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Archeologists have discovered an “unprecedented” and unusual horseshoe-shaped monument in eastern France.
The Daily Caller writes that the researchers were stunned at the discovery but were also left scratching their heads.
A huge horseshoe-shaped monument was recently discovered near Marliens, France, and appears to have been used by people throughout multiple periods of history, according to a statement from the French National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP). The strange structure consists of a circular area measuring 36 feet in diameter, which is connected to a 26-foot-long horseshoe area.
The research team described the discovery as “unprecedented” because there are no other known sites that look like this anywhere in the world.
Artifacts uncovered at the site point to multiple periods of occupation. These include seven flint arrowheads, protective armbands worn by archers, a flint lighter and a copper-alloy dagger. The flint items probably date back to the Neolithic period, some 4,000 or more years ago. The items may be part of the Bell Beaker culture, Archaeology Magazine suggested.
Other items, such as ceramic shards and an amber bead necklace could date to around 1,500 and 1,300 B.C.
Un secteur funéraire protohistorique à Marliens (Côte-d’Or). #Archéologie
➡️https://t.co/wZAtCAGyKm pic.twitter.com/acSP9maCx2— Isabelle Marie (@isabellemgs75) April 13, 2024
According to INRAP, writes Newsweek, “the available evidence suggests that all three enclosures are contemporary. However, many unknowns remain regarding the structure’s nature and purpose, not to mention its age.”
Th discovered objects, according to the researchers, are most likely connected to burials. According to one report, “further analysis of the copper alloy of the dagger currently underway could make it possible to establish its origin and shed light on trade at that time.”
