Oldest Yet Known Metal Object Discovered in the Middle East

Live Scient ^ | August 22, 2104 | Charles Q. Choi

[fatez]

A copper awl is the oldest metal object unearthed to date in the Middle East. The discovery reveals that metals were exchanged across hundreds of miles in this region more than 6,000 years ago, centuries earlier than previously thought, researchers say.

[PIF]

“The equivalent of the democrat party was in charge. Look at countries with the natural resources we have that are still 3rd world because of politicians / dictators / chieftains etc.”

And if O has his way, we will shortly be joining them ...

[wildbill]

y’all awl got a point.

[dsc]

I read an article recently that said mankind has been recovering from shifts in the polar axis every 7,000 years.

[BroJoeK]

PIF: "However, the biggest problem with archeologists is they have no (or very limited) scientific training...
their discipline gets weak.
They are not cross trained, but rigidly compartmentalized."

A wiki definition of archaeology includes the following:

"The discipline involves surveying, excavation and eventually analysis of data collected to learn more about the past.
In broad scope, archaeology relies on cross-disciplinary research.
It draws upon anthropology, history, art history, classics, ethnology, geography,[6] geology,[7][8][9] linguistics, semiology, physics, information sciences, chemistry, statistics, paleoecology, paleontology, paleozoology, paleoethnobotany, and paleobotany."

Under the related discipline of paleontology, it says:

"In addition paleontology often uses techniques derived from other sciences, including biology, osteology, ecology, chemistry, physics and mathematics.[2]
For example geochemical signatures from rocks may help to discover when life first arose on Earth,[9] and analyses of carbon isotope ratios may help to identify climate changes and even to explain major transitions such as the Permian–Triassic extinction event.[10]
A relatively recent discipline, molecular phylogenetics, often helps by using comparisons of different modern organisms' DNA and RNA to re-construct evolutionary 'family trees'... "

These suggests that at least the best of archaeologists are a very scientifically-minded and trained group, indeed.

PIF: "...a span of 200,000 years leaves room for many civilizations to come and go.
Where are they?
Well, suppose they built like the African civilizations in the 14th Century: out of wood..."

A civilization built only out of wood would not, by definition, be as advanced as one which used metal or even sophisticated stone & ivory objects, i.e., this one from circa 25,000 years ago:

PIF: "Suppose some one else built out of glass, copper, or even iron.
All those materials would be either shattered or corroded to dust over the span of several hundred thousand years..."

Glass, copper and iron do not totally disappear, especially as often happens when they are buried under layers of mud & dirt.
If/when such remains are found they will certainly change our perceptions of pre-history.

If/when.

PIF: "An archeologist could trip over a 100,000 year old civilization today and not see it, since it could not have existed and move on to more productive sites."

Any significant remains of ancient civilization would certainly be of interest to archaeologists, long before they figured out, more-or-less, how ancient they were.
Scientists would first look to see just what other known civilizations were similar, and then if radiometric or stratigraphic dating came back with totally unexpected results, there would be a long debate, and numerous retestings, until they could comprehend what they found.

So far, no such "civilizations" from say, 100,000 years ago have been found.

Frankly, I don't comprehend what it is that makes some people so very desperate to disbelieve the findings of ordinary scientists, that you will invent cockamamie scenarios out of thin air.

[cloudmountain]

The head looks like a neighbor I once had. Nice but didn’t say much.

[minnesota_bound]

An advanced civilization is buried under the ice at the poles. Long time ago these were the garden spots but because they did not take care of the planet and had no Al Gore to warn them they were surprised by global cooling and were buried in ice that fist year.

[PIF]

“Frankly, I don’t comprehend what it is that makes some people so very desperate to disbelieve the findings of ordinary scientists, that you will invent cockamamie scenarios out of thin air.”

Frankly, I do not choose to start or continue a pointless argument, especially ones which seem to include condemnations and name calling.

[BroJoeK]

PIF: "I do not choose to start or continue a pointless argument, especially ones which seem to include condemnations and name calling."

FRiend, you're blathering cockamamie nonsense, so what else can I say, "oh, isn't that special"?

[BroJoeK]

;-)

[stockpirate]

It has also be learned that most of the copper used back then came from copper mines in North America.

[Graewoulf]

Good find, thanks!