Hannibal's horse dung found in Alps?

[caesar novus]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/05/has-hannibals-route-across-the-alps-been-uncovered-scientists-us/

 

 

"The dung, which can be directly dated to around 200BC through carbon isotope analysis (very close to the date on historical records - 218BC), was found at a mire or pond."

 

[caldrail]

Pooh is becoming a valuable source of information on all ages, prehistoric to recent. I wonder if all those urine samples demanded by Police in regard to drink-driving will influence later researchers? What a load of drunkards we're going to look like

[guy]

I read the article, also:

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/mystery-of-hannibals-path-across-the-alps-to-rome-may-be-solved-by-ancient-poop/2016/04/08/d8b2bc86-fce3-11e5-9140-e61d062438bb_story.html

 

My feeling is that unless they find elephant dung (or some other animal not indigenous to the area), the results would only be speculative.

 

 

guy also known as gaius

[caldrail]

I agree. It adds to the possibilities but remains uncertain. However, if the pooh is found in context, such as coins relevant to the time and place, then the evidence grows stronger. I do find it amusing though that we're now reaching the level of sophistication in archaeology that we can trace an army's progress more than two thousand years ago by tracing where they went to the loo.