Thanks to a lot of rain, an aboriginal burial site has been uncovered earlier this year, and the site looks to date back more than 25,000 years ago. In this article, you will learn more about this headline and another tidbit of news, such as the oldest mine in America that has gained attention in May 2011.
Aboriginal Man Remains Found
The remains of an aboriginal man were discovered on private property , located about 50 kilometers from Condobolin. An archaeologist working with the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage stated that the fossilization of the bones places the remains in a time period that dates back 10,000 years ago. However, the location of the grave indicates that the region is much older.
Parts of this area have already been assessed by scientists as being 25,000 years old. The site was once part of the Lachlan River, which is no longer in existence. In the past, it was alive with water and could have stored other ancient wonders yet to be uncovered. Who knows what else can be found, as the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage will connect with the local indigenous community to preserve rare discoveries and locate new ones.
Oldest Mine in the Americas
In Chile, word of a 12,000-year-old iron oxide mine has spread, as archeologists have uncovered what is now being called the oldest proof that organized mining existed in the Americas. A trench measuring 40 meters was located close to the coastal town of Taltal in northern Chile. A team of researchers associated with the Universidad de Chile has been analyzing the find. They say that the Huentelauquen people dug the trench. They were the first settlers of the region and used the iron oxide as pigment to paint their stones and bones instruments. Researchers also believe the pigment was used for clothing and painting the body.
Finding the mine means that the ancient people of the region possessed advanced features of their culture. The act of mining is an activity that requires thought-out labor practices and certain technical skills to complete. Generations of people had to work together in order to achieve progress. It is estimated that 700 cubic meters and 2,000 tons of rock have been extracted from the mine. With the help of carbon dating, shells and other materials found in the mine suggest that it was in use on a continuous basis from around 12,000 years ago to 10,500 years ago. The discovery of more than 500 hammerstones also sheds light on the earliest use of the mine.
Before the discovery of this mine, the oldest copper mine in the Americas resided in North America , dating back to between 4,500 and 2,600 years ago.
