Canadian Archeologist Discover Missing Ship

A week and a half ago I told you about a team of Canadian archeologists who were setting out in search of the missing ships of explorer John Franklin, who went missing in the arctic back in 1845 while searching for the fabled Northwest Passage. Just a few days later, the team had already discovered one of the prizes they were going in search of – a rescue ship that also went missing.

Using sophisticated sonar systems, the expedition discovered the HMS Investigator, at the bottom of Mercy Bay. The Investigator was sent in search of Franklin, and his two ships, the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus.  The team of archeologists are still searching for those vessels, which were said to have been trapped in the ice when Franklin and his crew abandoned ship while searching for the Northwest Passage, which they believed would open up a faster trade route to Asia. The explorer and his crew would spend three very long years living in the arctic, hoping beyond hope for rescue. Over the course of that time, all 128 men died of sickness, exposure to the cold, and slow starvation.

The Investigator is said to be in good condition and the research team reports that it was discovered within the first 15-minutes of their search. The vessel was abandoned by her crew after getting stuck in the ice as well, but it became an important supply cache for the Inuit people that live in the region. So much so, the ship is actually part of their history and lore, as they returned to it often over the years to scavenge materials from the craft.

I thought that was an interesting follow-up to the story I had just written about. It's remarkable that they found the ship so quickly, and I'll bet they wish all of their research were so easy. It'll be interesting to see if they find the other two ships they are looking for as well, as they will be far more difficult to locate.

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Archeologists Search For Franklin Ships in the Canadian Arctic

Back in 1845, Sir John Franklin set out in search of the then mythical Northwest Passage. Unlike today, the Passage didn't exist, and he and his crew of 128 men died a horrible death hundreds of miles from civilization, stranded without the hope of rescue. But that death didn't come quickly. According to historians, Franklin and his crew spent three long years in the Arctic, while scurvy, botulism, starvation, and sub-zero temperatures slowly did them in.

The remains of the crew have been found and extensive forensic studies have been done to help determine what exactly happened to the ill fated team, and while those studies have revealed a lot, such as the fact that the crew apparently resorted to cannibalism, the expedition's ships have remained missing.

Now, according to the BBC, a team of Canadian archeologists are heading to the Arctic in search of Franklin's long lost ships – the HMS Terror and the HMS Erebus. They'll take with them sophisticated sonar systems to search the ocean floor and they'll investigate locations that local Inuit tribes once reported seeing the ships locked in ice 150 years ago. They'll also be searching for the HMS Investigator, the rescue ship that went looking for Franklin and also disappeared in the process.

The BBC articled that I've linked to above has more details on the Franklin expedition, but describes the explorer as a man obsessed with finding the Northwest Passage. At that time, it meant a major new trade route, and could have been worth a fortune for the man who discovered it. It also talks about some of the men who went in search of the missing crew, and the stories and legends that have arisen about what happened out there on the ice.

I have to admit, I don't know a ton about this story, but it is a fascinating one. It reminds me a bit of Shackleton's ill fated expedition, although that one ended up with a happy ending. I can't imagine spending three years stranded out on the ice, wondering and hoping that someone would come. Amazing.

Thanks to the National Geographic Adventure Blog for the tip on this one.

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Have Archaeologists Found King Arthur's Round Table?

Here's an interesting story from a few days back. British newspaper the Telegraph is reporting that historians believe that they may have found King Arthur's round table, claiming that it isn't a table at all, but instead a large amphitheater capable of seating over 1000 people.

The Arthurian legend has always said that the round table was a place where Arthur and his knights would gather to discuss their bold deeds, plot strategy, and debate matters of state. Located in Camelot, Arthur's mythical fortress, the round table has often played a pivotal role in stories about the king who is believed to have ruled at least part of England following the withdrawal of the Romans. But the location of Camelot, and the round table, had remained a mystery. At least until now.

Historians have unearthed a large stone amphitheater built by the Romans in the town of Chester. It is their belief that that structure was occupied by Arthur and his crew, and the theater was used for open forums, with noblemen sitting in the first few rows around the building, while others filtered into the back. They also point to early descriptions of the round table that indicated that it was more like an open room, such as an amphitheater than an actual wooden table as it would later be depicted.

To further support their cause, these same historians say that a monk named Gildas was the first to write about the Arthurian legend and he called the place where the round table was said to be the "City of Legions." He also said that inside that place there was a shrine to Christian martyrs. When this new Roman structure was uncovered, they did indeed find such a shrine inside.

An interesting story that lends a little more credence to the Arthur legend. I love when we discover thesse kinds of things, and it allows us to hold on to those myths and stories a little more tightly in this modern age.

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King Solomon's Wall Found, Can His Mine Be Far Behind?

National Geographic has an interesting story from the world of archeology today that says that a wall built by King Solomon has been unearthed, lending credence to a passage from the bible. Israeli archeologists discovered the ancient wall, thought to be more than 3000 years old, near Jerusalem.

While conducting the dig, researchers found that the wall stretched more than 230 feet in length and stood 20 feet tall. They also discovered that it was part of a larger compound that included a gatehouse, guard tower, and an adjacent building as well. Excavations are still ongoing, so it is possible that they'll find more as they go.

In the Book of Kings, the Bible states that King Solomon constructed defensive fortifications, including a wall, near Jerusalem, but up until now, there has been no real evidence of this. Tools and artifacts found at the site point to a time frame of about the 10th Century BC. One of the researchers on the archeology team said that only two kings at that time would have had the resources to build such a fortification, Solomon and David. Further evidence narrowed the date further to Solomon's era.

It's fascinating to me that they are still unearthing these kinds of discoveries so close to a city that has been populated, more or less, non-stop for 3000 years. This is a very cool find, and it's amazing that they are able to link it back to a point in history that is not all that well documented.

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Lost Civilization Found In The Amazon?

I've been reading a bit about this story for a few days now, and find it fascinating. National Geographic is reporting that newly uncovered evidence suggests that a previously unknown ancient society once flourished in the Amazon Jungle, and it may have been spread out over a larger area than we have ever thought possible.

As most of you already know, heavy deforestation along the Amazon has cut back miles and miles of rainforest in recent years. With that heavy, green canopy cut back, satellites have been able to photograph areas of the jungle floor that have never been visible before, and what they've found is remarkable. in all, more than 200 unique geometric shapes have been spotted, such as circles, squares, and others. These shapes were built by ancient man living in the region, but their purpose is as of yet unknown. Many are as much as 12 meters across and 4 meters deep as well.

Even more surprising is the fact that these strange shapes are spread out over an area of more than 155 miles, which means the civilization responsible for them was far ranging. Scientists also believe that there may be as many ten times the number revealed so far that remain hidden beneath the jungle canopy.

When I read this story I couldn't help but think of the book The Lost City of Z, which I reviewed here. The book was about British explorer Percy Harrison Fawcett, who disappeared in the Amazon when he went looking for just this type of civilization, something that was dismissed out of hand both then, and until recently, now as well. It makes you wonder if these new structures are some how linked to Z. It's a really interesting story, and I hope we learn more about it.

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Climbers Aid Archeologists In Mustang Region of Nepal

The National Geographic Adventure Blog was updated this morning with a cool story about world class climbers joined an NG sponsored expedition last summer, and were ultimately able to help archeologists to recover artifacts they may not have had the opportunity to gather on their own.

The climbers in question were none other than Pete Athans, who has reached the summit of Everest on seven different occasions, and Renan Ozturk, a rock climber who has tackled big walls all over the planet. The two men were able to scale the challenging, and often crumbling, walls of the Mustang Valley region of Nepal to reach a series of tunnels and chambers that were carved out of the rock by humans who used the place as their village. The dwellings, communal rooms, and temples, are found some 700 feet off the ground. How challenging was the climbing you ask? At one point, they were only able to gain 328 vertical feet over a 14 hour period.

Once inside this ancient rock dwelling, the climbers hit the mother-lode in terms or archeological finds. They discovered more than 8000 manuscripts in one room alone that give great insight into the people who once lived in the Mustang district and what life was like for them living in their cave dwelling.

The expedition was filmed of course, and tomorrow night, we're all going to get a chance to watch it. It'll air on PBS here in the U.S. tomorrow night at 9 PM Eastern/8 PM Central in a show entitled Lost Cave Temples of the Himalaya. But don't miss the lead in show, Secrets of Shangri-La, which gives more insight and information on the Kingdom of Mustang and the caves there. That show airs one hour before Lost Cave Temples.

Personally, I'm looking forward to watching these shows. I had the opportunity to meet Pete Athans last year, and see a preview of this show, and it was amazing. The Mustang region is very interesting and mysterious, and it was fun to watch these climbers help unearth some amazing finds. They caught the scene were they enter the manuscript chamber on video, which was great, but there was also plenty of other drama before they even set foot in the caves. Pete talked about how local villagers showed up on the scene once they found out that outsiders were in the area, and were hoping to get a cut of any "treasure" that the might find.

This is a very interesting story on a seldom seen part of the Himalaya. Definitely worth watching, so don't forget to set the DVR!

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