Latest news with #Roman-era
NZ Herald
12 hours ago
- General
- NZ Herald
Delicate fragments of frescoes on Roman-era plaster are recovered and gradually reassembled
Pieces are embellished with images of lyres, candelabras, flowers, white cranes, and native plants. One is illustrated with the face of a woman in tears, recognisable by her Flavian-period (AD 69 to 96) hairstyle. Four years ago, the plaster was recovered during an excavation at a construction site in Southwark, just south of the Thames. An archaeologist from the Museum of London Archaeology at a construction site where fragments of painted wall plaster that date to the early Roman occupation of the area around London, which began in AD 43, were found. Photo / Museum of London Archaeology via the New York Times The scraps filled 120 assorted boxes. Li's job is to carefully arrange, categorise and restore the original artwork. The frescoes that have emerged, the most colossal of which measures 4.8m by 3m, were hidden from view for more than 1800 years. The museum's haul of discarded Roman-era plaster is the largest ever amassed in the English capital. Rob Symmons, the curator of the extravagant Fishbourne Roman Palace in West Sussex, called the site 'a discovery of the first magnitude'. It is not unusual for painted wall plaster to be recovered from Roman archaeological sites, but rarely is it found in quantities that it was in Southwark, he said. 'Also, it's unusual for excavators to have the time and expertise to attempt reconstructions like the one that Han undertook.' Fragments of floral decoration from a section of the plaster walls. Photo / Museum of London Archaeology via the New York Times The Southwark plaster once adorned at least 20 internal clay walls of what is believed to have been either a luxurious private villa or an upmarket inn for state couriers and officials passing through Londinium, the precursor of modern London. 'When the structure was demolished, material from different walls jumbled together and was dumped into a large pit,' Li said. 'When you are salvaging materials from a masonry wall, the plaster tends to break apart or crumble. It's almost impossible to reconstruct the walls in their entirety, but you can reconstruct enough to see what the schemes are.' The Romans established Londinium shortly after Roman legions, acting on the orders of Emperor Claudius, invaded parts of Britain. A section of the plaster walls found that date to the early Roman occupation of the area around London. Photo / Museum of London Archaeology via the New York Times The district in which the building was found is described by Andrew Henderson-Schwartz, a Mola administrator, as a vibrant and prosperous suburb. 'It was the Beverly Hills of Roman London,' he said. 'This is a place they intend to stay and Romanise.' The occupation lasted until AD 410, when the soldiers were withdrawn. Their Saxon successors neglected the area. By the Middle Ages, Southwark, outside the control of London's laws, was known as a place where one could find blood sports such as cockfighting and bearbaiting, alongside brothels and theatres. In 2021, the plaster dumping site was dug up in preparation for development of the property. The following February, a large mosaic decorated with guilloche patterns and Solomon's knot motifs was unearthed. A year later, the excavation yielded remnants of the most intact Roman mausoleum ever discovered in Britain. Graffiti on one of the plaster walls depicts a crying face. Photo / Museum of London Archaeology via the New York Times Li noted that the lower portions of the plaster walls, known as dadoes, were frequently made to look like stone. Some patterns mimic costly Egyptian porphyry, a volcanic rock distinguished by its purplish hue and crystal inclusions, and frame them with veins of African giallo antico, a type of yellow marble. Although the names of the interior decorators are not known, the researchers discovered a tabula ansata, a carving of a decorative tablet sometimes used to sign artworks, scored with the Latin word 'fecit,' meaning 'has made this'. Such maker's marks are usually seen on ceramics in Roman London but not wall plaster. A section of the plaster walls found that date to the early Roman occupation of the area around London. Photo / Museum of London Archaeology via the New York Times 'Unfortunately, the section bearing the painter's identity was snapped off,' Li said. Two other fragments were joined together to reveal an etching of a near-complete Greek alphabet. While Roman wall painters in Britain incorporated elements from other imperial outposts such as Xanten, Cologne, and Lyon, some aspects of their art were distinctly British. One fragment initially interpreted as grapes is now understood to depict mistletoe, demonstrating that the artists applied Roman artistic conventions but with a local, British colour palette. Bright yellow panels with pale green borders dominate the middle layers of the frescoes. That decorative touch has surfaced at only a handful of other locations across the island, including the Fishbourne Roman Palace, located roughly 100km southwest of the dig. Li recently visited the palace to observe the wall plaster. He and Symmons suspect that the same hand, or at least artistic school, was responsible for both sets of frescoes. 'When you're looking at two paintings that look identical, down to the stroke, down to the pigment, it really kind of makes you feel like you've discovered something amazing,' Li said. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Written by: Franz Lidz Photographs by: Museum of London Archaeology ©2025 THE NEW YORK TIMES
See - Sada Elbalad
4 days ago
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Turkey, Egypt Align on Artifact Repatriation: Hopes Rise for Future Returns
By Ahmad El-Assasy The recent return of the Roman-era sculpture of Emperor Marcus Aurelius to Turkey has highlighted growing momentum in the global campaign to repatriate smuggled cultural artifacts. Turkish and Egyptian officials have emphasized their shared stance on the issue, underscoring their determination to retrieve and protect their nations' heritage. A Turkish official expressed optimism that the successful return of the Aurelius statue will pave the way for similar breakthroughs for Egypt. He noted that countless Egyptian antiquities have been looted and trafficked abroad over the decades, and highlighted that Turkey has already returned a number of these artifacts in the past. 'The Turkish and Egyptian positions are identical when it comes to the smuggling of antiquities and the necessity of returning them to their countries of origin,' the official said. 'We are hopeful that this critical return marks the beginning of greater cooperation between our nations in this area.' The official also praised the role of Professor Khaled al-Anany, Egypt's former Minister of Antiquities and current head of UNESCO, as a potentially powerful advocate for the international repatriation of stolen heritage. 'With al-Anany at UNESCO, we hope Egypt and Turkey can work more closely to advance this joint cause and secure similar successes,' the official added. Both countries have long histories of cultural plunder by colonial powers and private collectors. In recent years, they have stepped up efforts to reclaim their treasures through diplomacy, legal channels, and public awareness campaigns. The renewed cooperation between Ankara and Cairo signals a strategic alliance that could lead to further returns of artifacts illegally removed from both nations. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks
American Military News
4 days ago
- Science
- American Military News
1,600-year-old settlement discovered with Roman military artifacts
A Roman-era settlement estimated to be roughly 1,600 years old was recently discovered by archaeologists in Delbrück, Germany. The archeological discovery included the remains of at least two buildings and hundreds of ancient artifacts. According to Fox News, the Roman-era settlement was recently discovered as part of an excavation by the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe (LWL) at Schafbreite, which is located in Delbrück, Germany. In a statement obtained by Fox News, the LWL confirmed that hundreds of ancient artifacts were discovered at the Schafbreite location, with most of the artifacts traced back to the fourth and fifth centuries A.D. Fox News reported that archaeologists uncovered two 'clearly identifiable' buildings, two wells, two pit houses, a cremation grave, and hundreds of artifacts as part of the excavation. The LWL stated, 'Seven hundred and fifty individual finds were recovered from the ancient cultural layer preserved under a thick ash soil, 600 of which were metal.' According to Fox News, LWL archaeologists noted that the site of the excavation appears to have been 'settled at different times, making it a multi-period settlement site.' 'The finds from various periods also show that the inhabitants had access to Roman material culture,' archaeologists added. READ MORE: Captain Cook's lost ship found off Rhode Island coast Fox News reported that Sven Spiong, one of the lead archaeologists for LWL, suggested that the mysterious excavation provides insight into the Migration Period, which took place from 300 to 600 A.D. Spiong explained, 'Sites like these help us better understand how the people of the region lived and worked during the arrival of the Romans and in the following centuries, what interregional contacts and connections they had, and how the settlement structure changed during the Migration Period.' LWL confirmed that an 'isolated cremation grave' was discovered during the excavation and that archaeologists discovered that a person was buried with a spearhead, a broken bone comb, two garment clasps, a fire steel, and an animal head buckle. 'Experts date this buckle to the 4th or 5th century based on its shape,' LWL stated. 'It further confirms the settlers' contact with the Roman cultural sphere, as it belonged to the Roman military belt.' According to Fox News, while researchers were not able to identify the burial, the archaeological organization suggested that the individual could have been a Germanic mercenary who served in the Roman military. '[It's] a special find, as it is the first burial in East Westphalia where parts of a Roman military belt have been detected, previously only known from surface finds in other regions,' the LWL said.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
8 ancient Roman shoes of 'exceptional size' discovered at Roman fort near Hadrian's Wall
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Archaeologists excavating a Roman-era fort in northern England have unearthed several enormous ancient leather soles that measure more than 11.8 inches (30 centimeters) long. The finds add to the archaeologists' growing collection of supersized ancient footwear found at the ancient fort, known as Magna. The researchers now have eight of these extra-extra-large shoes — a quarter of the total found at the site. "I think there is something very different going on here at Magna," Elizabeth Greene, an archaeologist at Western University in Ontario, Canada and a specialist in ancient shoes, said in a statement. "Even from this small sample uncovered, it is clear that these shoes are much larger on average than most of the Vindolanda collection." The shoes were discovered at Magna — also known as Carvoran — a fort along Hadrian's Wall, which was built around A.D. 122 to demarcate the northern extent of the Roman Empire. Magna is situated about 7 miles (11 kilometers) west of Vindolanda, the large Roman auxiliary fort that's well known for the remarkable preservation of writing tablets, military medals and leather shoes. In May, archaeologists unearthed an enormous leather shoe while digging at the bottom of one of Magna's "ankle-breaker" defensive ditches — narrow, deep trenches that, when full of water, could cause an enemy soldier to trip and snap their ankle. The waterlogged conditions in the ditch created an oxygen-free environment that preserved the leather shoe. The sole of the giant shoe measured 12.6 inches (32 cm) long, which is the equivalent of a men's U.S. 14 or U.K. size 13 shoe today. For context, the average U.S. men's shoe size is around 10.5, while basketball player LeBron James wears a size U.S. 15 and Michael Jordan wears a U.S. 13.5. Further excavations revealed the Magna ditch contained a total of 32 shoes in a range of sizes, from children's to adults', which adds to the collection of more than 5,000 ancient leather shoes found at the nearby fort of Vindolanda, according to the statement. Related: Roman-era 'fast food' discovered in ancient trash heap on Mallorca But the Magna shoes live up to their name — 25% of the shoes recovered to date are more than 11.8 inches long. One of them, measuring 12.8 inches (32.6 cm) long, is now the largest shoe on record in the Vindolanda collection. By contrast, only 16 of the 3,704 measurable shoes from the Vindolanda fort — just 0.4% — were over 11.8 inches long. Archaeologists are unsure why Magna's shoes are so large. This discovery "reminds us that not every population was the same, that wide variations between the regiments and people who served along Hadrian's Wall could be cultural and physical," Andrew Birley, the director of excavations for the Vindolanda Trust, said in the statement. RELATED STORIES —Roman army camp found in Netherlands, beyond the empire's frontier —Smooth wooden phallus found at a Roman fort was likely a sex toy —Infant twins buried together in Roman Croatia may have died from lead poisoning Greene, who has measured every shoe in the Vindolanda collection, cautioned that direct comparisons between Magna and Vindolanda cannot yet be made, as the Magna leather has not yet gone through the conservation process, which can result in shrinkage of up to 0.4 inches (1 cm). But even taking this into account, Greene said, "it still means these shoes are very large indeed." "We can only celebrate and marvel at the diversity and differences of these people if we can still see them in the archaeological data we gather today," Birley said. Roman emperor quiz: Test your knowledge on the rulers of the ancient empire Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Roman era nails found in unearthed burial tomb 'were used to crucify Jesus'
Nails supposedly used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ were discovered in a burial cave in Jerusalem alongside two bone boxes inscribed with 'Caiaphas' - the high priest who played a key role in Jesus's execution In November 1990, archaeologists in south Jerusalem were taken aback as they discovered a burial cave containing 12 bone boxes, two of which bore the name 'Caiaphas' - the New Testament cites him as the high priest integral to Jesus' crucifixion. The find also included two Roman-era nails, with one nestled within a box and another lying on the ground beside an ossuary, hinting at first-century burial customs that involved interring individuals with items for their afterlife journey. Documentary maker Simcha Jacobovici suggested that Caiaphas, haunted by his part in condemning Jesus, might have wanted these iron pieces as companions for eternity. The nails then disappeared for roughly two decades until Jacobovici reopened the investigation, conducting a fruitless re-excavation of the tomb, followed by a detective mission on Amazon Prime's Decoding The Ancients. During the programme, he shared his perspective from 2004: "If my hunch is right, and the Israeli archaeologists who were involved in the Caiaphas tomb suspected that the Roman nails found there had something to do with crucifixion, maybe they sent them to Professor Hershkovitz' lab at Tel Aviv University. Now, he's a forensic anthropologist, he deals with bone, not nails, but crucifixion is where bone meets the nail." He aired further conjecture, postulating a promising direction for inquiry: "So maybe someone sent the nails there, maybe that's the right address for our investigation." Mr Jacobovici probed Professor Israel Hershkovitz with a pointed question: "We've been tracking two nails that went missing and the antiquities authority say it was probably misplaced, did you ever get two nails together?" To which Dr Hershkovitz admitted: "Yes, we have two nails together, yes from Jerusalem. These are the two nails from Jerusalem that arrived in the lab more than 15 years ago from the second temple period." An eager Mr Jacobovici pressed on: "Could it be 18 years ago?" And the Professor conceded: "Yeah, could be." Seizing on the moment, Mr Jacobovici asserted: "It's the only example of two nails arriving together and the fact that they're bent this way, would this be consistent with crucifixion?" Dr Hershkovitz provided further insight: "It could be, if you put the nail through the palm of the hand, you can easily free the hand. But if you put the nail through the palm of the hand, then stick it to the wood by bending the nail, the palm of the hands are attached to the crossbar. The fact that they are bent is more consistent with crucifixion than if they were straight." He also disclosed: "There are remnants of lime on one of the nails, that's what most ossuaries are made of." Nails 'came from Jesus' cross' Professor Hershkovitz was taken aback by a striking discovery: the crucifixion nails in his possession matched up with the only ones of their kind found globally, also residing in his lab. The series' narrator conveyed a sense of awe: "It seems there are the missing nails, the nails which came from Jesus' cross." The chamber tomb, unearthed by builders in November 1990, was nestled in the Peace Forest, merely a short distance from Jerusalem's North Talpiot area, reports the Mirror US. All That's Interesting noted that Caiaphas is believed to have delivered Jesus to the Romans for crucifixion in 33 A.D., and according to LiveScience, these same nails were initially discovered within a decorated ossuary in his burial place. Despite general scepticism among scholars regarding scriptural specifics, Caiaphas emerges as a reference of historical veracity. If the ossuary can indeed be linked to the infamous high priest, it would validate the New Testament account and provide a richer understanding of Jesus's historical context. However, controversy has hung over the ossuary since its revelation, with some experts questioning its relation to Caiaphas due to irregularities such as misspellings on the inscription, a lack of direct mention of his role as High Priest, and the grave's unassuming nature.
