Latest news with #UniversityofWarsaw
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Science
- Daily Mirror
'Disturbing' 2,000-year-old dolls discovered on top of pyramid by archaeologists
The discovery of the Bolinas figurines, a type of puppet-like artefact, could provide new insights into an ancient society A pair of intrepid archaeologists from the University of Warsaw made a groundbreaking discovery at the San Isidro site in El Salvador - five ancient clay figurines perched atop a dilapidated pyramid. This find, detailed in the journal Antiquity, features rare Bolinas artefacts, akin to puppet-like curios, which are incredibly scarce and were previously unearthed at the early Maya Tak'alik Ab'aj in Guatemala. The figurines date back over two millennia and offer tantalising prospects for shedding light on an olden Mesoamerican civilisation. Carbon-14 analyses confirmed that these pieces hail from between 410 and 380 B.C.E. These recently unearthed treasures, with mouths agape and ranging from mere inches to a sizeable foot in height, possess an interesting design. The larger ones even have removable heads with apertures suited for strings at their necks and craniums. Theorising upon their usage, scientists surmise that inserting string through these openings would allow the figures to be animated, much like rudimentary marionettes, reports the Express. Jan Szymaski revealed his impressions of these historical icons in an interview with ScienceLink's Lizzie Wade, saying: "They are clay actors. When you hold them in your hand, sometimes they even look creepy because of their vivid expressions. "Very little is known about the identities and ethnolinguistic affiliations of the creators of ancient settlements that predate the arrival of Europeans in the early 16th century. This gets worse the further back in time we look. This finding is only the second such a group found in situ, and the first to feature a male figure." El Salvador's pre-Columbian past remains shrouded in mystery, especially when contrasted with its Central American neighbours. The country's dense population coupled with countless years of volcanic activity have obscured and even destroyed many potential archaeological sites. It has been found that artefacts resembling those at San Isidro were also uncovered in parts of Guatemala and other areas in El Salvador as well as Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica; this indicates a possible network between the inhabitants of San Isidro and distant cultures. The site of San Isidro consists mainly of clay formations, built by an unknown civilisation, and has not yet been fully investigated. Researchers stumbled upon the Bolinas figurines amid the remains at the peak of the site's biggest pyramid-shaped structure. Researchers are now hypothesising that these versatile Bolinas figurines could've had a significant role in "rituals that would involve recreation of some actual events or mythical events," as explained by Szymaski in a conversation with Benjamin Taub from IFL Science. Szymaski added: "This discovery contradicts the prevailing notion about El Salvador's cultural backwardness or isolation in ancient times, "It reveals the existence of vibrant and far-reaching communities capable of exchanging ideas with remarkably distant places."
Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Science
- Irish Daily Mirror
'Disturbing' 2,000-year-old discovery found on top of pyramid by archaeologists
Archaeologists have made a profound discovery at the San Isidro site in El Salvador, uncovering five ancient clay figurines atop a dilapidated pyramid, signifying a significant archaeological milestone. The remarkable find was by Jan Szymaski and Gabriela Prejs of the University of Warsaw. The journal Antiquity reports that these artefacts, known as Bolinas figurines, are exceedingly unusual puppet-like creations. Previously, similar items were discovered at an early Maya site called Tak'alik Ab'aj in Guatemala. These earthen puppets, which date back over 2,000 years, could offer fresh understanding of an ancient Mesoamerican culture. Radiocarbon dating has pinpointed the creation of these five figurines to between 410 and 380 B.C.E. Each of the newly unearthed Bolinas figurines has gaping mouths and ranges from just a few inches to around a foot in stature. Of these, the three larger ones boast removable heads, along with minuscule openings in their necks and craniums, reports the Express. It's believed that a string was threaded through these openings and knotted atop the head, thus allowing the figures to be used akin to rudimentary marionettes. Jan Szymaski conveyed his thoughts on the figurines to ScienceLink's Lizzie Wade, saying: "They are clay actors. When you hold them in your hand, sometimes they even look creepy because of their vivid expressions. "Very little is known about the identities and ethnolinguistic affiliations of the creators of ancient settlements that predate the arrival of Europeans in the early 16th century. This gets worse the further back in time we look. This finding is only the second such a group found in situ, and the first to feature a male figure." El Salvador's pre-Columbian history remains largely shrouded in mystery compared to its neighbouring countries, according to a statement from Antiquity. The country's dense population and centuries of volcanic activity have resulted in significant damage and concealment of archaeological sites. Artifacts bearing resemblance to those unearthed at San Isidro have been found in Guatemala and other parts of El Salvador, as well as in present-day Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica. This implies that the ancient inhabitants of San Isidro may have had ties with far-flung communities. The San Isidro site, predominantly made up of clay structures built by an unidentified group, remains largely unexplored. The Bolinas figurines were discovered by researchers while excavating the peak of the site's largest pyramidal structure. The researchers hypothesise that these versatile Bolinas figurines might have been used in "rituals that would involve recreation of some actual events or mythical events," Szymaski told IFL Science's Benjamin Taub. "This discovery contradicts the prevailing notion about El Salvador's cultural backwardness or isolation in ancient times," Szymaski stated. "It reveals the existence of vibrant and far-reaching communities capable of exchanging ideas with remarkably distant places."
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Law Student Accused of Murdering Woman in Grisly Axe Attack at University
A female staffer at the University of Warsaw in Poland was murdered in a grisly axe attack on campus, according to the BBC. The staffer, a 53-year-old porter, came "under attack in the main campus building on" the evening of May 7, 2025, BBC reported. Be forewarned that the details in this article are very disturbing. The suspect is a 22-year-old Polish man with unclear motives. He was described as "a third-year law student who was Polish but not from Warsaw," the BBC reported. The woman and suspect were not named. BBC reported that, after entering the campus, the suspect went to "the university's biggest lecture hall, the Auditorium Maximum building." According to Fox News, police found a severed head at the scene. "Police have detained a man who entered the University of Warsaw campus. One person died, another was taken to hospital with injuries," Warsaw police said, according to Fox. It's not clear whether the victim and suspect knew each other. According to a translation of Polsat News, a Polish-language news site, the suspect has been accused of "murder with particular cruelty, attempted murder and desecration of a corpse." Polsat News reported that the victim was attacked with an axe as she closed "the door to the Auditorium Maximum." A guard at the university tried to help her and "was seriously injured," the site reported. The President of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski wrote, according to Polsat News, that he was "shocked to hear about the macabre crime on the University of Warsaw campus." He expressed the "deepest sympathy" to the "family and loved ones of the murdered woman. I also hope that the man who was injured in the attack and was helping will fully recover." The victim was a mother of three, Polsat News reported.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Conclave live stream as cardinals meet at Sistine Chapel to pick new pope
The papal conclave continues in Vatican City for the third day, with a new pope still to be elected, after the voting cardinals began their meeting at around 5pm UK time on Wednesday, May 7. Black smoke has risen from the Sistine Chapel's chimney following the morning voting sessions, marking that a decision has not yet been made. When the new pope is elected, white smoke will be released as a signal. Up to four rounds of voting can take place each full day of conclave, two in the morning and two in the afternoon. Smoke is only expected up to twice a day, as ballots from two successive rounds are generally burned together if no pope is chosen in either round. READ MORE: University of Warsaw axe attack leaves one dead and one injured - police confirm READ MORE: What time is the US-UK trade deal announcement expected today? For a new pope to be elected, they require a two-thirds majority in the voting. The events taking place in Vatican City are being live streamed and can be viewed below. According to reports in Italian media, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, said on Thursday: 'I hope that when I return to Rome this evening, I'll find the white smoke already rising.' Back in 2013 Pope Francis was elected after five ballots, and white smoke on the second day of that conclave confirmed the news to the world. The cardinals in this conclave are gathering to elect the 267th pope and have, as is tradition, been cut off from communications with the outside world. At a pre-conclave mass on Wednesday, they were reminded of the 'choice of exceptional importance' they must make in electing the next pope. If they fail to reach an agreement on a candidate after three days of voting, they are entitled to a one-day break for prayer and free discussion. Three UK cardinals are taking part in the conclave: Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe and Rome-based Cardinal Arthur Roche. This conclave is thought to be one of the most diverse of any meeting of cardinals, representing some 70 countries and hailing from places such as Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga, which had not had a cardinal before. Pope Francis had appointed some 108 of the 133 cardinals who will choose his successor. Dubbed the people's pope, he was a popular pontiff whose death on Easter Monday sparked tributes from leaders across the world and whose funeral drew hundreds of thousands of mourners.
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Uni porter was locking up for the night – moments later she was decapitated
The 57-year-old porter was at the doors of a 1,200-seat auditorium at Warsaw University, locking up during her early evening shift when she was brutally attacked and lost her life A woman working as a porter at a university was simply locking the doors to its 1,200-seat auditorium when an axe-wielding student pounced and brutally decapitated her. The horrific incident at the Warsaw University in Poland saw dozens of police storm the campus last night as the 22-year-old suspect was caught. He had reportedly "scattered" the 57-year-old woman's body parts, which had been hacked off in the brutal attack, around the grounds and university buildings. He is also accused of attacking a 39-year-old security guard who was left in a critical condition and remains in hospital following the near-fatal assault. The attack took place at around 6.45pm local time (about 5.45pm BST) at the Auditorium Maximum, a significant building within the Faculty of Law and Administration which can hold hundreds of students. The woman was making her final rounds, making sure all doors were locked when she was spotted by the attacker. It is said the security guard heard the brutal attack on the woman and attempted to intervene before he was also badly media reports suggest a severed head was recovered from the scene. One eyewitness, a student named Filip, said: "I was in shock; I never expected to witness something like this. We passed by the porter regularly, and it's terrifying to think the attacker could be someone from our own cohort." Another student said: "The perpetrator seemed insane, he was delirious, he said shocking things about what he wanted to do to this woman." And a law student named Gabriela added: "It's terrifying that we could have passed the perpetrator in the hallway and gone to classes together." Warsaw Police said: "Police have detained a man who entered the University of Warsaw campus. One person died, another was taken to hospital with injuries." University of Warsaw confirmed an employee was killed following the rampage. In a statement, it said: "Ladies and Gentlemen, today in the afternoon the University of Warsaw Community was struck by a huge tragedy. Our colleague, a UW employee, was brutally murdered. "The perpetrator was arrested. We express our great sorrow and sympathy to the family and loved ones. A university guard was also seriously injured. Due to the current situation, I am declaring tomorrow, May 8, 2025, a day of mourning at the University of Warsaw. "On behalf of the entire University of Warsaw community. Rector and College of Rectors of the University of Warsaw." Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski expressed his shock at what he described as a "macabre crime" on the campus. "This brutal attack must be severely punished," he said. The university had been due to host its annual music festival Juwenalia on Friday and Saturday. It has since been cancelled. According to the Warsaw prosecutor's office the murder was captured on CCTV cameras inside the university building.
