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Over 3,000 years ago the Assyrians developed a remarkably advanced underwater technique, as illustrated in this ancient relief. It shows Assyrian soldiers using goatskin bags filled with air to breath (i.redd.it)

submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by ooli2@lemm.ee to c/archaeology@mander.xyz

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[-] jrwperformance@lemmy.world 26 points 1 day ago

You can't breathe when you are too deep. The outside water pressure is too great for your diaphragm muscles to overcome. I remember a Bill Nye Science Guy video from middle school where he tried to use a garden hose as a snorkel. The further down you go, the less you can breathe.

Also, wouldn't a big-ass bag of air be crazy difficult to keep under water? Try keeping a beach ball under water...

[-] nibbler@discuss.tchncs.de 22 points 1 day ago

The garden hose as a snorkel is completely different. The air pressure is at above sea-level pressure, while your lungs are compressed by the weight of the ocean - so depending on your depth.

These bags, as depicted, are also under pressure at roughly the same depth as your lungs. So you can easily breath. It's just that the volume of the air gets smaller as you press the bag under water.

To overcome the force pushing the bag upwards, you can use stones or lead, like scuba divers do. It might be less flexible as the volume of the bag changes with depth in contrary to modern scuba diving equipment. So surely depth will be limited, but it's not as bad as you depict it.

[-] Honytawk@feddit.nl 9 points 1 day ago

It is probably more surface diving.

Since it are soldiers, I suspect as a sort of stealthy approach to enemies. Which would only require a depth of 2m maximum.

[-] kwomp2@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

No depth of 2m, at all. No enemies no approaching no stealth. It would be lovely if we all spend the 20sec to verify a tiny bit. I read a total phantom discussion trusting you guys :)

[-] Gladaed@feddit.org 8 points 1 day ago

Yes. It would be difficult to keep und water. But it is also pressurized by the water pressing on it so I would expect breathing to be doable.

this post was submitted on 20 May 2025

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Archaeology or archeology[a] is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscapes.

Archaeology has various goals, which range from understanding culture history to reconstructing past lifeways to documenting and explaining changes in human societies through time.

The discipline involves surveying, excavation, and eventually analysis of data collected, to learn more about the past. In broad scope, archaeology relies on cross-disciplinary research. Read more...

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