Viking-Age Hall Unearthed in Cumbria, UK; Ancient Road Aligned with Winter Solstice Sunrise Discovered in New Mexico; Ancient Hand Cart Evidence Found in New Mexico

Archaeological discoveries in Cumbria, UK, and New Mexico, USA, shed light on ancient cultures and practices. In Silloth, Cumbria, volunteers unearthed a Viking-age hall dating back to 990-1040 A.D. The structure, resembling high-status Viking farms in Denmark, provides insights into the social structure and agricultural activity of the time. In New Mexico, laser examinations revealed a 1,000-year-old road near Chaco Canyon aligned with the sunrise during the winter solstice over Mount Taylor, a sacred mountain for indigenous peoples. This suggests the Chaco culture integrated cosmic phenomena into their rituals. Additionally, drag marks found at White Sands, New Mexico, indicate the use of simple hand carts, or travois, as early as 21,000-23,000 years ago, predating the invention of the wheel. These marks, analyzed and compared to experimental travois, offer the oldest evidence of this transportation method and highlight the ingenuity of early Americans.