Mysterious Origins of Patagonia's Native People (Yahgan)

Video

Moira Ritter

Thu, December 14, 2023 at 1:06 PM PST·2 min read

51

 

While conducting research at the Castle Rock Pueblo settlement complex in Colorado, a team of archaeologists from Poland was encouraged by locals to explore “higher, less accessible parts of the canyons.” What they found exceeded their “wildest expectations.”

Approximately 2,600 feet above the ancient Pueblo cliff settlements, the archaeologists discovered a sprawling collection of “huge rock panels” stretching about 2.5 miles around a large plateau, according to a Dec. 13 news release from Jagiellonian University. The collection of “previously unknown huge galleries and petroglyphs” wasn’t created all at once but was added to over time.

The Pueblo people lived on the border between Utah and Colorado as early as 3,000 years ago, the university said. Now, Pueblo sites are popular among archaeologists and tourists alike because they are “built into rock niches or carved into canyon walls.”

https://media.zenfs.com/en/miami_herald_mcclatchy_975/9ba7cba4e70806a1e858c06974ee533 f">https://media.zenfs.com/en/miami_herald_mcclatchy_975/9ba7cba4e70806a1e858c06974ee533 f" alt="The Pueblo people lived in settlements carved into rock niches and canyon walls, according to experts." data-caas-lazy-loading-init="1" />

 

 

“The agricultural Pueblo communities developed one of the most advanced Pre-Columbian cultures in North America,” Radosław Palonka from the university’s Institute of Archaeology said in the release. “They perfected the craft of building multistory stone houses, resembling medieval town houses or even later blocks of flats. The Pueblo people were also famous for their rock art, intricately ornamented jewelry, and ceramics bearing different motifs painted with a black pigment on white background.”

The oldest carvings depict warriors and shamans and date to approximately the third century, known as “the Basketmaker Era,” according to the university. During this time, people lived on flatlands in partly underground pit houses, and they “engaged in farming and produced characteristic baskets and mats.”

https://media.zenfs.com/en/miami_herald_mcclatchy_975/e04af2b7151e9b22b1419e12f55d2b3 1">

 

https://media.zenfs.com/en/miami_herald_mcclatchy_975/e04af2b7151e9b22b1419e12f55d2b3 1" alt="The types of carvings changed throughout the centuries, researchers said." data-caas-lazy-loading-init="1" />

 

https://media.zenfs.com/en/miami_herald_mcclatchy_975/c88490c58b12b7cae4278c4f6df1978 b">https://media.zenfs.com/en/miami_herald_mcclatchy_975/c88490c58b12b7cae4278c4f6df1978 b" alt="Archaeologists surveying a wall of carvings." data-caas-lazy-loading-init="1" />

 

Most of the newly discovered carvings date to between the 12th and 13th centuries, archaeologists said. They portray different things, but many include “complicated geometric shapes.”

Art from this period also included “spirals” up to about 3 feet wide that were carved into the rock panels, Palonka said. The Pueblo people used these carvings for “astronomical observations and to determine the dates of some special days in the calendar,” including solstices and equinoxes.

https://media.zenfs.com/en/miami_herald_mcclatchy_975/62ea8a8bf297360cfd64b49bb57efe1 9">https://media.zenfs.com/en/miami_herald_mcclatchy_975/62ea8a8bf297360cfd64b49bb57efe1 9" alt="Some of the carvings depicted “complicated geometric shapes,” archaeologists said." data-caas-lazy-loading-init="1" />

 

https://media.zenfs.com/en/miami_herald_mcclatchy_975/35afc69cd4edf69395c47307d65e7ec 3">https://media.zenfs.com/en/miami_herald_mcclatchy_975/35afc69cd4edf69395c47307d65e7ec 3" alt="The rock carvings were found about 1,200 feet about the cliff settlement, researchers said." data-caas-lazy-loading-init="1" />

 

“These discoveries forced us to adjust our knowledge about this area,” according to Palonka. “Definitely we have underestimated the number of inhabitants who lived here in the 13th century and the complexity of their religious practices, which must have also taken place next to these outdoor panels.”

https://media.zenfs.com/en/miami_herald_mcclatchy_975/fc9d1e47dc8908d73343b9cb104869f 3">https://media.zenfs.com/en/miami_herald_mcclatchy_975/fc9d1e47dc8908d73343b9cb104869f 3" alt="During the 15th to 17th centuries, the carvings began showing narratives/" data-caas-lazy-loading-init="1" />

 

Carvings from the 15th to 17th centuries depicted “large narrative hunting scenes showing bison, mountain sheep and deer hunts,” the university said. More recent additions include horses and the newest pieces even included the signature of famous cowboy Ira Cuthair from 1936.

Researchers plan to continue exploring the area, and they are currently awaiting LiDAR survey results, which they hope will reveal “new, previously unknown sites, mainly from the earlier periods,” Palonka said.

 

Article

https://www.yahoo.com/news/huge-art-gallery-found-carved-210659539.html

 

New Discovery Changes Perception of Native Americans

 

By Nisha Zahid

 

December 15, 2023

 

300w, 150w, 600w, 696w, 1392w" data-lazy-sizes="(max-width: 663px) 100vw, 663px" data-lazy-src="https://greekreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/archaeologists-uncovering-petroglyphs-in-remote-colorado-canyons-shedding-light-on-the-rich-history-of-native-americans-credit-jagiellonian-university.jpg" data-ll-status="loaded" />

In a groundbreaking discovery, a group of Kraków-based archaeologists has unearthed remarkable findings in Colorado, reshaping our understanding of the Native Americans who once lived there.

Under the guidance of Professor Radosław Palonka from Jagiellonian University in Poland, the team revealed a collection of petroglyphs and intricate carvings on rocks. These carvings showcase elaborate designs, spirals, and geometric shapes.

Carvings date back to the 3rd Century

While most of these carvings are believed to originate from the 12th and 13th centuries, the oldest ones are suspected to date back to the third century, known as the Age of the Basket Weavers.

The archaeological community has welcomed this revelation with great excitement. According to Palonka, the uncovering of these extensive galleries has the potential to entirely shift our understanding of this settlement from various perspectives.

Spurred by local rumors, Palonka and his team directed their efforts toward the more remote regions of Colorado, including Sand Canyon, Graveyard Canyon, and Rock Creek Canyon. Palonka explained, “We decided to verify these reports and what we found exceeded our wildest expectations.”

 

Peculiar spirals featuring astronomical observations

 

At an elevation of approximately eight hundred meters above the cliff dwellings, scientists stumbled upon unfamiliar petroglyphs, featuring expansive rock panels extending up to four kilometers (2,5 miles) around the plateau.

Within these carvings, the Pueblo people etched spirals, some reaching a diameter of up to one meter. These spirals served dual purposes, including the facilitation of astronomical observations and marking of significant days of the year, such as the summer and winter solstices, as well as the spring and autumn equinoxes.

Palonka explained, “These discoveries mean that we have to reconstruct this area anew. We certainly underestimated the number of people who lived in these canyons in the 13th century and the complexity of their religious practices, some of which must have been performed at these exposed panels.”

 

Agricultural Pueblo communities before Columbus

 

Before Columbus arrived, the agricultural Pueblo communities stood out as one of the most advanced cultures in North America. According to Palonka, “They mastered the skill of building multi-story stone houses…that resembled medieval tenements or even latter-day apartment blocks.”

Renowned not only for their advanced architecture but also for their detailed jewelry, rock art, and ceramics, the Krakow professor aspires to uncover additional insights into this ancient culture.

 

300w, 150w, 600w, 696w, 1392w" data-lazy-sizes="(max-width: 707px) 100vw, 707px" data-lazy-src="https://greekreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/precolumbian-pueblo-culture-settlements-credit-jagiellonian-university.jpg" data-ll-status="loaded" />

 

Earlier this year, University of Houston teams employed drones, helicopters, and low-flying planes for thorough scanning and mapping of the area. Palonka is optimistic that their research efforts could yield additional discoveries.

He stated, “They are the best LiDAR research specialists in the world. They will prepare extremely accurate and precise 3D maps for us, and we hope to locate more previously unknown sites, mainly from earlier periods.”

Palonka and his team haven’t solely relied on technology. They have collaborated closely with Native American groups, including the Hopi and Ute. These groups have played a crucial role in aiding Polish researchers in deciphering the iconography and interpretations of rock art.

 

 

Article

https://greekreporter.com/2023/12/15/new-discovery-native-americans/

 

 

By: Mark Milligan

Date:

December 13, 2023

 

Archaeology

 

Archaeologists have discovered Pueblo astronomical carvings and paintings in Colorado

 

Archaeologists from the Jagiellonian University in Kraków have announced the discovery of astronomical carvings and paintings associated with the Pueblo culture.

The discovery was made at the Castle Rock Pueblo settlement complex, located on the Mesa Verde plateau on the border between Colorado and Utah, United States.

Previous research of the area has identified Pueblo petroglyphs from the 12th and 13th century AD, and 15th-17th century AD rock panels featuring hunting scenes associated with the Ute tribe.

The Puebloans, also known as the Pueblos, were an early Native American civilisation that emerged around AD 100 in regions spanning Utah, along with sections of Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.

The culture was one of the most advanced Pre-Columbian societies, constructing multistorey stone houses, rock art, intricately ornamented jewellery, and ceramics decorated with painted motifs.

Based on reports from members of the local community, archaeologists begun exploring the hard-to-reach areas of the Sand Canyon, Graveyard Canyon and Rock Creek Canyon at the Castle Rock Pueblo settlement complex. At a height of 800 metres above the cliff settlements, the team found the petroglyphs on rock panels that stretch over 4 kilometres around the large plateau.

Carved on the rock panels are spirals up to one metre in diameter, which were used by the Pueblo people for astronomical observations and to determine the summer and winter solstices, as well as the spring and autumn equinoxes.

Also discovered are painted depictions showing images of warriors and shamans, which according to the researchers date from the 3^rd century AD during the Basketmaker Era.

Prof. Radosław Palonka from the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, said: “These discoveries forced us to adjust our knowledge about this area. Definitely we have underestimated the number of inhabitants who lived here in the 13th century and the complexity of their religious practices, which must have also taken place next to these outdoor panels.”

 

 

Article

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/12/archaeologists-have-discovered-pueblo-astronomical-carvings-and-paintings-in-colorado/149934

Video

https://youtu.be/Z9uuE1Rr5E0

Inca quarries and road network found in Cañete

 

 

By: Mark Milligan

Date:

December 9, 2023

 

Archaeology

Inca quarries and road network found in Cañete

 

Archaeologists have discovered Inca quarries and a road network in Cerros de Quilmaná and Cerro Quinta Freno, in the province of Cañete, Peru.

According to a press release announced by the Peruvian State, the quarries were used to supply material for the construction of walls at the Inca sites of El Huarco in Cerro Azul and Vilcahuasi in San Luis de Cañete.

The team have also found a network of roads and pathways linked to support the transportation of the sculpted stone blocks. According the researchers, these routes indicate the significant role the quarries held as a stone working centre within the Inca State during the 16th century.

With the rise of the Inca Empire, a large road network connected all parts of their territory spanning over 40,000 kilometres (25,000 miles), which is considered one of the most extensive and advanced transportation systems in pre-Columbian South America.

During the colonial period following the Spanish conquest of Peru, the Conquistadors initially used the Inca roads to reach the capital city of Cusco, however, their reliance on horses and ox carts, unsuitable for such terrain, led to the abandonment of most of the network.

“The discovery of this network of Inca roads and the quarries offer valuable research opportunities, revealing new insights into the technology of the Inca master stonemasons, in addition to the extraction, carving and polishing of lithic blocks that were used in various imperial works,” said the press release.

The road and path network also provides new information on how the roads served as transport mechanisms for the transfer of worked and quarried stone to the Inca settlements located in the coastal territories.

There is an archaeological expedition scheduled for 2024 to survey the quarries, aiming to conserve these sites for potential future tourism.

 

 

Article

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/12/inca-quarries-and-road-network-found-in-canete/149901

The Hidden Origins of Writing

Writing, whether it is pen on paper, or type on a computer screen, is such a major part of life that we might find it hard to imagine a time without it. But writing did have a beginning. When was this beginning, and where? Who can we credit with the invention of this handy form of communication?

 

 

Video

Scientists Have Just Found An Untouched Civilization in Guatemala

 

Guatemala, the Untouched Civilization and other Scientific Discoveries. In the heart of Central America, beneath the dense green canopy of Guatemala's mesmerizing rainforest, lies a long-guarded secret that has remained dormant for centuries. The Maya civilization, renowned for its sophisticated writing system, architectural mastery, and profound astronomical knowledge, leaves us pondering over the enigmatic people who thrived in this uncharted territory. How did they manage to construct awe-inspiring structures without the aid of modern tools and technology? And what revelations might their secrets hold for humanity today? Join us as we embark on a journey to uncover the captivating tales of Guatemala's untouched civilization and explore the scientific wonders that continue to shape our world today.

 

 

Video

Town of Kuiuc ( 3:15)

City of Uzma ( 24:56 )

Recommend to watch the whole video