Blurs

Deep in the highlands of northwestern Argentina, archaeologists discovered something remarkably unusual: two small tubular pipes carved from feline bone, dating back more than 4,000 years. They were found at Inca Cueva, in the Humahuaca region of Jujuy, and radiocarbon dating produced a date of approximately 2130 BC. The discovery becomes even more remarkable when scientists examined material associated with the pipes. Pipes made from feline bone The two pipes were approximately 13 cm and 11.2 cm long and were made from feline bone.  Archaeological research identifies them as part of the early smoking equipment found at Inca Cueva. The pipes came from Inca Cueva 7 (IC-c7) in the Puna of Jujuy, northwestern Argentina. The cave is at roughly 3,860 metres above sea level. They were recovered during excavations in 1972. They were made from feline bone, identified in later archaeological literature as Felis concolor — the animal now generally called the puma/cougar (Puma concolor). Inte...