True or False: Noah's Ark Has Been Found

It's easy to be a skeptic when it comes to anything dealing with biblical history, only because there are so many conflicting viewpoints. Although, as a great lover of history and archaeology I should probably have more of an open mind, and I think I do, but I'm not sure I believe Noah's Ark has been found.

In April 2010, the internet went crazy with reports that the infamous Noah's Ark had been found in Turkey on Mount Agri. If you didn't get a chance to see or read any of the reports, I found this video that describes why archaeologists believed it to be Noah's Ark and what was found inside that may have solidified their claims.



As the video will show, the boat is lodged in ice at a 4000 meter altitude in Mount Agri. This gives us a pretty good idea as to how much the geographical landscapes have changed in that particular area.

According to the Bible, Noah's ark landed on the mountains of Ararat. This does not refer to any specific mountain or peak, but rather a mountain range within the region of Ararat, which was the name of an ancient proto-Armenian kingdom also known as Urartu.

Monday Ground Up: Naqsh-e Rostam Archaeological Site

Naqsh-e Rostam is an archaeological site located about 12 km northwest of Persepolis, in Fars province, Iran. Naqsh-e Rustam lies a few hundred meters from Naqsh-e Rajab.

The Naqsh-e Rostam rock cut tombs and reliefs were named after the Farsi name for medieval tales of the Persian hero Rostam. History tells of Arab armies bringing Islam to Persia during the seventh century. This was around the same time many pagan temples and monuments were being destroyed.

Archaeologists are still a bit unclear about the history of Naqsh-e Rostam, however what they do know is that the reliefs that surround the rock-cut tombs are a representation of the first and final stages of kingship.

A "two horned" figure wrestling with serpents.

Located on the far left side of the monument is a relief that depicts an Elamite priest. The Elamites were an ancient culture based out of Southwestern Iran in the second millennium BCE. Little is known about their heritage, especially considering there are several fragments of history which are missing.

The second phase of the structure is clearly representative of Sassanian elements. Emperor Shapur I is carved into the cliff capturing Roman emperor Valerian and Philip the Arab, suing for peace.

The growth of the powerful Achaemenid Empire by Cyrus the Great led his successor Darius I to build his palace at Persepolis. Once Darius notice the towering cliff etched with ancient memorials dedicated to kingship, it was only a matter of time that he should add his own legacy. Darius had four burial tombs carved into the sides of the cliff.

The Achaemenid kings held the Prophet Zoroaster in high regard, so later a cubic building was crafted directly in front of the cliffs. The building was linked to Zoroaster, however archaeologists are unsure as to why that is and what the purpose of the structure was.

For centuries, the Persian-speaking Sassanian dynasty expanded upon the site, adding seven more rock-cut reliefs depicting rulers of the dynasty. In most cases, those reliefs depict the rulers receiving their Royal Insignia from Ahura Mazda (the Zoroastrian herald of good).

Ardeshir I

The earliest installation of Ardeshir I also contains the first chronicled use of the word “Iran”. With the overthrow of the Persian Sassanian state by the Arab armies of Islam, understanding of the iconography of Naqsh-e Rostam passed into folklore.

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The Persian Empire was tolerant, as well as efficient. They allowed the peoples to practice their own religions, customs, and methods of living life. There were many years of peace during the Persian Empire which facilitated trade and encouraged the well being of its people. Many eastern people owe gratitude for being subjects of the Great Kings of Persia, including Cyrus the Great, Cambyses, and Darius who governed and expanded the empire.Read More about The Great Kings of Persia

Picture Sources

Naqsh-e Rostam
Elam Vase

How Do Archaeologists Afford to Travel All Over the World For Digs?

Starting in August, I will begin a grueling 4 semesters of 13 courses on my way to completing a Ph. D. When I say on my way I mean I still have a long road and many years left to complete. The difference these next two years will bring is that I will be traveling much more and hopefully studying abroad during the summer at Oxford. So is it possible to actually find coupons for airfare and still get discounts on top of that with the travel sites? The answer is yes.

Depending on where I or possibly you as an archaeologist plan to travel to, there are several airlines that go out of their way to make sure you book with them first. Personally, there's only one airline I use for personal travel and to fly my mom here to Florida and  that's Southwest. No matter if it's a spur of the moment family vacation or you're just looking for discounts for your next dig a few months early, I suggest looking online for Southwest coupons.

There are several digs going in Turkey, Bulgaria, and Spain that I'm looking into through the Archaeological Institute of America. Those digs however cost a substantial amount of money and I'm still only a student working as a freelance writer and on financial aid. The digs can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars  to thousands and that doesn't include airfare. Airfare isn't cheap, especially when in my case I'm flying out of Florida. So what options do I have?

I consider myself a pretty savvy computer geek, so I did what do best and that's surf the net for hours to find ways to save money on travel. Since some of you don't have the luxury I have this summer to write for 12 hours a day, I'm going to share some resources I found. Resources I plan on using!

Southwest Packages-Any combination of theme park, hotel, and airfare you can think of is included on this site. Over 40% in savings on some tickets and deep discounts for hotel rooms.

Orbitz Deals-Save up to 50% on travel packages including airfare.

Look around the site and see how much you can save as an avid traveler. It took me hours just to find a site that I trusted enough to print out coupons and codes that I know the airlines will honor.

Cleopatra's Underwater Palace

Plunging into the waters off Alexandria Tuesday, divers explored the submerged ruins of a palace and temple complex from which Cleopatra ruled, swimming over heaps of limestone blocks hammered into the sea by earthquakes and tsunamis more than 1,600 years ago.

The international team is painstakingly excavating one of the richest underwater archaeological sites in the world and retrieving stunning artifacts from the last dynasty to rule over ancient Egypt before the Roman Empire annexed it in 30 B.C.

Read More: Sunken Ruins Of Cleopatra's Palace

Discovery News: Ancient Weapons Emerge from The Ice

Ironically, weapons have been the topic of conversation on Ancient Digger this week, so I was thrilled to see that more ancient weapons have been revealed. As the ice patches melt away in Canada's Mackenzie Mountains, history is revealed in the form of 2400 year old ancient weapons.

The weapons, which include a 2,400-year-old spear throwing tools, a 1,000-year-old ground squirrel snare, and bows and arrows dating back 850 years, have been found high in the remote Mackenzie Mountains, a region where Mountain Boreal caribou abound in the summer months.

"Following that discovery,  we recovered more than 200 ancient hunting artifacts, with the oldest dating back more than 9,000 years," Greg Hare, the Yukon archaeologist who analyzed the original discovery, told Discovery News.

Read more on Discovery about the Ancient Weapons found in the Arctic

Monday Ground Up: Skull Tower in Serbia

The Skull Tower archaeological site dates back to around 1809 during the first revolt in Serbia, and was an Ottoman monument intended to mark the empire's success in defeating the Serbian rebels close to Nis in May 1809.

The First Serbian Uprising began in 1804 when Serbia was under the control of the Ottoman Empire for close to 350 years. The uprising fell short in 1813, however a second uprising began in 1815. The second Serbian attempt was successful, leading to independence of the country in 1829.

In an attempt to exploit earlier victories, Serbian forces dug new trenches under the local command of the Duke,Stevan Sinđelić. Since there was such a great defensive strategy between the Serbian leaders, Sinđelić found himself unprepared. He realized the situation was hopeless, so he blew up the ammunition store with his own pistol.

Afterwords, Turkish commander, Hurshid Pasha, ordered the decapitation of all the Serbian bodies, even erecting a monument using the heads as building material. 

The tower itself was 10 feet high, contained 952 skulls, and was topped with the head of Sinđelić himself.

During the later part of the 19th century, the skulls were removed, both as macabre souvenirs of battle and proper burials. In 1892, there were only 50 left on the tower and a chapel was built over top to preserve what little remained.

Skull Tower is a warning by the Serbian people and it serves as a symbol of tragedy and honor, and most importantly, action in the cause of Serbian independence.

More Interesting Stories:

The Cave of the Apocalypse can be found on the rocky island of Patmos, deep within the monastery that surrounds it.


A road trip to Ripley's Believe It or Not and the bizarre and unusual torture weapons on site.


In 1998, paleontologist/anatomist Scott Sampson from the New York College found a Majungatholus skull, making it the most well preserved dinosaur skull ever found.


Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, otherwise known as the Cave of the Stone Sepulcher, was first entered by the Mayans in AD 300-600.

Historical Weaponry in St. Augustine

Tools of Torture

This week has been a trip back into the historically bizarre and unusual. On a whim, I decided to take a road trip to St. Augustine. It wasn't to see the archaeology in the city, like Castilllo De San Marco, which is strange for me. I wanted to experience the truly strange aspects of the oldest city in Florida.

So where did I find myself? Well, Ripley's Believe It or Not of course. I am doing a series of posts on some of the artifacts I'm explored this week in St. Augustine, and the weaponry at Ripley's was more than fascinating.

Chinese Fetters

During the 20th century, several European countries and Japan attempted to exploit China. Japan was notorious for imprisoning and torturing anyone that resisted. The wooden collar fetters, or restraints, were used by the Japanese to transport Chinese farmers to industrial centers.

Medieval Hand Crusher

This hand crusher was used during the Middle Ages to force a confession. The thumb and hand screws were tightened on the criminal until they confessed. Those who did not were crippled. They would have still succumb to a sentence of death for their crimes.

German Execution Axe

Prior to the invention of the guillotine in the 18th century, these long sturdy axes were used by executioners to provide a swift blow to the head. Unfortunately, using this method led to many misses by the executioners, resulting in the horror of needing multiple chops to finish the job.

Also check out Weird and Wonderful Objects From The First Ripleys in St. Augustine Florida at my new website, The TravelSphere.

All pictures taken by Author.

Rene Descartes: I Think, Therefore I am

Joachim and Jeanne Brochard lived in La Haye, in the Touraine region of France. Jeanne gave birth to Rene Descartes on March 31, 1596. Unfortunately, Jeanne died a few days later of tuberculosis. Rene Descartes inherited the disease from his mother, exhibiting pale skin and weak behavior. The physician gave Descartes no chance for survival.

Fortunately for the world, Rene Descartes lived. Descartes received a Jesuit education at Jesuit College of La Fleche. At age seventeen Descartes went to the University of Poitiers. Descartes received degrees in civil and canon law. In 1618, Descartes became healthy enough to enlist in the army of Prince Maurice of Nassau. Read the entire article about Rene Descartes on Factoidz

Image Source 

Leonardo and the Riddle of Earthshine

What is Earthshine?

Leonardo Da Vinci is generally known to many as an artist above all accomplishments, however he excelled in other areas including mathematics, engineering, and oddly, astronomy. Leonardo Da Vinci’s works remain undiminished, as does his mind which was restlessly inquiring for higher knowledge.

His deep understanding of nature and the world and his quest for understanding, led him down an illuminated path. He fashioned flying machines, crossbows, and cannons, using his deep interest in science to figure out any technical matter. Using his wild imagination, he turned his sights to the moon. Leonardo Da Vinci pushed forward using his ideals of shadow and light to observe the moon, thus formulating the Codex Leicester explaining earthshine and his contrasting beliefs, leading to what earthshine really is defined as.

Read More about Leonardo and Earthshine @Factoidz

Picture Source of Leonardo

Pearl Harbor and World War II Footage

Please be forewarned, this short film contains images of a delicate nature. This is footage of the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, as well as some European war scenes. In all actuality, this film is an impressive combination of clips and images including the people of Japan, bombing, and the war itself. The video is from the national archives.

Monday Ground Up: Early 4th Century Christian Necropolis in Pecs, Hungary

During the 4th century, Pecs was a Roman town known as Sopianae. The inhabitants of Sopianae were known to bury their death in a nearby necropolis. At this time, Christians were no longer being persecuted in Rome for their religion. Consequently, the ruler Constantine had also converted to Christianity on his death bed and the edict of Milan in 312 CE allowed the religion of Christianity to diverge into different parts of the world.

Constantine's conversion led to increased protection for those that were previously persecuted, therefore they were often promoted to higher rankings in the community. Christianity spread throughout the Roma Empire and Sopianae became a prominent center, if not one of the most important, of the Christian world.

The tombs of Sopianae lay undiscovered up until the 18th century when archaeologists found them. They still continue to excavate the area, looking for clues about 4th century life in Sopianae. Hundreds of tombs have been found, as well as many burial chambers. Surprisingly, the tombs have remained in pristine condition, intricately painted by murals depicting Bible stories. The tombs represent everyday life and the images found on the walls in the burial chambers depict contemporary Christian rituals.

The murals themselves are an excellent representation of the earliest days of Christianity. In fact, parts of the Basilica of St. Peter are constructed atop many of the tombs, dating back to the 11th century. The Basilica of St. Peter continues the tradition of Christian worship-a site that exhibits signs of human occupation stretching back several millennia before the birth of Christ.

Today, the early Christian Necropolis is a protected by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage List.

Video Footage of the Christian Necropolis

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The people living at the foot of the Mecsek Hills in the south-west of Hungary in the 4th century A.D.—Romans intermingled with Celts and Illyrians— were already familiar with the Te Deum. This beautiful hymn of praise says "When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers." (Tu devicto mortis aculeo, aperuisti credentibus regna caelorum.)The Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs @The Hungarian Quarterly

213 kilometers South from Budapest lies Pécs, where the complex of early Christian monuments were found. The burial hall and its painted chambers can be visited since2000. The unique Early Christian sepulchral art and architecture of the northern and western Roman provinces is exceptionally well and fully illustrated by the Sopianae cemetery at Pécs. About Hungary

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Sunday Silence: Archaeological Landscape Photography

Dovedale, Derbyshire

 Landscape: Dovedale, Derbyshire

This Day in History: Final Launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis

The Last Mission of Atlantis

Pictures taken from the deck of Aunt Catfish in Daytona Beach

Space shuttle Atlantis is embarking on its final planned mission. During the 12-day flight, Atlantis and six astronauts will fly to the International Space Station, leaving behind a Russian Mini Research Module, a set of batteries for the station's truss and dish antenna, along with other replacement parts.

Focus on Blogging: Archaeology In Europe By David Beard

My site has been on Discovery News for quite some time now, and the best aspect about this is that, Ancient Digger sits next to some pretty fine company. One of the sites that has really drawn me in is Archaeology in Europe, hosted and written by David Beard.

David has to be one of the most fascinating archaeologists, especially when it comes to the latest news and tours going on in Europe. He works as a freelance archaeologist, and at one point, was a field archaeologist for the Museum of London.

Monday Ground Up: Major Political Developments in the History of the Soviet Union from 1945 to 1970

During the immediate postwar period, the Soviet Union first rebuilt and then expanded its economy, while maintaining centralization of communism. The Soviet Union aided post-war reconstruction in the countries of Eastern Europe while turning them into Soviet satellite states and founded the Warsaw Pact in 1955. Later, the Comecon supplied aid to the eventually victorious Communists in the People's Republic of China, and saw its influence grow elsewhere in the world. Amongst these successes, there were still political upheavals occurring during the reign of Stalin and Khrushchev, therefore leading to some significant, withstanding changes in Eastern Europe.

Banyumulek Pottery in Lombok

One of my blogging friends, Barrie from Why Go Bali,  just got back from a several months trip to Indonesia. On his journey, he has collected thousands of photographs of the culture, society, artwork, and the history. I have been begging him for pictures, but he's completely jet lagged at the moment, so I'm going to borrow just one, one I promise Barrie, to show all of you.

There were two places I wanted to visit when I visited Lombok; the traditional weavers of Sukararapottery at Banyumulek. Fortunately I was able to experience both of these places in the short time I had in Lombok.

Barrie is an adventurous traveler who has been all over the world since the age of two. He found his heart in Indonesia and now he writes about it while enjoying the sand beneath his feet.

Mount Vernon IMH/LAMPArchaeology Project

The Institute of Maritime History and the Lighthouse Archaeology Maritime Program recently completed an sonar survey of the waters in front of Mt. Vernon, George Washington's home. Partering with the archaeology department at Mount Vernon, we began the first exploration of a presidential maritime landscape. 

This video could not be more fun with popular tunes by James Brown, mixed with a slide show of the archaeologists working on the project and kicking back a bit. Who knew that archaeology could be so fun? Oh, I did, I did!

Archaeological Find Near the Ohio River

This was a thrilling story for me to find, especially considering Ohio is my home state. Archaeologists have been doing some preliminary digging along the Ohio River in a parking lot, that I presume, is in the process of being repaved or moved.

Dr. Karen Neimal, who has extensive knowledge about the archaeology on the Cincinnati waterfront, describes the buildings found as having cut limestone walls , brick floors, and dating back to the 19th century. She also found a 1880 penny laying on the foundation, stoneware pottery, local beer bottles, and bicycle wheels.

The foundations discovered belong to a set of three story buildings and are located on Race and Water Street. What has been uncovered is only a small fraction of Lot D along the waterfront, and I look forward to seeing what else turns up.

Check out more on the Find near the Ohio River on YouTube

Happy Cinco De Mayo

Tradition Of Cinco De Mayo

The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th Of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. This is not the day that Mexico gained independence, which is what is commonly thought about this specific day.

Cinco De mayo, es el cinco de mayo, conmemora la victoria de la milicia mexicana sobre el ejército francés en La Batalla De Puebla en 1862. Esto no es el día que México ganó independencia, que es lo que es pensada comúnmente acerca de este día específico.

Monday Ground Up: Alta Rock Carvings in Norway

Just above the Arctic Circle, north of Norway, there lies a series of rock carvings, otherwise known as petroglyphs, dating back as far as 4200 BCE. The Alta Rock carvings, similar to other pre-historic paintings, depict a culture consisting of hunter gatherers. The carvings have been linked to the descendants of the Komsa, a late Stone Age society.

What we do know is that the Komsa were fisherman and hunters and they were quite skilled at building boats and herding animals. The carvings themselves are diverse, displaying reindeer and bears most frequently, which suggests that they might have been worshiped. Additionally, there are wolves, elk, fish, birds, and several other species.

 

These types of pre-historic cultures were thought to have bear cults and shamanistic rituals. However, this belief may have stemmed from the footprints carved along the walls. If you look at a reindeer's tracks, you will notice the tracks are going horizontally.

In the case of the bears, the tracks seem to move vertically, which many researchers speculate that bears might have been in some way connected with a cult of the afterlife. Oddly, bears are legend to be able to cross different boundaries and layers of the world. So could it be that they were the key to time travel?

Today, visitors can view the Alta Rock Carvings in an open air museum, fashioned with a wooden walkway between the rocks. You can also see several artifacts found around the area of Alta from the Sami culture and an exhibit on the Northern Lights. The carvings at Alta give us a small glimpse into ancient history, and what it was like on a daily basis.

Related Articles:

Similar to the Neanderthals, they buried tools, weapons, and ornaments with their dead. This is all according to finds documented by the research of archaeologists. Consequently, the graves also furnished some bizarre, yet interesting artifacts including bones painted red. The Cro Magnon Religion

 The Spear Masters of the Dinka Tribe of the upper Nile are a hereditary priesthood, and according to mythology, their presence is reinforced by political and religious ideals. There are several legends of the origins of these spear using masters, one in which includes a lion and a man dancing. The lion demands a bracelet that the man is wearing and he refuses.The Spear Masters of the Dinka Tribe

Related Sites:

• Alta Museum website
• Norway State of Environment webpage about the carvings

Sources All pictures compliments of gorbatsov

The Differences and Similarities of Fascism and Nazism

What is the Difference Between Fascism and Nazism?

In both cases of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, the world war had created high unemployment and dissatisfied veterans. Fascism grew in Italy just as swiftly as Nazism in Germany out of extreme rightist preoccupations with nationalism and, in the case of Germany, racism. One aspect that differed between Fascism and Nazism was the extreme terror put forth by the Nazis against the Jews, however not so much lacking in Fascist Italy. In any case, the condition of the governments at the time made them easy targets for takeover, therefore allowing a new party to emerge that consisted of violent groups, thus ending in superior races that would wreak havoc on society.

Read More about the Similarities and Differences between Fascism and Nazism@Factoidz By Ancient Digger

 
"Here is Germany" was a 1945 propaganda documentary film directed by Frank Capra. Like its companion film, Know Your Enemy: Japan, the film is a full-length exploration of why one of the two major Axis countries started World War II and what had to be done to keep them from "doing it again".

Image Source Hitler