Istanbul's ancient past unearthed (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Sarah Rainsford
Yenikapi, Istanbul


Digging through thick mud and an ancient swamp of black clay, archaeologists in Istanbul have discovered a grave that proves the city is 6,000 years older than they previously thought.

The skeletons of two adults and two children lie curled-up, perhaps to save space. Alongside them are pots: gifts placed in the grave to use in the afterlife.

The ancient family was unearthed at the site of a 21st Century rail project.

"We found the grave, pots and other artefacts. There were signs of houses made of tree-branches and next to the settlement was a swamp where we found small tools, wooden pieces and bones," explains Ismail Karamut, head of the Istanbul Archaeology museum, which is leading the dig.
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Historians had believed modern-day Istanbul was first settled around 700 BC. The discovery of the skeletons has revealed far deeper roots.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7820924.stm

[opihimoimoi]

1. Unless they find much more...a small grave proves a small amount of peeps died...

Could it be they were Travelers...looking for new places where food is plentiful?...of course they were at one time...did they settle? or did the rest of the group(assumed) move on after the burial?

Very interesting find

Coins? Tablets? Tools? Jewelery? Buttons? Weapons?

Lets hope there are more finds to confirm/appraise the area as a perm settlement

[Chulanowa]

3. Pottery implies settlement

It's heavy and fragile, and so not a good medium for a nomadic group. However it's more or less impermeable and doesn't rot, making it superior for long-term food storage as opposed to leather or plant material containers. If there's pottery you can assume with reasonable certainty that the area was at least a semi-permanant settlement.

[opihimoimoi]

4. A very good answer to a non techie that I am...we shall wait to see the extent of the dig...

if more shards, etc turn up...

[opihimoimoi]

2. dupe...srry

[Enthusiast]

5. Excellent! But I don't get it.

Why would they have been surprised to find a settlement that old? Human settlement is based on geographical and geological considerations, almost always. In ancient times the straits was a very significant location. I suspect actual settlement to predate this latest finding by several thousand years.

[Posteritatis]

6. It's far enough back that the geographical conditions were differetn

The findings from that era actually predate the Bosporus, which is kind of mindboggling.