Fall of the Malacca Sultanate | How 1000 Portuguese Soldiers Toppled an Empire

Malaysian history often centers around the Malacca Sultanate. The Malacca Sultanate was a diverse and prosperous merchant empire with extensive trade networks throughout the Indian Ocean, but in 1512CE its capital city was captured by a small Portuguese invasion force. The event sent the Malacca Sultanate into a tailspin from which it never recovered.

Despite how important the event is to Southeast Asian and Indian history, few know the details. In fact, the Fall of the Malacca Sultanate is a story that involves many fascinating people, from feuding Tamil and Gujarati merchant lords to an imprisoned Portuguese soldier who managed to ferry secret messages to his comrades.

Ruins discovered in Iraq "could prove the biblical account of Noah's Ark to be true"

An Iraqi museum may have had evidence supporting the biblical account of Noah's Ark, according to a documentary.

The biblical narrative describes how a large boat rescues two of every kind of animal from floods. The Genesis narrative also describes how people started to construct the Tower of Babel after the flood. The enormous structure is used to describe how several human languages came into existence.

It claims that God confounded the workers' languages so they could no longer communicate in an effort to obstruct the building of the tower, which the Babylonians claimed could reach the skies. People were scattered across the surface of the world when the tower was never finished.

The Bible Conspiracies documentary now asserts that a find in Iraq's Babylon Province corroborates the story. The presenter describes how the discovery of a series of cylinders encircled by burned bricks led researchers to assume that the ruins matched the description of the renowned tower.

“The investigation goes on to explain how the Bible says the structure would later be destroyed by angels under God’s orders. Many believe the tower was destroyed by God, but the text actually tells us it was a strange race, referred to as the Anunnaki. These Anunnaki were described as coming from the heavens, sent to guide humans. In times gone by they were called angels, but today we might call them aliens.”

Bible Conspiracies has a rating of 2.5 stars and is available for free viewing for subscribers to the paid service. The documentary asserts that a Greek philosopher, not Jesus, was the real son of God. "Hidden in the Bible are ancient secrets. The marriage of Jesus and Mary and their children; the destruction of the tower of Babel by an alien race called the Anunnaki, and the hidden code that holds the revelation about future events."

One of the arguments is that a Greek philosopher who lived at the same time as Jesus has been mistaken for him. It's possible that Preacher Apollonius of Tyan was mistaken for Jesus in the Bible's accounts of his life and the miracles he worked in the New Testament. According to the series, Apollonius gained notoriety and a devoted following while preaching and working miracles.

It says: “There is, in fact, a man who can be found in text outside of the Bible after the church failed to eradicate him from history. His name is Apollonius and he was born in the 3rd or 4th year BC in Tyana in Cappadocia, Anatolia. He became a disciple of Pythagoras renouncing flesh, wine and women. He wore no shoes and let his hair and beard grow long. He reportedly restored life to the dead and spoke of things beyond the human reach. And, unlike Jesus, there is evidence to prove that Apollonius actually existed."

Ancient burial urn with skeleton bones discovered in Tiruppur, Tennessee, while building a road

On Thursday, September 14, workmen constructing a road for pipeline installation operations in Tiruppur city discovered a burial urn (Mudhumakkal Thazhi) containing skeleton bones.

Ancient burial urn dating back to more than 2000 years, was found during the digging for pipeline laying work in the heart of Tiruppur city.

Dr. K. King Narcissus, a former head of the government homoeopathic doctors association, told TNIE, “I saw a group of workers, who were engaged in digging land for pipeline laying works near my house in Kuppusamypuram talking about a pot they had found. I examined the pot and suspected it could be an ancient burial urn. Following this, I told them to stop work and informed the media and councillors.”

The Virarajendran Archaeological and Historical Research Centre's (VAHRC) Director, S. Ravikumar, confirmed the development by stating that “Kuppusamy Puram, Kottai Mariamman Temple and KSC school grounds were important places in ancient times. In 2014, six burial urns were found in the playground of KSC Government School. This new discovery is just 300 m from the old site. I believe more urns will be discovered here.” After inspecting the location, Tiruppur City Commissioner Pavankumar Giriyappanar stated that the urns would be brought to the treasury office.

A group of archaeologists from Coimbatore examined the urn in the interim. R. Jeyapriya, the archaeologist in charge of the Coimbatore region, told TNIE that “the size of the urn is very large and it contained skull and bones. Also, we found small pieces of broken pottery around the urn. We believe the urn is more than 2,000 years old.”

Sources claim that the urns discovered in 2014 at KSC Government School contained grains, rice bran, bones, and skulls. But they weren't delivered for a scientific examination. The urns are kept in the government museum in Karur. According to several sources, carbon analysis of comparable materials from burial urns suggested that they could be older than 2,000 years. These urns are kept in Madurai Kamaraj University's collection and archive. Urn burials were used by ancient Tamils before the third century AD, according to topic specialists. Tamils began cremating the deceased after the third century AD.

A recent "archaeological sensation" may disclose the whole extent of the Roman empire in antiquity

Recently discovered "archaeological sensation" in Switzerland may shed new light on the breadth of ancient Roman civilization's influence across Europe.

Aerial view of the current excavation in Cham-Äbnetwald with a view of the Alps. Under the tent is a part of the Roman building.

In the Zug Canton of Switzerland, archaeologists are painstakingly exposing stone walls from the Roman Empire that were constructed some 2,000 years ago. The walls appear to be part of a building complex with various rooms and occupy an area of at least 500 square meters.

According to the Office for the Preservation of Monuments and Archaeology in the Canton of Zug, "the discovery is an archaeological sensation," and it will give important new information about the Romans in pre-alpine Central Switzerland.

The elevation location of the area, according to scientists, may have provided residents of the building complex with "a view of the surrounding landscape".

The discovery of several iron nails by archaeologists at the site further suggests that the wall foundation may have been built from wood.

Gishan Schaeren, director of the Prehistory and Prehistoric Archaeology Department at the Archaeology Society Zug, added, "We were also amazed that the top bricks were even visible above ground."

It's still unknown what use the massive structure surrounded by walls served.

“Is it a villa with a view or a temple building? Finding out this will be the subject of further investigation,” researchers mentioned.

“Roman buildings of similar dimension were last excavated in Cham-Heiligkreuz almost 100 years ago,” explained Dr Schaeren.

Scientists claim that in contrast to other places, the pre-alpine region only has a small number of these architectural remnants from the Roman era.

Researchers believe that the latest discovery can shed more light on how the local civilization developed.

Small selection of Roman finds (from top left to bottom right): An amphora base, the shard of a rubbing bowl, the edge piece of a small bowl of Roman tableware with red coating (Terra Sigillata), four coins in found state, one of them made of silver by Julius Caesar, fragment of a gold object, pieces of a square bottle and a rib bowl made of blue glass

The comparatively good preservation of the remains is particularly amazing, according to Christa Ebnöther from the University of Bern in Switzerland.

In the same location, researchers have also discovered a Middle Bronze Age settlement and Late Bronze Age tombs, proving the area was of interest to locals throughout history.

“The fact that the gravel hill near Oberwil was already inhabited several times thousands of years before the Romans also testifies to the attractiveness of this location,” researchers wrote.

At the site, they also discovered commonplace items as well as more unique items, such as dinnerware, beautifully crafted glass containers, and gold shards that most likely belonged to a piece of jewelry.

“Fragments of amphorae, in which, among other things, wine, olive oil and fish sauce reached the Mediterranean to the Abed Forest near Cham, testify to the far-reaching trade in Roman times,” experts noted.

“These puzzle pieces make it possible to track down the lives of our ancestors and better understand our history,” said Karin Artho, Head of the Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology.

Skeleton of 'Tall' 1,300-Year-Old Found at Construction Site with Knife

On the site of what will eventually be an Intel chip production facility in Germany, a body of a 1,300-year-old man was discovered.

Excavation site Germany. Excavators digging on an archeological excavation on the site of a planned new Intel chip factory near Magdeburg, Germany Ronny Hartmann/Getty

The find was made as a result of excavation operations that uncovered 50 building floor plans from a 3,500–4,500 year old community on the site, which is close to the city of Magdeburg.

According to Susanne Friederich, project manager and archaeologist at the Halle State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology, "the dead man was 1.65 meters long [5 feet, 5 inches] and quite tall for the time. The man wore a knife on his right thigh. The metal tip of a sword scabbard, a belt buckle and the remains of a bronze brooch that held the man's garment together have also been preserved."

The fact that there were weapons in the burial indicates that the deceased was most likely a warrior.

The body is thought to have come from the Dark Ages, also known as the Migration Period, which spanned from 500 to 1000 A.D. In order to flee the Huns' invasion from Central Asia, Germanic tribes moved throughout Europe during this time.

The settlement's homes are likewise unusual. The walls' elongated oval shape, according to Friedrich, is what makes them unique.

Although this kind of home has been documented throughout Northern Germany and Scandinavia, it is unusual to find one in Magdeburg.

The majority of the homes are 33 feet long and 13 feet broad, but one substantial one is 49 feet long and 16 feet wide. The location also has a pit house, a structure made from an underground pit with a roof over it that was probably used for crafting.

The Bronze Age, which lasted from 2500 to 800 B.C., is supposed to have left behind some of these homes.

As they continue to investigate the site, the archaeologists anticipate discovering more burials and indications of the settlement. On an area of about 300 hectares, there may be 100 to 200 homes by the end of the year, according to Friedrich.

However, because to the timeline for the construction of Intel plants, the team does not have much time to finish their excavations. The business intends to begin building its two new semiconductor facilities in 2024, giving the archaeologists till the end of the year to conclude their research.

"Then there will be nothing standing in the way of the Intel settlement," Friedrich mentioned.

Chichén Itzá: Pyramid Serpent Shadow Equinox Alignment

The Kukulkán Pyramid at Chichén Itzá hides a remarkable shadow effect that only occurs on the March and September equinoxes every year. This ancient Maya site flourished during the 5th Century, and was later built over by the Itzá culture and the Toltecs. Constructed over a Cenote the main pyramid has three layers built over by these later cultures. There is a giant cenote with a Sacbe leading to it and a gigantic ball-court, the largest in Mexico. Includes exclusive aerial footage.

The Politics of Fantasy Maps

What do maps of fictional places reveal about politics and geography? This video essay explores questions about the creation of space, the subjectivity of maps, and the role of maps in modern media and worldbuilding. Enjoy!

How ancient Rome was excavated in Italy in the 1920s. Unique rare videos and photos.

Photographs taken during archaeological work in the Italian capital in the late nineteenth century also include photographs from the excavation of the main harbor of Ancient Rome and presumably its first colony - Ostia, also at the Villa Nero in Anzio and at Villa Adriana in Tivoli.

The most extensive excavations of the ancient port began in 1938 on the orders of Mussolini and lasted until 1942. For five years, a significant part of the city was dug up and about 600,000 cubic meters of land were recovered.

In some places to get from the level of modern streets to the streets of the Roman periud had to go 12 meters deep. Watch the video for more!

The Punishment of Medusa: The Story of the Cursed Priestess

Dive into the enigmatic tale of Medusa, the cursed Grecian priestess. Venture through the marble halls of ancient Athens, witness forbidden love, divine wrath, and a transformation like no other. Beyond the monstrous facade lies a story of beauty, power, and resilience. Join us as we unravel the layers of Medusa's tragic narrative and discover the hidden strength within us all. Explore myths, question narratives, and embrace the hero within.

Highlights of the Istanbul Archaeological Museum

In the video below we will go through the highlights of the Istanbul archaeological museum. Watch the video & enjoy!

Mysteries of the Ancient Giant Mound Builders: North America's Lost Civilization

Scattered across North America are enormous, mysterious earthworks that have been linked to everything from vanished Native American tribes to extraterrestrial visits, the fabled continent of Atlantis, and even a mysterious race of towering giants.

The legacy of ancient civilizations often lies in the structures they leave behind, and this is especially true of the mound-building societies whose obsessive construction of these cryptic mounds has left historians and archeologists baffled for ages.

Far from mere piles of earth, many of these mounds showcase advanced geometric designs, precise celestial alignments, and unparalleled mathematical precision. Such sophistication has led some to suggest that these ancient mound-builders may have held knowledge in specific areas that even surpasses our own.

Yet, these architectural wonders pose more questions than they answer. What purpose did they serve? And why did the masterful builders behind them seemingly vanish without a trace?

This is the story of North America's ancient mound-builders and the centuries-long quest to piece together the puzzle of their creations...

How Useful was the Great Wall of China Really?

The Great Wall provided critical benefits to many Chinese dynasties. In this video we will be explaining how useful it really was. Watch the video to find out more!

You wont believe how this ancient desert architecture feeds millions for free!

What are these tall buildings with hundreds of holes found all over the desert?

This unusual architecture can be found across many desert regions but what are they for? They look too narrow to house people and have so many holes? In this video we are going to find out what this curious design is for and I’ll give you a little hint, its connected to an ingenious way to survive in the desert....

These stunningly remarkable and unique looking buildings can be seen throughout The Middle East and North Africa in some of the most arid and hot deserts, they have been found in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt and finally in Iran where historian say they originate.

So we are going to take a more in depth look at why they started out in Iran to understand what these curious structures are for. When these towers were said to have been invented, Iran was known as Persia and due to it unique geographical location it was one of the cradles of civilization.

It is the 18th most populous country in the world with a population of approximately 82 million people. In terms of total land area, its the 2nd largest country in the Middle East and 17th largest in the world, covering 636,372 square miles. The country borders the Caspian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf.

At first glance its often mistaken as a completely arid country but in fact its climate and geography is extremely diverse, only about 22% of its land area is desert. Compared with its neighboring countries of Saudi Arabia with (95% desert), Turkmenistan with (80% desert) and Iraq with (40% desert).

The country boasts range lands, forests, including rain forests, wetlands and even glaciers however the country has no major rivers and streams with the only navigable river being the 520-mile long Karun.

The country also boasts curiously interesting ancient architecture such as wind towers which create the effect of air conditioning without electricity called Bâdgir, they also have these huge domes known as Yakhchāl to store and even make ice.

Both of which we have covered in previous videos, so today we are going to look at another ingenious architectural design that is so useful and integral to survival in this countries deserts.

Contin Parish Church: An archaeological investigation tries to reveal mysteries

The skirl of the bagpipes signaled a dire warning to the terrified women, children, and elderly people, telling them to run to the tiny church in the heart of the island and ask for assistance.

Contin Parish Church (Image: HES)

The ladies and kids of Contin village in the picturesque Strathconon countryside were easy prey for the irate MacDonalds while the village men were abroad.

The attackers stormed towards the church and closed its entrances after becoming enraged over the treatment of one of their own by the son of the Chief of the Mackenzie clan. They ignited torches, sealed the inhabitants inside, who were screaming, and torched the building and them to the ground.

The horrible massacre that occurred at Contin's Kirk in Rossshire in the fifteenth century was only one of many bloody assaults that happened at a location so rich in religious history that it has been termed "the holy isle of the north."

Although St. Maelrubha, an Irish Christian monk who founded a monastery in Applecross and used it as his base for about six centuries, started construction on the structure in the eighth century, little is known about the various churches that have since stood there and the surrounding area.

With an archaeological survey to find medieval and pre-medieval relics in the fields surrounding Contin Parish Church, it is now hoped that this might change.

The region overlooked by today's austere grey harled box-like kirk, which still has remnants of the 15th-century church attacked by the MacDonald clan, will be surveyed by specialists ORCA Archaeology during a geophysical survey next week.

A magnetic survey, which aids in locating charred remains and midden sites, will be conducted as part of the study, which is being organized by the local community as part of their Contin's Hidden History project. Additionally, a focused Earth Resistance survey will be conducted to help locate any buried structures.

A pre-medieval stone found in the kirkyard (Image: Phil Baarda)

The three-day study is anticipated to reveal traces of historic building foundations and indications of earlier settlements, potentially sparking additional archaeological investigations that may help reveal more about the long history of the kirk.

It's great to be doing this now, according to Phil Baarda of the local community council, who almost accidentally uncovered two pre-medieval carved stones in the kirkyard two years ago. "There has been very little archaeological work done at Contin, so it’s quite exciting to be doing this now. I’m pretty convinced we will find something. This is a fascinating place, but its history has been fairly neglected over the years with other sites seeming to take precedence. Yet the signs are that this must have been a well-known centre for many centuries," he adds.

The remnants of a chambered cairn, which is located inside the family tomb of the Mackenzie of Coul, and the Bronze Age Contin Henge, also known as Achilty Henge, are both nearby.

The monk's body is claimed to have been transferred there after he was ambushed and killed by robbers at Urquhart on the Black Isle, then taken to his monastery at Applecross for burial. The area is now overgrown and known as Preas Mairi, which means "the thicket of Maelrubha."

He was a descendant of Niall, King of Ireland, and originally from Bangour, County Down. In 671, he traveled to Scotland with a group of other monks as part of the second wave of missionaries that followed St. Columba.

The monk who founded the monastery and founded at least 22 churches while traveling from Applecross, in Pictish territory, via Skye, Lewis, and farther east to Forres and Keith, did so in 673. He was the man who gave Loch Maree its name.

Irish chronicles mention both his journey to Scotland and the founding of the monastery, indicating that his mission was thought to be particularly important in the spread of Christianity and Gaelic culture among norther Scottish Picts.

While a variety of traditions and customs were formed in his honor as a result of his influence, some of them persisted for generations after his passing.

The people of Contin continued to sacrifice bulls to honor the saint on his feast day, August 25, according to research presented in publications by the Ross and Cromarty Heritage Society, which was based on minutes of the Presbytery of Dingwall written in 1656.

The "mentally disturbed," also known as St. Mourie's afflicted ones, received the sacrificed flesh.

It continues that 22 years later, more sacrifices were made in an effort to help a sick woman, and that at the beginning of the 19th century, a fair day held in his honor, Feill Moire, involved "several days of drinking and fighting," prompting the local Laird, Sir George Mackenzie of Coul, to order the celebrations to be moved to Dingwall instead.

The burial cemetery of the Contin Kirk would have been safe from the attention of wild animals because it is located on an island in the Blackwater (Abhainn Dubh). An overpass over the road connects it to the remainder of the community.

A series of violent incidents have occurred there over the years, including an invasion on the saint's feast day in the ninth century that resulted in the massacre of some 100 men and women by either Danes or people from the Western Isle.

Contin Parish Church (Image: HES)

When word got out, the men of Ross came together to exact retribution, killing all but 30 of the 500 invaders.

After Kenneth of Kinellen, son of the Mackenzie clan chief and husband to a MacDonald woman, had a disagreement with his in-laws, the MacDonald clansmen brutally massacred women and children in 1477.

After the argument, he sent his one-eyed wife back to her family with a one-eyed servant, a one-eyed horse, and a one-eyed dog, further escalating the tension between the two households.

The kirk became the center of a religious dispute in the 18th century when its final Episcopalian pastor refused to become a Presbyterian.

Aeneas Morrison, sometimes known as "Black Angus," was preaching when someone attempted to have him removed from the pulpit after he had previously been charged with aiding in the Jacobite uprising of 1715.

He cursed the men who were dragging him down the aisle as the church bell rung out of the blue and immediately cracked from top to bottom.

The two fields that border the church that are the subject of the archaeological study scheduled for next week are believed to have never been tilled, which has led to expectations that fascinating details may be hiding just beneath the surface.

The results of the survey, which is a component of the Highland Archaeology Festival and is part of a larger community initiative supported by Historic Environment Scotland and EDF Renewables Corriemoillie Wind Farm Community Fund, will be presented to the locals in early October.

After a thousand years, a "long-lost city of Gods" was found by lasers in a deep jungle

In a jungle in north-west Cambodia, a long-lost ancient city was found by researchers.

Laser technology revealed the Khmer empire's oldest city (Image: Getty Images)

Mahendraparvata, which translates as "Mountain of Indra (King of Gods)," was supposed to have been the initial capital of the Khmer Empire and was a vibrant metropolis more than a thousand years ago.

Scientists had even disagreed on the best place to hunt for the remnants of this enigmatic location, after decades of futile search efforts.

That is, until a trailblazing expedition that ended in 2019 unearthed a trove of knowledge about the hidden city, which is nearly 300 years older than the iconic Angkor Wat structure.

The city had been hidden for over 1,000 years (Image: Getty Images/500px)

When Khmer ruler Jayavarman II was dedicated in 802 AD, Mahendraparvata was discovered, according to analysis of the find in Phnom Kulen National Park. The historic Khmer Empire was established at this time.

Modern Lidar (light detection and ranging) laser-scanning techniques were used to precisely locate the city, which is situated 40 kilometers north of Angkor Wat, the greatest temple in the world.

Archaeologist Jean-Baptiste Chevance of the Archaeology and Development Foundation in the UK noted in a report on the amazing discovery that comprised over two dozen previously unrecorded temples: "The mountainous region of Phnom Kulen has, to date, received strikingly little attention. It is almost entirely missing from archaeological maps, except as a scatter of points denoting the remains of some brick temples

It is not thought the city was inhabited for long (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

"The Ancient Khmer modified the landscape, shaping features on a very large scale – ponds, reservoirs, canals, roads, temples, rice fields and more. However, the dense forest often covering the areas of interest is a main constraint to investigating them", he continued.

However, a major obstacle to exploring the locations of interest is frequently the dense forest that covers them.

The team's use of laser technology allowed them to see through centuries' worth of vegetation that had grown over the city's ruins.

Then, across the jungle's 50 sq km, they could see a vast urban network.

Jayavarman II was consecrated at Mahendraparvata, founding the Khmer Empire (Image: Getty Images)

According to the researchers, "numerous other elements of the anthropogenic landscape connect to this broader network, suggesting the elaboration of an overall urban plan. Dams, reservoir walls and the enclosure walls of temples, neighbourhoods and even the royal palace abut or coincide with the embanked linear features."

Despite its vastness, the city was not inhabited for very long since people moved to easier-to-live-in terrains.

Damian Evans, of the French School of the Far East, told the New Scientist: "The city may not have lasted for centuries, or perhaps even decades. But the cultural and religious significance of the place has lasted right up until the present day."

The largest discovery in Norway in more than a century is made by a metal detectorist: antique gold jewelry

An amateur metal detectorist in Norway is enjoying his good fortune after discovering what might be the country's largest ancient gold discovery in more than a century. Of course, it could simply be beginner's luck.

Image courtesy of Archaeological Museum at the University of Stavanger

Beginning in September, the Archaeological Museum at the University of Stavanger revealed the discovery of a cache of gold artifacts dating back more than 1,500 years on the island of Rennesy in southwest Norway. The hoard weighed almost 100 grams.

In the news statement that was translated from Norwegian, director Ole Madsen of the Archaeological Museum at the University of Stavanger noted, “this is the gold find of the century in Norway. To find so much gold at the same time is extremely unusual.”

Erlend Bore, a native of Sola, found the gold cache. The 51-year-old man purchased his metal detector a year ago, and, according to the museum, he mostly views it as a hobby to get him outside the house.

Bore relocated to a higher location after spending the majority of the day searching the beach on Rennesøy without much success. Initially, he didn't know what he had discovered, he continued.

"At first, I thought I had found chocolate money or Captain Sabertooth coins. It was completely unreal," Bore said.

The museum claimed that even though the gold disks appeared to be ancient coins, they were actually pieces of jewelry. The museum stated that the gold pendants, known as "bracteaters," were not used to buy or trade items but rather as adornment.

The jewelry, according to associate professor at the museum Hkon Reiersen, dates to roughly 500 AD. The braceleteters were also found with round gold pearls.

The gold pearls and nine bracteates combine to make a really ostentatious necklace. The most influential members of society wore the jewelry, which was created by talented jewelers. It is really uncommon to find so many braceaters in one place. It hasn't happened in Norway since the 19th century, and it's a really unique discovery in the context of Scandinavia, according to Reiersen.

The design on the gold disks, according to the museum, further distinguishes this find as being special. The brackets have images of horses on them.

According to the Museum, the pendants' emblems traditionally depict the god Odin tending to the ailing horse of his son Balder. These gold disks, however, just display the horse's appearance.

Marianne Enoksen, section manager for cultural heritage in Rogaland County Municipality, said, “None of the archaeologists in Rogaland County Municipality have experienced anything like this, and it is difficult to describe the excitement when we got to see these.”

All items discovered that date back to 1537 and coins older than 1650 are regarded as state property under Norwegian law and must be reported and given to the authorities.

A finder's fee, which must be split equally between the landowner and the finder, is permitted under the Cultural Heritage Act for those who discover loose cultural heritage. The worth of the items Bore found has not yet been established by the museum.

Ancient magical ritual objects were uncovered along the Darb al-Hajj route from Cairo to Mecca

A recently published study suggests that the objects, which were discovered in the 1990s along the historic Darb al-Hajj route from Cairo to Mecca, may have been used in magical ceremonies.

Dr. Itamar Taxel of the Israel Antiquities Authority recently published a research in which he examined a group of items found in the late 1990s at an archaeological site in the Eilat mountains. The Journal of Material Cultures in the Muslim World recently released their research.

The collection of artifacts was discovered by Moti Shemtov in the late 1990s along the old Darb al-Hajj route in the Eilat mountains of southern Israel. It contains pieces of table tennis ball-sized clay rattles that contained small stones and made sound when shaken. Along with other figures, including one of a bare-chested woman or goddess with raised hands, two items that resembled miniature votive incense altars were also discovered.

The study claims that these objects were used in mystical rituals to ward off the evil eye, treat illness, and other things.

Clay rattle fragment. Photo: Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority.

According to the researchers, "this discovery reveals that people in the Early Ottoman Period—just as today—consulted popular sorcerers, alongside the formal belief in the official religion."

The ceramic objects came from Egypt, according to a study of them. The IAA claimed that this significant collection of ceremonial objects had never before been discovered, especially at a transient location as opposed to a permanent settlement.

Before continuing onto the Arabian Peninsula, the Darb al-Hajj left Cairo and passed via the Sinai Peninsula, the Eilat region, and the town of Aqaba. From the early centuries after the rise of Islam, or from the 7th century to the 19th century, this route was in use.

There have been found to be a number of pilgrims' campsites and buildings close to the Eilat mountains. These buildings appear to have been largely used throughout the Mamluk and Ottoman eras, which started in the 13th or 14th century C.E.

Colored quartz pebbles. Photo: Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority.

Many of the items were found broken, according to Dr. Itamar Taxel, which suggests they may have been deliberately damaged during ceremonies.

The items were discovered broken, and it's possible that they were deliberately damaged during the rituals. It appears that one or more individuals with experience in common magical rituals performed these rituals at the location. From the literary sources, we can infer that people from many social strata had a need for magical rites. It is likely that pilgrims traveling to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina participated in such rites together with the formal religious ceremonies on a daily basis, especially in the Muslim world.

The Darb al-Hajj route intersects Eilat's municipal boundaries, positioning the city to become a part of a distinctive regional archaeological and tourist area, according to Omry Barzilai, the IAA's southern regional archaeologist.

Lost Celtic "rainbow cup" coin from 2,000 years ago was found in Germany

The term "rainbow cups" refers to the gold drops that are said to descend to Earth at the end of a rainbow.

The motif of the four-pointed star surrounded by four arches is rare, as there are only three known Celtic rainbow cup coins with this design. (Image credit: © Photo Stefanie Friedrich, Archaeological State Collection (Munich))

According to the Bavarian State Archaeological Collection, a very rare "rainbow cup" coin made by the Celts more than 2,000 years ago has been discovered in Germany close to a river.

According to Bernward Ziegaus, a senior curator in the State Archaeological Collection's numismatic department who is analyzing the currency, the gold piece, struck in the second or first century B.C., has a unique design on one side that has a four-pointed star encircled by arches. The coin is curved like other rainbow cups are.

"The name rainbow cup coins come from the legend that they are drops of gold that fall to earth at the end of a rainbow," Ziegaus told Live Science in an email. "Another legend about these Celtic coins tells us that these coins can only be found by Sunday children," or a child of fortune.

"In fact, the finder was born on a Sunday and is indeed a Sunday child, a lucky child!" he mentioned.

The coin was found this spring on the Lech River in the southern state of Bavaria by the finder, who was working with state archaeologists. The location is around 45 miles (70 km) west of Munich.

The location is close to an old road, however it is uncertain how the 0.07 ounce (1.9 grams) coin ended up there. The Roman route Via Claudia Augusta crossed the Alps and originated in what is now Trento, northern Italy, according to Ziegaus.

"Perhaps the coin was accidentally lost along the way," he said.

The "heads" side of the 13 millimeter (0.5 inch) wide coin "shows a stylized human head with a large eye," Ziegaus stated. The nose and lips are shown as dots. According to a metal study, the currency is made up of 77% gold, 18% silver, and 5% copper.

The "heads" side of the rainbow cup Celtic coin that displays a stylized human head. (Image credit: © Photo Stefanie Friedrich, Archaeological State Collection (Munich))

With the star and arch design, there are only three known rainbow cups. Ziegaus remarked that it was challenging to interpret the motivation. "The star is perhaps a symbol for the four cardinal points, the arches are to be understood as signs for the horizon and the rising and setting of the moon."

The powerful warriors known as the Celts flourished throughout mainland Europe in antiquity and subsequently took over Rome. The earliest Celtic coins found in Bavaria date to the third century B.C., however Ziegaus claimed that Celtic coinage was abandoned after the Roman conquest of the area in 15 B.C. Roman coinage took over as the region's primary form of payment after then.

Even if it's just one coin, it's still a fantastic find. Because there have only been a very small number of specimens of this kind discovered thus far, according to Marjanko Pileki, a doctorate candidate at Goethe University Frankfurt studying the archaeology of coinage, money, and the ancient economy.

If additional rainbow cups are discovered nearby, "a picture of the [currency's] distribution can be drawn," Pilekić wrote in an email to Live Science.

The rainbow cup was given to the Munich-based Bavarian State Archaeological Collection by the coin's finder. It will go on permanent exhibit at the museum with other priceless Celtic coin artifacts in 2024 since it is "extremely rare," according to Ziegaus.

Spain Discovers Unprecedented 24,000-Year-Old Paleolithic Art Sanctuary

In a grotto in Spain's Valencia province, the largest collection of prehistoric cave art in Eastern Iberia has been found. The huge collection of engravings and paintings, which number over 100 pieces and include at least 19 different species, has been dated to be more than 24,000 years old.

Some of the artworks at Cova Dones had been distorted by cave bear claw marks, indicating their age.

The ancient artworks, which were discovered in a cave called Cova Dones, are remarkable in a number of ways, and archaeologists were surprised by their unanticipated location. Only three instances of Pleistocene cave art had ever been uncovered in eastern Spain before this find, with the great majority being situated in the country's north and across the Pyrenees into France.

Cova Dones, a popular hiking and caving destination in the Millares municipality, has long been known to locals. However, it wasn't until June 2021 that scientists became aware of the amazing murals that grace the cave's walls. According to the team's description of their find in a recent article, "further work in 2023 allowed us to identify the site as a major Palaeolithic art sanctuary, given the quantity and variety of motifs and the richness and detail of its technical features."

An engraving of a female red deer.

According to the study's authors, "more than 110 graphic units" have so far been located, with the primary decorated section being located some 400 meters (1,312 feet) inside the cave. At least 19 different animals, including seven horses, seven female red deer, two aurochs, a stag, and two unidentified species, have been identified in these drawings, according to the experts.

The remaining graphics are composed of "conventional signs," such as rectangles and other shapes, as well as "macaroni," which are markings that resemble tubes. Researchers claim that the ancient artists used a surprising variety of techniques and abilities, sometimes scraping off limestone precipitate off the surface of the walls to form shaded figures. The authors write that this method is uncommon in Palaeolithic cave art and was previously unheard of in eastern Iberia.

The majority of the paintings in Cova Dones were made by adding red clay to the walls, which is equally astounding. The use of clay in prehistoric cave paintings was a very unexpected discovery because typically, diluted ochre or manganese powder were used to create them.

Painted female deer heads.

The authors of the study emphasize in their report that it is impossible to establish the date of the artworks with certainty. However, several characteristics of the cave walls do offer some indications as to when the drawings may have been made.

Most significantly, the presence of claw marks from cave bears helps to date some of the engravings. The fact that some of the etched images are covered by these scratches shows that the animal responsible entered the cave after the artists had finished their work.

The researchers conclude that at least some of the rock art must be older than 24,000 years based on the dating for the demise of the cave bear.

Ancient rituals performed at strange stone buildings in north-western Arabia are revealed by the discovery of the "Horn Chamber"

The findings of two recent excavations funded by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) show that the Neolithic people of northwest Arabia engaged in "complex and sophisticated ritual practices" in the late 6th millennium BCE.

The team led by Dr Wael Abu-Azizeh excavates the chamber that contained “an exceptional discovery” of skull and horn fragments. Credit: Muhammad Al-Dajani / RCU

The exceptional finds open unknown opportunities for a fuller understanding of the social, cultural and spiritual backdrop of the ancient peoples of north-west Arabia.

Researchers stress that the practice was likely communal in nature and that it is possible that individuals traveled expressly to mustatils, prehistoric stone structures, to perform the ritual. If so, this would be one of the earliest documented pilgrimage rituals. The pastoral nomadic nature of the group, whose members may have constructed the mustatils as a means of social bonding and/or a territorial marking, is further supported by the larger presence of domestic species among the animal gifts.

Large rectangular open-air constructions called mustatils with low stone walls. Researchers have located more than 1,600 of them in north Arabia through aerial scans. Although the purpose of the structures was first unknown, excavations since 2018 have shown a ritual importance and given further information about the activity.

The outcomes of the two investigations have just been published after peer assessment. A group of experts lead by Dr. Rebecca Foote, Director of Archaeology at RCU, authored the book "Revealing Cultural Landscapes in North-West Arabia," which includes a study conducted by Dr. Wael Abu-Azizeh of the Archéorient Laboratory and France's Lyon 2 University. The study, which was directed by Dr. Melissa Kennedy of the University of Sydney in Australia, was published in the PLoS One journal in March.

Abu-Azizeh research

For Oxford Archaeology, Dr. Abu-Azizeh started an excavation in 2018 that resulted in the discovery of the "Horn Chamber" in a mustatil at site IDIHA-0000687 northeast of AlUla, dating to between 5300 and 5000 BCE. The chamber, which is smaller than typical mustatils at 3.25 by 0.8 meters, is located at the western end of a mustatil that measures 40 by 12 meters.

At top is a general view of the SU100 platform; at bottom are details of the horn chamber. Credit: Wael Abu-Azizeh et al 2022 / RCU

He and his crew found a remarkable find of horn and skull parts within the "Horn Chamber," which had a layer 20 to 30 cm thick covering the chamber's floor. According to their description, this is "a unique and unprecedented assemblage in the context of north Arabian Neolithic."

The majority of the horns and skull fragments, or about 95%, came from domestic animals including goats, sheep, and cattle. The remaining 5% came from wild animals such gazelles, Nubian ibex, and aurochs (a now-extinct predecessor of domestic cattle). The assemblage was resting on a thin layer of twigs that had been spread across the chamber's sandstone floor in advance of the rite.

The scientists come to the conclusion that a single ceremony is likely when the horns and pieces of skull were left there. They suggest that pastoral nomads gathered and carried the offerings as part of the ceremonial performance in their preliminary reconstruction of the ceremony. They passed through a small antechamber with hearths and a short doorway to enter the solemn little Horn Chamber where they presented this trophy on behalf of their social group. The assemblage of enshrined gifts revealed a unifying identity for the larger social community.

According to the researchers, "by the quantity of remains, the diversity of species represented, and the unusual state of preservation, this assemblage constitutes a unique and unprecedented discovery in the archaeological record of the region. This deposit is interpreted as a testimony of complex and sophisticated ritual practices…"

Kennedy research

At site IDIHA-0008222, east of AlUla, the second investigation, led by a group from the University of Western Australia at the time and under the direction of Dr. Kennedy, started excavation of a mustatil in 2019. They also discovered a chamber with horns and fragments of a skull dating to between 5200 and 5000 BCE, though not in as large of an amount as Abu-Azizeh's crew. These bones appeared to have been deposited in three or four phases over a generation or two as opposed to all at once, which is another difference.

Many of the skull fragments and horns came from goats, but most were from cattle. This discovery is "amongst the earliest attestation of domestic cattle and goat in northern Arabia."

The outline of the Kennedy team’s mustatil is at the forefront of this image of the landscape east of AlUla. They describe the location as “essentially hidden in the sandstone canyons”. Credit: Hugh Kennedy, AAKSA / RCU

An upright stone that stands in the center of the shrine is thought to have acted as the ritual's focal point. Around this standing stone, which was 0.8 meters high, the majority of the horns and skull fragments were left there. According to the researchers, this stone is a betyl, which is defined as "a mediator between humankind and the divine, acting as a proxy or a manifestation of an unknown Neolithic deity/deities or religious idea, to which the faunal elements were deposited as votive offerings." One of the earliest known betyls on the Arabian Peninsula would be this one.

The continuous use of the shrine over a number of years, according to the scholars, "represents one of the earliest examples of 'pilgrimage' or shrine revisiting currently identified in the Arabian Peninsula."

They make the intriguing claim that the mustatils' positioning may have had an ecological basis. The Middle Holocene Period saw an increase in the aridity of the Arabian climate, which necessitated mobility and permitted herding. The mustatils themselves may have been situated close to water sources, such as wadis, and the ritual may have been performed to ensure fertility and the continuation of rainfall. The authors claim that this is an important area for future study.

RCU has started one of the biggest archaeological research programs in the world, according to Dr. Rebecca Foote, director of archaeology and cultural heritage research. Twelve ongoing surveys, excavations, and specialized projects in AlUla and Khaybar are expanding our knowledge of the area's historical ecology, land use, and human habitation. Funerary avenues, mustatils, ancient cities, inscriptions in ten languages, rock art, and sophisticated agricultural methods are just a few of the rich cultural landscapes that are being uncovered. The first AlUla World Archaeology Summit will strengthen AlUla's position as a major center of archaeological activity.

In this overview of the Horn Chamber Mustatil (at IDIHA-0000687), SU300 marks the eastern wall of the mustatil, SU200 marks a stone cairn and SU100 marks the 7x2.5m platform containing the horn chamber. The cliff overhang protected the horn chamber from exposure to the elements, which accounts for the exceptional state of preservation. Credit: Wael Abu-Azizeh et al 2022 / RCU

World Archaeology Summit in AlUla

As RCU will hold the first AlUla World Archaeology Summit from September 13–15, 2023, AlUla's status as a center of archaeological activity will continue to grow.

The Summit serves as a forum for developing cultural heritage management and archaeology at the intersection of these two fields. In addition to enhancing the archaeological community and assisting in the preservation of shared history, this gathering of leaders from academia, government, non-governmental organizations, business, and young people who represent the next generation of archaeologists will also open up a larger discussion about what and how archaeology, and more broadly cultural heritage, can contribute to transformative changes in society.

Regarding the AlUla Royal Commission

In July 2017, a royal decree established the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) to protect and develop AlUla, a region in northwest Saudi Arabia with exceptional ecological and cultural significance. In order to develop AlUla as an attractive place to live, work, and visit, RCU's long-term plan specifies a responsible, sustainable, and considerate approach to urban and economic growth. This strategy protects the region's natural and historic heritage. This includes a wide range of activities in archaeology, tourism, culture, education, and the arts, demonstrating a dedication to achieving the goals of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 program, which prioritizes economic diversification, local community empowerment, and cultural preservation.