Latest news with #ancientcity


Fox News
14-07-2025
- Science
- Fox News
Archaeologists uncover multistory buildings in once-thriving city lost to time
Archaeologists recently uncovered multistory buildings from a lost Egyptian city in the Nile Delta, fostering new insights into urban life in antiquity. The ruins of the city – known in ancient times as Imet or Buto – are located at the site now called Tell el-Fara'in. The University of Manchester announced the discovery in a June 24 press release. Multiple excavations have taken place at the site in past decades, but the latest dig by British archaeologists revealed the presence of multiple multistory structures. The elevated dwellings were found thanks to a combination of remote sensing and satellite imagery technology, said the University of Manchester. The British archaeologists were joined by experts from the University of Sadat City in Cairo. The high-tech methods led researchers to notice clusters of "ancient mudbricks" before the excavation began. The university reported, "This approach led to the discovery of dense architectural remains, including substantial tower houses – multistory buildings supported by exceptionally thick foundation walls, which were designed to accommodate a growing population in an increasingly urbanized Delta region." University of Manchester lecturer Nicky Nielsen helped lead the excavation. In a statement, he dated the structures to the Ptolemaic Period, which began around 332 B.C. and ended in 30 B.C. "These tower houses are mainly found in the Nile Delta between the Late Period and the Roman era, and are rare elsewhere in Egypt," the Egyptologist said. "Their presence here shows that Imet was a thriving and densely built city with a complex urban infrastructure." Archaeologists also uncovered the remains of granaries, or buildings for storing grain, as well as a ceremonial road tied to the cult of Wadjet, the Ancient Egyptian cobra goddess. Animal enclosures were also observed during the excavation, as well as a series of additional buildings. "Imet is emerging as a key site for rethinking the archaeology of Late Period Egypt." "Elsewhere, excavators found a large building with a limestone plaster floor and massive pillars dating to the mid-Ptolemaic Period," the University of Manchester noted. "This building was built across the processional road, which once connected to the temple of Wadjet – the city's patron deity," the statement continued. "This ceremonial route appears to have fallen out of use by the mid-Ptolemaic period, offering insight into shifting religious landscapes in Ancient Egypt." Smaller artifacts were also uncovered by archaeologists. Pictures from the excavation show an ushabti (a small funerary figurine), a stone slab depicting the god Harpocrates and a bronze sistrum, or rattle, of Hathor, the goddess of music and joy. The excavation will help advance understanding of "the urban, religious and economic life of this city in the Nile Delta during the 4th century BC," according to university officials. "This discovery opens new doors to our understanding of daily life, spirituality and urban planning in the Delta," the statement concluded. "Imet is emerging as a key site for rethinking the archaeology of Late Period Egypt." Ancient Egypt has captivated archaeologists for centuries, and many finds from the millennia-old civilization are still being discovered today. In May, several tombs of high-ranking Ancient Egyptian officials were recently uncovered by local archaeologists, dating back to the era of the New Kingdom. A month earlier, a University of Pennsylvania professor spoke with Fox News Digital about unearthing the tomb of an unknown pharaoh near Abydos.

RNZ News
11-07-2025
- Science
- RNZ News
Scientists find evidence that women may have ruled Ancient Turkish city
A new study has revealed that women, not men may have ruled one of the world's oldest cities in Çatalhöyük Turkey. Australian researcher Dr Eline Schotsman spoke to Jesse. Photo: Eline Schotsmans

RNZ News
11-07-2025
- Science
- RNZ News
Scientists find evidence
A new study has revealed that women, not men may have ruled one of the world's oldest cities in Çatalhöyük Turkey. Australian researcher Dr Eline Schotsman spoke to Jesse. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists unveil 3,500-year-old city in Peru
Archaeologists have announced the discovery of an ancient city in Peru's northern Barranca province. The 3,500-year-old city, named Peñico, is believed to have served as a key trading hub connecting early Pacific coast communities with those living in the Andes mountains and Amazon basin. Located some 200km north of Lima, the site lies about 600 metres (1,970 feet) above sea level and is thought to have been founded between 1,800 and 1,500 BC - around the same time that early civilisations were flourishing in the Middle East and Asia. Researchers say the discovery sheds light on what became of the Americas' oldest civilisation, the Caral. Drone footage released by researchers shows a circular structure on a hillside terrace at the city's centre, surrounded by the remains of stone and mud buildings. Eight years of research at the site unearthed 18 structures, including ceremonial temples and residential complexes. In buildings at the site, researchers discovered ceremonial objects, clay sculptures of human and animal figures and necklaces made from beads and seashells. Peñico is situated close to where Caral, recognised as the oldest known civilisation in the Americas, was established 5,000 years ago at around 3,000 BC in the Supe valley of Peru. Caral features 32 monuments, including large pyramid structures, sophisticated irrigation agriculture and urban settlements. It is believed to have developed in isolation to other comparative early civilisations in India, Egypt, Sumeria and China. Dr Ruth Shady, the archaeologist who led the recent research into Peñico and the excavation of Caral in the 1990s, said that the discovery was important for understanding what became of the Caral civilisation after it was decimated by climate change. The Peñico community was "situated in a strategic location for trade, for exchange with societies from the coast, the highlands and the jungle", Dr Shady told the Reuters news agency. At a news conference unveiling the findings on Thursday, archaeologist Marco Machacuay, a researcher with the Ministry of Culture, said that Peñico's significance lies in it being a continuation of the Caral society. Peru is home to many of the Americas' most significant archaeological discoveries, including the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in the Andes and the mysterious Nazca Lines etched into the desert along the central coast. Researchers help uncover ancient Egyptian city Iron Age settlement and 'Roman villa' unearthed Bronze Age burial site found under park


The Sun
07-07-2025
- Science
- The Sun
Incredible ancient lost city from 3,500-years-ago home to the Americas' oldest civilization uncovered in Peru
AN ANCIENT city that is over 3,500 years old has been unearthed in Peru. The ancient city of Peñico is thought to have been a vital link between early Pacific coast settlements and remote communities deep in the Andes and Amazon. 4 4 4 Located in the northern Barranca province - around 120 miles north of Lima - the site lies around 1,970 feet above sea level. It is believed to date back to between 1,800 and 1,500 BC - around the period that early civilisations were flourishing in the Middle East and Asia. Archaeologists say the discovery sheds light on what became of the Americas' oldest civilisation, the Caral. Incredible drone footage shows a circular structure on a hillside terrace at the city's centre - surrounded by the remains of stone and mud buildings. After eight years of research 18 structures were found including ceremonial temples and residential complexes. Objects were also discovered in buildings at the site including ceremonial objects, clay sculptures of human and animal figures and necklaces made from beads and seashells. Peñico is located close to where Caral was established 5,000 years ago in the Supe valley of Peru, around 3,000 BC. Recognised as the oldest known civilisation in the Americas, Caral features 32 monuments. This includes large pyramid structures, sophisticated irrigation agriculture and urban settlements. It is believed to have developed in isolation to other comparative early civilisations in India, Egypt, Sumeria and China. Ancient Pompeii home unseen for 2,000 YEARS finally unearthed Dr Ruth Shady, the archaeologist who led the recent research into Peñico and the excavation of Caral in the 1990s, said the discovery is crucial in knowing what happened after the Caral civilisation was decimated by climate change. She told the Reuters news agency that the Peñico community was "situated in a strategic location for trade, for exchange with societies from the coast, the highlands and the jungle." Archaeologist Marco Machacuay, a researcher with the Ministry of Culture, unveiled the findings at news conference on Thursday. He said that Peñico's importance lies in it being a continuation of the Caral society. Many of the Americas' most significant archaeological discoveries have been found in Peru. This includes the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in the Andes and the mysterious Nazca lines etched into the desert in southern Peru. 4