Archaeologists Uncover Land Before Wheel; Site Untouched for 6,000 Years

[n2doc]

ScienceDaily (Apr. 6, 2010) — A team of archaeologists from the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute, along with a team of Syrian colleagues, is uncovering new clues about a prehistoric society that formed the foundation of urban life in the Middle East prior to invention of the wheel.

The mound of Tell Zeidan in the Euphrates River Valley near Raqqa, Syria, which had not been built upon or excavated for 6,000 years, is revealing a society rich in trade, copper metallurgy and pottery production. Artifacts recently found there are providing more support for the view that Tell Zeidan was among the first societies in the Middle East to develop social classes according to power and wealth.

Tell Zeidan dates from between 6000 and 4000 B.C., and immediately preceded the world's first urban civilizations in the ancient Middle East. It is one of the largest sites of the Ubaid culture in northern Mesopotamia.

Thus far, archaeologists have unearthed evidence of this society's trade in obsidian and production and development of copper processing, as well as the existence of a social elite that used stone seals to mark ownership of goods and culturally significant items.

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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100406133712.htm

[SpiralHawk]

1. Could this be the Lost Republicon Homeland?

Because they seem to want to impose their idea of a totalitarian Homeland on the United States of America -- and now they can maybe go back where they came from.

Have the archeologists unearthed any teabags?

[GodlessBiker]

2. No, it's too culturally and scientifically significant.

[formercia]

4. +100

:rofl:

[Leftist Agitator]

3. "...prior to invention of the wheel."

Bullshit.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. What's bullshit?

Earliest known wheel is from app. 5500 years ago, 3500BCE. They were not in relatively common use before 1500BCE, during the bronze age. If this dig predates 3500BCE it pretty well guarantees that it was prior to the invention of the wheel.

[ima_sinnic]

5. oh, look at that big dinosaur footprint in the photo!

:D