Archaeology in the News

[Orentil]

Archeology: Large Bronze Age hall discovered in the Prignitz 
A huge hall from the Bronze Age was discovered during excavations near the "royal grave" of Seddin (Prignitz district) northwest of Berlin.

https://www.indonewyork.com/lifestyle/ar...98876.html

Spektakulärer Fund in der Prignitz: Die Königshalle von Seddin | rbb24

[Orentil]

Archeology: Large Bronze Age hall discovered in the Prignitz 
A huge hall from the Bronze Age was discovered during excavations near the "royal grave" of Seddin (Prignitz district) northwest of Berlin.

https://www.indonewyork.com/lifestyle/ar...98876.html

Spektakulärer Fund in der Prignitz: Die Königshalle von Seddin | rbb24

Some more information (google translation) on this for the German Bronze Age very exciting find:

Brandenburg has one more archaeological highlight: the largest known hall from the Nordic Bronze Age has been discovered. The monumental floor plan of the assembly hall of the legendary “King Hinz” was excavated near the Europe-wide known “royal grave” of Seddin. The so-called wall grave house, which faces west-east, is ten meters wide and 31 m long and is the largest of its kind to date. The dimensions of the house suggest its function as a meeting building. Evidence for this includes, among other things, the large-format stones that were found in the wall graves as a kind of stone base. The walls of the building consisted of wooden planks and wattle and daub with clay plaster. Due to the estimated building height of seven meters, it is assumed that there were additional floors for living and storage. There was a fireplace centrally located inside the western half of the building. A miniature vessel was recovered on the northern long wall, which is interpreted as a ritual sacrifice. So far, an entrance in the south wall has been identified. According to the 14C data, the building dates from the 10th to the 9th century BC and is therefore only slightly older than the burial mound.
A second, smaller building, which has not yet been fully excavated, lies directly next to the fully exposed wall grave house. Since March 2023, the area near the Seddin "King's Grave" has been researched as part of the cooperation project "Seddin Settlement Environment (SiSe)" of the Brandenburg State Office for Monument Preservation and the Seminar for Prehistory and Early History at the Georg-August University of Göttingen. The project is led by the Brandenburg state archaeologist Prof. Dr. F. Schopper and by Dr. Immo Heske from the University of Göttingen. Funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) allows archaeological excavations of extensive areas for the first time. Comparable soil findings to Seddin's house are available from Hamburg-Marmstorf, Klein Bünstorf (Bad Bevensen, Lower Saxony) and Alt Wendischtuhn (Bleckede, Lower Saxony). A wall grave house, also oriented west-east, was recently discovered near Brielow, (district of Potsdam-Mittelmark, Brandenburg). However, all of these buildings are significantly smaller than the Seddin “Hall of the King”. The distribution shows a clearly North German distribution, sometimes near the Elbe, which corresponds well with the cultural character of the horizon on the monumental burial mound.

https://mwfk.brandenburg.de/mwfk/de/serv...rab-seddin

[JMcB]

Archaeologists opened an untouched Etruscan tomb

2 November 2023



Tomb 58. Photo: Municipality of Montalto di Castro


In Vulci Archaeological Park, central Italy, a 2,600-year-old intact double-chambered Etruscan tomb that was discovered in April and had remained untouched was opened.

The double-chambered tomb located in the Osteria necropolis in Vulci, a rich Etruscan city in what is now northern Lazio, central Italy, is intact and contains extremely rare remains and artifacts.

The Vulci Foundation excavation campaign is being conducted by the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the province of Viterbo and southern Etruria.

The tomb is approximately 2,600 years old and contains a rich collection of pottery, amphorae, utensils, cups, and a bronze cauldron. The objects are all in excellent condition, including a tablecloth that was used in the Etruscan religious ritual of the “last meal,” a food offering burned inside the tomb before it was sealed.

Simona Carosi, archaeologist in charge of the Archaeological and Nature Park, emphasizes how this find “gives us back in an unusual way the actual funerary banquet, as the Etruscans had laid it centuries and centuries ago.”


For the rest, see:

https://arkeonews.net/archaeologists-ope...scan-tomb/

[JMcB]

Archaeologists Find the First Red Paint Made From Plants
Hunter-gatherers cooked up the alluring pigment in the Eastern Mediterranean 15,000 years ago

Brian Handwerk

Science Correspondent
October 25, 2023


A 15,000-year-old shell bead (left) with residues of organic red colorant made of roots of Rubiaceae plants (right) Laurent Davin, CC-BY 4.0


The flash of bright red caught Laurent Davin’s eye. He was looking at an array of 15,000-year-old shell beads and other artifacts, which have been displayed in a case at Jerusalem’s Rockefeller Archaeological Museum since before World War II. Many people had viewed them, but Davin was struck by this detail. “If you look at it, it’s like blood, a really vivid red,” he says, “and I had to wonder, ‘What’s that color?’”

Countless prehistoric artifacts are colored red with ochre, a mineral product that was the world’s first red paint, but something made this hue look very different—and Davin set out to discover what it was.

Analysis with high-tech spectroscopy techniques revealed a novel source behind Davin’s suspicions. The beads, originally found in Kebara Cave, on Israel’s Mount Carmel, are the oldest known example of humans using plants to manufacture red pigment. The bright red color adorning them was produced from the roots of Rubiaceae plants, commonly known as the madder family, according to research published Wednesday in PLOS One.

The creators of this 15,000-year-old paint were part of the Natufian culture. They were the first hunter-gatherers to start settling down to more sedentary lifestyles across the Levant, in what is now Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian territories. They utilized wild plants for much more than food, including processing them to make pigment, before they domesticated them. The ornamental use of these organic dyes may be an example of a growing need for expression as human societies gradually shifted over the centuries …


For the rest, see:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-n...180983132/

[JMcB]

Archaeologists Discover Electoral Campaign Inscription Inside Pompeii House
The text urged voters to elect a candidate named Aulus Rustius Verus to a position of political power

Sarah Kuta
November 2, 2023


The inscription suggests the home belonged to one of the candidate's friends or supporters. Archaeological Park of Pompeii


Archaeologists excavating the ancient Roman city of Pompeii have unearthed an inscription encouraging voters to elect a specific candidate to political office.

The Latin text reads, in part: “I beseech you to make Aulus Rustius a true aedile, worthy of the state,” per Artnet’s Adam Schrader. An aedile was an elected Roman official who oversaw public infrastructure, among other duties.

[…]

The inscription was found inside a home that may have belonged to one of the man’s supporters or friends. Archaeologists were already familiar with the man, whose full name was Aulus Rustius Verus, because they had previously discovered evidence that he later held a more powerful elected position. He shared that role, called a duumvir, with a man named Julius Polybius, according to a statement from the archaeological park.

Researchers aren’t sure what happened to Verus when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 C.E. and buried Pompeii and several surrounding towns in volcanic rock and ash. However, because he later became duumvir, they suspect he won the election for aedile referenced in the inscription.

The electoral message was found inside the room that contained the home’s shrine, called the lararium. This location is somewhat unusual, as political ads were typically displayed on the exteriors of buildings for people to see as they passed by, according to the statement. In this case, the homeowner may have been hosting an event to help Verus get elected.


For the rest, see:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-new...180983177/

[JMcB]

Ancient Tomb of Royal Pharaonic Scribe Discovered in Egypt

ByMaria Rybachuk
November 5, 2023


A royal Pharaonic scribe’s lavishly decorated tomb was discovered in Egypt. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities


An intricately adorned tomb was discovered by Czech Egyptologists working in the Abusir area, Egypt. It belongs to the previously unknown figure pf Djehuti-imhat, a prominent royal Pharaonic scribe in ancient Egypt.

The Czech archaeological mission, conducted by the Faculty of Letters at Charles University in Prague, located the tomb in Abusir, situated between Giza and Ṣaqqarah in northern Egypt.

Following an in-depth examination of the skeletal remains, it was unveiled that Djehuti-imhat, whose existence dates back to approximately the first millennium BC, passed away at the youthful age of 25.

The analysis also disclosed that he suffered from a severe case of osteoporosis. The tomb’s unveiling is expected to contribute to an enhanced comprehension of the historical narratives and traditions of ancient Egypt, as emphasized by the Czech Institute of Egyptology.

Secretary General of the Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Waziri, also underlined the significance of the discovery. The burial chamber of Djehuti-imhat, an enigmatic figure from the twenty-seventh dynasty, contain many intricate scenes and hieroglyphics.

For the rest, see:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/11/05/anc...ibe-egypt/


and or, the video below:

[leonardo]

Exploring the Mästermyr chest discovery and its Viking-era tools
Unearthed in a onetime peat bog near Gotland, Sweden, the Mastermyr chest is a cache of Viking artifacts showcasing advanced early medieval craftsmanship and technology.

https://archaeology-in-europe.blogspot.c...5693182167

[JMcB]

Over 30,000 ancient coins found underwater off Italy in "exceptional" condition — possibly from a 4th-century shipwreck

NOVEMBER 6, 2023



A picture made available by the Italian Culture Minister showing some of the discovered ancient bronze coins


A diver who spotted something metallic not far from Sardinia's coast has led to the discovery of tens of thousands of ancient bronze coins.

Italy's culture ministry said Saturday that the diver alerted authorities, who sent divers assigned to an art protection squad along with others from the ministry's undersea archaeology department. The ministry posted images and video of the stunning discovery.

The coins dating from the first half of the fourth century were found in sea grass, not far from the northeast shore of the Mediterranean island. The ministry didn't say exactly when the first diver caught a glimpse of something metallic just off shore Sardinia, not far from the town of Arzachena.

Officials said presence of coinage from Constantine the Great confirmed that the treasure could be dated between 324 and 340 AD.

Exactly how many coins have been retrieved hasn't been determined yet, as they are being sorted. A ministry statement estimated that there are at least about 30,000 and possibly as many as 50,000, given their collective weight.

"All the coins were in an exceptional and rare state of preservation," the ministry said. The few coins that were damaged still had legible inscriptions, it said.

For the rest see the link or the video below

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ancient-coi...shipwreck/

[leonardo]

Archaeologists explore deserted medieval village in Germany

Archaeologists working in Germany have been uncovering the remains of a medieval village that was deserted around the end of the 15th century. They have so far discovered thousands of items and a small castle.


https://www.medievalists.net/2023/11/arc...n-germany/

[JMcB]

CULT TEMPLES FOUND AT HALTERN ROMAN CAMP


ARCHAEOLOGISTS FROM THE REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WESTPHALIA-LIPPE (LWL) HAVE UNCOVERED THE FOUNDATIONS OF TWO SMALL TEMPLES AT THE HALTERN ROMAN CAMP, LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF HALTERN AM SEE IN NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA, GERMANY.

During the Roman period the site was a major military fortress and civilian colony, which according to historians was likely built by the Emperor Augustus who named it Aliso. This was confirmed in 2010 by excavations conducted by the Archaeological Commission of Westphalia, who determined that the site corresponds to the one described in ancient literature as Aliso.

Recent excavations by LWL have found the foundations of two cult temples, one of which was constructed of wood with a rectangular plan measuring 30 square metres and accessed via a 5 metre wide entrance way marked by two wooden columns on either side.

Both temples are located in a 2,000 square metre complex previously examined in 1928, which Westphalian chief archaeologist Prof. Dr. August Stieren, initially identified as meeting house for military personnel. In later years the complex was converted to hold a military workshop, evidenced by numerous tools found in situ.


For the rest, see:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/11/cu...amp/149151

[leonardo]

4000 year old map is Europe’s oldest.
https://thedebrief.org/4000-year-old-mar...discovery/

[leonardo]

Neolithic Mass Grave May Offer Evidence of Large-Scale Warfare
Large-scale violence in Late Neolithic Western Europe based on expanded skeletal evidence from San Juan ante Portam Latinam
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-43026-9
see also, https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1006337

[Naudigastir]

Some recent diggings by archaeologists in Trøndelag unearthed what appears to be one of the oldest known ship-graves in Scandinavia (dated to around 700 CE):
https://www.nrk.no/trondelag/skandinavia...1.16633376

[leonardo]

Shoes Could Have Emerged as Much as 150,000 Years Ago, Study Suggests
Footprints without toe-marks on rocky South African beaches from the Middle Stone Age could indicate that somebody was wearing shoes


https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2023...ed4d440000

[JMcB]

Archaeologists uncovered over 100,000 ancient coins, some more than 2,000 years old


The massive trove of ancient coins was dug up in Gunma Prefecture.

In an excavation at the Sosha Village East 03 archaeological site in Maebashi City, Japan, archaeologists stumbled upon a remarkable discovery – a cache of over 100,000 ancient coins, some of which are of Chinese origin and are more than 2,000 years old.

This excavation was prompted by the construction of a new factory in Sojamachi district here at the area.

These coins include the “Ban Liang,”(coin from 175 B.C.) China’s first unified currency, as well as others dating from the seventh to the thirteenth centuries. What’s more, they were bundled in groups of around 100 coins and secured with straw cords known as “sashi.”

The coins were probably buried quickly because the location was close to opulent homes belonging to influential people in medieval Japan, maybe as a precaution against impending war.

The unearthed coins were found in an area approximately 60 centimeters high and one meter wide, with a staggering 1,060 bundles of these sashi clusters. Some bundles contained evidence of 10 sashi, equivalent to roughly a thousand coins, all arranged with traces of rice straw mats.

A thorough examination of 334 coins from the haul revealed an astounding variety of 44 different currency types. These coins originated from as far back as China’s Western Han Dynasty, extending to the Southern Song Dynasty.

The oldest among them, the “Ban Liang,” dates back to 175 B.C., with distinct characteristics including a 2.3-centimeter diameter, a 7-millimeter square hole in the center, and a thickness of 1 millimeter, featuring the inscriptions “liang” on the left and “ban” on the right.

[…]

The most recent coin in this treasure trove was minted in 1265 during the Southern Song Dynasty, leading experts to believe that these coins were hidden during the turbulent Kamakura period (1185-1333).



For the rest, see:

https://arkeonews.net/archaeologists-unc...years-old/