Iron Age Pops Out Of KZN Sewer (50-100K Years Old, South Africa)

IOL ^ | 9-6-2002

[blam]

Iron Age pops out of KZN sewer

September 06 2002 at 11:42AM

Iron Age artefacts between 50,000 and 100,000 years old were unearthed while workers were digging to lay a new sewerage pipe near Amanzimtoti on Thursday.

Pieces of iron smelting furnaces, slag and iron ore, arrowheads and bits of human bone had so far been found, said Gavin Anderson of the Natal Museum in Pietermaritzburg.

Once the area had been fully excavated, the artefacts would be displayed in the museum, he said. - Sapa

[blam]

I have a wonderful replica of the Brooklyn Bridge from the same site for sale, cheap.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #1

Well, Hittites will be mightly pissed if they hear this. It is fortunate that they are not around anymore.

[blam]

FYI

[dirtboy]

In other news, researchers in Egypt have translated a previously undecipthered hieroglyphic symbol, that of a bald human head on a snake's body, to mean "political consultant," thereby pushing back the known beginnings of the Democratic Party at least three thousand years. Researchers have previously noted a puzzling economic and geopolitical decline in Egypt that started about the same time.

[Willie Green]

Amanzimtoti? Pietermaritzburg?

Aren't those towns somewhere near Punxsutawney or Altoona?

[blam]

"In other news, researchers in Egypt have translated a previously undecipthered hieroglyphic symbol, that of a bald human head on a snake's body, to mean "political consultant."

Scientist will compare DNA from mummies found in the same area to those of James Carville to confirm the translation.

[blam]

"Iron Age artefacts between 50,000 and 100,000 years old were unearthed while workers were digging to lay a new sewerage pipe near Amanzimtoti on Thursday."

Meanwhile, African protesters nearby were demanding 'royalties' from all iron making nations.

[SteveH]

(from the Academic Press website)

Iron Age

Archaeology

• a time period, beginning about 3000 years ago, designated by the Three-Age System as following the Stone Age and the Bronze Age; defined by a general shift to the use of iron as the main material for tools.

[RightWhale]

It is thought that meteoric iron was the first iron used. That is, iron that fell from outer space and lay in good shape right on the ground. After such easy sources of iron became scarce, and after techniques to fabricate things of iron were discovered, some of the rich iron ore deposits were mined and the same furnaces converted to smelting ore. This coincides with the rise of Rome.

When did this happen? Probably gradually about 2000 to 500 BC. Both Egyptian and Greek refer to iron in terms that indicate it came out of the sky, so the true iron age would have come after that.

As to the Punxsutawney site: it was probably in use for a long time. The iron smelting could be recent and some of the other artifacts very old. Shouldn't be a problem.

[blam]

"As to the Punxsutawney site: it was probably in use for a long time. The iron smelting could be recent and some of the other artifacts very old. Shouldn't be a problem."

Okay, you can have the first bid on the Brooklyn Bridge replica.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Blam. Blast from the Past ping to GGG. Turned up in the "iron" keyword search.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[-=Wing_0_Walker=-]

I can understand the iron and smelting for arrow heads, but who were they going to shoot with the human bone ... or, was that what they shot?

[Drammach]

There's some interesting history/ information on bronze age, iron age, etc., here:

Essays on Geology

Chapters 1 - 10 are relevant to the discussion, esp. chapters 4 & 5.... ( Bronze & Iron age )

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!

[dread78645]

I have a wonderful replica of the Brooklyn Bridge from the same site for sale, cheap.

Made of iron?

[SunkenCiv]

Just updating the GGG information, not sending a general distribution.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[SunkenCiv]