francene--blog. Year 2013
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August 9th

8/9/2013

 
Picturewww. bbc.co.uk
Humans lived on the River Thames 9,000 years ago. Archaeologists working on the Crossrail project (an underground rail extension to a London station) have discovered rare evidence.

They found Mesolithic tool-making factory featuring 150 pieces of flint at the tunneling worksite in Woolwich. Archaeologists said prehistoric Londoners used the site to prepare river cobbles which were then made into flint tools. The lead archaeologist Jay Carver said: "This is a unique and exciting find that reveals evidence of humans returning to England and in particular the Thames Valley after a long hiatus during the Ice Age."

The concentration of flint pieces shows that this was an exceptionally important location for sourcing materials to make tools that were used by early Londoners who lived and hunted on Thames Estuary islands.


Picturewww. bbc.co.uk
In 7,000 BC, the world population was essentially stable at around 5 million people, living mostly scattered across the globe in small hunter-gatherer bands. In the agricultural communities of the Middle East, the cow was domesticated and use of pottery became common, spreading to Europe and South Asia, and the first metal (gold and copper) ornaments were made.

Archaeologists have also found a Roman gold coin at the dig in Liverpool Street. They believe the 16th Century gold coin was used as a sequin or pendant, similar to those worn by wealthy aristocrats and royalty.

What was happening in the world so long ago? It's hard to imagine what life must have been like for humankind. Wikipedia rendered some information taken from various finds.


c. 7000 BC: Beginning of the Peiligang culture in China. Chinese domestication of rice, millet, soy beans, and yams

c. 7000 BC: Agriculture and neolithic settlement at Mehrgarh, in current-day Baluchistan, Pakistan

c. 7000 BC: Agriculture among the Papuan peoples of New Guinea

c. 7000 BC: Elam becomes farming region.

c. 7000 BC: Mesolithic site Lepenski Vir emerges in today's Serbia

c. 7000 BC: agriculture spreads from Anatolia to the Balkans

c. 7000 BC: c. 7000 BC: Earliest pottery in Ancient Near East

c. 7000 BC: Red pepper, bottle gourd, avocados, and squash cultivated on Pacific coast of Guatemala

c. 7000 BC-6000 BC: The transition to farming begins in Mesoamerica

I can't help wondering if people living thousands of years in the future will dig up remains from our societies. What will they judge our life to be like?

Excerpt from Seaweed Ribbons, the next book in the Higher Ground, futuristic series to be released:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dripping beside him on the sand, she touched his arm, a soft expression in her eyes. "What do you think happened in the before times?"

"About making life?"

"No, silly. To the world. To all the others who wrote books and built splendid dwellings and halls. Like ours."

"Some folks in Hailing say Corn World rose after a huge rock fell from the sky and shattered the land."

She peered up. "You mean when a star falls with a trail of light behind?"

"I guess so. I often see them. None has hit anywhere near me."

"Did that cause the flood?"

"Could have." Pleased at a chance to share his opinion, he took a deep breath. "How can we know? Anyone who lived through what happened isn't here now. Just us."

"Is the land flooded everywhere else?"

"I don't know. I've never left Corn World."



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The first book in the series is Wind Over Troubled Waters, pictured on the right along with the other three.
Author Rebecca Mugridge - Cooking with Bek link
8/8/2013 08:27:01 pm

Fascinating post, reminds me of a show I love time team and their digs.

Francene Stanley link
8/9/2013 03:26:29 am

Unfortunately, with the death of the wispy professor who wore the striped jumpers, the programme is no longer being broadcast. Everything has its season.

Mike Gardner - The Time Doctor link
8/8/2013 10:11:48 pm

Great thought provoking post, today's present will be tomorrows history, we should all do something to leave a great legacy

Francene Stanley link
8/9/2013 03:27:29 am

I want to leave my books. However, if the Earth floods, paper will go soggy.

Deanna link
8/8/2013 10:16:34 pm

Great post and definitely worth a good deal of thought. Things have changed so during my lifetime...well, great post!

Francene Stanley link
8/9/2013 06:02:04 pm

Changes in the way we live are getting faster and faster nowadays.

Ray link
8/9/2013 12:09:41 am

Your post is quite thought provoking. I love history, but had no idea there people living in that area of the world that long ago. Very deep to think about what is happening today will be the future digs that occur. Also agree with the person above, the changes since the 1970's are amazing so far, especially the digital part of things today. Imagine the next 40 years. BTW, thank you the recent visit to my blog.

Francene Stanley link
8/9/2013 06:06:21 pm

I'm so glad I gave you food for thought. In our futuristic books, Edith Parzefall and I created scenes where our characters found things below the soil, a CD disc, even an aeroplane. Of course, they could only guess at the use.

Alana link
8/9/2013 06:01:48 am

You won't ever think of archaeology in the same way after reading "Motel of the Mysteries" by David Macaulay.

Francene Stanley link
8/9/2013 06:03:39 pm

Intriguing. I must take a look at the book you mention.

Loretta link
8/9/2013 06:25:19 am

I LOVE when proof of an earlier life is found in a dig!!! Just so exciting!!!

Francene Stanley link
8/9/2013 06:07:14 pm

It is thrilling to think of people living close so long ago.


Comments are closed.

    Author

    Francene Stanley, author of many published novels. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books? You'll see them on the sidebar below.
    Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life.

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