Category Archives: EUROPE

EUROPE, GERMANY, WORLD

Arrowheads Reveal the First Evidence of Organized Armies at ‘Europe’s Oldest Known Battlefield’

Arrowheads Reveal the First Evidence of Organized Armies at ‘Europe’s Oldest Known Battlefield’

Arrowheads Reveal the First Evidence of Organized Armies at ‘Europe’s Oldest Known Battlefield’

Previous investigations in the Tollense Valley, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have uncovered evidence of a large and violent conflict that took place in the 13th century B.C.E (around 1250 B.C.).

Numerous human remains—representing more than 150 individuals—have been found, and based on the body count, archaeologists estimate that at least 2,000 warriors were involved -Europe’s earliest-known battle, and the largest from the time.

The burning question is who was fighting who. No one is sure who took part in the conflict or the disagreement that led to the bloodshed. Some earlier studies had suggested that only locals took part. But the new research, published in Antiquity, indicates that some combatants were foreign warriors, maybe even part of an invading army.

The analysis of Bronze Age arrowheads found in the Tollense Valley has revealed that some of them were not produced locally. The new research posits that this wasn’t some family feud.

The war in the Tollense Valley 3,250 years ago was interregional, with locals pitted against invaders from the south.

Based on analysis of the arrowheads, they may even have been facing an organized army, archaeologists report in the Journal of Antiquity.

Their research expands on earlier genetic analyses of the teeth of some of the combatants, which also imply that some were not local but rather southern. And by “south,” the archaeologists mean Moravia or Bavaria rather than Greece or Italy.

This skull segment contains an embedded arrowhead from the oldest battle in Europe. Photo: Volker Minkus

The new paper compared bronze and flint arrowheads found in the valley with thousands of contemporary examples from across Europe.

Arrowheads are a type of indisputable evidence, according to Leif Inselmann, the study’s lead author and a former member of the University of Göttingen’s Seminar for Prehistoric and Protohistoric Archaeology.

Much like how a murder weapon in a criminal investigation provides clues about the culprit, the arrowheads offer us insights into the combatants in the Battle of the Tollense Valley and where they came from.

Numerous locals may have participated in the battle, as evidenced by the majority of the arrowheads discovered at the site, which are types that are sporadically found in the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania region.

On the other hand, certain arrowhead types were identified; these include arrowheads with unilateral barbs, rhomboid or straight bases, and tangs rather than sockets.

These arrowhead types are more prevalent in southern Europe, including modern-day Bavaria and Moravia. These arrowheads have not been found in local burials in the Tollense region, indicating that they were not simply acquired through trade by the local inhabitants and used in the battle.

Arrowheads from the Tollense Valley. Image Credit: Leif Inselmann / Joachim Krüger / LAKD M-V / Sabine Suhr / Jana Dräger

The evidence points to a level of military complexity and organization far higher than previously believed for this era in Bronze Age Europe, suggesting that conflicts were not only more frequent than previously believed but also involved combatants from various regions.

The Battle of the Tollense Valley demonstrated that interregional conflicts existed in Europe more than 3,000 years ago; it was more than just a local skirmish.

ENGLAND, EUROPE, WORLD

Another Roman Head Unearthed at Carlisle Dig

Another Roman Head Unearthed at Carlisle Dig

Another Roman Head Unearthed at Carlisle Dig

Another carved stone Roman head has been found by volunteers at Carlisle’s Roman Bathhouse site in the Cricket Club grounds.

The Carlisle Cricket Club hired archaeologists from Wardell Armstrong LLP in 2017 to evaluate a new Cricket Pavilion. It was during this project that they uncovered a Roman Bathhouse, which is currently the largest known building on Hadrian’s Wall.

A collaboration between the Carlisle Cricket Club, Cumberland Council, Tullie, and Wardell Armstrong has brought hundreds of volunteers, known as The Diggers, back to the site annually since 2021 in order to conduct additional site exploration and present the findings to the public.

The artifact was found Thursday, 19 September while exploring part of a newly discovered, monumental Roman building, south of the bathhouse.

The head is thought to be of a woman and is around 18cm by 13cm, and is described as being “much more delicately carved and more detailed than the previous two monumental heads discovered at the site in 2023.”

At about a third of size of the previous monumental heads, it resembles a more Classical Roman style of sculpture. Although details are still pending, it is believed to be a female, found near a potential burial site, and sporting a hairdo that is strikingly similar to that of Empress Julia Domna, who popularized the look. These details suggest the date of the find to be contemporaneous with the bathhouse.

Most recent Roman head uncovered with a hairstyle reminiscent of the kind worn by the Empress Julia Domna. Photo: Uncovering Roman Carlisle

Lead archaeologist Frank Giecco said he was “astounded” by the number of “quality” treasures that had been found at the ground – more than 4,000 since 2021.

He added that even though they had called the site a bathhouse it was also “a leisure centre and HQ”. The building is now estimated at 50m x 60m.

“It resembles a Thermae, a collection of different offices, religious and social spaces, leisure, and administrative rooms.

The diggers have uncovered over 4,000 significant finds, including 700+ Roman coins, painted wall plaster, military artifacts like arrowheads and spear tips, over 400 hairpins, imperial stamped tiles, North African-style roof tubes, glass beads, gaming pieces, and a rare Roman doll’s foot.

The award-winning community archaeological dig will run until October 20, with the site open to the public between 10am and 3pm each day.

EUROPE, SPAIN, WORLD

On a 5,300-year-old skull, archaeologists find evidence of the first known ear surgery

On a 5,300-year-old skull, archaeologists find evidence of the first known ear surgery

On a 5,300-year-old skull, archaeologists find evidence of the first known ear surgery

Humans may have begun performing ear surgery more than 5,000 years ago, say Spanish archaeologists.

Spanish researchers say the skull they found in a Spanish tomb, with seven cut marks found near the left ear canal, is an indication that a person with “anatomical knowledge” performed a primitive surgical procedure to relieve possible ear pain.

“These evidences point to a mastoidectomy, a surgical procedure possibly performed to relieve the pain this prehistoric individual may have suffered as a result of otitis media and mastoiditis,” the Spanish researchers concluded in an article released on Tuesday in Scientific Reports.

The skull, which according to the study belonged to an elderly lady, was discovered with other human remains of over 100 persons in a massive, single-chamber, multi-phase tomb dating from the late Neolithic era known as the Dolmen of El Pendón in Reinoso, Burgos, Spain, in 2018.

Manuel Rojo-Guerra of the Department of Prehistory and Archaeology at the University of Valladolid, who together with colleagues Sonia Díaz-Navarro and Cristina Tejedor-Rodríguez have been excavating the site since 2016.

Set of cut marks identified on the left temporal bone of the skull. Side view of the left side of the skull (a), detail of the left temporal bone with the ear surgery (b), and enlarged image of the cut marks made in the left ear next to the surgical procedure (c). (Photo: Scientific Reports)

The skull showed evidence of two perforations on both sides of the skull near its mastoid bones, which indicates that the surgery attempted to relieve growing pressure in the ear canal.

It is unknown if the procedures were carried out at the same time, or during separate occasions, they said, but specific bone growth around the area indicates that the woman survived both procedures.

“Given the chronology of this dolmen, this find would be the earliest surgical ear intervention in the history of mankind,” the researchers said in their report.

Rojo-Guerra said the additional discovery in the tomb of a flint blade with traces of having cut bone and having been reheated several times at between 300-350 degrees leads them to propose that it was used as a cauterization surgical instrument for the procedure.

Doctors at the University Hospital of the University of Valladolid confirmed that the procedure would have been very similar to surgical interventions that are still performed today to eliminate middle ear infections, he said.

EUROPE, TURKEY, WORLD

7,600-year-old child skeleton and a silver ring found in Türkiye’s Domuztepe Mound

7,600-year-old child skeleton and a silver ring found in Türkiye’s Domuztepe Mound

7,600-year-old child skeleton and a silver ring found in Türkiye’s Domuztepe Mound

A child skeleton and a silver ring presumed to be used for babies dating back to 7,600 years ago were found during excavations at Domuztepe Mound (Domuztepe Höyük) in the Türkoğlu district of southern Türkiye’s Kahramanmaraş province.

Domuztepe is an approximately 20-hectare archaeological site that was inhabited as early as 6,400 BC and abandoned by 5,450 BC. In 2021, an earlier settlement was discovered on the mound.

The fifth millennium is a key period in the development of complex societies in the Near East.

Domuztepe is one of the largest sites known from this period and is located in southeast Türkiye, on the northwest edge of the Halaf’s traditional heartlands.

The archaeological digs at the site have been continuing under the leadership of associate professor Halil Tekin of Hacettepe University’s Faculty of Letters and Archaeology Department in coordination with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

During the excavations carried out in the mound this year, a child skeleton was found in the layer dated to 7,600 years ago.

The exact age of the skeleton will be determined after DNA studies and carbon 14 tests. In the same context, a silver ring was found, thought to have been used for babies.

Head of Excavation Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tekin reminded AA correspondent that two human skeletons, one a baby and the other 6-7 years old, were found about 10 days ago during the works carried out in the same area.

Explaining that 7,600 years ago, a new child skeleton was found in the layer, Tekin said that these children’s graves around the keyhole-shaped structure, which is considered as ‘Tholos’ in archaeology, made them hopeful:

A silver ring presumed to be used for babies dating back to 7,600 years ago. Photo: İHA

‘Actually, we were expecting this grave because we found the remains of a hearth on the east side. It is already a rule in archaeology.

From the Stone Age to the late periods, if you find a hearth, the expectation of a baby or child grave inside or outside the house increases. While we were already in this expectation, we came across the grave.’

Stating that the newly found child skeleton and the silver baby ring were dated to 7,600 years ago, Tekin pointed out that the expectations increase as the studies continue and stated that a surprise can always be encountered under the soil.

This year’s excavations at Domuztepe Mound came to an end. 

EUROPE, FRANCE, WORLD

A fossilized Neanderthal skeleton unearthed in France may have belonged to a previously undescribed lineage that split from other Neanderthals

A fossilized Neanderthal skeleton unearthed in France may have belonged to a previously undescribed lineage that split from other Neanderthals

A fossilized Neanderthal skeleton unearthed in France may have belonged to a previously undescribed lineage that split from other Neanderthals

The fossilized Neanderthal skeleton, discovered in a cave system in the Rhône Valley of France, represents a previously unidentified lineage that split from other Neanderthals around 100,000 years ago.

The researchers named the mysterious Neanderthal “Thorin” after a character from the universe of J. R. R. Tolkien.

Thorin’s fossilized remains were first discovered in 2015 in Grotte Mandrin—a well-studied cave system that also housed early Homo sapiens—and he is still being slowly excavated.

This latest work shows that the cavern also housed Neanderthals at a different time, around 40,000 to 45,000 years ago, towards the end of their existence as a species.

Based on Thorin’s location within the cave’s sediment, the team’s archeologists suspected that he lived around 40–45,000 years ago, making him a “late Neanderthal.” To determine his age and relationships with other Neanderthals, the team extracted DNA from his teeth and jaw and compared his full genome sequence to previously sequenced Neanderthal genomes.

Surprisingly, the initial genomic analysis suggested that Thorin was much older than the archeological age estimate because his genome was very distinct from other late Neanderthals and much more closely resembled the genomes of Neanderthals who lived more than 100,000 years ago.

By comparing his genome with those of other Neanderthals, researchers estimated Thorin lived around 105,000 years ago. However, archaeological evidence and analysis of the isotopes in his bones unequivocally showed that Thorin lived no more than 50,000 years ago.

Researchers used part of a root of one of Thorin’s molars to determine that he was male and to generate a whole-genome sequence, revealing that he was part of an isolated, previously unknown lineage of Neanderthals.

To solve this riddle, the researchers analyzed isotopes from Thorin’s bones and teeth to gain insight into what type of climate he lived in—late Neanderthals lived during the Ice Age, while early Neanderthals enjoyed a much warmer climate.

The isotopic analysis showed that Thorin lived in a very cold climate, making him a late Neanderthal.

“For a very long time we [geneticists] were convinced that Thorin really was an early Neanderthal, just because his genetic lineage was so distantly related to contemporary Neanderthals in the same region,” says team member Tharsika Vimala of the University of Copenhagen. “On the other side, the archaeologists were convinced that he was a late Neanderthal.”

“We worked for seven years to find out who was wrong—archeologists or genomicists,” says co-first author and discoverer of Thorin, Ludovic Slimak, CNRS researcher of Université Toulouse Paul Sabatier.

Compared to previously sequenced Neanderthal genomes, Thorin’s genome most closely resembled an individual excavated in Gibraltar, and Slimak speculates that Thorin’s population migrated to France from Gibraltar.

“This means there was an unknown Mediterranean population of Neanderthals whose population spanned from the most western tip of Europe all the way to the Rhône Valley in France,” says Slimak.

The jawbone of a Neanderthal known as Thorin, who is thought to have been part of an isolated population.

Knowing that Neanderthal communities were small and insular could be key to understanding their extinction because isolation is generally considered to be a disadvantage for population fitness.

“It’s always a good thing for a population to be in contact with other populations,” says Vimala. “When you are isolated for a long time, you limit the genetic variation that you have, which means you have less ability to adapt to changing climates and pathogens, and it also limits you socially because you’re not sharing knowledge or evolving as a population.”

However, to really understand how Neanderthal populations were structured and why they went extinct, the researchers say that more Neanderthal genomes need to be sequenced.

EUROPE, WORLD

Rare 6th-Century BCE Wash Basin ‘Louterion’ Discovered in Malta

Rare 6th-Century BCE Wash Basin ‘Louterion’ Discovered in Malta

Rare 6th-Century BCE Wash Basin ‘Louterion’ Discovered in Malta

Archaeological investigations, initiated by a proposal to build a 130-meter-long boulder revetment along the shore of Ballut ta’ Marsaxlokk to protect the habitat from sea erosion in the south-eastern region of  Malta, have yielded 64 individual artifacts, including an important fragment of a louterion.

The term ‘louterion’ (coming from a word meaning ‘wash’) is a vessel used for holding water for bathing or washing, usually mounted on a pedestal, and used in both domestic and sacred or ritual settings.

Louteria are typical of the Greek Late Archaic period, which occurred in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. However, non-Greek indigenous cultures in the Central Mediterranean also modified louteria to suit their requirements.

The louterion fragment was recovered from the seabed in a trench about 45 cm deep.  The basin fragment, originally part of an object 70cm in diameter, features elaborate decorations, and the image of horse-drawn chariots can be discerned around its rim. Usually similar examples from Sicily date to the 6th and 5th centuries BCE.

Rarely discovered, louteria with images of horses pulling chariots have been discovered in Etruscan and Greek contexts, such as Athens, Corinth, and Greek colonies in Sicily and southern Italy.

These basins are used in ritual settings and are frequently decorated with intricate scenes of chariots, which represent victory or divine favor. Louteria were commonly used in purification rituals, both in domestic settings and temples.

Photo: Large fragment of Louterian found 45cm below the seabed at Il-Ballut in Marsaxlokk, Malta

Given their apparent significance in a range of religious, domestic, and ceremonial contexts, these artifacts are important resources for learning about ancient societies.

At least 64 distinct objects have been inventoried thus far, despite the fact that the archaeological report is still in its preliminary stages and the artifacts are still being examined. The majority of the finds are ceramics, although metal, stone, and bones from marine and fauna have also been found.

The concentration of a significant amount of material in a small area indicates that the site is extremely archaeologically sensitive and must be protected and investigated further, according to the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage Malta (SCH).

The depth at which the artifacts were found suggests that they were thrown into the water at the location where they were discovered.

Additionally, two trenches were dug down to average depths of 50 and 125 cm, respectively, below the seafloor. According to the excavations, one of the trenches was built with meticulously stacked limestone rubble.

The building predates the artifacts discovered beneath it, but more research is needed because it is currently difficult to date the building precisely.

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage will continue to investigate the area, primarily underwater, in the coming months to address various research questions arising from this initial investigation

EUROPE, POLAND, WORLD

Rare Celtic Helmet Unearthed in Poland, the Oldest Ancient Helmet Ever Uncovered in the Country

Rare Celtic Helmet Unearthed in Poland, the Oldest Ancient Helmet Ever Uncovered in the Country

Rare Celtic Helmet Unearthed in Poland, the Oldest Ancient Helmet Ever Uncovered in the Country

Archaeologists have discovered a rare Bronze  helmet from the 4th century BC, along with 300 Celtic treasures, including axes, spearheads, a sword, and decorative horse harness in Mazovia, Poland.

Dr. Bartlomiej Kaczynski, who led the research, said the helmet found was a rare artifact and an example of advanced Celtic metallurgy.

According to experts, only a handful of such artifacts exist worldwide, making this an extraordinary find.

Research at the archaeological site “Łysa Góra” in the Chorzele commune was conducted by scientists from the State Archaeological Museum in cooperation with the Faculty of Archaeology of the University of Warsaw. Since spring, they have discovered about 300 different monuments in this place.

A bronze Celtic helmet from the 4th century BC was discovered in one of the archaeological sites along with four iron axes and a half-axe. This is the first find of this type from the Polish lands. So far, only a helmet from Siemiechów, dating to the 1st century BC, has been discovered.

“This is the first helmet of its kind found in Poland, and the oldest ancient helmet ever uncovered in the country,” Wojciech Borkowski, deputy director of the State Archaeological Museum in Warsaw, as saying.

Celtic helmet from Łysa Góra. Photo: B. Kaczyński. Państwowe Muzeum Archeologiczne

A defensive settlement spanning approximately three hectares was discovered by archaeologists at the Łysa Góra site, where the helmet was discovered after five weeks of excavation.

The presence of burn marks suggests possible conflicts between the Celts and the Vandals.

Łysa Góra is a multi-phase settlement site. The earliest signs of occupation date back to the Lusatian culture, a group of people who lived in Poland, parts of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, eastern Germany, and western Ukraine in the late Bronze to early Iron Age.

Before distinguishing characteristics began to be discovered that proved the helm was an early La Tène helmet, it was initially thought to be a bronze vessel.

The La Tène culture was a European Iron Age society that flourished from approximately 450 BC until the Roman Republic’s expansionists seized their ancestral lands in the first century BC.

Borkowski highlighted the global significance of the discovery, noting that only a few such  helmets exist worldwide.

This discovery disproves earlier theories that the Celts were restricted to southern Poland and indicates that they were also present in the northern region of Mazovia.

Archaeologists have had to reconsider the amber trade routes of the early Iron Age and the wider European trade networks due to the variety of artifacts found, such as bronze ornaments and iron tools.

According to experts, the discovery holds significance not only for Poland but for the entirety of Central Europe.

Due to the helm’s poor condition, it has been sent to the Museum Conservation Department of the PMA for restoration, which is expected to take several months.

EUROPE, TURKEY, WORLD

Millefiori Glass Plateques From the 5th Century AD Discovered in the Ancient Lycian City of Myra

Millefiori Glass Plateques From the 5th Century AD Discovered in the Ancient Lycian City of Myra

Millefiori Glass Plateques From the 5th Century AD Discovered in the Ancient Lycian City of Myra

One of the six leading cities of ancient Lycia and the birthplace of Santa Claus (or Sinterklaas in Dutch), the ancient city of Myra and its port, Andriake, yielded very remarkable findings:  millefiori (“A Thousand Flowers”) glass plaques.

The Ancient City of Myra is approximately 1.5 km from the town center of Demre, located on the Kaş-Finike road, in Antalya. Strabon writes that Myra is one of the 6 major cities, each with 3 voting rights in the Lycian League.

The city was a rich and crowded metropolis, thanks to its port Andriake, which was an important point on the Mediterranean trade routes, and the fertile lands around it.

It was the principal mint of the region and also led a sympolitea formed with Tyberissos and Teimiusa in the late Hellenistic period. Myra preserved its metropolis status until the Byzantine period.

It was the most important political center of Lycia since the beginning of Christianity. St. Paul visited Myra and Patara in the 1st century BCE during his missionary journey.

However, the city owes its real fame to St. Nicholas, who was born in Patara but founded his church in Myra in the 4th century CE to spread Christianity.

Excavations at Andriake recently uncovered a large number of decorative glass plaques created using the millefiori technique, a complex glassmaking process that involves fusing multiple glass rods of different colors to create intricate patterns that often resemble flowers or geometric shapes.

Considered by experts to be one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the year in Turkey, millefiori have been found in other parts of the world, but this is the first time they have been found in such abundance and variety in the country.

Photo: Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye

The discovery was made in the agora area of Andriake, specifically in the customs zone of the port. In the space identified as “Structure 42”, archaeologists found hundreds of pieces of millefiori plaques.

It appears from this discovery that the elite community in Andriake in the fifth century AD possessed highly sophisticated ornamental arts, which were not only visually stunning but also symbolic of authority and rank.

In addition to being ornamental, the millefiori plaques found at Andriake are evidence of the sophistication and luxury of interior design during that era.

In addition to the millefiori glass plaques, other decorative elements were discovered in the same context. 

Among the findings are small glass rosettes with square and round forms, along with glass frames that go with the plaques, all of which point to a well-thought-out decorative scheme.

Photo: Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye

The discovery at Andriake, the harbor settlement of the ancient city of Myra, shows the presence of a very special and rich interior decoration at Andriake, with examples of bird figures in inlaid technique among the similarly sized plates that were found to have been used in wall decoration, and figures of saints, birds, and camels in opus sectile technique, which is also a unique discovery for Türkiye.

Located at the junction of the Granarium and Agora in Andriake, at the head corner of western Agora Street, in the most important place of the harbor, the building is thought to be an administrative building with its precious decorations and plan features.