Treasures dating 9,500 years revealed because of melting glaciers

[FfFfFfFF 41,625]

Climate change is creating valuable archaeological sites in the Alpine mountains by melting glaciers and revealing wonders that would have otherwise lay hidden in the ice.

Teams recently uncovered a knotted string of plant fibers some 6,000 years old, an ancient wooden figurine, laced shoes with remains of a prehistoric man dating back to 2,800 BC, along with other lost treasures across the areas.

Although a warming world is revealing these extraordinary relics, archaeologists are in a race against time because the ice is what is keeping them preserved.

Archaeologist Regula Gubler told AFP: 'It is a very short window in time. In 20 years, these finds will be gone and these ice patches will be gone.'

She explained that materials like leather, wood, birch bark and textiles can be destroyed by erosion.

And the only reason they have stayed preserved is because of the ice.

The melting glaciers are creating an array of archaeology sites, so many that a new field of research has emerged – glacier archaeology.

While archaeologists are aware of the devastating toll of climate change, many acknowledge it has created 'an opportunity' to dramatically expand understanding of mountain life millennia ago.

And Marcel Cornelissen is one expert taking advantage of the situation.

He led an excavation trip last month to the remote crystal site near the Brunifirm glacier in the eastern Swiss canton of Uri. 'We are making very fascinating finds that open up a window into a part of archaeology that we don't normally get,' Cornelissen said.

Pictured: wood carving, a pair of leather trousers and shoes and a knotted string of bast fibers all revealed by climate change

Source: http://www.cuzzblue.com/2020/10/trove-of-artifacts-dating-back-9500.html

[Bonkers 13,780]

That ain't treasure. 

THIS is treasure



Sometimes I think Nickelodeon didn't prepare me for how disappointing the real world would be.  

[alsemanche 13,170]

This is such a bittersweet thing tbh. The preservation is really cool though I gotta admit. I wonder what more they'll discover from melting icebergs (hopefully not reactivated viruses )

[Xoxo Adriana 13,683]

waiting for the day, 100,000 years later when archaeologists discover the chromatica CD and try to find out its origin.

then gaga just comes out of her preserved time capsule and says “fourth single is sine from above music video out tonight”

[Quartz 10,734]

Am I supposed to be happy about glaciers melting. 

[Adarsh 26,496]

50 minutes ago, Xoxo Adriana said:

waiting for the day, 100,000 years later when archaeologists discover the chromatica CD and try to find out its origin.

then gaga just comes out of her preserved time capsule and says “fourth single is sine from above music video out tonight”

There’s a strong chance Cher would still be around and looking younger than people of that time 

[Economy 33,801]

34 minutes ago, Quartz said:

Am I supposed to be happy about glaciers melting. 

No but no one said that either