UK experts worry that the UAE will gain access to the Cotswolds ice age mammoth site

Leading palaeontologists and archaeologists in Britain are warning that one of the country's most important palaeolithic sites is in danger because there is not enough law to safeguard it.

Fearing that important evidence at a site in the Cotswolds would be permanently lost to the UK, they are seeking for amendments to the law.

The discovery of ice era mammoths there in a remarkable condition of preservation in 2021 excited Sir David Attenborough and other specialists.

At Cerney Wick, close to Swindon, extensive remains of at least one juvenile, two young adults, and six fully mature adults, which roamed 200,000 years ago, were discovered with weapons used by Neanderthals, who most likely hunted these massive monsters.

Since only a small portion of the huge site, a gravel quarry, had been investigated, much more was anticipated to be discovered during additional digs.

The top experts from universities and national museums were getting ready to return and had even applied for the requisite grants when they discovered that the quarry owner had barred them.

DigVentures, a group of archaeologists that offers possibilities for the public to participate in excavations, excavated the site in 2021 and worked with top authorities to coordinate the study and research.

At the time, co-founder Lisa Westcott Wilkins commended Hills Quarry Products, the owners of the quarry, for giving them as much time as they required. The business also stated: "We will continue to support future investigations."

The Observer has now seen a letter from Hills Quarry Products dated July 18 2023 informing DigVentures that access to the site "will no longer be available" and that they are "formally requesting" the return of finds.

It was eventually impossible for Westcott Wilkins' organisation to stop the site from being excavated, she told the Observer, adding that "better protection for these sites is paramount."

She lamented the possibility that future discoveries could be destroyed in the absence of legislation that would forbid it. Since export licenses do not apply to bones unless they have been altered by human hands or are obviously cultural artefacts, it would be challenging to execute them in this situation. Five tusks, among other potential finds, are already visible among the layers, according to her.

The request to return the already discovered artifacts is met with skepticism by the participating archaeologists. The remainder is in conservation, with one tusk on exhibit in the Bristol Museum. Building a public outreach facility to display the remainder of the collection had also been discussed.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) may be connected to the most recent developments, according to sources in the archaeological world who spoke to the Observer. The UAE may be seeking to acquire more mammoth remains and Jurassic fossils for the new Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. The UAE has been buying exhibits, including spending $31.8 million on a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton in 2022.

The UAE Department of Culture and Tourism was contacted by The Observer for comment. Hills Quarry Products, the site's owner, declined a request for comment.

The flooded quarry may have been emptied in advance of what some archaeologists worry will be a hurried search for treasures, according to a drone photo taken last Sunday.

We have five significant universities as a part of our research partnership because the location is so complicated and challenging, according to Wilkins Westcott. You need that level of skill to properly handle this.

When a stone hand axe from a Neanderthal first surfaced, DigVentures was contacted to take the helm of the first thorough examination of the location. Sally and Neville Hollingsworth, two amateur fossil hunters, made the initial discovery of the mammoth bones.

Prof. Ben Garrod, an evolutionary biologist, referred to the location as "one of the most important discoveries in British palaentology" in 2021. Other ice-age giants' remains, including those of bison, elks, and bears, as well as fossilized seeds, pollen, and plants, including some that are extinct, were also found during the excavations. These discoveries could reveal a lot about the environment at the time as well as how our Neanderthal ancestors lived during a prehistoric period about which little is known.

Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard, a BBC One documentary that included Sir David and Garrod filming the excavation alongside archaeologists, detailed the remarkable discovery. Millions of people watched the program internationally.

Garrod stated this weekend to the Observer that it takes a long-term, collaborative effort involving numerous stakeholders, driven by expert knowledge and experience, to fully understand the context when looking at something so complex, where finds range from the microscopic to, quite literally, mammoth in size.

"To lose a site like this now, just as it's starting to reveal its secrets, would be devastating — not just for understanding what happened there 25,000 years ago, but also for determining how climate change will affect our environment in the present and the future."

Prof. Adrian Lister, a palaeobiologist at the Natural History Museum in London and the foremost mammoth expert in the UK, stated that the site might show the last phases of the evolution of the woolly mammoth, one of the most famous ice age creatures. We require a carefully monitored excavation and the preservation of the remains on site for future research.

No further digging would be governed by Historic England, one of the organizations that provided money for the initial excavation. "Historic England's role is to protect our built heritage, which also includes archaeological sites," said Mel Barge, its inspector of ancient monuments in the south-west. According to what we currently understand, these remnants are not protected as scheduled monuments because there is no structure there or undeniable proof that human activity shaped them.

The issue is that it takes primary legislation and we just never reach the point of being a substantial priority for government with limited parliamentary time, according to archaeologist and former director of the Council for British Archaeology Mike Heyworth. The value of Cerney Wick is seriously threatened by this.

German Navy Finds a 400-Year-Old Sunken Ship with "High-Quality Wine"

Archaeologists in Germany found a 400-year-old lost ship that was filled with "high-quality wine," according to media reports. The wreckage was initially discovered in 2022 in the bottom of the Trave River, which flows through the Baltic Sea to Germany. According to reports, archaeologists have found that the German wrecked ship is distinct from other nearby ancient shipwrecks.

A stock photo of a shipwreck.

Some of the oldest wines in the world were discovered as a result of the most recent development in the ongoing salvage of the vessel since its discovery last year. The passengers of the ship's precise identification is still unknown. The recent discovery, which presumably sailed during the Age of Exploration or the Age of Discovery, which lasted from the 15th to the 17th century, could, nevertheless, aid archaeologists in understanding the purpose of the vessel.

Germany Sunken Ship

In the German city of Lubeck, which is located along the Baltic Sea, archaeologists have discovered over 450 pieces of wood from the shipwreck since June. Local politicians debated whether or not to salvage the ship's wreckage despite the fact that it was discovered last year, according to a report in the German newspaper Die Welt, which was published by Newsweek.

After getting the all-clear, archaeologists discovered not only fine wine but also information about the ship's purpose as a commerce ship. According to the report, the vessel's owner and provenance are still unknown at this time.

Records of world shipwrecks

Regardless of whether the disaster spans from the disastrous RMS Titanic in 1912 to old wrecks dating back several centuries, sunken ships have sparked curiosity and attracted some brains in the modern world. Nevertheless, since these phenomena were thought to contain treasures and a window into the past, they drew not only inquisitive minds but also scientific ones.

According to Marine Insight, several historical maritime accidents are depicted as tales of lost ships with their forlorn passengers and bereaved crew in the middle of oceans and seas. These ships have sunk for ages for a variety of reasons, including human error, severe weather, ferocious seas, and others.

NASA maintains the Global Maritime Wrecks Database with information on over 250,000 shipwreck locations to display the time, place, and flagship of the stricken vessel. Beginning in January 1970, recording began.

Protected Items

According to prior events, the public has long been drawn to potential treasure troves when ships are discovered. Since they can be preserved underwater, some of these riches, whether they have monetary value or are antiquities, could endure for a very long period.

The Ocean Institute, cited by the University of California, San Diego, states that artifacts found in a saltwater environment are often well-preserved but in brittle conditions. The institute stressed that anaerobic (without oxygen) marine conditions are preferable to aerobic (with oxygen) habitats for the preservation of artifacts found underwater.

Skeletons from the middle ages in Türkiye exhibit gender-specific jawbone variations

Anatomical information about people who lived several centuries ago has been learned through the investigation of Middle Ages bones that were discovered 16 years ago during archaeological excavations in southeast Turkey.

An undated archive photo shows a view from Kortik Tepe mound in Diyarbakır, Türkiye. (AA Photo)

The lower jaw bones of male and female skeletal specimens have different sizes and strengths, researchers at the Kortik Tepe mound in Diyarbakr province discovered after more than two decades of investigations.

According to Vatan Kavak, an anatomy professor at the province's Dicle University, "we observed that, during the Middle Ages, the lower jawbones of men living in Kortik Tepe were strong and powerful, while the lower jawbone of women exhibited less density."

Along with Mara Pilmane of the Riga Stradins University in Latvia, Kavak is one of the academics overseeing the dig site. "We also found that the lower jawbones of men in this region were stronger and sturdier compared to their counterparts in other parts of the world," she continued.

The study looked at the jawbones of 121 people who lived in the Middle Ages close to the Kortik Tepe mound, including 55 women and 66 men. Their remains were loaned for the research conducted in collaboration with the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and were housed in the Diyarbakr Museum Directorate.

The international journal Translational Research in Anatomy published the study's findings.

Kavak claimed that they looked at the skeletons' jaw structures.

He continued by saying that women's jaw bones were more sensitive, indicating that they were more engaged in "domestic chores and not in hunting and other activities."

He continued, "We noticed that the women of Kortik Tepe were the most delicate when we compared them with the women of other locations.

Men hunted wild animals outside and ate them without cooking at those time, along with ingesting meals made of grains, which strengthened their jaws, he said. "Agriculture had just begun at that point."

Kavak noted that the study's findings were reported in a reputable international journal and suggested that surgeons would find them useful.

He emphasized, "Our work will serve as a roadmap for future aesthetic, implant, and jaw surgeons.

Roman and Greek statues were initially painted. This is how they ought to seem.

Vinzenz Brinkmann, a German archaeologist, was closely examining an ancient Greek sculpture's surface in the early 1980s in an effort to find any indication of tool marks. He never found what he was looking for because, like Italian Renaissance artists, Greek sculptors were so skilled that they seldom left a trace of their own work, but he did find signs of paint.

One of the color reconstructions on display at the MET. (Credit: Aquaplaning / Wikipedia)

Russell Sturgis, an American art critic who visited Athens to see the excavation of an antique statue close to the Acropolis, made a comparable finding almost exactly a century earlier. To his amazement, the statue didn't resemble those seen in museums in the least. This one was covered in brittle dabs of red, black, and green color, in contrast to those, which are as white as the marble they are made of.

The discovery by Sturgis and Brinkmann that ancient Greek statues were originally painted with a palette as vibrant and colorful as Vincent van Gogh's and that their iconic modern monochromatic appearance is really just the result of the passage of time is still not widely known outside of academic circles.

Harlequins and emperors

Brinkmann replicated Greek and Roman sculptures in their original color scheme using samples of pigment leftovers. To a world accustomed to seeing ancient Greece and Rome in black and white, his traveling exhibition, Gods in Color, was shocking. It was also well-liked and ran for 12 years, setting the stage for subsequent exhibits like the MET's Chroma: Ancient Sculpture in Color, which debuted in 2022.

Even the most well-known Greek statues lose a lot of their familiarity when they are painted. Pale bodies develop a variety of skin tones, mostly in the dark. Bold motifs on austere gowns resemble medieval harlequins. An ochre body and an azurite mane once belonged to a statue of a lion that was erected in front of a Corinthian tomb during the sixth century BC. However, years of exposure to the elements caused it to become a uniform, dull white.

Also fashioned of metal, these sculptures exhibit this playful nature. According to a New Yorker article, bronze statues were given a "disarming fleshiness" by the addition of copper lips, nipples, and swirls of pubic hair. In addition to having sparkling gemstones for eyes, several of these Greek statues also portrayed blood trickling from open wounds using various metals.

Although these color reconstructions have garnered generally positive reviews, there is ongoing discussion over how historically accurate they are. Fabio Barry, an art historian at Stanford University, believes that research initiatives like Brinkmann's have taken on the characteristics of a marketing gimmick. Barry previously compared a repainted statue of the Roman Emperor Augustus at the Vatican to "a cross-dresser trying to hail a taxi." the New Yorker was informed:

"I suspected that the various scholars reconstructing the polychromy of statuary even took a sort of iconoclastic pride in this — that the traditional idea of all-whiteness was so cherished that they were going to really make their point that it was colorful."

Adding color back into the past. (Credit: Aquaplaning / Wikipedia)

Τhe erasing of history

For decades, scholars in Europe concluded that Greek and Roman sculptors had intentionally left their work barren. Far from being coincidental, the lack of color was seen as an indication of artistic restraint, an emphasis on form over adornment, and a general rejection of the "bad taste" that characterized the more colorful artwork that emerged from other parts of the ancient world, such as Egypt.

Of course, since they were white themselves, European scholars likewise admired the seeming whiteness of antique sculpture. This false relationship, at best, encouraged casual bigotry. Johann Winckelmann, a German art historian, asserted in the 1800s that "the whiter the body, the more beautiful it is," and that while "color contributes to beauty," it shouldn't be mistaken for the actual thing.

At worst, it provided one of Europe's colonial ambitions with justification. Arguments for the superiority of Greco-Roman art began to increasingly serve as justifications for the superiority of Western civilizations, which had claimed the cultural and political legacy of antiquity, as the continent entered its colonial era. This line of reasoning peaked in the years leading up to the Second World War.

This Greco-Roman-white fantasy was reinforced. Experts contended that each time a rare instance of a statue with complete color was found, it had to have been created by a distinct and, in their opinion, inferior society, such as the pre-Roman Etruscans. When dealers came across such statues, they would scrub them until the colour was gone, increasing their market value.

Although it can be strange to first encounter Greek and Roman sculptures in color, the experience is crucial in serving as a reminder that the ancient world was considerably more diverse than is typically thought. There is evidence that, contrary to Winckelmann's claim, the Greeks considered deeper complexion tones to be more attractive than lighter ones. Greece and Rome were not just cultural melting pots.

A skull-filled cave close to Jerusalem served as a portal to the afterlife in ancient necromancy

More than 120 oil lamps dating to the Late Roman and Early Byzantine periods have been discovered by archaeologists working in the Te'omim Cave in the Jerusalem Hills, tucked away in small, hard-to-reach crevices. It's improbable that they were used for illumination due to their location and the fact that they are so close to multiple human skulls. What were they used for, anyway, if not for lighting?

Entrance to Te’omim Cave. (Credit: Yair Aronshtam / Wikipedia)

The lamps may have been used in necromantic rites, according to Boaz Zissu of Bar-Ilan University and Eitan Klein of the Israel Antiquities Authority. For confirmation in a recent study publication, the pair looked to ancient sources.

Investigating Te'omim Cave

Long thought to be a site of enchantment and mystery, the Te'omim Cave. It was referred to in the 1900s as the Mghâret Umm et Tûeimîn, or the "cave of the mother of twins." The water dripping from its ceiling, which had once been collected in rock pools, was thought to have medicinal properties by the locals. Klein and Zissu asserted in one of their earlier studies that it was a temple dedicated to an underworld deity.

The Te'omim Cave was first mentioned in an 1873 survey of Western Palestine, despite the fact that locals have been aware of it for years. In addition to finding new areas of the cave, later explorations also brought back a number of artifacts. The French consul in Jerusalem discovered a collection of stone and ceramic objects dating from the Stone Age to the Byzantine era during the 1920s.

Doctor-explorer Gideon Mann discovered corridors that led to secret chambers with glass jars between 1970 and 1974. The most recent excavations, directed by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, went even further beneath the surface, unearthing not only the lights and skeletons mentioned above but also daggers and an axe head.

Klein and Zissu initially entertained the idea that these items might have been dragged off by rodents into more difficult areas of the cave. A skull perched atop four oil lamps in one crevice, however, revealed a different tale. The collection implied that people, not rodents, were to blame and that they might have employed these items for a particular use.

In the Greco-Roman era, necromancy

It's probable that the goal was necromancy, which was both common and frowned upon in ancient times. The emperors Nero, Hadrian, Commodus, Caracalla, and Elagabalus all employed necromancy to foretell their futures despite the practice being officially forbidden in Rome. The historian Eusebius claims that an Egyptian sorcerer persuaded Valerian, the emperor, to sacrifice children in order to ensure his own prosperity.

In the Levant, necromancy was also practiced. This is demonstrated by the Bible, which describes Saul calling upon the prophet Samuel on Ein Dor, and by cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia, which describe rituals for calling forth ghosts with skulls and describe the sun god Ama requesting that they "bring up a ghost from the darkness" and have them give life to a "dead man's limbs."

Necromancy did not protect Valerian; he became the first Roman emperor to be taken captive during war. (Credit: Sahand Ace / Wikipedia)

Ancient sources other than cuneiform tablets also connect skulls to necromancy. They are mentioned in Egyptian papyri from the fourth and fifth century AD that were written in Greek. These "are remnants of books of sorcery, the majority of which were destroyed by the establishment," according to Klein and Zissu's analysis. One spell describes how to shut off skulls' mouths to prevent them from speaking or acting. They proceed:

A spell is written in black ink on a flax leaf and then placed on a disinterred skull in order to demonstrate how to awaken the spirit of the dead using this method. Using the skull of Typhon (likely a donkey), on which a spell is written in the blood of a black hound, the aim of [yet] another spell is to receive assistance and protection from ghosts.

The Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud, which were both written between 350 and 500 AD, around the time the oil lamps were deposited inside the crevices of the Te'omim, both mention that the necromancer, known as a ba'al ov, raises the dead by consulting with skulls and prefers to carry out the ritual in a cave.

The study of magic's history

Even lamps have a unique bond with the deceased. The Persian magus and sorcerer Osthanes gave them to the Greeks (during the military campaign of his master, Xerxes) in order to bring them into contact with the afterlife, according to the Roman author Pliny the Elder, who listed them in his Natural History. More than 4,000 oil lamps have been found in the cracks of underground temples close to Corinth and Patras.

Bowls and axes are two further items that Pliny describes that had been retrieved from the Te'omim Cave. Weapons may have been used in necromantic rituals so that practitioners could defend themselves from demonic forces. These hints lead Klein and Zissu to the conclusion that the Te'omim Cave "has all the physical and cultic elements necessary to serve as a possible portal to the underworld." Furthermore, they speculate that the surrounding cities of Aelia Capitolina and Eleutheropolis, whose residents were most likely not Jewish, may have used the cave as a local oracle of the dead.

The authors of this work, Klein and Zissu, consider it as a contribution to the "archaeology of magic," a new and frequently complex topic.

Mosaics from 1,800 years ago were discovered in Turkey's Pompeipolis

An array of magnificent mosaics dating back 1,800 years have been discovered during continuing excavations in the historic city of Pompeiopolis, located in Türkiye's northern district of Kastamonu, in a spectacular archaeological find. These fascinating antiques, which have been painstakingly conserved, are poised to entice history buffs and wandering tourists alike to catch a peek of the past.

The excavation team is seen in the villa and theater structures in the ancient city of Pompeiopolis, Kastamonu, Türkiye, Aug. 6, 2023. (AA Photo)

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has been in charge of the excavation efforts, working with the Karabuk University Faculty of Letters and its learned Archeology Department Lecturer, Mevlüt Eliuşük. The scope of the archaeological study encompasses Pompeiopolis, a huge Roman metropolis that served as a significant symbol of the Paphlagonia region and was once a bustling metropolis.

The increased work in Pompeiopolis' palace portion, in the Zımbıllı Tepe neighborhood, where a lavish Roman palace has been unveiled, is particularly significant. This large structure, which spans a vast area of around 1,600 square meters (17,222.26 square feet), is a testament to the architectural prowess of its era and is home to a variety of private chambers and alluring ornamental elements.

Pompeiopolis ruled as the center of the region in the second century A.D., according to Eliuşük. This heritage has made it possible for us to see the magnificent remains of the Roman Empire around the city.

The Roman villa, an enduringly significant building of utmost importance, is at the center of these excavations. Fountains and complex infrastructural systems that previously thrived within its walls are now restricted to the foundation levels that are still present. The beautiful mosaics that adorn the villa's interior are without a doubt the crowning splendor among the numerous items and remains that have been found.

The magnificent mosaics that bear witness to the villa's initial stages have shown up as spectacles, explains Eliuşük. Although time has put its imprint on these medallions, we have revealed a female figure accompanying a letter that is thought to have been written by her husband as we meticulously unearth these jewels. These mosaics, which are remarkably thought to be roughly 1,800 years old, provide a unique look at the artistic talent of the late second or early third century A.D.

Under protective roofing, the archaeologists have carefully preserved these priceless artifacts, which are set to be revealed to the public in 2023. As this year's excavations come to an end, Eliuşük stated: "We are prepared to turn this historically significant site into a haven for inquisitive minds. It is being planned to create guided walking tours so that people can experience Pompeiopolis' splendor firsthand.

Additionally, Eliuşük said, "History buffs have long been drawn to Pompeiopolis and marveled at our exhibits. The excavation site, however, continues to be a secret treasure. The villa has been the focus of our attention for the past two years, and our goal is to create a place that is open to everyone to explore.

A well with a long history can be found adjacent to a parking lot

A possible 500+ year old well was found near to a Grantham parking lot.

The lower well (left) and upper well discovered off Swinegate.

Working for All Construction Contractors Ltd., York Archaeology employees discovered a well that may have been dug in the 16th or 17th century.

The property, where a three-story townhouse is planned to be constructed, is just next to 15 Swinegate and the Watergate parking lot.

The house, which was presumably built in the late 18th or early 19th century and was torn down in 1972, was once located on the site, which is now a vacant plot.

York Archaeology project manager Glyn Davies and apprentice Ben Normanton discovered the well.

Glyn claimed that he had anticipated discovering some pieces of the destroyed house rather than the well.

In a recent planning application for the site, York Archaeology conducted an archaeological investigation and stated: "As the site is located within the historic core of Grantham, there is a presumption that there is the potential for remains associated with medieval or later occupation to be present within the site."

While working, Glyn and Ben came across an upper well that was comparable to the home that was destroyed in 1972 and is thought to have dates back to the late 18th century.

According to his present interpretation, the well would have been abandoned along with the property in 1972.

Additionally, a deeper well that is more than two meters deep was discovered. According to Glyn, it might have existed as recently as the 16th or 17th century.

Floodwater "flows from Jerusalem into the Dead Sea," fulfilling a biblical prophecy

Incredibly, a video purportedly showing rivers flowing from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea has apparently "fulfilled" a Bible prophecy, giving rise to the strange assertion.

Stunned witnesses saw a new river carve out its path in front of them.

Over 40 cm of rain fell north of Jerusalem, shattering a 51-year record, as Israel experienced record-breaking rainfall totals.

One young couple in Tel Aviv has already perished due to deadly flash floods that have affected the entire country.

But some have sensationally claimed that a biblical prophecy is being fulfilled after seeing a new horrifying video of a torrent of water bursting forth and flooding a road.

Approximately 18 miles south of Jerusalem, the film is reported to have been shot close to the Arugot River.

A motorist that was about to cross the street is forced to stop as stunned bystanders freeze in their tracks.

Following that, the river rushes eastward toward the Dead Sea before vanishing from view beneath the hill's summit.

After discovering the video, Breaking Israel News connected it to verses from Genesis and Ezekiel in the Bible.

The Bible claims that before being destroyed alongside Sodom and Gomorrah, the valley where the Dead Sea currently exists was a "well-watered" area.

"Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere before Hashem destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah," Genesis 13:10 says.

The religious news source then draws attention to a prophecy in Ezekiel 47:8–9 predicting that the "eastern region" will one day undergo a transformation.

Then, he told me, "These waters issue forth toward the eastern region and shall descend down into the Arabah (a dry basin near the Dead Sea), and when they shall enter into the sea of the rotten waters, the waters shall be healed.

"And it shall be that wherever the rivers shall come, every living thing wherewith it swarmeth shall live, and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, for these waters are come unto them that all things may be healed and may live wherever the river cometh."

This occurs at the same time as religious archaeologists assert to have discovered the Ark of the Covenant in a 3,000-year-old Israeli temple.

Another shocking find is a location praised as the location where Moses allegedly broke the Ten Commandments and demolished the Golden Calf, according to the Bible.

The Terracotta Army in China "may have been inspired by Ancient Greeks"

---

BY THE ARCHAEOLOGIST EDITOR GROUP

---

The 8,000 soldiers of the Terracotta Army, who have been guarding the tomb of China's first emperor for more than 2,000 years, may have drawn inspiration from Greek artisans. They are among the most famous Chinese sculptures ever created.

The astonishingly lifelike likeness of the warriors, according to archaeologists and historians studying them, may have been influenced by ancient Greek sculptures that arrived in China or possibly by Greek sculptors who traveled there to impart their designs.

Senior archaeologist Li Xiuzhen said recent discoveries were challenging conventional wisdom regarding the extent of contact between Asia and Europe more than 1,500 years before Marco Polo's travels, including the recovery of ancient European DNA from sites in Xinjian province from the time of the first emperor.

"We now have proof that, prior to the official opening of the Silk Road, there was frequent communication between the western world and the China of the first emperor. This is much sooner than we previously believed, she remarked. We now believe that ancient Greek sculptures and art served as inspiration for the Terracotta Army, the acrobats, and the bronze statues that were discovered on the site.

A member of the team researching the origin of the statues and head of Asian art history at Vienna University, Lukas Nickel, said: "I imagine that a Greek sculptor may have been at the site to train the locals."

In 1974, a farmer in Xi'an who was alarmed to find a human face peering up at him from among the cabbages unearthed the Terracotta Army. There have been many other terracotta soldier pits discovered, although the earlier ones are usually quite stylized and small. The life-size statues from Xi'an, defending the first emperor Qinshihuang, are carved in exquisite detail, down to their intricate hairdos and the decorative knots used to fasten different parts of their armor.

The magnitude of this extremely early trade has already been demonstrated by archaeological finds from both eastern and western sites. Although many of the trade routes were much older, the Silk Road, with its caravan stops and commercial centers, was formally created in the third century AD by the Han dynasty. Chinese historians documented the entry of Roman traders; during the reign of Emperor Augustus, Chinese silk was flooding Rome, and many of its wearers were being criticized by writers like Seneca as effete and immoral.

Learn about the historic ruins found beneath the Euphrates River

Iraq has been particularly hard-hit, despite the fact that climate change and global warming affect nations all around the world. As a result of annual rainfall declining and temperatures rising twice as quickly, the nation is experiencing numerous catastrophic droughts. However, during these droughts, the Euphrates River's decreased water levels made it possible for the secrets of a vanished civilization to come to light. Join us as we set off on a remarkable expedition to explore the historic sites located beneath the Euphrates River!

Finding a Forgotten City Again

The water levels of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers were dangerously low in 2018 as a result of a devastating drought in Iraq. The Mosul Dam Reservoir in the Kurdistan area was drained in an effort to aid the nation, delivering much needed water to withering crops. But as the water level in the reservoir dropped, an old city's ruins suddenly became visible!

Archaeologists labored feverishly in a race against time to investigate and sketch out the recently exposed ancient ruins before the water again submerged them. They came across the remnants of a sizable palace, some of whose walls were 6 feet thick and 22 feet tall! Additionally, numerous walls were decorated with wall paintings that had been well-preserved and shone brightly with blue and red tones. The palace, which was constructed in two independent stages and had been in use for a very long time, might contain many of the secrets of the mighty Mitanni Empire. However, the palace and the remainder of the city retreated into the Euphrates River before they could further assess it, leaving their questions unsolved for the following four years.

Iraq once more had one of the worst droughts in recent memory in 2022. As a result, the reservoir was once more drained, revealing the submerged vanished city. Kurdish and German archaeologists who were sponsored by the University of Tübingen arrived right away to survey and map out the city as much as they could. The team was able to map out many of the major buildings and unearth hundreds of different artifacts after they had a better understanding of what they were looking for and because of how quickly they came together and worked.

The Euphrates River is one of the oldest and most important rivers in the world.

What did they discover when they explored the ancient city beneath the Euphrates River?

The bustling metropolis of Zakhiku, a significant city in the Mitanni Empire, once stood beneath the Euphrates River in the amazing ancient city that is today known as Kemune. From roughly 1600 BCE to 1260 BCE, this ancient empire stood mighty alongside other important nations like Babylonia and Egypt. However, the Assyrians assumed control as the empire started to crumble, and the Mitanni people were forgotten.

Researchers found a large fortification with towers, an industrial complex, and a massive storage facility with numerous levels during their face-paced digs. The immense scale of the storage building suggests that it originally housed a staggering amount of things, indicating the potential size and status of the ancient city and its inhabitants.

But what really stood out was how well-kept the structures are. The almost 3,000-year-old walls were built from sun-dried mud, which should have long since disintegrated beneath the Euphrates River's waters. The higher portions of the walls were devastated and reduced to rubble, however, by an earthquake that occurred approximately 1350 BCE. The lowest portions of the walls were covered in debris, which shielded them from the water.

A number of pottery vessels were also discovered and recovered by the archaeology team in addition to the walls and substantial buildings. These had more than 100 cuneiform-written tablets inside of them, which is the world's earliest writing format. Some of the clay-encased tablets were still there and ready for reading. These old clay tablets, which have been miraculously preserved across thousands of years and even decades underwater, should help us learn more about the inhabitants who previously called this ancient city home.

Cuneiform is the first writing system ever developed. It was created in Mesopotamia by the Sumerians around 3400 BCE.

Who Belonged to the Mitanni Empire?

The Mitanni Empire, which was one of the most powerful states of its era, was established in Mesopotamia and Syria somewhere between 1500 and 1600 BCE. It began in northern Iraq, traveled into Syria, and ended up in Turkey. The distance between the Zagros Mountains and the glistening Mediterranean Sea was more than 600 miles. The term "Mitanni" may have originated from the fact that the empire was ruled by warriors going by the name Maryannu. The Hittites referred to the kingdom as "the land of the Huri" because the inhabitants were Hurrian. Maryannu, however, was rendered as Naharin and Metani by the Egyptians.

Between 1500 and 1240 BCE, the Mitanni Empire flourished and ruled the northern Euphrates-Tigris region. Along with the headwaters at Nineveh and the upper Tigris River, it also controlled significant trade routes up the Euphrates to Carchemish and down the Habur to Mari.

Map of the near east circa 1400 BCE. The Mitanni Empire had powerful neighbors on all sides, from Assyria to the Egpyt, Hatti, and Babylonia.

However, you might be perplexed as to why so few people can recall this formidable and impressive empire. Well, the majority of the Mitanni cities and their antiquities were destroyed when the Assyrians conquered in the fourteenth century. Unfortunately, the Mitanni people's own documents were largely destroyed. In actuality, there were only three primary sources of Mitanni history before the recent discovery beneath the Euphrates River:

• The Letters of Amarna

• a pact between the Hittites and the Mitanni Empire

• a historical horse handbook

Archival material from the Mitanni Empire

First off, the Amarna letters are largely responsible for the knowledge we have on the Mitanni Empire. These prehistoric letters were sent and received by the monarchs of Egypt and Assyria, as well as the Mitanni. In addition, a pact was forged between the Mitanni and the Hittites. These two sources demonstrate the great power and prosperity of the Mitanni Empire. Even the "Great Powers' Club" included it, along with nations like Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, and Hatti.

The third document from the Mitanni Empire academics is a horse handbook, which makes it quite distinctive and one-of-a-kind. But this isn't just any old textbook on how to ride a horse—it's the oldest horse training manual ever discovered! The guidebook was created in 1345 BCE by the Mitanni horse trainer Kikkuli on four tablets. The 1,080 lines of this extremely thorough text cover every facet of horse training, from what foods horses should eat to how they should be exercised.

According to Hittite records, the Mitanni people were excellent horsemen and innovators. The Hittites copied the new spoked wheel design and spread it to other neighboring kingdoms.

The guidebook also showed that the inhabitants of the Mitanni Empire were expert riders. In reality, the Matanni people created a brand-new class of chariot with spoked wheels. Compared to chariots with solid wood wheels, these were a lot faster and simpler to steer. The Mitanni were adept charioteers and horsemen who successfully expanded their empire.

The Mitanni Empire: How Did It Fall?

Like so many other ancient civilizations, the Mitanni Empire was formed by a variety of influences, which ultimately caused it to fall. For instance, vassals and tributes were used to manage the complicated political and social system of the empire. The stability of the empire was frequently broken by a tremendous degree of strife and power conflicts between numerous kings and factions.

The Matanni Empire was also surrounded by a number of strong and fearsome foes. The empire was frequently assaulted by the Assyrians, Hittites, and Kassites who lived nearby. The Matanni Empire and its economy were severely weakened by these repeated invasions, which frequently disrupted trade routes. The Assyrian invasions continued into the fourteenth century BCE, battering the already failing empire until they finally gained total control.

Before archaeologists revealed a fresh find, it was thought that the first ivory work of art retrieved from the World Heritage cave Hohle Fels was a horse

Until researchers uncovered a startling finding, the first ivory work of art unearthed from the World Heritage cave Hohle Fels was thought to be a horse for more than 20 years.

Archaeologists recently discovered a fragment of a finely carved ivory figurine during work in the Swabian Jura near Schelklingen, a World Heritage cave. The figurine fragment revealed itself to be a piece of a body that was perfectly adapted to an animal figurehead discovered more than 20 years earlier. This gives one of the most famous Ice Age works of art a new look. The head, discovered in 1999, was first thought to be a piece of a horse sculpture and gained notoriety as the first ivory figurine discovered in Hohle Fels.

The group led by Professor Nicholas Conard at the University of Tübingen's Department of Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology is currently disputing this conclusion: At a press briefing on the "Find of the Year" on Thursday, Professor Conard said, "We still cannot definitively identify the animal species depicted, but it could be a cave lion or a cave bear." The current issue of the journal Archaeological Excavations in Baden-Württemberg, which is published by the Baden-Württemberg State Office for the Preservation of Monuments, contains a scholarly article on the figure, portions of which were discovered in layers of the Aurignacian Palaeolithic culture and carved 35,000 years ago.

Hohle Fels – animal figure from the right front. Photo: © University of Tübingen, Ria Litzenberg

The Upper Paleolithic artwork, in the opinion of Professor Conard, resembles a bear: "The figurine now has a massive body, shows the typical pronounced bear hump at shoulder height and presents itself in a posture that could imitate the trotting gait of a bear." It is by no means always simple to determine Ice Age depictions with precision, especially since they are kept in such fragmentary form, Professor Conard concedes. However, even those who assigned the figure the morphological and physiognomic qualities of a cave lion did so. Therefore, it makes sense to search especially carefully for this animal's missing pieces in the years to come.

In actuality, the animal form is currently made up of five discovery fragments that were located during various excavation years: Soon after, a tiny piece of the cheek that had been broken off in the neck region of the skull discovered in 1999 was located among the ivory discoveries. This is how the item was preserved and displayed for about twenty years in the Prehistoric Museum in Blaubeuren (urmu).

Hohle Fels 2022 – figure fragment in find location. Photo: © University of Tübingen, Alexander Janas

The new piece

The right shoulder and thorax of the animal were quickly identified and related to the current ivory discovery, which measures 3.99 centimeters in length, 2.49 centimeters in height, and 0.55 millimeters in thickness on one side. This prompted the researchers to explore among the many pieces of ivory recovered from Hohle Fels for other figurine components. With success: Using the engravings on the part, another tiny piece of the right side of the body could be located. This tiny section of the figure's torso, like the other pieces, has very fine lines with the same finish, which amply show the works' unity. It is quite possible that the figure also consists of another fragment, which cannot be clearly related to the rest of the body but may represent a piece of the left front leg.

What Happened To The Preserved Remains Of Pompeii's Victims? | Riddle Of Pompeii

This documentary reconstructs the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24, 79 AD. Through the use of cutting-edge technology, volcanologists piece together the events hour by hour, aiming to unravel the mystery surrounding the fate of the preserved victims at the site. Enjoy!

Before the dinosaurs, there were octopuses: The oldest fossilized octopus is 330 million years old

Octopus fossils dating back 330 million years were discovered in Montana by scientists, proving that octopuses predate dinosaurs.

The fossil of Syllipsimopodi from the Bear Gulch Limestone of Montana. The fossil is incredibly well-preserved, especially given that it’s made up of mostly soft tissue. The fossil is from the Invertebrate Paleontology collections of the Royal Ontario Museum. © Christopher Whalen via NPR.ORG / Fair Use

One of the many mysteries surrounding marine life has recently been solved by a team of hardworking researchers. We now know more about the amazing ancestry of these fascinating creatures thanks to the finding of the oldest known octopus fossil. This 330 million-year-old fossil from Montana refutes earlier theories about how these soft-bodied invertebrates evolved and shows that octopuses existed before dinosaurs.

The Montana fossil is a historical window

The study emphasizes the importance of this ground-breaking discovery and was published in the esteemed journal Nature Communications. The ancient octopus fossil, which was found in Montana's Bear Gulch limestone formation, was 4.7 inches (12 centimeters) long. The preserved species shows that the ancestors of current octopuses had more appendages than their contemporary counterparts, with 10 limbs, each with two rows of suckers.

A diagram of the octopus fossil found in Montana. © K. Whalen via ATI / Fair Use

The prehistoric octopus may have lived in a bay of a shallow tropical ocean, providing researchers with a window into the aquatic life of that time. This discovery is especially noteworthy because soft-bodied creatures are frequently poorly preserved in the fossil record and soft tissue fossils are extremely rare.

Long-forgotten treasure

Although the octopus fossil was discovered in Montana and given to the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada in 1988, it was overshadowed by other exciting fossil discoveries from the Bear Gulch site for many years and eventually went unnoticed. The significance of this item was not fully understood until recent years, when paleontologists found the 10 small limbs trapped in limestone.

Figuring out the enigma of the ancient octopus

The well-preserved fossil of an octopus also revealed signs of an ink sac, similar to those found in living octopuses. To protect themselves from predators, these organisms employ ink to produce a black cloud in the water. This remarkable parallelism shows that the octopus of the distant past had already evolved sophisticated survival techniques millions of years ago.

Syllipsimopodi bideni: a presidential tribute

In honor of Vice President Joe Biden, the researchers that investigated the octopus fossil gave it the name Syllipsimopodi bideni. They wanted to underline the significance of such discoveries in comprehending the evolution of marine life and to show their gratitude for the president's dedication to science and research.

An artistic reconstruction of Syllipsimopodi. © K. Whalen / Christopher Whalen via NPR.ORG / Fair Use

Vampyropods: a historical ancestry

The mysterious vampire squid and modern octopuses are both members of the mollusk family known as vampyropods, which also includes the ancient octopus. The vampire squid, despite its name, is more closely linked to octopuses than squids, which heightens the mystery surrounding these fascinating animals.

The earliest known definitive vampyropod, which was discovered in Montana, dates back to about 240 million years. Therefore, the discovery of Syllipsimopodi bideni moves the origins of this clade back by around 100 million years, providing important new information on the earliest phases of vampyropod evolution.

The importance of the finding

For the scientific community, the discovery of the earliest known octopus fossil is of utmost importance. It disproves earlier theories regarding the progression of octopus evolution by showing that these extinct organisms were already thriving at the time of the dinosaurs. The potential to examine the early evolution of soft-bodied invertebrates, which are frequently underrepresented in the fossil record, is also a particular benefit of this.

Consequences for the investigation of octopus ancestry

The 330 million-year-old octopus fossil's discovery has significant ramifications for the investigation of octopus ancestry. Scientists can better appreciate the special adaptations that have allowed octopuses to survive and flourish in their aquatic settings by knowing the evolutionary history of these species. The results also highlight the value of continuing to study the fossil record because even long-ignored specimens can provide ground-breaking information.

Paleontology's role in revealing the past's secrets

The tale of the extinct octopus fossil emphasizes how important paleontology is to our comprehension of the evolution of life on Earth. Researchers can shed light on the intricate web of evolutionary relationships that have molded the world we live in by methodically inspecting and analyzing fossil specimens. These discoveries about long-extinct species help us understand how the world evolved.

The mysterious world of prehistoric octopuses

With its tantalizing insight into a world that existed hundreds of millions of years ago, the Montana fossil find has opened a new chapter in the study of ancient octopuses. Our admiration for the diverse web of life that has molded Earth's past grows as we continue to unravel the mysteries of these amazing species.

Future-focused: What else can we discover?

The fascinating tale of the extinct octopus fossil serves as a reminder of the pervasive force of scientific curiosity and the possibility of further discoveries. We can expect to learn more about the fascinating world of ancient octopuses and their amazing evolutionary path as researchers continue to delve into the fossil record and unearth new examples.

In conclusion, the discovery of the earliest known octopus fossil in Montana has both clarified the history of these mysterious organisms and shown the value of ongoing historical research. We can better grasp the intricate web of life that has molded our globe and appreciate the remarkable adaptations that have allowed these species to live over the millennia by solving the secrets of ancient octopuses.

Ancient DNA research provides information about South America's early settlers

The Americas were the final continent to see human habitation. An expanding corpus of archaeological and genetic data suggests a complicated process of colonisation. This is particularly true for South America, where unforeseen ancestral signals have sparked puzzling hypotheses about the first migrations into various parts of the continent.

The figure depicts the deep ancestries of the ancient individuals of the Americas and archaic ancestry in ancient South America and Panama. The pie chart radius reflects the proportion of shared archaic ancestry in the individual. Credit: Florida Atlantic University

There are still many outstanding questions, such as whether or not the early humans moved south down the Pacific coast. While there is archeological proof of a north-to-south migration by ancient Indigenous peoples during the original settlement of the Americas, it is still unclear where these ancient humans went once they arrived.

Researchers from Florida Atlantic University and Emory University have unlocked the rich demographic history of South America at the regional level using DNA from two ancient human individuals discovered in two separate archaeological sites in northeast Brazil—Pedra do Tubaro and Alcobaça—as well as powerful algorithms and genomic analyses, with some unexpected and surprising results.

Researchers have identified migrations going in the opposite direction along the Atlantic coast for the first time, in addition to providing new genetic evidence to support the already-existing archaeological data of the north-to-south movement toward South America. The study offers the most thorough genetic support there has been for intricate prehistoric migration routes through Central and South America.

The significant findings include the identification of Neanderthal ancestry in the DNA of prehistoric people from South America. An extinct group of primitive humans known as the Neanderthals lived throughout Eurasia throughout the Lower and Middle Paleolithic.

The first southern North American groups entered South America and spread through the Pacific coast settling the Andes (yellow arrow). At least one population split occurred soon after, branching the first groups that settled the Atlantic coast (green arrow) from the groups that gave rise to the ancient populations of Southern Cone. New Migrations may have then emerged along the Atlantic Coast, with a possible origin around Lagoa Santa, heading north toward Northeast Brazil and Panama, and south to Uruguay. Eventually, Uruguay and Panama were linked by a south-to-north migration route closer to the Atlantic coast (purple double-headed arrow). Credit: Florida Atlantic University

The study's findings, which were published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, indicate that ancient Uruguay and Panama—which are 5,277 kilometers (3,270 miles) apart—were eventually connected by human migrations closer to the Atlantic coast. Based on the ages of the ancient people, it is estimated that this unusual migration trend started about 1,000 years ago.

The ancient genomes from northeast Brazil, Lagoa Santa (southeast Brazil), Uruguay, and Panama are found to have a distinct association. According to this new concept, the majority of the Pacific coast and the Andes were mostly populated before the Atlantic coast was settled.

Michael DeGiorgio, Ph.D., co-corresponding author and associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at FAU's College of Engineering and Computer Science, said: "Our study provides key genomic evidence for ancient migration events at the regional scale along South America's Atlantic coast." These localized episodes most likely resulted from early South American Indigenous peoples migrating in waves along the Pacific coast.

Researchers used teeth from ancient samples collected in archeological sites in northeast Brazil. Teeth are especially important in ancient DNA analysis because of the excellent preservation of biomaterials within the tooth. Credit: Laboratório de Arqueologia Biológica e Forense, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Strong genetic markers from Australia and Papua New Guinea were also discovered in the ancient genome of Panama.

Andre Luiz Campelo dos Santos, Ph.D., first author, an archaeologist and postdoctoral fellow in FAU's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, said, "We still don't know how these ancestral genomic signals appeared in Central and South America without leaving traces in North America. There is an entire Pacific Ocean between Australasia and the Americas.

Researchers found that ancient people from Uruguay and Panama had more Denisovan heritage than Neanderthal ancestry, which further complicated the situation. A group of extinct humans known as denisovans was originally discovered in 2008 using DNA sequences from the tip of a finger bone.

John Lindo, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at Emory University and a co-corresponding author of the research who specializes in ancient DNA analysis, calls it "phenomenal" that Denisovan heritage made it all the way to South America. "The admixture must have taken place a very long time ago, possibly 40,000 years. It is likely that there was significant human-Denisovan hybridization because the Denisovan lineage survived and its genetic fingerprint was found in an ancient Uruguayan person who is barely 1,500 years old.

The Alcobaça archaeological site, in which the skeletal remains of Brazil-12 (northeast Brazil) were unearthed. Credit: Henry Lavalle, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco and Ana Nascimento, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco

The two ancient human remains from northeast Brazil, which date back to at least 1,000 years before the present, were previously discovered by dos Santos and colleagues at the Federal University of Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil. They were sent to Lindo for DNA extraction and subsequent genomic sequencing and analyses. After that, raw data for the entire genome sequences from northeast Brazil were transmitted to FAU for computer processing.

The two recently sequenced ancient whole genomes from northeast Brazil were compared to other ancient whole genomes from the Americas as well as the current global genome. According to Lindo, only a handful of ancient entire genomes from South America have been sequenced and published as of the article's publishing date, compared to hundreds from Europe.

Experts Digging In Israel Uncovered A Breathtaking Structure Linked To A Notorious Biblical King

An archaeologist throws dirt out of the trench that she has dug in Tel Ashkelon Park, Israel. A slab of off-white catches her eye. It could be part of a statue or column, but it’s hard to be sure. Excited, she removes as much earth as she can. This could be something huge – a link back to Biblical times.

Ancient China and Rome: 1000 Years of Contact (Documentary)

In the video below we will be exploring the 1,000 years of contact between ancient China and Rome. Enjoy!

First People In New Zealand / Maori History Documentary

In the following video we will analyze the first people in New Zealand. Watch the video to find out more about the Maori history!

Top 200 Mythical Creatures and Monsters from Around the World

This video is a complete bestiary of top 200 mythical creatures and monsters from around the world.

You will see in this list mythological animals, monsters and creatures from the fantasy world and different mythologies like: Greek, Celtic, Norse, Slavic, Roman, Romanian, Calabrian and other European mythologies. Japanese, Hindu, Chinese and other Asian Folklore, Egyptian and other African mythologies, and of course creatures from Mayan, Aztec and other mythologies from North, Central and South America.

Why Did Modern Humans Take So Long to Leave Africa?

In this video, we'll explore the question of why modern humans took so long to leave Africa. We'll look at the different theories and discuss the evidence, before coming to a conclusion about what really happened. Enjoy!

Units of History - The Spartan Royal Guard Documentary

In this history documentary we explore the best of the best that the Spartan Army had to offer, the hippeis or 300 Royal Guard.

The video begins with a history of Sparta starting with its slow development during the Bronze Age and its emergence as a regional power in the early Archaic. At this point, its armies featured bands of elite armored warriors accompanied by their lightly armed retinues. Using these forces, Sparta was able to gain control of the communities to its south in Laconia and to its west in Messenia. These wars made Sparta the largest polis in all of Greece.

However, such vast territories were difficult to manage and were subject to frequent uprisings. Historians now believe that around the 6th century, the Spartan government and society were thus reformed to better deal with their domestic issues. This meant grouping its subjects into the classes of Helots or Perioikoi while more strictly controlling what it meant to be Spartan. Through these changes the army was reformed into one of a massed militia, whereby the whole army would fight on foot.

Thus, Sparta's previously mounted forces of the Hippeis dismounted to join their comrades and became the Royal Guard, which defended the King of Sparta in battle.