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High in California’s Santa Ynez Mountains, within Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park, lies the remarkable rock art...
03/07/2026

High in California’s Santa Ynez Mountains, within Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park, lies the remarkable rock art site known as ’alaxulux’en, often called the Chumash Painted Cave. The paintings date back at least to the 1600s, though they were created and renewed over many generations rather than at a single moment.

The artwork was made by the Chumash, whose ancestors have lived in the Santa Barbara region for at least 13,000 years. Inside the cave, bold geometric shapes, vivid colors, and symbolic patterns reflect spiritual beliefs, cosmology, and cultural memory rather than simple decoration.

Located near a mountain summit, the cave’s setting suggests it was deliberately chosen for its sacred significance. Today, the Painted Cave stands as a powerful reminder that California’s landscapes preserve deep cultural histories and Indigenous traditions stretching far into the past.

In 2010, archaeologists in Jerusalem uncovered a massive defensive wall dating to the 10th century B.C., measuring rough...
03/07/2026

In 2010, archaeologists in Jerusalem uncovered a massive defensive wall dating to the 10th century B.C., measuring roughly 230 feet long and nearly 20 feet high. The wall stands along the ancient edge of the city between the Temple Mount and the City of David, precisely where historical traditions place Jerusalem’s fortified boundary during the period known as the united monarchy.

Archaeologists dated the structure using pottery fragments, construction techniques, and comparisons with other buildings from the First Temple period. Many researchers believe the fortification may have been constructed during the reign of Solomon, a ruler traditionally associated with major building projects in the city.

The discovery is significant because it suggests that Jerusalem at this time was not a small village but a well-organized and fortified capital, supporting historical descriptions of an early political and administrative center.

As ice continues to retreat in the high mountains of Norway, archaeologists are discovering artifacts that have remained...
03/07/2026

As ice continues to retreat in the high mountains of Norway, archaeologists are discovering artifacts that have remained frozen for centuries. One remarkable example is a 1,300-year-old arrow recovered from the Lendbreen Ice Patch, a mountain pass that was once a busy route for travelers and hunters.

Researchers believe the arrow was likely lost around A.D. 700 during a reindeer hunt, when hunters pursued animals across icy terrain. Because it remained trapped in ice for more than a millennium, the wooden shaft and other fragile components were preserved in exceptional condition.

This discovery is part of a growing field called glacial archaeology, where melting ice reveals ancient tools, clothing, and weapons. While climate change threatens these frozen archives, it is also briefly exposing remarkable pieces of human history long hidden beneath the ice.

Archaeologists exploring a mausoleum in the ancient Roman city of Carmo in southwestern Spain made a remarkable discover...
03/07/2026

Archaeologists exploring a mausoleum in the ancient Roman city of Carmo in southwestern Spain made a remarkable discovery when they opened a 2,000-year-old glass burial urn. Instead of finding dust or residue, they were astonished to see the vessel still contained more than a gallon of liquid.

Laboratory testing confirmed the surprising truth: the liquid was ancient Roman wine, preserved for two millennia inside the sealed container. The urn had been placed in a tomb as part of a cremation burial, likely intended as an offering to accompany the deceased in the afterlife.

Its airtight seal and stable conditions allowed the wine to survive when it should have evaporated or decayed long ago. Today, the find is recognized as the oldest known liquid wine ever discovered, providing an extraordinary glimpse into Roman funerary traditions.

At Ozette Archaeological Site, located on the western edge of the Olympic Peninsula, a catastrophic mudslide centuries a...
03/07/2026

At Ozette Archaeological Site, located on the western edge of the Olympic Peninsula, a catastrophic mudslide centuries ago unexpectedly preserved an entire coastal village. The settlement was once inhabited by members of the Makah Tribe, whose homes and belongings were suddenly buried when part of a hillside collapsed.

The thick mud sealed the village from air and moisture, creating exceptional preservation conditions. As a result, archaeologists recovered thousands of artifacts made from wood, fiber, and other normally fragile materials, including tools, household items, and everyday equipment. Such materials rarely survive in archaeological sites, which usually yield only stone or bone.

Because of this extraordinary preservation, Ozette provides a detailed view of daily life among coastal Indigenous communities before European contact, making it one of the most important archaeological discoveries in North America.

On the shores of Saaremaa, archaeologists uncovered two wooden Viking vessels known as the Salme ship burials, containin...
03/07/2026

On the shores of Saaremaa, archaeologists uncovered two wooden Viking vessels known as the Salme ship burials, containing the remains of more than forty warriors. The site dates to the early eighth century, placing it at the very beginning of Viking expansion across the Baltic Sea.

The fallen men were carefully arranged shoulder to shoulder inside the ships, accompanied by shields, swords, and gaming pieces, suggesting they were honored rather than hastily buried. Many skeletons show severe combat injuries, confirming the warriors died in violent battle, likely far from home. Evidence indicates they may have originated from what is now Sweden.

Animals, including dogs, were buried alongside them, and the ships were eventually sealed beneath sand. The burial reveals that discipline, identity, and honor remained important in Viking culture—even in death.

At a settlement site in eastern Iceland, dated between A.D. 940 and 1100, archaeologists have uncovered artifacts that o...
03/07/2026

At a settlement site in eastern Iceland, dated between A.D. 940 and 1100, archaeologists have uncovered artifacts that offer a charming glimpse into everyday life during the Viking Age. Among the discoveries is a small carved figure, possibly representing a bear or boar, believed to have been used as a toy. The object was made from local volcanic tuff, a soft stone readily available in the region.

Researchers also found fragments of chess pieces and spindle whorls, carved from the same material. The chess pieces suggest that board games were a popular pastime in Norse society, while the spindle whorls point to textile production and domestic craft activities.

Together, these modest artifacts reveal that early settlers in Iceland were not solely focused on survival. They also created objects for play, craftsmanship, and daily household life, skillfully adapting local materials to meet both practical and social needs.

Archaeologists working beneath a brick floor laid in the 1770s at Mount Vernon made a remarkable discovery: two sealed g...
03/06/2026

Archaeologists working beneath a brick floor laid in the 1770s at Mount Vernon made a remarkable discovery: two sealed glass bottles filled with preserved cherries. The cellar is part of the historic home of George Washington, the first president of the United States.

Researchers believe the fruit may have been cherries preserved in alcohol, possibly a type of fruit-infused brandy prepared and stored during Washington’s lifetime. Because the bottles remained tightly sealed for more than two centuries, the contents were protected from air and decay, creating an exceptionally rare example of 18th-century food preservation.

The discovery provides an intimate glimpse into daily life at Mount Vernon, showing that beyond politics and national history, the household also carefully stored and enjoyed preserved foods and beverages. Finds like this reveal the ordinary domestic habits that shaped life in one of America’s most famous homes.

Archaeologists studying a remote mountain lake in northwestern Iran have identified the ruins of a sacred Zoroastrian fi...
03/06/2026

Archaeologists studying a remote mountain lake in northwestern Iran have identified the ruins of a sacred Zoroastrian fire temple at Takht-e Soleyman, one of the most important religious centers of ancient Persia. The site was closely associated with the Sasanian Empire, whose kings ruled from the 3rd to the 7th centuries A.D.

Takht-e Soleyman likely housed one of the empire’s most revered eternal sacred fires, a central element of Zoroastrianism. Fire temples served not only as places of worship but also as powerful symbols of royal authority, cosmic balance, and divine legitimacy. The complex sits within a striking volcanic landscape surrounding a deep crater lake, blending religion, nature, and imperial spectacle.

The discovery helps explain how sacred geography, ritual practice, and political ideology were intertwined in late antique Persia, making Takht-e Soleyman a major pilgrimage and ceremonial site for centuries.

Archaeologists in southern Norway have uncovered a remarkable runestone estimated to be about 2,000 years old, discovere...
03/06/2026

Archaeologists in southern Norway have uncovered a remarkable runestone estimated to be about 2,000 years old, discovered within a cremation burial pit. The stone carries early runic inscriptions, making it one of the oldest known examples of runic writing in Scandinavia.

Unlike many later runestones that marked territory or commemorated public achievements, this stone was associated with a cremation burial, suggesting the inscription may have held ritual, symbolic, or commemorative meaning connected to the deceased. Its placement within the burial context indicates that writing may already have been linked to funerary traditions and spiritual beliefs.

Early Runic alphabet inscriptions represent an important shift from purely oral storytelling to written communication in Iron Age northern Europe. Discoveries like this help scholars trace the early development of literacy, belief systems, and burial customs in ancient Scandinavian societies.

Archaeologists have discovered more than 100 engravings inside an underground cave in northeastern Spain, dating between...
03/06/2026

Archaeologists have discovered more than 100 engravings inside an underground cave in northeastern Spain, dating between the 5th and 3rd millennia B.C. The carvings belong to the transition from the Neolithic period to the Copper Age, a time when societies were undergoing major changes in technology, settlement, and social organization.

Etched into the cave walls are abstract symbols, linear designs, and geometric patterns. Rather than indicating everyday habitation, these motifs suggest the cave likely held ritual or symbolic importance. Its hidden underground location points to deliberate use for ceremonies, gatherings, or acts tied to memory and identity within the community.

Discoveries like this help researchers better understand prehistoric belief systems and artistic expression. They also highlight how early communities marked meaningful spaces beneath the landscape, revealing that much of humanity’s earliest art and symbolism still remains hidden underground.

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