All posts tagged: Archaeologists

Did Archaeologists Find the Remains of What Was Once a Demonic Stronghold in Egypt? – OpentheWord.org

Did Archaeologists Find the Remains of What Was Once a Demonic Stronghold in Egypt? – OpentheWord.org

Published by Sam Flores

Egyptian archaeologists have discovered the remains of something that may have been connected to a spiritual stronghold that once controlled this region of the Egypt. In 2019, a large basin, 115’ in diameter, was discovered beneath the sands in the northern Siani. It was described as a ’sacred water installation’ that was once part of the ancient city of Pelusium. It focused on the worship of a god called Pelusios, which simply means mud. This was a mud god. There were multiple water channels feeding into this massive basin that was filled with water and mud to facilitate the worship of that ancient deity. But this location is identified by a different name in Bible, it was call Sin. The prophet Ezekiel goes a step further and refers to it as a stronghold. I will pour out My wrath on [a]Sin, [footnoted as Pelusium]The stronghold of Egypt; (Ezekiel 30:15 NASV) Now in the natural realm, the city had significant political and military function as it was located on the Egypt’s northern border. But the large basin …

Largest Viking Age Coin Hoard Ever Found In Norway Shocks Archaeologists

Largest Viking Age Coin Hoard Ever Found In Norway Shocks Archaeologists

Published by Jenni Sidey

Authored by Maria Mocerino, Hailed as a “historic discovery,” metal detectorists led archaeologists to the largest Viking Age hoard of silver coins ever to be found in Norway, reflecting the Vikings’ extensive network and a pivotal turning point in Norway’s history. The largest coin hoard in Norwegian history.Innlandet County Council On April 10, metal detectorists Vegard Sørlie and Rune Sætre uncovered 19 silver coins that quickly turned into an astonishing treasure when archaeologists rushed to the site. The number of coins grew exponentially—initially to 70, then to 500, and eventually to over 1,000. Archaeologist May-Tove Smiseth described the find, named the “Mørstad Hoard,” as “a once-in-a-lifetime” discovery that surpassed all expectations. Currently, the hoard contains between 2,970 and 3,150 pieces, and archaeologists are still on-site, expecting to unearth even more coins. Beyond their value as currency and historical artifacts, these coins tell the story of a country transitioning between the 980s and the 1040s, a time when foreign currency dominated and Norway would establish its own mint. On the brink of a national Norwegian mint …

Archaeologists at Pompeii Use AI to Reconstruct the Face of a Man Killed in the Volcano’s Eruption

Archaeologists at Pompeii Use AI to Reconstruct the Face of a Man Killed in the Volcano’s Eruption

Published by Sam Flores

ROME (AP) — Archaeologists and researchers at the ancient Roman site of Pompeii have used artificial intelligence for the first time to digitally reconstruct the face of a man killed in the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius that smothered the city, offering a new way to understand one of history’s most famous natural disasters. The digital portrait represents a man whose remains, along with those of another person, were discovered as they attempted to flee the city toward the coast of what is now Italy during the volcanic eruption. Researchers believe the man died early in the disaster, during a heavy fall of volcanic debris. The reconstruction was developed by the Pompeii Archaeological Park, which announced on its website that it was done in collaboration with the University of Padua and based on archaeological survey data from excavations near the Porta Stabia necropolis, just outside the walls of the ancient city. The announcement shows the AI-generated illustration of what the man could have looked like. He is shown running along a rough, debris-covered road, …

Archaeologists Discover Secret Chambers in one of Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza

Archaeologists Discover Secret Chambers in one of Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza

Published by José Betancourt

Using non-invasive technologies, researchers from Cairo University and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have located two air-filled spaces within Giza’s Menkaure pyramid that hint at a possible secret entrance. Their findings were published in the academic journal NDT & E International. The Menkaure pyramid is the smallest of the three main pyramids on Cairo’s Giza plateau. Built for the Fourth Dynasty ruler Menkaure, it was completed in the 26th century BC. It was excavated between 1906 to 1910, but has not been fully explored since then. Related Articles The structure is distinguished from its two larger neighbors by having been partially clad in red granite blocks, rather than white limestone. An unusually smooth area on its eastern facade has long intrigued researchers, due to its resemblance to a similarly polished section surrounding its north-facing main entrance. Working within the ScanPyramids project, the research team used ground-penetrating radar, ultrasound, and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to confirm the presence of voids behind this area. Their discovery supports the theory, suggested by researcher Stijn van den Hoven in …

Archaeologists discover 7-foot-tall statue of legendary Egyptian pharaoh

Archaeologists discover 7-foot-tall statue of legendary Egyptian pharaoh

Published by Jenni Sidey

Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Ramses II (1303–1213 BCE), aka Ramses the Great, is easily one of ancient Egyptian history’s most recognizable rulers. While he isn’t the pharaoh cited in the biblical story of Exodus (a common misconception), Ramses II remained a certifiably powerful and accomplished king who oversaw Egypt’s New Kingdom for roughly 66 years at the height of its influence and grandeur. This pharaoh wanted everyone to know it, too. Ramses II was responsible for many massive architectural projects across the kingdom, including sprawling temple complexes and extensive gold mining operations. These endeavors also included towering monuments carved in his image. In the eastern Nile Delta, archaeologists recently discovered the top portion of yet another statue of his highness.  The sculpture section is now stored in a secure facility for further examination. Credit: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Located at the ancient site of Imet now known as Tel Faraoun, the sculpture’s proportions are in keeping with Ramses II’s sense of …

Archaeologists Discover 6,000-Year-Old ‘Megastructure’ in Romania

Archaeologists Discover 6,000-Year-Old ‘Megastructure’ in Romania

Published by José Betancourt

Archaeologists in northeastern Romania discovered remnants of a “megastructure” that may have figured in the social and organizational structure of Cucuteni-Trypillia culture that thrived around 5,050-2,950 BCE. As reported by Phys.org, an excavation at the archaeological site known as Stăuceni-“Holm” led to findings related to a building measuring 350 square meters (around 3,800 square feet). The size, larger than individual dwellings found in the area, qualifies it as a megastructure and suggests it could have been a communal assembly hall or center for administration. Related Articles “Its prominent position near the settlement’s entrance suggests it was meant to be seen and had some considerable importance,” according to Phys.org. A paper related to the excavation published by PLOS One says the “observations, regarding the architecture and the dating of the feature in particular, provide valuable information for the discussion about the function of these special structures, of which only five others have been investigated in detail by excavation to date.” The absence of certain findings, such as grinding stones and any type of statuettes, at the site …

Archaeologists Uncover a 2,000-Year-Old Hillfort in Estonia

Archaeologists Uncover a 2,000-Year-Old Hillfort in Estonia

Published by José Betancourt

A long-lost Estonian Iron-Age fortification has been found, according to Arkeonews. While 19th-century written accounts and oral traditions had long hinted at its existence, the 2000-year-old hillfort was identified this month by archaeologists at the University of Tartu using high-resolution terrain mapping tools. The find, located at Köstrimägi in Tartu County, provides insight into early settlements in the Balkan region. Apparently occupied for only a short period of time, it appears to have been built during a turbulent period era in the region’s history. Related Articles The fort’s archictecture is unusual. Covering approximately 16,000 square feet, it is larger than most early hillforts in southern Estonia. It is also remarkable for its stepped rampart system, with shallow ditches between the ramparts. The ramparts are also low; in their original form, they may not have exceeded three feet in height, making them easy to scale. According to Professor Heiki Valk, a professor at the University of Tartu, “These layered defensive structures are highly unusual for Estonian hillforts. They suggest either external influence or a purpose beyond …

‘Space archaeologists’ use oxygen map to reconstruct a galaxy’s 12-billion-year past

‘Space archaeologists’ use oxygen map to reconstruct a galaxy’s 12-billion-year past

Published by Jenni Sidey

The oxygen in a galaxy does not sit still. It spreads, thins out, piles up, and leaves behind a record of where stars formed, where gas moved, and when smaller galaxies crashed in. In the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 1365, astronomers have now read that record in unusual detail, using oxygen as a kind of fossil trail. That work, published in Nature Astronomy, marks what the researchers describe as the first use of galactic archaeology beyond the Milky Way at this level of precision. The team, led by the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard and Smithsonian, calls the approach “extragalactic archaeology,” a way to reconstruct how a distant galaxy grew by studying the chemical fingerprints in its gas. “This is the first time that a chemical archaeology method has been used with such fine detail outside our own galaxy,” said Lisa Kewley, lead author, Harvard professor, and director of the Center for Astrophysics. “We want to understand how we got here. How did our own Milky Way form, and how did we end up breathing …

Legendary king dismissed as myth like King Arthur proven real by archaeologists | World | News

Legendary king dismissed as myth like King Arthur proven real by archaeologists | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

Archaeologists have discovered a royal decree bearing the signature of a once-legendary African monarch – retrieved directly from a centuries-old refuse pile along the Nile’s edge. The remarkable discovery, uncovered by a Polish research team from the University of Warsaw at Old Dongola in northern Sudan, carries the name of King Qashqash – a sovereign previously regarded as mythical, comparable to Britain’s King Arthur. Specialists have determined the document dates to the late 16th or early 17th century, establishing it as the earliest tangible archaeological proof of Qashqash’s genuine rule. Instead of chronicling military conquests, the Arabic decree, written by a royal scribe named Hamad, instructs a man called Khidr to exchange textiles for livestock and deliver everything to its rightful owner, concluding with a sharp directive: “do not hesitate!” Scholars suggest that instruction provides insight into the genuine royal authority and administration of a sparsely recorded period, reports The Jerusalem Post. The study describes it as a “rare glimpse into Sudanic kingship during one of the least‐documented periods in Sudanese history” and, echoing a …

How experimental archaeologists are resurrecting our forgotten past

How experimental archaeologists are resurrecting our forgotten past

Published by Jenni Sidey

SAM KEAN: My name is Sam Kean. I am the author of several books and my latest book is “Dinner with King Tut.” How rogue archaeologists are recreating the sight, sounds, smells, and tastes of lost civilizations. Part 1. Bringing Ancient History to Life Chapter 1. Resurrecting Ancient Practices If you’re thinking of Indiana Jones, traditional archaeology is not that. It’s things buried in the ground that you have to dig up, put in context, and try to piece together the past. Brushing off little pot shards and bits of bone with toothbrushes. Day after day, hour after hour. Traditional archaeology is very good about what the past looked like. So they can tell you there was a wall here, there was a building over here. You get a good general sense of the landscape and probably the range of materials that an ancient civilization was using. But what I was lacking was all of the other senses. What did the past sound like? What did it taste like? What did it smell like? So you …