Miami, FL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 01/28/2013 -- Harvard University educated archaeologist and president of the archaeological contract firm PRC, Inc., Dr. Joel Klenck, reports that prehistoric sites on Mount Ararat in Turkey exhibits planks and logs showing the marks of ancient, axe-like stone tools.

Klenck remarks, "Archaeological sites on Ararat, which comprise a monumental wood structure, smaller wood edifices, and a cave, originate from the Late Epipaleolithic Period (13,100 to 9,600 B.C.). From the monumental wood structure, several features exhibit impact marks made by ancient stone tools called adzes. An adze is a tool used by carpenters to carve or straighten wood and convert logs into squared beams. A woodworker usually strikes the adze downward and moves backward leaving a smooth surface behind."

The archaeologist continues, "Most of the wood features from Ararat are 'treated' or shaped into planks or rectangular sections similar to wood pieces excavated at the archaeological sites of Beidha (Level VI) or Jericho (Stages VI and VIII). In Locus 6, in the monumental wood structure, several partially treated logs are visible. Wood logs comprise much of the wood building materials that are visible in Epipaleolithic or Neolithic sites in the Near East. In most cases, the wood decomposes leaving behind a dark circular stain in the earth that archaeologists refer to as a post mold. Neolithic and later periods exhibit construction materials mostly made of limestone, other stone material, clay mortar, adobe plaster, stone pillars, and increasingly mud brick. At Ararat, the monumental edifice and smaller structures are built entirely of wood."

Klenck states, "In the monumental wood structure on Ararat several contexts show impression marks from adzes. In Locus 10, an enormous beam shows several indentations where the builders of the edifice hit the plank at a sharp angle leaving small crescent-shaped impact marks on the wood. On a notched log in Locus 7, the builders struck the object perpendicularly leaving notches in the wood. In Locus 5, the builders did not finish smoothing the planks and a herringbone design is visible. Here, the ancient carpenters repeatedly struck the beam with adzes from opposite angles causing V-shaped impressions in the wood."

The archaeologist concludes, "Although we have not retrieved stone adzes from the structures, the team has identified the impact marks from these tools. In addition, the Ararat sites exhibit a variety of lithic material including microlith cores, debitage, percussor or hammer stones, and scrapers. It is only a matter of time until archaeologists find the stone tools responsible for the marks on the wood. The Ararat sites are very exciting because they enable archaeologists to ascertain the tools involved in wood working and ancient carpentry techniques."

About PRC, Inc.
Founded in 2007, PRC, Inc. provides comprehensive worldwide archaeological services including surveys, excavations, and research.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Archaeologist reports prehistoric sites on Mount Ararat in Turkey exhibit wood and bone tools from a period during the transition from the Stone Age to the advent of farming.

Miami, FL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 01/24/2013 -- Harvard University educated archaeologist and president of the archaeological contract firm PRC, Inc., Dr. Joel Klenck, reports that prehistoric sites on Mount Ararat in Turkey exhibit an array of bone and wood tools.

Klenck remarks, "Archaeological sites on Ararat, which comprise a monumental wood structure, smaller wood edifices, and a cave, originate from the Late Epipaleolithic Period (13,100 to 9,600 B.C.). The cave and monumental wood structure contain a variety of bone and wood tools that suggest a variety of functions."

The archaeologist states, "From Locus 5, in the monumental wood structure, a wood implement measures thirteen centimeters wide, eighteen centimeters long, and eight centimeters in depth. The wood artifact has a broken wood handle and appears to be an ancient scoop-like device.

Klenck notes, "In the cave, the artifacts included a large wooden spoon, a bone comb, a wood pulley mechanism, and a bone tool with several apertures. The wood spoon is similar to an artifact found in a Pre-Pottery Neolithic context at Musular in Central Turkey. The artifacts in the cave site appear to represent implements used in weaving and textile manufacturing. The comb-like device resembles tools used to press down strands of fabric in the manufacture of textiles and is similar to an artifact from Mureybet. The pulley most likely represents part of a loom to spin fabric. This artifact indicates very advanced technology for such an early site. The cave also possesses strands of flax, wood fabric, and has a variety of plant materials from ginger and wild cherry that could represent ancient dyes. The Ararat cave assemblage prompts questions whether bone artifacts interpreted to be 'combs', 'spoons', 'awls' at Epipaleolithic sites functioned more in prehistoric textile manufacturing and dyeing."

The archaeologist concludes, "The prehistoric sites on Mount Ararat will add to archaeological knowledge of prehistoric technology during the transition from the Stone Age to the advent of farming."

About PRC, Inc.
Founded in 2007, PRC, Inc. provides comprehensive worldwide archaeological services including surveys, excavations, and research.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Archaeologist reports prehistoric sites on Mount Ararat in Turkey exhibit use of a tar-like substance on the exterior and interior of wood structures.

Miami, FL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 01/20/2013 -- Harvard University educated archaeologist and president of the archaeological contract firm PRC, Inc., Dr. Joel Klenck, reports that prehistoric sites on Mount Ararat in Turkey exhibit an extensive use of pitch, a thick elastic polymer made from naturally occurring petroleum products or plants.

Klenck remarks, "Archaeological sites on Ararat, comprising a monumental wood structure and smaller wood edifices dating from the Late Epipaleolithic Period (13,100 to 9,600 B.C.) show many walls covered with a dark coats of pitch. In the monumental wood structure, pitch is observed on walls or features, in seven of ten loci. In addition, both smaller structures at lower elevations display coatings of pitch."

The archaeologist notes, "The pitch coatings differ in thickness. In Locus 7, the corners of the installation exhibit pitch layers several millimeters thick. On other features, however, the pitch comprises a very thin coat. The next step for archaeologists will be to determine if the Ararat pitch is petroleum-based, also referred to as bitumen, or produced from plants commonly called resin. Also, in loci 4 and 7, there are artifacts that appear to be made of naturally occurring petroleum products."

Klenck states, "The use of pitch is a common practice in ancient maritime architecture but is rare in land-based constructions from the Epipaleolithic to Iron Age periods. Bitumen is found on Neolithic masks and artifacts and from a floor deposit from a Neolithic site, SF289, at Wadi Faynan in southern Jordan. This material was also identified on ring-like artifacts from Demirkoy Hoyuk dating to 8,100 B.C. Bitumen is sometimes mixed with other materials and acts as a sealant. Bitumen is visible on numerous ancient maritime constructions including the remains of Neolithic boats, dating to the sixth millennium B.C., at the archaeological site of As-Sabiyah in Kuwait. Natural bitumen is found in different locales throughout the Near East such as near Batman in Turkey or in the Levant."

The archaeologist concludes, "An excellent feature of petroleum-based artifacts is that petroleum often has specific signatures where archaeologists can trace their geographical source. The Ararat assemblage exhibits very unique architecture that reveals widespread use of pitch with the potential to locate the origin of these sealants."

About PRC, Inc.
Founded in 2007, PRC, Inc. provides comprehensive worldwide archaeological services including surveys, excavations, and research.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm