(Popular Mechanics) Nearly 1,000 feet of ancient salt mining tunnels and chambers in the mountains near Hallstatt, Austria, have revealed a remarkably extensive mining history from the Iron Age. But the mountain’s history of salt mining goes back even further—7,300 years to be exact.
Ancient Turks made an underworld in Türkiye.
Archeologists have the ancient tools to prove it. As the Natural History Museum in Vienna continues to open a window into the salt mining history of the site, newly discovered mining chambers tell the story of how ancient inhabitants tracked salt deposits through the mountains, digging deeper with each hopeful find.
“These impressively demonstrate how salt mining has driven innovations in technology, organization, and transport since prehistoric times, playing a pivotal role in Hallstatt’s development into one of Europe’s oldest industrial centers,” the museum wrote in a statement.
“The exceptionally well-preserved finds from the salt mine provide valuable insights into the economic practices and lifestyles of past societies.”
Experts believe that when Neolithic inhabitants settled in the area above Hallstatt 7,300 years ago, they began mining salt almost immediately. Salt production hit an all-time high around 1200 B.C.E. [before the common era], in the late Bronze Age, with daily totals soaring to 1.5 tons of salt extracted from the mountain.
It’s the extensiveness of the mining chambers and the clues left behind inside them that help illuminate that history. Archaeologists discovered not just a single massive mining cavern, but a series of tunnels and chambers, some running in parallel directly over and under others, progressively dipping deeper into the mountain.
Geological drilling helped reveal additional tunnels that were previously unknown. According to a report by Austria Press Agency (APA) published by Salzburger Nachrichten, experts say the chambers reached widths up to 80 feet and heights of 65 feet.
The chambers traced salt deposits, showing how ancient miners chased the [edible rock and] valuable mineral deep into the mountains. Throughout the centuries, intense landslides caused major disruptions in salt production. “But mining went on and on,” Daniel Brandner, head of underground excavations from the museum’s prehistoric department, told APA.
“It was a very resilient community that provided salt again in a few years after these landslides.” Excavating the chamber floors—where mining debris and sediment have accumulated into a layer nearly 30 feet thick in places—turned up broken tools hafted in several different ways.
Iron Age mining implements are typically standardized and purpose-built, so the variety suggests that uniformity gave way to experimentation as the period went on. The site’s Neolithic beginnings are documented separately, by antler and stone picks recovered elsewhere in the mountain.
Some underworlds below us built themselves
Additional artifacts include burnt pine splinters, clothing fragments, wooden bowls with food residue, and even human waste.
The very salt mined in the mountains helped preserve the artifacts. With a bounty of finds peppering the 1,000 feet of chambers, archaeologists hope to continue searching the mountain for additional evidence of chambers in the mining network while analyzing the finds to create a better picture of prehistoric and ancient mining near Hallstatt.
(HISTORY) Top secret U.S. government tunnels | Cities of the Underworld (Season 4, Episode 2) FULL
(CalWild.org)
LANatureForAll 📢 RSVP:
Come and attend the LA Roadless Rule Town Hall on Monday, May 18, 2026.
Come learn about the recent threats to roll back the Roadless Area Conservation Rule (also known as the Roadless Rule) and how the rule protects public lands.
Give a spoken or written public comment. Make your voice heard to help protect nearly 60 million acres of Angeles National Forest public land from private logging, mining, and other extractive industries.
(Into the Past) Nov. 13, 2025: In 1906, a remote Nevada coal crew uncovered something no miner was meant to see — a hidden chamber beneath the ridge containing strange markings, fresh drag trails, and footprints that didn’t belong to any living person.
When the lanterns flickered and tapping sounds traveled through the stone floors, the men realized they weren’t alone in the dark.
This full-length historical horror story follows the miners as they descend deeper into the hill, discovering the truth behind the tunnels and the reptilian creatures (nagas) rumored by the local Shoshone Native Americans. What began as routine coal work quickly turned into a night of terror, vanishing men, and an encounter no one escaped unchanged.
ABOUT: Into The Past is a horror storytelling channel that brings forgotten legends and chilling encounters from history back to life. It tells immersive stories about explorers, pioneers, settlers, cowboys, sailors, and lost expeditions encountering mythical creatures and folklore monsters.
Each episode is grounded in a historical era — the frontier, whaling age, Arctic exploration, early settlements — and features tales of legendary beings: Wendigos in the frozen north, Bigfoot (Yakkha, Rakshasa, Yeti, Yakshi) during gold rushes, Krakens at sea, Skinwalkers in the wilderness, and more. It blends real-world detail and atmospheric storytelling to resurrect these legends in a cinematic, haunting style.
Enjoy channels like MrBallen, Wartime Stories, Captain Mort, or Bedtime Stories? Feel right at home here.
#intothepast #horrorstories #creepypasta #folklore #historicalhorror #cryptids
(Adele Journeys) Premiered Jan. 22, 2026: The Gem Story | Turquoise of Iran. Explore the legendary turquoise mines of Nishapur, Iran, where some of the world’s most prized Persian turquoise has been mined for thousands of years.
See how the stones are extracted, shaped, and polished in local workshops, and learn why turquoise is called a "living stone."
Support via Crypto (BTC): bc1qxjlp8l2k27x5zqgx35wcv3v7yu430yhvec5hg7
Support, big or small, makes a real difference. It helps her create more videos, improve the content, and share even more exciting journeys with viewers. Thanks so much for being here and for generosity.
(Time forge Stories) BUTUAN, Philippines. This city served as the former capital of the Rajahnate of Butuan before 1001 until about 1521. The city used to be known during that time as the best in gold and boat manufacturing in the entire Philippine archipelago, having traded with places as far as Champa, Ming, Srivijaya, Majapahit, and the Bengali coasts. It is located at the northeastern part of the Agusan Valley, Mindanao, sprawling across the Agusan River. It is bounded to the north, west, and south by Agusan del Norte, to the east by Agusan del Sur, and to the northwest by Butuan Bay. More
(Wonderhussy Adventures) Sept. 3, 2025: Welcome to Wonderhussy's Adventure #879. The date this adventure began was August 21, 2025, for the road trip.
I'm here to worship Luna the Moon
By now we’ve seen the news footage of the terrible storms that destroyed much of Burning Man 2025 — including, infamously, the beloved Orgy Dome [not to mention the murder, electrocution, and other disasters]! But was the event a total sh💩tshow?
Please consider helping the good people of Hair of the Dog buy new support poles and tarps to replace the ones damaged in the storm: gofundme.com/f/rebuild-ha... Check out my website: wonderhussy.com. Support the channel: wonderhussy.
Credits: Theme song by Michael Saint-Leon switchyardstudios.com. Additional footage by Wiley, Levi W., and Sylvia L. wonder hussy, wonderhussie, wonder hussie, wonder hussey, wonderhussey.
For Father’s Day tell us a story about how a father-figure in your life has taught you a life lesson about Buddhism — whether it was intentional or not as is the case with most “dad” lessons.
Hallie Ewig and her hip hop gangster rap dad
Hallie Ewig (she/her/hers) University of Washington, Class of 2022: “For as long as I can remember, my dad has exclusively listened to hip-hop music. When I was little, instead of listening to pop artists on the car radio, he would play artists like Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., and Wu-Tang Clan from his iPod. I never really understood why he listened to music most parents would find “profane.” One time I asked him, “Dad, why do you listen to songs with bad words in them?”
He responded by turning up the volume and saying, “Just listen to the lyrics, Mika.” If you really listen to the lyrics, you can see that all of these Black artists are sharing a common theme intertwined with the swear words: systemic racism. My dad has been exposing me to Black oppression before I was even old enough to understand it.
He taught me that it is important to not only listen to others but to do so with compassion, and music is a great place to start. Even though we face our own racism as Asian-Americans, we must be compassionate to the struggles of others so that we can unite to overcome them together. Black men, women, children, members of the LGBTQ+ community, dreams, and futures [all] matter. They have always mattered, and they will forever matter. Thank you, Dad, for everything!” More:The Young Buddhist Editorial
QUESTION:It's Father's Day. How would a Western follower of the Buddha make use of this celebration?
How and why would a "modern" or "Western" follower of the Buddha's Teaching celebrate this day and use it to give gratitude to his or her father as one of his/her first gods and the other three gods?
Maybe readers would like to share also how you fulfill their personal duty to give others inspiration and ideas. This mean not being greedy but instead sharing possible merits you have.
(Note: This question is given as a gift of Dhamma and not for commercial purpose or meant for worldly gain.) Source:Buddhism Stack Exchange
The Buddha’s Legacy as a Father
Ven. Rahula, the Buddha, and Ananda
The San Mateo Buddhist Temple warmly welcome all to join the community in person for its Family Dharma Service on Sunday, June 15, 2025. On the occasion of Father’s Day, Rev. Adams will share a Dharma Talk about the legacy that Sakyamuni Buddha left for his son Rahula and how the Buddha’s compassionate care for all beings was like the concern of parents for their only child. The Buddha's Legacy as a Father (June 15) - San Mateo Buddhist Temple
Wisdom Quarterly COMMENTARY
Do you love me, Daddy? - More than life itself.
Was Prince Siddhartha loved by his father? The story/allegory of the Buddha's life makes that clear, unless he was a narcissist trying to live through his child, as even many non-narcissists do. King Suddhodana doted on his beloved son, the prince and future chief of the Scythians/Indo-Sakas. He wanted for his son what he wished for himself -- world dominion, the role of "world monarch" (chakravartin). The Brahmin soothsayers said it would be so IF only the boy were pampered and kept from seeing the world as it really was. For the son so loved the world that he came back to save everyone.
A father with a father and wife
Sid married at 16 and had a son at 29. Realizing it was now or never, he set off on a quest.
In this anachronistic, Western-informed fantasy, Samsara (2001), beautiful Yasodhara rips selfish Siddhartha for daring to leave his family to pursue his own fame, glory, and good times.
It's sad to reflect that most Westerners do not know who the Buddha was, their heads having been filled up with popular misconceptions of a fat happy Budai or Herman Hesse's book Siddhartha (which the careful reader will note is NOT about the Buddha but another guy named Siddhartha) which tangentially touches on the story of the Buddha's life.
Hesse's novel mirrors Everyman's Tale, the Hero's Journey, based on the allegorical story of the Buddha's life in general. Some of the Buddha's life story is not even about this Buddha but previous ones the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) mentioned when teaching about previous supremely enlightened teachers (samma-sam-buddhas) who had arisen in this world.
Buddhist Madonna and Child
We forget that Siddhartha G. was a father because what are we all taught? That's right, that he abandoned the family (renounced the palace) for the easygoing life of a spiritual nomad, a wandering mendicant answering to no one with all the fun and palaver of going East on a spiritual quest. What could be more fun and full of good times? All that yoga and sitting around, no job, talking to other groovy hippies with long hair and beards on the Hippie Highway to Magadha and Bihar.
(Dalai Lama) Mothers are kind, and fathers
are left to be the unpopular tough ones.
The prince leaves his wife, Yasodhara (Bimba Devi), never meets his kid (Rahula or "Bondage"), says "fudge you" to the Ol' Man (King Suddhodana), not even a wave his mother-aunt (his mother, Queen Maya's sister, Pajapati Gotami)...right? Right? Wrong.
Intention (cetana) matters. It is the basis of karma (deeds, actions). What was Prince Siddhartha thinking to drop out like that? (Where was he going to tune in and turn on?) We know from the ancient texts of the Pali canon that his wife knew where he was, how he was, and why he was doing it. So well did she know that she copied him. When he ate only one meal and slept on the ground and wore saffron, she took up these things. We impute to her how we would feel if we had been abandoned after giving birth, and this is completely wrong and misleading. The Los Angeles area monk Ven. Walpola Piyananda understands the matter so well that, together with Stephen Long, he tried to correct all the misconceptions in his book Thus We Heard - Recollections of the Life of The Buddha.
I'm hitting the road on a quest.
Siddhartha's intention, motivation, impulse to leave was to find "salvation" from suffering for everyone -- his father, his mother(s), his wife, his son, his family, his friends, his people, and all living beings, particularly the humans and devas. He didn't go to go forever. He went until he was successful. It took him seven years to do what he had to do (to accomplish what it means to be a "supremely awakened" "Buddha," which is different from an arahant or paccekabuddha). He had to attain full realization (maha bodhi), make known the path to enlightenment, which entailed preaching the Dhamma (Dharma exclusive to buddhas), and establish a Sangha (community) of successful practitioners, disciples capable of memorizing, chanting, and teaching that Dharma.
Mom, where's Dad? - That deadbeat?
As soon as he did that, he came back. How old was his son when he returned to Kapilavatthu (Gandhara, Afghanistan, Saka Land)? His son, Rahula, was 7. His former wife had not remarried even though she could have and was encouraged to. The family had not moved on -- his father having sent many messengers to bring his son back to rule the Sakas/Shakyas/Indo-Scythians and to find news of him. The only thing that had changed was that the son's son was now the prince. Rahula was now being raised to lead. The Buddha didn't think that was much of a legacy to leave his son. Instead, he gave him his grand inheritance worthy of a buddha: He had him ordain as a monastic, stayed by him, and brought him to enlightenment.
Son Rahula became Ven. Rahula and enlightened. Wife Yasodhara became a nun (Ven. Rahulamata) and enlightened, the fiercest disputant in all the land able to debate anyone and win. FatherKing Suddhodana became an Aryan ("noble") disciple, attaining one or more of the stages to enlightenment. Mother Queen (Maha) Pajapati Gotami (Prajapati Gautami) became the world's first Buddhist nun and enlightened.
Many Scythians/Shakyian princes and princesses entered the Monastic Sangha and gained realization -- and the Buddha opened up that possibility to everyone, creating a Noble Sangha that was far larger than the Monastic Sangha we all imagine to be the "disciples" of the Buddha. It may have included 80,000 people, but it certainly included countless millions of devas. The Buddha is popularly known not only as the "Master Physician" but also as the "Teacher of Gods and Men" (of devas and humans).
Does that sound like a hippie on the Hippie Trail gallivanting around India with no job, doing nothing, leaving his wife, abandoning his son, sticking a choice finger in the direction of a loving and overprotective father and doting foster mother? The Buddha didn't forget his biological mother (Maha Maya) or even his previous mother in many lives (a woman the texts simply refer to as Mata along with her husband, Shakyamuni's father in many previous lives).
Now remember, young man, be a good father.
Wouldn't it have been better if he had stayed home, raised his son, tended to the householder life of the palace, been a dutiful son to his father, and made his mother proud? We wouldn't be talking about him now. He would never have become the Buddha, "the Enlightened One," in that life. But people, Westerners in particular, still want to bellyache, gripe, and air their grievances, full of wrong view, putting down the Great Teacher like they know better how a profitable life is lived.
All materials on this site are submitted by editors and readers. All images, unless otherwise noted, were taken from the Internet and are assumed to be in the public domain.
In the event that there is still a problem, issue, or error with copyrighted material, the break of the copyright is unintentional and noncommercial, and the material will be removed immediately upon presented proof.
Contact us by submitting a comment marked "private."
Do not follow this journal if you are under vinaya or parental restrictions. Secure protection by Sucuri.
Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at creativecommons.org/about/licenses.
