Girl who was metal detecting in a Danish cornfield discovered "very rare" 1,000-year-old Viking coins

A museum announced Thursday that almost 300 silver coins that are thought to be over 1,000 years old have been found close to a Viking fortification site in northwest Denmark.

The silver coins were found about five miles from the Fyrkat Viking ringfort near the town of Hobro.

A little girl who was metal detecting in a cornfield last autumn discovered the unique collection, which was hidden in two locations not far apart.

"A hoard like this is very rare," said Lars Christian Norbach, director of the North Jutland museum where the artifacts will be shown, to AFP.

Near the town of Hobro, five kilometers from the Fyrkat Viking ringfort, silver coins were discovered. Notably, they are thought to be from the 980s because they both bear cross inscriptions, according to the museum.

According to archaeologists, the cache contains Danish, Arab, and Germanic coins as well as jewelry made in Scotland or Ireland.

The discoveries, according to Norbach, date from the same time as the fort, which King Harald Bluetooth erected, and will provide more light on the Vikings' past.

"The two silver treasures in and of themselves represent an absolutely fantastic story, but to find them buried in a settlement just eight kilometers from Harald Bluetooth's Viking castle Fyrkat is incredibly exciting," said museum archaeologist and curator Torben Trier Christiansen.

King Harald probably introduced the cross coins as propaganda in connection with his Christianization of the Danes because his earlier coins did not have a cross, according to the museum.

According to Norbach, there may be a connection between the treasure, which the Vikings would bury during battle, and the fort that burned down about the same time.

After the harvest, according to archaeologists, they will begin digging in the fall.

King Harald likely introduced the cross coins as propaganda in connection with his Christianization of the Danes, the museum said.

They want to locate the former owners of the troves' graves and residences.

The Vikings had the view that burying their treasure would enable them to recover it after passing away.

The Aalborg Historical Museum will start displaying the artifacts to the public in July.

The amount of the financial reward that will be given to the girl who made the discovery has not been made public.

Digs uncover the hunter-gatherer past of Dartmoor

Small fragments of stone that reveal information about Dartmoor's hunter-gatherer past have been found during a five-week archaeological dig program.

According to scientists, the fragments may help us learn more about the people who inhabited the area more than 10,000 years ago.

Emma Stockley is leading the project

According to the Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA), they have been discovered in several places.

The project's coordinator, Emma Stockley, claimed that the flint bits provide "tantalizing clues" about the past.

They are believed to be from the Mesolithic era, which lasted from 10,000 to 4,000 BC.

According to DNPA, this was the time when trees began to expand throughout Dartmoor as a result of the climate's rapid warming after the end of the Ice Age.

Up to 50 volunteers have been involved with the digs

It is known that people once engaged in small-group hunting for wild animals like deer and wild auroch cattle as well as gathering berries and nuts.

Workers on the project have been searching for signs of the equipment they used and the waste they left behind.

"I've always been fascinated by the idea of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers on Dartmoor and the tantalizing hints that these tiny pieces of flint or chert offer us about how communities lived and used the surrounding landscape," said Ms. Stockley, a PhD candidate at the University of Leicester and former DNPA employee.

Visitors may be utterly ignorant of this key phase in Dartmoor's past because the archaeology from this era is considerably less visible than that from later periods on Dartmoor.

The digs have found fragments of tools used more than 10,000 years ago

The project has also involved a group of 50 volunteers.

Dr. Lee Bray, an archaeologist from the DNPA, stated that Emma's research "will not only add to our understanding of this significant period in Dartmoor's human past, but it will also help us develop techniques for managing Dartmoor's archaeological heritage so the landscape is better understood, valued, and cared for."

The 10 Strangest Philosophical Theories

Although many people think that philosophy is a "useless study" or "waste of time," it is definitely an amazing way to cloud the mind. It is one thing to be confused by someone else, but quite another to confuse yourself. Who is not happy when they manage to think so hard about something that it literally makes their head hurt?

Below are some of the strangest philosophical theories. Some of them make some sense, while others seem completely absurd. Of course, they all make some sense if you look at the social background of the time in which they were formulated. As the great Cicero once said, "There is nothing so absurd that it has not been said by some philosopher."

1. Idealism

The theory of idealism holds that there are no fundamental beliefs. Instead, our beliefs exist in a system of internally connected perceptions. With this theory, one can eventually conclude that no one's beliefs are more important than anyone else's. Ultimately, this theory is completely circular. If a particular belief is true because it is coherent or fits many people, to whom is it coherent? Unfortunately, there is no objective answer to this. In the end, one is left in an infinite loop.

2. Theory of innate ideas

The theory of innate ideas states that the mind is already endowed with ideas and knowledge. This theory was developed to refute John Locke's idea that the human mind is a "tabula rasa," i.e., a blank paper that is filled with experiences throughout life. So the theory of innate ideas says that we already knew simple mathematical truths, e.g., that 1+1 = 2, and other truths about God. But if this theory is correct, then why do people find it difficult to add larger numbers (like 1298+9831). And if we have these innate beliefs, why doesn't everyone believe in religious beliefs? And how do we know we will ever learn something new? Is it just something we already knew and just memorized?

3. Zoism

Zoism states that the soul and spirit exist not only in humans and animals, but also in objects such as stones, plants, lightning, mountains, and others. Many claim that zoism is used only in cultures where society and religious beliefs are not heavily based on science and mathematics. Many skeptics declare that the philosophy of animalism is only used to provide answers to unanswered questions. But most would find it hard to believe that the stone in the ground has a soul of its own.

4. Logical Atomism

Logical atomism was promoted by Bertrand Russell and states that the world is made up of logical data (atoms) that cannot be "broken down" into smaller parts. It also claims that all truths are based on a layer of individual data. Consequently, the theory claims that language reflects reality. And it is based on the fact that the world consists of data that is extremely simple and easy to understand.

5. Decomposition

Named after Jacques Derrida, this theory states that there is no specific meaning when you read a text. Instead, a text has many different interpretations. The theory also states that someone reading a literary text decides for themselves what meaning what they read has. Although it contains some testable ideas, this theory renders literature meaningless. If you keep reducing the meaning of something, it ends up being meaningless. And if it is we who determine the meaning of something, how can anything ever be misunderstood?

6. Phenomenalism

Phenomenalism states that physical objects do not exist as such, but only as perceptual phenomena. This means that we cannot know if something is true beyond what we can perceive and confirm. Although this theory sounds interesting, it has its pitfalls. What do we define as "confirmed"? And what about mathematics? Mathematics is undoubtedly true and does not need aesthetic perception.

7. Ethical egoism

Ethical egoism states that every moral being should do what is in his or her own best interest. Basically, it is necessary and sufficient for an action to be morally right in order to maximize the interests of all. This means that we act on the basis of a certain morality, and that these actions are right because of our self-interest. The theory essentially states that it is right to steal money because it serves one's self-interest and brings a high reward.

8. Moral absolutism

The theory states that there is absolute right and wrong and that it depends on the context of the action. This raises one of the most popular philosophical questions? Is it okay to lie for the greater good? Suppose you told a lie to save a life. Is that morally wrong simply because it's a lie? Who knows, it never ends.

9. Neutral Monism

Neutral monism states that the spiritual and the physical are not two completely different things. Instead, it holds that the body and mind are made of the same substance, which is neither mental or physical. The theory assumes that the mind is "real" and relies heavily on the mental faculties.

10. Solipsism

Solipsism is a philosophical theory that states that although a person knows nothing, he/she exists and that the self is the only thing that exists. In general terms, solipsism expresses the belief that what one believes is the only true thing. This is extremely egocentric.

20 wise words of philosopher Socrates to remember

He is considered the greatest classical Greek philosopher and one of the founders of Western philosophy. Socrates was the son of the Athenian Sophroniscus and Phainarete. When he grew up, like most young people of that time, he followed the profession of his father, who was a stonemason. Thus, Socrates turned to sculpture. In his philosophical research, Socrates analyzed questions of society, politics and even religion. Gradually, he gained fame and, consequently "followers", as his "lessons" were held in all parts of the city. His contribution to philosophy was so great that he became a "landmark of the ages", since all philosophers before him were called "pre-Socratics"”

Socrates, who lived up to his name, went down in history not only for his words, but left a strong legacy for the future of philosophy. This was a generation of disciples who spread, developed, and even challenged his words. The Athenians, Plato and Antisthenes, Euclid, Megareus, Phaedon of Ilia, and many others were the next "generation" of philosophers who further developed philosophy and founded philosophical schools in many parts of Greece. But there came a time when his city, Athens, felt that the great philosopher was corrupting the youth with his analyses and leading them to question the gods and the institutions. Thus, he was put on trial. In this trial, the Athenians sentenced Socrates to death and forced him to drink hemlock. But strange as it may seem to us, given the greatness of this man, this trial was perfectly legal and perhaps not so unjust. Despite the urging of his students to flee, Socrates eventually accepts the charge, dies, and remains in history.

Below are 20 wise words to remember:

• "The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing."

• "Life is not worth living if it is not dedicated to a purpose.”

• "There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance."

• "I cannot teach anyone anything. I can only teach him to think.”

• "Be kind, every person you meet is fighting a hard battle."

• "Great minds discuss ideas, mediocre minds discuss facts, weak minds discuss others."

• "If you marry a good woman, you will be happy. If you marry a bad woman, you will become a philosopher."

• “If you are not happy with what you have, you will not be happy with what you would like to have.” 

• "Sometimes we build walls not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to tear them down." 

• "The beginning of wisdom is seeking."

• "To find yourself, you have to think for yourself.”

• "Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”

• "Know thyself"

• "If you want to change the world, you must first change yourself.”

• "The secret of happiness is not in wanting more, but in developing the ability to be satisfied with as little as possible.”

• "The secret of change is to focus all one's energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”

• "I am neither an Athenian nor a Greek, but a citizen of the world.”

• "Prefer knowledge to wealth, for the one is transitory, the other perpetual.”

• "Understanding the question is half the answer"

• "True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we know about life, ourselves, and the world around us.”

The Acropolis is an example of how to preserve cultural heritage on a worldwide scale, according to UNESCO

The exhibition was based on the findings of the Joint Advisory Mission, which conducted a three-day visit to the archaeological site of the Acropolis between April 27 and 29, 2022.

These experts visited the site and developed a series of discussions with the services responsible for its protection and management and the scientific staff, while they were informed, through the extensive bibliography and articles brought to their attention, about the history of the restorations and the procedures for the protection and management of the archaeological site, as well as about the studies that have been implemented or are in progress on the monuments of the Acropolis.

In the context of their visit, a meeting was also organized with representatives of civil society (such as the National Confederation of People with Disabilities of Greece, the Association of Greek Paralympians, the Greek Section of ICOMOS, etc.), as well as tourism professionals, with which a discussion developed mainly on the issues of access and operation of the archaeological site.

The mission was impressed by the thoroughness, diligence, and extremely high quality work with much attention to detail. Systematic documentation and publication of research and studies, before and after implementation, are carried out and disseminated. The highest academic research on the Acropolis and the science of archeology are closely intertwined with modern archaeological techniques and exemplary pioneering practices, including digitization. The mission concludes that many of these practices could serve as models for heritage conservation efforts worldwide.

What the 70-page report say

The mission resulted in a 70-page report, which is briefly and indicatively summarized as follows:

• The general status of the Outstanding Universal Value of the Monument included in the World Heritage List with the name “Acropolis, Athens” it is excellent and adequately protected. Laws and regulations ensure the protection of the monument and its buffer zone.

• The decision making system ensures that thorough and detailed studies are being prepared before new interventions are approved.

• The management of the monument and the main restoration services, including restoration works, are carried out by the Member State. Therefore, there is close supervision, which ensures that every step of the restoration and maintenance efforts is done systematically.

• The decision-making process for all major restoration and maintenance projects includes specialized scientists and academicswhile it has incorporated procedures of documentation, consultation and dialogue with experts, at national and international level.

• The renewal and widening of the visiting routes, the elevator and the lighting project were implemented all following studies, examination and documentation by ESMA. Subsequently, the proposals were specified by the YSMA and the studies were approved by the YSMA and submitted for the legal opinion to the Central Archaeological Council. The competent EFA of the City of Athens also formulated comments and suggestions on the studies. The restoration studies were additionally presented and discussed at the International Acropolis Meetings. Therefore all studies were implemented after thorough investigation.

96 Hours Living with an Island Tribe (hidden Indonesia)

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Bad Eyesight Before Glasses: What Did People Do?

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We also look at how nearsightedness (myopia) appears to be a modern epidemic driven by lifestyle changes. However, if you were one of the few that were nearsighted, it probably would not have impacted your lifestyle as much as it would today.

Mysterious Messages Found In Famous Art

In the following video we will analyze mysterious messages that were found in famous art. Watch the video to find out more!

Day In The Insane Tough Life Of A Roman Slave

Roman slaves were the lowest social class and had no official marriage, legal protection, or ownership rights. Their owners were open to killing and punishing them. Three kinds of slaves were prominent in Roman History, depending on what they did and where they worked. They were private slaves who worked in public and household slaves who worked on villas or large farming lands.

The typical life span for a person to stay in Roman slavery was over 30 years. However, it depended on the time when they became slaves. Some were captured as war soldiers; some were sons of the slaves, and few as criminals for punishment. Whatever the source of slavery was, the life of each roman slave was no less than hell. Let’s dig deeper into how a typical roman slave was forced to spend his day.

A roman slave’s day started before sunrise when they had to wake up before their owner. After that, they helped them dress up and prepare for the day. When the owners left for work after breakfast, then the slaves used to get breakfast opportunities. They were considered cheap and bland, so they were given very little food to eat. The breakfast they ate was exclusively based on grains.

The North Sea Tsunami: Britain’s Deadliest Disaster

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The First Ghost Stories | Dr. Irving Finkel

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100 Longest Reigning Monarchs in History

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Did ancient Troy really exist?

When Homer’s Iliad was first written down in the eighth century BCE, the story of the Trojan war was already an old one. From existing oral tradition, audiences knew the tales of the long siege, the duels outside the city walls, and the trick that finally won the war. In the end, the city was burned to the ground, never to rise again. But had it ever existed? Einav Zamir Dembin investigates.

Kingdom of Armenia - Between Rome & Parthia - Ancient History Documentary

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500 years before Christopher Columbus, the Vikings inhabited the Americas

The new "New World Order" was upset by the findings.

Christopher Columbus was not the first European to set foot in the New World, hence he also did not "discover" America.

Viking adventurers reportedly arrived in the Americas 500 years before the legendary Italian explorer and navigator set foot here in 1492, according to a recent study.

A recent study found that the famed Italian explorer and navigator arrived in the Americas around 1492, 500 years after the arrival of Viking explorers, according to the journal "Antiquity."

According to the University of Iceland archaeologists who conducted the groundbreaking study, "Journeys were being made from Greenland to North America throughout the entirety of the period of Norse settlement in Greenland," the Times Of London stated.

According to the Daily Mail, researchers reached this shocking conclusion after analysing wood samples from five northern sites in western Greenland that were inhabited between the years 1000 and 1400.

Some of the wood samples analyzed by archaeologists.

After looking at historical documents that revealed the Vikings who occupied Greenland between 985 and 1450 relied on timber and other resources imported from Europe and the Americas, they set out to discover the origin of the lumber.

The string found attached to the beads may have ben produced during the 14th or 15th centuries, according to radiocarbon dating.

Along with driftwood, it was utilized by Scandinavian mariners to build artifacts, boats, and other things for which the local lumber was suitable.

Scientists examined the wood's cellular structure to calculate the percentage of foreign wood and identified some of the trees as hemlock and pine.

Since these plants were not cultivated in Europe throughout the second millennium, specialists believe they were brought over by ship from the New World.

The results supported historical Viking sagas that claimed Nordic explorers like Leif Erickson, who is thought to have been the first European to visit the Americas, brought wood back from Vnland, the Norse designation for the area of North American coastline near the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Vintage illustration of Christopher Columbus on the deck of the Santa Maria in 1492.

Larger-scale implications of the most recent finding included the fact that "resources were being acquired by the Norse from North America for far longer than previously thought."

A 2021 study discovered that wood-cutting samples from Viking lumberjack sites at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada, date back to 1021 AD.

The findings also supported the theory that various trade routes were created by the Vikings across the Northwest Atlantic possibly 500 years before Christopher Columbus set sail for the New World.

These sky-blue beads may pre-date Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the New World.

These transatlantic journeys may have been made up to just before the start of Europe's formal Age Of Exploration in 1400.

According to the study, "These results highlight the fact that Norse Greenlanders had the ability, knowledge, and suitable vessels to cross the Davis Strait to the east coast of North America, at least up to the 14th century."

Allegory showing Christopher Columbus and his men landing in the West Indies with the discovery of the New World.

According to the study's findings, by "demonstrating the range of timber sources used by the Greenland Norse," researchers were able to show the degree of "connectivity across the medieval North Atlantic world."

It is still unclear how the Greenland civilization vanished. However, a wide range of factors, including the plague and pirate invasions, resource mismanagement, dropping temperatures, and more, have been linked by scholars.

12 Most Mysterious Ancient Technology Scientists Still Can't Explain

You probably can’t remember every single fact or skill you were taught when you were at school. Our memories fade over time, and if we don’t practice the skills that we’ve been taught regularly, we eventually forget how to use them at all. That doesn’t just apply to individual people, though - that applies to the whole human race! There’s plenty of evidence that our ancestors had skills and abilities that we lack today, and this video contains all the proof of that you’ll ever need.

10 Creepiest Recent Archaeological Discoveries

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Top 15 Most Effective Ancient Weapons

Ever since humans have hunted for food, and competed against others, they have developed weapons to help them. As militaries began to organize themselves, huge resources were devoted to creating new deadly devices to give an edge over the enemy, and it's amazing to see how things have changed throughout history. From frighteningly sharp blades, to cannons, clubs, and even artificial claws… it's time to travel into the past to see 15 incredible ancient military weapons.

What Happened on Easter Island?

Easter Island is an island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean and it is most famous for its nearly 1,000 extant monumental statues, called moai. But what has really happened there? Watch the video below to find out!

12 Most Amazing Recent Archaeological Finds

On this channel, we often ask ourselves what archaeologists have been up to recently - and we're rarely disappointed with the answers we get! There have been some truly remarkable archaeological discoveries made recently at locations all over the world. Many of them have helped us to gain a deeper understanding of our ancestors and the people who came before us, but some of them have only led to more questions and more confusion! Without further ado, here are some of the most incredible archaeological, geological and paleontological finds of recent times.