World’s Oldest Viable Seeds

Until recently, the oldest regenerated ancient plans were date palms grown from seeds found at the famous Masada fortress. That record was not only eclipsed, it was shattered when Russian scientists managed to grow plants from seeds buried by squirrels more than 30,000 years ago.

The seeds were those of a fruit-bearing plant known as Silene stenophylla. The seeds were found in a permafrost layer in Siberia and carefully carbon dated. They were found to be 31,800 years old plus or minus 300 years.

Silene stenophylla never became extinct and is still found on the Siberian tundra, giving scientists a chance to study differences and similarities between the modern plants and their ancient ancestors. It also suggests that other plant materials stored in permafrost could also be brought back, including some extinct species.

Technically, the plants were grown not from the actual seeds themselves, but from the tissues in the fruit to which the seeds were attached. Nevertheless, it is a remarkable achievement for the team led by cryologists Svetlana Yashina and David Gilichinsky of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It is likely that once these plants have bloomed, viable seeds can be recovered.

This remarkable achievement began with the discovery of about 70 squirrel hibernation burrows found along the banks of the lower Kolyma River in northeastern Siberia. These burrows were found to contain hundreds of thousands of seed samples from a number of different plants. They were 65 to 130 feet (20 to 40 meters) below the present day surface of the river bank. These layers also contained bones of such Late Pleistocene-age animals as wooly rhinoceros, bison, deer, horse, and mammoth. Apparently, the burrows were quickly covered with ice and remained frozen continuously until they were discovered. Could these frozen burrows yield clues to the event that produced Siberia’s flash-frozen mammoths?

There’s more information about these ancient plants here:

The Oldest Condom Still in Existence?

We tend to think of condoms as modern devices designed to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. But its history goes back many thousands of years. Now the oldest existing condoms have been found in Lund, Sweden and Birmingham, England, which shows that the use of condoms to protect wearers against sexually transmitted diseases was common during the early 1600's.

The Swedish condom is made of pig intestine, and believed to have been made and used around 1640 AD. It is completely intact and was found with a user’s manual written in Latin. Among other things, the manual instructs its wearer to soak it in warm milk to prevent diseases. The moistening probably made it more comfortable for its wearer, too.

Actually, this condom is a relative latecomer, although it’s one of the oldest examples we have. Other condoms of a similar age were found by archaeologists exploring the foundations of Dudley Castle near Birmingham, England. The English condoms were made of animal and fish intestines and may have been used during the war between Cromwell and King Charles I.

There is evidence that condoms were used by Egyptians as far back as 1,000 BC. Cave paintings at Combarelles in France are believed to show condom use and are approximately 2,000 years old. Condoms made of dried sheep intestines were used by Roman soldiers to protect themselves during long campaigns away from home.

While it appears that most condoms were made from animal intestines, some accounts describe prophylactics made of linen. Literature suggests that the men had long recognized that condoms prevented unwanted pregnancies. In fact, Casanova, the legendary 19^th century womanizer, was said to have used linen condoms regularly. He referred to them as "Redingote Anglaise," meaning ‘English Riding Coat."

Today’s condoms are generally made of rubber and plastic, but the basic shape and uses of these devices are really no different than those of their ancient ancestors. Sometimes, it seems, it’s hard to improve on a good basic idea.
You probably know more about condoms than you care to. But in case you’re interested in finding out more, go here.

The Oldest Cave Paintings in Malaga, Spain Made by Neanderthals

Score another one for my Neanderthals. I have long believed that Neanderthals were far more accomplished than many experts were willing to acknowledge. Now there is more proof.

The paintings, found in the Nerja cave near Malaga, may in fact be the oldest found to date, and the first to have been created by Neanderthals. Charcoal found beside six of the paintings indicate that the images were created between 43,500 and 42,300 years ago. This makes these paintings far older than those found at Grotte Chauvet cave in southeast France. The Chauvet paintings are currently thought to be the earliest paintings by Homo sapiens and are believed to have been created around 30,000 years ago.

José Luis Sanchidrián of the University of Cordoba says the images depict seals which were hunted by the local Neanderthals. The images are heavily stylized and the interpretation may prove to be incorrect. Some observers say that the images resemble a double helix.

Homo sapiens is believed to have entered eastern Europe some time around 40,000 to 42,000 years ago. Although it is not impossible, it is highly unlikely that they would have migrated to Spain at such an early stage.

Plans are underway to date the paint pigments themselves with testing expected to begin sometime after 2013. In the meantime the extensive Nerja cave system, discovered in 1959, is still being explored.
It is interesting that cave paintings, among other ancient artifacts, have traditionally been attributed to Homo sapiens partly because Neanderthals were believed to be incapable of producing "art." Recently, though, this belief has been challenged by the discovery of large numbers of decorated shell and stone objects in areas known to have been inhabited exclusively by Neanderthals. Some experts, more or less grudgingly, are now crediting Neanderthals with the potential to create art.

One problem I have with all these new discoveries is that I am constantly having to update the information in my upcoming book on Neanderthal life and culture as new information becomes available. But for me, that’s a good thing. Neanderthals deserve more credit than they are currently getting.

Here’s an interesting article on these cave paintings

The World’s Oldest Written Valentines

You would probably not recognize a Medieval-age Valentine. Until about 1400 AD, lovers either sang or spoke Valentine poems and verses to the object of their affection. Some of these verses were likely written down, but if any have survived they are probably in private family collections. But there is one collection of written "Valentine" verses that are generally considered to be the first modern day valentines.

Charles, Duke of Orleans was captured following the Battle of Agincourt, and imprisoned in the Tower of London leaving his beloved wife in France. Lonely and far from home, the Duke began composing romantic verses to his second wife, Bonne of Armagnac.

The English King Henry V had left instructions that Charles was not to be ransomed, so the Duke remained in prison for 24 years. While he was not free to return to his home in France, nevertheless he was allowed to live in some luxury. He was moved from one English castle to another, and spent much of his time writing poetry.

Charles was finally released and returned to France in 1440. Unfortunately, Bonne had passed away before his release. Charles married Marie of Cleves soon after his return and the couple had three children, one of whom became King Louis XII of France.

Charles was perhaps best known for his own poetry and for his support of other poets and writers. He wrote literally hundreds of pieces, many of which survive in libraries and museums throughout Europe. His poems appear in a number of collections, and many are available on-line. About sixty of Charles’ "Valentine" poems remain. They are currently housed among the royal papers in London’s British Museum.

Did Charles become a great poet because of his imprisonment or in spite of it? Many of his themes are directly connected to the conditions of his imprisonment, but others, like his Valentines, are filled with expressions of love and hope. In any case, he left a legacy of beauty despite the tragedy of his own life.