Scientists Uncover 10,000-Year-Old Ocher Mines Preserved in Underwater Mexican Caves
Scientists have uncovered the world’s oldest known ocher mines submerged in a cave in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, according to a study released July 3.
Divers from Mexico’s Quintana Roo Aquifer System Research Center (CINDAQ) and Canada’s McMaster University made the discovery during the course of nearly 100 dives over more than 600 hours.
The search saw explorers navigate a network spanning 7,000 meters of flooded subterranean passages in three cave systems.
This footage shows dive teams taking samples in the underwater caves and interviews with researchers.
Scientists said their research, published July 3 in the journal Science Advances, has provided the first look into human activity in these preserved mining sites – including ocher extraction beds and pits, digging tools, shattered debris, navigational markers, and fire pits – over a period ranging from 10,000 to 12,000 years ago.
“The elaborate cave passages were once dry, but as sea levels rose most of the caves were flooded by about 8,000 years ago, creating the ideal conditions to preserve human activities,” CINDAQ said in a statement.
“These underwater caves are a time capsule. With all the tools left as they were 10,000 to 12,000 years ago,” said Eduard Reinhardt, expert diver and professor at the School of Geography & Earth Sciences at McMaster University. "It represents a unique learning opportunity. It took advanced expertise to work in the caves recovering ocher, so we know it was very valuable for the earliest peoples of the Americas.” Credit: CINDAQ.ORG via Storyful
相關影片推薦
- 2:00南海升溫台海降溫?美防長挺菲再提共同防禦!中國防部:不會任菲律賓胡來 ft.蔡正元【風向龍鳳配】風向龍鳳配134,136 次觀看・1 週前
- 2:14小米電動車「SU7」正式推出 95.5萬元起 叫陣特斯拉 中國上市27分鐘訂單破5萬輛Yahoo奇摩(國際通)29,962 次觀看・8 小時前
- 2:17世界唯一「金色蜘蛛絲斗篷」卡達亮相 120萬隻蜘蛛吐「天然金絲」6000小時打造Yahoo奇摩(國際通)8,062 次觀看・7 小時前
- 3:23唐綺陽星座運勢:生活即將遇到很多切分點,敞開心胸準備迎接各式各樣的怪咖!唐綺陽談星室2,287 次觀看・8 小時前
- 1:37闖數位部開槍! 清境民宿老闆稱沒生意月燒30萬華視影音76,361 次觀看・6 小時前
- 1:3845歲女醫院櫃檯前突昏倒 甲狀腺亢進引發心肌梗塞民視影音136,384 次觀看・1 天前
- 7:15譚敦慈:電鍋、悶燒鍋絕不這樣用!5件事拒絕「毒從口入」︱譚敦慈 X 張昭妤【早安健康】早安健康影音150,762 次觀看・9 小時前
- 1:30只賣26張票? 李多慧見面會取消後首現身|#鏡新聞鏡新聞1,065 次觀看・1 天前
- 1:13春雨大發威! 今晚到明天水氣增多 週日雷雨最大華視影音2,157 次觀看・7 小時前
- 1:49邱國正之子遭爆染黃! 徐巧芯曝:高清影片外流|#鏡新聞鏡新聞1,679 次觀看・7 小時前
熱門必看
- 1:17Angelababy瘋馬秀後復出 仍被踢出11年節目? 《奔跑吧》全新陣容「她」接替baby2個代言!娛樂星聞24,352 次觀看・3 天前
- 17:28朝聖2024年最新東京teamLab 現點飲料會開花?視覺震撼連發!Yahoo創作摩人9,421 次觀看・1 天前
- 11:39如何把芋頭做得好吃?教你這招,加1塊豆腐,一上桌就掃光,比肉還香!芭樂媽的家 Qistin Wong TV64,890 次觀看・4 天前
- 13:56高雄三民區宵夜美食|從台南紅到高雄的超人氣厚奶酥!自由搭配湯頭、麵條、配料的港味車仔麵、一鍋兩吃的麻辣干鍋!我是馬鈴薯小姐雁靈7,263 次觀看・2 天前
- 2:00簡單又美味,奶奶的紅燒桂竹筍麥可星級料理廚房33,296 次觀看・2 天前