe, Asia, Africa and
surrounding islands.
Scientists now studying the brain have noted preserved blood vessels
on its surface. Surviving red blood cells have been extracted from
those hardy vessels for analysis.
It's unclear who frequented Areshi-1, where these people lived or how
big their settlements were. No trace of household activities has been
found in or outside the cave.
Whoever they were, these people participated in trade networks that
ran throughout the Near East, Areshian proposes. Copper Age pottery
at the site falls into four groups, only one of which represents a
local product. A group of painted ceramic items came from west-central
Iran. Some pots display a style typical of the Maikop culture from
southern Russia and southeastern Europe. Still other pieces were
characteristic of the Kura-Arax culture that flourished just west of
Maikop territory in Russia.
Radiocarbon dating of pottery and other Copper Age finds pushes back
the origins of the Maikop and Kura-Arax cultures by nearly 1,000 years,
Areshian says.
Additional discoveries at Areni-1 include metal knives, seeds from
more than 30 types of fruit, remains of dozens of cereal species,
rope, cloth, straw, grass, reeds and dried grapes and prunes.
A hard, carbonate crust covering the Copper Age soil layers, along with
extreme dryness and stable temperatures inside the cave, contributed to
preservation of artifacts and, in particular, the young girl's brain.
Medieval ovens from the 12th to 14th centuries have also been excavated
at the cave's entrance, underneath a rock shelter.
Areshian expects much more material to emerge from further excavations
at Areni-1 and from explorations of the many other caves bordering
the Arpa River. "One of these caves is much larger than Areni-1,
covering about an acre inside," he said, Science News reports.
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.01.2009 18:56 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In a cave overlooking southeastern Armenia's Arpa
River, just across the border from Iran, scientists have uncovered what
may be the oldest preserved human brain from an ancient society. The
cave also offers surprising new insights into the origins of modern
civilizations, such as evidence of a winemaking enterprise and an
array of culturally diverse pottery.
Excavations in and just outside of Areni-1 cave during 2007 and 2008
yielded an extensive array of Copper Age artifacts dating to between
6,200 and 5,900 years ago, reported Gregory Areshian of the University
of California, Los Angeles, January 11 at the annual meeting of the
Archaeological Institute of America. In eastern Europe and the Near
East, an area that encompasses much of southwest Asia, the Copper
Age ran from approximately 6,500 to 5,500 years ago.
The finds show that major cultural developments occurred during the
Copper Age in areas outside southern Iraq, which is traditionally
regarded as the cradle of civilization, Areshian noted. The new cave
discoveries move cultural activity in what's now Armenia back by
about 800 years.
"This is exciting work," comments Rana Ozbal of Bogazici University
in Istanbul, Turkey.
A basin two meters long installed inside the Armenian cave and
surrounded by large jars and the scattered remains of grape husks
and seeds apparently belonged to a large-scale winemaking operation.
Researchers also found a trio of Copper Age human skulls, each buried
in a separate niche inside the three-chambered, 600-square-meter
cave. The skulls belonged to 12- to 14-year-old girls, according
to anatomical analyses conducted independently by three biological
anthropologists. Fractures identified on two skulls indicate that
the girls were killed by blows from a club of some sort, probably in
a ritual ceremony, Areshian suggested.
Remarkably, one skull contained a shriveled but well-preserved
brain. "This is the oldest known human brain from the Old World,"
Areshian said. The Old World comprises Europe, Asia, Africa and
surrounding islands.
Scientists now studying the brain have noted preserved blood vessels
on its surface. Surviving red blood cells have been extracted from
those hardy vessels for analysis.
It's unclear who frequented Areshi-1, where these people lived or how
big their settlements were. No trace of household activities has been
found in or outside the cave.
Whoever they were, these people participated in trade networks that
ran throughout the Near East, Areshian proposes. Copper Age pottery
at the site falls into four groups, only one of which represents a
local product. A group of painted ceramic items came from west-central
Iran. Some pots display a style typical of the Maikop culture from
southern Russia and southeastern Europe. Still other pieces were
characteristic of the Kura-Arax culture that flourished just west of
Maikop territory in Russia.
Radiocarbon dating of pottery and other Copper Age finds pushes back
the origins of the Maikop and Kura-Arax cultures by nearly 1,000 years,
Areshian says.
Additional discoveries at Areni-1 include metal knives, seeds from
more than 30 types of fruit, remains of dozens of cereal species,
rope, cloth, straw, grass, reeds and dried grapes and prunes.
A hard, carbonate crust covering the Copper Age soil layers, along with
extreme dryness and stable temperatures inside the cave, contributed to
preservation of artifacts and, in particular, the young girl's brain.
Medieval ovens from the 12th to 14th centuries have also been excavated
at the cave's entrance, underneath a rock shelter.
Areshian expects much more material to emerge from further excavations
at Areni-1 and from explorations of the many other caves bordering
the Arpa River. "One of these caves is much larger than Areni-1,
covering about an acre inside," he said, Science News reports.