'Oldest human brain' may have been preserved by mud

BBC ^ | 4 March 2015 | BBC

[moose07]

The brain was discovered inside a skull found at Heslington near York

A human brain, believed to be the oldest ever discovered, may have been preserved for over 2,000 years by mud, archaeologists have said.

The organ was found inside a decapitated skull at an Iron Age dig site near York in 2008.

Tests on the remains suggested they were from the 6th Century BC, making them about 2,600 years old.

York Archaeological Trust said the skull had been buried in wet, clay-rich ground providing an oxygen-free burial.

They said the burial location could have helped conserve the brain, although the exact reason for its survival is unknown.

'Yellow spongy material'

The trust said it was exceptionally rare to find any soft tissue remains.

The skull was discovered face down in a pit, but it was only when it was being cleaned that the brain was found inside.

Rachel Cubitt, collection projects officer, said: "I peered though the hole at the base of the skull to investigate and to my surprise saw a quantity of bright yellow spongy material.

"It was unlike anything I had seen before."

A team of 34 experts have been working to study and conserve the brain since its discovery, the trust said.

Research suggests the skull probably belonged to a man aged between 26 and 45.

[Diogenesis]

It is still both smarter -— and more documented —
than the First Moslem Impostor by Pelosi’s fraud.

[Doogle]

[WL-law]

So an executed person — perchance was there a name-tag “Abby Normal” anywhere in that mud?

[al baby]

Eat at Luiges

[dfwgator]

[moose07]

Older page on subject: http://www.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7777385.stm
No sign of a name tag...:)

[freedumb2003]

Dang it! You beat me to it!

:)

My wife and I constantly do the “abby who?” shtick.

[married21]

Great. A look into the dirty mind of a really old man.

[shove_it]

Censorship feeds the dirty mind more than the four-letter word itself -
Dick Cavett

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Oldest? Wasn’t an older skull with brain matter still in it found in a sinkhole in Florida?

http://www.warmmineral.com/

I remember the mention of brain matter in an article years ago.

[moose07]

“The most astonishing was the discovery of a ten thousand year old human skull still containing brain matter.”

It does appear to be that way.
Perhaps it is to do with completeness of the specimen, or they have forgotten the above event?

[central_va]

Research suggests the skull probably belonged to a man aged between 26 and 45.

No mention of race, good thing.

[blueunicorn6]

Right now, Cher is shoveling mud up her nose and into her ears.

[moose07]

Thought she had started that decades ago. :)

[moose07]

Given the location, it could be anything.
York has been a popular location for a very long time.

[blam]

NAH!

The oldest preserved human brains are in Florida and they're European.

Bye, Bye Beringia (8,000 Year Old Site In Florida)

"I was intrigued with their level of civilization," she said. "They exhibited a civilization far beyond what had been previously believed that ancient Indians in North America and Florida would have shown." The Windover site, named for the sprawling rural housing development that surrounds it, bore archaeological treasures that amazed experts with their quality and quantity.

*Skeletal remains of 169 people, split almost evenly between males and females, ranging from 6 to 70 years old. About 75 of the skeletons were relatively intact.

*90 intact human brains that include the oldest DNA samples in the World. *Artifacts of wood, bone, and seed that were made into jewelry and tools, providing insight into the ancient peoples' lives.

*Tests showed the oldest skeletons were buried 8,100 years ago. The youngest was placed in the ground 6,900 years ago.

"To put this into context," Doran said, "these people had already been dead for 3,000 or 4,000 years before the first stones were laid for the Egyptian pyramids!"

[moose07]

Thanks for that, Bookmarked for later reading. :)

[The Sons of Liberty]

[huldah1776]

I always thought our continental plate was sinking and not that the sea was rising...