Archaeologists baffled by Phoenician find
Source: AAP
BRISBANE - Local residents and senior archaeologists were today baffled by the supposed discovery of a 3,000-year-old mine and harbour in north Queensland, which may have been built by Phoenicians.
The mine, located near Mackay, was discovered by a local resident who believed his find would change the world's history.
Val Osborn said the ancient site at Freshwater Point, south of Mackay, indicates a Phoenician colony was established there about 1000 BC.
'It's typical Phoenician. We have a bell temple and that's typical Phoenician,' Mr Osborn said in a telephone interview.
'They're the only people in history who refined metals on the beaches in dolomite brick blast furnaces.'
Mr Osborn said evidence of the colony was throughout the area.
'They mined the whole complex. They've put roads and loading platforms and harbours,' he said.
It included huge sea walls designed to put three 60 metre ships end to end so they could be loaded with the area's rich mineral deposits, Mr Osborn said.
But University of Queensland archaeologist, Jay Hall, said experts in the field were yet to receive any confirmation of the find and he questioned the veracity of the claim.
Dr Hall said it appeared that the claim was yet to be put to the test by archaeologists and scientists.
'This is a claim for another culture, some two or three thousand years ago, to have landed and made a significant impact on the coast of Australia,' he said.
'I would have thought there would have been lots of experts on Phoenicians on geology giving affidavits in support of the claim.'
But Dr Hall stopped short of denouncing the theory despite Mr Osborn keeping his discovery a secret for the past four years.
'It would be rather astonishing if something was proven by the archaeological community to be from the Mediterranean,' Dr Hall said.
He said the Phoenicians were largely restricted to the Mediterranean and came from an area which is now known as Lebanon.
Mr Osborn admitted the site had to be dated but he hoped to bring in international experts.
'There are no Phoenician experts in Australia anyway,' he said.
Brought to you by AAP.
Source: AAP
BRISBANE - Local residents and senior archaeologists were today baffled by the supposed discovery of a 3,000-year-old mine and harbour in north Queensland, which may have been built by Phoenicians.
The mine, located near Mackay, was discovered by a local resident who believed his find would change the world's history.
Val Osborn said the ancient site at Freshwater Point, south of Mackay, indicates a Phoenician colony was established there about 1000 BC.
'It's typical Phoenician. We have a bell temple and that's typical Phoenician,' Mr Osborn said in a telephone interview.
'They're the only people in history who refined metals on the beaches in dolomite brick blast furnaces.'
Mr Osborn said evidence of the colony was throughout the area.
'They mined the whole complex. They've put roads and loading platforms and harbours,' he said.
It included huge sea walls designed to put three 60 metre ships end to end so they could be loaded with the area's rich mineral deposits, Mr Osborn said.
But University of Queensland archaeologist, Jay Hall, said experts in the field were yet to receive any confirmation of the find and he questioned the veracity of the claim.
Dr Hall said it appeared that the claim was yet to be put to the test by archaeologists and scientists.
'This is a claim for another culture, some two or three thousand years ago, to have landed and made a significant impact on the coast of Australia,' he said.
'I would have thought there would have been lots of experts on Phoenicians on geology giving affidavits in support of the claim.'
But Dr Hall stopped short of denouncing the theory despite Mr Osborn keeping his discovery a secret for the past four years.
'It would be rather astonishing if something was proven by the archaeological community to be from the Mediterranean,' Dr Hall said.
He said the Phoenicians were largely restricted to the Mediterranean and came from an area which is now known as Lebanon.
Mr Osborn admitted the site had to be dated but he hoped to bring in international experts.
'There are no Phoenician experts in Australia anyway,' he said.
Brought to you by AAP.
