Latest news with #AncientOrigins
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
This poisonous plant gives an evil grin to the dead, here's how
Some expressions, like 'butterflies in the stomach' or 'cold feet,' have curious origins based upon human experience. But others carry with them a far more chilling past. And one among these is the term 'sardonic grin,' for example, one might conjure up images of comic book villains or horror movie killers, but its history is no laughing matter. In fact, this unsettling expression stretches back thousands of years to the ancient Mediterranean world, with connections not just to language, but to death, poison, and even ritual mercy killings. The word comes as a combinational idiom and a facial expression tied deeply to actual, historical suffering. The term has been preserved for millennia, not because it was pleasant or poetic, but because it was so disturbingly memorable. This has now turned into a metaphor for evil smiles and scary laughter. In fact, the sardonic grin was once the final expression worn by victims of deadly rituals. What is the 'sardonic grin' ? The origins of the 'sardonic grin' trace back to ancient Sardinia, where a deadly plant known as water-dropwort, a form of hemlock, was commonly found. This toxic herb caused paralysis and a twisted, involuntary smile, and this effect was so unsettling that it eventually gave rise to the term 'sardonic,' derived from the island's name. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn How To Write Faster for Work (Find Out Now) Grammarly Learn More Undo As noted by modern botanist Mauro Ballero and referenced in historical texts by Plato, the herb's effects were well known in the ancient world. The poisonous dropwort caused victims' muscles to contract tightly, resulting in an unnatural grin and full-body immobility. Assassins often exploited this effect, 'One drop of the poisonous hemlock water-dropwort was enough to completely incapacitate the target,' notes the article from Ancient Origins. 'The victim's muscles would grow taut… the face would remain like that.' This plant was also used for mercy killings But this herb wasn't used only for targeted killings. The Phoenicians of Sardinia reportedly used it during forced 'mercy killings' of the elderly. According to ancient records, there were times when the elderly were unknowingly poisoned and then killed through more direct, often brutal methods. The poison left a frozen, eerie grin on their faces, a grim expression that may have been misread as peace or even approval. As uneasy as it sounds, this expression likely gave 'the illusion of gratitude to the euthanizers,' hiding what may have been anything but a willing farewell. There's no definitive evidence on how willingly the elders accepted their fate. Some scholars believe younger generations used the practice to gain land or inheritance, adding another layer of moral complexity. Beyond Sardinia, hemlock was also used in Greece for executions, most famously in the case of philosopher Socrates. In his case, the poison alone proved fatal. Today, the sardonic grin is more commonly linked to certain medical conditions like tetanus or strychnine poisoning. Yet its legacy lingers in literature and conversation, describing a smile that's more grimace than joy, as forced, eerie, and ultimately rooted in a very real and ancient form of death.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Find Extremely Rare Statue of Ancient Ruler
Archaeologists working in the ancient city of Nineveh—now Mosul, Iraq—have unearthed a gigantic statue depicting King Ashurbanipal, the former ruler of the Assyrian Empire, Ancient Origins reported. The statue was carved in a stone slab weighing 12 tons and measuring about 18 feet wide and 10 feet high. Researchers say that the discovery is notable for its extreme size, not to mention what's depicted. "Among the many relief images of Assyrian palaces we know of, there are no depictions of major deities," explained lead scientist Aaron Schmitt. Nineveh was considered to be one of the most crucial powers in North Mesopotamia and was named capital of the Assyrian empire in the late eighth century B.C. Schmitt and his team have been investigating a section of King Ashurbanipal's North Palace, known as Kuyunjik, since 2022. Schmitt explained that the carving was located in a niche of the palace adjacent to the main entrance, where it would be seen by all coming and going, a place of great significance within the estate. Schmitt and his team place the construction of the niche around the Hellvanicx period, or possibly the second or third century, predating Jesus Christ, due to relief fragments found in a pit of soil located behind the niche. "The fact that these fragments were buried is surely one reason why the British archaeologists never found them over a hundred years ago," Schmitt hypothesized. Schmitt and his team will work in the coming months to analyze the carvings in more detail with the hope of discovering the context in which the statue was created. They plan to publish their findings in an academic journal at a later date.
Iraqi News
19-05-2025
- General
- Iraqi News
Historic Assyrian discovery stuns archaeologists in Iraq
Baghdad ( – A stunning archaeological discovery has been made in the ruins of ancient Nineveh, now part of Mosul, Iraq. A massive stone relief depicting King Ashurbanipal, one of the most powerful rulers of the Assyrian Empire, has been uncovered by a Heidelberg University excavation team, according to Ancient Origins. The find was made in the throne room of the North Palace, a once-grand structure that served as a royal seat during Ashurbanipal's reign in the 7th century BC. The relief, carved from a single stone block measuring 5.5 meters long, 3 meters tall, and weighing approximately 12 tons, shows the king standing alongside two prominent deities and several attendants. Excavation work in ancient Nineveh, now part of Mosul, Iraq. Photo credit: Heidelberg University Since 2022, archaeologist Dr. Aaron Schmitt and his team have been exploring Kuyunjik, the site that includes the remnants of the North Palace. The discovery adds to the rich visual legacy of Assyrian art, which, like that of ancient Egypt, used elaborate wall carvings to depict scenes of kingship, divinity, and power. Once the capital of the Assyrian Empire in the late 9th century BC, Nineveh was a major urban center in northern Mesopotamia, known for its impressive architecture and cultural significance. Plans are now in motion to return the relief to its original setting, where it will eventually be made accessible to the public, in cooperation with Iraq's State Board of Antiquities and Heritage.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Find Rare, Complete Kit of Pre-Roman Iron Tools
Archaeologists working near Măgura Călanului hill in Romania have discovered a remarkably rare cache of iron tools dating back 2,000 years, according to a study published in the journal Prachistorische Zeitschrift (via Ancient Origins). The artifacts were discovered in the summer of 2022 when a local resident found several extremely rusted items near a limestone quarry. They were turned over to the Corvin Castle Museum, where analysis revealed them to be the complete toolkit of a Dacian toolkit, which is one of the most fully intact sets ever found at a European site, consisted of 15 separate items, including double-headed picks with various heads, including notched teeth and triangular pyramid shapes, which were crafted specifically for sculpting stone. Also included were a specialized hammer that could be used as a sharpening device, several wedges of varying sizes used to split stone, and chisels and pointers remarkably similar to those used today. 'This discovery fills a long-standing gap in our knowledge regarding quarrying techniques and monumental construction during the Dacian period,' lead author Aurora Petan wrote. 'While some tools mirror those found in Greek and Roman regions, others are distinct to Dacian craftsmanship, showcasing a blend of Mediterranean influence and local ingenuity.'Because the toolkit was completely intact, researchers believe it belonged to a single tradesman. They speculate the kit was hidden during a time of danger, with the owner likely intending to come back for it. 'This toolkit is a remarkable archaeological find, both for its completeness and the individuality of each piece,' Petan explained. 'Stonemasons' tools rarely survive intact in archaeological settings. They're usually found damaged, left behind, or hidden along with other tools in places like quarries or construction areas.' The quarry in which the tools were found was not in use following the Roman annexation, after which stone construction ceased in the area. Petan specified that while the tools bear similarities to Roman-era tools, the evidence found indicates that these tools were crafted during the Dacian period. Petan hopes that further excavations of the quarry might uncover more stonework or tools, which will further illuminate the history of Dacian craftsmen.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Find Well-Preserved Bronze Age Daggers
Archaeologists excavating a field in the municipality of Kutenholz in the Stade District, in Lower Saxony, Germany, have discovered two well-preserved Bronze Age daggers which are believed to date back 3,000 years. The discovery shed light upon the rituals and belief systems of ancient European site was first encountered by a metal detectorist in 2017. In 2023, after assessing the contents buried below the soil, targeted excavations began in four designated zones of a cornfield. 'With geomagnetic prospection, archaeological structures in the ground can be made visible even without excavation," archaeologist Daniel Nösler explained in a statement released by Stade district officials (via Ancient Origins). Shortly after the excavation began, archaeologists diverted the two daggers buried under about 11 inches of soil. Both were remarkably well-preserved, with the blades in pristine, unbent condition. 'One of the blades was stuck vertically in the ground, another was also lying almost vertically in the sand, possibly hit by a plow," Nösler said. "It is a stroke of luck that the daggers were not destroyed at such a shallow depth in the area, which has been cultivated with agricultural equipment for years.'The daggers were crafted with a copper-tin alloy which dates back to around 1500 B.C. Though the wooden handles have long since degraded and disappeared, scientists were able to determine from the shape of the blade that the knives were used for ceremonial and burial purposes rather than in active combat. "The daggers likely had ritual significance with a religious or ideological background," said Tobias Mörtz, an expert in Bronze Age weapons deposits. Both daggers are currently at the University of Hamburg, where they are undergoing analysis and restoration. Researchers are hopeful that the daggers will provide further information about previously unknown Bronze Age cultural practices from this region.
