Archaeologists discover a crude ancient weapon that could kill a man with a single blow
When many months ago, in England, an old wooden club was yanked from its watery grave in the River Thames in England, archaeologists didn’t quite know what to make of it.
The blunt tool, which is supposed to happen between 3530 and 3340 BC, does not look so good, it doesn’t really look all that impressive, but those studying it still wanted to get an idea of how it might have been used.
After making a full-sized replica for testing, it’s been determined that the unassuming tool could actually dispatch a human in short order and perhaps even with a single strike.
In a new research paper published in the journal Antiquity, scientists investigating the weapon and its origins took the extraordinary step of carving a replica for testing.
The original, which has begun to fall apart over its several thousands of years of life, is being preserved, but its stand-in demonstrated just how devastating it might have been.
The “Thames Beater,” as the weapon has been nicknamed, is modest in appearance. It consists of a thick wooden “blade” tapers down to a narrow handle with a hefty pommel on the very end. But its simple construction believes how much trauma it could cause.
Using the replica, the researchers asked a 30-year-old male volunteer to wield it in order to test its effectiveness in combat. The man was asked to bash a test dummy built of a realistic military ballistic material, complete with a faux human skull.
The “fight” proved to the archaeologists that the club would have been capable of shattering a human skull with a single hit and that the weapon could have been used in multiple different ways.
A ranged attack, with a full swing from the end of the handle, would have been useful when the target was greater than arms’ length away, while a two-handed bash using the beefy pommel may have been used when an enemy was much closer.
After testing its effectiveness, the scientists further compared the injuries the test dummy sustained with actual human skulls found in graveyards from the same time period.
They reported finding at least one with a skull fracture that looked nearly identical.
They further concluded that it’s likely the individual died as a result of a run-in with the Thames Beater or another similar blunt weapon.
Fossil hunter finds 185M-year-old ‘golden snitch’ with ancient sea creature inside
Fossils shaped like Quidditchball are only a few of the many discoveries made by amateur archeologist Aaron Smith.
On the cliffs of Whitby, Yorkshire, the medical student found various fossil items from the Jurassic period. Perhaps the most spectacular is a 185 million-year-old fossil encased by what looks like a ‘golden canon’ ball.
It is technically a rock that is coated in iron pyrite, also known as ‘fools gold’, and if you shine this material, just like Smith did, then it turns shiny and gold.
The phenomenal piece of history is thought to be 185 million-years-old and was found on Sandsend Beach. Mr. Smith, 23, is a seasoned fossil collector and continues to go and explore the seaside in hope of finding similar treasures.
He said: “In order to find fossils, pretty much anywhere in the world, you just need to put in a lot of dedication!
Smith cut the sphere open to reveal the prehistoric insides
The fossils inside are of cleviceras
“The majority of the time there is nothing really to be found but every now and again, if you’re lucky enough, and something has appeared due to a storm, for example, then you might find a rock with a fossil inside it.
“When you find a fossil, then the long intricate process begins of carefully removing the stone to expose the fossil, this can take hundreds of hours in many cases.
“It’s very exciting discovering the fossils. It makes it all worthwhile after spending months of searching.”
Aaron Smith enjoys fossil hunting in his free time
When the medical student opened up one of his freshly shined pieces of iron pyrite he found spiral-shaped cleviceras fossils. Cleviceras is an extinct type of cephalopod creature. The best-known cephalopods today are probably squids and octopuses.
The golden-snitch-like spheres with a limestone core are actually common along the Yorkshire coastline and can be found amongst the stones and shales.
Mr. Smith has previously posted a video of the golden-snitch fossil online and captioned it: “Here’s a video of us opening one of our huge Cannon Ball fossils.
“The limestone nodule is coated in Iron Pyrite, meaning we can polish it to become Golden, seen in our previous videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=465xFGK1QN8
“It still impresses me that these 185 Million-Year-Old fossils are along our beautiful Yorkshire Coastline waiting to be found.”
Archaeologists re-excavate hidden Roman bath after 130 years
The bath was first discovered and excavated 130 years ago, but was then quickly back-filled and poorly recorded.
Period 1 plunge bath, Roman Baths
Measuring 4 metres x 5 metres, it is one of eight baths known at the Roman Baths site and is beneath York Street next to the main suite of baths.
Stephen Clews, Manager of the Roman Baths, said: “The excavation of this bath is part of the most significant archaeological investigations to have taken place at the Roman Baths for more than 30 years.
It is helping us to build a picture of what was happening on the south side of the site, where it has been very difficult to gain access in the past.”
Period 1 plunge bath, Roman Baths
The excavation of the bath is part of a wider programme of investigation taking place as part of the National Lottery-funded Archway Project, which is creating a new Clore Learning Centre for the Roman Baths and a World Heritage Centre for the city.
The position of the bath means that it cannot be seen by visitors on a normal visit to the Roman Baths.
The excavation is being carried out for the Roman Baths by Cotswold Archaeology.
The Archway Project is run by Bath & North East Somerset Council, which owns and operates the Roman Baths, with the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Clore Duffield Foundation, The Roman Baths Foundation, the Garfield Weston Foundation and hundreds of other supporters and donors.
Aquae Sulis was a small town in the Roman province of Britannia that is now modern-day Bath.
The Romans had probably arrived in the area shortly after their arrival in Britain in AD 43 and there is evidence that their military road, the Fosse Way, crossed the river Avon at Bath.
Not far from the crossing point of their road, they would have been attracted by the large natural hot spring which had been a shrine of the Celtic Brythons, dedicated to their goddess Sulis.
This spring is a natural mineral spring found in the valley of the Avon River in Southwest England, it is the only spring in Britain officially designated as hot. The name is Latin for “the waters of Sulis.”
The Romans identified the goddess with their goddess Minerva and encouraged her worship that helped the native populations adapt to Roman culture.
The spring was built up into a major Roman Baths complex associated with an adjoining temple. About 130 messages to Sulis scratched onto lead curse tablets (defixiones) have so far been recovered from the Sacred Spring by archaeologists.
Over 50 burials unearthed by archaeologists in the Lincoln Cathedral included a remarkable medieval priest burial.
A skeleton is believed to be that of a medieval priest found, who had been buried in the area that is now the building’s West Parvis.
The priest had been carefully buried with a pewter chalice and paten, used during communion and key symbols of the work of the priest. Similar examples have been dated to as far back as the 12th and 13th centuries.
His burial is just one of more than 50 found immediately around the cathedral; from the West Front at the main entrance to the Dean’s Green to the north.
The burials were found during excavations by Lincoln-based Allen Archaeology Ltd as part of the National Lottery-funded Lincoln Cathedral Connected project. The excavations were to enable drainage works and landscaping around the cathedral.
The area between the West Front of the Cathedral and the neighboring Exchequergate Arch is known to have been used as a burial ground for the cathedral and the church of St Mary Magdalene in the Bailgate. Part of the area of the Dean’s Green was also used as a burial ground for the cathedral, as were the many green spaces surrounding it.
Excavating the priestly burial.
In addition to the skeletons excavated during the project, several other historic artifacts are currently being studied and dated. Some will be displayed as part of the new Lincoln Cathedral visitor center, which is due to open in summer 2020.
Other finds from the excavations include a hand from a statue that may be from a very early frieze, and a coin depicting the face of Edward the Confessor, the last king of the House of Wessex, who ruled from 1042 to 1066. The coin was minted between 1053 and 1056, so pre-dates the building of the current Cathedral.
Evidence was also uncovered of high-status Roman buildings in the area of the new visitor’s center, which is within a building previously used as a deanery.
Highly-decorated painted wall plaster from three different rooms, a near-complete incense burner, a perfume jar, and a Roman spoon were among the notable finds.
Some of the Roman wall plaster was painted with intricate flowers and leaves design, while the rest features colored bands. It may be possible for some to be reconstructed in the near future.
Edward the Confessor coin which is at least 964 years old.
Natasha Powers, Senior Manager at Allen Archaeology, said: “Since our work began on the Cathedral as part of the Connected project in 2016, we have uncovered significant evidence of Lincoln’s medieval, Saxon and Roman past.
“The objects we have found are not only beautiful and interesting in themselves but importantly they enable us to better interpret the lives of those who occupied the city in previous centuries.”
The decorated Roman plaster discovered at Lincoln Cathedral.
The overall project includes vital restoration and renovation works to the iconic building, which is due to be completed in 2022.
Further discoveries are expected after the excavation of Roman and medieval features around the gothic landmark.
Officials Recover Limestone Sculpture Looted from Afghanistan
LONDON, ENGLAND—BBC reports that a sculpture stolen from the National Museum of Afghanistan some 30 years ago has been identified at a London auction house and will go on display at the British Museum before it is returned to Kabul. Members of the Art Loss Register spotted the limestone statue, known as the Surkh Kotal Bull while reviewing items offered for sale.
After being posted on the website of a Uk auctioneer and examined by the Metropolitan Police a sculpture that was removed from the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul nearly 30 years ago will be restored to its country of origin.
Sculpture of two bulls cut out of a yellowish limestone from 2nd century AD. It was excavated in the 1950s in northern Afghanistan only to be looted during the civil war in the early 1990s, following the withdrawal of Soviet troops. Where the bulls have been since then is unknown, but they were spotted by the Art Loss Register (ALR), which has an international database of stolen artworks, on the website of Timeline Auctions, and reported to the police.
The Surkh Kotal bull was looted from the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul almost 30 years ago during the civil war. The British Museum helped to recover the sculpture, carved with bulls in the 2nd century AD.
The seller immediately relinquished ownership and its status was confirmed by the British Museum, where Dr. St John Simpson, a senior curator, recognized the sculpture immediately. “It’s a very well-known, unique piece,” he told the Observer.
Further confirmation came from the Kabul museum, which has allowed the sculpture’s first public display outside Afghanistan before it is returned.
The British Museum will show it on Monday for about three months. James Ratcliffe of the ALR said: “We are delighted that our identification of this piece … led to its seizure … We would like to thank the Metropolitan Police for their swift action in seizing it … and the British Museum for their subsequent assistance.”
Christopher Wren of Timeline said the auction house employed the ALR “to check all Western Asiatic items submitted to us for possible sale, so it was directly at our instigation that the piece was identified.” He added: “We also liaise closely with the Art Squad of the London Metropolitan Police and with other authorities in our constant endeavors to ensure that stolen or looted pieces are not offered and can be returned to their proper home.
We have been instrumental in the recovery of several other items over the last few years as a direct result of our policies. The vendor in this case innocently came into possession of the piece many years ago and, on being informed of the origin… immediately relinquished any claim to ownership and agreed that it must be returned to the Museum at Kabul.”
Depicting a reclining humped bull with its face turned to the viewer and the front of a second bull on the left, the sculpture was excavated from one of Afghanistan’s most significant ancient sites, Surkh Kotal, where monumental buildings were constructed during the rule of the Kushan kings, whose empire once stretched across modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India – an area known as Bactria.
Originally discovered by a French archaeological expedition, it was among carved limestone blocks that once formed part of a ceremonial frieze showing human figures and bulls. It had adorned the inner sanctuary of Surkh Kotal’s temple, which was built in the 2nd century AD.
Also found within that temple site was an important sculpture of the great Kushan king, Kanishka I, famed for his tolerance of faiths and under whose reign Buddhism began to spread widely in Afghanistan.
Simpson said: “That sculpture is an icon of discovery, destruction, and restoration because it was on open display in the National Museum and was sled-hammered by the Taliban minister of culture when they began the wave of iconoclastic destruction in 2001. And yet that piece has now been restored and is back on display in that museum…
“This piece that we’re dealing with now is another symbol of recovery from that same temple. It is the only one to be recovered. All of the other limestone blocks – more than a dozen – are still missing.”
Hartwig Fischer, director of the British Museum, described the rediscovery of the sculpture as “another very important step in the reconstruction of the rich cultural heritage of Afghanistan after decades of conflict, destruction, and loss”. About 75% of Kabul Museum’s antiquities have been destroyed or looted. Although Afghanistan continues to suffer deadly violence, the museum has been restored and is open to the public.
Working closely with the police, the UK Border Force and other agencies, the British Museum has helped to recover thousands of looted antiquities from Afghanistan since 2003.
Simpson said Surkh Kotal was excavated in the 1950s and early 1960s and partially restored, “but then totally ransacked and looted and pitted during the civil war period. So it’s in a complete mess now.
“Archaeological sites are even more vulnerable than the built museum environment at times of loss of central control. There’s not an archaeological site in Afghanistan that’s been untouched by this wave of looting.”
It makes the recovery of such sculptures all the more important, he said, “but it’s tinged with inevitable sadness that at times of conflict, museums and places of culture are deliberately targeted.”
Secrets of an astonishingly well-preserved 2,600-year-old human brain
Experts who researched an iron-age skull brain of 2,600 years of old have found evidence to explain why it survived until modern times in a mud pit. The answers could shed light on the treatment of brain diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.
A sample of the Heslington brain.
The brain, that came from a UK man who died more than 2,000 years ago, survived all those years without decomposition, has been found by a team of international researchers.
This research, which was published in the Royal Society Interface Journal, reveals how the scientists examined brain tissue for months and concentrated on protein in the tissue to help them understand deeper the functioning of the brain.
The brain was discovered first in a hidden inside mud pit in Heslington, Yorkshire, England in 2008. The brain was known as the Heslington brain.
Many scientists claim that the brain is the oldest one ever found in Eurasia, being dubbed as the best-preserved brain worldwide. The brain dates to about 482 to 673 BC, which was the start of the Iron Age.
The analysis of the brain tissue showed that it was from a male who was likely decapitated. The brain tissue had withstood many factors but had managed to survive for thousands of years. Now, scientists have unlocked one of the mysteries surrounding the brain tissue.
The researchers have carried out the first-ever detailed analysis of the brain tissue using powerful microscopes. The team scanned the brain with a focused beam of electrons.
The brain was studied at a molecular level, focusing on the presence of proteins that are harder than any other material found in the brain.
The skull with preserved brain material inside.
They found more than 800 proteins in the tissue sample. Some were in good condition, and they were able to study and work up an immune response to them. Further, they found that the proteins had folded themselves into tight-packed stable aggregates that were more stable than those found in the normal and healthy brain today.
The skull within which the brain was found.
The formation of the aggregate explains how the brain was able to evade decomposition and got preserved for thousands of years.
They also pinpointed that the environment where the skull was discovered had helped in the preservation. The fine-grain sediment was cold and wet, which may have warded off oxygen that the flesh-eating microorganism need to survive.
The study findings can help scientists today study brains diseases, such as dementia, that are related to protein folding and aggregate formation.
Diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease involve the development of rogue proteins dubbed as amyloid and tau. These proteins work by killing brain cells when they clump together.
In the case of the preserved brain, it was the process of aggregate formation that allowed the brain to survive across more than 2,000 years.
The discovery of the tight-packed aggregates provided new proof for the long-lasting stability of non-amyloid protein aggregates, which permit the preservation of brain proteins.
The brain tissue offers a unique chance to use molecular tools to examine how to preserve human brain proteins. Eventually, this could help scientists to find a way to battle dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.
Dementia affects around 50 million people worldwide, with 10 million new cases each year. By 2030, the projected number of people with dementia is 82 million and 152 million by 2050.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive and irreversible brain disorder that gradually damages memory and cognitive skills. In the long run, patients with the condition may have problems with simple tasks.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, and in the United States, it is the 6th leading cause of death.
Remains of 50 skeletons from the dawn of Britain’s Roman occupation 2,000 years ago unearthed by construction workers building a new school in Somerset
Building workers in the UK have unearthed a large Roman-era cemetery. The burials are of an unusual type, showing spectacular changes in the funerary customs of locals in the 1st century AD.
This cemetery helps historians to understand better understand a key period in British history, namely the transition from a Celtic to Roman culture and society
When they worked on a new building that would replace the old one, the workers unearthed the Roman cemetery. It was found near Somerton, Somerset in Southern England. The relevant authorities were notified as required by law and work on the new building was paused.
One of the skeletons alongside a pot found at the Roman burial site.
The South West Heritage Trust then began to investigate the site and what they found was astonishing. Archaeologists conducted the most comprehensive excavation of a Roman burial site ever in the region. During the dig, they used drones and other innovative technology.
Steve Membery, of the Heritage Trust, told BBC that “this site is a significant discovery.” Just over fifty burials were found, and they are dated to the 1 st century AD.
This is the time when Rome conquered the Celtic tribes that had previously inhabited the area. It was an era of profound political, social and cultural changes.
One of the skeletons in the stone coffin structure with a pot (at bottom of the shot) unearthed at the Roman burial site.
The nature of the graves was something that astonished the archaeologists. Most of the graves “were dug into the bedrock and lined with stone curbs to create a coffin structure,” reports the BBC. These slabs were also used in the construction of roofs in the early Roman period.
The BBC reports that “in one particularly unusual grave, slabs were used to create a tent-like structure above the person who was buried.” This is similar to other burials in Western Europe, but it’s rare in England and this custom was possibly brought to the area by Romans.
The nature of the graves indicates that the early influence of Roman funerary customs. In the older graves, from before the invasion, the dead were simply compressed into a burial place.
After the conquest, the graves were built with more care and the bodies laid flat. Findings from the grave of one woman suggest that her head was propped on a pillow when she was buried.
Interestingly, small nails were found in the later graves, which seems to show that people were buried wearing hob-nailed boots. Membery told The Guardian that “the individuals were evidently of some status.” Additionally, some grave goods were found, including brooches, coins, and pottery.
One of the brooches found at the Roman burial site in Somerset.
One intact pot was found to have the remains of a chicken, who was possibly sacrificed during a burial ceremony. These finds show the influence of Rome on the local population, and how quickly it adopted the customs of the invaders.
The miraculously preserved pot uncovered at the Roman burial site.
DNA testing is being conducted on the bodies to determine their origin. It is believed that they are the remains of Romano-Britons. They had probably been Romanized and had adopted many of the beliefs and practices of the new ruling class. They possibly came from a nearby villa. It should be noted that the outbuildings of this villa have been found but not the actual building.
However, archaeologists are reluctant to positively state the remains belong to Celts who had adopted the culture of Rome.
Recently some Roman-era graves were found that hold the remains of those with Asian ancestry. Membery is quoted by The BBC as saying that this “find means archaeologists in Somerset are hesitant to make assumptions about the possible origins of people whose remains are unearthed.”
Coins found at the Roman burial site dating back to Roman Emperor Vespasian.
The find is changing the history of the area. Local public representative Cllr Faye Purbrick, stated: “The findings are both exciting and extraordinary, providing us with valuable insight into Somerset’s early history.” Moreover, they are showing how quickly and profoundly the Romans changed the local people and their beliefs.
Based on the changing burial customs, the Romanization of the ancient Celtic people occurred very quickly. Further investigations are underway in Somerton and a summary of the findings will be published in an academic journal in the future.
Archaeology shock: Ancient Roman and Anglo-Saxon artefacts found near UK airport
“Breathtaking” Roman and Anglo-Saxon artefacts have been discovered in burial sites near the edge of an airport.
A Gaulish flagon used to pour wine has been preserved
Pots, jugs and jewellery were found in Baginton, next to Lunt Roman Fort and Coventry Airport in Warwickshire.
Archaeologists believe two of the graves contained a “high status” ranking officer and Roman girl, aged between six and 12. The artefacts could go on display at local museums.
The pieces were found during a dig at a housing development site in summer 2017 but many of the items have only just been officially dated and verified by experts.
Senior archaeologist Nigel Page, from Warwickshire County Council which led the dig, said it was a “remarkable” find.
“It’s a significant discovery in the West Midlands,” he said. “There was a real buzz of excitement when the site was found. It’s breathtaking.”
A number of pots were found at one burial site
A decorative brooch was found within a Roman cremation burial site of a young girl. It was one of four brooches from a small pile of jewellery placed in the grave and covered by a polished mirror.
Other jewellery included a ring, with an image of a cicada – an insect associated with immortality – and a hairpin. Experts said the items and imagery on some of the jewellery suggested a link to southern Europe.
This Roman brooch is likely to have belonged to a young girl and put with her for a cremation burial
A dozen Anglo-Saxon graves were excavated, some of which contained goods including a Frankish vessel from the northern France and Belgium area.
“The presence of the Frankish vessel suggests that, just as during the Roman period, goods and people were moving into and through the area from a wide area, including from Europe,” Mr Page said.
One burial contained the centre of a shield, fragments of a knife blade in its leather sheath and a crushed copper alloy hanging bowl. Experts said the richness of the Anglo-Saxon grave suggested a person of reasonably high status, such as a high ranking officer.
“The settlement at Baginton continued to flourish after the Romans left in the early 5th Century,” added Mr Page.
