12,000-year-old mine found in Chile

Could anybody do a recap of the facts here. And maybe a list of implications? That would be helpful for those of us just looking at this for the first time.

I simply can't believe all of the speculation about people smelting iron 12,000 years ago.

Look at what the article said. www.abc.net.au...

Researchers also found a treasure trove of stone and conch mining tools in the area.

Stone tools and CONCH shells, I repeat CONCH shells. If these people had the ability to make iron chisels, then why would they be using the seashells left over from breakfast?

Dyes, paint, makeup, and religious purposes are all good uses for the rust that they were mining, but I am thinking it also had a different purpose. I am thinking it was probably used in pottery. Either just for decoration or more likely mixed in for strength or heat resistance. Clay pottery do not last very long, especially when used to cook in.

Strong, durable, and decorative clayware would not only be beneficial to them, but it would also be a valuable trade commodity.

J.

Thank you for your post, I mean no insult , as I have just heard this, and wanted to comment. It would be interesting to see the condition of the "Tunnels" and see what may or may have not happened there...do you have a link? madmax1209

These African finds seem to predate the North Amewrican find by some margine...
It mentions both salt miines, and pigments, i assume iron oxide,
There is also in my other lap top, im sure, (irrecoverable from that angle)an article i once read attributing a copper mine to the african continent possibly 80,000 yrs old.
\ill try to dig that one up from the other end...
heres www2.cnrs.fr... link.......

Ah no ones been back here yet...good...
Heres a mind blowing mine thats from 80 to 115000 yrs old, and you guessed it its a gold mine!

www.viewzone.com...

I guess this means the writers of human history have some explaining to do

Originally posted by whatisanameanyway


Evidence of reasonably developed level of industry and presumably civilisation in South America just after last ice age.

Would be interesting to know exactly where this is located, because parts of Chile would have been under ice cover at this time. Perhaps the mine is older than the artefacts which have been dated?

www.abc.net.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

Actually, the last ice age was primarily a northern hemisphere phenomenon, and the mine was found, according to the article, near Taltal, which is in far northern Chile, close to the Bolivian border, and that town is coastal, near the moderating influence of the Pacific Ocean.

Originally posted by J-in-TX
I simply can't believe all of the speculation about people smelting iron 12,000 years ago.

Look at what the article said. www.abc.net.au...

Researchers also found a treasure trove of stone and conch mining tools in the area.

Stone tools and CONCH shells, I repeat CONCH shells. If these people had the ability to make iron chisels, then why would they be using the seashells left over from breakfast?

Dyes, paint, makeup, and religious purposes are all good uses for the rust that they were mining, but I am thinking it also had a different purpose. I am thinking it was probably used in pottery. Either just for decoration or more likely mixed in for strength or heat resistance. Clay pottery do not last very long, especially when used to cook in.

Strong, durable, and decorative clayware would not only be beneficial to them, but it would also be a valuable trade commodity.

J.

I believe you hit the nail (made of iron, of course,) on the head. The major sources of South American Amerind pottery are primarily on the west coast of S. America, centered near Bolivia, which is just north of where this mine was located. I don't know much about pottery, but I do know a fair amount about the chemistry of dyes, including those used in coloring and glazing pottery. A major source of red coloration is IronIII Oxide, or Fe3O2. To get a better red, you need to calcify the Iron Oxide and a good source of calcium for that purpose would be the inner portion of conch shells, which is composed of calcium carbonate. For tomato red, you would add magnesium.

reply to post by whatisanameanyway


Think this has anything to do with the Maya's and 2012?

Interesting.

Nice find!

reply to post by Clisen33


NO you don't have to loose your faith to consider these things. One way to balance this if you prefer to remain Christian is to read the book of Job - and consider the words ascribed to God himself and consider that Jesus spoke in parables. We cannot understand the mind of God, or the Divine as it is known in other Religions. Just open yourself to the wonderous possiblility that it is all myth - and lean into intuition and faith and do not argue on the basis of every word being directly inscribed by God. It is a human interpretation of the divine presented in symbol.

Remember also that the interpretation of the Bible and early Christian writings HAS been influenced by man, please research the council of Nicea . . . and take a look at how different interpratations and language of the day has influenced versions of the bible as we know it. The King James Bible was developed by KING JAMES and is written in the style of Kings Language of the day.

It may give you more peace about this subject if you consider that these divine writings have been mangled about so much by "man" it is difficult to know exactly what was intended. That is why the path is narrow.

About the Council of Nicea from a google search: "The newly-converted Emperor Constantine had hoped Christianity would be the uniting force of his empire. He was thus distressed to hear of the dispute over Arianism, which held that Christ was greater than man but inferior to God. In 325, Constantine called the Council of Nicea with full confidence that the bishops could work out their differences.

The gathering must have been a moving sight to behold. After centuries of persecution, Christian bishops from across the Empire journeyed to Nicea under state protection to discuss theological problems with the help of the Emperor. Official persecution had been so recent that many of the bishops still bore its scars; Constantine himself is said to have kissed the eyeless cheek of one attendee.

The Council of Nicea condemned the teachings of Arius and adopted a creed outlining correct belief about the Son's relationship to the Father. The council was the first to include bishops from several different regions, and is thus considered the first "ecumenical council" of the church. Although many other local synods were held, seven important councils were attended by representatives of churches throughout the empire, and were therefore "ecumenical." All three main branches of Christianity - Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant - consider the decisions of these seven councils to be authoritative. Roman Catholics recognize several more."

So you see throughout time MAN has decided how we are to interpret this message from the Divine.

If you are willing to stretch yourself even futher - and be forwarned this could shake you up, take a look at the similarities between Horus and Jesus . . .
Ask yourself why there is a flood myth across culture . . .
Consider the Vedas . . .
It is all truely more profound then our human minds can currently grasp.

Science and anthropology does not have to contradict Faith - it can just remind you how infinite are the
possiblities of that which we cannot fathom. While this may seem off topic to some, IMHO it is related - as these kind of discoveries and what they might mean - provoke a crisis in faith for some. It is exactly this crisis we must move beyond if we are to begin to understand what it is we are looking at.

Originally posted by whatisanameanyway


Evidence of reasonably developed level of industry and presumably civilisation in South America just after last ice age.

Would be interesting to know exactly where this is located, because parts of Chile would have been under ice cover at this time. Perhaps the mine is older than the artefacts which have been dated?

www.abc.net.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

interesting theory to the age of it EDIT: see post above.. no ice cover then..

still intersting find nonetheless

More old stuff here

Forbidden Archeology

Really old human bones

Really old man made objects

Probably have blown ourselves up many times...