Article Abstract:
Camels, though domesticated before 2500 BC, came into common use only after ten centuries because of the improper design of earlier saddles. Varieties of camel saddles were developed through the ages for mercantile and military uses. The earliest Arabian camel saddles were mounted at the back and made it difficult for the rider to control the camel. The later North Arabian saddle was mounted over the camel's hump and was comfortable for both the rider and the camel. In the seventh century AD, the North Arabian military saddle was introduced enabling the rider to fight from the camel's back with a sword or a spear.
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Article Abstract:
Red Bay, in southern Labrador, was the site of a Basque whaling settlement in the 16th century. Information about the settlement, called Butus by the Basques, was found by Selma Barkham in Basque archives in Spain. Excavations at the site began in 1977 under the direction of Jim Tuck of Memorial University, and tryworks, cooperages and a small cemetery have been examined. Underwater exploration directed by Robert Grenier of Environment Canada has located three whaling ships and a number of smaller vessels.
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Francis Pryor and Maisie Taylor's long-term excavation of Flag Fen in England's East Anglia region continues to reveal new surprises. Some 3,000 year ago, the region was a farming community that included an artificial island and several walkways. Inhabitants used to throw deliberately broken artifacts into the waters, apparently as offerings for protection or to ensure fertility. Recently Pryor and Taylor found an alder plank wheel from 1100 BC, the earliest such wheel found in England.
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