Israeli experts unearth "rare and mysterious" Bronze Age dolmenMarch 6, 2017 - 16:27 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Israeli archeologists have unearthed a "rare and mysterious" Bronze Age dolmen in the Galilee hills, the Israel Antiquities Authority said on Sunday, March 5, according to AFP. An IAA statement said that the capstone of the basalt chamber weighed a whopping 50 tonnes and its underside bore about 15 intricate carved designs. "This is the first art ever documented in a dolmen in the Middle East," the authority quoted Uri Berger, one of its archaeologists, as saying. "The engraved shapes depict a straight line going to the centre of an arc," Berger said. "No parallels exist for these shapes in the engraved rock drawings of the Middle East, and their significance remains a mystery." The statement did not say when the table-like structure was discovered adjacent to a kibbutz in the upper Galilee region of northern Israel, but dated it to the Middle Bronze Age, about 4,000 years ago. It said the object was flanked by four other smaller dolmens and the whole was covered by an enormous mound of rocks weighing a total of about 400 tonnes. "What we have here is a huge monumental structure," the statement added. "It bears witness to the existence of a significant and established governmental system in the region" during the period. It added that the scale of building would have required a large amount of manpower that must have been housed and fed during construction, but said much remains unknown. "The circumstances surrounding the construction of the dolmens, the technology involved in it and the culture of the people who built them are still one of the great mysteries of the archaeology of Israel," it concluded. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. |