submerged caves in Mexico ’s Yucatán Peninsula have yielded evidence of a prehistorical ochre mine , in a breakthrough that could explain why the area ’s earliest inhabitants guess so deep inside this perfidious cave system .
mass living in the Yucatán Peninsula during the Pleistocene - Holocene transition ( around 11,000 years ago ) took part in subterranean ochre minelaying , according to newresearchpublished last calendar week in Science Advances . Using stalactite as hammer , these resourceful Paleoindians chipped away at the limestone to arrive at access to the treasured ochre , a natural earth pigment . This is the first breakthrough of a Paleolithic ochre mine in the Yucatán Peninsula or anywhere else in the Americas , according to the research .
Radiocarbon dating places the mine to between 12,000 and 10,000 year ago . Back then , the caves , located in what is now the Mexican state of Quintana Roo , were ironical and farther inland . The caves became deluge around 8,000 to 7,000 long time ago and are now only approachable to divers who enter through openings known as cenotes . In 2017 , a local cave dive team contacted archaeologists after bumble upon the web site , called La Mina ( meaning “ the mine ” in Spanish ) .
A diver exploring the submerged cave.Image: CINDAQ
blood-red ochre — a mixture of iron oxide , sand , and corpse — was a worthful resource during prehistorical times . As a pigment , ochre was used to make cave and rock paintings and for dress bodies , but it served many other purposes as well .
https://gizmodo.com/skeleton-found-in-submerged-mexican-cave-sheds-new-ligh-1841471753
The submerse caves in Quintana Roo have prove vital to archaeologists . These complex cave organisation have yielded some of the oldest human fogey to be found anywhere in the Americas , include “ Naia , ” a underframe dated to between 12,000 to 13,000 years old . In full , 10 human skeletons have been found in these submerged cave , admit a 9,900 - yr - old skeletondescribedearlier this year .
A diver taking samples.Image: CINDAQ
The new research , co - authored by McMaster University geoarchaeologist Eduard Reinhardt , may explain the early captivation with these cave and why many Paleoindians dared to stake so deep inside .
Reinhardt , an expert cave diver , had to be careful while explore the cave , as the narrowest sphere are just 28 inches wide ( 70 atomic number 96 ) . Incredibly , the Paleolithic ochre mineworker worked well into the cave ’s dark zone , in some seat as far as 2,130 feet ( 650 meters ) from a rude light source .
The archaeologists discovered ochre extraction pit and hammering puppet made from stalactite . They also found piles of rock ‘n’ roll , called cairns , which the miners used as navigational marking within the labyrinthine cave arrangement . Analysis of charcoal found in blast pits express it came from Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree packed with rosin , which would ’ve been idealistic for piddle torches .
A stalactite fashioned into a hammer.Image: CINDAQ
The mine was active for 2,000 age , from about 12,000 to 10,000 class ago . This was potential an intergenerational activity , in which mining skills were passed down from generation to generation , harmonise to the enquiry .
The mine was finally desert , some 2,000 years before the caves replete with weewee .
The intent of the reddish ochre could not be discerned from the evidence . unhappily , the hot and humid condition on the aerofoil have pass over out much of the archaeological grounds . grounds find elsewhere indicate a turn of possibilities , however , including a ready - made blusher , sunscreen , medication , dirt ball repellent ( ochre contains arsenic ) , tanning hides , among other usance . The flushed ochre could have been used during funeral and ritual or apply as warfare paint .
“ The sophistry and extent of the activities demonstrate a readiness to venture into the dark zone of the caves to prospect and collect what was obviously a extremely valued mineral resource , ” indite the writer .
anthropologycavesScience
Daily Newsletter
Get the good technical school , skill , and culture news in your inbox day by day .
News from the future , deliver to your present .
You May Also Like
