In this video we're going to a very rare archaeological site from the Ice Age that I've been working on where I've made some big discoveries. Let's see if we can figure out what was happening at this site nearly 13,000 years ago or more!
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Archaeologists Uncover Stone From ‘Lost Civilization’ Inscribed With Symbols
Story by Declan Gallagher
• 1d • 2 min read
Archaeologists in Spain have discovered a stone from a “lost civilization” with an ancient alphabet inscribed upon it, Fox News reported. If researchers' hypotheses prove correct, the discovery could precede the Rosetta Stone by more than 400 years.
If scientists’ interpretation of the carvings are correct, this stone would be only the third "southern Paleo-Hispanic alphabet of which there is evidence" ever to be discovered, according to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).
The stone, measuring about eight inches in length, was uncovered in Badajoz, southwest Spain, in an area known as Casas del Turuñuelo, which houses Tartessian ruins. Officials believe it dates back to as early as 600 B.C.
The Casas de Turunuelo Tartessian archaeological site on April 17, 2024. Cristina Quicler/AFP via Getty Images© Cristina Quicler/AFP via Getty Images
Experts believe the slab is marked with 21 distinct symbols. Getty Images / Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)© Getty Images / Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)According to the CSIC, the stone is marked with 27 signs or letters. They believe that the slab they possess may be incomplete, hypothesizing that the original tablet contained about 32 characters.
"At least six signs would have been lost in the split area of the piece, but if it were completely symmetrical and the signs completely occupied three of the four sides of the plate it could reach 32 signs, so the lost signs could become eleven or perhaps more if a possible sign, ‘Tu’, isolated in the lateral quarter, were part of the alphabet," Joan Ferrer i Jané, a researcher from the University of Barcelona, told Fox News.
"Beyond the figures, when I looked at the plate, I saw that on one of the sides there seemed to be a Paleo-Hispanic sign, a sign that cannot be confused with any other," Ferrer explained. "Other strokes compatible with signs of a known sequence [were also seen]."
He continued: "This alphabet has 27 signs and is the only complete one we know to date. Another was found in the excavation of Villasviejas del Tamuja (Cáceres) but it is very fragmented, it only has some central signs… [this one] would be the third and would provide a lot of information."
Researchers discovered on the slab "what appears to be a sequence of 21 signs drawn within the framework of the tablet on which figures were also found of warriors." Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) / Getty Images© Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) / Getty ImagesThe ancient civilization Tartessos was located on the southern edge of the Iberian Peninsula some 3,000 years ago. It’s considered a lost culture due to its few cultural artifacts, making the slab’s discovery a landmark in understanding the ancient city.
The slab is now part of a project called Building Tartessus, which attempts "to characterize the Tartessian material culture through the architectural analysis of the large adobe buildings excavated in recent decades and introduce the concept of architecture as an integrated element in the territory," the CSIC explains on its website.
Experts believe the slab they discovered is incomplete and missing roughly 5 characters. Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)© Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
Article
Archaeologists Uncover Stone From ‘Lost Civilization’ Inscribed With Symbols (msn.com)
Colombia has at least 3 earthen mounds. One of the 2 structures that were studied and excavated in 1950's was El Morro del Tulcan and it contained a stone wall with strange figures. The third structure was recently discovered in 2021. The speaker suggests that there may be more undiscovered earthen mounds in Colombia.
In the YouTube video titled "POPAYÁN: En el Morro de TÚLCAN, hay una CIUDAD bajo tierra. ¿Estuvimos en una tormenta eléctrica?", the hosts discuss their visit to Popayán, Colombia, where they discovered a hidden pyramid and a possible ancient civilization beneath the Morro de Tulcán. The pyramid, which is approximately 80 meters in size and was surrounded by an artificial lake, was found to contain human and animal remains, precious stones, and signs of advanced civilization. The previous superficial studies in the 1950s revealed only two pyramids in Colombia, but recent discoveries using advanced technology have uncovered a third pyramid in the area, built over 1800 years ago. The speakers also share their personal experiences of sensing an electric charge in the area and the importance of recognizing the sacred value of historical sites. They reflect on the significance of connecting with their cultural heritage and history.
- 00:00:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "POPAYÁN: En el Morro de TÚLCAN, hay una CIUDAD bajo tierra. ¿Estuvimos en una tormenta eléctrica?", the hosts discuss their visit to Popayán, Colombia, and the discovery of a hidden city beneath the Morro de Tulcán, which they believe was once used as a sacred temple for ancient civilizations. The hosts explain that before 2021, only two piramids had been discovered in Colombia, but upon further investigation, they found that the Morro de Tulcán was not a modified mountain or a simple construction, but an actual piramid. In March 1957, a massive storm caused a part of the mountain to collapse, revealing a stone wall with strange figures. The discovery was made public, and famous archaeologist Julio César Cubillo was brought in to investigate. His excavations revealed that the Morro de Tulcán was indeed a piramid, and not just a simple mountain or construction.
- 00:05:00In this section of the YouTube video titled "POPAYÁN: En el Morro de TÚLCAN, hay una CIUDAD bajo tierra. ¿Estuvimos en una tormenta eléctrica?", the speaker discusses the discovery of a large pyramid and a hidden city beneath the Morro de Túlcán in Popayán, Colombia. The pyramid, which is approximately 80 meters in size and was surrounded by an artificial lake, was discovered to contain human and animal remains, precious stones from other parts of Latin America, and signs of advanced civilization. The civilization that built this structure is believed to have been highly advanced, with the ability to create artificial water sources and construct large buildings. The pyramid may have been a temple or a center of worship, and the discovery also included various types of burial sites for their deceased, including those for kings, princes, and possibly gods. The pyramid was discovered in 1957 during a period of heavy rain, and there is no historical record of its existence before that time. The speaker also suggests that there may be other undiscovered piramids in Colombia, and the discovery raises many questions about the rich history and cultures that existed in the region thousands of years ago.
- 00:10:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "POPAYÁN: En el Morro de TÚLCAN, hay una CIUDAD bajo tierra. ¿Estuvimos en una tormenta eléctrica?", Javier Giraldo, a professor from the Universidad del Cauca, returned to an intriguing location in 2021 with advanced technology to conduct new studies using a georadar. This instrument uses waves to detect what lies beneath the ground without excavation. Giraldo's findings revealed structures and treasures, suggesting that there may be a hidden civilization beneath their feet. The previous studies in the 1950s were considered superficial, and recent discoveries include a new pirámide, making it three pirámides in the area. The oldest pirámide was built over 1800 years ago, and the professor expressed the importance of investigating these findings further to uncover the history and significance of Colombia's hidden treasures.
- 00:15:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "POPAYÁN: En el Morro de TÚLCAN, hay una CIUDAD bajo tierra. ¿Estuvimos en una tormenta eléctrica?", the speakers describe an experience of feeling an electric charge in Popayán, Colombia, and quickly leaving the area due to the potential danger of a lightning storm. They share personal experiences of sensing the electricity and seeing their hair stand on end. The speakers also mention that the area is known for having a pyramid, the Pirámide de Tulcán, which is believed to have been covered by the earth over time and is now referred to as a hill or mountain. The speakers emphasize the importance of recognizing the sacred value of these historical sites.
- 00:20:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "POPAYÁN: En el Morro de TÚLCAN, hay una CIUDAD bajo tierra. ¿Estuvimos en una tormenta eléctrica?", the speakers reflect on the significance of connecting with their cultural heritage and history. They express a sense of belonging and emphasize the importance of understanding their past. The reflection is accompanied by music. No specific information about a city under the ground or an electrical storm is mentioned in this part of the transcript.
Article
TULCAN'S MOUTH: The findings were true. (History).In the 1940s Julio Cesar Cubillos excavated Tulcán Hill, who noted that it was a "pre-Hispanic pyramid". Given his adherence to purely descriptive archaeology, Cubillos found colonial materials, which were reduced to a few fragments of glazed resin (technique of resin with quartz and lead layer for ceramics).At the time of the Conquest of America the Spaniards introduced that technique without so far the mechanisms of that inclusion have been reported in what would be the New Granada Wilderness.In 2004, in the framework of the Third Archaeology Congress in Colombia, in a ceramic sample to be thrown by the University of Cauca, researcher Juan Guillermo Martín-Rincón recognized colonial fragments similar to others scattered throughout the Pacific basin of South America. At that time, it was thought that these materials represented Mayolica Panamania, when in reality they were slabs produced in the Peruvian valley of Moquegua.In the context of the aforementioned recognition, Kathleen Deagan's (1987) and Monika Therrien's (2002) catalogue clearly noted that conical amphoras with high caolin content were colonial. According to Deagan's catalogue, the fusiform amphora of Tulcan's Hill would correspond, by the shape of its edge, to the colonial bottles used in the late 18th century.When analyzing the context of the finding of Cubillos, it is clear that the amphora deposition event was made with examples of clear pre-Hispanic affiliation belonging to the tradition of the formation of southwestern Colombia, which, according to the estimate, could have been dated about two thousand years ago. Since in the 18th century Popayan had been constituted in an important transit city of goods between Upper Peru and the port of Cartagena, it was very difficult that at this time they let the natives hold a burial in the premises of the Caldas family (today the Morro de Tulcán forms the northern limit of the Caldas neighborhood that inherited the name of its former owners).In the archival review carried out by Alejandra Garcés for the project on guidelines for consumption of colonial and republican ceramics (2006), the documentation relating to import goods from Peru clearly shows the introduction of bottles and pisco to Popayan in the 18th century. As these files show, the chronology does not have to do directly with the beginning of the activity but with the tax devices set up by the colonial government to obtain reimbursements for an activity that was previously carried out without controlled taxes.Although no more comprehensive research has been attempted to date the only complete bottle found so far in Popayan, it is very likely that it is from the 16th century and corresponds to the first cycle of wine production. Then his deposition context would be talking about the possibility that native communities of the Pubenza Valley involved in pre-Hispanic cultural matrices colonial goods at a time when those matrices had not yet been dismantled.According to these evidences and as Guido Barona (1995), Popayan, understood as a city with effective administrative control, with a stable and partially effective bureaucracy, was a production of the 18th century. Before that period it was a villa with a small number of peninsulars who had to negotiate with the indigenous elites their permanence in the region. From there these elites had access to the imports that were made from Alto Peru.In short, Tulcan Hill was probably a pyramid whose beginnings go back to pre-Hispanic periods yet to be determined. However, the evidence that can be collected from the articles of Julius Caesar Cubillos allows to infer that the deposition events he excavated were purely colonial, perhaps referring to the beginnings of the Colony. [Taken from Colombian Anthropology Magazine Vol 47]
El Morro del Tulcan photos taken in as early as the 1940's.
