BlueisCoool

BlueisCoool

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The Dog Rock

The dog rock in Walpole, Massachusetts.

📸 Massachusetts

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Leonardo da Vinci 'Mona Lisa'

📸 Art/Artistic

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1,740-Year-Old Roman Coin of Upstart Emperor Carausius Found in England

Railway Construction Reveals a Coin Minted by a Roman Officer Who Proclaimed Himself ‘Emperor of the North’ in Britain 1,700 Years Ago

Archaeologists in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire unearthed a silver denarius bearing the name of Carausius, who ruled the breakaway state of Britannia between 286 and 293.

For a brief period in the third century C.E., a Roman naval officer named Marcus Aurelius Mausaeus Carausius presided over Britain and northern Gaul as the self-declared “emperor of the north.”

Tasked with stopping pirate attacks in the North Sea, Carausius instead seized the raiders’ treasure for himself, attracting the ire of the Roman co-emperor Maximian. To escape punishment, he established a breakaway state in 286.

During his seven years in power, Carausius minted an array of coins “for propaganda purposes, emphasizing themes, such as local agriculture and wealth production, which would have been essential for Britain’s survival outside the Roman Empire,” historian Adam Rogers wrote for the Conversation in 2017. Now, one of these coins—a denarius dated to 287—has resurfaced along the route of a planned railway in England.

Other finds include a Roman jar (pictured) as well as a Late Iron Age vase and fragments of pottery.

Archaeologists unearthed the ancient coin while conducting excavations in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire, two neighboring counties in the east of England. Per a statement from the East West Railway Company, the team also found a late Iron Age vase, pottery fragments, and a second coin believed to date to the reign of either Antoninus Pius (138 to 161) or Marcus Aurelius (161 to 180).

“We know from other projects nearby that this part of Britain has a rich archaeological landscape, and we weren’t disappointed,” Mike Court, historic environment lead at East West Rail, tells Andrea Margolis. “By the time we [are] finished, we expect to find archaeology from most, if not all, periods of British history and prehistory.”

The East West Rail is an ambitious project that will connect Oxford and Cambridge. Ahead of construction, archaeologists have examined 1,000 trial trenches, or designated areas that experts can rapidly assess to detect historically significant artifacts. Over the next two years, the company notes on its website, researchers plan to survey an additional 6,000 trial trenches.

“We’re working closely with landowners and local communities throughout the process to minimize disruption, keep people informed and restore land as closely as possible to its previous condition once works are complete,” says Jorn Pace, a program manager at East West Rail, in the statement.

Previous finds made by the East West Rail team include a 4,000-year-old Bronze Age cemetery, Jurassic and Cretaceous period fossils, and ancient brooches and bracelets. As Court explains to Fox News Digital, the newly unveiled Carausius coin is “particularly interesting” because it allows the archaeologists to date their discoveries to a specific era in British history. Other evidence found nearby suggests that the site was once home to a Roman settlement.

Details of Carausius’ life are sparse, limited mainly to “problematic textual sources, a few propaganda images, and limited text on coins and medallions,” per the Conversation. Born in what is now Belgium, Carausius was “an obvious choice” to take control of the Classis Britannica, a Roman fleet based in Britain, biographer Simon Elliott told Military History Quarterly’s Zita Ballinger Fletcher in 2022. He’d previously helped Maximian, who was appointed senior co-emperor by Diocletian in 286, defeat attacks by Germanic tribes on land.

“However, Carausius proved so successful that many at court grew jealous and began to turn the emperor against him,” Elliott said. Eventually, the naval commander decided that he had no choice but to establish an empire of his own—no small feat at a time when the punishment for backing the wrong claimant was death.

Carausius’ rise to power probably involved “a long and gradual process of gaining support and influence, aided by Britain’s remote position on the edge of the empire and its growing dissatisfaction with the workings of Rome,” Rogers wrote for the Conversation.

A gold coin minted by Carausius

According to the North Yorkshire-based Malton Museum, Carausius took deliberate measures to distinguish his realm from the Roman Empire, establishing mints in London and Colchester that produced “gold and silver coins of superb quality,” in contrast with the debased coinage of Diocletian and Maximian.

In 293, Maximian’s son-in-law Constantius dealt a decisive blow to Carausius, capturing the British-held settlement of Gesoriacum. That same year, Carausius was assassinated by a man named Allectus, who probably served as his finance minister. Allectus succeeded Carausius as the ruler of Britain, but his reign proved short-lived, too, with Constantius seizing control of the region in 296.

“Before Carausius’ usurpation, the imperial center was growing weary of troublesome Britain, but having committed to recapturing it from Carausius and Allectus (so as not to lose face), it was then not an option to leave in the short term,” Elliott told Military History Quarterly. “The revolt kept Britain on the imperial map for another century at least.”

By Meilan Solly.

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Worlds Oldest Known Copper Crown

This artifact is believed to be the world's oldest known copper crown, dating back approximately 6,000 years to the Chalcolithic period (4500–3500 BCE).

It was discovered in 1961 as part of the "Nahal Mishar Hoard" in the Cave of the Treasure in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea. The crown is fashioned from copper using the lost wax casting method and features protuberances shaped like vultures and building facades.

Housed in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

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Divers Uncover Bronze Age Sword Off The English Coast

A rare Bronze Age sword believed to be about 3,000 years old has been discovered by divers investigating underwater archaeological sites.

The weapon was found at the Salcombe Cannon and Moor Sand protected wreck sites off south Devon by members of the South West Maritime Archaeological Group.

The sword was discovered by volunteer divers Becky Gill and Catherine Gill during work funded by Historic England. "A kid at Christmas does not come close to the excitement of finding this sword," said Becky.

Previous discoveries from the area include Bronze Age swords, axe heads, a gold bracelet, gold ingots and more than 400 gold coins, possibly from two Bronze Age shipwrecks.

"It is an amazing thrill to find and recover an object from under the sea, that turns out to be a Bronze Age sword," said Catherine.

"I wonder where and who made it, who was planning to use it, and who was the last person to touch it, before us, around 3,000 years ago."

Experts believe the sword dates from the Middle or Late Bronze Age, between about 1300 BC and 800 BC, although further study is needed because parts of it have been worn away by centuries underwater.

Neil Wilkin, of the British Museum, said the latest discovery was "a wonderful and important addition" to the story of the Salcombe site and could help researchers better understand maritime trade and travel around Britain's coast 3,000 years ago.

After conservation work is completed, the sword will be donated to the British Museum for further study and future research.

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2,400-Year-Old Sword Found Beside Child in Gaulish Burial

An iron sword discovered beside the remains of a child at an Iron Age settlement in central France is providing archaeologists with rare insight into the social and ritual practices of the Gauls more than 2,400 years ago.

The weapon was uncovered during excavations carried out by the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap) at the Bois Médor site in Pithiviers, Loiret, where archaeologists investigated a large Gaulish settlement dating to the fifth and fourth centuries BC.

The excavation, conducted in 2010 ahead of a road bypass project, revealed a series of large storage silos that had later been repurposed as rubbish pits. Among them, archaeologists found the remains of six individuals buried in four separate deposits across three silos, many displaying unusual positions and evidence that their bodies had been deliberately manipulated.

One silo contained a multiple burial of three individuals, two of whom had been placed face down. Another held the body of a man whose hands and feet had been bound together, with his head separated from the rest of the skeleton.

The most remarkable discovery came from a third silo dating to the end of the fifth century BC. There, archaeologists uncovered the remains of a child, believed to have been younger than 15, curled against the edge of the pit. The burial included a fibula, possible fragments of a shield and an iron sword enclosed within its scabbard.

The sword had been placed beside the child’s legs rather than worn, prompting researchers to question its significance. They suggest the burial may represent a very young warrior or a child destined for that role.

Although the sword is of a standard form and size, it is among the oldest examples discovered in the Loiret department. Its undecorated scabbard is particularly unusual, as sword scabbards from the early Late Iron Age were typically ornamented.

The find has raised several unanswered questions. Archaeologists are investigating whether the plain scabbard and the absence of other weapons reflect the child’s young age and an incomplete martial education, or whether the sword served a symbolic rather than practical purpose.

Burials of young individuals accompanied by weapons are exceptionally rare, even in formal Iron Age cemeteries. The combination of a child’s remains, military equipment and an unconventional burial within a former storage silo makes the Pithiviers discovery one of the most unusual examples known from the period.

The discovery forms part of Inrap’s scientific and cultural season dedicated to Iron Age Gaul, highlighting archaeological finds that continue to reshape understanding of Celtic societies in pre-Roman France.

By Mark Milligan.

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Archaeologists Uncover 3,000-Year-Old Tomb Near Egypt's Luxor

Archaeologists uncovered a 3,000-year-old tomb near the southern Egyptian city of Luxor, authorities said on Sunday, the latest in a series of discoveries that officials hope will boost tourism.

The tomb, identified as belonging to a man named Paser, was found by a Dutch archaeological mission from Leiden University in the Sheikh Abd el-Qurna necropolis on Luxor's West Bank, according to Egypt's tourism and antiquities ministry. The team of archeologists will work to identify people buried there and learn more about them.

Specialists believe the tomb dates to the Ramesside period, which spans Egypt's 19th and 20th dynasties, based on the artistic style of its inscriptions.

Located east of a previously known burial site, the tomb follows the traditional layout of private Theban tombs from the New Kingdom (1570-1069 BC), they added.

It consists of an open courtyard leading to a rock-cut chapel shaped like an inverted "T", with burial chambers carved beneath ground level.

Archaeologists found several well-preserved architectural elements in the courtyard, including a mudbrick bench designed to hold a funerary stela and a staircase flanked by sloping ramps leading to the entrance.

Inside, inscriptions bearing Paser's name depict him worshipping various deities inside shrines, as well as seated with his wife before an offering table.

The excavation team said further documentation and study will continue in order to determine who was buried in the tomb and to better understand its historical and archaeological context.

The discovery comes as Egypt seeks to promote new archaeological finds to support tourism, a key source of foreign currency for the country.

Luxor is home to some of the world's most significant ancient monuments and archaeological sites. The recent discovery is part of a research project that's been ongoing since 2018, according to the tourism and antiquities ministry.

Last year, also near Luxor, a large tomb belonging to a pharaoh was reopened to visitors after more than 20 years of renovation. That tomb features paintings of Amenhotep III, who ruled ancient Egypt between 1390 B.C. and 1350 B.C., along with a group of ancient Egyptian gods.

Also this year in Egypt, in the northern Beheira province, near the Mediterranean coast, archaeologists said they'd found artifacts in part of a Greco-Roman cemetery that dates back more than 2,300 years. The artifacts show the evolution of funerary practices over some six centuries.

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Water lily

📸 Plants/Flowers

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1,200-Year-Old Silver Coin Hoard Unearthed on the Baltic Coast

Archaeologists have uncovered a hoard of 59 silver dirhams dating to the 8th and early 9th centuries during excavations on the southern shore of the Kaliningrad (Vistula) Lagoon, providing new evidence for long-distance trade between the Abbasid Caliphate and northern Europe.

The discovery was made by an expedition from the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which identified the coins as Islamic dirhams minted between AD 746 and 815.

The hoard includes one coin struck during the reign of Marwan II, the last Umayyad caliph, while the remaining coins were issued under the Abbasid Caliphate, which came to power in AD 750. According to the researchers, the assemblage represents one of the earliest phases of Muslim silver entering Eastern Europe.

The majority of the coins were minted during the reign of the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid (AD 786–809), whose rule is widely regarded as the political and cultural high point of the Abbasid Caliphate. Most originated from Madinat al-Salaam—modern-day Baghdad—with 25 coins produced in the imperial capital. Other examples were minted in al-Kufa, Nishapur and al-Muhammadiyya, reflecting the extensive geographical reach of the Abbasid monetary system.

Archaeologists note that silver dirhams circulated widely across Eastern and Northern Europe during the 9th and 10th centuries, where they served not only as currency but also as a valuable source of silver for jewellery production. The flow of Islamic coinage along trade routes connected the Middle East with the Baltic region through networks used by merchants, including the Vikings and other early medieval trading communities.

Several of the coins were recovered intact, while others survive only as fragments. A number bear suspension holes, suggesting they may have been worn as ornaments, while others display small edge cuts used to test the purity and authenticity of the silver.

Based on the latest coin in the assemblage, researchers believe the hoard was buried during the mid-810s, placing it among the earliest known deposits associated with the circulation of Abbasid silver in Eastern Europe.

The discovery is expected to contribute to a better understanding of the economic and commercial links that connected the Islamic world with the Baltic during the early medieval period, when silver coinage played a central role in long-distance exchange across Eurasia.

By Mark Milligan.

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Danbo

📸 Danbo

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Very Rare Surgical Instrument Discovered at Ancient Greek City of Heraclea Sintica

Archaeologists have uncovered an exceptionally rare ancient surgical instrument once used to remove bladder stones during excavations at the ancient Greek city of Heraclea Sintica (Greek: Ἡράκλεια Σιντική) in southwestern Bulgaria.

The discovery was announced Friday by excavation director Dr. Lyudmil Vagalinski, who said the artifact was found inside a room next to the Temple of Hercules. Researchers believe it is one of the rarest medical instruments ever recovered from the ancient world.

According to the available scientific literature, only one comparable example has previously been identified, in Italy. The discovery offers rare evidence of the advanced surgical knowledge practiced by physicians during the Roman era.

Rare surgical tool sheds light on ancient medicine

Dr. Vagalinski identified the artifact as a lithoulkos, a specialized Greco-Roman instrument used by ancient surgeons during operations to remove bladder stones.

Bladder stone surgery was considered one of the most difficult and dangerous medical procedures of antiquity. Even so, doctors operated because untreated stones could cause severe pain and other serious complications.

Although incomplete, the newly discovered instrument has survived remarkably well. Archaeologists recovered its bronze handle, which is decorated with embossed rings. The curved hook tips that formed the working end of the tool have not survived.

Researchers say the artifact provides valuable insight into the design of ancient surgical equipment and the specialized skills required to perform complex operations.

Discovery reflects advanced Roman medical practice

Dr. Vagalinski said the discovery reflects the high standard of medical care available in Heraclea Sintica during the first three centuries of the Roman Empire, when the city experienced significant economic growth.

Ancient physicians used a wide range of surgical instruments, including scalpels, needles, curettes and spoons. However, highly specialized tools such as the lithoulkos are rarely found, making the discovery especially significant.

Researchers believe only a well-trained surgeon would have been capable of performing the delicate bladder stone procedure using such an instrument.

Ancient Roman author Pliny the Elder described bladder stones as among the most painful medical conditions. Researchers also point to the 3rd-century B.C. physician Ammonius of Alexandria, who is credited with developing a surgical method for removing bladder stones and designing specialized instruments for the operation. His work earned him the nickname “Lithotomos,” or “The Stone Cutter.”

Temple location may point to a healing center

The location of the discovery has prompted archaeologists to explore whether the building served a medical purpose alongside its religious role.

Dr. Vagalinski said the room’s position beside the Temple of Hercules supports a working hypothesis that pilgrims seeking healing through the cult of the mythical hero may have received treatment there.

Researchers stress that the idea remains preliminary. They expect a clearer understanding of the room’s function after analyzing all of the artifacts recovered during the excavation. The instrument has been stratigraphically dated to the 3rd century A.D.

Excavations continue around Temple of Hercules

Excavations at the site are continuing with a team of seven archaeologists and 34 workers. Heavy machinery is being used to remove thick river sediments around the temple before archaeologists continue careful manual excavations to document the surrounding architecture and uncover more evidence about the ancient complex.

By Nisha Zahid.

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AN EGYPTIAN LIMESTONE LION HEAD SCULPTOR'S MODEL LATE PERIOD, 30TH DYNASTY TO EARLY PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, CIRCA 380-300 B.C.

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Peppa Pig

📸 Art/Artistic

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Ancient Tombs with Golden Tongues Found at Egypt’s Marina El Alamein

Archaeologists have uncovered 18 ancient tombs and a large group of burial objects at Marina El Alamein, an ancient city on Egypt’s northwestern Mediterranean coast. The finds add fresh detail to one of Egypt’s best preserved coastal sites and show how Egyptian and Greek customs lived side by side for hundreds of years.

The latest excavation brings the total number of tombs found at Marina El Alamein to 44 since the site first came to light during construction work in 1986. Researchers also exposed new parts of the ancient city. Earlier digs found streets, homes, public buildings, a harbor, shops, and large burial grounds, showing a busy port with close links across the Mediterranean.

The new cemetery holds 11 rock cut tombs, known as hypogea, reaching about eight meters below ground. Seven more tombs stand above ground and were built from limestone. Several burial rooms stayed sealed behind heavy stone slabs for more than 2,000 years. Their contents stayed in place, giving researchers a rare look at ancient burial practices.

The team also found many simple burials around the cemetery. These graves point to people from different social groups living in the city. One former water well had later become a burial place. The change shows older Egyptian funeral customs stayed in use during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, even as Greek culture spread through the region.

One of the biggest finds was a granite sarcophagus measuring 2.5 meters long. The original lid still covered the coffin when archaeologists reached the burial chamber. Human remains found inside are now under study. Nearby, researchers uncovered parts of a plaster figure linked to Egyptian religion. Some reports describe the figure as the child god Harpocrates, while others identify a plaster sphinx. Both point to the lasting place of Egyptian beliefs in the city.

The excavation also produced a wide range of burial goods. Researchers recovered pottery vessels, amphorae, oil lamps, plates, limestone altars, stone basins, and parts of tomb buildings. Many of the pottery pieces survived almost whole after centuries underground.

One object stands out because of its link to ancient Egyptian belief. A limestone offering altar was carved in the shape of a false door. Ancient Egyptians believed such doors formed a path between the world of the living and the dead.

Other finds include an unfinished marble statue believed to show the goddess Aphrodite, a limestone funerary carving of a seated man holding a bird, and several glass tear bottles, often called lacrimaria, placed inside graves during the period.

Researchers also recovered 24 thin gold pieces placed inside the mouths of several people buried at the site. These “golden tongues” formed part of funeral rites during the time. Ancient belief held that the dead needed the gift of speech in the next life. One gold piece carries the Eye of Horus, a well known Egyptian symbol tied to safety and healing.

Marina El Alamein lies about 100 kilometers west of Alexandria and is widely linked with the ancient city of Leukaspis, named by the Greek writer Strabo. The city grew from the Hellenistic period through Byzantine rule. Trade helped the port thrive between the first and third centuries CE, bringing people and ideas from Egypt and across the Mediterranean.

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities says work at the site will continue as part of a plan to welcome visitors. Planned additions include a visitor center, walking paths, electric shuttle routes, a museum storage building, an office, and an open air theater. Officials expect the project to finish during the first half of next year.

By Dario Radley.

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A PAIR OF GREEK GOLD SPIRAL EARRINGS WITH RAM-HEAD TERMINALS 5TH CENTURY B.C.

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Portrait of a North African Man circa 300-150 B.C.

It was excavated in 1861 near the Temple of Apollo at Cyrene, located in modern-day Libya.

Found eleven feet below the mosaic floor of the Roman reconstruction of the temple (of Apollo at Cyrene), which housed the colossal cult statue of Apollo now in The British Museum. With the bronze head were found charred fragments of bronze horse's legs, and remains of gold leaf: parts of the sculpture were probably gilded. The portrait may have come from a single horseman, or from a chariot group commemorating a victory in a sporting event.

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Egypt Uncovers Lost Byzantine-era City in the Western Desert

Archaeologists have uncovered a well-preserved Byzantine-era residential city in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis, revealing new evidence of how people lived, worked, and worshipped in one of the country’s ancient desert communities.

The discovery was made by an Egyptian archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities during ongoing excavations at the Ain Al-Sabil archaeological site in New Valley Governorate. The settlement, built entirely from mudbrick, is one of the most complete Byzantine-period urban sites found in Egypt’s Western Desert.

Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, described the discovery as an important addition to the country’s archaeological record. He said it highlights the cultural diversity that flourished in Egypt’s oases across different historical periods.

He added that the find is expected to strengthen New Valley Governorate’s archaeological and tourism appeal while supporting efforts to promote the region as a destination for cultural tourism.

Excavation reveals a carefully planned settlement

Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the excavation provides valuable new information about life in Dakhla Oasis during the Byzantine period. He said the discoveries have helped researchers better understand the settlement’s urban design, social organization and economic activities.

Dr. Diaa Zahran, head of the Islamic, Coptic and Jewish Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the city followed a carefully planned layout.

Broad streets running north to south intersected with smaller roads running east to west, creating open squares and courtyards throughout the settlement. A basilica-style church overlooked one of the city’s main streets, reflecting its central role within the community.

Churches, homes and defensive structures uncovered

Dr. Mahmoud Masoud, director general of Dakhla Antiquities and head of the archaeological mission, said the city contained all the key features of a thriving residential settlement.

Archaeologists uncovered a basilica-style church dating to the mid-fourth century A.D., the remains of two watchtowers along the city’s perimeter and a heavily fortified structure with thick defensive walls.

The residential district included homes with spacious halls and vaulted ceilings, along with bread ovens, kitchens and stone tools used to grind grain. The discoveries provide fresh insight into the infrastructure that supported everyday life in the desert settlement.

Among the best-preserved buildings was the house of Tisus, a church deacon, which dates to the second half of the fourth century A.D. Archaeologists also uncovered the house of Tapibos, dating to the early fourth century A.D. Researchers believe it served as a house church before the city’s basilica was constructed.

Artifacts document commerce and daily life

The excavation produced a diverse collection of artifacts reflecting the settlement’s domestic life and economy. Researchers recovered household pottery, bottles used to store oils and perfumes, oil lamps, and stone grinding tools.

Dr. Zahran Mahdi, director of the Excavations Department at the Islamic and Coptic Antiquities Sector, said one of the most significant discoveries was a collection of about 200 ostraca, or inscribed pottery fragments, written in both Coptic and Greek.

The texts record commercial transactions, personal correspondence and other aspects of daily life, offering a rare look at the administration and social life of the community.

Archaeologists also uncovered numerous well-preserved bronze coins bearing portraits of Byzantine emperors, Latin inscriptions and Christian symbols. The mission further discovered a group of gold coins dating to the reign of Byzantine Emperor Constantius II, who ruled from A.D. 337 to 361.

Together with the inscribed ostraca, the coins provide important evidence of the city’s economy, administration and links to the wider Byzantine Empire.

By Nisha Zahid.