The roots of music are deep

No, this is not a 'Caption This' contest but an ancient flute.

35,000 years ago one of our ancestors took a hollow wing bone from a vulture, cut holes in it, made a notch at one end and produced the earliest hand-made musical instrument ever found.

At first I wondered what it sounded like, but the BBC has some audio of it being played.

Then I had to think when and why was it played. Was it used in religious rituals or for entertainment, or both? Or for some other reason, and what was the status in society of the musician/craftsman?

I don't know; but it gives me a warm feeling to think that, maybe, our forebears enjoyed a right good knees-up now and again. Grow into these trousers... >>

Indus script, language or not?

The Indus script, dating from around 2500 to 1900 BC, has long been thought not to be a true written language. Just mere imagery relating to religion and/or politics.

The Indus Valley Civilization (think modern Pakistan) was very formative in the development of humankind. At that period they were unprecedented in making measurements, particularly of weight and scale. This leads me to guess they were trading widely and were very shrewd in business deals. Their spoken language however, is unknown. As are any writings other than a few symbols, often just 4 or 5 (the longest has 26), grouped together.

But a new study reveals tantalising hints of a true written language. Rajesh Rao et al from the University of Washington in Seattle, compared the Indus script to known languages and non linguistic forms with a computer analysis of randomness, or as they call it, 'conditional entropy'. This relies on the fact that the positioning of letters in words, or words in phrases, has an underlying structure. ie in English the letter 't' can be followed by the vowels plus some letters like 'h' or 'r' but not 'b' or 'd'. Similarly, in a short phrase, 'the cat sat on the...' could be followed by 'mat' or 'wall' but never 'learn'. It's nonsensical ('the cat sat on the green' made me think though).

Rao's analysis also included DNA and protein sequences, the computer language FORTRAN and simulated scripts for controls; one totally random, one totally ordered.

As you may have expected FORTRAN code was very highly ordered, it's got to be unambiguous. Known languages had more disorder, whilst DNA and protein had the highest randomness.

The Indus script fell into line with other languages.

No translations yet, no Rosetta stone, just more evidence that our ancient cousins were not the illiterate barbarians many people imagine. Grow into these trousers... >>

Artist hailed as Egypt's Michelangelo

An unknown Egyptian artist has had his skill revealed during a long conservation project by the British Museum.

Painted for the tomb of Nebamun, who was an accountant around 1350 BC, the wall paintings are being hailed as masterpieces.

New Scientist has an article and a photo gallery. The restored fragments go on display this week at the British Museum. Grow into these trousers... >>

Monuments of unageing intellect

That line comes from the first verse of a poem by W.B. Yeats:

That is no country for old men. The young
In one another’s arms, birds in the trees -
Those dying generations - at their song,
The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long
Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.
Caught in that sensual music all neglect
Monuments of unageing intellect.

Sailing to Byzantium (1927)

I paraphrase - don't get so caught up in the immediate, in the satisfaction of desire, as to miss the true wonder of the world around you and the achievements of humanity.

Yeats' words, as true today as when first written, were used by Jacob Bronowski in the introduction to his awesome series on mankind's cultural evolution The Ascent Of Man (1973).

Although filmed long ago this still remains one of the best TV documentaries of all time. If you've never seen it, I urge you to set aside the time. If you have seen it you will know it is well worth seeing over and again.

PART ONE - Lower than the Angels [51:17]


Now head over to Online Documentaries 4 U for the next 12 episodes of this 'Monument of unageing intellect'. Grow into these trousers... >>

Where did I leave my stash?

Testing 2,700-year-old pot for THC concentration. Credit: Fox News.

Archaeologists in China have unearthed the oldest ever stash of marijuana. 2,700 years old and weighing an impressive 789 grams it was described as still being green "though it had lost its distinctive odour". It was found at the burial site of a Caucasian male, along with other items indicating high social status, in the Turpan region of northwestern China.

Thought to be a shaman by the grave goods, he was likely to have been a member of the Gushi culture.

Sadly, after 10 months wrangling to import an 11g sample into the UK for analysis,

The marijuana was found to have a relatively high content of THC, the main active ingredient in cannabis, but the sample was too old to determine a precise percentage.

It should read 'might have had a relatively high content' because the estimate of THC is based on measurements of remaining precursors and breakdown products. The recorded level of THC was 0.007% by weight.

So be careful where you stash your stash 'coz it will go off eventually.
-----------------------
Refs: Stonepages, check out their archaeology podcast with this news.
The Canadian Press.
Phytochemical and genetic analyses of ancient cannabis from Central Asia, Ethan B. Russo et al, Journal of Experimental Botany 2008 59(15):4171-4182; doi:10.1093/jxb/ern260 Grow into these trousers... >>

Human Ancestry - cartoon style

Here's a gentle introduction to human origins from 23andMe on YouTube.

Ancestry 101: Prologue


I guess there's more to come.

Via Atheist Media Blog and Wired Science who rated it highly in their Top 10 Amazing Biology Videos. Grow into these trousers... >>

Update - Female evolution

In my post on female evolution I thought that Afarensis would have more to say. So click through for an update. Grow into these trousers... >>

Sad, but somehow beautiful

Imagine 4600 years ago near Eulau, Germany. A tribe or a settlement was viciously attacked and many were killed. Men, women, children. The survivors returned to bury the dead, these were the people they had lived alongside and maybe grown up among. Thirteen individuals have been found buried so far, interred with social knowledge and respect. One woman has a flint arrow head embedded in her back. Another has two huge blows to the top of her head, either one would have been fatal. Many have arm wounds, an indication they were trying to defend themselves but were unarmed or surprised. We will never know what happened, but the researchers* themselves describe it as "a strong indicator of lethal aggression".


Photo credit: PNAS

The remains have been analysed for DNA and for levels of the element Strontium. Specifically reported are mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome DNA.

mtDNA is passed on from mother to child, both boys and girls, but only the girls can be mothers to pass it on again. The Y-chromosome is passed only from father to son.

In one grave are three children and one female adult. This was the lady who had her head smashed twice, but by mtDNA she is not the mother of two of the youngsters, the lineage of the third is currently unknown. What happened here and why bury them together? A paternal aunt maybe? A childminder with her charges?

The family unit is below the belt. It reminds me of this discovery.

Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences/PNAS

At the top is an impression of how the bodies were laid out. The square symbols denote males, the circle is a female. The colours show blue for the male (Y-DNA) and pink or orange for the female (mtDNA) lineages. So the father and mother were definitely unrelated. His mtDNA (orange) comes from his mother's line, hers (pink) from her different maternal history.

The two male children are without question this couple's offspring, they carry their mother's mtDNA (pink) and their father's Y-DNA (blue), but the deliberate placing of the bodies says much. Daddy's favorite son, mom's little soldier, who knows? The people who buried them I suppose, but there would have been a reason.

Ah strontium and you thought I had forgotten. I always associate strontium with red fireworks and, in its radioactive form together with caesium, a nutritional hazard post Chernobyl but that's the point. From Wikipedia:

Since Strontium is so similar to calcium, it is incorporated in the bone. All four isotopes are incorporated, in roughly similar proportions as they are found in nature... However the actual distribution of the isotopes tends to vary greatly from one geographical location to another. Thus analyzing the bone of an individual can help determine the region it came from. This approach helps to identify the ancient migration patterns as well as the origin of commingled human remains in battlefield burial sites. Strontium thus helps forensic scientists too.

By measuring strontium isotope ratios, in this case from teeth which are laid down in childhood, the research shows that the men and women were raised in different places. This implies inter-tribal contact for the purpose of choosing a spouse, and further implies an understanding of the problems associated with inbreeding.

A fascinating study.

---------------------
*Reference:
PNAS doi: 10.1073/pnas.0807592105
"Ancient DNA, Strontium isotopes, and osteological analyses shed light on social and kinship organization of the Later Stone Age", Haaka et al, PNAS, Nov 2008.

Supporting information.

Grow into these trousers... >>

How and why and where did civilization begin?

A good question.
Online Documentaries 4 U is sctatching my itch just now!

The lost pyramids of Caral


'Where' is well understood: Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, China, Peru and Central America.

'How' and 'why' are interlinked I think. If you want to do something you will try to find a way.

"Why are you doing this?"
  "Because I can better feed my family"
"How are you doing this?"
  "By coming to work here"

"Why are you doing this?"
  "Because it's safer"
"How are you doing this?"
  "As fast as I f**king can" Grow into these trousers... >>

The Bible Unearthed

Here's a fascinating documentary on one of the most important subjects in modern culture.

Prof. Israel Finkelstein of Tel Aviv University and Neil Silberman of the Ename Centre of Public Archaeology in Belgium explore the archaeology of the Levant casting doubt on the historical accuracy of the biblical Old Testament.



It's in 10 chunks of about 10mins each but here's a playlist for the whole programme.
--------------------------
While surfing around for background to this broadcast I found the Atheist Media Blog, yet another site I will have to visit regularly. This lead me to The Atheist Jew who has a longer article. From there I found KafirGirl who is effing awesome. Read along with her from the Koran. Yes, that's right, just do it OK! Grow into these trousers... >>

The "Stone Age Embrace"

Excavations at Gobero, Niger have uncovered the earliest recorded cemetery in what is now the Sahara desert¹. Dating back to almost 8000 BCE the burials are excellently preserved and give a unique look at the people and their culture from a time when the desert was green with plant life and blue with open water.



But the most beautiful image is below the belt...

'Perhaps most incredible was the 2006 discovery the Stone Age Embrace—a Tenerian woman facing the remains of two young children, their arms posed and hands interlaced. Pollen remnants from underneath the skeletons shows the dead had been laid on a bed of flowers. "This is a landmark burial—there's nothing like it in prehistory," Sereno said.'
National Geographic 2008

via guestblogger LisaJ at Pharyngula.
-------------------
1. Sereno PC, Garcea EAA, Jousse H, Stojanowski CM, Saliège J, et al. 'Lakeside Cemeteries in the Sahara: 5000 Years of Holocene Population and Environmental Change. PLoS ONE 3(8): e2995 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002995 2008


Grow into these trousers... >>

The Antikythera mechanism

This object, and some other fragments found in the early 1900s off the Greek island of the same name, is a complete anachronism. Dated to 150-100 BCE nothing similar is known till a thousand years later. The mechanism seems to have been made to calculate astronomical events and positions and is of remarkable complexity for its age.

Results of a new X-ray study^[1] suggest that in addition the Antikythera mechanism also displayed the timing of the original Olympic Games.
You need a subscription to Nature to read the full article but there is a great video available here. It's worth watching.

EDIT: it seems you may not need a subscription to read the article. The video is still good to see.
--------------
1. Tony Freeth, Alexander Jones, John M. Steele & Yanis Bitsakis 'Calendars with Olympiad display and eclipse prediction on the Antikythera Mechanism' Nature 454, 614-617 (31 July 2008) Grow into these trousers... >>

Stonehenge revisited

Update to Stonehenge. Why I won't go back.

The Archaeo News site at Stone Pages (and the podcast) are even today describing the

"disgraceful visitor facilities, appalling traffic conditions and the poor environment at Stonehenge after the dramatic collapse of the tunnel and visitor centre schemes."

The collapse is not, I hasten to add, the tunnel 'under' the road I talked of last time but the collapse of talks proposing a 'road tunnel' to divert passing traffic off the A303 near Stonehenge. Improvements to the gift shop were also implied which might or might not have involved a second van selling ice cream or hamburgers (or both, can't remember), as dictated by the Office of Fair Trade and the Monopolies Commission.

Anyway... Idea scrapped:

"The back-to-square-one move follows the waste of £37.85 million of taxpayers' money on failed attempts to solve traffic and heritage problems at Stonehenge. After eight years of planning and controversy, the Stonehenge A303 Improvement Scheme was axed late last year."

However

"Culture Minister Margaret Hodge pledged to do everything possible to upgrade clogged roads and disgraceful visitor conditions at Stonehenge before the 2012 Olympic Games."

Well good'o, about time!

£37.85 million for nothing. English Heritage? Collectively we should hang our heads in shame.
----------
Thanks to 'Anonymous' for the comment, or I might not have gone digging and missed this. Grow into these trousers... >>

Stonehenge

This seemed appropriate today.

I've been to Stonehenge been 3 times.

The first time I went, and I have to hazard a guess, it was summertime 1976. My dad let us have the car for a week’s holiday and Stonehenge was on our hitlist. It was very late at night as we came along the A344 so our first impression of the stones was of a looming presence in the darkness. We parked up, let our eyes adjust and went to try to get closer, but found a chain fence along the roadside keeping us out. We slept in the car, in a layby which turned out to be the main carpark. In the morning damn tourists started arriving and then we noticed the gift shop, a van selling ice cream or hamburgers (or both, can't remember) and of course, the tunnel under the road to get to the stones. In those days access was unrestricted, you could go right up and pat them. I did, and it was a great feeling somehow to bond with the achievements of people from so long ago.

The third time I was there I was with my (ex) wife in about 1992. She was/is a keen archaeologist and went on to get a good degree (last I heard). We toured South West England, taking in: Old sarum, Cern Abbas, Uffington, Avebury, West Kennet, Silbury hill. The obvious places, and of course Stonehenge. There we found: damn tourists, the gift shop, a van selling ice cream or hamburgers (or both, can't remember) and of course, the tunnel under the road to get to the stones. Which were now closely encircled by a barbed wire fence closing off the public.

The second time I visited Stonehenge is below the belt.


Stonehenge Festival - 1984


At dawn I was across at the stones watching the Druids, see 40:40. Sunrise was much quieter than the video depicts. Later on things got a bit more stroppy but at sunrise, strangely, I remember the crowd being more hushed and leaving the Druids to get on with it. Rapt in our own experience (or should that be wrapped?). The actual moment was pointed out by someone with a digital watch* as the event was obscured by clouds. Look at the height of the sun in the video, that's long after sunrise.

What do I remember from that free-for-all?

• No damn tourists. The people who were there, were there to celebrate a particular day. As was their right.
• Festival gift stalls selling things I might like to buy.
• A more varied diet than a van selling ice cream or hamburgers (or both, can't remember).
• The tunnel under the road to get to the stones.
• Inner city Unit playing 'Raise the Bones of Elvis' (sorry no link).

But now we are many years on from this. We have a responsibility to those stones and to our heritage. Do we allow unfettered access or put a glass dome over it for all but the privileged. In the latter case how did this lot get in as part of what was supposed to be a serious archaeological dig?

In fairness Timothy Darvill and Geoffrey Wainwright were reworking a previous dig, which has it's own recursiveness. The overall science seems to be valid but I question the two week time frame and the 'do it for the media' attitude. That is a ridiculous way to do archaeology on such an important site. Had it had been left for another 50 years, how much better would we be able to study it?

---

*Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. Orbiting this at a distance of roughly ninety-eight million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue-green planet whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea.
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Grow into these trousers... >>