The 'Gouge' thing

German scientists are tickled pink after unearthing one of the world's oldest sculpted phalluses - 20cm of polished siltstone lovingly created around 28,000 years ago.

The stone schlong was discovered in Hohle Fels Cave near Ulm, Swabia, by a T?bingen University team. Professor Nicholas Conard, from the university's snappily-named department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, explained the excitment to the BBC thus: "Female representations with highly accentuated sexual attributes are very well documented at many sites, but male representations are very, very rare."

Indeed, although other examples of male genitalia - from France and Morocco - predate the Ulm member, to have "any representation of male genitalia from this time period is highly unusual". 


The prehistoric "tool" was reassembled from 14 fragments of siltstone.

Link: The Thing

Fur Trade Canada

For Your Information:
Alberta: How the West was Young - Fur Trade and Mission History


Fur Trade Canada

Important Links

The Fur Trade and Historical Archaeology:
A Bibliography

Compiled By Michael A. Pfeiffer
This Version: 13 January 1999

1st Link :
Fur Trade Bibliography

Planarch

Based firstly on developing an understanding of the legal and organisational frameworks for dealing with archaeology and then working together on specific issues relating to the integration of archaeology within the planning process, including:

? Improving field techniques for detecting and establishing the nature, extent, date and quality of archaeological remains potentially affected by development and other activity - this has to underpin effective decision-making relating to management of the archaeological resource at successive stages of knowledge.
? Developing best practices in managing heritage records
? Sharing experience about the story of the Planarch region as told by archaeology
? Improving best practice in reducing the impact of development on archaeology
? Strengthening the links between archaeology and spatial planning
? Promoting awareness of the rich heritage of the Planarch region

Follow this: Planarch - Planning and Archaeology in North West Europe

Appalachians is a picture of history

"Say Appalachia and pictures of coal mines and poverty probably pop into most Americans' minds. But the area has a rich history that says a lot about who we are as a country."

Episode 1 :
When the first European settlers arrive in the Allegheny, Cumberland, and Blue Ridge mountains in the 17th century, they trade and intermarry with the Shawnee, Choctaw, Creek, and Cherokee who have lived there for centuries. But by the mid-18th century, the swelling pioneer population leads to decades of combat on the Appalachian frontier that eventually forces the natives out. As the Scotch-Irish and other immigrants settle in, the isolation of the mountains helps preserve the cultural traditions they have brought with them. The men of Appalachia fight bravely in the American Revolution, but then rail at taxes and regulations imposed by the new American government. Evangelical revivals sweep the region in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and traditional music mingles with the rhythms used by African slaves to form a glorious new gospel music.

And it's also accountable for this side of the frontier.....

Documentary by KET1 :
Appalachians is a picture of history

Also by : The Appalachians is a three-hour film series with companion book from Random House and soundtrack CD from Dualtone Records