London's largest Roman mosaic find for 50 years uncovered

Archaeologists have uncovered the largest area of Roman mosaic found in London for more than half a century.

The two highly decorated panels feature large, colourful flowers, geometric patterns and elaborate motifs in a style unique to the capital.

It is thought it once decorated the floor of a Roman dining room.

The Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) find came during excavations as part of the construction of a regeneration project near the Shard in Southwark.

MOLA site supervisor, Antonietta Lerz, said: "This is a once-in-a-lifetime find in London. It has been a privilege to work on such a large site where the Roman archaeology is largely undisturbed by later activity - when the first flashes of colour started to emerge through the soil everyone on site was very excited."

It is made up of two panels, with the largest showing large, colourful flowers surrounded by bands of intertwining strands - a motif known as a guilloche.

There are also lotus flowers and several different geometric elements, including a pattern known as Solomon's knot, which is made of two interlaced loops.

Dr David Neal, former archaeologist with English Heritage and leading expert in Roman mosaic, has attributed this design to the "Acanthus group" - a team of mosaicists working in London who developed their own unique local style.

While the largest mosaic panel can be dated to the late 2nd to early 3rd century AD, traces of an earlier mosaic underneath the one currently visible have been identified which shows the room was refurbished over the years.

It was located on the outskirts of Roman Londinium, an area centred on the north bank of the Thames which roughly corresponds to the modern City of London.

A spokesperson for MOLA added the room it was situated in would have contained dining couches, where people would have reclined to eat and it might have been part of a Roman mansio - an upmarket "motel" for state couriers and officials travelling to and from London.

The excavations are part of the Liberty of Southwark regeneration project, which will comprise of homes, workspace, shops and restaurants.

The mosaics will be carefully recorded and assessed by an expert team of conservators before being transported off-site, to enable more detailed conservation work to take place. Future plans for the public display of the mosaics are currently being determined.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london...

Terrifying Sea Creatures That Actually Exist

In this video we will count down the Top 10 Terrifying Sea Creatures That Actually Exist. Here are some of the most scary animals living in our seas and oceans. From a scary jellyfish that fills you with a sense of impending doom, to a scary unidentified humanoid creature that scientists can't explain!

Mysterious Shipwreck Artifacts Found Off England’s Coast To Be X-Rayed

Tons of items retrieved from the wreck of a sailing boat from the Dutch East India company will be scanned by new X-ray equipment to reveal hidden details.

In January 1740, after landing on Goodwin Sands, the Rooswijk [ a so-called ‘ retrochip ‘ built on long travels ] sank off Kent Coast. Archaeologists visited the wreck and recovered many artifacts — including silver coins and ingots, wooden chests, and a brass wine pot — between 2005 and 2018.

Due to a £150,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation to upgrade Historic England X-ray equipment, many of these objects will now be examined in more detail.

Originally destined for Batavia — modern-day Jakarta — the merchant ship Rooswijk sank around 5 miles (8 kilometers) off of the British coast on its second voyage to the East, with none of its believed 237-strong crew surviving the accident.

Its wreck was first discovered at a depth of 79 feet (24 metres) by an amateur diver back in 2004 — with the bulk of recovery efforts taking place between 2005 and 2018, with the objects from the vessel legally belonging to the Dutch state. Among the artefacts recovered from the wreck were bars of silver, gold coins, knives, scabbards, human remains, pots, jars and thimbles.

The grant from the Wolfson Foundation charity will be used to upgrade the power and resolution of the equipment at at Historic England’s large, walk-in X-ray facility for scientific and archaeological analysis at Fort Cumberland, Portsmouth.

The existing facility has been at that centre of the organisation’s archaeological assessment, analysis and conservation work.

When the upgrade is complete, Rooswijk artefacts will be among the first to be scanned by the revamped facility, in a collaboration between Historic England and Rijksdienst Voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, the Netherlands’ cultural heritage agency.

Many of the finds from the wreck are covered with hard concretions of matter that will require the extra power of the new equipment to be successfully scanned.

‘This generous investment will place Historic England at the forefront of heritage X-radiography for many years to come,’ said Historic England head Duncan Wilson.

‘With this new technology, we will be able to analyse, conserve and better understand many more objects recovered from historic shipwrecks or excavated from archaeological sites.’

‘We are very grateful to The Wolfson Foundation for their support to this vital grant.’

The new X-ray machinery will also ‘greatly improve’ the analysis of Roman-era artefacts, Historic England said — as the scanner will be able to penetrate dirt and debris build-ups around such objects without the risk of damaging them.

‘We are excited to support this important piece of equipment – bringing together Wolfson’s longstanding interests in science and heritage,’ said Wolfson Foundation chief executive Paul Ramsbottom.

‘The beauty of X-ray technology is the way in which it reveals hidden secrets of the past as well as helping with conservation.’

‘We are particularly delighted to be supporting the heritage sector at this challenging moment for us all.’

Source: https://archaeology-world.com/mysterious-s...

Pavlopetri, Greece: This 5,000-Year-Old Town Discovered Underwater

Underwater discoveries, from sunken civilizations to the millions of shipwrecks still undiscovered on the seabed, capture the interest of history buffs like nothing else. With less than 1% of the ocean floor having been explored so far, the world's oceans and seas have been dubbed the largest museum in the world. Some contend that the Bronze Age port of Pavlopetri's ruins, which were only recently found, may have served as the inspiration for the mythical tale of Atlantis.

Finding of Pavlopetri: The World's Oldest Underwater Town

The remnants of a submerged settlement thought to have existed as long ago as 5,000 years ago were unearthed in the 1960s by Nic Flemming from the Institute of Oceanography at the University of Southampton. The archaeological site, which is 4 meters (13.12 feet) below and is situated close to the little village of Pavlopetri in the Peloponnesus region of southern Greece, is currently thought to be the oldest known planned underwater town in the entire world. Thus, it joined the company of other enigmatic underwater colonies, towns, and cities that have captivated the interest of history buffs, such as:

  • Shi Cheng, an ancient Chinese city, is immaculately preserved (the Lion City)

  • India's fabled sunken temples at Mahabalipuram

  • Heracleion, an ancient Egyptian city

  • Israel's Atlit Yam Neolithic site, which dates back 9,000 years

  • Jamaica's Port Royal, a city of pirates during the 17th century

The site was first recognized by geologist Folkion Negris in 1904, but after Flemming rediscovered it, a group of archaeologists from the University of Cambridge investigated it in 1968. The University of Nottingham then started a five-year project to research the town of Pavlopetri in 2009, overseen by John C. Henderson, in collaboration with the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research and the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities of the Greek Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

In order to examine the seabed and bring the historic town back to life before the fragile remnants are lost forever as a result of lack of protection, pollution, waves, currents, and tourists, the Pavlopetri Underwater Archaeological Project was created. Pavlopetri was the first underwater village to be digitally scanned in 3D using sonar mapping technology as a result of the project. They were able to create amazing photorealistic 3D digital reconstruction photos thanks to the confluence of cutting-edge marine science with movie industry computer graphics, which transformed underwater archaeology.

What did they discover at Pavlopetri?

The study project discovered thousands of items at the location that shed light on daily life at Pavlopetri between 3000 and 1100 BC, when it "sank," perhaps as a result of localized earthquakes, erosion, rising sea levels, or even a tsunami. The first evidence of a sunken metropolis in Greece that precedes Plato's account of Atlantis can be found there.

Pavlopetri, a representation of life 5,000 years ago, was exceptionally well planned, with streets, two-story homes with gardens, temples, cemeteries, and a sophisticated water management system with channels and water pipelines. The majority of the structures in the city's center had up to 12 rooms inside, and there was even a square or plaza that was roughly 40 by 20 meters (131 by 65 feet) in size. Its uniqueness was emphasized by Dr. Jon Henderson of the University of Nottingham team, who oversaw the Pavlopetri Underwater Archaeological Project. "There are older sunken sites around the globe, but none can be considered to be planned communities such as this," he said in The Guardian.

The renowned ancient Greek epic poem Iliad was set in a time when the city was so old that it had already existed at that time. According to research conducted in 2009, the site is around 9 acres (36,421 m2) in size, and there is evidence that it was occupied as early as 2800 BC. At least 15 buildings have been discovered, and the city's layout is still plainly discernible despite having sunk so long ago. The layout of the city is so obvious that the leader of the Nottingham archaeological team was able to construct what they consider to be an incredibly realistic 3D replica of the city.

According to historians, the ancient city served as a hub for trade between the Mycenaean and Minoan civilizations. Large clay storage containers, statues, common objects, and other relics can be found all around the site.

The city's original name, as well as its precise function in the ancient world, are unclear. According to Elias Spondylis of the Greek Ministry of Culture in the New Scientist, "It's a rare find, and it is significant because, being a submerged site, it was never reoccupied and hence symbolizes a frozen moment of the past."

Today’s condition of the site

The Pavlopetri site has focused its coverage of the world's most frequently explored seafloor on safeguarding the artifacts. The University of Nottingham team employed technology to construct a photorealistic representation of the seabed in a magnificent BBC program from 2011 titled Pavlopetri: The City Under the Waters. To support local conservation and protection efforts, including a Watch Day hosted by the Greek Chapter of ARCH International to raise awareness of the site, Pavlopetri was added to the World Monuments Watch in 2016 as a way to conserve heritage sites that are in danger.

Since then, the Watch Day has included the Pavlopetri Eco-Marine Film Festival, which presents motion pictures and documentaries about the marine environment and offers snorkeling trips beneath the surface of the old city. As a result of these activities, the region was buoyed in August 2016 to protect it from small vessels, and in 2018, it became the first location in Greek waters to be listed on marine charts that the Greek Navy's Hydrographic Department provides to mariners.

Underground Labyrinth With Secret Passages, Tunnels In Dobrogea Plateau, Romania

In many cases, the world below us is just as fascinating as the ground we walk on. Across Europe, there is a hidden, often millennia-old subterranean realm of tunnels stretching from the north in Scotland leading down to the Mediterranean.

It is an underground world of never-ending tunnels, massive caves, and labyrinths dug by unknown ancient men. There are also underground labyrinths that have not been fully explored yet.

One is located about 52 kilometers from Constanța, historically known as Tomis, the oldest continuously inhabited city in Romania.

A Vast Underground City Where You Can Get Lost

This vast labyrinth of 12 hectares lies beneath the plateau of Limanu. Researchers started investigating the place in 1916 and discovered traces left by humans, carved walls and ceilings, and ancient ceramic fragments. Drawings and inscriptions in Roman and Cyrillic alphabets on the walls prove the cave was inhabited between the 1st century BC and the 10th century AD.

The labyrinth is vast, with a total length of passages of approximately 3.5 km. Dacians used it to hide from the Roman proconsul Marcus Licinius Crassus (c. 115 BC —53 BC), who played a vital role in transforming the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. The cave's early inhabitants used a marking system to avoid getting lost.

Approximately 4,000 meters in length, Limanu Cave is the longest in Dobrogea. It has a chaotic branching of galleries, like the street network of an ancient city. Some researchers believe that at least some of the galleries were entirely dug by human beings, as there are tooling marks on the walls. Indeed, Limanu Cave represented an important human refuge, even since Dacian times.

The network of galleries resembles a city street map, like the street network of an ancient city developed chaotically, thus creating the impression of an underground city.

Remarkable Galleries

Some galleries have rectangular, very regular sections, and it seems humans carved them as signs of chiseling are visible. To avoid the collapse of ceilings, supporting walls and pillars were built in limestone slabs.

The drawings of galloping horses are of particular interest, while their riders have faces displayed from the front. Their silhouette and presentation resemble those of Dacian riders depicted on pottery discovered in many settlements inhabited by Thraco-Dacians.

This artwork belongs to the Roman-Byzantine period and the subsequent times. Other pictures show Christian religious symbols, letters, or words in the Cyrillic alphabet.

According to Ph.D. Adina Boroneant, "Vasile Pârvan" Institute of Archaeology, Romanian Academy, the Limanu Cave was a shelter for the local population until later, 10th-11th centuries AD.

Surveys have revealed archaeological material proving that local Dacians, even in that era, inhabited the cave. Existing evidence allows us to assume that a local Geto-Dacian authority ordered the maze of Limanu as a defense measure against the Roman danger." The account of Dio Cassius shows that the cave was a place of refuge, purposefully chosen and renovated, not some adventitious cavern," Ph.D. Boroneant writes in ”The Underground Labyrinth of Limanu” (”Labirintul subterrane de la Limanu”).

Tales Of Mysterious Sounds Coming From Underground Realms

Local stories mention strange and frightening wails like a prolonged high-pitched cry of grief, pain, or anger coming from the depths of the earth.

A scientific explanation for these strange sounds provided by speleologists is that the eerie wails are produced by the wind that sweeps through many underground galleries at Limanu. This noise affects the human psyche.

The cavern has a unique characteristic: although it is located on a complex of lakes and close to the Black Sea, it is so impenetrable that not even water can pass through.

The cave is also known as Caracicula (the old name of the Limanu settlement), Bats', or Icons' – due to some images carved in stone that once guarded the entrance.

Limanu Cave is one of the three habitats in Romania for horseshoe bats – Rhinolophus Mehelyi. The species decreased from over 5,000 specimens to about 300 individuals. However, ecologists warned about the vulnerability of the cave, which is a magnet for treasure hunters. Through their actions, they tend to destroy the fauna.

Being located near the border with Bulgaria, Limanu cave had the reputation of a tunnel carrying fugitives across the border, particularly during the communist time.

There are many reasons to suspect the Dobrogea caves are hiding mysteries still waiting to be discovered.

Source: https://www.ancientpages.com/2022/05/09/un...

Scythians - Rise and Fall of the Original Horselords Documentary

In today’s video we will explore the rise and fall of the Scythians - the first nomadic conquerors in history, original horselords, who managed to take over most of the Ponto-Caspian Steppe in the Ancient era, fighting wars with Persians, Greeks and others. Enjoy!

Real Letters from the Roman Front Lines - What Do They Say? (Documentary)

In this history documentary we explore the process by which Roman soldiers kept in touch with their families and friends. We begin by broadly discussing literacy rates and how one would go about writing a letter in the first place. This involves looking at things like papyrus scrolls, ink pens, and scribes.

We then turn our attention about the way in which these letters were sent across the Roman Empire. This took the form of both public and private couriers. The former consisted primarily of the Cursus Publicus which used a relay of riders to deliver messages across the Empire at incredibly fast speeds. The latter relied primarily on merchants who criss-crossed the Empire at their own pace.

And finally we look at the contents of these Roman letters. This is done by quoting select examples which have been recovered at sites such as Vindolanda in England and Oxyrhnychus in Egypt.

Researchers Can’t Believe Their Eyes! New Discovery under the Antarctic Ice Shocks the Whole World

Wrap up warm because it's going to be chilly today! Together with you, we want to venture into the freezing cold world of Antarctica and take a look at some unique discoveries that will leave us in awe, open-mouthed and thought-provoking. What is the gigantic hole in the dense ice sheet all about – and what bizarre life forms have developed deep under the ice sheet? Stick around until the end to find out!

Copper Mining and Trade in Bronze Age Europe

There is a strangely popular theory that the copper used by bronze age Europeans came from ancient copper mines in the Great Lakes region.

The theory says that this north American copper was excavated in enormous quantities for thousands of years in prehistory. And that this copper was then transported across the Atlantic to Europe and the Ancient Near East.

The fact is, we do know where European copper came from. There are many Bronze Age mines in the Old World that collectively produced thousands of tons of copper, enough to make millions of tools, weapons, and decorations for Europe and the Near East.

Scariest Prehistoric Creatures

In the following video we will be talking about the scariest prehistoric creatures ever existed. Enjoy!

Sea Raiders in Nordic Bronze Age Rock Art

Prehistoric Scandinavian rock art displays scenes of warriors and long, narrow boats. Are these figures showing some kind of Bronze Age Vikings?

The world famous ancient petroglyphs in Sweden, dating to the Nordic Bronze Age, portray a world of sword-wielding warriors and their ships. But these figures - holding aloft axes and spears and shields - are usually said to be carrying out rituals, not warfare.

Is that true? Are there any scenes of violence here amongst the thousands of weapon-bearers?

If this is about ritual then what were the rituals for?

And what can all this tell us about the lives of these seaborne Nordic warriors who lived 3500 years ago?

The London Hammer – A 400 million years old intriguing Out-of-place artifact

Discovered in Texas, in 1936, the London Hammer was embedded in a limy rock concretion originating from the Cretacious rock formation 400 million years ago! The 6-inch-long hammerhead consists of 96.6% iron and has not rusted since its discovery!

The London Hammer, sometimes also called the “London Artifact,” is a name given to a hammer made of iron and wood that was found in London, Texas, in the United States in 1936. Many have claimed that the hammer is actually a 400 million years old artifact.

Discovery of the London Hammer OOPArt

In June 1936, Max Hahn and his wife Emma were on a walk when they noticed a rock with wood protruding from its core. They decided to take the oddity home and later cracked it open with a hammer and a chisel. Ironically, what they found within seemed to be an archaic hammer of sorts.

What strange facts were revealed about the artifact?

A team of archaeologists checked it, and as it turns out, the rock encasing the hammer was dated back more than 400 million years. The hammer itself turned out to be more than 500 million years old. Additionally, a section of the handle has begun the transformation to coal.

The hammer’s head, made of more than 96.6% iron, is far more pure than anything found in nature could have achieved without an assist from modern technology.

Here’s how the London Hammer got a world wide attention

Creationists, of course, were all over this. The Hammer began to attract wider attention after it was bought by creationist Carl Baugh in 1983, who claimed the artifact was a “monumental ‘pre-Flood’ discovery.” Baugh has used it as the basis of speculation of how the atmospheric quality of a pre-flood earth could have encouraged the growth of giants.

Possible rational explanations for the London Hammer OOPArt

Other observers have noted that the hammer is stylistically consistent with typical American tools manufactured in the region in the late 1800s. Its design is consistent with a miner’s hammer.

One possible explanation for the rock containing the artifact is that the highly soluble minerals in the ancient limestone may have formed a concretion around the object, through a common process which often creates similar encrustations around fossils and other nuclei.

The London Hammer is now an exhibit in Baugh’s Creation Evidence Museum, which sells replicas of it to visitors.

Source: https://mysteriesrunsolved.com/2020/07/oop...

Extraordinary Etruscan And Roman Treasure Trove Unearthed In San Casciano dei Bagni, Italy

Archaeologists have unearthed an extraordinary treasure trove consisting of Etruscan and Roman artifacts in the village of San Casciano dei Bagni, Tuscany, Italy.

Famous for its numerous springs of sulfurous waters spread throughout its territory, the San Casciano dei Bagni village has long attracted visitors from all over Europe.

“The Etruscans were the first to build structures for thermal waters, however, it was under the domination of the Romans, true devotees of thermal baths, that the healing properties of these waters gained their huge appeal, as evidenced by the presence of numerous archaeological finds in the area.”

The Etruscans settled in a region of Central Italy known as Etruria. They were one of the most influential civilizations in ancient Italy before the rise of the Romans.

“Although these ancient people were much closer to us in time, they were even more enigmatic and inaccessible than other ancient cultures such as Crete, Mesopotamia, or Mycenae, and scientists still have much to learn about them.”

The Etruscan and Roman sanctuary of the Bagno Grande in San Casciano dei Bagni “is a geothermal hub with forty hot springs, six connected to the thermal sanctuary. The Etruscan picked this location to utilize the therapeutic power of the water's chemical properties -- it is rich in minerals such as calcium and magnesium, as well as chloride and sulfates.

Archaeologists at the site unearthed last week a treasure trove of artifacts and relics, shedding light into the intimate connection Italy's past civilizations had with "water religion," or the healing, divine origins of hot spring water.”

Archaeologists have been excavating at the site for a long time and their work has been rewarding.

Rare items believed to have been used as votive offerings to the gods, including so-called fertility statuettes shaped like a phallus, a womb and a pair of breasts -- have been dug out from the site's mud. So have 3,000 ancient coins, 700 of which are freshly minted and still shiny. In the second century AD, Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Carus had the coins thrown into the baths to honor gods watching over his health, as well as that of all Romans traveling to San Casciano for thermal treatment.

"What makes this site unique in the entire Mediterranean is the exceptional state of preservation, and the [evidence] it provides for how medical hot water practices were considered curative under divine protection," said archaeologist Jacopo Tabolli, scientific director of the excavation project and professor of Etruscan studies at Siena's University for Foreigners. "The amount and quality of the objects recovered are also astonishing. We knew something was down there but weren't expecting such a surprise.

Archaeologists have also discovered many relics sculpted in the shape of miniature bronze legs, arms and ears. These ancient objects were “left to thank the gods for healing specific body parts, or to call attention - hence the ear shape -- to the prayers of mortals in pain.”

During Etruscan and Roman times, womb-shaped votive offerings were usually made with terracotta. A bronze one found at San Casciano -- which would have been very expensive to commission -- is the first of its kind, said Tabolli, and serves as proof of how important this thermal site was.

"The discoveries tell us a lot about Italy's ancient communities," Tabolli explained to CNN, "and advance our research on their social, cultural and religious landscape with regard to the sacred nature of hot water."

The excavation site currently features one Etruscan pool, eleven meters long and five meters deep known as the "big bath," and five smaller Roman pools where hot water still flows in at a pace of some 2,000 gallons per minute. There are ruins of fountains and statues alongside travertine stone altars to the god of prophecy and medicine, Apollo, the goddess of fertility, Isis, and the goddess of the first born, Fortuna Primigenia.

The number of bronze, silver, orichalcum coins, a precious metal believed by the Romans to have mystical powers found in the big bath, is also extraordinary, said Tabolli. It is the largest collection of ancient currency associated with hot springs in the Mediterranean and is unique for its perfect state of preservation. The coins have retained their original coloring thanks to the water's chemical properties and being blanketed by mud, which prevented oxidation.

"They're still shiny brown and shiny yellow -- such bright colors have never been found in any excavation site," said Tabolli. "It's a miracle."

A new village museum will soon showcase the recovered wonders to the public. Local authorities and experts believe the spa still holds more treasures waiting to be discovered, with its deepest muddy layers hiding items dating back to the Etruscan era.

Archaeologists will keep working at the site, with Tabolli excited about what might next come to light. "I hope to unearth the founding sanctuary in its entirety," Tabolli said. "We can already spot a pre-Roman layer."

Source: https://www.ancientpages.com/2022/08/12/ex...

This Farmer Discovered Something Gigantic Under His Corn Field

In recent years, we have unearthed several of the most unnerving and mysterious things buried beneath the ground.

In this video, we’ll take a look at some of the most mysterious and intriguing things people have found.

From a horrifying slaughter pit to a Stone Age burial, here are the 15 scariest things found buried underground!

What They Discovered in Antarctica Shocked the Whole World

Antarctica is one of the last truly remote and uncharted places in our world, but we are slowly uncovering the mass of secrets this frozen continent has held since the dawn of its discovery. Since Antarctica was only discovered a little over 2 centuries ago, it should be impossible for there to be anything other than ice and snow here, but this is proving to not be true. From ancient structures that defy all historical knowledge to unexpected life in the darkest and coldest parts of Antarctica, follow along as we count down 15 Unsettling Discoveries In Antarctica Nobody Can Explain.

12 Most Incredible Artifacts Finds

What’s the difference between an everyday artefact and an incredible artefact? Well, an average artefact might have a little to tell you about the people who made it, but an amazing one might help you to see the past in a whole new life. The best way to explain the difference between the two is to show you, which is precisely what we’re going to do in this video!