Evidence that humans heated stones as a step in tool making at least 72,000 years ago has been found on the southeastern tip of Africa, according to a study published in Science. “The most noticeable thing about heat-treated stone is that it has a luster or a gloss to it that’s fairly distinctive,” said Kyle Brown of the University of Cape Town and Arizona State University.   National Public Radio offers more information and photographs of the “hot rocks.”   BBC News explains how it was done.

Did Hadrian’s Wall begin as a temporary wood structure? Archaeologist Geoff Carter of Hexham, England, believes the line of post holes along the current stone wall indicates that a wood wall and ditch protected the Romans from marauding Scots during construction.  

A Neolithic “cathedral” has been unearthed on the Brodgar Peninsula in Orkney. The enormous Neolithic building held stone art and furniture, and was surrounded by a paved passageway. “It all forms part of this huge, interconnected ritual landscape,” said Nick Card of the Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology.  

British explorer Andrew Collins claims to have discovered a system of caves beneath the Pyramids of Giza. “We explored the caves before the air became too thin to continue. They are highly dangerous, with unseen pits and hollows, colonies of bats and venomous spiders,” he said.  

Eighteenth-century artifacts, including a brass religious medal, pottery, tile, and glass, in addition to a mill stone for grinding corn, were unearthed at California’s San Gabriel Mission.  

The remains of 2,000 German civilians discovered in a mass grave in what is now Poland will be reburied today. Thousands died in 1945 during the Russian army’s offensive in what was then the German province of East Prussia.   

The foundations of a seventeenth-century theater have been uncovered in Dublin. The Smock Alley Theater will be rebuilt on the site. 

This entry was posted by Jessica E. Saraceni on Friday, August 14, 2009. Discussion of this blog entry is now closed.

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