Archaeology
| OOC: Excavation |
| On the MUSH, excavation kits sold at the Black Market can be used to engage in IC archaeology, if you want to try and turn up items left behind by ancient civilizations... and probably a fair amount of junk, too. |
Archaeology is the study of the past through the artifacts left behind. Yuriban archaeology is largely dedicated to the study of the Lily Civilization and the culture Underhill.
Contents |
Lily Civilization
- Main article: Lily Civilization
The Lily Civilization, which existed on Yuriba from approximately 6000 BCE to 3000 BCE, was a largely human civilization that flourished on the main island alongside the contemporary and still extant Underhill civilization.
The ruins of Ravensport are the largest and most spectacular example of the Lily Civilization's remnants, although they are not accessible and are believed to be permanently warded off. More commonly seen, but rarely thought about, are the old flagstone roads that trace throughout the island. A small deserted temple also sits on Akibimi-san; although it does bear the distinctive scoring of Lilian construction methods, it is not in the typical style of a Lilian temple, and even more unusually for the Lilians there is no trace of writing upon it. Another commonly visited spot is the sunken remnants of an ancient merchant's house in the Yuriba Lake, complete with parts of the household's stores. Numerous other examples exist, ranging from little more than rubble to now fully reconstructed and functional buildings. While the bulk of Lilian settlements seem to have been in the more westerly expanses of the island, artifacts can be found throughout the island.
Underhill
- Main article: Underhill
The Underhill civilization is still present and active on Yuriba. Although various peoples have lived Underhill since well before the rise of the Lily Civilization, their presence on Yuriba proper traces to only about 4000 BCE. Most artifacts of the prehistoric Underhill culture found on Yuriba are in the form of pottery and jewelry; a very few standing stones, such as the votive pillar found north of the village, are also of Underhillian make, but there are no large structures of Underhill make outside of Underhill itself.
Artifacts of other cultures
Occasionally one will turn up artifacts of other cultures on the isles. A frequent find, usually near Lilian ruins, is Jōmon pottery, indicating that there was some contact between the Lilians and the early Japanese. Evidence exists of fairly widespread (and possibly time-spanning) Lilian trade. There have been some artifacts which have been unable to be placed; it is not clear if they belong to unknown, earlier civilization or, more likely, are from unknown trading partners of either Underhill or the Lilians.
The temple on Akibimi-san, mentioned above, bears some resemblance to tombs found on the island of Mycenae. However, the sealing of Yuriba predates the Mycenaean tholoi by at least a millennium, so a relation between the two is unlikely.