Latest news with #Dacian
Miami Herald
16-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
From MrBeast in Mexico to HIV treatments from the Vikings: Here's the latest
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All linked stories were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. Throughout history, cultures have left behind a trail of breadcrumbs for archaeologists to follow. New sites and artifacts are found all the time, revealing forgotten secrets of the past. Here are some of the latest discoveries: Routine excavation' takes a turn when 'rare' ancient Roman artifact emerges In Leuven, Belgium, archaeologists unearthed a 1,700-year-old wooden water pipe during a routine excavation, marking a first-of-its-kind find for the area. The pipe, preserved in the marshy soil, highlights the historical significance of Leuven as a Roman settlement with a water supply system. | Published May 9 | Read More | Ancient stonemason tools — some never seen before — unearthed in Romanian forest In Romania, a villager stumbled upon a 2,000-year-old set of Dacian stonemason tools near the Măgura Călanului limestone quarry. The toolkit, containing 15 iron implements, is considered 'one of the most varied and complete' from European antiquity. | Published May 9 | Read More | 1,300-year-old gold — hidden under Buddha monument — found in Thailand. See it In Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, workers discovered a collection of gold, silver and bronze items hidden beneath a reclining Buddha statue at Wat Dhammachak Semaram temple. The find includes 33 items, such as gold rings and silver earrings, dating back 1,300 years. | Published May 12 | Read More | MrBeast's video on ancient temples draws criticism from Mexican officials In Mexico, YouTuber MrBeast faced criticism from local heritage officials for a video about ancient Maya temples, which they said distorted information. Despite following legal guidelines, the video was accused of misrepresenting events and using replicas instead of authentic artifacts. | Published May 13 | Read More | Secret to treating HIV came thousands of years before virus ever appeared. How? Researchers traced a genetic mutation that provides resistance to HIV back to a single individual near the Black Sea 6,700 to 9,000 years ago. This mutation, found in 18-25% of Denmark's population, has been key in developing HIV treatments. | Published May 13 | Read More | McClatchy News continues to follow the discovery of intriguing archaeological discoveries from around the globe. Check back to see the latest finds.
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.
Miami Herald
09-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Ancient stonemason tools — some never seen before — unearthed in Romanian forest
In 2022, a villager walking through the forest near the Măgura Călanului limestone quarry in Romania came across an ancient set of tools hidden at the base of a tree. The cache of iron tools, estimated to be more about 2,000 years old, belonged to a Dacian stonemason and is 'one of the most varied and complete' kits ever discovered from European antiquity, according to a May 5 study written by Aurora Pețan and published in the journal Praehistorische Zeitschrift. While some tools are similar to those found in Greek and Roman areas, others have no known parallel, according to the study. No two tools in the kit were alike, suggesting that it likely belonged to an individual who may have been a master mason, Pețan said. Some of the never-before-seen tools 'exhibit local innovations, highlighting both technological exchanges with the Mediterranean world and the ingenuity and adaptability of the Dacian craftsmen,' Pețan said. The toolkit weighed 24 pounds and contained 15 iron implements, including five double-headed picks, five wedges, a whetting hammer, a field anvil, a small pick, a point and a flat chisel. They are mostly precision tools, indicating the owner 'was skilled in shaping and preparing stone blocks for construction or decorative purposes,' according to the study. Pețan said some of the double-headed picks with a toothed cross-pein have no analogue among Greek or Roman tool kits. Finding a field anvil and whetting hammer — most often used in sharpening agricultural tools — among a stonemason's tools is also unique, according to the study. The presence of these tools highlights the 'innovation of Dacian craftsmen, who repurposed existing tools and technologies to meet the specific needs of their work,' and also eliminated the need for a blacksmith, Pețan said. According to the study, the tool kit may have been intentionally hidden during a 'crisis period, possibly related to the Roman conquest in 102 AD.' Pețan said stonemason tools are a 'rare' archaeological find, calling this discovery 'exceptionally significant,' and 'expected to impact the study of ancient craftsmanship and architectural techniques.' Dacian fortresses built from Măgura Călanului limestone Before being conquered by the Romans, Dacian power was centered in the Șureanu Mountains of southwestern Transylvania from the 1st century BC until the early 2nd century AD, according to Pețan. Fortresses, temples, towers, defensive walls and retaining walls built from limestone from Măgura Călanului hill are a 'key expression' of that power, the study said.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Metal Detectorists Found a Jackpot Stash of Ancient Silver Treasure
Metal detectorists in modern-day Romania discovered a stash of silver treasure from around 500 B.C. The silver treasure included six ornamental pieces, all designed as fashion accessories. Likely belonging to an elite member of the community, it's the first local find from an ancient people group known as the Dacian. The discovery of a silver treasure hoard—this one unearthed by metal detectorists—has shed a sparkling light on just how richly adorned the Dacian elite once were. What is now modern-day Romania was once ruled by a people group known as the Dacians, who were prominent from around 500 B.C. into the first century A.D. This spring (according to a translated statement from the Museum of Mures County posted by the Breaza Mures Municipality City Hall), metal detectorists Moldovan Dionisie-Aurel and Zahan Sebastian-Adrian scoured an area around the town of Breaza in central Romania, and uncovered a cache of six silver ornamental pieces that date to the Dacian people. This is the first find of Dacian treasure in Breaza, and it doesn't disappoint. The haul included a bracelet made of a circular silver bar with slightly widened ends and plant-like motif decorations, a matching pair of two knotted brooches without decoration (but with an elongated plate and a spring), a smaller brooch with four knobs, a neck chain with a looped link holding three nail-like pendants, a waist belt made up of oval plates attached alternately with a series of links, and a rectangular plate that likely attached to the belt, the last of which would likely have been decorated with a series of solar motifs showing the role the Sun played in ancient Dacian culture. In total, the treasure weighs 19 ounces and 'represented an important symbol of the owner's social status,' museum archaeologist Daniel Cioata wrote. He added that the items would have been worn by a prominent member of the Dacian aristocracy on various special occasions, but it's 'difficult to say whether it was a man or a woman.' Either way, they would have shined in silver. The buried silver didn't offer up many clues as to why it was placed where it was to begin with—as Cioata said, it could have been an offering to a deity, or simply never retrieved after the owner hid it away. This find opens up the possibility for further Dacian discoveries in and around the town of Breaza. 'We hope that through field research in the coming period,' Cioata said, 'the Dacian settlement or even the fortification in the area will be identified.' Plans are now in place to document and further study the silver hoard, which the Mures County Museum will exhibit. 'These historical artifacts,' the city said in a statement, 'remind us of the cultural heritage and importance of our region in the history of Dacia.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Miami Herald
16-04-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Metal detectorists find mysterious trove of ancient jewelry in Romania. See it
Two metal detectorists in Romania uncovered a trove of centuries-old silver jewelry, providing evidence of an ancient settlement in the region. In accordance with the law, they turned over their finds to the state, and the finds were then confirmed by the Mureș County Museum to be of Dacian origin, according to a news release from Breaza Municipality City Hall. The finds, weighing over one pound, included a bracelet, fibulae, or brooches, a necklace with a pendant and a belt with a plate decorated with celestial images, according to officials. Experts said the discovery is the first evidence of the existence of a Dacian settlement in the area of Breaza in central Romania. The artifacts may be close to 2,000 years old as Dacia existed in present-day Romania until the end of the first century, when it was conquered by the Roman empire. The elegant artifacts likely belonged to a high-ranking individual, possibly a member of the aristocracy, experts said. Officials said the jewelry may have been buried as an offering to a deity or as a way to hide valuables during times of trouble. The treasure will continue to be studied and documented before being put on display at the Mureș County Museum, officials said. Breaza is about a 70-mile drive northwest from Bucharest. TranslateGPT was used to translate the news releases from Breaza City Hall and the Mureș County Museum.
