(file from David Derrick files)
Posted on 07/27/2013 6:14:12 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Archaeologists have unearthed relics that suggest prehistoric humans lived along the Silk Road long before it was created about 2,000 years ago as a pivotal Eurasian trade network.
An excavation project that started in 2010 on ruins in northwest China's Gansu Province has yielded evidence that people who lived on the west bank of the Heihe River 4,100 to 3,600 years ago were able to grow crops and smelt copper, the researchers said.
The site is believed to date back to the Han Dynasty (202 BC - AD 220).
Over the past three years, archaeologists have discovered a variety of copper items, as well as equipment used to smelt metal, said Chen Guoke, a researcher with the Gansu Provincial Institute of Archaeology...
Chen added that a rare copper-smelting mill was also found in the ruins...
The researchers also discovered carbonized barley and wheat seeds, as well as stone hoes and knives used for farming, said Zhang, adding that some adobe houses were also found this year.
The finds indicate that east-west exchanges started prior to the Han Dynasty, as adobe architecture, barley and wheat originated in central and west Asia, according to Zhang...
From 2003 to 2005, archaeologists excavated the Xihetan ruins in Gansu's city of Jiuquan...
Footprints of the livestock and their skeletons were also found at the site.
In 2005, researchers from China and Japan completed a three-year excavation project at the Mozuizi ruins in Gansu's city of Wuwei, finding traces of a primitive tribe that lived about 4,500 years ago.
(Excerpt) Read more at globaltimes.cn ...
(file from David Derrick files)
Ghengis Khan, in spite of his reputation, led to the silk road, the postal service and modern banking, not to mention kefir grains.
Nice. Love archaeological stories.
However, there is a disconnect in the calculation in the article. It says the site dates from long before the silk road, which, it says, was built about 2000 years ago. Then it says the site dates from the Han Dynasty, which was at about that same time. Hmmmm...
It was also political propaganda. Whenever some ambassador or foreign representative cams a callin’, he’d have assistants continually eating raw meat, so,he’d have a blood-thirsty reputation.
And I’m surprised because...???
Cool discovery. I’m surprised the discovery of King David’s palace has not made the news more.
I’ll bet they found drawings of Cher.
people who lived on the west bank of the Heihe River 4,100 to 3,600 years ago ...
(202 BC - AD 220).
Which would be 2,200 years ago.
Genghis Khan hadn’t committed his first murder (his half-brother) or mass-murdered his first rival tribe until the Silk Road was more than 1200 years old.
There are two different finds — one of them dates to the Han Dynasty, during which time maritime trade between the Roman Empire and the Chinese Empire became pretty regular, and the second find is from 2500 BC. The source here is Xinhua, so it’s an ESL success story.
Archaeologists say they uncovered King David’s Palace
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3045203/posts
3,000-year-old palace in Israel linked to biblical King David
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3045351/posts
Kushan Empire (ca. 2nd century B.C.–3rd century A.D.)
Metropolitan Museum of Art | circa 2013 | MMA
Posted on 07/21/2013 10:08:33 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3045606/posts
Oh sure, there’s that. But if not for Ghengis and his progeny, the black death would never have decimated Europe. :{)
:’D
Yes, which dates are right?
There has been speculation, unfortunately probably untrue, that Roman troops captured in Crassus’ disastrous defeat by the Parthians fought against Han troops around 35 BC.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Zhizhi
How cool would that be?!
The Silk Road repeatedly opened and closed over the centuries depending on the vagaries of conquest along the route.
Given the enormous transport costs and risks, only the very highest value and lowest weight/bulk goods could be traded this way.
Thanks.
bump
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