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10-14-2004, 07:41 PM
World's 'oldest staircase'
A staircase discovered down an ancient salt mine in Hallstatt, Austria, is being hailed as the oldest in the world.
The find was announced by Vienna's Natural History Museum and Salinen Austria AG which described the wooden staircase as "sensational".
Hans Reschreiter, head of the archaeological team in Hallstatt, said: "The stairs are so well preserved that you can imagine miners were using them only yesterday."
The team has uncovered six metres of steps so far but Mr Reschreiter said: "We simply can't say yet how long the staircase will turn out to be."
More on this Interesting Story (http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1137650.html?menu=news.scienceanddiscovery)
A staircase discovered down an ancient salt mine in Hallstatt, Austria, is being hailed as the oldest in the world.
The find was announced by Vienna's Natural History Museum and Salinen Austria AG which described the wooden staircase as "sensational".
Hans Reschreiter, head of the archaeological team in Hallstatt, said: "The stairs are so well preserved that you can imagine miners were using them only yesterday."
The team has uncovered six metres of steps so far but Mr Reschreiter said: "We simply can't say yet how long the staircase will turn out to be."
More on this Interesting Story (http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1137650.html?menu=news.scienceanddiscovery)