A testament to the enduring legacy of archaeological researchers throughout the generations, Ice age Hunters identifies profound connections between the monumental discoveries of yesteryear and the research efforts which continue to this day. The film opens in Hamburg, Germany during the 1930s where Alfred Rust, a young and eager electrician in training, had his sights set upon an entirely different field of study. A novice archaeologist, he excavated a set of stone weapons and tools hidden deep within the brush of a German valley. These artifacts clearly bore markings which were man-made, leading him to conclude that they might prove the existence of human life during the throes of the Ice Age. Common wisdom among professional anthropologists of the time brushed Rust’s theory aside as an impossibility; in their view, Hamburg was too far north to sustain a nomadic existence. Thirsty for knowledge and determined to etch his place in the annals of anthropological discovery, Rust traveled on bicycle to the Middle East and eventually unearthed a crucial site associated with the Stone Age. Empowered by his new-found respectability and notoriety, he returned to his studies in Germany and recorded a series of observations that validated his initial theory. The region was indeed inhabited by nomadic tribes who survived in the aftermath of the last glacial age. Migrating herds of reindeer provided these nomads with sustenance, and they devised the earliest version of a bow and arrow in order to incapacitate and capture their prey. Modern researchers continue to build upon Rust’s groundbreaking efforts. Helicopters capture high resolution imagery which clearly indicate the existence of ancient packets of ice among an otherwise vibrant green valley; the same regions where Rust made his initial observations eight decades earlier. The groundwork set by Rust informs the discoveries of today, and works to build a much clearer portrait of what life must have been like many centuries ago. Yet another chapter in the incredibly entertaining and informative Secrets of the Dust series, Ice Age Hunters offers a feast for any viewer with an interest in the enigmatic mysteries unraveled by history’s most innovative discoverers.
