World's smallest Acheulean handaxe form worked utilizing micro-holes technique

World's smallest manufactured Acheulean handaxe form

Archaeologist Jan van Es of The Netherlands has identified what he calls "micro, micro" stoneworking utilizing micro work holes in the stone reduction technique. This tiny Acheulean handaxe symbolic form has been identified as humanly worked using these techniques. Jan van Es writes: "About the micro micro holes. This a very tiny tool for super fine work. (I make a drawing of this micro micro holes, it's a series in many standarisations). See detail. The micro holes are exactly where they have to be. There's also depth and movement in the stone. The coloured quartz stones have a structure from nature and human working (in colour also) that makes this stone to the first images in micro art before the cave art technic. It's the same technic in portable art. This technique is older than 2 million years."

The tear drop shaped element is approximately 5mm by 4mm

(Please click photos to expand)

-kbj

Turkey head figure stone, including snood and wattle, from Coryell County, Texas, site also has a human/bird combination and human face images

Ronda Eldridge's human crafted turkey head figure stone, from Bee House, Coryell County, Texas, found in the context of multiple portable rock art objects and other bird figures

At right is a flint flake from Buckeye Lake, Ohio, described in an earlier post as an intended turkey head figure.

Texas stone turkey head, side 2

Highlighted by this markup, Ken Johnston has interpreted an open-mouthed human head looking to upper left, attached to the back of a bird head image looking right within the beak area of the turkey figure itself. The human head and the bird head combined with it have distinct eyes and the human appears to be laughing.

Ken Johnston has interpreted a human face or skull image on the back of the bird head as highlighted above. It has two eyes, a nose and a smiling type mouth. "Human face on the posterior of bird head" is a known motif in portable rock art and this is the second example identified from Ronda Eldridge's site in Bee House, Texas, the first was featured in an earlier posting.

A second larger skull with the "one eye open, one eye shut or missing" motif is also highlighted in the photo above.

Human skull or face on the back of the bird head appears to be smiling. This reminds me of the smiling face on the posterior of this bird figure stone found by Mark Jones, at Piney Point, Maryland.

-kbj

Mammoth figure stone trumpets in a new age of Pleistocene portable rock art inquiry

Mammoth image in relief on portable rock art piece, utilizing natural stone contours and including selected pecking stone removal. James May find, Washougal, Washington, mouth of the Columbia River gorge, the second mammoth figure identified by Jim.

ca. 30,000 years before present. Bas relief of a mammoth, carved from bone. Vogelherd Cave in southwestern Germany. Length 69 mm, height 29 mm, breadth 36 mm. Photo: Müller-Beck et al. (1987)  From Don's Maps

Mammouth gravé de la grotte des Combarelles (Dordogne, France) personal scan from Manuel d'archéologie préhistorique, celtique et gallo-romaine, fr:Joseph Déchelette (1862-1914)

Steven and Kathleen Holen's recent "mammoth steppe hypothesis," which will be presented in Albuquerque this October, supports the possibility of art in North America which may be very similar to art of the steppe, as seen in the carving from Vogelherd Cave as seen above.

-kbj

Vincenzo Tupputi collection of thousands of stone anthropomorphs from the coast of Levante di Barletta, Italy

A small part of the Vincenzo Tupputi collection of thousands of stone anthropomorphs from the coast of Levante di Barletta, Italy (please click photos to expand)

Vincenzo Tupputi writes (trans. from Italian) "Attached are photos of some of my collection collected in 22 years, flint carving, keep in mind that my collection consists of thousands of stones with the same characteristics, 98% are anthropomorphs. This is remains a private collection because as you know, what do you think of the scientific world? All material is from near the marina since it lies on the shoreline of the coast of Levante di Barletta (bt) Italy. Just to put it aware that Paleolithic and Neolithic artifacts are an indisputable reality. Kind regards"

Tupputi note: "To give you an idea of the territorial situation enter the magazine 'Geologists and Territory' released in 2007 under my boost by geologist Giovanni Alfredo that shows at a glance the fruit of my research, including lithic artifacts that can be found in the testimony of submerged sites."

Locating similar figures at submerged sites suggests a Pleistocene age for some of this art. The lower sea levels exposing the now submerged locations occurred because so much water was tied up in the glaciation events in the world's northern latitudes.

 

Grazie Vincenzo Tupputi.

-kbj

California sculpture of head with "one eye open, other eye shut or missing" motif asks yet again "Where are the archaeologists?"

Example of a Stone Age sculpture with "one eye open, other eye shut" motif

Where are the archaeologists? Or even just one? It's time to address artifacts with this motif being found from coast-to-coast in the United States and likely related to the same phenomenon documented in Europe. 

To fail to do so demonstrates the impotence of American Anthropology to scientifically address anomalous finds of astute and good-willed amateurs. It seems to be largely still fixated on Pacific routes to America no earlier than around 15,000 YBP and ignoring finds which might suggest otherwise. As a knowledge generation system, American Anthropology is dysfunctional and in need of restructuring to allow it to operate more as a science and less as a closed group of dogma defenders.

Archaeology routinely tells amateurs "that is not an artifact because they didn't do that." Or that "it is all natural, a geofact, and had no human involvement," often without even personally examining the object in question or having any expertise in lithics proper. Now, however, the numbers and geographic spread of an entire class of artifacts heretofore undescribed by archaeological officialdom is becoming glaringly obvious to those without archaeological training and with good intuition and common sense.  

Anonymous find seen here possibly in situ, from northern California, noticed by an arrowhead collector in his own yard. It is also possible a person from later times found this head and face and placed it in this "facing the sky" position or that nature moved it from original place of deposition.

-kbj

Chris Smith finds, San Saba County, Texas, include another example of mammoth and human combination as well as classic bird figures

Chris Smith find, San Saba County, Texas, identified as from a Paleolithic site according to Chris

(click photos to expand and compare) 

Ken Johnston interpreted this stone as a combination mammoth head facing right with a human facial profile figure facing left, as similarly seen in this prior posting of a Newark, Ohio, figure and another figure from the Columbia River at Washougal, WA, from Jim May in addition to others seen on this blog. This is now established as a North American portable rock art motif.

Classic bird figures collected by Chris Smith, San Saba County, Texas

-kbj

Ronda Eldridge finds at Bee House, Texas, western Coryell County, came from 15 x 15 sqaure foot area on her property

Human stone flaking resulting in a human head in right profile form, Bee House, Texas

Ronda Eldridge of Bee House, Texas, found a group of suspected rock art objects in a 15 x 15 foot area on her property. A bird head figure stone and an amazing bird/rabbit/human polymorph with white pigmentation have already been featured on this blog. Thank you Ronda for sharing your finds.

Zoomorphic form, perhaps a "rough" floating water bird. (Click photos to expand)

 An interesting form found in association with all the others (Click photos to expand)

-kbj

"Bird-Venus Statue in Limestone from Day's Knob Site 33GU218," Guernsey County, Ohio

"Bird-Venus Statue in Limestone from Day's Knob Site 33GU218," Guernsey County, Ohio

Click here for information, photos and analysis by Alan Day

-kbj

Horse head and shell Beegden, Netherlands, Old Acheulean component

Jan van Es find, Beegden, The Netherlands

Scallop shell fossils seem to have been significant to some Stone Age peoples as they are seen as featured components in many artifacts such as the West Tofts, England, handaxe and two scallop shell shaped artifacts from Licking County, Ohio, seen on this blog.

Mammoth-shaped cupule stone from Indiana reminds Dutch archaeologist of early Neanderthal visual works

This cupule stone from an earlier post was found in Indiana during amateur mineral hunting and was recognized as an artifact. Ken Johnston speculated it was a mammoth form and Jan van Es of the Netherlands has now interpreted face mask elements and more visual creations on this stone.

A suspected mammoth boulder in Germany, photo courtesy of Nelly Sloan. Please note the form similarities between the two mammoths, especially on the right side of the photos where the trunks are depicted. Archaeologist Jan van Es writes:

"Hoi Ken. I'm more and more surprised about the finds of the States!!!  Un your website I saw this polymorph which really reminds me at the Neanderthaler of 180.000-250.000 BP

A There are portraits shading off into one another of which most of them show the mask item.

B The little portrait at the right gets a surplus value if rotated in the right way- caused by shadow. 

The total picture shows an animal with a human face and under the belly is a breeding bird. (polymorph horse-lady )

C  A brown coloured human in a kind of manganese painting.  In a little bowed position it looks like an animal (legs)

Great find!!

Regards Jan"

-kbj

Giant Pleistocene beaver first found in an Ohio bog may be depicted on a sculpture from 23JP1222, Missouri site OR66Z

A possible depiction of Castoroides ohioensis in left profile view from the Old Route 66 Zoo portable rock art site in Missouri

Castoroides ohioensis had a length of up to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) and an estimated weight of 60-100 kg (130-220 lbs); past estimates went up to 220 kg (485 lbs). It lived in North America during the Pleistocene epoch and went extinct at the end of the last Ice Age, 12,000 years ago.

Ken Johnston interpreted this stone as a rodent depiction upon inspection in February 2012. It reminded me of a ground hog or a prairie dog. When searching for the best match for what this creature may be, the Giant Beaver reconstructions were a good match. Its remains were first found in an Ohio peat bog in the early 19th century.

Photo: Ryan Somma

Permission: Creative Commons Licensed photo by ideonexus.com.

Source: Taken at the Minnesota Science Museum: Mississippi River Gallery, From Don's Maps

Peter Faris of Rock Art Blog has written about this subject.

-kbj

Ceramic feline figure from Dolni Věstonice calls into question British Museum claim of "the first portrait of a woman" and informs portable rock art finds in France and USA

The British Museum is promoting an exhibition of Ice Age art and released information which the Daily Mail and other news outlets have carried:

Face of the 26,000-year-old woman! FIRST EVER portrait of a woman was carved into a tusk of a woolly mammoth (and it's smaller than a thumb)

-New Ice Age art show will include the earliest yet found representation of a woman's face

-4.8cm tall carving is so detailed experts believe the subject may have suffered a stroke

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2268241/The-conceptual-art-Ice-Age-British-Museum-compare-ancient-modern-incredible-new-exhibition.html#ixzz2JUBfzIer 

In the prior posting I demonstrated how the features observed and described on this carving are not unique to it and are probably not an actual portrait of a real woman as the British Museum claims. It is probably not related to the disfigured woman triple burial found at the Dolni Věstonice site, seen in photo below.

General view of the 3 person burial, disfigured woman in center. 

Photo source: Display, Dolní Věstonice Museum

This ceramic feline head from the Dolni Věstonice site (photo by Don Hitchcock) also exhibits differences in the expression of the eyes, matching the ivory carving of the human head and face which also shows the known portable rock art motif of "one eye open, one eye closed or missing." It is almost always the left eye.

This ceramic artifact, from the same site, calls into question the British Museum's claim of having identified the first known portrait based on its "absolutely individual characteristics." The facial characteristics the British Museum described as "a dodgy eye" are not unique to the ivory carving in any way, and are not even unique to the site which produced the artifact they plan to display as "a real woman's portrait."  My personal opinion is that this claim should be publicly corrected and withdrawn. Or, might the British Museum suggest this lion may have suffered a stroke?

Zoomorphic pottery figurine. Possibly a feline. Photos: Don Hitchcock 2008

Source: Display, Dolní Věstonice Museum

Thanks to Don Hitchcock of Don's Maps for permission to display his photos here

Compare these two suspected rock feline heads to the two ceramic feline images directly above them, respectively. To my eye, they compare favorably as "visages" of the feline form seen in ceramics. The one on the left is documented by portable rock art investigator Denis Argaut, France. The flint and crystal feline head at right was found by an anonymous rock collector at Flint Ridge, in Ohio, USA. It is thought to be a representation of the American Lion as seen in an earlier post.

Ceramics may be used to inform other finds- from ivory artifacts to suspected portable rock art pieces.

-kbj

The British Museum, unaware of portable rock art motif already well-described, makes a likely misinterpretation of "a portrait" based on mistaken "absolutely individual characteristics"

Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian, Jan. 24, 2013

"It's smaller than your thumb: a little piece of mammoth ivory delicately carved into the shape of a woman's head. But this miniature sculpture, with one wonky eye and rather elongated, slightly Modigliani-esque proportions, is the oldest known portrait in the world, and is about to go on show to the public for the first time in Britain in a new exhibition at the British Museum, Ice Age Art: Arrival of the Modern Mind.

Some 26,000 years ago, in a valley teeming with game in what is now Moravia, a man or woman carved this little head with skill and not a little persistence, using stone tools to smooth away the recalcitrant, hard ivory.

According to the British Museum's curator Jill Cook, "The reason we say it is a portrait is because she has absolutely individual characteristics. She has one beautifully engraved eye; on the other, the lid comes over and there's just a slit. Perhaps she had a stroke, or a palsy, or was injured in some way. In any case, she had a dodgy eye. And she has a little dimple in her chin: this is an image of a real, living woman."

With all due respect, the museum is mistaken because they describe here an example of a trans-Atlantic Middle Paleolithic start motif, known to astute figure stone investigators in Europe and America as "one eye open, one eye closed or missing."

As an aside, Karon Schwab, an amateur archaeologist from Idyllwild, California, contacted me a while back. She had found so many one eye open, one eye closed, figures she had concluded the prehistoric peoples who lived in her locale had a genetic condition creating the disfigurement. Dozens of other amateurs have made similar observations, all to be ignored by mainstream archaeology orthodoxy.

The "dodgy eye" statement will cause a chuckle for all familiar with this motif, with many examples seen on this blog (search "one eye") and described by others, including James Harrod, Ph. D., at originsnet.org. The eye may be more than dodgy, it may be symbolic and embedded with cultural meaning.

Dr. Harrod writes (pers. comm.) 'One day I had the opportunity to hand the 'one eye' sculpture, that Ursel Benekendorff sent me, to the late Roy Scheider, a skilled actor in TV, movies and Shakespearean stage. I said nothing other than: "what do you feel this stone is saying". He said (paraphrase) that it felt like the tragic vision of King Lear, one eye open is witness to all human doings and human suffering, one eye is closed in pain and and anguish over the human condition; also one eye looks inward, one outward. Also as the head is like that of a child, it also speaks of maintaining spiritual innocence facing the human predicament. I am reminded of the proverb of Jesus: 'Be wise as serpents, innocent as doves.'"

This culturally mediated carved ivory item is an example of a meme which was repeated for thousands of years. So many more examples survive in stone. Have all the wooden ones perished?

To make an extraordinary archaeological claim of "the oldest known portrait of a woman," hopefully not to sell more exhibition tickets, the museum sees it upon itself to determine, "absolutely" no less, the features on the figure represent a unique individual. I have read at one time an account that said this carving was found in proximity to the skeletal remains of a woman with a matching facial disfigurement. If this was correct, it is much more likely the woman "matched" the art motif, maybe as a kind of living embodiment, than the art was created as a portrait of the woman.

Museum curators and archaeologists who claim special knowledge and who are not aware of the most common observations among amateurs in their field jeopardize their own credibility and risk misinforming the public.

Licking County, Ohio, worked (confirmed by a petrologist) basalt one-eyed figure stone investigated by Alan Day at left, artist's rendering of the "dodgy eyed" woman of Dolni Věstonice (Czech Republic) and at right a figure stone from archaeologist Hans Grams' collection, artifact from Wegberg, German Rhineland.

Photo courtesy of Hans Grams

-kbj