The late 14th-century diamond-set gold ring. (Photo: Noonans)

The UK is full of history, some of it buried just below a shallow layer of dirt. Amateur metal detectorists can stumble on antiquities, including hoards of ancient treasure. Some finds are more singular: an amateur roving the Dorset countryside with his metal detector discovered a 14th-century medieval gold and diamond wedding ring. The stunning band bears a unique inscription, and has recently sold at auction for an impressive $46,000.

David Board picked up metal detecting in the 1970s, but his early endeavors yielded nothing exciting. In 2019, he picked the hobby back up, exploring the countryside near Thorncombe, in the South West of England. His machine pinged on only the second day searching. He initially thought the object he unearthed was a metal candy wrapper but then decided it was scrap metal. Luckily, he saved it. “It was once I got home and washed it off that we realized it was a lot better than we thought,” he explained to CNN. Once the ring was examined by experts in medieval history, the true import of the discovery became clear.

In incredible condition, the ring features two entwined bands symbolizing marital union. An inverted diamond is set in the gold. The interior of the band carries an inscription in medieval French. It reads “ieo vos * tien * foi * tenes * le moy” which translates to “As I hold your faith, hold mine.” The perfect example of medieval love and chivalry, the ring likely belonged to Joan Brook, wife of local landed gentry Sir Thomas Brook. They married in 1388. Lady Joan—a wealthy widow of a cloth merchant—brought a lot of wealth to her marriage.

While this incredible piece of history may be a once-in-a-lifetime find for Board, he is still avidly pursuing fields in search of other wonders. In the UK, national laws govern the finding of certain treasures and help to ensure both rewards for finders as well as the protection of national heritage. Yet Board is still thrilled with his find: “There will probably never be another one like it. Back then, each ring was individual and unique, not mass produced like today. It's stunning.”

The ring went to auction at Noonan's in London in November 2022, fetching an impressive $46,000. It may be impossible to put a price on love, but this medieval love ring certainly fetched a pretty penny.

An amateur metal detectorist in the UK discovered a buried medieval gold and diamond wedding ring.

Photo: Noonans

The wedding ring dates to the 15th century and has a medieval French inscription which reads “I hold your faith, hold mine.”

Photo: Noonans

h/t: [CNN]

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READ: Metal Detectorist in the UK Finds a Medieval Diamond Wedding Ring

Photo: Fazon1/Depositphotos

Some of the most fascinating archeological discoveries are those that remind us that we're not that different from people who lived hundreds or thousands of years ago. Recently, a group of researchers devoted to unearthing the mysteries of the sewers of the Colosseum found evidence of the snacks that the audiences enjoyed during the sports events and performances that took place there.

The finding took place during a yearlong study in which archeologists excavated 1,900-year-old remnants of seeds and fruits such as nuts, olives, cherries, grapes, figs, blackberries, and peaches. On top of that, according to a statement from the Colosseum Archaeological Park, there were also traces of “meat cooked at the moment on improvised braziers, together with some pizza.”

These culinary vestiges aren't the only things they've found in the sewers. The team has also unearthed animal bones—remnants of bears, lions, dogs, and pigs that were forced to fight or used as prey in ancient hunting games. In addition to that, they also extracted 50 bronze coins from between the third and seventh centuries, and a commemorative silver coin from 171 CE that marks 10 years of rule of the emperor Marcus Aurelius.

The main goal of the expedition is to clear the sewers and lower passages of this stone amphitheater, which held over 50,000 spectators before it fell out of use around the year 523 CE. To do so, the researchers have used wire-guided robots, which have cleared 230 feet of sewer. The investigation will also shed light on how the spectacle managers flooded the venue's tunnels to depict naval battles and other shows for which an aquatic backdrop was needed.

“The Colosseum continues to tell us its stories, emerging clearly in the wider flow of great history,” writes the Colosseum Archaeological Park team. “Exposing the underground sewers, recovering the precious data of older investigations, we are studying to better understand the functioning of the ancient sewers and the hydraulics of the Flavian Amphitheater.”

Researchers found evidence of the snacks that the audiences enjoyed during the sporting events and performances that took place at the Colosseum almost 2,000 years ago.

A selection of fruit seeds, stones, & pits recovered from the drainage system of the Colosseum in #Rome, remains of the snacks eaten by #Roman spectators watching the games in the arena up to 1900 years ago #RomanArchaeology pic.twitter.com/qrSSRQUIYB

— Dr Jo Ball (@DrJEBall) July 2, 2022

These culinary vestiges aren't the only things they've found in the sewers. The team has also unearthed animal bones and bronze coins.

Photo: lakov/Depositphotos

h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine]

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Photo: Yamagata University

Etched into the pampas in the Peruvian coastal plain are countless figures which can only be seen from the air above. Various animals and humans frolic across the grasslands. These drawings—known as the Nazca Lines—are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Carved into the landscape between 500 BCE and 500 CE, the total number of known geoglyphs keeps increasing as researchers discover new designs. A team from Yamagata University discovered 168 new glyphs in the region through field surveys in 2019 and 2020, according to a recent announcement.

The geoglyphs were created by ancient peoples who scooped the darker stones of the surface up to reveal the light sand beneath. Most of the etchings are less than 30 feet in diameter. The smaller ones can be seen from vantage points on the ground. The Yamagata University team used aerial photography and drones to capture a bird's-eye view of the plains. By examining their footage, the researchers were able to spot the new figures. These include birds, snakes, cats, and orca whales. In total, the geoglyphs—now numbering a total of 358—cover over 170 square miles.

Mystery still surrounds the Nazca Lines. They come in three varieties: straight lines, geometric designs, and pictorial representations. The latter include a spider, hummingbird, cactus plant, monkey, whale, llama, duck, flower, tree, lizard, and dog. The Nazca culture, and possibly their predecessors the Chavin and Paracas cultures, are thought to have created the etchings. The dryness of the region has kept the drawings safe from erosion over the years. However, one of the researchers Professor Masato Sakai told Reuters, “Some geoglyphs are in danger of being destroyed due to the recent expansion of mining-related workshops in the archaeological park.” Thankfully, a national park was established in 2017 by the Peruvian government, which protects many of these historic artworks.

Researchers from Yamagata University have discovered 168 new geoglyphs on the pampas in Peru.

Photo: Yamagata University

This brings the total number of the ancient Nazca Lines—etchings of shapes and animals—up to 358.

Photo: Yamagata University

h/t: [Colossal, Unilad]

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Photo: ICRA_Arts

Sea turtles are an ancient animal. Their relatives have roamed Earth’s waters for millions of years. Some species such as the protostegid Archelon, a behemoth of the Late Cretaceous period, dominated the seas with their impressive size. An exciting new fossil discovered in Spain suggests a previously unknown species of ancient marine turtle was the size of a rhino. This exciting discovery was recently announced in Scientific Reports.

Part of an enormous pelvis and carapace were recently unearthed in the Cal Torrades region of Spain. The bones are 80 million years old. Spiny protrusions on the pelvis first indicated to paleontologists that they had discovered a new species of marine turtle. None of the other gigantic species of turtle had the little spines, and these species were also not native to Europe. Named Leviathanochelys aenigmatica, the giant’s skeleton indicates it may have measured 13 feet from head to toe. It roamed the seas near what is now Europe during the Campanian Age as sea levels rose over what was once land. The name references an “enigma,” a curious creature indeed.

Previously it was thought the largest ancient sea turtles lived in American waters. This new discovery disrupts those ideas. The paper authors write, “The discovery of the new, gigantic and bizarre chelonioid Leviathanochelys aenigmatica from the Middle Campanian marine deposits of the Southern Pyrenees, which rivals in size to Archelon, sheds a light on the diversity of marine turtles and on how the phenomenon of gigantism in these groups was also occurring in Europe.” Perhaps other big discoveries will be next.

A newly discovered fossil in Spain reveals a giant marine turtle the size of a rhino known as Leviathanochelys aenigmatica.

Photo: ICRA_Arts

h/t: [IFL Science]

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The Rosetta Stone is currently housed in The British Museum. (Photo: © Hans Hillewaert via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Rosetta Stone is one of the most famous ancient Egyptian artifacts. The 1,680-pound granodiorite stone was first discovered in 1799 by a French soldier on Napoleon's Egyptian campaign. The military mission—which also served as a convenient mechanism for colonial pillaging—brought the giant slab to Europe. By 1802, the stone fell into the hands of the victorious British, and it has sat in The British Museum ever since. Inscribed with three scripts in use during the second century BCE Egypt, what does the monumental Rosetta Stone actually say?

The three sections of text are written once in Egyptian hieroglyphs, often used for priestly decrees. Demotic, the script largely used by average Egyptians, is also included. Lastly, Ancient Greek, the language of the Greco-Macedonian rulers of Egypt's complex state, rounds out the trio of texts. While some lines have been lost to breakage, the text is quite legible. However, the ability to read hieroglyphs was lost around the fourth century CE. The discovery of the stone's parallel texts was critical to the decoding of the hieroglyph system by Jean-François Champollion in 1822.

The text of the stone announces the decree of a council of priests regarding the young pharaoh Ptolemy V. The 13-year-old boy king had just been crowned that year, 196 BCE The priests announced that he should be honored—as Egyptian kings typically were—with statues in temples, birthday celebrations, processions, and his accession noted on official records. The decree also mandates many copies of its text be engraved and posted around the country in temples. Archeologists have found other copies of the decree, suggesting it was in fact widely disseminated.

The Rosetta Stone may be the most well-known example, but countless other Egyptian written records exist. Industry and the state were exceptionally well-organized—even attendance was kept on the job. Many of these records are currently held by museums outside of Egypt, including an expansive collection housed at The British Museum. Many activists and archeologists have called for the return of such artifacts, which are national treasures that—like the Rosetta Stone—were often taken during periods of colonial oppression and invasion. The Rosetta Stone, too, has recently been central to calls for repatriation.

The famous Rosetta Stone is actually a priestly decree honoring Ptolemy V Epiphanes, the Egyptian pharaoh.

h/t: [Open Culture]

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A bronze statue partially submerged in the thermal bath. (Photo: Italian Ministry of Culture)

The Romans were known for their bath houses, which served as centers of social, health, and ritual significance. Studying these sites, researchers can peer into the lives of ancient civilizations. Recently, archeologists mucking around in the remains of an ancient bath house near Siena, Italy, were investigating a fascinating period of Italian history as the land transitioned from Etruscan to Roman rule. The routine dig turned into a major moment in archeological lore with the discovery of 24 perfectly preserved 2,300-year-old bronze statues. This treasure trove—hidden for millennia—has rewritten a chapter in ancient history.

The dig at the baths in the small town in San Casciano dei Bagni began in 2019. However, in October 2022, researchers noticed fragments of human sculptures and metallic coins beginning to appear in the ruins. The mud of the baths soon revealed 24 incredible bronze statues. A nude man standing contrapposto, several busts, and a be-robed woman emerging from the water. The statues are the likenesses of Hygieia, Apollo, and other Greco-Roman gods. They bear inscriptions in Latin and Etruscan and indicate the names of Etruscan families.

The statutes are from the 2nd century BCE through the 1st century CE, when Tuscany was passing through military conflict from Etruscan to Roman control. Despite the conquering Romans attempts to supplant Etruscan culture, the statues and their inscriptions indicate coexistence. “This discovery rewrites the history of ancient art,” historian Jacopo Tabolli adds in a statement. “Here, Etruscans and Romans prayed together.” The statues were likely submerged on purpose into the mineral baths as part of an unknown ritual.

The water of the baths protected the statues from oxygen which can encourage bacterial damage. The baths were in use through the Christianization of the failing Roman Empire in the 5th century CE. “One of the last ones [of the statues] particularly struck me for the quality of the details,” Chiara Fermo, an archaeologist at the University of Siena, tells La Repubblica. “It is a female statue, entirely bejeweled, with very detailed necklaces and earrings. An example of what a woman of the time must have been like.”

These magnificent statues are currently being restored, and will soon be displayed in a museum in San Casciano. Tabolli notes that it is “the largest deposit of bronze statues of the Etruscan and Roman age ever discovered in Italy and one of the most significant in the whole Mediterranean.” This monumental find will go down in archeological lore as insight into a world in rapid transition over two millennia ago.

Archeologists discovered 24 incredibly preserved bronze statues in the warm groundwaters of ancient baths in Siena, Italy.

Photo: Italian Ministry of Culture

The statues are 2,300 years old.

Photo: Italian Ministry of Culture

They originate in a transitionary time when Etruscan rule was giving way to the powerful sway of the Roman Empire.

Photo: Italian Ministry of Culture

The quantity, quality, and details of the statues make the trove an unprecedented find.

Photo: Italian Ministry of Culture

h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine]

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Photo: National Institute of Anthropology and History

The ancient Mayans were quite an advanced civilization. Although we seem to know a lot about them, most things about this culture remain a mystery. And every time a significant artifact is unearthed, it makes waves around the archeology world. During excavations in Uxmal, an ancient Mayan trade hub in Southeastern Mexico, a dual stele was discovered in a sunken patio at a complex know as El Palomar. The stele features a female and a male deity, and likely depicts the duality of life and death.

Researchers from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History were thrilled about the stele being verified on site, in the exact place were the Mayans placed it back in the day. The artifact is 1.32 meters (4.33 feet) tall, 56 centimeters (22 inches) long and 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) wide. According to Uxmal's lead archeologist José Huchim, the stele dates back to 850–900 CE.

Arguably the most fascinating part about the stele is the figures carved in it. The female deity, located on the north-facing side of the stone slab, has either very large eyes or is wearing an eye mask, and there are visible whiskers on the sides of her mouth. Her breasts are uncovered, but she is wearing a pectoral with three rows of pearls, bracelets, and an ankle-long patterned skirt. She also seems to be holding a quetzal bird in her left hand. Although the glyphs in the piece are still being studied, a first read points to the topics of affluence and the underworld.

The male character, on the other side, is dressed in feathers, and the head of an owl is visible at the top. He is also wearing a loincloth, bandaged ankles, and a cape that goes over his shoulders and runs down his back. His left hand holds a cane, while the right seems to be carrying a bundle. A more thorough description of each element will be published in the prestigious archeology journal Arqueología Mexicana.

This discovery only foreshadows the unearthing of more artifacts, given the fact that not even 50% of Uxmal has been explored, and the lead archeologist even thinks that a royal tomb could be buried somewhere on the site. “This area has been studied for almost a century,” Huchim told La Jornada. “Five generations of archaeologists have worked here, which is reflected in the entire restored space and in the monuments that are preserved.”

As for the stele, developers are planning a new museum to display it and all the other artifacts found during the construction process for the Mayan Train, which will connect archeological sites, colonial cities, and beach towns in the Yucatan peninsula. Although this project has caused irreversible damages to the jungle habitats, researchers have found a silver lining in all the Mayan knowledge and artifacts that will be uncovered along the way.

Researchers uncovered a dual Mayan stele during excavations in the old Mayan trade hub of Uxmal, located in Southeastern Mexico.

Photo: Byelikova/Depositphotos

The stele features a female and a male deity carved in the style of the Puuc and Chen regions, and likely depicts the duality of life and death.

Photo: flocutus/Depositphotos

The artifact is 1.32 meters (4.33 feet) tall, 56 centimeters (22 inches) long and 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) wide.

Photo: lspencer/Depositphotos

This discovery only foreshadows the unearthing of more artifacts, given the fact that not even 50% of Uxmal has been explored.

Photo: Furian/Depositphotos

National Institute of Anthropology and History: Website
h/t: [ARTnews]

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READ: Dual Mayan Stele Featuring a Female Deity Is Unearthed in Southeastern Mexico

The archeological site of the Mashki Gates. (Photo: Iraqi State Board of Antiquities & Heritage)

In 2016, the militant group ISIS dealt a sharp blow to world history. The group—known for their hatred of pre-Islamic structures—destroyed the archeological sites of the Mashki and Adad Gates. These gates were part of the fortification wall at Nineveh, an ancient city in what is now Iraq. The 7th-century BCE structures were rebuilt in the 20th century, but many ancient components were still on site. The Iraqi State Board of Antiquities & Heritage announced that seven of these remnants—ancient stone slabs carved with intricate designs—have recently been recovered.

Ancient Nineveh, on the outskirts of modern Mosul, was an ancient center of trade and religion on the Tigris River. It served as the capital of the powerful Assyrian Empire, which had writing systems and powerful regional control. The city was surrounded by a wall with 15 gates, among them the Mashki Gate, known as the “Gate of the Watering Places.” The gate is considered highly symbolic and an iconic part of the Mosul landscape, especially since its 20th-century restoration. Unfortunately, ISIS used bulldozers to destroy much of this awe-inspiring structure.

Restoration projects have commenced since the recapture of the area by the Iraqi government. American and Iraqi archaeologists in a concerted effort uncovered eight marble slabs which decorated the ancient gate and which survived slightly damaged. The slabs date to the reign of King Sennacherib from 705–681 BCE. They likely decorated his imperial palace within the city walls before being moved to adorn the gate during a subsequent ruler's heyday. The reliefs were partially buried when they were affixed to the gate, preserving the underground portions while the exposed carvings weathered. They depict classic Assyrian art motifs: archers, grapevines, and palm trees.

“We were all awestruck and virtually speechless. It was like a dream,” University of Pennsylvania archaeologist Michael Danti, of the Iraq Heritage Stabilization Program, told CNN. “No one predicted that we would be finding Sennacherib reliefs in a city gate.” She added, “Access to cultural heritage is a human right, and groups like ISIS want to sever those links forever as part of their campaign of cultural cleansing and genocide.” The Mashki Gate will soon become an educational center to teach about the historic city of Nineveh.

During the reconstruction of Iraq's ancient Mashki Gate, archeologists discovered marble, carved slabs decorated with ancient Assyrian carvings.

A close up on a floral carving on marble. (Photo: Iraqi State Board of Antiquities & Heritage)

The reliefs feature archers with bows, grapes, and palm trees.

Assyrian soldiers with bows and arrows. (Photo: Iraqi State Board of Antiquities & Heritage)

The reliefs survived, at least partially, ISIS's attempted destruction of the gates in 2016.

Embed from Getty Images

Finding the carved slabs was a stroke of luck and an important moment in preserving Iraqi history.

Embed from Getty Images

h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine]

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A young medieval Scottish woman as reconstructed from remains discovered at a medieval crypt in Whithorn, Scotland. (Photo: Christopher Rynn/Whithorn Trust)

History holds many surprises. Workers repairing a crumbling crypt in Scotland in 1957 learned this lesson the hard way when they stumbled upon three very old stone coffins. This grizzly discovery led to the uncovering of a medieval burial ground at Whithorn, the site of the oldest Christian community in the country. In recent years, a project called Cold Case Withorn has sought to bring the site to life using modern technology. The project has released images of facial reconstructions of three medieval individuals buried at the site: a wealthy bishop, a beautiful unknown young woman, and an anonymous cleric with a cleft palate.

The reconstructions began with skulls. The National Museums Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council Museums loaned three skulls to researchers at the UK's University of Bradford where they were 3D-scanned by Dr. Adrian Evans. These detailed scans provided the basis for reconstruction by Dr. Christopher Rynn, a craniofacial anthropologist and forensic artist. Rynn said in a statement, “This [reconstruction] entails the use of facial soft tissue depths, musculature sculpted individually to fit each skull, and scientific methods of the estimation of each facial feature, such as eyes, nose, mouth and ears, from skull morphology.”

The result is three stunningly realistic headshots of people who lived hundreds of years ago. One man was determined through radiocarbon dating, artifacts, historical records, and stable isotope analysis to be Bishop Walter. The Bishop sat at Whithorn from 1209 to 1235. He was buried with a gold, jeweled ring and showed signs of a rich diet and portly figure. The isotopes in his teeth indicated he grew up in Galloway. Also reconstructed was a much less well-off cleric; buried without luxury goods, the man's skull showed he had a cleft lip and palate. This made the reconstruction trickier.

The third skull belonged to a woman in her twenties who was also buried in luxury indicating high status. Rynn highlighted the exceptional symmetry of her skull, which indicates a sort of classical beauty. The reconstruction is pensive and beautiful, with flowing blonde hair. Of course, with any facial reconstruction, some artistic license—such as the size of the ears—must be taken where the bones cannot provide the answer.

“This project is of huge significance, because while we can never tell the full story of the lives of these medieval people, being able to reconstruct their diet, mobility, and now their faces, allows us to delve into their past and come face to face with them,” says Dr. Shirley Curtis-Summers, a bioarchaeologist at the University of Bradford’s School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences, who is involved in the project.

All three faces will be on display soon at the Whithorn visitor center, allowing modern-day visitors to stare directly into the faces of the past and imagine their lives long ago.

Researchers have reconstructed the faces of three medieval Scottish people whose remains were discovered in a church crypt.

 

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The three include a wealthy bishop, a beautiful unknown young woman, and an anonymous cleric with a cleft palate.

 

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A post shared by Dr Christopher Rynn (@chris_rynn)

h/t: [Smithonsian Magazine]

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In 1903, researchers excavating a cave in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, in the UK, stumbled upon a surprising discovery. A Homo sapien skeleton who lived around 10,000 years ago and is one of the oldest modern humans in Britain. Known today as “Cheddar Man,” the ancient gentleman has recently made the news again. Scientists utilizing modern DNA techniques believe the Mesolithic human had light blue eyes and a dark complexion. As remarkable as resurrecting the face of this ancient Briton is the fact that Cheddar Man's modern-day descendant lives less than a mile from the caves where his remains lay for millennia.

This ancient Brit was discovered by chance during a drainage renovation in the tourist attraction of Gough's Cave during the early 20th century. The skeleton quickly became known as the oldest modern human discovered in the British Isles. A Mesolithic hunter-gatherer who died in his twenties, the ancient man stood only about 5 foot 5 inches. Cave burials were typical at the time, when England was still a forested land connected to Europe. Strangely, Cheddar Man was found buried alone.

In 2018, London’s Natural History Museum extracted DNA from Cheddar Man's inner ear bone. Experts at the University College of London and Kennis & Kennis Reconstructions have since used this DNA to reconstruct his visage. Previous efforts to do so depicted him as light skinned. However, research in recent years connected certain DNA traits relating to skin color to those of sub-Saharan African ancient humans. Like other Mesolithic humans in Europe at the time, Cheddar Man likely had a dark skin tone.

“He is just one person, but also indicative of the population of Europe at the time,” says Dr. Tom Booth, a researcher associated with the museum. “They had dark skin and most of them had pale colored eyes, either blue or green, and dark brown hair. Cheddar Man subverts people's expectations of what kinds of genetic traits go together…It seems that pale eyes entered Europe long before pale skin or blond hair, which didn't come along until after the arrival of farming…He reminds us that you can't make assumptions about what people looked like in the past based on what people look like in the present, and that the pairings of features we are used to seeing today aren't something that's fixed.”

Cheddar Man was an early human pioneer of the settlement of the land that became Britain. Despite the over 10,000 years which have passed since his death, descendants still populate the island. About 10% of the modern British race can trace their ancestors to the genetic European population of which Cheddar Man was a member. This population was largely replaced by a latter wave of migrant farmers. However, DNA testing in 1997 revealed that matrilineal relations of the ancient human still lived in the region. Adrian Targett, a high school teacher, was a DNA match. Born close by Cheddar Man's final resting place, he still holds the record for “farthest traced descendant by DNA.” With each revelation about Cheddar Man, the narrative of British history becomes richer.

Britain's Mesolithic “Cheddar Man” had blue eyes and dark skin—and his modern day descendent lives only a half mile from where he was found.

h/t: [Natural History Museum]

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