Eric Van Vin @ericvanvin - Tumblr Blog

Dating to the mid-11th century, the Essen Crown is the oldest surviving example of a fleur-de-lys crown in Europe. At one point it was belived to have been the coronation crown of Otto II (980-1002), Holy Roman Emperor. Recent scholarship has determined that the mid-11th century is the more ikely period of manufacture.

thesilicontribesman

Bronze Age Shield, 'Scotland's First Warriors' Exhibition, National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh

won-der-land89

egypt-museum

Gold Inlaid Bracelet of King Psusennes I

Third Intermediate Period, 21st Dynasty, reign of Psusennes I, c. 1047-1001 BC. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 85160

yaellaharpe-blog

The golden face that Schliemann mistook for a legendary king.

Athens, National Archaeological Museum – circa 1550–1500 BC.

(English / Español / Italiano)

A sheet of hammered gold depicts a male face with solemn features: closed eyes, arched eyebrows, and a thin moustache engraved above the closed mouth. The mask was placed over the face of a deceased individual inside one of the pit graves at Grave Circle A in Mycenae, in accordance with the Mycenaean custom of covering the faces of members of the elite with gold prior to burial. It is not a realistic depiction of the deceased, but an idealised image intended to accompany him into the afterlife with royal dignity. The name by which it is known today (the Mask of Agamemnon) has no historical basis: it was Heinrich Schliemann, the archaeologist who discovered it in 1876, who attributed it to the legendary Achaean king celebrated by Homer.

Scientific dating, however, places the mask some three centuries before the period in which tradition situates the Trojan War, making the name purely conventional.

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Una lámina de oro martillada reproduce un rostro masculino de rasgos solemnes: ojos cerrados, cejas arqueadas y un bigote fino grabado sobre la boca apretada. La máscara fue colocada sobre el rostro de un difunto en el interior de una de las tumbas de fosa del Círculo A de Micenas, siguiendo la costumbre micénica de cubrir con oro los rostros de los miembros de la élite antes del entierro. No se trata de una representación realista del difunto, sino de una imagen idealizada concebida para acompañarlo al más allá con dignidad real. El nombre con el que se la conoce hoy en día (Máscara de Agamenón) carece de fundamento histórico: fue Heinrich Schliemann, el arqueólogo que la descubrió en 1876, quien se la atribuyó al legendario rey aqueo cantado por Homero.

Sin embargo, la datación científica sitúa la máscara unos tres siglos antes de la época en la que la tradición sitúa la guerra de Troya, lo que hace que el nombre sea puramente convencional.

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Una lamina d'oro battuta a martello riproduce un volto maschile dai tratti solenni: occhi chiusi, sopracciglia arcuate, baffi sottili incisi sopra la bocca serrata. La maschera era posata sul viso di un defunto all'interno di una delle tombe a fossa della Grave Circle A di Micene, secondo l'usanza micenea di coprire d'oro i volti dei membri dell'elite prima della sepoltura. Non è una raffigurazione realistica del defunto, ma un'immagine idealizzata pensata per accompagnarlo nell'aldila' con dignita' regale. Il nome con cui è conosciuta oggi (Maschera di Agamennone) non ha alcun fondamento storico: fu Heinrich Schliemann, l'archeologo che la scopri' nel 1876, ad attribuirla al leggendario re acheo cantato da Omero.

La datazione scientifica colloca pero' la maschera circa tre secoli prima dell'epoca in cui la tradizione colloca la guerra di Troia, rendendo il nome puramente convenzionale.

Source: ANTICAE VIAE

toyastales

Gaston Lafitte, Butterfly woman brooch, around 1900.

pmamtraveller

By Olga Beliaeva

faer1etale

Really like it when Aphrodite is depicted wearing bigass headwear, huge fan of that btw

(This one isnt that big but who cares)

nikaapteros

my favorite sculpture

memories-of-ancients

Rock crystal bracelet, Moche culture, Peru, 1-800 AD

from The Museo Larco, Lima, Peru

blueiscoool

Ancient Pompeii Doctor Identified by Medical Instruments Found in Cast

A doctor caught while trying to flee the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, carrying the tools of his profession. The finding is the latest extraordinary discovery at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, made more than sixty years after the excavation of the Orto dei Fuggiaschi.

The breakthrough came from the study of a small case hidden inside the plaster of a human cast, found during the investigations directed by Amedeo Maiuri in 1961. The area, then occupied by a vineyard, revealed casts were of fourteen people caught in the pyroclastic cloud in a desperate attempt to save themselves.

Recent analyses of the materials stored in the deposits of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii have brought to light an exceptionally interesting personal trousseau: a small box made of organic material with metal elements, a fabric bag with bronze and silver coins and a series of instruments compatible with a medical kit.

How the physician of ancient Pompeii was identified

Diagnostic investigations using X-rays and tomography at the Maria Rosaria Nursing Home have revealed a slate plate inside the case, -likely used for preparing medical or cosmetic substances - and small metal instruments that can be interpreted as surgical tools. These findings support the hypothesis that the victim was a doctor, offering a rare and valuable clue about his profession.

The use of advanced diagnostic technologies, including CT scans supported by Artificial Intelligence and 3D reconstructions, made it possible to analyse the content of the cast without compromising its integrity. This approach opens new possibilities for studying Pompeian casts and has also uncovered previously unknown details of the chest’s sophisticated mechanical design, including a toothed-wheel locking system.

The research is the result of interdisciplinary work that has seen archaeologists, restorers, physical anthropologists, archaeobotanists, numismatists, radiologists, diagnostic technicians and digital modelling specialists working together, restoring not just an object, but an interrupted life story.

"Already two thousand years ago, there were those who were not just doctors during set hours, but doctors at all times—even in the moment of their escape from the eruption, cut short by the pyroclastic cloud that engulfed a group of fugitives attempting to leave the city through Porta Nocera." commented Park Director Gabriel Zuchtriegel.

"This man brought his tools with him to be ready to rebuild his life elsewhere, thanks to his profession, but perhaps also to help others. We dedicate this small but significant discovery to all the women and men who today continue to carry out this profession with a very high sense of responsibility and service to the community," Zuchtriegel concluded.

By Fortunato Pinto.

egypt-museum

Mummy Mask of Hekaemsaf

The burial of Hekaemsaf, “Chief of Royal Boats” under King Amasis of the 26th Dynasty, reveals extraordinary craftsmanship and deep spiritual symbolism. His mummy was adorned with a stunning repoussé gold mask, featuring eyes of feldspar, obsidian pupils, and delicate details in lapis lazuli.

Framed by an elegant hairstyle and beard, his face is both lifelike and divine. Across his chest lies a magnificent collar of beaded rows ending in golden falcon heads.

Late Period, 26th Dynasty, ca. 570-526 BC.

Now in the Grand Egyptian Museum. N. 2362