http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1137650.html?menu=news.scienceanddiscovery
World’s ‘oldest staircase’
A staircase discovered down an ancient salt mine in Hallstatt, Austria, is being hailed as the oldest in the world.
The find was announced by Vienna’s Natural History Museum and Salinen Austria AG which described the wooden staircase as “sensational”.
Hans Reschreiter, head of the archaeological team in Hallstatt, said: “The stairs are so well preserved that you can imagine miners were using them only yesterday.”
The team has uncovered six metres of steps so far but Mr Reschreiter said: “We simply can’t say yet how long the staircase will turn out to be.”
Archaeologists usually rely on data from imperishable materials such as stone, ceramics, bones or horns but the salt in the mountain at Hallstatt has uniquely preserved finds from the early iron age.
In the salt mines, digs have revealed preserved pine chippings, food and even human excrement.
The finds enabled archaeologists to draw conclusions about how people mined salt with bronze axes thousands of years ago.
“We already know that all the wood used for the stairs was cut in the same year,” the statement said.
The archaeologists will team up with specialists from Vienna’s Agricultural University to date the staircase to the year and season in which it was constructed.
The oldest objects discovered at the site are thought to be around 7,000 years old, indicating that the mine was used to extract salt as early as 5,000 BC.
Replies
Stuff like this is great...
Thanks...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
"Salt mine in Hallstat, Austria" you say? "7,000 years ago"? That was my first commercial job. Only a first year apprentice back then though, didn't do much of the thinking.
Went from there down to the Great Sahara Forest to work on a big clearcut.
Those were the days.
JB beat Piffin to this one.............
Joe H
Piffin was the task master on the project. The one beating Jims's back with the beef jerky whip. In order to get the job of task master Piffin had to show he had some experience. He whipped out his portfolio and showed the big boss how he did some preliminary work on the pyramids and that he had worked out some forms of mastadon traps. He was also overheard bitchin' about the last Ice Age being a bit too chilly.
CurlyHand Hewn Restorations Inc.
Restoring the past for the future.
Piffin was the task master on the project
Oh, so that's the deal started, some sort of argument about the miracle new fastener Archimedes came up with <g> . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Naw, this was all before I got truly interested in building. I was more ionto agriculture back then. My kid brothers and I trained our pet mastadons to help plow and furrow so we could plant a forest in northern Africa with a variety of tree since extict. We called them Sa'hara Ferns
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
"...Sa'hara Ferns"
You guys planted those? Thor and I had a heck of a time clubbing those things down. Sure made some nice ferniture with the lumber, though.
They probably would have gone extinct enyway with the poles switching north and south anyway
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
That is to cool! Thanks for the site. But I like the other news story. Why can't Bush offer the same, he'd sure get my vote. I am that easy.
http://www.ananova.com/news/lp.html?keywords=Quirkies&menu=news.quirkies
Voters offered free striptease
Ukrainian voters are being offered a free striptease in a bid to win their votes for a presidential candidate.
10:08 Thursday 14th October 2004
Staircase?
Looks more like a dugout canoe.
I am surprised OSHA hasnt been by to fine the archaeologist for no handrail.