Ancient dice, combs and intact Roman-era pot among finds unearthed at north Dublin excavation
Dice made from antlers, ancient combs and the first ever intact Roman-era pot found in Ireland, were among the discoveries during a recent excavation in north Dublin.
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Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Very rare' military horse cemetery from Roman times unearthed in Germany
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Archaeologists in Germany have unearthed a vast horse cemetery from Roman times, a discovery that is "very rare," according to researchers. The excavation, conducted in Stuttgart's borough of Bad Cannstatt, has revealed the skeletal remains of more than 100 horses. These animals were part of a Roman cavalry unit known as Ala, which was active in what is now southwest Germany during the second century A.D., radiocarbon dating of the horses' bones revealed. "Finding such a large horse cemetery from Roman times is very rare," Sarah Roth, the archaeologist in charge at the State Office for Monument Preservation (LAD) in the Stuttgart Regional Council, told Live Science in an email. While a few horse burials had been found in Bad Cannstatt since the 1920s, a 2024 excavation ahead of a new construction project revealed that the burial ground was teeming with equid remains. "We hadn't expected to find so many horses still preserved in the ground," Roth said. "This was truly a surprise!" The warhorse cemetery also held the remains of a Roman-era man buried on his stomach and without grave goods, indicating that he likely was an outsider who wasn't held in high esteem. "Its [the body's] position suggests that the man was 'disposed of' here rather than given a regular burial," as a regular cemetery for people was only about 0.3 miles (0.5 kilometers) away, Roth said. Related: Roman-era skeletons buried in embrace, on top of a horse, weren't lovers, DNA analysis shows The Roman cavalry unit at Bad Cannstatt patrolled the border of the Roman Empire from about A.D. 100 to 150. "The horsemen were responsible for controlling their section of the border," Roth said. "As horses were the fastest means of transport on land at the time, they were in particular used in urgent emergencies." Ala likely included nearly 500 riders and at least 700 horses, according to a translated statement from LAD. When the unit's horses died, the Romans buried them in a specific area that was about 1,312 feet (400 meters) from the cavalry fort and 656 feet (200 m) from the civilian settlement. The dead horses were dragged into shallow pits and buried on their sides with their legs bent or straight. These burials likely had markers in Roman times, as they were packed closely together yet had very little overlap, Roth said in the statement. Image 1 of 2 In a rare burial, one of the horses was buried with grave goods next to its upper legs. Image 2 of 2 Archaeological work ahead of a new construction project by the Stuttgart Housing and Urban Development Company revealed the horse cemetery. Excavations of the cemetery started in July 2024. "The horses do not all appear to have died at the same time in a major event such as a battle or epidemic," Roth said in the statement. "Rather, the animals buried here either died of illness, injury, or other reasons during the Ala's presence in Bad Cannstatt." Alternatively, it's possible some "were no longer able to fulfill their role as military horses," she added. "If the horse could still walk on its own, it would have been brought to the horse cemetery and killed on site to avoid having to transport the heavy carcass." RELATED STORIES —Lasers reveal Roman-era circus in Spain where 5,000 spectators watched horse-drawn chariot races —Cold War satellite images reveal nearly 400 Roman forts in the Middle East —Remains of 1,600-year-old Roman fort unearthed in Turkey One buried horse was clearly dear to its owner; it was buried with two jugs and a small oil lamp nestled in the crook of one of its front legs. Grave goods such as these are typically found in Roman-era burials for humans, making the jug and lamp "unusual" to find among horse bones, Roth told Live Science. "Of the approximately 100 horses we were able to examine, only one had received grave goods," she said. The horse cemetery offers a rare look at the use of horses in the Roman army. Further analyses will reveal the horses' sexes, ages at death and their sizes, as well as possible diseases they had and their causes of death. Future studies may also reveal their ancestral roots, where they were bred and if they were well kept and fed.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Ancient dice, combs and intact Roman-era pot among finds unearthed at north Dublin excavation
Dice made from antlers, ancient combs and the first ever intact Roman-era pot found in Ireland, were among the discoveries during a recent excavation in north Dublin.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Lost secret cult temple buried beneath London's streets for 1,700 years
In 1954, builders clearing a World War II bombsite in central London unearthed the remains of a Roman temple honouring Mithras, an ancient Roman-era deity, buried beneath the rubble In 1954, diggers clearing a World War II bombsite in the heart of London unearthed something extraordinary amidst the debris. The find quickly ignited curiosity across the capital, with onlookers flocking to Cannon Street to sneak a peek at the treasure half-buried just metres from the northern banks of the River Thames. Unbeknown to them, they were witnessing one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in London's 2,000-year history. While working on the site, the team accidentally dug up the head of a statue of Mithras, an ancient Roman-era deity - but that was just the beginning. Buried metres beneath the surface lay the remnants of a long-forgotten underground temple dating back at least 1,700 years. This temple was erected in honour of Mithras, a mythical sun-god linked with covenant, light, oath and justice, stemming from ancient Iranian pagan belief. This religion, known as Mithraism, was prevalent across the Roman Empire in the third century, drawing followers from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Mithraism resonated with Romans from all walks of life, from high-ranking members of the Roman Imperial Army to ordinary citizens - but devotees typically kept a low profile, performing their rituals in secret. The cult's followers would congregate in hidden locations, away from prying eyes. Their specially built temples, known as tauroctony by historians of the time, often featured shrines depicting Mithras' killing of a bull within a cave, a story central to Mithraism, reports MyLondon. After three weeks of digging, the site was fully exposed, much to the joy of onlookers including Winston Churchill, who expressed his excitement over the discovery. However, instead of being treated with the respect it deserved as a heritage site, the temple was dismantled and reassembled above ground at a more visitor-friendly location. William Grimes, the first archaeologist to uncover the temple, was disheartened by the project, as it left out many of the temple's original archaeological features. To correct this mistake, the City of London Planning Authority decided in 1962 that the temple should be taken apart again and rebuilt at its original location. In 2010, Bloomberg chose to buy the site where the temple was first found to set up their European headquarters. As part of the purchase, Bloomberg agreed to manage the temple. After years of meticulous restoration, the temple was finally unveiled to the public in its original subterranean chamber in November 2018. Here, archaeologists discovered over 400 fragments of ancient Roman writing-tablets. Among these fascinating finds were the earliest known mention of London and the oldest hand-written document in Britain. Little is understood about the Mithraic religion, but it's thought to have been favoured by members of the Roman army. They likely saw it as an exclusive fraternal brotherhood. Their enigmatic ceremonies, including a seven-step initiation for newcomers, would have been conducted on a central nave running through the spooky temple, dimly illuminated by candles and oil lamps. The statue of Mithras would have been positioned at one end of the temple's rounded apse. Here, a priest or group of priests may have led congregational prayers and hymns to their deity. Interestingly, the temple was constructed on the banks of the Walbrook, a long-lost river now coursing beneath the streets of London. Artefacts such as coins, pottery, shoes, lucky charms and an amber gladiator amulet were found preserved in the river's mud. The river flows through Shoreditch, past Liverpool Street and into the Thames. The London Mithraeum, situated at 12 Walbrook, London EC4N 8AA, is open to the public and does not require pre-booked tickets. It remains closed on Mondays, Christmas and New Year bank holidays.
