‘Is AI the new Indianna Jones?’

Posted on by

Those who follow my posts may recall that I recently wrote a post about ‘Adam’s Calendar’ in South Africa, which is older than Stonehenge (see below).

I had come across this ancient monument on YouTube, by chance.

This morning I asked AI – ‘How many ancient ruins have been found in South Africa?

AI (in a ‘deep dive’) answered –

‘South Africa boasts numerous archaeological sites, encompassing a vast span of time from the Stone Age to later farming communities and even colonial era remains.

The region holds some of the earliest evidence of human origins and tool-making, like those found at the Sterkfontein Caves within the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.

There are extensive Stone Age sites, including caves and rock shelters that document millions of years of human habitation and lifestyle.

Significant finds at Blombos Cave include the oldest known engravings created by humans, dating back over 77,000 years.

Many Iron Age settlements exist in the eastern parts of the country, revealing the presence of early farming communities.

The Blaauboschkraal stone ruins in Mpumalanga represent a complex stone walling system built by the Bokoni people around the 16th century.

The city of Kweneng, near Johannesburg, is another prominent example. This pre-colonial Tswana capital was occupied from the 14th to the 19th century and spanned about 20 square kilometers.

The Drakensberg region is famous for its concentration of Bushman rock art, with over 30,000 recorded images.

According to Wikipedia, there are 62 pages listed in the “Archaeological sites in South Africa” category.

Instead of a definitive number, there is a wide array of ancient ruins across various periods and types of sites, highlighting the rich archaeological history of South Africa.’

I then asked AI – ‘Do any ancient ruins found in South Africa predate the Egyptian & Sumerian civilizations?’

AI answered – ‘Yes, some ruins in South Africa predate the civilizations of Egypt and Sumer. Notably, the site known as Adam’s Calendar, estimated to be 75,000 years old, is considered the oldest known man-made structure on Earth. This predates the rise of the Egyptian and Sumerian civilizations, which emerged around 3100 BCE and 4500 BCE respectively.’

Why then, do so few people know that a sophisticated ancient civilization which possessed an advanced knowledge of science, mathematics, engineering and astronomy, had flourished in South Africa before the Europeans arrived and colonised this ancient land?

My next Q. – ‘What knowledge of mathematics did ancient people in south africa possess?’

AI – ‘Ancient people in South Africa possessed significant knowledge of mathematics, evidenced by:
The Lebombo bone, discovered in the Lebombo Mountains, is considered the oldest known mathematical artifact, estimated to be around 35,000 years old. It features notches that may have been used for counting or measuring.

The Ishango bone, found near the headwaters of the Nile, is believed to date back to 20,000 years ago and is thought to have been used for recording arithmetic operations.

Ancient Egyptian civilization, particularly in the Pyramids, showcased advanced mathematical knowledge, including geometry and the use of the decimal system.

The Yoruba number system, a sophisticated counting method, reflects the mathematical ingenuity of African cultures.

These artifacts and practices highlight the rich mathematical heritage of ancient South Africa.’

My Q. – ‘What knowledge of astronomy did ancient people in south africa possess?’

Google answer – ‘Ancient people in South Africa possessed significant knowledge of astronomy, which included:
Navigation: They used the positions of celestial bodies like the Sun, Moon, and stars for navigation and timekeeping.

Constellations: Indigenous knowledge included specific constellations, such as the Southern Cross, which were used for orientation and storytelling.

Cultural Significance: Astronomy played a crucial role in their religious practices, influencing festivals and seasonal calendars.

Indigenous Practices: The San people were known for their advanced astronomical knowledge, including the observation of celestial events and the development of oral traditions about the stars.

These practices reflect a deep connection between the stars and the cultural and spiritual lives of ancient South Africans.’

See also – ‘Science and technology in African history; Astronomy, Mathematics, Medicine and Metallurgy in pre-colonial Africa’: https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/science-and-technology-in-african

My Q. – ‘What knowledge of engineering did ancient people in south africa possess?’
AI – ‘Ancient people in South Africa possessed significant knowledge in various fields of engineering, including:

Metallurgy: They were skilled in iron and copper smelting, as well as lost-wax casting.

Tool Making: They produced advanced tools such as metal chisels, saws, and weapons, showcasing their engineering capabilities.

Agricultural Techniques: They developed forms of intensive agriculture, which required knowledge of engineering practices.

Stone Tool Production: Evidence of tool production by early hominins has been found across Southern Africa, indicating their technological achievements.

Indigenous Mining: They practiced indigenous mining and metalworking long before modern mining practices.

These advancements reflect the engineering knowledge and skills of ancient South Africans.’

Now back to my Q. – why do so few people know about this?
Well in part I think I discovered the answer yesterday while researching for my next talk and book about the ‘mediation of Cultural heritage Disputes.’ I was seeking to understand what historically has shaped Museum policies about the return of Cultural Treasures. What I discovered – an almost hidden history, it that as archaeology developed along with anthropology, several elements engaged in theories based on beliefs of racial or ethnic inferiority. This amounted to a near consistent effort to divorce ancient remains form the contemporary people who were descendants of the ancient people who created the remains. These racist, imperial and settlor colonial- apartheid beliefs and their influence on the study of the past underlie many attitudes, even today, as to where cultural objects should be located and whether they should be returned to their place of origin. So history has been concealed behind an imperial narrative that the colonisers are superior to the colonised who could not possibly have built these monuments, i.e. because they were primitive, which as I have demonstrated with the simple aid of AI, they self-evidently were not!

I came across this on YouTube by accident after dinner last night – ‘Ancient South

African Ruins: 200,000 Years Before Egypt? Lost Civilization & Stone Circles EXPOSED!’: https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=tellerman+how+many+ancient+ruins+are+there+in+south+afics%3f&mid=3031F9CCA80BA05091EA3031F9CCA80BA05091EA&FORM=VIRE

TellIinger who is neither an archaeologist nor a mainstream academic alleges that over 10 million ancient structures exist in South Africa, see – ‘Millions of Ancient Ruins Found In Africa | Michael Tellinger’:

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=Millions+of+Ancient+Ruins+Found+In+Africa+%7c+Michael+Tellinger+youtube&refig=688f59cf110e4e5a9ccba2f482763659&pc=DCTS&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dMillions%2bof%2bAncient%2bRuins%2bFound%2bIn%2bAfrica%2b%257C%2bMichael%2bTellinger%2byoutube%26form%3dANNH01%26refig%3d688f59cf110e4e5a9ccba2f482763659%26pc%3dDCTS&mmscn=vwrc&mid=57092D45E04845FF356157092D45E04845FF3561&FORM=WRVORC&ntb=1&msockid=dbbf6acd706c11f09b0414f7d3cc7961

Whatever the actual number is verified as being, I supect that it will run into the thousands. This makes me wonder what is awaiting discovery?
The Blaauboschkraal stone ruins in Mpumalanga represent a complex stone walling system built by the Bokoni people around the 16th century.

The city of Kweneng, near Johannesburg, is another prominent example. This pre-colonial Tswana capital was occupied from the 14th to the 19th century and spanned about 20 square kilometers.

The Drakensberg region is famous for its concentration of Bushman rock art, with over 30,000 recorded images.

According to Wikipedia, there are 62 pages listed in the “Archaeological sites in South Africa” category.

Instead of a definitive number, there is a wide array of ancient ruins across various periods and types of sites, highlighting the rich archaeological history of South Africa.’

I then asked AI – ‘Do any ancient ruins found in Sout Africa predate the Egyptian & Sumerian civilizations?’

AI answered – ‘Yes, some ruins in South Africa predate the civilizations of Egypt and Sumer. Notably, the site known as Adam’s Calendar, estimated to be 75,000 years old, is considered the oldest known man-made structure on Earth. This predates the rise of the Egyptian and Sumerian civilizations, which emerged around 3100 BCE and 4500 BCE respectively.’

Continued in my comments below …

So why so few people know that a sophisticated ancient civilization that had an advanced knowledge of science, mathematics, engineering and astronomy had flourished in South Africa before the Europeans came and colonised this ancient land?

Next I asked AI – ‘When the Portuguese discovered Greater Zimbabwe who did they think had built it?’

AI answer –

‘When Europeans, including the Portuguese, first encountered Great Zimbabwe [‘GZ’], they … attributed the impressive stone structures to various non-African civilizations, often linking it to the biblical Kingdom of Ophir, a source of King Solomon’s gold. Some theories … suggested connections to the Phoenicians, Greeks, or Egyptians.

The earliest European accounts, like those of Vicente Pegado in the 16th century … attributed [the stone structures] to various non-African origins.

The discovery of gold at [GZ] led to speculation that it was the legendary Kingdom of Ophir, a source of King Solomon’s wealth [i.e. King Soloman’s Mines].

Other theories proposed that the builders were Phoenicians, Greeks, or Egyptians.

Even in the late 19th century, when European explorers like Carl Mauch encountered the site, they struggled to accept that it could be the work of indigenous Africans.

Despite the evidence, colonial authorities in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) actively suppressed the truth about the site’s origins for political reasons, promoting the narrative that it was built by foreigners. …’

See also – which I have just discovered –