The Old World is a reference to those parts of Earth known to Europeans before the voyages of Christopher Columbus; it includes Europe, Asia and Africa.
Ancient toilet reveals Jerusalem elite suffered from infectious diseases and worms
Researchers studying an ancient toilet in Jerusalem from the 7th century BC have revealed how society elite suffered from infectious diseases and worms.
The study, now published in the International Journal of Palaeopathology was conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University, who exposed the remains of 2,700-year-old intestinal worm eggs below the stone toilet in a cesspit.
The eggs belong to the four different types of intestinal parasites: roundworm, tapeworm, whipworm, and pinworm.
Dr Dafna Langgut of Tel Aviv University and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History said: “These are durable eggs, and under the special conditions provided by the cesspit they survived for nearly 2,700 years. Intestinal worms are parasites that cause symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, and itching. Some of them are especially dangerous for children and can lead to malnutrition, developmental delays, nervous system damage, and, in extreme cases, even death.”
Something is wrong here. War, disease, death, destruction, hunger, filth, poverty, torture, crime, corruption, and the Ice Capades. Something is definitely wrong. This is not good work. If this is the best God can do, I am not impressed.
I was reading up on bog bodies recently & stumbled across the sometimes acrimonious opinions of some archaeologists concerning human sacrifice in Ireland. The contention is that some of the bog bodies were the sacrificed remains of failed kings. They made special note of a certain type of mutilation of some male bog bodies, noting that it almost certainly points to a ritual of the sacrificial killing of unsucessful kings. These bodies were healthy, robust, well groomed & seemingly prosperous if the nearby gold artifacts can be proven to be associated with the body in question.
This discussion is so polarizing that even laymen are weighing in on the argument, most of whom are adamant that their putative ancestors wouldn't have participated in such a hideous ritual.
Also worth noting, there are no contemporary records of such sacrificial rituals being practiced. Not by the ancient Irish, nor by their enemies. (only by Christians long after the deed was done)
So, without further ado, find below a layman's rebuttal of the view held by some archaeologists that some of the male bog bodies were sacrificed kings. The comments below the article are also interesting.
"Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test." ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
"Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer, and, without sneering, teach the rest to sneer." ~ Alexander Pope
