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Here you can navigate quickly through all comments made in any article sorted by date/time.

  • Reply to: Miniature UFO Wreckage Discovered in Science Museum Archive?   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Heather U.

    Each picture of the saucer in this article reminds me exactly of a toy I had when I was a child. The toy was a spinning metal top, shaped exactly as pictured, about a foot in diameter, and on top was a handle attached to a long screw that fit into the top, and as you pushed the handle down, the screw pushed into the top, causing it to spin. I find it interesting that there is a small round screw-hole-like node on top of this particular saucer. If the colorful paint had been removed from my toy, it would have looked suspiciously like this. The copper plates are interesting, though!

  • Reply to: Jesus’ Fashion Faux Pas: What Was He Wearing?   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: frankw

    I have to agree with the other commentators regarding the mythical Jesus. There are no known unredacted references to this person in records of the period. Therefore, everything in this article is speculation and irrelevant.

  • Reply to: The Confusing Horned Helmets Depicted in the Oseberg Viking Age Tapestries   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Michael McNulty

    I read that Vikings were such thieves they'd steal just about anything, and in those days everything was handmade and expensive. They'd even steal women's dresses so their own wives could unpick the stitching and make dresses of their own. Kitchen and houseware were taken along with workshop tools and goods like metals from blacksmiths, leather from sadlers and anything hard to get hold of in their northern homelands. Livestock and food was stolen to eat aboard ship or in camp.

    They preferred quick hit-and-run raids then escape before local yeomanry could assemble, as putting people to the sword and houses to the flame took time, and that could be used for further raiding. They were not always the ruthless killers described by monks, who were still alive and able to document it.

  • Reply to: Jesus’ Fashion Faux Pas: What Was He Wearing?   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: jan thomas

    This article is an exercise in futility. There is an increasing amount of evidence that this Jesus character never existed. Who cares how some first century Jew would look like, even if he existed?

  • Reply to: Jesus’ Fashion Faux Pas: What Was He Wearing?   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Rick Buxton

    Perhaps I am just imagining this, but this site seems to be getting more and more bible-y and jesus-y. For those of us who do not subscribe to any particular superstitious beliefs, I'm finding it difficult to return to this site instead of going to other sites who aren't fixated on jesus and his friends.

  • Reply to: In Search of the Mythical King Minos, Did the Legendary Ruler Really Exist?   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Nick D

    Minos may have been a position in society as lawgiver (perhaps war chief), but it may be a fixed term in office. There a quite a few references that suggest a 8.5 year term. There is an artefact in the British Museum that shows the period, when Minoans split things with a common icon they are normally referring to a fraction, e.g. 1/2 + 8 full years between leaders. Also note that the last to leave the bull leaping arena was minos, that could imply this is part of the selection process.
    In this context, the Athenian sent seven boys and girls to the labyrinth may just mean to the palace or the arena (like later games) and for training. The one that graduates Minos. If this is correct there is high mobility in the society, and they select their ruler to defend their trade monopoly by ability. Once indoctrinated recruits may not have wanted to return, the palace life was so advanced compared to their home or may have to become a merchant at port. Some of the Greek references refer to ten years others seven, it is as if, they don't know which it is and may not have been able to place this in a long year which flop flops between opposite seasons with 8 years between,
    There is a seal which shows how their society is organised, on a tree all the way back to ancestors and the caves wence from humble origin to the ruler -Minos (top left branch) - the four deities (top right branch): anticlockwise: mother earth (north -midnight), twins Potnia Theron (west - sunset-moonlight), Kuros (Apollo) - Sun at midday, his escort (venus, sunrise). The priestesses - probably civil servants (bottom right branch), each probably have a corresponding duties to the deities and Gryphon on a alter, two normally shown being guardians of the celestial axis on which the earth wobbles backward due to precession, and the population/society (bottom left branch), which seems well organised. The functional aspect of life on the left of the tree of life, the spiritual to the right. Noting these people were good scientists, what they believed in is actually how the celestial bodies interact (it encapsulates time of day, seasons and cardinal direction in an elegant unified way to teach the kids). They were very interested in seasons, to plant grain, set sail on trade expeditions, harvest and store in the palace Magazines for winter, etc.
    Now, consider that this society was very stable for two millennia until Thera erupted, they need to explore the world to get the things they needed and they sit at the apex of the universe literally (earth mother holding snakes, referring to Thuban the snake and pole star, to the snake bearer constellation, which is directly overhead in winter, Serpens head also looks like an axe and next to Ariadne’s crown, that looks distinctly like bulls horns!), they were studying the stars by night, the shipping lanes by day and they had the most advance tech of the time, zodiac constellations circle of animals almost certainly have Minoan origin and latitude, especially so when you look into the etymology (noting the twins: virgin mistress looks after the wild animals and her brother the domesticated ones). They are at the centre of the world, Europe to the North, Iberia to the far west with virtually exclusive supply of tin for bronze driving the economy, Asia to the east with lapis lazuli and other exotics coming over the silk road, some unique commodities from Africa (papyrus that they would
    have written on, ivory, etc). They controlled this entire network, pulling in raw Materials and converting them into even higher value trade goods for export!
    Now consider, that all the main Greek Parthenon seems to stem
    from Crete! The Minoans did not believe in them as Gods. The Minoans just knew them as lawgivers, but the Greeks treated them as gods. This was the balance of power, they had the most advanced tech by a good margin, they were approaching the cusp of a preindustrial revolution, they had steam (rooms and doors – there are accounts of automatic open doors from fire in the palace of Baal that Minoan architects built, the greeks are accredited with this a millennia later (along with a lot of other 'inventions' and advanced mathematics and trigonometry, that Minoan already had), the first hypocaust, aqueducts, roads, Everything! It would not be that difficult to build a basic glider with Minoan tech either!
    For all intense purposes to everyone around them, they appeared like gods and they traded and got very rich indeed.
    I do not believe they let any ship pass without at least paying
    duty. The acquateri flotilla fresco shows how, all the Minos fleet had white composite hulls (linen and pine resin matrix with a little limestone thrown on to make white), everyone else is using plain wooden pitch hulls: board and secure the cargo of any ship of the wrong colour, control the
    network. There is even a copper coloured hull, the significance is that if they were using copper filings rather than limestone, then this is not seen until three millennia later, the Royal Navy did the same to keep the barnacles off the hull, very low drag, you can outrun/row an vessel. This fresco also shows the festival to Apollo at Delos set sail in Leo (clue), where all the islands paid the Marines (Carins) in cattle (thousands of head of herd) for providing detachments to the merchant's vessels, actually shown but the scene has been detached because it doesn’t fit, it is part of the flotilla fresco. They were top of their game. It’s a monopoly all the resources of the world are following through it. All the other nations are fighting upon themselves, they have a body of water and a navy in-between and the other advanced powerful society in Egypt hasn’t got a clue where your island home actually is! To the North, you have the Greeks mostly fighting amongst themselves, if one gets to acquire too much power, trade with their adversary and give them some weapons. This was Minos job, keep thetrade flowingand the metal rolling in….

  • Reply to: Poseidon’s Wrath: The Scourge of the Sea Peoples   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Nick D

    Spot on.
    The Minoan demise after the Thera eruption slow. This may have led to civil war with the Carian (the marines) that changed sides, being elite fighters for hire, working for the Mycenaeans to bring about the demise. This war is well recorded in iconography, the Griffin Warrior seal being recorded over and over again. The tactics and weaponry of both sides those on Crete and Delos (Carian - that gave the Greeks battle dances (drill), shield tech, being the most disciplined fighters).
    The Minoans may have enjoyed peace at home, but they ruled the waves, and are known to have suppressed piracy before the sea peoples. When you consider they had Priestess at peak sanctuaries, that could observe all the shipping lanes: Minos white hulled merchant ships (composite hulls of linen in a pine resin matrix and covered in white limestone powder) observable from 100kms on a clear day. Any (unlicensed) plain wooden hulls could be intercepted and boarded, whether they confiscated the cargo or levied duty unknown. They didn't need fortification, they had a highly organised Navy being the worlds first. Poseidon, Zeus, etc all representing those that held sway over the Greeks (daily lives for the things they most desired), the Minoans never recognised them as gods, they were just the war chief (with a fixed 8.5 years in office).
    By analysing the logistical network academics have established that the trade collapses without Thera, it's a slow demise. With multiple disasters: global crop failure (as far a China from thera) and the loss of probably the majority of the fleet with the tsunami. Minoan metal reserves couldn't be exchanged for surplus food, no-one had any to spare, it is an ancient great depression that the region never recovered from. The Minoans couldn't pay the professional military (Carians) either, leading to civil war. This chaos is going on everywhere, everyone scrambling for anything they could get and in comes the infighting between nations and the piracy of the sea peoples two centuries later, that may have also included a former Minoan contingent!
    The sensible ones up sticks (if they could), built ships, some taking their advanced knowledge east becoming Philistines (possibly later becoming Phoenicians), the sensible ones followed the metal: tin under Potnia Theron who protected those undertaking a bold expedition West under moonlight. The Greeks knew her as Athene, recognising the technical arts, but then again, Greeks never really did understand long distance navigation or how to work the most useful metals or transferred all of the knowledge after the conquest. The invasions in pre-history of the British Isles may be referring to the echos of an expeditionary colony establishing trading posts, they favoured the islands. The protectress become Diana when latinised – but the good Mistress little net hunting friend Britomaris (Brittania) may represent the name used to refer to the tin island due North from Iberia (pillars of Hercules). Potnia (West) to Iberia also a source of tin, but she is always shown with Britomartis above. This trade is confirmed by DNA in the absence of records, but well presented in art and architecture in all the islands in-between. The source of tin being a closely guarded and a profitable pursuit (Phoenicians would scuttle their ships rather than be followed by a foreign fleet after the source). Nor do you need to go on a huge voyage (only the pioneers), if you have friendly trading outposts, in short legs between the trading ports (islands) to move the goods. Then as now, Ares has piracy to deal with or did he start the wars. The collapse of the trading empire (with it an abundant supply to tin to make bronze: tools (and weapons), stifled the med economy, there was no money – metal was the store of transferable value to facilitate exchange) demanding innovation but also a dark age of warring kingdoms around, at this time and with the lack of trade – another metal was needed leading to the iron age (probably first processed in Troy, that seems a close trading partners of Minoans before the eruption) – the Greeks raising to the ground the advanced civilisations that once held sway over them and which they once relied for the most precious commodities. The minoan trading outposts becoming the thalassocracies centuries and even many millennia later: Phoenicia, Spain and Britain, themselves attempting to crush piracy. The rivalry of the later, showing the principles: the Crown’s coffers low, gave licence to go privateer and take the Spanish gold reducing her ability to wage war, and trade with the world. The seas peoples a chaotic time, because everyone had the same idea. History is a good teacher, but the world hasn’t change that much just the commodities: tin, iron, oil, ???. What is describes is the context which led to the sea peoples, follow the money to find out what’s really going on, then as now.

  • Reply to: Bust of Contention: Nefertiti’s sculpture raises issues of Race and Color—Part II   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Claudio S.

    These caucasoid mummies were exceptions and were not native to Egypt. The native people of North Africa have never been Caucasoid.

  • Reply to: Remembering the Barbary Slaves: White Slaves and North African Pirates   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Claudio S.

    "In comments which may stoke controversy, Davis claims that white slavery had been minimised or ignored because academics preferred to treat Europeans as evil colonialists rather than as victims."

    The Europeans were and still are evil colonialists and, until today, afro-descendants in the Americas suffer the consequences of slavery in the form of racism, social violence, few opportunities.

  • Reply to: Bust of Contention: Nefertiti’s sculpture raises issues of Race and Color—Part II   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Mark Fellows

    Many Egyptian mummies had blond or red hair with blue eyes with European looks. About time people face the truth of human society, out of Africa story is now looking ordinary !!

  • Reply to: Inching Closer to Ankhesenamun: Is the Last Sun Queen Set to be Found? — Part II   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Alexa_John

    Its just really fabulosu to have this great blog post. I really like this and surely will share this others,

  • Reply to: Bust of Contention: Nefertiti’s sculpture raises issues of Race and Color—Part II   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Jsmith

    These arguments about her color are silly. As Claudio S already wrote, the Egyptians were not black Africans.

  • Reply to: Bust of Contention: Controversy erupts as the Younger Lady is dubbed Nefertiti—Part I   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Jsmith

    The woman on that statue is beautiful.

  • Reply to: Bust of Contention: Nefertiti’s sculpture raises issues of Race and Color—Part II   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Claudio S.

    I do not think the bust is a result of 'white washing'. Egyptians were not and are not black as in Sub-Saharan Africa, they have a unique phenotype.

  • Reply to: Criticisms Mount Against Claim of Hominins in the Americas Over 100,000 Years Ago   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Chad435

    So Ferraro is comparing a dinosour bone (whose speices is believed to be repitllian) to a Mastadon’s bone (which is clearly a mammalian species). He does realize that there is significant differences in their bones, right? Plus, he loses credibility if he hasn’t even examined the bones himself, yet tries to refute the findings of a professional who has.

  • Reply to: Criticisms Mount Against Claim of Hominins in the Americas Over 100,000 Years Ago   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Andreas Ost

    It is so refreshing to see a serious & well written article that functions in reality & gets past the out-dated "afro-centric" origin of everything (mankind, civilization, frisbees, VW bugs).

  • Reply to: Blue Eyed, Black Skinned British Hunter Closes Race Debate   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Jet

    The press release and model are more than a little deceptive (which was probably the feature, not a bug).

    Modern Europeans have very distinctive the pigmentation loci compared to other Eurasian populations. They are SLC24A5 and SLC45A2.

    Because Cheddar Man lacked these special alleles they have claimed he has to be dark skinned. But Siberians, Han Chinese, Koreans, Dene, Inuit, Ket, Japanese, Cree, etcetera, lack both the derived variants of SLC24A5 and SLC45A2 common in Europeans but are often quite light-skinned.

    He could have been dark, but it's much more probable that he was light brown like all the other Eurasians.

  • Reply to: Laser Scans Reveal 60,000 Previously Unknown Maya Structures Hidden in Guatemalan Jungle!   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Juniper
    Z?

    Was Fawcett looking too far south? This sounds like exactly what he was looking for.

  • Reply to: Children of Gold Uncovered in Pictish Death Cave   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Tima

    And that goes for the Original Rich Melanin Peruvians, and now called Chinese the other original rich melanin of many different Clans POPOL, People... it was a sacred child funerary..

  • Reply to: Children of Gold Uncovered in Pictish Death Cave   6 years 3 months ago
    Comment Author: Tima

    This is a traditional funerary for the children who were all dressed in honor of them in 'ritual' customs through their transitioning; sacred, and favorite ornaments were either given, or placed on the children in their journey... This is no sacrifice.. your bias of envy to degrade the mannerism of a peaceful living in nature, and original people is simply outrages... let it go we are the original rich melanin long lived on the Earth Great People..Have respect for them as an original people who's perfections are contributing to us today, the examples for us all to know and learn how to live in a true humanity...

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