World's oldest wall painting unearthed in Syria

[William Haskins]

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - French archaeologists have discovered an 11,000-year-old wall painting underground in northern Syria which they believe is the oldest in the world.

The 2 square-meter painting, in red, black and white, was found at the Neolithic settlement of Djade al-Mughara on the Euphrates, northeast of the city of Aleppo, team leader Eric Coqueugniot told Reuters.

"It looks like a modernist painting. Some of those who saw it have likened it to work by (Paul) Klee. Through carbon dating we established it is from around 9,000 B.C.," Coqueugniot said.


http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSOWE14539320071011?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

photo:

http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20071011&t=2&i=1922848&w=&r=2007-10-11T160454Z_01_OWE145393_RTRUKOP_0_PICTURE0

[JoNightshade]

Either some cave dude was just screwin' around or it's some sort of complex message! :) Maybe it's a calendar?

[C.bronco]

Cool! It could have been a map or plan of some sort, perhaps left by a civil engineer or its 90000 b.c. counterpart.

[robeiae]

Here it is (http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/7/7f/200px-Road_runner_snes_screen3.PNG).

[C.bronco]

Indeed!
Either that, or this: http://www.bctd.org/UserFiles/Image/Mall_of_America.jpg

[Perks]

I think it's really retro wallpaper.

And I think it's awesome. I love to cast my thoughts back that far. 11,000 years ago, somebody stood there and made that design. And that person had a life and thoughts and an itch and a favorite food.

I love stuff like that.

[Celia Cyanide]

I agree. This is awesome. What a discovery!

[whistlelock]

that is so cool.


unless ofcourse it was put there and magically aged by the Devil so that it appears to be 11,000 years old but is only about 2000.

and then that'd be cooler.

[P.H.Delarran]

Very cool.
It's interesting that it's assumed it's decorative. It almost looks like a tally chart or data collection or something. It'll be interesting to see what the other painting next to it is.

[Tiger]

Ah, it's a site grid from an ancient archeological dig. Well, when you don't have paper, the wall has to do.

[Susan Gable]

Well, when you don't have paper, the wall has to do.

Don't tell the kids that, okay? :)

Still...very cool!

Susan G.

[blacbird]

unless ofcourse it was put there and magically aged by the Devil so that it appears to be 11,000 years old but is only about 2000.


Or proof of ancient astronauts.

caw

[Tiger]

Let's all bury our artwork! Even twenty feet or so would completely screw up future archeologists.

[aadams73]

That's really fantastic!

[KTC]

It's a suicide note. I know it. It depresses me.

[tourdeforce]

This is a fake.

God had not even created the Earth 11,000 years ago.

And lets assume that it was created a little after that, wouldn't this have likely been trampled by a dinosaur?

[joetrain]

yes, i love it when ancient art and modern art look the same. its all circular *draws circle with finger* cir-cu-lar. the end is nearest when the beginnings are repeated. *prophetic cackle and cough*

[whistlelock]

I have to wonder though, did it match the couch?

[joetrain]

looks like it'd go great with an animal skin and venus of wilendorf motif. ooh, i want a shower curtain with the design.

[tourdeforce]

I have a problem calling anything art when Haskins kids could have done it.

[InfinityGoddess]

:D Things like this always fascinate me.

[William Haskins]

I have a problem calling anything art when Haskins kids could have done it.


damn...

[Ol' Fashioned Girl]

Over to the right... that dark spot... it doesn't look like Damien, does it?

[Voyager]

Prehistoric Jenga

[Bird of Prey]

Over to the right... that dark spot... it doesn't look like Damien, does it?


Hard to tell. Could be: axis of evil and all that. I'm sure Syria's a contender by now. . . .

But then maybe we'll never know.

Or maybe they'll ship it out of the country before it gets blown to smithereens.

[William Haskins]

let's hope not.

[Bird of Prey]

Let's hope what: that it doesn't get shipped out of the country?

Why? Something hidden in the pigments you'd rather us not know?

[William Haskins]

let's hope it's not destroyed by fanatics.

[Bird of Prey]

And God knows, they're everywhere.

[William Haskins]

indeed they are (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iq9jcOZssugBsUeAumy9cn0eVsJg).

[Bird of Prey]

Yes. well. Pakistan is a long way from Turkey. Still, it's a horror. As I said, fanatics are everywhere.

Just a question: do you think napalm did any damage to those fantastic relics in Vietnam?

Eh, probably not.

Guess it was the bombs.

[William Haskins]

well, hell yes. obviously since there was cultural collateral damage in southeast asia, the US is at least as bad as the taliban when it comes to a brutal philistine disregard for the sanctity of ancient art and, by extension (of course) every bit as bad, if not worse, in general.

i surprised you felt you had to ask.

[Bird of Prey]

You are, huh? Your hyperbole is shameless, Mr. Haskins.

Please try to be funny if you're embarking on a smear campaign. It's the only way I can tolerate it.

[William Haskins]

who am i smearing?

you were floating your moral equivalency trial balloons and i played along.

[Bird of Prey]

who am i smearing?

you were floating your moral equivalency trial balloons and i played along.


Nice try.

Funnier, please.

As something else appears to be evading you.

Edit: maybe eluding you.

[Sunkissed27f]

It sorta looks like a face to me.

[Bird of Prey]

so does my keyboard about now.

[Sunkissed27f]

umm thats weird

[Bird of Prey]

The nature of geometric patterns?

[blacbird]

well, hell yes. obviously since there was cultural collateral damage in southeast asia, the US is at least as bad as the taliban when it comes to a brutal philistine disregard for the sanctity of ancient art and, by extension (of course) every bit as bad, if not worse, in general.

i surprised you felt you had to ask.

William. Fix your shift key. It seems to malfunction when you get pissed off.

caw

[MattW]

It looks like a political cartoon, with a few choice things to say about a proto-Allah.

[AnneMarble]

They're dogs, and they're playing poker!
:eek: