Latest news with #ArchaeologyNews
Voice of America
20-02-2025
- Voice of America
First Egyptian pharaoh's tomb discovered since King Tut's
Archaeologists in Egypt say they have unearthed the ancient tomb of King Thutmose II, the first discovery in 100 years of a tomb of an Egyptian royal. The discovery near Luxor is the first of a pharaonic royal tomb since the treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb were found over a century ago in 1922, Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said Tuesday. Thutmose's tomb was found west of the Valley of the Kings, one of the world's most important archaeological sites and home to the burial sites of many ancient Egyptian royals and nobles, including Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut. Thutmose, an ancestor of Tutankhamun, lived nearly 3,500 years ago. His wife, Queen Hatshepsut, was one of the few women known to have ruled Egypt. Her mortuary temple is on the west bank of the Nile at Luxor, not far from where her husband's tomb was found. Thutmose was a king of ancient Egypt's 18th dynasty. His tomb was the last undiscovered tomb of that group. An archaeology team found the entrance to Thutmose's tomb in October 2022, according to the online magazine Archaeology News, but they thought it was likely the burial site of a queen. As they dug deeper, they found inscriptions referring to Thutmose II as the "deceased king" and Hatshepsut. The tomb flooded soon after the king's burial, damaging most of its contents, but some funerary furniture was recovered. Egypt's antiquities ministry said Tuesday the discovery of the tomb is "one of the most significant archaeological breakthroughs in recent years." Professor Mohamed Abdel-Badel, who heads Egypt's Antiquities Sector, told Archaeology News that the team "recovered and restored fallen plaster fragments" that had blue inscriptions on them, including from the Book of the Amduat, which the website described as "a key funerary text used in royal burials." Thutmose's tomb can now be listed among the wonders of ancient Egypt that draw hordes of tourists to the country. Last year, Egypt hosted 15.7 million tourists and aims to attract 18 million visitors in 2025, according to Agence France-Presse. Egypt may reach that goal with the long-awaited opening this year of the Grand Egyptian Museum at the foot of the legendary pyramids in Giza. Some information for this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Euronews
19-02-2025
- Science
- Euronews
Archaeologists discover oldest section of China's Great Wall, dating back nearly 3,000 years
Archaeologists have discovered what is believed to be the oldest known section of the Great Wall of China, stretching its origins back some 300 years earlier than previously thought. The remarkable find, located in Changqing District, Jinan, Shandong Province, dates to the late Western Zhou Dynasty (1046 BCE–771 BCE) and the early Spring and Autumn Period (770 BCE–476 BCE). According to 'Archaeology News', the excavation, conducted by the Shandong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology between May and December 2024, covered around 1,100 square metres in the northern part of Guangli Village. This marks the first full-scale dig of the Qi Great Wall after years of prior surveys. The Qi Great Wall, a precursor to the famous Ming Dynasty wall, was built by the State of Qi during the Warring States period (475–221 BCE). Predating the Ming Wall by more than a millennium, it spans over 600 kilometres across Shandong and was constructed to protect the state from invasions, particularly from the State of Chu. The research team, using a mix of traditional artefact analysis and cutting-edge methods like optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and carbon-14 dating, uncovered evidence of advanced engineering techniques. Constructed from rammed earth, stone, and other materials, the wall showcases the military ingenuity of the Qi state long before China's unification under the Qin Dynasty. The team also identified the ancient settlement of Pingyin City, located about 1.5 kilometres north of the Qi Great Wall. Historical texts, such as the 'Zuo Zhuan and Water Classic Commentary', describe Pingyin as a crucial stronghold of the Qi State. The city played a key role in safeguarding transportation routes and ensuring border security.
