Some of the Archeological Finds of 2002
These are not only interesting, but also tend to verify the basic Vedic form of history. These are numbered in the chronological order in which they were discovered throughout the year.
1. A City Dating Back to 7500 BC
As was announced on January 16, 2002 from New Delhi, Indian scientists have made an archaeological discovery that dates back to 7500 bce. This suggests, as a top government official said, that the world's oldest cities came up about 4,000 years earlier than is currently believed. The scientists found pieces of wood, remains of pots, fossil bones and what appeared like construction material just off the coast of Surat, Science and Technology Minister Murli Manohar Joshi told a news conference. He said, "Some of these artifacts recovered by the National Institute of Ocean Technology from the site, such as the log of wood date back to 7500 bce, which is indicative of a very ancient culture in the present Gulf of Cambay, that got submerged subsequently." Current belief is that the first cities appeared around 3500 bce in the valley of Sumer, where Iraq now stands, a statement issued by the government said. "We can safely say from the antiquities and the acoustic images of the geometric structures that there was human activity in the region more than 9,500 years ago (7500 BC)," said S.N. Rajguru, an independent archaeologist.
More details were released at-- http://www.timesofindia.com/Articleshow.asp?art_id=2140338028
1. A City Dating Back to 7500 BC
As was announced on January 16, 2002 from New Delhi, Indian scientists have made an archaeological discovery that dates back to 7500 bce. This suggests, as a top government official said, that the world's oldest cities came up about 4,000 years earlier than is currently believed. The scientists found pieces of wood, remains of pots, fossil bones and what appeared like construction material just off the coast of Surat, Science and Technology Minister Murli Manohar Joshi told a news conference. He said, "Some of these artifacts recovered by the National Institute of Ocean Technology from the site, such as the log of wood date back to 7500 bce, which is indicative of a very ancient culture in the present Gulf of Cambay, that got submerged subsequently." Current belief is that the first cities appeared around 3500 bce in the valley of Sumer, where Iraq now stands, a statement issued by the government said. "We can safely say from the antiquities and the acoustic images of the geometric structures that there was human activity in the region more than 9,500 years ago (7500 BC)," said S.N. Rajguru, an independent archaeologist.
More details were released at-- http://www.timesofindia.com/Articleshow.asp?art_id=2140338028
2. Recent Indian Archeological Find Could Rewrite History
By Lori Erbs
WARANGAL, INDIA, Feb 12, 2002 - Mysterious Sunken City Found Near Surat Michael Cremo recently attended a meeting of ranking Indian governmental officials at which Murli Monohar Joshi, Minister for Science and Technology, confirmed the archeological find by an Indian oceanographic survey team. Could the recent discovery of a sunken city off the Northwest Coast of India near Surat revolutionize our concept of history?
Michael A. Cremo, historian of archeology and author of "Forbidden Archeology", claims that all the history textbooks would have to be rewritten if this ancient find proves to be of Vedic origin. Radiocarbon testing of a piece of wood from the underwater site yielded an age of 9,500 years, making it four thousand years older than earliest cities now recognized. According to Cremo, "The ancient Sanskrit writings of India speak of cities existing on the Indian subcontinent in very primeval times. Although historians tend to dismiss such accounts as mythological, these new discoveries promise to confirm the old literary accounts." A leading authority on anomalous archeological evidence, Michael Cremo is currently touring Indian universities and cultural institutions to promote the release of "The Hidden History of the Human Race", the abridged Indian edition of "Forbidden Archeology" (Torchlight Publishing 1993).
Asserting the recent find may be just the first step, he says, "It is likely that even older discoveries will follow." The cultural identity of the people who inhabited the underwater city is as yet unknown. Most historians believe that Sanskrit-speaking people entered the Indian subcontinent about 3,500 years ago, from Central Asia. Other historians accept India itself as the original home of Sanskrit-speaking people, whose lifestyle is termed Vedic culture because their lives were regulated by a body of literature called the Vedas.
The case of the mysterious sunken city near Surat may offer further definitive proof to support the ancient origins of man described in Cremo's controversial bestseller "Forbidden Archeology". With over 200,000 copies in print in a dozen languages, "Forbidden Archeology" documents scientific evidence suggesting that modern man has existed for millions of years.
Contact: Lori Erbs
http://www.mcremo.com
mail@mcremo.com
3. ANCIENT EGYPTIAN FLIGHT TECHNOLOGY
BY VRIN PARKER
Evidence has been found that the Ancient Egyptians had a functioning understanding of Flight Technology. In 1898, in an ancient tomb, in Saqqara, Egypt, a scale model of a very advanced type of cargo-carrying pusher plane or powered glider was discovered. It has been dated to be around 2200 yrs old. I personally believe it to be older. Because it was discovered before the era of modern flight, it went unrecognized and was stored in a box labeled "wooden bird models."
It sat in the basement of the Museum of Cairo for decades, until it was rediscovered by Dr. Khalil Messiha. Dr. Messiha has made a life study of these ancient models. The discovery was deemed so important that the Egyptian Ministry of Culture assigned a special committee to study it. The results of the findings were so impressive that a special exhibit was set up in the central hall of the museum with the artifact as the centerpiece. It was labelled "An Ancient Model Airplane." The following is a direct quote from the source, written in 1972.
"First of all, this thing has the exact proportions of a very advanced form of what is called a pusher-glider that is still having the "bugs ironed out of it." This device is actually a glider that will almost stay in the air of itself so that even a tiny engine would keep it going at speeds as low as 45 to 65 m.p.h. while it could carry an enormous pay-load. The whole business depends upon the strange shape and proportions of the wings. These, as you will see from the drawing, curve down at the tips. This is called a "reversedihedral wing." Now we have the startling shape of the Concorde, the design of every part of which was planned to give this juggernaut the maximum lift without detracting from it's speed. And so what do we see? The ancient Egyptian airplane model has the same wing form and proportions as the Modern Concorde jet. It seems rather incredible to us that anybody, for any reason, should have devised just such a model over 2000 yrs ago. Is this another "left over" from some greatly advanced civilization....It looks like it is." End quote For those who have the Vedic Scriptures as their manual to understanding history, this info is not really a surprise. Most modern researchers would rather blindly search for facts with little or no reference, and thus they are constantly forced to revise their positions. However, researchers who accept the Vedic Scriptures as accurate manuals to the realities of the Universe, are rewarded again and again with positive and accurate findings.
4. Treasures Discovered at the Ancient Angkor Complex
SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA, (Kapuchea) February 27, 2002: After the Khmer Rouge laid down their arms in Cambodia, the ancient Angkor Wat complex that was built between the 9th and 14th century by the Khmer Kings became available for exploration by tourists and religious seekers. This article, written by news correspondent David Richie, delves into the wonders of some 30 temples that have been cleared in the jungle and can be visited. Of special interest to Hindus is a temple dedicated to Lord Siva. Built in the 10th century and located 20 km from Bayon, the impressive structure built of red sandstone has been well preserved and houses intricate carvings of deities. Hindus would also marvel at "The River of a Thousand Lingas" at Kobal Spien. After an hour-long hike, the site reveals lots of small linga-shaped stones right in the river surrounded by deities of Vishnu, Rama, Lakshmi, and Hanuman. At Preah Khan, the Temple of the Sacred Sword built in 1191, 500 Hindu deities were once worshiped during 20 major festivals. Now the site houses birds, cicadas, and lizards. To bring the vastness of the complex into perspective, the size was compared to the area covered by inner Washington D.C.
More info was at-- http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.p15?fv20020226a1.htm
5. Sixty-five Million Years Old Crocodile Fossils Discovered
Updated on 2002-04-04
Updated on 2002-04-04
QUETTA, April 04 (PNS): In a major discovery, a team of Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) has discovered 65 million years old fossils of Crocodile in Vitakri area, some 310 km off here, GSP officials confided to PNS here on Wednesday. The specimen collected to date includes a well-preserved rostrum of a new genus and species named as "Pabwehshi Pakistanensis". The fossils are an anterior portion of left and right mandibular rostrum preserving the upper and lower teeth in place, said Asif Rana, Curator, Museum of Historical Geology of GSP to this correspondent.
Disclosing the new discovery of crocodile fossils, Asif Rana said the fossil horizon occurs in the upper part of the Pab formation and provides the first diagnostic remains of Cretaceous Crocodyliform from the Indian subcontinent.
He said the fossils were believed to be 65 to 70 million years old and provide important information for assessing bio-geographic history of the region. He disclosed that the Pabwehshi Pakistanensis was closely related to a group previously known only from Argentina.
This species "Baurusuchidae" has not yet been discovered on other Gondawana land mass. He elaborated the plate tectonics theory that Indo-Pak was initially interlocked with the Gondawana land mass of Africa, Antarctica, Australia and Madagascar early in the Mesozoic era, some 200 million years ago. It drifted northward during the Cretaceous period to collide with Laurasian land mass during the Cenozoic era. This collision resulted in the emergence of Himalaya-Karakorum-Hindu Kush mountain ranges. The new fossil discovery is relevant in the reconstruction of the paleo-geographic history of the Indo-Pak subcontinent, he said.
He said this discovery strengthens the hypothesis that a land connection might have existed between Indo-Pakistan sub-continental and South American plates. About the discoveries of GSP, Asif Rana said that Pakistani geologists had recently unearthed 2,700 fossilised bones of a new slender limbed Titanosaurus dinosaur from the same locality in the same formation of sedimentary rocks.
The GSP researchers have also discovered a 47 million years old walking whale from Balochistan. The fossils of the largest land mammal "Baluchitherium" discovered by GSP's palaeontologists in 1985 from Dera Bugti are also on display in the GSP's Museum of Historical Geology at Quetta, he said. He said that these discoveries of dinosaurs, walking whale and super crocodile had provided a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages to learn about the past.
6. Ancient City Found Off the Coast of Mamallapuram
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), India, April 11, 2002: An ancient underwater city has been discovered off the coast of southeastern India. Divers from India and England made the discovery based on the statements of local fishermen and the old Indian legend of the Seven Pagodas. The ruins, which are off the coast of Mahabalipuram, cover many square miles and seem to prove that a major city once stood there. A further expedition to the region is now being arranged which will take place at the beginning of 2003. The discovery was made on April 1 by a joint team of divers from the Indian National Institute of Oceanography and the Scientific Exploration Society based in Dorset. Expedition leader Monty Halls said: "Our divers were presented with a series of structures that clearly showed man-made attributes. The scale of the site appears to be extremely extensive, with 50 dives conducted over a three-day period covering only a small area of the overall ruin field. This is plainly a discovery of international significance that demands further exploration and detailed investigation."
More information at--
7. Links Between Ancient India and Mayans
From the Deccan Chronicle
HYDERABAD, INDIA, April 29, 2002: Recent studies suggests a link between Indus Valley and Mayans of Central America. The studies focused on the calendars of the two advanced civilizations. The Indus Valley inhabitants followed a calender based on the movements of Jupiter, and the Mayans followed one based on the Venus. In the Puranas, a secondary Hindu scripture, Jupiter, Brihaspati, was acknowledged to be the leader of the gods, while Venus, Shukra, was the leader of the asuras. The texts further state that the devas and asuras lived on opposite sides of the Earth. Mexico and India are at opposite sides in longitude. The correspondences were pointed out by B. G. Siddarth, director of the B. M. Birla Science Centre in Hyderabad. He also said the Hindu story of the churning of the ocean has been found in carvings in Mexico, as well Mayan representations of a tortoise carrying twelve pillars similar to Indian illustrations. Dr. Ganapati Sthapati of Chennai, a foremost expert on Vastu Shatra, the ancient Hindu architecture, has visited the Mayan structures in Central America and found many similarities between the design and construction methods of the Mayans and that of the ancient Hindus.
HYDERABAD, INDIA, April 29, 2002: Recent studies suggests a link between Indus Valley and Mayans of Central America. The studies focused on the calendars of the two advanced civilizations. The Indus Valley inhabitants followed a calender based on the movements of Jupiter, and the Mayans followed one based on the Venus. In the Puranas, a secondary Hindu scripture, Jupiter, Brihaspati, was acknowledged to be the leader of the gods, while Venus, Shukra, was the leader of the asuras. The texts further state that the devas and asuras lived on opposite sides of the Earth. Mexico and India are at opposite sides in longitude. The correspondences were pointed out by B. G. Siddarth, director of the B. M. Birla Science Centre in Hyderabad. He also said the Hindu story of the churning of the ocean has been found in carvings in Mexico, as well Mayan representations of a tortoise carrying twelve pillars similar to Indian illustrations. Dr. Ganapati Sthapati of Chennai, a foremost expert on Vastu Shatra, the ancient Hindu architecture, has visited the Mayan structures in Central America and found many similarities between the design and construction methods of the Mayans and that of the ancient Hindus.
8. Ancient Stone Maps Over 120 Million Years Old in Russia
FROM PRAVDA
RUSSIA, May 4, 2002 A find of Bashkir scientists contraries to traditional notions of human history: stone stabs which are 120 million years covered with the relief map of Ural Region. This seems to be impossible. Scientists of Bashkir State University have found indisputable proofs of an ancient highly developed civilization's existence. The question is about a great plate found in 1999, with picture of the region done according to an unknown technology. This is a real relief map. Today's military has almost similar maps. The map contains civil engineering works: a system of channels with a length of about 12,000 km, weirs, powerful dams. Not far from the channels, diamond-shaped grounds are shown, whose destination is unknown. The map also contains some inscriptions. Even numerous inscriptions. At first, the scientists thought that was Old Chinese language. Though, it turned out that the subscriptions were done in a hieroglyphic-syllabic language of unknown origin. The scientists never managed to read it.
The more I learn the more I understand that I know nothing, - the doctor of physical and mathematical science, professor of Bashkir State University, Alexandr Chuvyrov admits. Namely Chuvyrov made that sensational find. Already in 1995, the professor and his post-graduate student from China Huan Hun decided to study the hypothesis of possible migration of Old Chinese population to the territory of Siberia and Ural. In an expedition to Bashkiria, they found several rock carvings done in Old Chinese language. These finds confirmed the hypothesis of Chinese migrants. The subscriptions were read. They mostly contained information about trade bargains, marriage and death registration.
Though, during the searches, notes dated to the 18th century were found in archives of Ufa governor-general. They reported about 200 unusual stone stabs which were situated not far from the Chandar village, Nurimanov Region. Chuvyrov and his colleague at once decided that stabs could be connected with Chinese migrants. Archive notes also reported that in 17th-18th centuries, expeditions of Russian scientists who investigated Ural Region had studied 200 white stabs with signs and patterns, while in early 20th century, archaeologist A. Schmidt also had seen some white stabs in Bashkiria. This made the scientist start the search. In 1998, after having formed a team of his students, Chuvyrov launched the work. He hired a helicopter, and the first expedition carried a flying around of the places where the stabs were supposed to be. Though, despite all efforts, the ancient stabs were not found. Chuvyrov was very upset and even thought the stabs were just a beautiful legend.
The luck was unexpected. During one of Chuvyrov's trips to the village, ex-chairman of the local agricultural council, Vladimir Krainov, came to him (apropos, in the house of Krainov's father, archaelogist Schmidt once staid) and said: Are you searching for some stone stabs? I have a strange stab in my yard. At first, I did not take that report seriously, - Chuvyrov told. - Though, I decided to go to that yard to see it. I remember this day exactly: July 21, 1999. Under the porch of the house, the stab with some dents lied. The stab was so heavy that we together could not take it out. So I went to the city of Ufa, to ask for help.
In a week, work was launched in Chandar. After having dug out the stab, the searches were struck with its size: it was 148 cm high, 106 cm wide and 16 cm thick. While it weighed at least one ton. The master of the house made special wooden rollers, so the stab was rolled out from the hole. The find was called Dashka's stone (in honour of Alexandr Chuvyrov's granddaughter born the day before it) and transported to the university for investigation.
After the stab was cleaned of earth, the scientists could not trust their eyes... At first sight, - Chuvyrov says, - I understood that was not a simple stone piece, but a real map, and not a simple map, but a three-dimensional. You can see it yourself. How did we manage to identify the place? At first, we could not imagine the map was so ancient. Happily, relief of today's Bashkiria has not changed so much within millions of years. We could identify Ufa Height, while Ufa Canyon is the main point of our proofs, because we carried out geological studies and found its track where it must be according to the ancient map.
Displacement of the canyon happened because of tectonic stabs which moved from East. The group of Russian and Chinese specialists in the field of cartography, physics, mathematics, geology, chemistry, and Old Chinese language managed to precisely find out that the stab contains the map of Ural region, with rivers Belya, Ufimka, Sutolka, - Alexandr Chuvyrov said while showing the lines on the stone to the journalists. - You can see Ufa Canyon - the break of the earth's crust, stretched out from the city of Ufa to the city of Sterlitimak. At the moment, Urshak River runs over the former canyon. The map is done on a scale 1 : 1.1 km.
Alexandr Chuvyrov, being physicist, has got into the habit of entrusting only to results of investigation. While today there are such facts. Geological structure of the stab was determined: it consists of three levels. The base is 14 cm chick, made of the firmest dolomite. The second level is probably the most interesting, made of diopside glass. The technology of its treatment is not known to modern science. Actually, the picture is marked on this level. While the third level is 2 mm thick and made of calcium porcelain protecting the map from external impact.
It should be noticed, the professor said, that the relief has not been manually made by an ancient stonecutter. It is simply impossible. It is obvious that the stone was machined. X-ray photographs confirmed that the stab was of artificial origin and has been made with some precision tools.
At first, the scientists supposed that the ancient map could have been made by the ancient Chinese, because of vertical inscriptions on the map. As well known, vertical literature was used in Old Chinese language before 3rd century. To check his supposition, professor Chuvyrov visited Chinese empire library. Within 40 minutes he could spend in the library according to the permission he looked through several rare books, though not one of them contained literature similar to that one on the stab. After the meeting with his colleagues from Hunan University, he completely gave up the version about Chinese track. The scientist concluded that porcelain covering the stab had never been used in China. Although all the efforts to decipher the inscriptions were fruitless, it was found out that the literature had hieroglyphic-syllabic character.
Chuvyrov, however, states he has deciphered one sign on the map: it signifies latitude of today's city of Ufa. The longer the stab was studied, the more mysteries appeared. On the map, a giant irrigation system could be seen: in addition to the rivers, there are two 500-metre-wide channel systems, 12 dams, 300-500 metres wide, approximately 10 km long and 3 km deep each. The dams most likely helped in turning water in either side, while to create them over 1 quadrillion cubic metres of earth was shifted. In comparison with that irrigation system, Volga-Don Channel looks like a scratch on the today's relief. As a physicist, Alexandr Chuvyrov supposes that now mankind can build only a small part of what is pictured on the map. According to the map, initially, Belaya River had an artificial river-bed.
It was difficult to determine even an approximate age of the stab. At first, radiocarbonic analysis was carried out, afterwards levels of stab were scanned with uranium chronometer, though the investigations showed different results and the age of the stab remained unclear. While examining the stone, two shells were found on its surface. The age of one of them - Navicopsina munitus of Gyrodeidae family - is about 500 million years, while of the second one - Ecculiomphalus princeps of Ecculiomphalinae subfamily - is about 120 million years. Namely that age was accepted as a working version. The map was probably created at the time when the Earth's magnetic pole situated in the today's area of Franz Josef Land, while this was exactly 120 million years ago, - professor Chuvyrov says. - The map we have is beyond of traditional perception of mankind and we need a long time to get used to it. We have got used to our miracle. At first we thought that the stone was about 3,000 years. Though, that age was gradually growing, till we identified the shells ingrained in the stone to sign some objects. Though, who could guarantee that the shell was alive while being ingrained in the map? The map's creator probably used a petrified find.
9. Taxila 600 Years Older Than Earlier Believed
By Mahmood Zaman
June 2, 2002
DAWN, Karachi, Lahore
LAHORE, March 23: Recent excavations at Taxila have pushed back the history of the ancient settlement by another six centuries to the neolithic age. Earlier, artifacts collected by Sir John Marshall had dated Taxila back to 518 BC. The new study also indicates the existence of cities in the valley between 1200 BC and 1100 BC. Potshreds and other terracotta, found at the lowest occupational level, 15 feet in depth, is the main evidence of the latest discovery which establishes that Taxila and the Indus Valley Civilization settlements of Mohenjodaro and Harappa existed almost simultaneously. Sir John, who excavated several Taxila sites between 1913 and 1934, had found four occupational levels. The latest study has unearthed six occupational levels which have been listed afresh as pre-Achaemenian, Achaemenian, Macedonian, Mauriyan, Bactarian Greek and Scythian. Archaeology Department and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, have also found for the first time an integrated drainage system comprising open as well as covered drains.
The discovery of several wells also establishes that fresh water was used for cooking and bathing. Yet another discovery is that of a hall and adjacent chambers which archaeologists understand were part of a palace of the then ruler, King Ambhi, who received Alexander the Great at this palace in 326 BC. The evidence of the hall is based on pillars and walls which have been found at the Bhir Mound's fourth occupational level. The excavation started in September 1998 and is still going on. The preliminary report repudiates some of the theories propounded in 1934 by Sir John Marshall regarding the age of the three cities of Taxila - the Bhir Mound, Srikap and Sirsukh - and the Buddhist monasteries around.
One such theory proposed by Sir John, who became the first chief of the Archaeology Department in 1913 and immediately started excavating Taxila, was that the Bhir Mound city was abandoned between the first century BC and the first century AD by Bactarian Greeks who were the last inhabitants of the city. The latest excavations have established that the city was not completely abandoned and that it was later occupied by Scythians.
It has been found that the Taxila people used to pull fresh water from community wells, of which three have been discovered so far. Raised walls protected the wells from refuse. A Mauriyan era drainage network has also been found. It comprises a number of small drains which are connected with the main drains which are also covered. This is the second ancient site (Mohenjodaro being the first) where such drains have been found. Metal and terracotta utensils have been found in the rooms, bathrooms and kitchens. The palace where King Ambhi is believed to have received Alexander the Great in 326 BC, has abundant evidence of royal living. A kitchen and a bar have been unearthed on the palace site. More than 600 ancient objects have also been found from the site. They include terracotta pottery and clay figurines. Objects made from shells, iron and copper have also been discovered along with terracotta and semi-precious stone beads.
11. Buried Siva Temples Found
From "The Hindu" paper
SIDDAVATAM, CUDDAPAH DISTRICT, June 2, 2002: The surfacing of five ancient Siva temples partly in sand dunes along the Pennar river in Jyothi village in Siddhavatam mandal has led to the discovery that as many as 108 Siva temples have been buried under sand at the place. Besides the rare presence of 108 Siva temples dating back to 1213 ce, a silver chariot and a diamond crown said to have been presented to the Jyothi Siddhavateswara Swamy temple by Kakatiya Rudrama Devi were present in Jyothi village, according to inscriptions discovered. The 108 Siva temples were said to have been constructed by King Rakkasi Gangarayadeva and his aide, Jantimanayakudu, in the 12th century and were buried under sand during the Muslim Kings' rule, says Pothuraju Venkata Subbanna, a retired headmaster and chairman of several temples in Siddhavatam mandal. The main temple is called Jyothi Siddheswara Swamy temple. A life-size inscription in the temple has a swastika symbol on the left and the Sun, Moon and a sturdy bull on the right.
11. Evidence of Ancient Sea Trade Between Rome and India
From the San Francisco Chronicle and
New Proof Of Ancient India's Flourishing Trade With Rome
By Anand Parthasarathy, KOCHI,
BERENIKE, EGYPT, June 12, 2002: Excavation of an ancient seaport on Egypt's Red Sea found spices, gems and other exotic cargo showing, archaeologists, that say sea trade linking the Roman Empire and India 2,000 years ago rivaled the legendary Silk Road at times. The project funded by Dutch and American agencies, at Berenike, on the Sudan-Egypt border along the shores of the Red Sea, has revealed that the location was the southern-most, military sea port of the Roman Empire in the first century A.D. and the key transfer point for a flourishing trade with India, whose magnitude was hitherto not known. A gruelling nine-year-long international archaeological expedition in Egypt, has unearthed the most extensive evidence so far, of vigorous trade between India and the "Roman Empire" 2000 years ago. Co-directors of the dig, Willeke Wendrich, of the University of California, Los Angeles and Steven Sidebotham, of the University of Delaware, report their findings in the July issue of the journal Sahara. In major findings to be published in the July issue of the monthly scientific journal Sahara and announced today at the archaeological database website of the expedition , researchers report having unearthed the largest single cache of black pepper " about 8 kg " ever excavated from a Roman dig. They were able to establish that this variety was only grown in antiquity in South India. They also uncovered numerous beams hewn of teak, a wood indigenous to India, and Indian sailcloth. Because of the drier weather of Egypt, the Berenike site preserved organic substances from India that have never been found in the more humid subcontinent, like sail cloth, matting and baskets dating to AD 30-AD 70, all traces of which were destroyed in the more humid climate of the subcontinent. In one of the surprise findings, the archaeologists also report stumbling on a Roman "trash dump'' containing well-preserved evidence of Indian `batik' work and ancient printed textiles as well as ceramics. Indian pottery found in the 30-acre site suggests Indian traders lived in the town amid a hodgepodge of other cultures. Archaeologists found evidence that a dozen different scripts, including Tamil-Brahmi, Greek, Latin and Hebrew, were used in Berenike. Elizabeth Lyding Will, an emeritus professor of classics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, said the finds help add "a whole new dimension to Roman archaeology." "It looks to me that India was some sort of engine driving Roman trade during the early empire. It could have been the chief focus of their trade."
All this leads archaeologists, Willeke Wendrich of the University of California, and Steven Sidebotham of the Delaware University to conclude in next month's paper that a "Spice Route'' from India to Rome, existed long before the better known "Silk Route'' to China. They suggest that the goods travelled from the west coast Indian ports to Berenike by ships in the monsoon months, and were then transported by camel and Nile river boats, to the Mediterranean port of Alexandria, from where ships conveyed the cargo to Rome by sea. This route was preferred for almost 50 years because the alternative land route through what is today Pakistan and Iran, passed through countries hostile to the Roman Empire. "We talk about globalism as if it were the latest thing'', Wendrich is quoted by the Associated Press as saying, but trade was going on in antiquity on a scale that is truly impressive''.
The Berenike route was finally abandoned in AD 500 probably after a plague epidemic. The new findings are said to establish what was long suspected - the central role that India played in the maritime trade 2000 years ago. Copyright 2002 The Hindu.
12. The Shiva Lingams Found in Vietnam
VIETNAM, June 23, 2001, A Siva Lingam monument, a relic from the lost Champa Kingdom, stands proudly at the My Son site in Vietnam. Images depicting the Yoni and Lingam can be found in Hindu-influenced cultures across the entire Asian region. But the Cham religion in Vietnam has taken these images and fashioned them into a distinctive and different form. The Lingam and Yoni in the Cham religion differ from their Indian progenitors and their presence in Vietnam is evidence of the profound influence of Indian culture and religion in the country. It is also proof of the strong sense of identity of the Cham people, who borrowed from Hinduism and created statues and temples with a style all of their own. Cham Linga sculptures generally have a flat top, with only a few featuring spherical shapes. They are generally found in three different styles: square; another in two parts, one cylindrical and one square; and another has a cylindrical upper, the middle is octagonal and the bottom is square. The Linga and Yoni are usually constructed as one structure. Traditionally only one Linga is attached to the Yoni, but in some Cham sculptures many Linga can be found on a single Yoni platform. The differences between Cham sculptures and those found elsewhere in the Hindu world demonstrate subtle changes from their origins.
13. India was the First Source of Diamonds
USA, July 16, 2002: "Diamond" comes from the Greek "adamao" meaning, "I tame" or "I subdue," according to this story which appeared on the CBS program, "60 Minutes II." The adjective "adamas" was used to describe the hardest substance known, and eventually became synonymous with diamond. Knowledge of diamond starts in India, where it was first mined. The word most generally used for diamond in Sanskrit is "vajra," "thunderbolt," and "Indrayudha," "Indra's weapon." Because Indra is the warrior God from Vedic scriptures, the foundation of Hinduism, the thunderbolt symbol indicates much about the Indian conception of diamond. Early descriptions of diamond date to the 4th century BCE. By then diamond was a valued material. The earliest known reference to diamond is a Sanskrit manuscript by a minister in a northern Indian dynasty. The work is dated from 320-296 BCE. Today diamonds are mined in about 25 countries, on every continent but Europe and Antarctica. For 1,000 years, starting in roughly the 4th century BCE, India was the only source of diamonds. Diamond production has increased enormously in the 20th century. India's maximum production, perhaps 50,000 to 100,000 carats annually in the 16th century, is very small compared to the current production of around 100 million carats. Major production is now dominated by Australia, Botswana, Russia, and Congo Republic (Zaire), but South Africa is still a major producer, in both volume and value.
More Information at: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/05/08/60II/main508408.shtml
More Information at: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/05/08/60II/main508408.shtml
14. Ancient Hindu Temple Discovered in Indonesia
Deutsche Press - Agentur
WEST JAVA, INDONESIA, September 3, 2002: A Cangkuang villager hunting for termites under a tree discovered a sharp hand-carved stone. Further investigation revealed that the location was the site of an ancient Hindu temple. The site is especially significant as the archeologists are hoping to obtain more information about the Sundanese kingdoms in West Java. Tony Djubiantono, head of West Java's Bandung Archeology Agency says, "Based on a preliminary finding of various remains there are indications that this is a Hindu temple built in the seventh or eighth century." The article says, "Buddhism and Hinduism were Indonesia's first world religions, popular among the first kingdoms of Java until the 14th and 15th centuries when Islam started to gain a greater foothold in the archipelago." Djubiantono further describes the finding of such a temple, "as spectacular and very significant for recovering the missing history of the so-called Tatar Sunda, or Sunda territory."
15. A 7,000-year-old temple in Malleswaram
Author: Meghana Mathur, Times News Network
Publication: The Times of India - Internet Edition
Date: October 16, 2001
Malleswaram boasts of many temples, but none is so shrouded in controversy and mystery as this one is. The ancient Nandeeshwara temple at Malleswaram 17th cross was discovered only three years ago, but it has stood for 7,000 years on that spot. Being buried over the years hasn't diminished its aura at all. It still draws huge crowds all day.
According to residents living nearby, the temple was completely buried and the land above it was a flat stretch. "Three years ago, a politician tried to sell this plot. But people objected on the grounds that the land should first be dug through to see if they could find something," says the priest, Ravi Shankar Bhatt. And so when they started digging up the land, they found buried underneath, this temple. It was in perfect condition, preserved by the thick layers of soil.
This underground temple was enclosed within a stone cut courtyard supported by ancient stone pillars. At the far end of the courtyard, a Nandi was carved out of a black stone with eyes painted in gold. From its mouth a clear stream of water flowed directly on to a Shivalinga made out of the same black stone at a lower level. There were steps that led to a small pool in the centre of the courtyard where the water flowed and collected. The pool's centre had a 15 feet deep whirlpool.
Everything remains the same today. Nobody knows where the water comes from and how it passes from the mouth of the Nandi idol on to the Shivalinga. Nobody knows how the whirlpool came into being. The source of water, the sculptor, even the time when it was built remains a mystery. "There has been no scientific explanation for the source of water till date," says resident Shivalingaiah. "Some say it was built by Shivaji Maharaj. Some say it's older. But of one thing we were sure, the temple has remained untouched over the years. We found it exactly as it might have been before it was covered by soil," he adds. On Shivaratri day, overwhelming crowds gather at this temple. Some perform the `milk puja'. Others just come to marvel at a temple no one has any explanation for. The water source has been estimated by some to be the Sankey tank. This, because it happens to be directly in the line of, and at a higher level from the Nandeeshwara temple. But this hypothesis hasn't been proved yet.
This Malleswaram temple falls under the constituency of MLA Sitaram. Speaking of the controversy surrounding this temple, he says, "There was a court case initially. But since it was an ancient temple of great heritage and religious value, it was preserved and taken over by the state government."
Today, Sitaram says improvements have been made to the structure. "Since it was so ancient, the walls had some kind of leakage and started rotting after a while. The leaks were filled up and the walls were whitewashed. But no one has really tampered with the original structure," he adds. A Malleswaram committee has been specifically created to look after the temple. Committee president C Chandrashekhar functions along with a 11-member committee. "We are slowly introducing improvements in the temple to keep it in good shape. A lot of people come even from other parts of Bangalore," he says. The committee's next step is to build a gopuram in the temple premises. "But funds are a problem," adds Sitaram. "Every year the cost of maintaining the temple increases. I just wish the government would do something about this."
16. Satellite Photos of the Bridge Between Ramesvaram and Sri Lanka
When I had visited Ramesvaram several years ago, and more recently in 2002, I was told that you could see the line of rocks that lead to Ramaesvaram to Sri Lanka that had been the bridge that Lord Rama had built for him and his army to go to Lanka in search for Sita. These rocks were said to be just under the surface of the water. Then when these photos were published, I was not surprised, but nonetheless fascinated by the relevancy of what they revealed. The captions of the photos, as found on Indolink.com:
Space images taken by NASA (from the NASA Digital Image Collection) reveal the mysterious ancient bridge in the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka. The recently discovered bridge, currently named as Adam´s Bridge, is made of chain of shoals, c.18 mi (30 km) long.
The unique curvature of the bridge and composition by age reveals that it is man made. The legends as well as Archeological studies reveal that the first signs of human inhabitants in Sri Lanka date back to a primitive age, about 17,50,000 years ago and the bridge's age is also almost equivalent.
This information is a crucial aspect for an insight into the mysterious legend called Ramayana, which was supposed to have taken place in Treta Yuga (more than 17,00,000 years ago).
In this epic, there is a mentioning about a bridge, which was built between Rameshwaram (India) and the Sri Lankan coast under the supervision of a dynamic and invincible figure called Rama who is supposed to be the incarnation of the Supreme Being.
This information may not be of much importance to the archeologists who are interested in exploring the origins of man, but it is sure to open the spiritual gates of the people of the world to have come to know an ancient history linked to the Indian mythology.
17. A 40,000 Year Old Cave Painting
This is said to be a 40,000-year-old cave painting seen on a white silica sandstone rock shelter depicting existence of human civilization is seen in Banda district 800 kilometers(500 miles) southeast of New Delhi, India, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2002. The painting shows hunting by cave men in Paleolithic age. These caves were discovered recently. (AP Photo/Shekhar Srivastava) Notice the horse with rider. World Photos - AP
18. Stealth Bomber from Shastra
From the Deccan Herald, Dated Nov. 2, 2002
By Rajesh Parishwad, DH News Service BANGALORE, Nov 1:
By Rajesh Parishwad, DH News Service BANGALORE, Nov 1:
A glass-like material based on technology found in an ancient Sanskrit text that could ultimately be used in a stealth bomber (the material cannot be detected by radar) has been developed by a research scholar of Benaras Hindu University.
Prof M A Lakshmithathachar, Director of the Academy of Sanskrit Research in Melkote, near Mandya, told Deccan Herald that tests conducted with the material showed radars could not detect it. "The unique material cannot be traced by radar and so a plane coated with it cannot be detected using radar," he said.
The academy had been commissioned by the Aeronautical Research Development Board, New Delhi, to take up a one-year study, 'Non-conventional approach to Aeronautics,' on the basis of an old text, Vaimanika Shastra, authored by Bharadwaj.
Though the period to which Bharadwaj belonged to is not very clear, Prof Lakshmithathachar noted, the manuscripts might be more than 1,000 years old. The project aims at deciphering the Bharadwaj's concepts in aviation. However, Prof Lakshmithathachar was quick to add that a collaborative effort from scholars of Sanskrit, physics, mathematics and aeronautics is needed to understand Bharadwaj's shastra.
The country's interest in aviation can be traced back over 2,000 years to the mythological era and the epic Ramayana tells of a supersonic-type plane, the Pushpak Vimana, which could fly at the speed of thought. "The shastra has interesting information on vimanas (airplanes), different types of metals and alloys, a spectrometer and even flying gear," the professor said. The shastra also outlines the metallurgical method to prepare an alloy very light and strong which could withstand high pressure.
He said Prof Dongre of BHU had brought out a research paper Amshubondhini after studying Vaimanika Shastra and developed the material. "There have been sporadic efforts to develop aeronautics in the country's history. There has never been a holistic approach to it. Vaimanika Shastra throws up many interesting details that can benefit Indian aviation programme," the director added.
Prof Lakshmithathachar rubbished the tendency among certain scholars to discount such ancient Sanskrit texts and said, "Why would our scholars want to cheat future generations? Unless it was important, nothing was written in the old days. The fact that there exists manuscripts indicates the significance." The academy has also embarked on other projects including 'Indian concept of Cosmology' with Indian Space Research Organisation, 'Iron & Steel in Ancient India - A Historical Perspective' with the Steel Authority of India Limited, and 'Tools & Technology of Ancient India.'
19. Koreans Search for Roots in Ayodhya
From: Vinay Krishna Rastogi, Lucknow
AYODHYA : A high-power delegation from South Korea visited Ayodhya to revive two millennia-old ties with the temple town. The South Koreans discovered that a Princess of Ayodhya was married to Korean King Suro in the first century CE. Suro was the King of Kimhay kingdom or the present Korea. The Princess was married to the Korean King at the age of 16. The Koreans believe that the Princess was the mother of the descendants who unified various Korean kingdoms in the 7th century CE. Since the first century CE her descendants prospered and became the largest clan in Korea, known as the Karak, whose members had been highly distinguished people. The present President of South Korea, Kim Dae-Jung, believes that he is also a descendant of the Great Princess of Ayodhya. She is regarded as the most blessed queen of Korea in the last 2,000 years, and Koreans believe that this could be due to the religious significance of the great temple city of Ayodhya where Lord Rama was born. The Counsel General of Korea said "I hope historians will be able to learn more about this great ancient Hindu city." He urged the ex-Raja of Ayodhya BPN Misra to strengthen the cultural ties between Ayodhya and South Korea.
[Available at: http://www.stephen-knapp.com]
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