Latest news with #InternationalJournalofOsteoarchaeology
Time of India
04-08-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Archaeologists discover 800-year-old bones that were used as musical instruments in the Aztec empire
Image credits: X Archaeologists discovered 29 ancient human bones along the coast of South Texas that had unusual markings, suggesting they may have carried a purpose beyond death. After performing an in-depth analysis, historians suggested that the group of hunter-gatherers who once lived in the area likely created music by transforming these bones into musical instruments. Dr Matthew Taylor, who works as a biological anthropologist at Augusta University in Georgia, identified a musical rasp fashioned from a human humerus while studying the artefacts. As per reports from IFLScience, the item resembled an omichicahuaztli, an instrument used by pre-Hispanic Mexican cultures, including the civilization of the Aztecs. The bones date back to the Late Prehistoric era (AD 700-1500) in North America, and of the 29, 27 were made from either the arm or the leg, as per the in-depth analysis published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. The other two were made from rib bones. "Late Prehistoric South Texas (1300-1528 AD) was characterised by hunter-gatherer habitation," Dr. Taylor wrote. "Forager peoples lived in the region from Paleoindian times up to and beyond European contact and never adopted agriculture." The instruments were made using the "groove-and-snap" method, which involves sawing a groove around a bone's circumference before breaking it into two pieces. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo The process includes hours of work and is known to be labour-intensive. What do the bones signify? Historical objects made from human bone are often seen as signifying practices like honouring ancestors or displaying war trophies. However, the ones found in this discovery are different. The musical rasp made from an upper arm bone featured 29 carefully carved notches and decorative geometric patterns. The instrument appeared to have been played by scraping another object along the grooves. Dr. Taylor speculated the Texan rasp "may represent an emulation of Mexican religious practices." "Whatever their original provenance, it is quite apparent that the Late Prehistoric inhabitants did not regard the handling of human remains as taboo," he concluded. "Although some may wish to equate the presence of these artefacts with the existence of cannibalism, this report does not support or refute that hypothesis."
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Ancient Romans snacked on deep-fried songbirds
Fast food didn't start with McDonald's—quick, convenient meals have been a dietary staple of busy societies for millennia. Across the Roman empire, roadside shops known as popinae and tabernae often served up inexpensive, affordable dishes to hungry locals and travelers alike. But after scouring ancient garbage piles near one such popina in Mallorca, Spain, archeologists are better understanding how certain entrées transcended class divisions more often than previously thought. According to findings recently published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, Roman commoners frequently enjoyed dining on thrushes—small songbirds once thought to be a luxury dish. Birds were prominent figures in ancient Rome. Certain owls and eagles were considered powerful divinatory omens, while smaller avian species like thrushes were popular as both pets and meals. In the latter case, however, ancient texts suggest thrushes were primarily eaten by wealthier Romans. 'Classical sources frequently describe these small birds as a delicacy served in elite banquets, often prepared with elaborate culinary techniques,' the study's authors write. They also cite recipes documented by Pliny the Elder and Apicius that described fattening songbirds with figs before roasting and serving them with complex sauces. These assumptions were recently challenged by finds at an excavation in Mallorca, Spain. There, archeologists from the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA) uncovered a large cesspit beside a roadside popina snack bar. The building also featured six amphorae (large vats) embedded in its countertop in a configuration like the one seen in Pompeii's famous street food court, or thermopolia. Amid the refuse were 165 thrush bones alongside other common food remains like sea shells as well as fish and pig bones. The condition of the songbirds' broken bones suggest that they were flattened and cooked whole with oil in the amphorae. In addition to the thrushes, archeologists also documented remains from domesticated chickens and European rabbits. These point to a wider menu tailored to everyday customers. Taken altogether, it appears that thrushes were served up similar to today's sports bar chicken wings. The food shop in Mallorca isn't the only example of deep-fried songbirds across Rome. As Arkeonews notes, additional finds in Pompeii and Britain indicates a widespread culture of ancient Roman fast food. 'Thrushes, though a minor component of the Roman diet compared to livestock, represent an important facet of urban food consumption,' the study's authors conclude. 'Ultimately, this research highlights the need to move beyond elite-centric narratives and consider the diverse ways in which food practices shaped the lived experiences of ancient urban communities.'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ancient cone-shaped skull shows signs of fatal trauma
Archeologists have spent over a decade excavating an ancient graveyard in western Iran known as Chegla Sofla. The Copper Age site contains a trove of skeletal remains, offering insight about regional life approximately 6,200 years ago, and even contains the oldest-known tomb constructed from brick. However, one of the most recent finds isn't a feat of engineering, but of body modification: the skull of a young girl with distinct evidence of cranial modification. And according to the team's conclusions recently detailed in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, she died from head trauma—but it's unclear what or who caused it. The practice of artificial head elongation has been documented across cultures around the world dating back millennia, including societies in Eurasia, Africa, South America, and the Americas. The desired results were typically accomplished by tightly binding a child's head with cloth bandages for years in order to mold their pliable cranial bones into the desired conical shape. Some of the earliest examples date to 9th millennium BCE proto-Neolithic groups living in present-day Iraq. But based on discoveries at Chegla Sofla, similar traditions extended well into the 5th millennium. Archeologists including experts at Iran's Tarbiat Modares University analyzed the remains to better understand their subject after excavating the skull of a young woman estimated to be under 20 years old. To do this, the team used computing tomography (CT) scanning to assess both her cranial bones and diploe—the spongy part of bones that function as shock absorbers. They determined her skull was thinner than usual—a feature indicative of cranial binding. CT scans also revealed a fracture extending from the front of the skull all the way to the rear with no signs of healing. The injury's severity is particularly prominent in the form of a triangular fracture along the left parietal bone's sagittal border. Further examination made it clear the injury was inflicted by a blunt object that did not penetrate the cranial vault. But beyond these findings, it's hard to know the circumstances surrounding her death. 'We know this woman experienced the fracture in the final moments of her life, but we don't have any direct evidence to say that someone intentionally struck her,' study lead author Mahdi Alirezazadeh told Live Science. While cranial elongation resulted in thinner bones more prone to fracturing, it seems clear that even a naturally developed skull wouldn't have fared well against the injury. 'It should be noted that the blow was so severe that it would have fractured a normal, unmodified skull as well,' explained Alirezazadeh. Unfortunately, there's little else currently available that might clarify the woman's final moments. Although her skull has been recovered, the same can't be said for the rest of her skeleton. Her remains were found in a mass grave at Chegla Sofla, so it may be a while before experts match the skull to other bones.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Found a 6,200-Year-Old Skull. Then They Noticed Something Very Wrong.
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: The burial site Chega Sofla has many skeletons with elongated skulls, likely from a practice called cranial bandaging where people use wrapped fabric to permanently reshape the skull in infancy and early childhood. Researchers discovered one skeleton with a cone-shaped skull that died from blunt force trauma. The study used CT scans to analyze the thickness of the elongated skull and determine whether the severity of the injuries could be attributed to the cranial bandaging. Much to your grandma's dismay, your tattoos and piercings are types of body modifications, or procedures that deliberately alter the human body. Humans have experimented with these alterations for much of our existence. And while your 'sick ink' may be widely accepted in the Western world, other cultures have body modification rituals that are much more extreme by our standards. Cranial bandaging is the practice of wrapping strips of fabric around a child's growing skull to permanently modify the shape. When performed over several years, cranial bandaging results in an elongated, cone-shaped head. Many skeletons with these modified skulls have been found at Chega Sofla, a site in western Iran that dates all the way back to 4,700 B.C. The site features dozens of graves that range in size from single burials to entire family tombs. Researchers for the Zohreh Prehistoric Project have studied the area for more than a decade, and they recently discovered the remains of a woman with an elongated skull that was inexplicably bashed in. Published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology on May 22, the researchers' new study details the traumatic head injury that killed the woman about 6,200 years ago. 'We know this woman experienced the fracture in the final moments of her life,' lead author of the study Mahdi Alirezazadeh told Live Science, 'but we don't have any direct evidence to say that someone intentionally struck her.' Alirezazadeh and the other researcher on the study, Hamed Vahdati Nasab, used CT scans to get a closer look at the woman's (referred to as BG1.12 in the study) skull. They focused on the thickness of her cranial bones and something called the diploë, or the spongy bone tissue found between the external and internal calvaria layers (think of diploë as the insulation in the walls of the skull). Researchers found that BG1.12's bones and their diploë were much thinner than that of a typical skull, although they noted that this is to be expected with cranial alterations. They explain that because of the thinness, the skull was likely much less effective at protecting the brain from external forces—like a blunt-force blow—than a normal skull would be. The triangular fracture on BG1.12's skull runs from the front to the left side of her head. According to the study, 'an intense force delivered by an object with a wide edge impacted the skull of this young woman during her final moments.' Alirezazadeh explains that they can't necessarily attribute the woman's death to her modified skull because the trauma was so severe. He also noted that another fractured skull was found at the site, except it was unmodified. 'It should be noted that the blow was so severe that it would have fractured a normal, unmodified skull as well,' the researcher told Live Science. 'So we cannot attribute cranial fractures solely to modified skulls,' he later continued. At Chega Sofla, people with and without cranial modifications are buried together, so the woman's skeleton has yet to be identified. Researchers are also still uncertain whether the woman sustained her injuries accidentally—or if she was murdered. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Scottish Sun
06-06-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Grim ‘cone-headed' skull that was BASHED IN 6,200 years ago found among mass grave as experts probe brutal death
Was it murder or a tragic accident? BIG DIG Grim 'cone-headed' skull that was BASHED IN 6,200 years ago found among mass grave as experts probe brutal death SCIENTISTS have uncovered a mass grave dating back 6,200 years - and one of the dead met their end in a particularly grim way. A woman's head appears to have been brutally bashed in by a broad-edged object. 2 Mass grave was uncovered in Iran Credit: Zohreh Prehistoric Project 2 Unclear if the brutal death was a result of murder or an accident Credit: Mahdi Alirezazadeh Experts noticed a very prominent triangular fracture on the left side of the head. But they're stumped about whether it was a deliberate act of murder or a tragic accident. The skeleton was part of a major haul unearthed in Iran. Archaeologists also spotted something strange about the woman's head shape too. The skull is cone-shaped which suggests it was deliberately modified when she was a child in a process known as cranial bandaging. This is where fabric is wrapped around the head tightly around the skull of young ones when it's much softer. Others with the same type of skull were buried alongside the woman. Researchers studying the remains say the skull in question would have been weaker at withstanding such a harsh blow to the head. However, the strike was so tough that it still would have killed her even if she had an unmodified skull. "It should be noted that the blow was so severe that it would have fractured a normal, unmodified skull as well," Professor Mahdi Alirezazadeh, from Tarbiat Modares University in Iran, told LiveScience. Grave of decapitated 'vampire' discovered in Knights Templar fortress "So we cannot attribute cranial fractures solely to modified skulls." He continued: "We know this woman experienced the fracture in the final moments of her life, but we don't have any direct evidence to say that someone intentionally struck her." Their research was published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.
