All posts by Archaeology World Team

ASIA, JAPAN, WORLD

Japan’s Oldest Multiplication Table Discovered in Nara, Dating Back 1,300 Years

Japan’s Oldest Multiplication Table Discovered in Nara, Dating Back 1,300 Years

Japan’s Oldest Multiplication Table Discovered in Nara, Dating Back 1,300 Years

A strip of wood discovered in the ruins of  Fujiwara Palace in  Nara Prefecture turned out to be part of Japan’s oldest multiplication table dating back about 1300 years.

The Fujiwara Palace site is the remains of an ancient capital city located in the environs of Takadono-chō and Daigo-chō in the city of Kashihara, and according to the Nihon Shoki chronicle the move to Fujiwara-kyo from the Asuka Palace was made in 694, and it was used until the capital moved to Nara in 710. The first capital city in Japan to be constructed using the Chinese model was Fujiwara.

The discovery was announced on 4 September by the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.

The wooden strip was unearthed in 2001 from what is believed to have been the site of an “Emon-fu guards’ office within the central government of Fujiwara-kyo, the ancient capital of Japan. 

The 16.2-centimeter-by-1.2-cm strip appears to be a piece of a larger multiplication table dating between the late seventh to early eighth century.

It is believed to have been used in government offices and other places at the time, and it is believed to be one of the oldest wooden tablets in Japan that contains a practical list of multiplication tables.

Photo: Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties

The wooden tablet, when viewed under infrared light, reveals inscriptions such as:

9 x 9 = 81

4 x 9 = 36

6 x 8 = 48

 All were written in what researchers presume are Kanji or Chinese characters.

The chart begins with the nine times table, with five equations written horizontally in a single line. During the initial stage of research, only a portion of the multiplication table was legible. Because the characters seemed to lack any regularity, the team previously classified it as someone’s practice tablet.

“If the multiplication table was whole, the wooden tablet would measure 33 centimeters in length with all the equations written out,” said Kuniya Kuwata, Chief researcher at Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.

“I initially thought Japanese multiplication charts only had 2 to 3 equations per line, so I was genuinely surprised to find one with so many, similar to those in China and Korea,” Kuwata added.

While the tables previously found in Japan consisted of two to three rows, this five-line style seems to match those of the Qin and Han dynasties of China, which lasted from about the third century BC to the third century AD.

However, although the use of written characters in the multiplication table is confirmed by artifacts dated to the late 7th century, researchers do not exclude the possibility that the table was created during the Kofun Period, which lasted from approximately the middle of the third to the seventh century. Also, they posit it was used to design the iconic burial mounds associated with the period.

The tablet is believed to have been used by the “Emon-fu” office, responsible for security and other administrative duties, likely for calculating the workdays of officials or tax-related figures.

The team’s findings were published in the Nara National Research Institute’s Annual Bulletin 2024.

EUROPE, TURKEY, WORLD

3 Bronze Shields and Helmet of 2700 Years Old Belonging to Urartians Found in Ayanis Castle

3 Bronze Shields and Helmet of 2700 Years Old Belonging to Urartians Found in Ayanis Castle

3 Bronze Shields and Helmet of 2700 Years Old Belonging to Urartians Found in Ayanis Castle

Three bronze shields and a bronze helmet dedicated to Haldi, the chief god of the Urartians, were discovered during excavations at the Ayanis Castle in Van province in eastern Türkiye.

The discovery was announced on the social media account of Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism.

Ayanis Castle was built on a rocky hill close to Ağartı village whose old name was “Ayanis” and situated on the east bank of Lake Van, 38 km east of the capital Tuşpa.

Ayanis Castle, where the temple of Haldi, one of the most intact Urartian temples, is located, was built by the last great King of Urartu, Rusa II, in the mid-7th century BC. Written evidence shows that the fortress was destroyed by a major earthquake and associated fires 20 to 25 years after its construction.

 In the Ayanis Castle, known to be the last castle of the Urartu Kingdom, the archeological excavations are ongoing since 1989.

The excavations were conducted under the presidency of Prof. Dr. Altan Çilingiroğlu within the scope of Ege University “Van Project” until 2012. The studies are rendered by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Işıklı, associate in the Archeology Department, Literature Faculty, Atatürk University since 2013.

Photo: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism

For the last few seasons, the excavation team has been trying to uncover the structures associated with the Haldi Temple in the citadel. In the 2024 excavation season, three bronze shields and a bronze helmet dedicated to Haldi, the chief god of the Urartians, were unearthed.

The artifacts found during the excavations in the monumental temple complex dedicated to the god Haldi reflect the richness of Urartian metalwork.

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Işıklı said in his statement, ‘In this year’s excavations, we unearthed 3 bronze shields and 1 helmet, which were found in very good condition.

The shields and helmet are dedicated to Haldi, the chief god and god of war. As you know, Ayanis Castle suffered a great earthquake. Because of this earthquake, there is a big collapse caused by the mudbrick walls.

Many artifacts are deformed because of this. but the artefacts found are in very good condition because they were found on the floor of the room at a depth of about 6-7 meters. Of course, we have some minor fractures and we will complete these with restoration and conservation.’

Photo: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism

“There is also a bronze helmet among the artifacts found. We guess that it is a decorated and ceremonial helmet. Because we can see some decorations now, of course, it will be possible to see these ornaments and decorations more clearly after a comprehensive restoration and conservation,” he added.

Professor Işıklı stated that there is strong evidence that the site was used by a royal and religious elite group.

After 36 years of excavations, the Ayanis fortress has yielded a rich collection of bronze artifacts, especially bronze weapons. To date, more than 30 bronze shields have been unearthed during the excavations of the castle.

EUROPE, TURKEY, WORLD

New Discovery at Karahan Tepe: The Figure of a Running Wild Donkey Carved on Stone

New Discovery at Karahan Tepe: The Figure of a Running Wild Donkey Carved on Stone

New Discovery at Karahan Tepe: The Figure of a Running Wild Donkey Carved on Stone

The figure of a running wild donkey carved on a stone was discovered during excavations at Karahan Tepe, a Pre-Pottery Neolithic site located in Şanlıurfa, southeast Türkiye.

 Karahan Tepe is one of the Pre Pottery Neolithic Sites emerging in what is known as the Taş Tepeler Region of Southeast Turkey in the province of Şanlıurfa. Located just 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Göbekli Tepe,  Karahantepe is part of the Taş Tepeler (Stone Hills) project.

New Discovery at Karahan Tepe: The Figure of a Running Wild Donkey Carved on Stone

Taş Tepeler simply means stone hills and is an apt description of a region producing numerous sites characterized by T-shaped anthropomorphic pillars of the type that first came to prominence at Göbekli Tepe.

2024 excavations continue in Karahan Tepe, where more than 250 obelisks in the ‘T’ shape were found. In this context, a depiction of a running wild donkey figure was uncovered on one of the stones paved on the floor.

Karahan Tepe Excavation Head Prof. Dr. Necmi Karul told AA correspondent that excavation works are continuing at 10 points including Karahan Tepe within the scope of the Taş Tepeler (Stone Hills) Project.

Stating that they have been working on other public buildings and huts around the central public building in Karahan Tepe this year and that they started to open one of them a few weeks ago, Karul said:

‘The building is sunken into the ground and has a wattle and daub roof system over a short stone wall. We understand that the floor was paved with large flat stones. Some of these stone pavements were used as grinding stones and on one of them we came across a wild donkey motif.

There are animals that are decisive in the iconography of this period. We divide them into 2 categories. The first one is the animals whose eeriness is emphasised, and we see these especially on the obelisks. Another group consists of birds and the most consumed animals, among which the gazelle is the most popular.

Wild donkeys are also among the other consumed animals. We can say that these animals were the animals that people were around, consumed and lived with during this period, compared to the scary ones. Similarly, this wild donkey is a figure placed in a base with grinding stones and carved in motion.

In this respect, we have encountered some figures on building bases in Göbeklitepe before, but this is the first time we have encountered such a moving wild donkey motif. This is a find that will contribute a little more to our understanding of the animal iconography and the relationship between man and his environment.’

Stating that the structures they are currently working on are places dating back to 11 thousand years ago, Karul pointed out that the presence of grinding stones in them indicates that daily life activities were also carried out here.

Stating that the presence of such animal depictions or obelisks in these places also proves that there are symbolic aspects, Karul said:

‘The donkey figure found is a figure of about 20 centimeters in length placed right next to the grinding stone, but the fact that it is mobile rather than its dimensions and that it is depicted in proportion to the stone on which it is carved, is again an indicator of the skill of the artists of this period.

This is the first example we have encountered as a figure on the floors of buildings in  Karahan Tepe. This, of course, shows that there may be similar ones. We have not yet reached the floor levels of many of the huts mentioned here. We are deepening them in different structures. There are other places where we will reach those levels.’

Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism, shared on his social media account that Karahan Tepe sheds light on the depths of history as one of the most important settlements of the Neolithic Age and that the Stone Hills project continues to shed light on world history.

EUROPE, SCOTLAND, WORLD

Pictish ring believed to be more than 1,000-years-old found during Burghead fort dig in Scotland

Pictish ring believed to be more than 1,000-years-old found during Burghead fort dig in Scotland

A “remarkable” Pictish ring thought to be more than 1,000 years old has been unearthed by an amateur archaeologist on a dig at the Burghead Fort in Moray, Scotland.

Burghead Fort was a Pictish promontory fort on the site now occupied by the small town of Burghead in Moray, Scotland. The area was thought to have been ‘archaeologically vandalized’ in the 1800s when a town was built on top of it.

The ring, whose center is believed to be garnet or red glass, is presently being examined for analysis by the post-excavation service of the National Museum of Scotland. It is hoped to contribute to our understanding of the enigmatic Picts, whose kingdoms have been lost to time as they had no written record.

Before being found by a volunteer in a dig overseen by the University of Aberdeen, the kite-shaped ring with a garnet or red glass center had been hidden at the Burghead fort for over a millennium.

Despite being a recognized Pictish site, most people believed that its historical significance had been lost when the town of Burghead was built in the 1800s, enclosing most of the fort and removing the stone that was still needed for construction.

A reconstruction of Burghead (Alice Watterson)

Among the families encouraged to relocate to the new town to support the fishing industry were the ancestors of John Ralph – a former engineer and graduate of the University of Aberdeen who has enjoyed a 50-year association with his alma mater.  When he retired, John Ralph had signed up as a volunteer for the Burghead digs. On the last day of the dig, he found the ring.

Mr Ralph said: “It is a real thrill to dig up an artifact in the knowledge that you are probably the first person to see it for 1,000-1,500 years. It becomes a real guessing game of who owned it, what they used it for, and how it was lost.”

University’s Professor of Archaeology, Gordon Noble has led excavation work, funded by Historical Environment Scotland, over the last three years which has shed new light on the importance of the site and enabled the development of 3-D reconstructions of how it might once have looked.

Professor Noble says that what he was presented with was ‘truly remarkable’.

Photo: University of Aberdeen

“Even before the conservation work we could see it was something really exciting as despite more than a thousand years in the ground we could see glints of the possible garnet setting.

“There are very few Pictish rings which have ever been discovered and those we do know about usually come from hoards which were placed in the ground deliberately for safekeeping in some way. We certainly weren’t expecting to find something like this lying around the floor of what was once a house but that had appeared of low significance so, in typical fashion, we had left work on it until the final day of the dig.”

Professor Noble added: “We will now look at the ring, evidence of buildings, and other artifacts to consider whether the ring was crafted on the site and who such an important piece of jewelry might have been made for.

“We have some other evidence of metalworking and the number of buildings we have uncovered is quite striking. This further indicator of the high-status production of metalwork adds to the growing evidence that Burghead was a really significant seat of power in the Pictish period.”

John Ralph with the ring. Photo: University of Aberdeen

The Picts were descended from native Iron Age people who lived in what is now Scotland, north of the Rivers Clyde and Forth, between 300 and 900 AD, according to the Highland Pictish Trail.

While archaeology can reveal a great deal about these communities, information regarding their kingdoms, cultures, and beliefs has been lost to myth and mystery because none of their written records have survived to this day.

The public will be able to learn more about this find and the ongoing work at Burghead at an open day to be held at the fort on Sunday, September 8 from 10 am to 4 pm.

EUROPE, TURKEY, WORLD

2nd-Century Statue Head Discovered at Fethiye Castle

2nd-Century Statue Head Discovered at Fethiye Castle

2nd-Century Statue Head Discovered at Fethiye Castle

Türkiye’s coastal town of  Fethiye, which is famous for its natural beauties and historical sites, found an 1800-year-old  statue head thought to belong to the god Apollo during excavations in Fethiye castle.

The castle was originally built during the time of the ancient Lycian city of Telmessos. Fethiye Castle was vital in protecting the ancient Lycian city of Telmessos.

The fortress was an essential part of the city’s defensive infrastructure, ensuring the safety and security of its inhabitants.

This ancient city was the largest and most important in the Lycian region, making the castle a significant structure for the area. The Castle of Fethiye has witnessed several transitions in its history.

During the Byzantine period, it underwent significant reconstruction, and later, it was taken over by the Knights of St. John.

Under the direction of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in cooperation with the Muğla Governorship, the district governorship, Fethiye Municipality, and Fethiye Museum, the excavation work at the castle, which is situated in the Kesikkapı neighborhood of the Fethiye district, is still ongoing. Three years ago, the excavation got underway.

During the excavation, which was conducted under the scientific responsibility of Professor Kadir Pektaş, a statue head believed to belong to Apollo was discovered in the castle wall.

Pektaş, who is also the scientific director of the Fethiye Castle excavation, informed Anadolu Agency (AA) that the excavation work is part of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s “Legacy to the Future” project.

“During our work in the inner castle, in the area where the flagpole is located, a statue head, which we estimate to date back to the period around the A.D. second century, was found inside the wall.

This is a very important piece for us. In addition, coins from the Turkish-Islamic period, the Ottoman period, and the Menteşe Beylik were also discovered,” he said.

He mentioned that research is ongoing to determine to whom the statue head belongs, saying: “The statue head may belong to Apollo or another historical figure.”

In the interior of the fortress, cannonballs, items used in daily life and ceramic fragments were also unearthed.

AFRICA, EGYPT, WORLD

The first and largest astronomical observatory of the 6th century BC discovered in Egypt’s Kafr El-Sheikh

The first and largest astronomical observatory of the 6th century BC discovered in Egypt’s Kafr El-Sheikh

The first and largest astronomical observatory of the 6th century BC discovered in Egypt’s Kafr El-Sheikh

Archaeologists in Egypt unveiled the first and largest astronomical observatory from the 6th century BCE in the Buto Temple at Tell El-Faraeen archaeological site located in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate.

The discovery was announced on the social media account of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

The observatory, which was made of mud brick, was crucial for monitoring the movements of the sun and stars. This astounding discovery demonstrates the ancient Egyptians’ profound understanding of and proficiency with astronomy.

“It highlights the advanced astronomical knowledge of the ancient Egyptians, including their ability to determine the solar calendar and significant religious and agricultural dates,” said Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA).

The structure also gives an insight into the sophisticated techniques employed by the ancient Egyptians using simple tools, he added.

The place where the first and largest Egyptian astronomical observatory from the sixth century BC was found

The head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Ayman Ashmawy, said that the astronomical observatory building covers approximately 850 square meters.

It consists of an entrance facing east where the sun rises, he added, with a central columned hall open in the shape of the letter “L” preceded by a huge, high wall of mud bricks with an inward slope, resembling the style of the Egyptian edifice known in temple entrances.

Ashmawy said that the mission also found five mud brick rooms likely used to store tools, four small mud brick rooms, and a small stone room representing the observatory tower.

Some of the objects found in the astronomical observatory.

Among the key discoveries is a rare slanted stone sundial, referred to as a shadow clock, of its kind from that era. This sundial is made up of a 4.80-meter-long row of straight limestone slabs. On top were five flat blocks of limestone, two horizontal and three vertical.

These slabs most likely had inclined lines on them that were used to gauge the sun’s shadow and angle, which made it easier to track the sun’s movements throughout the day.

Archaeologists also discovered a stone fixed to the floor of a circular chamber inside the observatory and two additional circular stones used to measure the sun’s inclination.

Some of the objects found in the astronomical observatory.

The work uncovered numerous artifacts, including a statue from the 26th Dynasty, a Merkhet measuring tool, and various religious items and pottery related to daily life and rituals, the ministry said in a statement.

The discovery highlights the value of Egyptian archaeological efforts in revealing new facets of the nation’s rich past and offers deeper insights into the scientific and religious practices of the ancient Egyptians.

BULGARIA, EUROPE, WORLD

Unique Gold Artefacts of Thracian horses Found in Bulgaria

Unique Gold Artefacts of Thracian Horseman Found in Bulgaria

Unique Gold Artefacts of Thracian Horseman Found in Bulgaria

The Topolovgrad Municipality posted on its Facebook page on Wednesday that during excavations at the site of a Thracian warrior’s tomb in the Topolovgrad village of Kapitan Petko Voyvoda, valuable and unique archaeological artifacts, including gold jewelry, were found.

Among them are as well as numerous weapons, a breastplate, a gold necklace, a gold diadem, a gold ring, a knife decorated with gold elements, and semi-precious stones. A horse was also found buried next to the human body, indicating that the warrior must have been a horseman from a rich family.

The archaeologists, led by Daniela Agre, say some of the finds are unparalleled among those ever discovered in Bulgaria. The findings are valuable not only for Bulgaria, but also for Europe.

On the second day of excavations, the team found the tomb of a Thracian warrior from the Roman troops from the early 1st century AD and unique artifacts.

‘The tomb contains all the battle equipment of this warrior. There is a very interesting braided breastplate, which was very rare in Roman times.

An unusual hunting knife with a handle decorated with precious stones, with motifs that we have not come across in Thrace since that period, has a gold necklace that is unique in our country at this stage,” said Daniela Agre.

The handle of the hunting knife was decorated with precious stones and one of the gold bands depicted hunting dogs.

The archaeologists, led by Daniela Agre, say some of the finds are unparalleled among those ever discovered in Bulgaria.

We will be able to see the gold ornaments in their full glory by the end of the week when they will be moved to the museum in Topolovgrad, where a special room is already being built to protect them and meet all the requirements. Until then, however, the site will be guarded around the clock by the police.

Thracian warriors were the most famous light infantry soldiers in the classical world. They were known as Thracian peltasts because of the peltast shields they carried. The pelta was crescent-shaped, made of wicker covered with goat or sheepskin, and carried by a central handgrip.

The Thracian peltasts had a much bigger panoply, including knives (to defend themselves because these light troops were very vulnerable in close fight) as well as swords or spears of various kinds, thus opening to them a great diversity of formations of fight.

From the Fourth Century BC onwards, peltasts became an integral part of Greek armies, and Thracians formed part of the army that Alexander took into Asia, where, at the Battle of the Jhelum in 326 BC.

EUROPE, ITALY, WORLD

A Sacred Area from the Copper Age and 5000-years-old A Stele Decorated Discovered in Italy

A Sacred Area from the Copper Age and 5000-years-old A Stele Decorated Discovered in Italy

A Sacred Area from the Copper Age and 5000-years-old A Stele Decorated Discovered in Italy

The remains of a sacred area that dates back at least four thousand years have been discovered during excavations for the new gymnasium at the primary school in Berbenno di Valtellina in the northern Lombardy region of Italy.

The excavations for constructing the gymnasium of the primary school, carried out with PNNR funds, brought to light several archaeological structures, including a lithic cist tomb (i.e. a chest made of stone slabs, arranged in a cut-out pattern). The burial, which contained the remains of at least two individuals, was surrounded by a circle of stones and was likely covered by a mound.

Although the exact dating of this tomb is unknown, it may be from the end of the Copper Age or the start of the Bronze Age, some four thousand years ago.

In northern Italy, the Bronze Age spanned approximately 2300/1150 cal BC, during which prehistoric communities underwent a gradual yet significant transformation. Funerary evidence and sacred or ritual sites, where adornment objects played a different but significant role, are the main sources of information about this period.

This is an exceptional find, the first of its kind in Valtellina, and made all the more remarkable by the fact that one of the walls of the tomb was constructed using an ornate stele from 5,000 years ago, similar to those found in the Teglio area and currently on display in Palazzo Besta.

This stele greatly extends the distribution area of these artifacts, which until now had never been found west of Chiuro.  The stele, which by the nature of the engraved objects is male, and may have originally been part of an alignment, located in a sort of prehistoric sanctuary.

“It can certainly be said that what is emerging from the excavations represents one of the most important archaeological discoveries ever made in Valtellina”, says Stefano Rossi, Inspectorate archaeologist official.

The stele is found as part of the walls of the tomb.

“Several artifacts recovered since the nineteenth century had already indicated that human presence in Berbenno dated back at least to the Bronze Age, but these new findings move the frequentation of the area back at least a thousand years. In particular, the stele statue constitutes the most western testimony of this important cultural phenomenon, dating back to over five thousand years ago.”

The excavation operations were carried out with the archaeological assistance of the specialized archaeological company Sap, which allowed these important structures to be recognized.

Since archeological research is still being done, more details may soon be added to the already intriguing picture that has so far come to light. As things stand, it appears feasible to assume that the remains could be removed for enhancement somewhere once the excavations are finished, enabling the project to move forward.