Archaeology in the News

[Alain]

Where the Thuringians get their name from
by Dr. Daniel Niemetz
December 3, 2023, 5:00 a.m

https://www.mdr.de/geschichte/weitere-ep...0~amp.html

It would be really time for a big aDNA study on Thuringians, there should be enough material available. But strangely I see nothing in the pipeline even with the MPI being located there.
By the way, I would doubt the Eastern borders of Thuringia shown on the map, esp. the Elbe border. If I see it correctly there should be no Slavs in Bohemia in 526. The region east of the Elbe was already mainly depopulated but I would assume that till the incursions of the Avars in 562/68 the region at least till the Oder was under Thuringian influence.

I think that the Thuringians also have genetic input from repatriated Ostrogoths from the Carpathian Basin (Poland/Ukraine and Romania), there were also marriage relationships and mergers.

[Alain]

True, the map is poorly represented because the Slavs settled further east around this time (northern Ukraine and southern Belarus) it was the time of Germanic migration and emigration, in central eastern Europe (Przeworsk and Wielbark/Chernjachow-Sântana de Mureș culture. .) Only with the Avars 200 years later do we see a rapid spread of the Slavs in Europe to the Urals east and west to the Wendland and south to northern Greece...

[leonardo]

Ancient Inscribed Bricks Contain Evidence of Mysterious Magnetic 'Anomaly,' Scientists Find
Scientists analyzing ancient Mesopotamian bricks have discovered traces of the Levantine Iron Age geomagnetic anomaly that shed light on its strength.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/4a3pam/a...tists-find

see also, https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2313361120

[leonardo]

The World's Oldest Settlements Were Built by a Culture Nobody Expected
Thousands of years before ancient people in Central Eurasia learned to farm, hunter-gatherer groups in the subarctic were building some of the first permanent, fortified settlements, challenging the notion that agriculture was a prerequisite for societies to 'settle down'.
https://www.sciencealert.com/the-worlds-...y-expected

see also, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/...36C7236259

[Dewsloth]

Where the Thuringians get their name from
by Dr. Daniel Niemetz
December 3, 2023, 5:00 a.m

https://www.mdr.de/geschichte/weitere-ep...0~amp.html

It would be really time for a big aDNA study on Thuringians, there should be enough material available. But strangely I see nothing in the pipeline even with the MPI being located there.
By the way, I would doubt the Eastern borders of Thuringia shown on the map, esp. the Elbe border. If I see it correctly there should be no Slavs in Bohemia in 526. The region east of the Elbe was already mainly depopulated but I would assume that till the incursions of the Avars in 562/68 the region at least till the Oder was under Thuringian influence.

I would love to see this, and not only because my Big Y matches range from Altmark (mentioned in the article) to Poland to southern Hessen/Franconia (TMRCA at 1 BCE).

The Hiddestorf graves are roughly about this time and place, and we still don't really know if they were Franks, Saxons, Thuringians (all were at the Unstrut battle) or others:

In 531, the Thuringians were defeated in a devastating battle on the Unstrut by the army of the Frankish kings Theuderich and Chlothar (around 495-561). Bishop Gregory of Tours reports in his "History of the Franks", written between 573 and 575, that so many Thuringians were massacred on the Unstrut that the bed of the river was blocked by the mass of corpses and the Franks fell over them, as if crossing a bridge, moved to the bank on the other side. King Herminafrid initially escapes with his family and is able to gather new strength in remote parts of the empire.

[Rufus191]

BBC - DNA sleuths crack 2,000 year-old migrant mystery

How did a young man born 2,000 years ago near what is now southern Russia, end up in the English countryside?
DNA sleuths have retraced his steps while shedding light on a key episode in the history of Roman Britain.
Research shows that the skeleton found in Cambridgeshire is of a man from a nomadic group known as Sarmatians.
It is the first biological proof that these people came to Britain from the furthest reaches of the Roman empire and that some lived in the countryside.

https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/dna...r-AA1lK4eR

An individual with Sarmatian-related ancestry in Roman Britain
Marina Silva, Thomas Booth, Joanna Moore, David Bowsher, Janet Montgomery, Pontus Skoglund
Open Access Published: December 19, 2023

https://www.cell.com/current-biology/ful...all%3Dtrue

[Alain]

archeology
:
Under the sign of the serpent

In Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Hungary, archaeologists have discovered early medieval belt buckles with a mysterious snake motif. Remnants of an unknown cult?


https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar...0323001759

https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wissen/archa...-1.6322951

[JMcB]

Colombia will try to raise objects from a 1708 shipwreck believed to have a cargo worth billions

The Colombian government says it will try to raise objects from the 1708 shipwreck of the galleon San Jose, which is believed to contain a cargo worth billions of dollars


This undated image made from a mosaic of photos taken by an autonomous underwater vehicle, released by the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History, shows the remains of the Spanish galleon San Jose, that went down off the Colombian Caribbean coast as it was trying to outrun a fleet of British warships on June 8, 1708. The Colombian government said Dec. 21, 2023 it will try to raise objects from the shipwreck, which is believed to contain a cargo worth billions of dollars. ASSOCIATED PRESS



BOGOTA, Colombia — The Colombian government said Thursday it will try to raise objects from the 1708 shipwreck of the galleon San Jose, which is believed to contain a cargo worth billions of dollars.

The 300-year-old wreck, often called the “holy grail of shipwrecks,” has been controversial, because it is both an archaeological and economic treasure.

Culture Minister Juan David Correa said the first attempts will be made between April and May, depending on ocean conditions in the Caribbean. Correa pledged it would be a scientific expedition.

“This is an archaeological wreck, not a treasure," Correa said following a meeting with President Gustavo Petro. “This is an opportunity for us to become a country at the forefront of underwater archaeological research.”

But the ship is believed to hold 11 million gold and silver coins, emeralds and other precious cargo from Spanish-controlled colonies, which could be worth billions of dollars if ever recovered.

Correa said the material extracted from the wreck, probably by robotic or submersible craft, would be taken aboard a navy ship for analysis. Based on the results, a second effort might be scheduled.

The San Jose galleon sank in battle with British ships more than 300 years ago. It was located in 2015 but has been mired in legal and diplomatic disputes.


For the rest, see:

https://www.abqjournal.com/ap/colombia-w...701e4.html

[JMcB]

Arkeonews

26 December 2023

A 2,500-year-old celestial map carved on the surface of a circular stone found in Italy


Image Credit: INAF


Two circular stones measuring 50 centimeters in diameter have been discovered in Castelliere di Rupinpiccolo, an ancient hilltop fortress in the Italian province of Trieste, and one of them may be one of the oldest celestial map found in Italy.

The discovery was announced in a press release by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF).

Castelliere di Rupinpiccolo is a defensive structure. Used as a fortification from an era between 1800 and 1650 BC. until 400 BC, that of Rupinpiccolo is one of the most important castles, as well as the first brought to light.

Among the many castles in the Karst area, that of Rupinpiccolo is one of the best preserved. It stands immediately outside the town, on a limestone hill, the top of which is enclosed by a wall 3-4 meters thick, but which in some places reaches up to 7 meters. The height has been preserved for a maximum of 3 meters, but originally it must have reached 7-8 meters.

Two large circular stones – two thick discs about 50 cm in diameter and 30 cm deep – were found near the entrance to the Castelliere and attracted the attention of archaeologists.


Aerial view of Castelliere di Rupinpiccolo. Photo: Carta Archaeologia Online


One of the stones, according to Paolo Molaro of INAF and researchers from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and ICTP, is a representation of the sun, while the other is a carved celestial map dating from the 4th century BC.

The German astronomy journal Astronomische Nachrichten published a study about the stones, in which the study’s authors said the celestial map shows the sky above Rupinpiccolo some 2,500 years ago, making the discovery the oldest known One of the celestial maps laid out in Italy.


For the rest, see:

https://arkeonews.net/a-2500-year-old-ce...-in-italy/

&

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1...a.20220108

[JMcB]

Ten Exciting Discoveries in Near Eastern Archaeology in 2023
By Jessica Nitschke


In 2023 archaeologists and researchers continued to push the limits of the discipline and provide new insights into the ancient world. Here we include some of the highlights of those efforts: ten compelling discoveries and breakthroughs either made, announced, and/or published in 2023 (in no particular order).


1. 5000-Year-Old Jars Full of Wine, Sealed and Intact (ca 3000 BCE, Egypt)



5000-year-old wine jars in the tomb of Queen Meret-Neith in Abydos during the excavation. The jars are in their original context and some of them are still sealed. Photo: EC Köhler, courtesy University of Vienna Media Office.


A German-Austrian mission headed by Dr Christiana Köhler discovered hundreds of sealed jars containing wine from the Tomb of  Queen Meret-Neith (ca. 3000 BCE; Dynasty 1) in the royal necropolis at Abydos. Together with a large quantity of well-preserved grape pips, the discovery has much to tell us about the early history of wine-making. In addition, study of the 41 subsidiary tomb chambers for courtiers and servants has revealed that they were built over different periods of time, challenging the oft-repeated assertion that royal servants in Dynasty 1 were victims of mass human sacrifice at the time of the sovereign’s death.

Read the press release from the University of Vienna:

https://medienportal.univie.ac.at/en/med...ian-queen/




For the other nine, see:

https://www.asor.org/anetoday/2023/12/te...iscoveries

[Alain]

AI and the past: images we would have liked to have had in 2023


https://www.nationalgeographic.de/fotogr...bt-haetten

[sirdan]

This is what have been obvious for me for a quite time - Viking Age started much earlier than what was considered. Time borders were artificial. And the Herlaugshaugen burial mound in Leka appearst to be even earlier than Saarema burial.

Archeologists Confirm Oldest Viking Ship Burial in All Scandinavia–Could Rewrite the Viking Age

In fact, it dates back so far, there’s a technical question about whether or not one can even call it a Viking ship burial, because funerary activities pre-date the Viking Age, when the term Viking began to be used for a Scandinavian mariner who spent some time trading and some time raiding.

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/archeolo...iking-age/

[JonikW]

18 out of about 70 skeletons have been excavated so far in a dig at an Early Medieval site near Cardiff (probably sixth or seventh century).

At least one of the skeletons has wear to the teeth suggesting something kind of work that used them. This is the really interesting bit from the BBC report:

“Some of the skeletons are posing a puzzle - they're lying in a whole variety of positions. Some are flat on their backs, normal for the period, while others are placed on their sides, and a few are buried in a crouching position with their knees tucked up against their chest.”

The good news is that the report suggests aDNA analysis will be carried out on the remains from the site.

The dig features in the latest series of "Digging for Britain," which I haven't yet watched but plan to.

[JMcB]

Ancient skeletons buried in shoes and jewels discovered during building work

By Silvia Marchetti, CNN


Silver rings with amber and engraved initials, precious stones, terracotta pottery, coins, shiny glasses, amulets and even items of clothing were found alongside the golden necklaces and earrings.


Rome CNN
—
A two-year dig to install a solar power plant near Rome has unearthed an ancient Roman necropolis containing 67 skeletons buried in 57 ornate tombs.

Archaeologists were baffled by the find — thought to date between the second and fourth centuries — not least because the skeletons were discovered wearing golden jewelry and expensive leather footwear, inside tombs designed to resemble their homes.

The discovery, on a 52-acre patch of land close to the ancient city of Tarquinia, north of Rome, was a surprise to authorities, despite the area being renowned for such findings.

Silver rings with amber and engraved initials, precious stones, terracotta pottery, coins, shiny glasses, amulets and even items of clothing were found alongside the golden necklaces and earrings.

“We found several skeletons still wearing their expensive stockings and shoes,” Emanuele Giannini, lead excavation archaeologist at the site told CNN. “All these riches, and the fact that the bones show no sign of stress or physical labor, (leads us to believe) these weren’t local farmers, but upper-crust members of Roman families coming from cities.”

[…]

The diversity of funerary objects laid near the remains, and the luxurious designs and linings inside the tombs, have led archaeologists to believe that the occupants wanted to recreate heavenly spaces similar to their earthly homes. The interior of many tombs originally featured elaborate cloth linings, or were surrounded and covered by tiles or terracotta pieces like little houses.

Giannini said another astounding aspect is that most of the discovered tombs were communal — built for at least two occupants who likely shared a family link. A few skeletons were found wrapped around each other.

“Building tombs for entire family nuclei is a typical ancient Roman trait,” he said, “but these are outstanding in their inner decor, which shows wealth and status.”


For the rest, see:

https://www.cnn.com/style/ancient-skelet...index.html

[JMcB]

Arkeonews

5 January 2024


Lead sling bullet inscribed with “Julius Caesar” name found in Spain




Photo: STILEarte


A lead sling bullet inscribed with the name of Julius Caesar and the Ibero-Roman city Ipsca has been discovered in the countryside of Montilla, Andalusia, southern Spain.

It is the first time in the Iberian Peninsula that an incontrovertible inscription of Gaius Julius Caesar’s name abbreviated with CAES has been discovered on this type of projectile. It is also the first sling bullet inscribed with the place name Ipsca; in fact, it is the first toponym of any Roman Hispania city ever found inscribed on a sling bullet.

The discovery was possible thanks to the in-depth study of the projectile conducted by Javier Moralejo and Jesúss Robles of the Autonomous University of Madrid, together with Antonio Moreno of the Archaeological Museum of Cabra and José Antonio Morena of the Museo Histórico of Baena. Their work has now been published in the scientific journal Zephyrus of the University of Salamanca.

The lead sling bullet was found 19 kilometers from Baena, in the countryside of Montilla, a Spanish municipality of around 23 thousand inhabitants, located in the autonomous community of Andalusia. The town is located at an average height of 372 meters above sea level and 49 kilometers from Cordoba. The terrible final clash of the civil war probably took place in his campaigns – the battle of Munda – which brought Julius Caesar here against the sons of Pompey, in 45 BC.

In 45 B.C., Julius Caesar and Pompey’s surviving sons, Gnaeus and Sextus Pompeius, fought the final battle of their civil war in the countryside. The exact location of the Battle of Munda has long been debated, with the Montilla area being one of the leading contenders. The discovery of the lead sling bullet supports this candidacy and confirms Ipsca’s alliance with Caesar’s faction . . .



For the rest, see:

https://arkeonews.net/lead-sling-bullet-...-in-spain/