LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 19: A flint axe is held during a photocall at the Museum of London on July 19, 2012 in London, England. The prehistoric axe which is believed to be around 6000 years old, was unearthed by archaeologists ahead of the construction of the Olympic site in Stratford, London. The axe will be displayed along with the greater collection at the Museum of London. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

It’s traditional to have an alcoholic drink at a celebration or a feast. But what did they drink thousands of years ago at Neolithic feasts? Were they drinking ale?

Articles traitant de American Art écrits par alaintruong2014

For Sale on 1stDibs - Taking inspiration from neolithic stone circles, the Avebury coffee table by Canadian design studio Objects & Ideas is supported by three solid wood legs

For Sale on 1stDibs - Taking inspiration from neolithic stone circles, the Avebury coffee table by Canadian studio Objects & Ideas is supported by three solid wood pillars that

Carved stone balls, primarily found in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, are Neolithic artifacts dating back over 5000 years. These spherical objects, about 73mm in diameter and weighing around 500 grams, often feature knobs or discs with intricate carvings. The Towie ball is a prominent example, known for its detailed spiral and concentric designs on three of its four discs. The exact purpose of these balls remains unclear. Theories range from their use as weapons or tools to their role as ceremonial objects or status symbols, given the lack of wear on many examples. Their discovery in significant archaeological contexts, such as burial sites and near important structures, suggests they held special significance in Neolithic societies, likely symbolizing social prestige or power.

From the moment I first saw the enigmatic Scottish carved stone balls, I was intrigued. Although many purposes had been suggested for their purpose during the Neolithic, none had included the possibility that they were memory devices. Yet their size, designs and archaeological contexts matched the pattern of such objects that I had found in

For centuries, human beings have sought happiness and wellbeing through a connection with nature. From Neolithic stone circles to today’s resurgence of interest in sustainable and organic products, we have a primal need to have relationships with spaces and objects that resonate in a profound and purposeful way.

C. 3200 - 2500 BC. Skara Brae.

Neolithic stone beads

The Neolithic age brought with it a new set of tools early humans developed as their skill in stone-working developed. We have created a list of some of humanity's earliest known tools.

Experts from the Department of Prehistory and Archaeology of the University of Seville have just published a study in the prestigious journal PLOS ONE on an important archaeological find in the Cueva de la Dehesilla (Cadiz). Specifically, two human skulls and a juvenile goat were discovered along with various archaeological structures and materials from a funerary ritual from the Middle Neolithic period (4800-4000 BC) hitherto unknown in the Iberian Peninsula. Skull found in the Cueva de la Dehesilla [Credit: D. Garcia-Rivero et al., 2020] "This finding opens new lines of research and anthropological scenarios, where human and animal sacrifice may have been related to ancestral cults, propitiatory rituals and divine prayers in commemorative festivities," explains US researcher Daniel Garcia Rivero. The archaeological site located in the Cueva de la Dehesilla consists of two adult human skulls, one male one female, the former being older. The female skull shows a depression in the frontal bone, which probably comes from an incomplete trepanation, as well as cuts in the occipital bone produced by decapitation.  In addition, a wall was found separating the human skulls and the skeleton of the goat, on the one hand, from a stone altar with a stele and a hearth, on the other. Finally, several uniquely decorated ceramic vessels, some lithic objects and charred plant remains were discovered in the so-called Locus 2. "These elements display various characteristics that make it an exceptional archaeological find. The differential treatment of skulls with traumatological evidence along with sacrificed animals, as well as the documented archaeological structures and materials do not match the normative funerary record we were working with until now.  Lesion and cut marks on Cranium 1 [Credit: D. Garcia-Rivero et al., 2020] This discovery is of great importance not only because of its peculiarity, but also because it constitutes a sealed, intact ritual deposit, which is a great opportunity to gain a more detailed insight into the funerary and ritual behaviours of the Neolithic populations of the Iberian Peninsula", emphasises professor Garcia Rivero. This work contributes in a particular way to the knowledge of the funerary rituals of the middle part of the 5th millennium before Christ, currently the least well known period of the Neolithic populations of the Iberian Peninsula as a whole. The scarce funerary record from that time shows fundamentally individual burials, with secondary burials being unusual.  The sort of context just discovered is really extraordinary. Burials usually occur in areas of habitat, and are mostly associated with remains of ceramics and shells, as well as homes, which reflect the importance of activities related to the use of fire, but without stone structures like those now documented in the mountains of Cadiz. The study and review of the entire funerary record of this period allows us to offer a kind of cultural mosaic in relation to the funerary and ritual traditions of these peasant and herding populations, with a probable division between the Andalusian region and the eastern seaboard of the peninsula, the two regions where most data is available today. Source: University of Seville [September 25, 2020] Support The Archaeology News Network with a small donation! Labels Archaeology, Europe, Forensics, Southern Europe, Spain TANN you might also like Newer Post Older Post

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Neolithic Tools - Explore our exclusive collection of Neolithic Tools collectibles at Mini Museum. Discover unique finds curated just for you.

The east passage and chamber of Knowth, the great neolithic mound in the Boyne Valley in County Meath.

Punctured vessel fragment - neolithic, Katun, Aleksinac

Researchers from the University of Seville have published an ambitious study of gender inequality in prehistoric Iberia.

A variscite necklace from the Neolithic site of Carnac, north-west France. (Archaeological Museum of Carnac)

More than 100 elaborate carvings dating back thousands of years have been discovered on rocks and boulders in the North of England. The Neolithic art includes a series of intricate designs of concentric circles.

Vessel ridge - neolithic, Katun, Aleksinac