Aug 4
Confusing and Drowning Flux of Blood by Takato Yamamoto, 2008.
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Confusing and Drowning Flux of Blood by Takato Yamamoto, 2008.
Whalefall or archaeological mischief, the age old dichotomy.
Today's Flickr photo with the most hits: grave goods from the Heroon, Paestum (6th BCE)
Guiding the deceased through the treacherous underworld of ancient Egypt, the Book of the Dead was an essential funerary text for anyone who
A collection of spells needed to travel safely through the after life realm of Duat
The ancient Egyptians believed in an abundant afterlife where they lived alongside the gods, but first, the soul had to pass divine judgment
Black Forest, CO.
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.
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.
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.