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Fossil Insects Tweak Date of Deadly “Atlantis” Eruption

A new study of pest insects found in an ancient seed jar on the Greek island of Santorini suggests the major volcanic eruption that took place there around 1600 B.C.—and which may have inspired the legend of Atlantis—happened in early summer.

The “Atlantis” eruption was one of the most significant volcanic eruptions in human history. The blast is credited for not only ending the Minoan civilization, but also for affecting ancient Egypt and other communities around the eastern Mediterranean, explained Eva Panagiotakopulu, an archaeologist and fossil-insect expert at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Based on previous evidence, scientists had concluded that the eruption happened sometime between 1627 to 1600 B.C. But there has been one important and unresolved question about the event: What season did it take place in? Read more.

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Forgotten Women of the Early Church

Early Christianity formed as a sect of Judaism, so much of the ingrained Jewish culture regarding women followed early Christians into their new religion. But while he was alive, Jesus (as a historical figure) challenged some of those preconceptions about women, allowing for a surprisingly large female role in the creation of early Christian practices and the formation of the church.

New Testament textual evidence suggests Jesus was rather liberal (for the time) with his views towards women. He trusts Mary Magdalene to go inform his disciples that he has risen from the dead. He rebukes the Pharisees for attempting to stone an adulterous woman. He says that it is better for a woman (Mary) to learn from his teachings than to help her sister (Martha) in the kitchen. Historian Geoffrey Blainley suggests that the majority of Christians in the first century AD were probably women, because women's standing wasn't high in the region at the time, and Jesus treated them better than that, thus drawing their loyalty while possibly further alienating already religious men. 

So what happened? People like the Apostle Paul became heads of the newly formed church. And Paul was originally pretty liberal, too. In his letters, Paul commends women like Priscilla, Junia, and Tryphaena on their work on his behalf, and on behalf of the church. Paul is confusing, though, because in his letters he also quotes Biblical verses suggesting women should be submissive to men. 

Women played an important role in the formation of the early church, but much of that role is just recently coming to light. As the church became more and more male-oriented, the contributions of women began to be overlooked. Less than 300 years after Jesus' lifetime, the Council of Nicaea, composed entirely of men, decided which ecumenical texts should be placed into the Bible and which should be left out, or even condemned as heretical apocrypha. Many of the texts that didn't make the cut featured women and their contributions to the church. A hundred years after that, women were formally banned from ordination, a ban which (in the majority of orthodox cases) has yet to be lifted. 

So who were these women who had their work erased from history? There are probably hundreds, but it's at least possible to put names and faces on a few. 

Saint Joanna (possibly the same woman as Junia mentioned by Paul)- She was healed by Jesus during his ministry, and proceeded to accompany Jesus and his twelve disciples, even paying for portions of their ministry from her own pocket. She was also said to be present along with Mary Magdalene at Jesus' resurrection.

Saint Priscilla- She was a Christian missionary who, with her husband, traveled with the Apostle Paul, who described them as "fellow workers in Christ." Some people believe her to be the anonymous author of the Epistle of the Hebrews but this is speculation at best. She is, however, often referred to as the first female teacher in Christianity.

Mary Magdalene- She traveled with Jesus and his disciples, and was present at both the crucifixion and the resurrection. She stayed for his burial when all others (except John the Beloved) had fled in sadness or in fear.

There are undoubtedly many early Christian women whose stories have yet to be told, but scholars are beginning to try. Textual analysis of the Bible as well as apocryphal texts, mixed with early Christian mosaic art and early artifacts, may finally start painting a picture of the true role of women in the formation of the church.

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We tend to think of classic art as being all dignified and serious, if perhaps a little stuffy. But that's only because we're not looking closely enough.

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In Ancient Egypt, the heart was considered to be the seat of intelligence – not the brain. Egyptians thought the brain was just a stuffing for the head. For this reason they scraped it out of the head during embalming and discarded it, while treating the heart with special care.

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Finger ring with a cross, 5th century

This ring, with its elegant pattern of filigree and granulation on the band and its striking use of garnet and mother-of-pearl on the bezel, is exceptional in both decoration and material and demonstrates the sophistication of Frankish metalwork from an early date.

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Bekah. 23 years old. Mediterranean Archaeology grad student at the University of Edinburgh. This…

For all of you who care about my escapades, I’ve made a special blog dedicated to my imminent trans-Atlantic adventures.  It’s super boring at the moment (considering I’m still in Maryland) BUT start following now, because I’m the picture taking type. Expect zillions of pictures and probably more text posts than are strictly necessary.

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Corinthian helmet from the Battle of Marathon (490 BC) found in 1834 with the skull inside

(photo credit)

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Ancient Mayan Art Discovery

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Archaeologists have found an “extraordinary” Mayan frieze richly decorated with images of deities and rulers and a long dedicatory inscription, the Guatemalan government said Wednesday.

The frieze was discovered by Guatemalan archaeologist Francisco Estrada-Belli, a professor at Tulane University’s Anthropology Department, and his team in the northern Province of Peten, the government said in a joint statement with Estrada-Belli.

"This is an extraordinary finding that occurs only once in the life of an archaeologist," Estrada-Belli said. The archaeologists were exploring a Mayan pyramid that dates to A.D. 600 in an area that is home to other classic ruin sites when they came upon the frieze.

"It’s a great work of art that also gives us a lot of information on the role and significance of the building, which was the focus of our research," Estrada-Belli said. The high-relief stucco sculpture, which measures 26 feet by 6 feet (8 meters by 2 meters), includes three main characters wearing rich ornaments of quetzal feathers and jade sitting on the heads of monsters.

The frieze, which was found in July, depicts the image of gods and godlike rulers and gives their names. The dedicatory inscription “opens a window on a very important phase in the history of the classical period,” Estrada-Belli said.

The inscription is composed of some 30 glyphs in a band that runs at the base of the structure. The text, which was difficult to read, was deciphered by Alex Tokovinine, an epigraphist at Harvard University and contributor to the research project at Holmul, the site where the frieze was found.

source

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History meme - HANNIBAL was the leader of Carthaginian military forces who fought against Rome in the Second Punic War (218-201 BC). He almost overpowered Rome, and was considered its greatest enemy. Hannibal’s first military success, in Saguntum, in Spain, precipitated the Second Punic War. During this war, Hannibal led the forces of Carthage across the Alps with elephants and achieved surprising military victories, most famous of which were at Lake Trasimene (217 BC) and Cannae (216 BC). When his generals told him it was impossible to cross the Alps by elephant, his response was, supposedly, Aut viam inveniam aut faciam which means I shall either find a way or make one. However, when Hannibal lost at the Battle of Zama (202 BC) Carthage had to make heavy concessions to the Romans. Some time after the end of the Second Punic War, Hannibal left North Africa for Asia Minor. There he helped Antiochus III of Syria fight Rome, but her was forced to flee to Bithynia where he served as commander of the fleet. In 183 or 182 BC, he committed suicide by ingesting poison. He was at Bithynia, at the time, and in danger of being extradited to Rome.

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Here are some of the worst reasons that priceless artifacts have ever been destroyed.

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Latin for Dummies by Clifford Hull, Steven Perkins, and Tracy Barr

If any of you have used a Dummies book before, it's probably pretty easy for you to imagine what this one looks like on the inside. Because learning a language is such an interactive effort, I wasn't sure how helpful this book was going to be. But, I was pleasantly surprised with most aspects. It starts you off with basic grammar and vocabulary, but then more complex elements are introduced in themed chapters like the Roman household, the Roman army, etc. which means not only can you learn more, but it's not just constant memorization.

I had already taken a year of Latin in college, and this was a great book for me to remember the basics and then plunge right in to things I had never learned. If anyone's interested in learning Latin (for whatever reason, really) this is a great supplemental text. I would suggest having at least a little knowledge of Latin, or another Latin textbook lying around just because Latin is such a grammar-heavy thing to learn. Either way, this was definitely worth the read and I was very impressed with it.

Overall rating: 5/5

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The Vikings were not the first colonizers of the Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands were colonized much earlier than previously believed, and it wasn’t by the Vikings, according to new research.

New archaeological evidence places human colonization in the 4th to 6th centuries AD, at least 300-500 years earlier than previously demonstrated.

The research, directed by Dr Mike J Church from Durham University and Símun V Arge from the National Museum of the Faroe Islands as part of the multidisciplinary project “Heart of the Atlantic”, is published in the Quaternary Science Reviews.

The research challenges the nature, scale and timing of human settlement of the wider North Atlantic region and has implications for the colonization of similar island groups across the world. Read more.

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Archaeologists race to save Gaza's ancient ruins

The ruins of this ancient complex sit on dunes by the sea, a world away from Gaza City’s noise and bustle. Up in the sky, birds compete for space with children’s kites flying from a nearby farm.

St. Hilarion’s monastery, a reminder of the time in late antiquity when Christianity was the dominant faith in what is now the Gaza Strip, is one of many archaeological treasures scattered across this coastal territory.

But Gaza is one of the most crowded places on earth, and the rapid spread of its urban sprawl is endangering sites spanning 4,500 years, from Bronze Age ramparts to colorful Byzantine mosaics, experts say.

Archaeologists, short of funds and unable to find sufficient trained local staff, say they are scrambling to find and protect the monuments. Some are left open to the weather. Others are engulfed by new development projects. Read more.

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Bannachra Castle

The lands of Bannachra at one time belonged to the Galbraiths but were passed to the Colquhouns.  They are the most likely builders of the castle ca. 1512.

Sir Humphry Colquhoun was murdered at the castle in 1592 on orders by the MacGregors. A servant is said to have lit an open window where Colquhoun was shot from outside by an arrow while on his way to bed.

Bannachra Castle is at the southern end of the Parish of Luss in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.

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Human occupation of Madagascar pushed back 2500 years

Past research concludes that human occupation of Madagascar was established around 500 C.E. in village communities by people of both Indonesian and East African heritage. Evidence for earlier visits is scattered and contentious, but recent archaeological excavations in northern Madagascar reveals a site containing microlithic stone technologies related to foraging for forest and coastal resources.

The evidence for human occupation prior to 500 C.E. does exist but is mainly circumstantial. Pollen and charcoal from fires suggest vegetation change linked to human activity around 2000 years ago, while cut-marks on animal bones push the date back to 400 BCE and possibly as far back as 2200 BCE. But until now there were few artefacts that could be used to establish the presence of humans on Madagascar. Read more.

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Silver Denarius of Augustus from the Brundisium or Rome mint c. 29-27 BC

Obverse: the bare head of Augustus with a lituus (curved augural staff) behind him, CAESAR COS VI. / Reverse: a Nile crocodile, AEGVPTO CAPTA

This was minted after the victory of Augustus over Anthony and Cleopatra at the battle of Actium, Sept 2, 31 BC. It denotes the subjugation of Egypt.

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Yamaç Houses of Ephesus reveal mysteries of history

The restoration and protection of two Yamaç Houses (Terrace Houses) and two settlement areas out of seven have been completed, said Ephesus excavation president Dr. Sabine Ladstaetter. The excavation and restoration works in Ephesus, where signs of inhabitants go back to 6000 B.C., uncovered a structure near the ancient theater as archaeological works there entered their 111th year.

The ancient city was home to numerous magnificent structures, such as those in the region called Yamaç Evler, dwellings thought to have been inhabited by wealthy families. 

Ladstaetter said the Yamaç Houses of Ephesus were built in a very luxurious way, at a press conference to make the completion of the restoration. While carrying out the excavations, the team has kept and protected the wall drawings, she added. Read more.