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Scottish Sun
04-05-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Butchered giraffe and glass BRAIN found in ancient treasure trove of objects buried by Mount Vesuvius 2,000 years ago
The town of Herculaneum was buried under roughly five times the amount of ash that Pompeii was UNEARTHED Butchered giraffe and glass BRAIN found in ancient treasure trove of objects buried by Mount Vesuvius 2,000 years ago IT was an ordinary day when Mount Vesuvius plastered nearby towns in thick volcanic ash 2,000 years ago. A treasure trove of objects was buried, each giving an insight into the lives people led. 9 Drinks and hot food were served in this place, with large jars placed in the richly decorated masonry counter Credit: Getty 9 Archaeologists found the leg joint of a butchered giraffe beneath ancient Pompeii markets Credit: PA Butchered giraffe In the drains beneath the long-gone markets of Pompeii, archaeologists have found a rich variety of foods - from sea urchin to shellfish. But perhaps the most exotic find was the leg joint of a butchered giraffe. It is thought to be the only giraffe bone ever recorded from an archaeological excavation in Roman Italy, according to archaeologist Steven Ellis, who directs the University of Cincinnati's excavations at Pompeii. The discoveries point to busy trade relationships outside of Italy. 'How part of the animal, butchered, came to be a kitchen scrap in a seemingly standard Pompeian restaurant not only speaks to long-distance trade in exotic and wild animals, but also something of the richness, variety and range of a non-elite diet," explains Ellis. 9 This human brain tissue found at Herculaneum was turned into glass due to heat from the volcano disaster that destroyed Pompeii Credit: 9 Victims of Vesuvius were baked, boiled and buried in ash Credit: Rex Features Glass brain In Herculaneum, a town to the west of Mount Vesuvius, two bizarre pieces of dark-coloured glass were found inside the skulls of two individuals. The first piece of glass suspected to be of 'organic origin' was identified in Herculaneum in 2020. A glassy, black material was found inside the skull of a man on a wooden bed, who was buried by volcanic ash. While the second was hunk of black glass was found earlier this year. The Tragic History of Pompeii Experts believe these are fossilised brains, caused by the extreme heat from the short-lived ash cloud that swept through the ancient town of Herculaneum in 79CE. Herculaneum was buried under roughly five times the amount of ash that Pompeii was. Similarly, the second victim had also been lying on their bed when the cloud descended. For the brain to become glass, it must have been heated to above 510°C before quickly cooling. This is an incredibly rare process is called vitrification. 9 Erotic Satyr and Nymph wall painting from The House of the Faun in Pompeii Credit: Universal History Archive 9 Fresco sex scene in the wall of Lupanar of Pompeii Credit: Getty Cheeky art The Romans' affinity for brothels, alcohol, and pornography has been well documented and discovered among the ruins of Pompeii. Hundreds of sexually explicit works of art from Pompeii have been placed in the Secret Museum in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. These include graphic sex scenes - which experts believe could be advertisements for local brothels - as well as lots of phallic statuary, believed to bring wealth, fertility, and good luck. Some of these pieces were so cheeky that they were deemed "pornographic" in 1821, and the museum closed the room to visitors in 1849. The Secret Museum didn't reopen for good until 2000. 9 The simple etchings depict men with shields and spears fighting animals and each other Credit: Instagram/@pompeii_parco_archeologico 9 Political slogans and messages of support for candidates can still be seen preserved on the walls today Credit: Getty Graffiti Pompeiians were politically active - and they have the graffiti to show for it. There was an upcoming election when the city was buried by Mount Vesuvius. Political slogans and messages of support for candidates can still be seen preserved on the walls today. Though it wasn't just political statements being plastered around. Last May, charcoal wall drawings were unearthed that archaeologists believe were made by children as young as five. The drawings, which were of children's height, suggest they had attended gruesome gladiator battles in the city. The simple etchings depict men with shields and spears fighting animals and each other. Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, said children of the time would have come into contact with extreme forms of speculated violence. This includes the frequent executions of criminals and slaves. "We came to the conclusion that in all likelihood the drawings of the gladiators and hunters were made on the basis of a direct vision and not from pictorial models," he said in a statement at the time. "Probably one or more of the children who played in this courtyard, among the kitchens, latrine and flowerbeds for growing vegetables, had witnessed fights in the amphitheatre." 9 An array of ancient Roman surgical instruments discovered at Pompeii, on display at Naples Museum Credit: Hulton Archive / Getty Images Surgical tools Archaeologists have also recovered surgical instruments from Pompeii - which paint a squeamish picture of medical practices in 79 AD. Medical tools have been found in various parts of the excavated city, but most most were found at a structure known as the House of the Surgeon. While the Romans had not yet developed germ theory, many of the tools were made of copper alloys. Copper has antimicrobial properties - meaning the tools may have prevented infections.
The Irish Sun
04-05-2025
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Butchered giraffe and glass BRAIN found in ancient treasure trove of objects buried by Mount Vesuvius 2,000 years ago
IT was an ordinary day when Mount Vesuvius plastered nearby towns in thick volcanic ash 2,000 years ago. A treasure trove of objects was buried, each giving an insight into the lives people led. 9 Drinks and hot food were served in this place, with large jars placed in the richly decorated masonry counter Credit: Getty 9 Archaeologists found the leg joint of a butchered giraffe beneath ancient Pompeii markets Credit: PA Butchered giraffe In the drains beneath the long-gone markets of Pompeii, archaeologists have found a rich variety of foods - from sea urchin to shellfish. But perhaps the most exotic find was the leg joint of a butchered giraffe. It is thought to be the only giraffe bone ever recorded from an archaeological excavation in Roman Italy, according to archaeologist Steven Ellis, who directs the University of Cincinnati's excavations at Pompeii. The discoveries point to busy trade relationships outside of Italy. READ MORE ON POMPEII 'How part of the animal, butchered, came to be a kitchen scrap in a seemingly standard Pompeian restaurant not only speaks to long-distance trade in exotic and wild animals, but also something of the richness, variety and range of a non-elite diet," explains Ellis. 9 This human brain tissue found at Herculaneum was turned into glass due to heat from the volcano disaster that destroyed Pompeii Credit: 9 Victims of Vesuvius were baked, boiled and buried in ash Credit: Rex Features Glass brain In Herculaneum, a town to the west of Mount Vesuvius, two bizarre pieces of dark-coloured glass were found inside the skulls of two individuals. The first piece of A glassy, black material was found inside the skull of a man on a wooden bed, who was buried by volcanic ash. Most read in Science While the The Tragic History of Pompeii Experts believe these are fossilised brains, caused by the extreme heat from the short-lived ash cloud that swept through the ancient town of Herculaneum in 79CE. Herculaneum was buried under roughly five times the amount of ash that Pompeii was. Similarly, the second victim had also been lying on their bed when the cloud descended. For the brain to become glass, it must have been heated to above 510°C before quickly cooling. This is an incredibly rare process is called vitrification. 9 Erotic Satyr and Nymph wall painting from The House of the Faun in Pompeii Credit: Universal History Archive 9 Fresco sex scene in the wall of Lupanar of Pompeii Credit: Getty Cheeky art The Romans' affinity for brothels, alcohol, and pornography has been well documented and discovered among the ruins of Pompeii. Hundreds of sexually explicit works of art from Pompeii have been placed in the Secret Museum in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. These include graphic sex scenes - which experts believe could be advertisements for local brothels - as well as lots of phallic statuary, believed to bring wealth, fertility, and good luck. Some of these pieces were so cheeky that they were deemed "pornographic" in 1821, and the museum closed the room to visitors in 1849. The Secret Museum didn't reopen for good until 2000. 9 The simple etchings depict men with shields and spears fighting animals and each other Credit: Instagram/@pompeii_parco_archeologico 9 Political slogans and messages of support for candidates can still be seen preserved on the walls today Credit: Getty Graffiti Pompeiians were politically active - and they have the graffiti to show for it. There was an upcoming election when the city was buried by Mount Vesuvius. Political slogans and messages of support for candidates can still be seen preserved on the walls today. Though it wasn't just political statements being plastered around. Last May, charcoal wall drawings were unearthed that The drawings, which were of children's height, suggest they had attended gruesome gladiator battles in the city. The simple etchings depict men with shields and spears fighting animals and each other. Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, said children of the time would have come into contact with extreme forms of speculated violence. This includes the frequent executions of criminals and slaves. "We came to the conclusion that in all likelihood the drawings of the gladiators and hunters were made on the basis of a direct vision and not from pictorial models," he said in a statement at the time. "Probably one or more of the children who played in this courtyard, among the kitchens, latrine and flowerbeds for growing vegetables, had witnessed fights in the amphitheatre." 9 An array of ancient Roman surgical instruments discovered at Pompeii, on display at Naples Museum Credit: Hulton Archive / Getty Images Surgical tools Archaeologists have also recovered surgical instruments from Pompeii - which paint a squeamish picture of medical practices in 79 AD. Medical tools have been found in various parts of the excavated city, but most most were found at a structure known as the House of the Surgeon. While the Romans had not yet developed germ theory, many of the tools were made of copper alloys. Copper has antimicrobial properties - meaning the tools may have prevented infections. The destruction of Pompeii – what happened in 79 AD? Pompeii was an ancient Roman city near modern Naples, in the Campania region of Italy. It was destroyed, along with the Roman town of Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area, and buried under volcanic ash in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The violent explosion killed the city's inhabitants, with the site lost for around 1,500 years until its initial rediscovery in 1599 and broader rediscovery almost 150 years after that. The thermal energy released from Vesuvius was said to be a hundred thousand times that of the nuclear blasts at Hiroshima-Nagasaki. The remains beneath the city have been preserved for more than a millenium due to the lack of air and moisture in the ground. During excavations, plaster was injected into the voids in the ash layers that once held human bodies, allowing scientists to recreate their exact poses at the time of their deaths. Mount Vesuvius is arguably the most dangerous volcano on earth. It had been inactive for almost a century before roaring back into life and destroying Pompeii. Since then, it has exploded around three dozen more times – most recently in 1944 – and stands in close proximity to three million people. Although its current status is dormant, Vesuvius is an 'extremely active' and unpredictable volcano, according to experts. To this day, scientists are finding cultural, architectural and human remains on the banks of Mount Vesuvius. Excavations at thermal baths in Pompeii's ruins in February revealed the skeleton of a crouching child who perished in the 79 AD eruption.
The Sun
04-05-2025
- Science
- The Sun
Butchered giraffe and glass BRAIN found in ancient treasure trove of objects buried by Mount Vesuvius 2,000 years ago
UNEARTHED The town of Herculaneum was buried under roughly five times the amount of ash that Pompeii was IT was an ordinary day when Mount Vesuvius plastered nearby towns in thick volcanic ash 2,000 years ago. A treasure trove of objects was buried, each giving an insight into the lives people led. 9 9 Butchered giraffe In the drains beneath the long-gone markets of Pompeii, archaeologists have found a rich variety of foods - from sea urchin to shellfish. But perhaps the most exotic find was the leg joint of a butchered giraffe. It is thought to be the only giraffe bone ever recorded from an archaeological excavation in Roman Italy, according to archaeologist Steven Ellis, who directs the University of Cincinnati's excavations at Pompeii. The discoveries point to busy trade relationships outside of Italy. 'How part of the animal, butchered, came to be a kitchen scrap in a seemingly standard Pompeian restaurant not only speaks to long-distance trade in exotic and wild animals, but also something of the richness, variety and range of a non-elite diet," explains Ellis. 9 Glass brain In Herculaneum, a town to the west of Mount Vesuvius, two bizarre pieces of dark-coloured glass were found inside the skulls of two individuals. The first piece of glass suspected to be of 'organic origin' was identified in Herculaneum in 2020. A glassy, black material was found inside the skull of a man on a wooden bed, who was buried by volcanic ash. While the second was hunk of black glass was found earlier this year. Experts believe these are fossilised brains, caused by the extreme heat from the short-lived ash cloud that swept through the ancient town of Herculaneum in 79CE. Herculaneum was buried under roughly five times the amount of ash that Pompeii was. Similarly, the second victim had also been lying on their bed when the cloud descended. For the brain to become glass, it must have been heated to above 510°C before quickly cooling. This is an incredibly rare process is called vitrification. 9 9 Cheeky art The Romans' affinity for brothels, alcohol, and pornography has been well documented and discovered among the ruins of Pompeii. Hundreds of sexually explicit works of art from Pompeii have been placed in the Secret Museum in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. These include graphic sex scenes - which experts believe could be advertisements for local brothels - as well as lots of phallic statuary, believed to bring wealth, fertility, and good luck. Some of these pieces were so cheeky that they were deemed "pornographic" in 1821, and the museum closed the room to visitors in 1849. The Secret Museum didn't reopen for good until 2000. 9 Graffiti Pompeiians were politically active - and they have the graffiti to show for it. There was an upcoming election when the city was buried by Mount Vesuvius. Political slogans and messages of support for candidates can still be seen preserved on the walls today. Though it wasn't just political statements being plastered around. Last May, charcoal wall drawings were unearthed that archaeologists believe were made by children as young as five. The drawings, which were of children's height, suggest they had attended gruesome gladiator battles in the city. The simple etchings depict men with shields and spears fighting animals and each other. Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, said children of the time would have come into contact with extreme forms of speculated violence. This includes the frequent executions of criminals and slaves. "We came to the conclusion that in all likelihood the drawings of the gladiators and hunters were made on the basis of a direct vision and not from pictorial models," he said in a statement at the time. "Probably one or more of the children who played in this courtyard, among the kitchens, latrine and flowerbeds for growing vegetables, had witnessed fights in the amphitheatre." 9 Surgical tools Archaeologists have also recovered surgical instruments from Pompeii - which paint a squeamish picture of medical practices in 79 AD. Medical tools have been found in various parts of the excavated city, but most most were found at a structure known as the House of the Surgeon. While the Romans had not yet developed germ theory, many of the tools were made of copper alloys. Copper has antimicrobial properties - meaning the tools may have prevented infections. The destruction of Pompeii – what happened in 79 AD? Pompeii was an ancient Roman city near modern Naples, in the Campania region of Italy. It was destroyed, along with the Roman town of Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area, and buried under volcanic ash in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The violent explosion killed the city's inhabitants, with the site lost for around 1,500 years until its initial rediscovery in 1599 and broader rediscovery almost 150 years after that. The thermal energy released from Vesuvius was said to be a hundred thousand times that of the nuclear blasts at Hiroshima-Nagasaki. The remains beneath the city have been preserved for more than a millenium due to the lack of air and moisture in the ground. During excavations, plaster was injected into the voids in the ash layers that once held human bodies, allowing scientists to recreate their exact poses at the time of their deaths. Mount Vesuvius is arguably the most dangerous volcano on earth. It had been inactive for almost a century before roaring back into life and destroying Pompeii. Since then, it has exploded around three dozen more times – most recently in 1944 – and stands in close proximity to three million people. Although its current status is dormant, Vesuvius is an 'extremely active' and unpredictable volcano, according to experts. To this day, scientists are finding cultural, architectural and human remains on the banks of Mount Vesuvius. Excavations at thermal baths in Pompeii's ruins in February revealed the skeleton of a crouching child who perished in the 79 AD eruption.
Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mirror
Next shoppers race to buy £34 'striking' mini dress as mini heatwave approaches
The Cream Mono Placement Floral Linen Scoop Back Mini Shift Dress by Next is the perfect addition to your summer wardrobe, with customers raving about its stylish design and fit A shift dress is undoubtedly one of the most comfortable, go-to garments to keep cool in the summer months, especially if made from linen. Comfortable, breezy, and elegant, it's versatile enough to glam it up with heels or keep it casual with trainers or sandals. And shoppers that have been on the hunt for the perfect shift dress for their holidays have been singing the praises of a lovely option from Next: its Cream Mono Placement Floral Linen Scoop Back Mini Shift Dress. It's perfect for slipping over a swimming costume to transition from beach to bar or sprucing up for a dinner date. At £34, the dress is a bit of a steal and will surely be a hardworking staple in any summer and holiday wardrobe. Crafted from a breezy linen-blend, the lightweight mini dress comes in a host of designs, although our favourite is the cream and water-colour brown floral print. Boasting a chic scoop neck, handy side pockets, and a trendy split side hem, the dress has been hailed as 'perfect for everyday wear' and looks chic with minimal effort. It's not only stylish but washes easily and comes in both petite and regular lengths, reports Nottinghamshire Live. Others colours and patterns are available too, from a brighter floral print with a selection of blues, pinks, oranges which rivals Romans' Red Tropical Border Tie Detail Shift Dress, £38, to a colour block black. For an all over cream alternative, Nobody's Child's Cream Palermo Mini Shift Dress is currently £49. Shoppers are smitten it seems with the Next dress, showering it in a handful of compliments for its swanky design and fab fit. One happy customer shared: "Material is soft and comfy to wear on holiday, perfect fit. Bought all designs in same dress. Good value for money as they look more expensive." Another raved: "Love it. Classy but casual at the same time. Easy to dress up or down." A third added: "It's a really striking attractive design. It looks so nice on. It is such a change from small flowery prints." Although not everyone was quite as impressed with some shoppers were a smidge disappointed that the dress was unlined, making it somewhat transparent. One person said: "The dress is a little see through, had planned to wear at a party and dress it up but as it's see through I won't, but good for daytime on holiday." Despite this, the Next mini dress has garnered a 4.5-star rating out of five, suggesting it's still a top pick for your summer wardrobe. Get it here for £34.
Saudi Gazette
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
King Charles III addresses Italian parliament in Rome in historic first
ROME — King Charles III has become the first British monarch to address both houses of the Italian parliament. The king, who delivered part of his speech in Italian, told those gathered on Wednesday that he had come "to reaffirm the deep friendship between the United Kingdom and Italy". Democracies like the UK and Italy need to stand together during this period of significant global uncertainty, he said. Charles also spoke of the long shared history between the two countries — mentioning the ancient Romans' arrival on Britain's "windswept shores" — and of his fondness for Italy. "Italy is, as I hope you know, a country that is dear to my heart," the 76-year-old said. The British sovereign is only the fourth non-Italian to have addressed the country's entire John Paul II, Spain's former monarch Juan Carlos and the current King Felipe VI did so before British king's speech came during a four-day royal visit to Rome and Ravenna which began on Tuesday, Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, visited famous landmarks in the Italian capital, including the his speech to Italy's parliament on Wednesday, the monarch met the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Rome's Villa Pamphili and also watched a Shakespeare royal couple will attend a state banquet hosted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday evening at Rome's Quirinale activities coincide with the king and queen's 20th wedding the final day of their tour, Charles and Camilla will spend Thursday in the northern Italian town of Ravenna, where a reception will be held to mark the 80th anniversary of the region's liberation from the Nazis by the Allied forces on 10 April trip to Italy marks Charles' first overseas trip since he was briefly hospitalized due to the side effects of his cancer treatment. — Euronews
