Earliest Writing Discovery Suggests Lunar Calendar

[Mandy D]

Marks made in early cave paintings may be a system of numbers used to count lunar months for the purposes of hunting. Is it possible that humans became numerate, literate and advanced technologically because of the consistent period of our large Moon? It certainly gave them a better sense of the passage of time, was something with which to measure longer periods than the day and was simpler to observe than the movement of the constellations which defines the proper year. Both require a system of counting, but given the smaller range of numbers needed for observations of the Moon this would be the simpler system to understand and develop from.

So, it would appear that it is not just in the field of astronomy that amateurs have something to contribute.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkg95v/a-total-amateur-may-have-just-rewritten-human-history-with-bombshell-discovery?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB

[scarp15]

Yes it is quite fascinating and this news broke a few days ago. Yes it was an amateur archaeologist that deciphered this Lunar calendar writing system and whom fortunately was able to collaborate with a team of academics from Durham and Cambridge and prepare a scientific paper. Makes so much sense and fascinating that this context concerning a system for timing the reproductive cycle of animals was conceived 20,000 years ago.

Here is another article. 

 https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jan/05/amateur-archaeologist-uncovers-ice-age-writing-system?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR06UXUpxmH31IvyPRI3UbQNhc7VY_CYFNnpAKvQsaig_osC6vXO7kwaSPs#Echobox=1672919534