Doubts on Phoenician mines
LISA CREFFIELD in Sydney
Archaeologists are sceptical about a Queensland
pensioner's claim Australia may have been colonised
and mined by the ancient Phoenicians 3,000 years ago.
Retired photo-journalist Val Osborn said he had
discovered the site of a 3,000-year-old Phoenician mine
and harbour in his home town of Sarina, North
Queensland.
Mr Osborn, 65, said his evidence included two artificial
harbours, made of boulders set in slag furnace cement,
with a backfill road of mined ore stone. The harbours
were meticulously engineered, large and represented the
labours of many centuries, he said.
Mr Osborn said he also had found a bell temple that
was "typical Phoenician". The Phoenicians, a sea-trading
people based in Cyprus, were "the only people in
history who refined metals on the beaches in dolomite
brick-blast furnaces".
Sarina Mayor Kevin Morgan said he was convinced Mr
Osborn's claims were genuine, and was keen to exploit
the tourism potential of the site. He believed it would
attract many of the visitors who bypassed Sarina in
favour of the nearby Whitsundays.
But archaeologists, who have not yet confirmed the find,
said Mr Osborn's claims were unlikely to be true. Tom
Loy, of the University of Queensland, said it was
doubtful Phoenicians ever made it as far as Australia.
scmp.com
A bleedin perfesser no doubt. What would he know. |
