Connecting The Dots Project
The global drought uncovering of various historical marvels around the world
1, Dinosaur Tracks in Texas:
Dinosaur Valley State Park in Texas revealed rare dinosaur tracks, estimated to be around 113 million years old, due to the receding water levels in the Paluxy River. These tracks belong to Acrocanthosaurus and Sauroposeidon dinosaurs. The superintendent of the park mentioned that it's the river's sediment that preserves these tracks.
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2, Spanish 'Stonehenge' in Spain:
The Dolmen of Guadalperal, often referred to as the Spanish Stonehenge, became fully visible after being submerged in the Valdecanas reservoir in Spain since the 1960s. This ancient megalithic stone circle dates back to 5000 BC, and its creators remain unknown.
3, Nazi Warships in the Danube:
Europe's summer drought caused over a dozen Nazi ships to surface in the Danube River near Prahovo, Serbia. These ships were part of Nazi Germany's Black Sea fleet in 1944 as they retreated from advancing Soviet forces. Many of the ships still contain ammunition and explosives, posing a risk to shipping on the river.
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4, Buddhist Statues in China:
Due to a regional drought, a formerly submerged island emerged in China's Yangtze River, revealing three Buddhist statues believed to be 600 years old. Experts believe these statues were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
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5, Ancient Bridge in England:
An ancient packhorse bridge in Yorkshire, England, reemerged as record high temperatures and low water levels exposed it. The bridge had been submerged since the 1950s when it was flooded to build the Baitings Reservoir.
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6, ‘Hunger Stones' in Germany:
In Germany, 'hunger stones' with inscriptions and dates emerged in the Rhine River. These stones, dating back to the 15th century, were embedded in riverbeds to warn of impending hardships during times of drought.
7, Remains in Lake Mead: The shrinking water levels in Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S., have exposed five sets of human remains since May. In addition, a sunken WWII-era vessel, a Higgins boat used for beach landings, emerged from the reservoir. Officials are concerned that the water levels could reach a "dead pool" status.
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8, Nero's Bridge in Italy:
Italy's worst drought in 70 years led to the exposure of the piers of an ancient Roman bridge known as "Nero's bridge" over the Tiber River. This bridge, named after Emperor Nero, was constructed in the first century to connect to his gardens near Janiculum Hill.
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9, Rock carvings on the banks of the Rio Negro in Brazil:
The carvings include human faces and other figures that were etched in stone up to 2,000 years ago
These instances could be perceived as fortunate coincidences (to see parts of history) arising from the tragic consequences of climate change. However, it's crucial to recognize that they also serve as warning signs.
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10, A 3,400 year old city of the Mittani Empire:
The Mittani Empire was previously located along the Tigris River, has been unearthed by a team of German and Kurdish archaeologists. Earlier this year, the town resurfaced from the waters of the Mosul reservoir due to a severe drought in Iraq.
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Sources:
https://www.nbcnews.com/.../drought-hit-rivers-world...