archeology – Queer Sci Fi

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

New Stonehenge Discovery Echoes Merlin’s Tale

April 15, 2021 by scott

The earliest megalithic circle at Stonehenge was first built in the west of Wales more than 5,000 years ago, before its stones were dug up and dragged over 140 miles (225 kilometers) to its present site in the west of England, new research suggests. The findings also support a wild legend that the mythical wizard Merlin ordered giants to move Stonehenge from Ireland and rebuild it in its current location. The researchers discovered the remains of the original stone circle in the Preseli Hills in Wales, near the ancient quarries where geologists have determined that Stonehenge’s famous bluestones were cut. … Read more

There’s a Knife-Wielding Spider God in peru!

April 14, 2021 by scott

An ancient ceremonial building that was built thousands of years ago in northwestern Peru’s La Libertad region was decorated with a painting of a spider deity clutching a knife. Archaeologists discovered the mural in November 2020, after local farmers damaged the temple structure during the expansion of their sugar cane and avocado plantations. When scientists inspected the monument (“huaca” in the Indigenous Quechuan family of languages), they found a figure painted against a white background on the southern wall, in shades of ocher, yellow and gray, the Peruvian national daily newspaper La República reported. Régulo Franco Jordán, director of archaeological … Read more

Nine Cool Ancient Weapons Discovered in 2020

December 28, 2020 by scott

Ancient swords, elaborate daggers, even early artillery — 2020 turned up a number of intriguing ancient weapons that tell the story of the violence of the past. These discoveries cover hundreds of thousands of years of human history, ranging from the ice age to medieval times. A Beautiful Hilt A mushroom hunter in the Czech Republic was out in the woods this spring when he discovered far more than delectable fungi. Sticking out of the soil was a piece of metal. Mushroom hunter Roman Novák kicked at it and realized it was the blade of a sword. He started digging and … Read more

Mystery of the Stone Balls Solved

April 18, 2020 by scott

For nearly 2 million years, ancient humans crafted stones into hand-size balls, but archaeologists were unsure why. Now they know: Ancient people used them as tools to get at the tasty marrow within animal bones, a new study finds. In other words, if a bone were a can of soup, these ancient stone balls were like ancient can openers. The finding is a remarkable one; archaeologists have wondered for decades exactly how ancient humans used these stone balls. “Our study provided evidence, for the first time, regarding the function of these enigmatic-shaped stone balls that were produced by humans for … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT/GIVEAWAY: When Are You?, by Addison Albright

March 7, 2020 by scott

QSFer Addison Albright has a new MM time travel romance book out: “When Are You?”. They have to find him…but how? A former member of an elite military special forces unit, Leo Bailey can handle anything life throws at him. Except maybe approaching a certain gorgeous, purple mohawk-wearing, heavily pierced artist. Not without his three eye-rolling wingmen along to push him in the right direction. One look at the mouthwateringly muscled, military buzzcut-sporting man with the endearing blush, and Vincent Noland is in love. Or at least in lust. Love comes later. Then marriage…and sweet, adorable Oscar. Life is perfect—the … Read more

ARCHEOLOGY: The “Lovers of Modena” Were Both Men

September 14, 2019 by scott

The “lovers of Modena” — two 1,600-year-old skeletons found holding hands inside their grave — are both men, new research reveals. There are few known examples in the ancient world of skeletons buried holding hands and most of those found have been male-female and not same sex. Unearthed in an ancient cemetery in 2009, the skeletons attracted media attention because of their seemingly romantic death poses, which earned the skeletons the amorous nickname. But archaeologists couldn’t determine the sexes of the perished lovers because of the poor condition of the skeletons. However, a team of scientists has now analyzed the … Read more

SCIENCE: Vampire Girl Burial Discovered in Italy

October 15, 2018 by scott

A 1,550-year-old “vampire burial” of a child with a rock stuffed into his or her mouth has been discovered in an ancient cemetery in Lugnano, Italy. Those who buried the child, who possibly died of malaria, may have used the rock to prevent him or her (the child’s sex isn’t known) from rising from the grave and spreading disease to other people, said a team of researchers in a statement released Oct. 12 by the University of Arizona. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s extremely eerie and weird,” said David Soren, an anthropology professor at the University of Arizona, … Read more

LEGENDS: Teen Finds Thor’s Hammer (Sort Of)

May 19, 2018 by scott

A medieval treasure trove that belonged to the legendary King Harald Bluetooth — the Danish ruler who inspired the name for Bluetooth technology — was recently unearthed on a German island by a 13-year-old and an amateur archaeologist, according to news sources. The duo made the unexpected discovery while hunting for riches with metal detectors on Rügen, Germany’s largest island, in the Baltic Sea. When a silvery glint caught their eye, they thought it was a piece of tin foil, but a closer look revealed that it was a piece of silver, The Guardian reported. After more digging, with help … Read more