10/21/2004: Oldest stairs

Undertoad · 10-21-2004, 11:57 AM

How about an archeology moment? These stairs were recently discovered in Hallstadt, Austria, in an ancient salt mine. full story

The find was announced by Vienna's Natural History Museum and Salinen Austria AG which described the wooden staircase as "sensational".

Well sensational is a little strong for most of us, but still, it's interesting. The site itself dates to about 5000 B.C. They worked out right away that all the wood for the stairs was cut the same year - now they are working with Vienna's Ag University to figure out exactly what year and even what season that was.

Apparently the salt mine at Hallstadt is the oldest known, and still operates today although just for show. The archaeologists have been interested in it for some time as apparently they discovered an actual salt MINER at one point. Dead 3000 years, he was.

In those days salt was so important that a community might well grow up around a salt mine.

glatt · 10-21-2004, 12:24 PM

I've been in that mine, I think. Or maybe it was another salt mine in Austria.

Doodle · 10-21-2004, 01:00 PM

Oooo i need to vacuum my stairs today!

xoxoxoBruce · 10-21-2004, 09:59 PM

Cool, UT.

I guess they needed stairs for the coolies to carry the salt out. Miners could get away with ladders.

Eric · 10-21-2004, 10:56 PM

is it a sea-salt mine or well-salt mine?

Cyber Wolf · 10-22-2004, 12:41 AM

I wonder if they'll find a 7000 year old bogeyman under those stairs.

richlevy · 10-22-2004, 09:22 AM

Do they still creak?

As I was coming down the stairs
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish that man would go away
anon.

10-21-2004, 11:57 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	10/21/2004: Oldest stairs How about an archeology moment? These stairs were recently discovered in Hallstadt, Austria, in an ancient salt mine. full story The find was announced by Vienna's Natural History Museum and Salinen Austria AG which described the wooden staircase as "sensational". Well sensational is a little strong for most of us, but still, it's interesting. The site itself dates to about 5000 B.C. They worked out right away that all the wood for the stairs was cut the same year - now they are working with Vienna's Ag University to figure out exactly what year and even what season that was. Apparently the salt mine at Hallstadt is the oldest known, and still operates today although just for show. The archaeologists have been interested in it for some time as apparently they discovered an actual salt MINER at one point. Dead 3000 years, he was. In those days salt was so important that a community might well grow up around a salt mine.

10-21-2004, 01:00 PM	#3
Doodle Cheese is strange. Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: The dumpster in your apartment complex Posts: 16	Oooo i need to vacuum my stairs today! __________________ "The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves,but in our attitude towards them." -Antoine de Saint Exupery Little Miss Doodle

10-21-2004, 09:59 PM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Cool, UT. I guess they needed stairs for the coolies to carry the salt out. Miners could get away with ladders. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

10-22-2004, 12:41 AM	#6
Cyber Wolf As stable as a ring of PU-239 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: On a huge rock covered in water, highly advanced moss and 7 billion parasites Posts: 1,264	I wonder if they'll find a 7000 year old bogeyman under those stairs. __________________ "I don't see what's so triffic about creating people as people and then getting' upset 'cos they act like people." ~Adam Young, Good Omens "I don't see why it matters what is written. Not when it's about people. It can always be crossed out." ~Adam Young, Good Omens

10-22-2004, 09:22 AM	#7
richlevy King Of Wishful Thinking Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 6,669	Do they still creak? As I was coming down the stairs I met a man who wasn't there He wasn't there again today I wish that man would go away anon. __________________ Exercise your rights and remember your obligations - VOTE! I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. -- Barack Hussein Obama Last edited by richlevy; 10-22-2004 at 09:24 AM.

10-21-2004, 12:24 PM	#2
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	I've been in that mine, I think. Or maybe it was another salt mine in Austria.

10-21-2004, 10:56 PM	#5
Eric know yourself Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: GD province China Posts: 86	is it a sea-salt mine or well-salt mine?

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