Siberian Hunters Cooked in ‘Hot Pots’ at the End of the Last Ice Age
By Theresa Machemer/Smithsonianmag.com
The world’s oldest pieces of clay pottery, recovered from the banks of the Amur River during the 1970s and ‘80s, date to the tail end of the last ice age—a tough time to live in Siberia, where the 28 ceramic shards were found.
Now, a new chemical analysis of these 12,000- to 16,000-year-old artifacts suggests the Russian Far East’s residents navigated the harsh climate with the help of ancient “hot pots,” defined by Atlas Obscura’s Matthew Taub as “heat-resistant ceramics that preserved precious nutrients and warmth.”
By analyzing the millennia-old leftover fats baked into the pottery, researchers at the University of York in England were able to identify differences between the diets of two ancient Russian cultures.
The Gromatukha, who lived near the Middle Amur and the west bank of the Zeya River, mainly cooked land animals, while the Osipovka, who lived near the Lower Amur, preferred fish, reports the team in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews.
The new Osipovka findings build on a previous theory about how the ancient community lived, archaeologist Vitaly Medvedev, study co-author, and a member …
Carol graduated from Riverside White Cross School of Nursing in Columbus, Ohio and received her diploma as a registered nurse. She attended Bowling Green State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Literature. She attended the University of Toledo, College of Nursing, and received a Master’s of Nursing Science Degree as an Educator.
She has traveled extensively, is a photographer, and writes on medical issues. Carol has three children RJ, Katherine, and Stephen – one daughter-in-law; Katie – two granddaughters; Isabella Marianna and Zoe Olivia – and one grandson, Alexander Paul. She also shares her life with her husband Gordon Duff, many cats, and two rescues.
ATTENTION READERS
We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully InformedIn fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion.
About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy
