Roman Dodecahedron Fragment Found in Belgium
Roman Dodecahedron Fragment Found in Belgium A metal detectorist in Belgium has unearthed a fragment of a mysterious bronze artifact known as a Roman dodecahedron that is thought to be more than 1,600 years old. More than a hundred of the puzzling objects — hollow, 12-sided geometric shells of cast metal about the size of …
2.3-meter sword found in 4th-century tomb in Japan
2.3-meter sword found in 4th-century tomb in Japan The largest bronze mirror and the largest “dako” iron sword in Japan were discovered at the Tomio Maruyama burial mound in Nara. Experts say the twin discoveries from the Tomio Maruyama Tumulus last November can be classified as national treasures, with the shield-shaped mirror being the first …
Rare Iron Age Wooden Axle Discovered in England
Rare Iron Age Wooden Axle Discovered in England Part of an “exceptionally rare” Iron Age wooden axle from a chariot or cart has been found in a waterlogged pit. The fragment was uncovered in 2021 at Eastbridge, Suffolk, ahead of tree planting for the Sizewell C nuclear power station project. Recent analysis revealed the hazel …
Roman-Era Residential Area Revealed in Luxor
Roman-Era Residential Area Revealed in Luxor Archaeologists have discovered a residential area in Luxor dating to the time when the Roman Empire ruled Egypt. A team of archaeologists from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities found a number of residential buildings, along with workshops and pigeon towers (where pigeons could be raised for eating), …
An ancient statue of Hercules emerges from Rome sewer repairs
An ancient statue of Hercules emerges from Rome sewer repairs An ancient Roman statue of Hercules has been discovered during repairs to the sewerage system underneath a park in Rome. The statue, which apparently dates back to the Roman imperial period (27BC to AD476), emerged from the ground around the second mile mark along the …
Do the Great Apes Share a Common Language?
Do the Great Apes Share a Common Language? Humans share elements of a common language with other apes, understanding many of the gestures that wild chimps and bonobos use to communicate. That is the conclusion of a video-based study in which volunteers translated ape gestures. It was carried out by researchers at St Andrew’s University. …
High-Tech Scans Reveal 17th-Century Dental Work
High-Tech Scans Reveal 17th-Century Dental Work Scientists have discovered the long-buried secret of a 17th-century French aristocrat 400 years after her death: she was using gold wire to keep her teeth from falling out. The body of Anne d’Alegre, who died in 1619, was discovered during an archaeological excavation at the Chateau de Laval in …
Egypt discovers 4,300-year-old tombs in ancient burial ground
Egypt discovers 4,300-year-old tombs in the ancient burial ground Egypt on Thursday said it uncovered several 4,300-year-old tombs in Saqqara as it continues a series of discoveries in the ancient burial ground. The tombs date back to the Fifth and Sixth dynasties of the Old Kingdom (2686-2181 B.C.), officials said in Saqqara, which lies some …
Egyptian Tomb Carving May Be Earliest Depiction Of Circumcision… Or Something Far More Painful
Egyptian Tomb Carving May Be Earliest Depiction Of Circumcision… Or Something Far More Painful We humans have been messing with our willies for thousands of years, and while penis science has come a long way in that time, getting the snip in Ancient Egypt was apparently a rather crude affair. Thought to represent the earliest …
China’s Mysterious Heavenly Pit: The World’s Deepest Sinkhole
China’s Mysterious “Heavenly Pit”: The World’s Deepest Sinkhole First discovered by specialists in 1994, the world’s deepest sinkhole can be found in Fengjie County, Chongqing Municipality, China. Xiaozhai Tiankeng, or the Xiaozhai Heavenly Pit, measures roughly 537 meters (1,762 feet) in diameter and sinks between 511 and 662 meters (1,667-2,172 feet) into the Earth. With …