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Neolithic site uncovered in Sweden
Archaeologists working in the Swedish village of Hammar have excavated the remains of a unique ceremonial site associated with the Funnel Beaker Culture. A large number of finds from the site, which is located on the edge of an ancient wetland, appear to have been deposited between c.3500 and 3200 BC, and include ceramic vessels, potsherds, worked bone and flint, as well as animal and plant remains. A Neolithic causewayed enclosure – the first to be uncovered in Sweden – was discovered, too, with pits and features suggesting that the site was in use over c.300 years. Archaeologists believe it may have been a central gathering space for Neolithic celebrations and ritual activities.
Ice Age carvings reveal ancient fishing methods
A set of carvings found on stone slabs from Gönnersdorf, a 15,800-year-old site in west-central Germany, have been identified as depicting fishing nets or traps. More than 400 engraved Ice Age plaquettes have been recovered from the site, and a re-examination using Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) as part of a recent study by MONREPOS in Germany and Durham University in the UK revealed the true nature of the carvings. Fish appeared on 11 of the plaquettes, and eight included a linear grid resembling a trap or net. This is the first clear evidence of fishing technology from the period. The research has been published in PLOS One: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311302 (free, open access).
Egyptian vessel reveals ritual contents
Chemical analysis of a Bes vase (a type of vessel decorated with the head of the eponymous ancient Egyptian god) has revealed that it once contained a mixture of several hallucinogenic and medicinal plants. While the origins of the vase, which now resides in Tampa Museum of Art, Florida, are uncertain, it is thought that it may have originated from the Fayum district in the 2nd century AD. Based on the plant remains discovered, such as wild rue and blue water lily, researchers have concluded that the cup’s contents were probably used in a ritual associated with Bes, although more research is needed to determine whether this is reflective of common use of Bes cups in the Ptolemaic period.
Text: Rebecca Preedy / Image: SHM, Arkeologerna
