Used Excavators

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In 1908, during archaeological excavations near the French village of la Chapelle-au-Sen (Department of Corrèze) brothers A. and J. Buisson, and L. Bardon found in a cave the skeleton of an old Neanderthal man who lived in the Upper Pleistocene glaciation during Wiirm about 50 thousand years ago. French paleontologist M. Boule has studied the remains and found that they belonged to the “classic” Neanderthals. In his view, the Neanderthals could not be ancestors of modern humans. This conclusion was based not only on the primitive structural features that bring together the Neanderthals and their predecessors (Pithecanthropus and Sinanthropus) as the signs of specialization, showing the deviation of Neanderthals from the main line of human evolution. Thus, the archaic structure of skull combined them with a very large mass of the brain (even more than modern man) and primitive its structure.

The famous archaeologist, MM Gerasimov reconstructed the appearance of several Neanderthals, including a cave in the vicinity of la-Chapelle-au-Seine, on the remains. Here is how he describes them:

The forehead is low, sloping … close-set small eyes sink deep under the “peak” brow. The neck is short, very strong. The shoulders are sloping. Throughout the guise feels kind of savage primitiveness. Yet this man, but has all the biological characteristics of a specialized type … It was primitive, but real people with original, we now not completely understood, ideas about the world.

In 1868 in a grotto Cro-Magnon in France, they found several skeletons of people late Paleolithic. By the name of the cave they were called “Cro-Magnon”. Their remains, together with numerous tools were found in Italy and then in many other parts of the globe.

In 1936, archaeologists SN Bibikov and EV Fat during the excavations of Mesolithic cultural layers of the cave Murzak-Koba in the mountains of southern Crimea (near Balaclava) found fresh dumping of Cro-Magnon – men 40-50 years old and the young woman. The skeletons were placed side by side with his right hand man was under the bones of female skeleton. The bodies of both the buried were littered with stones. In the cave deposits Murzak-Koba found objects, which were used by Cro: flint chisels, scrapers, bone tools and animal horns, tips harpoons and darts, as well as the bones of hoofed animals (deer, roe deer, wild boar), snail shells and skeletons of fish.

Cro differ significantly from the Neanderthals, including the growth (growth of male – approximately 180 centimeters). The appearance of men and women reconstructed MM Gerasimov:

The skull is … bigger size, massive. Muscle relief expressed well. Cool, the average width of forehead heavy with a powerful frontal bone, which does not give a person the nature of primitiveness, but emphasizes its strength. Large width of the face, as it conceals a strong protrusion of the nose. A narrow high nose is beautiful on its shape. Deep-eyes were characteristic of the overhang soft folds of the upper eyelid over the outside corner of the eye. Zygomatic bone robust, rough shape. The lower jaw is very large, massive. Planting of the head – straight and proud …

Cro created a rich and diverse culture. They used more than one hundred types of sophisticated stone and bone implements, executed with great skill and with a clear application of new techniques for more efficient processing of materials. Cro produced kopemetalki, as well as devices for catching fish (harpoons, hooks), snare for birds. Living mainly in the caves, they nevertheless built a variety of dwellings of stone huts, tents made of animal hide, raising even entire settlements. On the walls of caves preserved magnificent images of bison, horses, reindeer, mammoths. In the cultural layers found female figurines of the splendor forms called by archaeologists “Venus”, various objects carved from bone, horns and tusks.

In 1879, amateur archaeologist Marcelino Sanz de South-ol found in the province of Santander (Spain) cave drawings. The cave of Altamira was investigated Sautuola and Juan Vilanova-Pierre, an archaeologist from the University of Madrid. The excavations have revealed artifacts from the upper co-Luthrie (18, 500 BC. E.) To the lower Madeleine Upper Paleolithic (14,000 BC. E.) Colorful drawings depict bison, deer, goats, horses, wild boars, handprints, etc . They made charcoal, ocher, lime, hematite and other natural colors. Images are located on the ceiling and walls of the main hall, as well as in the corridor and other branches of the cave. On one ancient artist depicted a wounded buffalo, collapsed to the ground. Very realistically depicts bulky body, yet full furious force. Bison bent his head and thrust forward his horns, but he leans to one side, and the life left the once-powerful body. It is hard to believe that this image has created a savage from the Stone Age.

Are now known to thousands of petroglyphs belonging to this period: rock paintings, carvings on bone, reliefs and statues. This is the image of animals in the famous Kapova cave in the Urals, human figurines from the excavations at the Don (Kostenko), in Siberia (Malta). Many monuments of Paleolithic art found in other countries. Not all of them differ so bright realistic as drawings of Altamira, but certainly Cro were the first in the history of mankind artists.

Cro created anunnakami a result of genetic experiments, were more advanced than the indigenous inhabitants of the Earth – obezyanolyudi. In the struggle for existence, man had one indisputable advantage – the developing brain, although Neanderthals were physically stronger and enduring creations. Gradually, our ancestors killed or forced the primitive Stone Age people from all habitable regions of the planet. During the archaeological excavation sites of ancient man found that the Neanderthals had disappeared from the face of the Earth in a very short period of time.

In the legends of the Zulu find mention of the long-standing events, when the gold mines Monotape (Southern Ethiopia) worked “slaves of the flesh and blood, artificially created the first human beings. And the slaves of these “declare war on obezyanocheloveka” when “in the sky appeared a huge star wars”.

Thus, the intervention of aliens in the natural evolution of the planet was subjected to genocide of aboriginal earthlings – Neanderthals. Soon on the Earth were only our ancestors, but also their relationship with the Gods were not easy.

According to the biblical texts, the progenitors of people, Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden (base strangers) when come to know all the charm of sexual relations between the sexes. This event was discussed in detail in the Book of Genesis. Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden. They could eat the fruit from any tree except the tree of knowledge of good and evil, because God has declared: “The day that you eat from it you shall die.” The serpent promised Eve that by eating the forbidden fruit, she and Adam will gain knowledge, so that their eyes open and they shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Yielding to temptation, Eve tasted the fruit of herself first, and then proposed, and her husband. From that moment they realized their nakedness, made themselves girdles of fig leaves and hid from God. In order to prevent them and eat the fruit of the Tree of Life, God banished them from Eden, and since they were forced to cultivate the land, to procure the wherewithal.

If you ever spend a holiday in Egypt, don’t forget to visit the place where the barrack of archaeologist Howard Carter used to stand one century ago. When you inquire about the exact location, your guide will point at a promontory in the sand, a small elevation in the Egyptian desert that looks no different from the other dunes.

Tourists who visit the place stand still, examine the spot, and look around, wondering if the guide is telling them truth. Those visitors are actually not interested in looking at the desert. What has brought them there is the story of Howard Carter, a man who, thanks to his curiosity and persistence, became the most famous archaeologist in History.

Despite his modest origins and lack of academic degrees, Carter’s profound interest in the history of Ancient Egypt led him to read all available books on the subject and, little by little, he earned a reputation of specialist in Egyptian antiquities. His initiative and hands-on experience in excavations led him to develop the theory that the tomb of one Pharaoh, Tutankhamen, had not yet been found.

Carter’s hypothesis conflicted with the prevalent idea at that time, held by professors and specialists alike, who sustained that all tombs in the Valley of Kings had been already found. When Carter was in his early forties, he teamed up with an English wealthy landowner, Lord Carnavon, obtained a concession to excavate the Valley of Kings and began to look for the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen.

Visit the promontory where Carter’s barrack used to stand and you will see that the sand ends abruptly at the riverbank three hundred meters down the slope. The small boats crossing the Nile these days still offer a sight that is not that different from what Howard Carter witnessed at the beginning of the 20th century.

In 1922, Carter went through the lowest point in his career and he must have spent many hours pondering his dark future and unsuccessful past, as he contemplated the boats sailing across the river. His sponsor, Lord Carnavon, had announced that he would no longer be funding Carter’s excavations beyond the end of that year.

The belief in the existence of Tutankhamen’s undiscovered tomb had not earned Carter any professional distinction. On the contrary, his theory, developed out of his own interpretation of fragments found by other archaeologists, was considered marginal and obscure.

During the previous six years, Carter had spent a good part of Lord Carnavon’s fortune in excavations in the Valley of Kings. The results had been so disappointing that Carnavon had decided to put an end to the enterprise at the end of that season.

At that time, Carter was already 48 years old and must have been looking back at his life wondering if he had done the right thing by embarking on a risky venture instead of choosing a safer career as antiquities dealer or monuments inspector. He had no money, no wife, no children, and an uncertain future.

Although he had devoted decades to studying Ancient Egypt, he had failed to secure a high-paying position. The dominant view was that Tutankhamen’s tomb had been pillaged and forgotten centuries ago. Only Carter was convinced that the tomb could still be found, buried somewhere under the sand.

Carter’s hypothesis and initiative had moved Lord Carnavon to entrust him with conducting excavations in the Valley of Kings, but six years of digging had been to no avail. In fact, the determination to search for Tutankhamen’s tomb had wasted Carter’s own life and a substantial part of Lord Carnavon’s fortune. Europe had been ravaged by World War I and Carter knew that, after his long years of failure, his chances of finding another sponsor for his excavations was nil.

Initiative is a virtue that can be taught only by example. Taking calculated risks to pursue your dream, as Howard Carter did, cannot be emphasized enough as the key to a happy and successful life. The level of risk must be assessed and minimized as much as possible, but in the end, a man must remind himself that he is going to live only once. Extraordinary value cannot be achieved by simply following prescribed routines.

Nowadays, when tourists visit the location of Carter’s wooden barrack in the Valley of Kings, their guide usually asks them to take a few steps on the sand, turn around, use their hand to shade their eyes from the sun, and look at the sign on the other side of the dune.

It is the sign that points visitors to Tutankhamen’s tomb, which Carter finally managed to find in November 1922, just when his last excavation campaign was to end. He had spent years looking for that tomb and had succeeded only a few days before Carnavon’s final deadline. Carter’s extraordinary initiative and persistence had paid off against all expectations, in direct opposition to the views of official experts and professors.

History provides countless examples of how entrepreneurship opens the door to striking success. Relentless initiative is far superior to stale knowledge. Those with vision and ambition can always acquire the information they miss. Possessing expertise is not worth much without the willingness to put it to practical use and take the risks associated with innovation.

After discovering Tutankhamen’s tomb, Carter lived for another 16 years, enjoying the prestige and financial advantages of being the best known archaeologist in the world. The treasures found in Tutankhamen’s tomb have an immense value, but they cannot be compared to the lesson drawn from Howard Carter’s initiative and persistence.

JOHN VESPASIAN writes about rational living and is the author of the books “When everything fails, try this” and “Rationality is the way to happiness.” He has resided in New York, Madrid, Paris and Munich. His stories reflect the values of entrepreneurship, tolerance and self-reliance. See http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com a blog about rational living.