The Magnetic Interplay: Nebuchadnezzar II-Era Bricks Unleash Ancient Earth's Power Surge
Ancient bricks, crafted during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II, reveal a remarkable interaction with Earth's magnetic field, shedding light on a significant event in our planet's magnetic history
Subscribe to CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter to stay updated on the latest fascinating discoveries and scientific advancements. Delve into the mysteries of the universe with our newsletter. Recently, new research has uncovered previously unknown details about a significant power surge in Earth's magnetic field thousands of years ago, particularly in the ancient kingdom of Mesopotamia, as evidenced by preserved anomalies in the mud bricks baked by the people of that time.
The examination of ancient bricks from Mesopotamia revealed magnetic signatures indicating they were fired during a period of unusually strong Earth's magnetic field in the first millennium BC. By studying the stamps on the bricks, which named Mesopotamian kings, researchers were able to confirm the time range for the magnetic spike. This discovery aligned with the known "Levantine Iron Age geomagnetic Anomaly," which occurred between 1050 and 550 BC. This anomaly had previously been observed in artifacts from the Azores, Bulgaria, and China through archaeomagnetic analysis, as reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on December 18.
Study coauthor Mark Altaweel, a professor of Near East archaeology and archaeological data science at the University College London's Institute of Archaeology, expressed his excitement about how ancient artifacts from Mesopotamia can help to explain and record key events in Earth's history, such as fluctuations in the magnetic field.
He emphasized the significance of preserving Mesopotamia's ancient heritage for both science and humanity as a whole in an email to CNN.
Man-made stones
When an ancient object contains organic materials, such as bone or wood, scientists are able to determine its age using radiocarbon dating, which compares decay ratios preserved in carbon isotopes. However, for inorganic artifacts like pottery or ceramic objects, archaeomagnetic analysis is needed in order to reveal their age, according to Matthew Howland, the lead author of the study and an assistant professor in the anthropology department at Wichita State University in Kansas.
The 2000-year-old shell grotto was used as an outdoor dining room and features a sizeable wall mosaic featuring brightly colored shells, coral and glass.
Emanuele Antonio Minerva/MiC
This 2,300-year-old mosaic made of shells and coral has just been found buried under Rome
Pottery is the most frequently found artifact at archaeological sites globally, making it a crucial complement to radiocarbon dating, according to Howland speaking to CNN.
"Archaeomagnetic dating can be used on any magnetically sensitive materials that have been subjected to heat," noted Howland. Its applications extend beyond archaeology.
Geologists frequently analyze rocks to study Earth's magnetic fields. However, in situations where recent rocks are unavailable, archaeological artifacts such as mud bricks or pottery can serve as human-made rocks to examine Earth's magnetic fields. Prior to this study, there was limited precise archaeomagnetic evidence from Mesopotamian artifacts dating to this time.
Howland noted that the limited data severely hindered our comprehension of the Earth's magnetic field conditions in that particular area. This also resulted in archaeologists being unable to precisely determine the ages of numerous sites in Mesopotamia, a region of great importance in the field of world archaeology.
The Earth is encased in a magnetosphere, an unseen magnetic barrier produced by the intense movement of molten metals within the Earth's core. This shield protects our atmosphere from being stripped away by solar winds from the sun. Although the magnetosphere has been a constant feature for billions of years, its strength fluctuates over time. (According to the US Geological Survey, changes in the magnetic field do not have a direct impact on human health.)
Clay artifacts that have been baked at high temperatures retain a record of Earth's magnetic field at the time in minerals like iron oxide, which is influenced by magnetism. Uncovering this record involves a series of magnetic experiments that repeatedly heat and cool the artifact, subjecting it to magnetic fields and then removing them. This process produces a series of new records, which are compared to the artifact's original magnetic intensity.
A man photographs a statue depicting Oetzi, the ancient iceman discovered in 1991 in the Italian Schnal Valley glacier. The statue is being displayed at the Archaeological Museum of Bolzano during an official presentation of the reconstruction on February 28, 2011. Using three-dimensional images of the mummy's skeleton and the latest forensic technology, Dutch experts Alfons and Adrie Kennis have created a new model of what Oetzi may have looked like in life. AFP PHOTO / Andrea Solero (Photo credit should read Andrea Solero/AFP via Getty Images)
Andrea Solero/AFP/Getty Images
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This work by scientists is truly exciting as it contributes to our understanding of the Earth's changing magnetic field over time and allows for the determination of the age of previously undatable artifacts. Cauê S. Borlina, a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University specializing in ancient and modern magnetic fields, expressed enthusiasm for the research.
Borlina emphasized to CNN the significance of these high-resolution records in understanding the connection between surface magnetic spikes and the Earth's interior, particularly in the outer core where the planet's magnetic field is generated. Furthermore, the new analysis not only filled a crucial data gap but also uncovered new insights into the magnetic anomaly during that period.
Out of the 32 stones sampled by researchers, five had stamps that connected them to the era of Nebuchadnezzar II, from 604 to 562 BC. Tests on the stones revealed a rapid and intense increase in magnetic field strength when the bricks were made. This indicates that the stamps on the bricks capture a moment of heightened magnetic power that lasted only a few decades.
Howland stated, "The next steps involve continuing this research, analyzing more mud bricks from Mesopotamia, and refining the curve depicting the Earth's magnetic field intensity over time."
"But what's even more exciting is that archaeologists at sites in Iraq and Syria can use our data and apply the same techniques to artifacts without a known date," he said. "This could help settle many of the debates about the order of kings in the region." Mindy Weisberger, a science writer and media producer, has had her work featured in Live Science, Scientific American, and How It Works magazine.
