Salafists destroy ancient Morocco carvings
RABAT — Stone carvings in Morocco’s High Atlas mountains dating back more than 8,000 years and depicting the sun as a pagan divinity have been destroyed by Salafists, a local rights group said on Wednesday.
“These stone carvings of the sun are more than 8,000 years old. They were destroyed several days ago,” Aboubakr Anghir, a member of the Amazigh (Berber) League for Human Rights, told AFP.
“One of the carvings, called ‘the plaque of the sun,’ predates the arrival of the Phoenicians in Morocco,” Anghir said.
“It lies in a well-known archaeological site in the Yakour plain south of Marrakesh, 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Mount Toubkal.”
“There are several Salafist groups active in the region and it’s not the first time these pre-Islamic sites have been attacked. Read more.
Jerusalem stone carvings baffle archaeologists
Archaeologists have discovered mysterious stone carvings at an excavation site in Jerusalem. The carvings - which were engraved thousands of years ago - have baffled experts.
Israeli archaeologists excavating in the oldest part of the city discovered a complex of rooms with three “V” shapes carved into the floor. Yet there were no other clues as to their purpose and nothing to identity the people who made them.
Some experts believe the markings were made at least 2,800 years ago and may have helped hold up some kind of wooden structure. Others say an ancient people may have held ritual functions there.
The purpose of the complex is another aspect of the mystery.
There are straight lines on the walls and floors - something archaeologists see as evidence of careful engineering. Read more.
Archaeologist Says Rockart Found at Local Paleoindian Site
The site of a possible Paleo-Indian solstice site recently discovered in Clarke County, Virginia gained new interest among members and guests who attended the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Archeological Society of Virginia (NVCASV) during its monthly meeting in January. Lead archaeologist for the site, Jack Hranicky, announced new findings to including what Hranicky believes are stone art carvings located in rocks near the area of the initial discovery.
A new major feature is a shelter on the site that contains Indian rockart including A set of geometric ‘glyphs’ and two sets of right-hand prints,” Hranicky briefed the 32 NVCASV members at the Falls Church James Lee Community Center, who attended to hear his results of this three-year investigation into Northern Virginia’s archaeology. Read more.
