EUROPE, TURKEY, WORLD

2-Meter-Long Stone Block Found at 12,000-Year-Old Boncuklu Tarla Site in Southeastern Türkiye

2-Meter-Long Stone Block Found at 12,000-Year-Old Boncuklu Tarla Site in Southeastern Türkiye

2-Meter-Long Stone Block Found at 12,000-Year-Old Boncuklu Tarla Site in Southeastern Türkiye

A remarkable 2-meter by 20-centimeter processed stone block was discovered during the archaeological excavations at Boncuklu Tarla (Beaded Field), which illuminates the history of humanity with its 12,000-year past in the Ilısu neighborhood of the Dargeçit district of Mardin.

The region, which has hosted 25 civilizations throughout history, including Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Hittites, Assyrians, Urartians, Romans, Abbasids, Seljuks, and Ottomans, continues to reveal ancient human life.

Archaeological excavations in Boncuklu Tarla, initiated in 2012 by the Mardin Museum Directorate have been continuing and led by Associate Professor Ergül Kodaş, a faculty member in the Department of Archaeology at Mardin Artuklu University.

In Boncuklu Tarla, which has an area of approximately 2.5 hectares and was included in the ‘Heritage for the Future Project’ of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism this year, many finds belonging to the period from the Late Epipaleolithic period to the Neolithic Age have been unearthed so far.

The excavations finally uncovered the remains of a ‘public building’, which is estimated to be about 12 thousand years old.

Boncuklu Tarla.

This roughly 10-meter-diameter structure looks to have been in continuous use for a number of phases. It is noteworthy that the building underwent at least four renovations, each of which involved filling in the floor. This finding casts doubt on previous theories that the buildings at Boncuklu Tarla were occupied only once before being abandoned.

In the remains of the structure, a stele (worked stone block) measuring 2 metres 20 centimetres in length and many find such as miniature steles, beads, arrowheads, and bull horns were unearthed.

According to Associate Professor Ergul Kodas, the excavation leader from Mardin Artuklu University, this large stele is a groundbreaking find for the site and the Upper Tigris Valley. “For the first time, such a large stele has been discovered both at Boncuklu Tarla and in the Upper Tigris Valley,” said Kodas.

In the remains of the structure, a stele (worked stone block) measuring 2 meters 20 centimeters in length were unearthed. 

The stele is especially noteworthy because it bears similarities to those in the Sanliurfa region, indicating a historical relationship between these two regions.

Moreover, a miniature replica of the stele was found inside the structure, offering more information about the connections between the areas at this time.

An invaluable window into the lives of ancient societies in the Upper Tigris Valley is offered by the discoveries made at Boncuklu Tarla.

Continued excavations hold the potential to deepen our knowledge of early human civilization in Turkey by illuminating the lengthy history of the area’s architectural and cultural development.

AFRICA, EGYPT, WORLD

Golden Tongues and Nails discovered on mummies from the Ptolemaic Period in Egypt

Golden Tongues and Nails discovered on mummies from the Ptolemaic Period in Egypt

Archaeologists have uncovered tombs decorated with colorful inscriptions and ritual scenes, as well as unusual mummies and unique funerary objects, including 13 striking golden tongues and nails, at the Al-Bahnasa archaeological site in Egypt’s Minya governorate.

The Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission, led by the Institute of Ancient Near East Studies of the University of Barcelona (IPOA), under the direction of Ignasi-Xavier Adiego, has concluded its latest campaign with unique remains, which allow us to deepen our knowledge of funerary practices, religious life and monastic activity in Ancient Egypt.

Among the notable firsts, these are the first human remains and the first texts and ritual scenes of goddesses of their kind in the Al-Bahansa region. These artifacts, along with elaborate burial customs, provide valuable insights into Ptolemaic religious beliefs.

Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, described the findings as “a major addition to the history of the region,” emphasizing their uniqueness to the Al-Bahnasa area.

Excavations at the discovery site.

Among the most remarkable discoveries are 52 Ptolemaic period mummies, 13 of which had golden tongues in their mouths, symbolizing preparation for the afterlife. One mummy had two golden tongues, and another’s fingernails were adorned with a gold plate.

Recovered from the same location were valuable items like a terracotta of the god Harpocrates, amulets featuring Egyptian deities like Thoth, Isis, and Horus, and a heart scarab in its original position.

Excavations also revealed the structure of a Ptolemaic-era tomb containing some 300 mummies. This tomb, with three burial chambers and a vaulted ceiling, is remarkable for its walls decorated with texts and polychrome scenes depicting funerary rituals and divine figures such as Anubis, Osiris, Atum, and Nut.

Some of these amulets combined the symbolism of multiple deities, an unusual finding in the region. In addition, four limestone sarcophagi have been discovered in the same context.

Dr. Esther Pons Mellado, the Spanish mission leader, explained that one of the discovered tombs includes a rectangular well leading to a main room with three funerary chambers.

One of the panels with decoration found, the boat of Ra.

According to Dr. Esther Pons Mellado, the Spanish mission leader, these chambers contained dozens of mummies, arranged meticulously, suggesting communal burial practices.

Another burial shaft led to similarly decorated chambers, one of which belonged to an individual identified as “Wen Nefer.” On one of its walls, the tomb owner is depicted with his family offering offerings to deities such as Anubis, Osiris, Atum, and Horus.

The ceiling is decorated with the goddess Nut, surrounded by stars and sacred boats carrying deities like Khepri, Ra, and Atum, against a bright blue background.

Set of amulets and gold scarabs.

The presence of a thin layer of gold on the face of a mummy, depicted as if embalmed by the god Anubis, demonstrates the delicate nature of the funerary work. Figures of the goddesses Isis and Nephthys have the same golden finish. The tomb also housed four limestone sarcophagi.

The mission also noted that earlier excavations had already found a Byzantine basilica, a temple devoted to Osiris, and tombs from the Saite, Greco-Roman, and Roman periods.

BULGARIA, EUROPE, WORLD

Statue Head of Goddess Tyche Discovered in Bulgaria

Statue Head of Goddess Tyche Discovered in Bulgaria

A remarkably crafted head of a large  statue of the Greek goddess Tyche was recently unearthed during the excavations of the  Bishop’s Basilica in Plovdiv, the present-day city situated where the ancient Philippopolis.

Archaeologist Lyubomir Merdzhanov, who led the excavation team, is hailing this stunning artifact as a “phenomenal find”.

Plovdiv is not only one of the most ancient cities on the territory of Bulgaria but also in Europe. The name of the ancient Thracian city from which Plovdiv today is derived was most likely Eumolpia.

The Iron Age saw the development of the fortified Thracian city on the Nebet Tepe territory. Philip II incorporated it into the Macedonian Empire in the fourth century BC and gave it the most well-known name, Philippopolis.

Tyche was considered the Goddess of Success, fortune, luck, and prosperity. Greeks believed that she had the power to determine the fortune of people and cities

The intricately crafted head dates from the late 1st to the mid-3rd century AD. The head (and presumably, the whole statue) was made according to Hellenistic tradition, of high-quality marble, with the irises shaped like hearts.

Tyche’s function as the guardian of Philippopolis is symbolized by the corona muralis, or mural crown, which is used to depict city walls with turrets. Based on the head’s proportions, the artifact is thought to have been a part of a statue that was about 2.5 meters tall.

According to archaeologists, the statue might have been part of a sanctuary that existed before the Christian basilica.

The fact that churches were frequently erected over pagan temples by early Christian communities raises the possibility that the location contains more historically significant artifacts.

The discovery is therefore important not only for its artistic value but also for the insight it provides into the religious and cultural history of ancient Philippopolis.

The head of Greek goddess Tyche statue was found near the basilica’s pulpit. The head may have been reused as building material or strategically placed for symbolic purposes.

 “The position of the artifact could carry deeper meaning, possibly indicating the coexistence of pagan and Christian traditions,” Merdzhanov explained.

The artifact is expected to be displayed at the Plovdiv Archaeological Museum after thorough study and restoration.

The excavation team hopes to obtain permission to lift the basilica’s mosaics to investigate the underlying sanctuary and potentially locate the remaining statue fragments, with the goal of reconstructing this ancient wonder.

EUROPE, NETHERLANDS, WORLD

A 2,000-year-old Roman grave belonging to soldier Flaccus unearthed in Netherlands

A 2,000-year-old Roman grave belonging to soldier Flaccus unearthed in Netherlands

Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,000-year-old grave from the Roman settlement in  Heerlen, Netherlands. The latest analysis has shown that it belonged to a Roman soldier named ‘Flaccus’.

The discovery is being touted as the “most unique evidence of Roman habitation at this location,” as this is the first time a Roman grave has been found from 0 AD with a name pointing to its occupant.

The discovery, which was discovered during ongoing excavations at the Raadhuisplein (Town Hall Square), provides fresh information about Heerlen’s past as Coriovallum, a Roman settlement that was ideally situated at the intersection of important Roman roads.

During a renovation project at the Raadhuisplein in late November 2024, archaeologists from ADC ArcheoProjecten discovered the grave. Because of its rectangular shape and discolored soil, the pit was first thought to be a cellar pit. However, the discovery of cremation remains clarified the pit’s function.

The grave also contained a fragment of a La Tène bracelet, pottery, shards, and three complete Roman plates of Terra Sigillata, according to a statement released by the municipality. One of these plates bore the abbreviation “FLAC,” a nickname for Flaccus, carved into its surface.

Artifacts, including the personalized bowl, discovered at the site. Source: Municipality of Heerlen.

Experts deduced the name ‘Flaccus’ from the abbreviation FLAC, which was carved into a bowl discovered in the grave, as per the media statement. “In addition to the bowl, the researchers also found a bronze skin scraper and four different plates.

The pottery, which comes from Italy, confirms that Flaccus was a Roman soldier. It is a unique find because it is not only the oldest Roman grave in Heerlen but also because no name was known there before,” the statement noted.

The Raadhuisplein, located near the historical roads Via Belgica and Via Traiana, was an important location in the middle of the Roman settlement Coriovallum, the Heerlen of that time.

The square is a unique place where 2000 years of history come together and the complete story of Heerlen is revealed bit by bit.

 These special discoveries contribute to a deeper understanding of Heerlen’s rich past and its Roman origins.

EUROPE, TURKEY, WORLD

4,400-Year-Old Jade Cylinder Seal Found in Western Türkiye

4,400-Year-Old Jade Cylinder Seal Found in Western Türkiye

A cylindrical seal made of  jade stone dating back to 4,400 years ago was found in Kütahya Seyitömer Höyük (Seyitömer Mound), an Early Bronze Age – Middle Bronze Age settlement located in the western Anatolia region of Türkiye.

The archaeological site of Seyitömer Höyük is located within the Kütahya region of western Türkiye, 350 kilometers south of Istanbul, at an important juncture between the Mesopotamian and Mediterranean worlds.

The ongoing archaeological work at Seyitomer Hoyuk, located within a thermal power plant area, began 35 years ago. It is currently being conducted under Dr. Sevgi Gurdal, head archaeologist at Kutahya Museum, with sponsorship from Celikler Holding.

Since May this year, 25 specialized personnel and a group of 50 workers have been working in the area where finds related to ceramic production, especially the Early Bronze Age covering the years 3000-2000 BC, have been unearthed.

Dr. Gürdal told the AA correspondent that they are working in the Middle Bronze Age and Early Bronze Age layers at the mound.

Stating that one of the most important finds of the 2024 excavation season at the mound was a 4,400-year-old cylinder seal found in the layer dating to the Early Bronze Age II period, Gürdal said, ‘Cylinder seals first appeared in Mesopotamia in the mid-4th millennium. Later, they spread both to Anatolia and to different parts of the world through commercial routes.’

“This cylindrical seal is particularly significant as it is the oldest of its kind found in Inner Western Anatolia,” Gurdal said.

Gürdal stated that only two cylinder seals from the same period, one made of baked clay and the other made of blue feldspar stone, were found in the ancient city of Troy in Çanakkale last summer in Western Anatolia.

Detailed analysis revealed that the seal is made of  jade, a material rare in Türkiye. Although the jade found in Türkiye is normally purple, it is rarely found in green color, Harmancik, a region between Bursa and Kutahya.

Explaining that the seal shows that there is international trade and cultural interaction in the region, Gürdal said, ” It is an extremely important find in terms of showing that it was made under the influence of different external cultures and that it was produced with a type of stone in the region.’

The seal, discovered within a wall of an architectural structure, features a circular perforation and a decorated surface with a cage motif enclosed by circular borders.

EUROPE, WORLD

A Hoard of Gold and Silver Roman Coins Dating Back to the Reign of Emperor Nero was Found in Worcestershire

A Hoard of Gold and Silver Roman Coins Dating Back to the Reign of Emperor Nero was Found in Worcestershire

A Hoard of Gold and Silver Roman Coins Dating Back to the Reign of Emperor Nero was Found in Worcestershire

A hoard of Roman and Iron Age silver coins dating back to Emperor Nero’s reign has been found during building works in Worcestershire, western England. The treasure, consisting of 1,368 coins, includes the largest collection from the emperor’s reign ever found.

The coins span two centuries from 157 BC to AD 55, and date the hoard to the very beginning of Roman Britain – barely a decade after the Claudian invasion in AD 43.

Worcestershire Heritage, Art & Museums said the hoard was discovered in the Leigh and Bransford area, west of Worcester, in late 2023 and dubbed the Worcestershire Conquest Hoard.

Research into the hoard is being led by Murray Andrews who has been working closely with colleagues from Museums Worcestershire, Worcestershire Archives and Archaeology Service, and the Portable Antiquities Scheme to process the find in accordance with the Treasure Act 1996.

Nero – Worcestershire Conquest Hoard.

Dr Murray Andrews, Lecturer in British Archaeology, University College London (UCL) Institute of Archaeology says: “This extraordinary new find is the largest hoard of the reign of Nero (AD 54–68) ever found in Britain, and one of the largest of this period ever found in the entire Roman Empire.

The coins come from every corner of the early Roman world, from the shores of the Mediterranean right up to the Cotswold Hills. They were buried just after the Claudian invasion, as Roman troops marched through western Britain to battle the tribes of Wales and the Welsh Border. It’s a remarkable discovery, and sheds important new light on the Roman Conquest – a time of conflict and change at the beginnings of British history.”

“Our initial research suggests that the hoard relates to military expenditure – perhaps official payments to a wealthy local farmer or merchant, who was supplying grain and livestock to the Roman fort at Worcester.

It was buried at a time of unrest in the Welsh Borders, when local groups like the Silures fought back against the advancing Roman army, so it’s possible that the original owner was trying to protect their money from the threat of conflict and border raids”.

Some of the coins date back from the time of the Roman Republic in 157 BC.

It is likely that the pot that contained the coins was made at one of the pottery kilns based at the foot of the Malvern Hills. With the oldest dating to 157 B.C. and the most recent to 55 A.D., most of the coins are silver denarii made in Rome. One gold coin, a stater, is the only one there.

It was made for the Dobunni tribe, who inhabited Worcestershire from 20 to 45 A.D. Given that the most recent coins are in nearly mint condition and cannot have been used for very long, the hoard was most likely buried in 55 A.D. or soon after. Their sheer number means that the Hoard would have represented a very considerable sum of cash at the time it was buried.

The Treasure Valuation Committee is currently valuing the hoard, which HM Coroner declared to be treasure in June 2024.

The Worcestershire Heritage, Art and Museums Registered Charity has started a fundraising campaign to help keep the hoard in the county, and Museums Worcestershire is eager to acquire it. If the money cannot be raised, the hoard may be lost to the public forever.

The hoard is currently being catalogued and conserved at the Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum where it will go on temporary display in January.

EUROPE, GERMANY, WORLD

New Study Reveals Ancient Secrets of the 3,600-year-old Nebra Sky Disc

New Study Reveals Ancient Secrets of the 3,600-year-old Nebra Sky Disc

New Study Reveals Ancient Secrets of the 3,600-year-old Nebra Sky Disc

Discovered in 1999 in Germany, the  Nebra Sky Disc is the oldest known depiction of the cosmos. A recent examination of the Bronze Age artifact revealed the intricate methods used in its creation, which UNESCO described as “one of the most important archaeological finds of the twentieth century.”

 The Nebra Sky Disc is a product of the Únětice culture, which originated in the Bronze Age of Central Europe. It reflects a sophisticated ancient understanding of both metalworking and astronomy and was created sometime between 1800 and 1600 BCE.  Clusters of stars, a sun, and a crescent moon are among the celestial bodies depicted by golden inlays covering the blue-green patina of the Nebra Sky Disc.

The angle between the solstices is thought to be indicated by two golden arcs that run along the sides of the disc, one of which is now absent. It is thought that a boat is represented by another arc at the composition’s base. Only a few millimeters thick, the disc has a diameter of around 12 inches.

The Nebra Sky Disc is one of the best-investigated archaeological objects. The origin of the raw materials it is made of is well known The disc is made from copper, tin, and gold—materials whose origins have been traced to Cornwall, England. The rich blue-green patina of the disc’s bronze today results from chemical changes over time. Originally, it would have been a deep bronze hue.

The design and astronomical significance of this bronze disc are astounding, but so are the technical mysteries that surrounded its creation. The intricate processes that shaped this artifact have been revealed in fascinating detail by recent metallographic analyses.

Previous studies determined that the disc could not have been made simply by casting due to its material composition and physical structure. The most recent discovery confirms that the disc was made using an extremely complex hot-forging process, which adds yet another level of complexity.

The Nebra Sky Disc with the marked sample extraction point. Image Credit: J. Lipták, Munich, Reproduced with permission by State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology, Saxony-Anhalt—State Museum of Prehistory

The new research, published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports, utilized modern metallographic analyses to reveal that the disk was produced using an elaborate warm forging process.

The research team used light microscopy and more sophisticated techniques like energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron backscatter diffraction to perform microstructural analyses on color-etched surfaces. These investigations focused on how the finished bronze disk was made from a cast piece, shedding light on techniques that had not been completely clarified until now.

The results show that Early Bronze Age artisans were not only exceptional casters but also highly skilled in intricate bronze processing methods. About ten work cycles were required to produce the disc, each of which included heating the metal to roughly 700 degrees Celsius, shaping it with a hammer, and then annealing it to relax the material’s internal structure. With a final diameter of about 31 centimeters and a thickness of only a few millimeters, this technique enabled the disc to attain the necessary strength and thinness.

Famous coppersmith Herbert Bauer used a cast blank to make a replica of the  Sky Disc in order to better understand the craftsmanship. According to Bauer’s experiments, the original artifact needed fewer forging cycles than the replica, indicating that it was both thinner and larger.

These discoveries highlight the extraordinary abilities of Bronze Age metalworkers, who were skilled in both sophisticated processes like hot forging and casting.

Pictures of the different replicas. Image Credit: Dieck, S., Michael, O., Wilke, M. et al. Sci Rep 2024

The fact that, more than 20 years after the recovery of the Sky Disc, research has yielded such significant new findings once again underscores the extraordinary nature of this unique discovery of the century and the advanced level of metallurgical knowledge already developed in the Early Bronze Age, stated state archaeologist Prof. Dr. Harald Meller.

 The Nebra Sky Disc is also an impressive testament to how important it is for the advancement of knowledge to reexamine even well-known and supposedly well-researched discoveries when new methods become available, said Meller.

A group of experts from Saxony-Anhalt’s Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie (LDA) joined forces with the Otto-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg and DeltaSigma Analytics GmbH to look into these procedures.

State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt

Dieck, S., Michael, O., Wilke, M. et al. Archaeometallurgical investigation of the Nebra Sky Disc. Sci Rep 14, 28868 (2024). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80545-5

NORTH AMERICA, U.S.A, WORLD

Research Shows Early North Americans Made Eyed Needles from Fur-Bearers

Research Shows Early North Americans Made Eyed Needles from Fur-Bearers

Research Shows Early North Americans Made Eyed Needles from Fur-Bearers

Archaeologists from the University of Wyoming have found bone 13,000-year-old eyed needles crafted from the bones of various furry animals. The discovery sheds light on the lives of these early inhabitants of North America.

The important find comes from an important archaeological site in Wyoming, where, about 13,000 years ago, the early humans hunted a Columbian mammoth or ate its carcass.

The study, led by archaeologist Spencer Pelton, reveals that these primitive inhabitants made needles from the bones of animals such as foxes, hares, rabbits, bobcats, mountain lions, lynx, and the now-extinct American cheetah to create garments necessary for survival in a cool climate.

Paleolithic humans used the entire animal for much more than just food, which is not surprising given the harsh environment that required warm clothing. However, the 32 bone needles that were recently found provide an intricacy of craftsmanship and detail into the lives of our human ancestors.

Additionally, they identify an intriguing relationship between innovation and clothing that allowed early humans to migrate to and even survive in colder climates.

“Our study is the first to identify the species and likely elements from which Paleoindians produced eyed bone needles,” the researchers wrote. “Our results are strong evidence for tailored garment production using bone needles and fur-bearing animal pelts. These garments partially enabled modern human dispersal to northern latitudes and eventually enabled colonization of the Americas.”

The LaPrele site in Converse County preserves the remains of a killed or scavenged sub-adult mammoth and an associated camp occupied during the time the animal was butchered almost 13,000 years ago. Also discovered in the archaeological excavation — led by UW Department of Anthropology Professor Todd Surovell — was a bead made from a hare bone, the oldest known bead in the Americas.

Research Shows Early North Americans Made Eyed Needles from Fur-Bearers
This is an aerial view of the LaPrele archaeological site near Douglas. Photo: Todd Surovell

To determine the origins of both the bone bead and the bone needles, the researchers used advanced techniques, such as zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS), to analyze the collagen deposits in the bones and identify the animal bones from which they were carved. The amino acids of animals in these artifacts were compared with those of animals between 13,500 and 12,000 years ago.

In presenting evidence for tailored garment production, researchers are highlighting a crucial innovation, as clothing that binds closely to the skin traps heat more effectively than draped clothing, along with stitched seams.

“Despite the importance of bone needles to explaining global modern human dispersal, archaeologists have never identified the materials used to produce them, thus limiting understanding of this important cultural innovation,” the researchers wrote.

Previous research has shown that, in order to cope with cold temperatures in northern latitudes, humans likely created tailored garments with closely stitched seams, providing a barrier against the elements.

While there’s little direct evidence of such garments, there is indirect evidence in the form of bone needles and the bones of fur-bearers whose pelts were used in the garments.

“Once equipped with such garments, modern humans had the capacity to expand their range to places from which they were previously excluded due to the threat of hypothermia or death from exposure,” Pelton and his colleagues wrote.

“Our results are a good reminder that foragers use animal products for a wide range of purposes other than subsistence and that the mere presence of animal bones in an archaeological site need not be indicative of diet,” the researchers concluded.

Early Paleoindian use of canids, felids, and hares for bone needle production at the La Prele site, Wyoming, USA, PLOS ONE (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313610

University of Wyoming

Cover Image Credit: An eyed needle made from the bone of a red fox found at the LaPrele archaeological site in Wyoming’s Converse County. Photo: Todd Surovell

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