[language] [Fwd: NEWS: 'Lump of rock' turns out to be world's first sculpture]

[H. Mark Hubey]

<><><><><><><><><><><><>--This is the Language List--<><><><><><><><><><><><><>




THE INDEPENDENT
 news | World  | Middle_East

'Lump of rock' turns out to be world's first sculpture

By David Keys, Archaeology Correspondent

24 September 2000

A stone dismissed by experts as no more than a lump of rock has been identified
as the world's first sculpture and the oldest piece of figurative art ever
seen.

New scientific data suggests that early humans were producing representations
of life 220,000 years ago, 170,000 years earlier than previously thought. It is
a discovery which could revolutionise our understanding of human development.

Italian and American archaeologists used powerful microscopes to prove that a
figurine-like piece of volcanic stone from the Golan Heights on Israel's border
with Syria is in fact a primitive sculpture, deliberately chiselled and shaped
by human hands.

The data from their examination suggests that the prehistoric object was
intended to portray a human being, probably a woman. Yet, since its discovery
15 years ago, the rock has been disregarded by most academics.

The researchers; Francesco d'Errico of the French National Centre for
Scientific Research, and April Nowall of the University of Victoria in Canada,
found that the early human sculptor had used some sort of flint chisel to chip
away at a point around 25 per cent down from the top of the lump of rock to
produce a neck.

Full text:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/World/Middle_East/2000-09/sculpture240900.shtml

---<><><><><><><><><><><><>----Language----<><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Copyrights/"Fair Use":  http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html
The "fair use" exemption to copyright law was created to allow things
such as commentary, parody, news reporting, research and education
about copyrighted works without the permission of the author. That's
important so that copyright law doesn't block your freedom to express
your own works -- only the ability to express other people's.
Intent, and damage to the commercial value of the work are
important considerations.

You are currently subscribed to language as: language at listserv.linguistlist.org
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-language-4283Y at csam-lists.montclair.edu