guy

Thanks for reading my thread. I didn’t find the reason for the burial of the bowl, either. I found no mention of its being either a burial item or part of a hoard left by fleeing Romans. The bowl was found in Nijmegen which was a large Roman military camp in modern Netherlands. There was a large civilian settlement associated with this camp and the bowl was found in that context. I can’t, however, imagine just misplacing or forgetting about such a priceless item.

Comparing the two-humped camels (a–b) with dromedaries (c) on the same lintel (photographs courtesy of the Aliph-ISMEO project at Hatra). Restoration and reevaluation of archaeological evidence of a temple in Hatra, Iraq (after recent vandalism by ISIS) has led to new discoveries. Closer examination of the ancient temple led to some interesting observations. A sculpted frieze on the temple wall showed hybrid camels, previously thought to be Bactrian camels, instead. The hybrid is hardier for the long-distant caravans on the Silk Road than the pure-breed Bactrian. The hybrids, therefore, would have been more useful than the pure breed camel and played an important role in the economy of Hatra. First, some background: Hatra was a Parthian city that was a flourishing trade and religious center during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Hatra was also a fortified city that withstood Roman sieges from both Trajan (116/117 AD) and Septimius Severus (198/199). A hybrid camel is a hybrid between the Bactrian camel and the Dromedary camel. Although local breeders could raise Dromedary camels, they had to import the Bactrian female camels from distant Central Asia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_camel https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/iconographic-evidence-of-hybridisation-between-camelus-bactrianus-and-camelus-dromedarius-at-secondcentury-ad-hatra-iraq/A4DECADBFE3919190B9E14E78CA290F7 I never thought about camels before reviewing this article, but it does show that the ancient Parthians developed camel breeding to improve their trade. Bactrian camel Dromedary camel An interesting article on Hatra: https://www.ancientpages.com/2020/12/12/hatra-ancient-powerful-caravan-city-that-could-withstand-invading-roman-armies/

Here is a picture of this fabulous bowl being excavated. It is incredible that it remained intact: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2000-year-old-ancient-roman-glass-bowl-found-in-netherlands-180979461/

Or, at least that was the plan. This quote about the Goths (from Ammianus Marcellinus) shows how things can go wrong … quickly. The Goths, fleeing other migrating tribes including the Huns, entered the Empire in hope of peace and protection. They were initially welcomed as allies. The Goths, however, were brutally treated by corrupt and inept Roman commanders. They would later turn on the Emperor Valens, killing him and destroying his Roman army at The Battle of Hadrianopolis (378 AD). https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/ammianus_31_book31.htm#C4

Recent excavations in Bedfordshire have uncovered a Roman farm: The ancient farm was discovered during excavations near Tempsford in Bedfordshire The dig revealed two large round houses and a Roman pottery kiln, with a large number pots which failed during firing. Archaeologists also excavated a Roman oven used to dry grains and make malt for brewing and a number of higher status items beyond what they would have expected to discover at a farmstead in that part of Roman Britain. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-60158579

7 Decorated inlays or veneers evidence for bone working found at Roman site near Alconbury. Image Credit : MOLA Evidence of a Roman workshop were found near Alconbury in Cambridgeshire, England (see map below): “Over 300 fragments of bone and antler working waste were recovered from a small settlement near Alconbury, interpreted to be from a carpenter’s workshop, where decorated inlay or veneer were produced to adorn wooden boxes and furniture. The Alconbury material can be dated to the late Roman period, most likely between the 4th and early 5th century AD (ca. AD 301-425). The most curious thing about these inlays and veneers is that they were discovered in a relatively simple rural settlement. Usually, evidence for this kind of bone and antler working comes from towns or Roman villas. Yet, there is no other evidence suggesting the presence of a high-status domestic structure at Alconbury. Whilst the finds are not sufficient to prove the presence of a permanent specialist furniture workshop, they indicate there were skilled craftspeople at Alconbury in the Roman period.“ https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/01/evidence-of-skilled-craft-working-during-roman-period-in-cambridgeshire/142575?amp

Nijmegen, Netherlands have been the site of recent Roman excavations. This breathtaking bowl was the most recent find. (See below thread for previous discoveries in the area.) https://www.openculture.com/2022/01/archaeologists-discover-a-2000-year-old-roman-glass-bowl-in-pristine-condition.html https://hyperallergic.com/707260/2000-year-old-roman-glass-bowl-unearthed-like-new/

Here is an interesting article of the wooden or cloth portraits found on Ancient Egyptian mummies: https://www.archaeology.org/issues/451-2201/features/10182-egypt-mummy-portraits?utm_source=Archaeological+Institute+of+America&utm_campaign=c8c3091934-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_01_24_03_30&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_640baf0738-c8c3091934-216793544&mc_cid=c8c3091934&mc_eid=e9533ea02e Here is a previous thread about the portraits found in Ancient Egypt:

Here is the scientific article concerning the discovery: “Materials Fifteen sediment samples were collected from the cesspit below a stone toilet seat found at the site of Armon Hanatziv, southern Jerusalem. The toilet installation was located in a garden adjacent to a monumental structure with extraordinary architectural elements. Methods A light microscope was used to identify and measure the eggs. Results The presence of four intestinal parasite egg taxa was detected: Trichuris trichiura (whipworm), Taenia sp. (beef/pork tapeworm), Ascaris lumbricoides(roundworm), and Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm). This is the earliest appearance of roundworm and pinworm in the ancient Israel parasitological record. Conclusions Findings reveal that intestinal parasitic diseases most likely caused by poor sanitary conditions were a human problem in the Late Iron Age of Israel, affecting even high-status groups.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1879981721000838#bib35 “It is possible that as early as the 7th century BC, human feces were collected systematically from the city of Jerusalem in order to fertilize crops grown in the nearby fields. During the 7th century BC, when Judea was under Assyrian rule, the hinterlands of Jerusalem, especially to the west, shifted to specialized agriculture (versus mixed Mediterranean agriculture. Modern research has demonstrated that human fecal fertilizer increases crop yields However, unless the feces are composted for many months before being added to the fields, viable parasite eggs can spread to the plants grown. Hence, the use of human feces as crop fertilizer under the specialized Assyrian economy may have led to a growth in whipworm and roundworm. The almost total lack of sanitation technologies may also have been the primary trigger for parasite distribution in ancient Israel. The presence of tapeworm eggs attests to the consumption of poorly cooked, perhaps raw, beef or pork, the only meats that carry this parasite.” Although the finding of pinworms and roundworms are not unique to Armon Hanatziv, they are the earliest dated findings: A limited number of studies to detect the presence of abdominal parasites in an archaeological context have been executed in Israel. These studies identified whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) in most of the investigated sites: Jerusalem (7–6th century BC; Qumran (1st century BC – 1st century AD; Nahal Mishmar (2nd century AD; and Acre (13th century AD. Roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) was identified in Acre as well as at Qumran. The beef/pork tapeworm Taenia sp. was found in the aforementioned assemblages from Jerusalem, Qumran, and Acre. Pinworm eggs of Enterobius vermicularis were also revealed at Qumran.”

This is a slightly older discovery, but it is in the news. An Egyptian mummy, originally thought to be a male, was examined by CT scan in 2021. It came as a surprise that the mummy was a pregnant female with the fetus still intact, instead. This is the first fetus found in a mummy. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56926005.amp

The glass jug with inner jug, probably made in a factory in Cologne in the early 4th century, is a masterpiece of glassblowing art. Canton Archeology Schaffhausen / Rolf Wessendorf This is a wonderful Roman glass I first saw on a thread by Nina WillBurger @DrNWillburger. These objects were found many years ago, but are frequently overlooked by modern scholars. Here’s some background on the find: “In September 1969, when laying heating pipes in the greenhouse of a market garden situated next to the railway line from Stein am Rhein to Kreuzlingen, a workman came across two skeletons and a fragment of a glass bowl decorated with a motif of figures in relief. He had discovered the necropolis of the Late Roman fortress of Auf Burg, which lay about 250 metres to the north. Since then, several excavations have uncovered a total of 83 graves. The quality and the number of grave goods made of glass, as well as the comparatively intact context of castle and associated burial ground, are what make the site so special.” Here is another glass piece found at the site: https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/2020/07/roemisches-glas/

Nice follow-up on the find: “The ancient hotspot — known as Blackgrounds for its black soil — has an abundance of ancient artifacts and structures spanning different time periods, including depictions of deities and Roman game pieces, according to about 80 archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) Headland Infrastructure, who spent the past year excavating the site ahead of the construction of HS2, a new high speed railway. Archaeologists have uncovered the exceptionally well-preserved remains of an Iron Age village that grew into a bustling ancient Roman trading town — an archaeological gem with more than 300 Roman coins, glass vessels and water wells — in what is now the district of South Northamptonshire, England in the United Kingdom.“ https://www.livescience.com/ancient-roman-market-town-excavated-uk

Not surprisingly, Rome had a great presence in Switzerland. I am, however, surprised that this is the eighth Roman amphitheater found in that country. “The Kaiseraugst amphitheater is the second amphitheater in the canton of Aargau after the one in Vindonissa (Windisch). It is the third such monument in the Roman town of Augusta Raurica. Eight such buildings are now known throughout Switzerland. In addition to Vindonissa and Augusta Raurica, there is an amphitheater in Avenches (Aventicum), Martigny (Forum Claudii Vallensium), Nyon (Colonia Iulia Equestris) and on the Enge peninsula in Bern (Brenodurum). In Roman times, games such as gladiator fights and animal hunts were presented in the arenas, which were very popular at the time.” “Augusta Raurica, or Colonia Augusta Rauracorum, was founded by Lucius Munatius Plancus around 44 BC in the vicinity of a local Gallic tribe, the Rauraci. During the 2nd century AD, the town emerged as a prosperous commercial trading centre with an estimated population of around 20,000 inhabitants. The amphitheatre was uncovered during the construction of a new boathouse for the Basel Rowing Club on the Rhine in Kaiseraugst, revealing an oval ring of walls that measure around 50 metres long and 40 metres wide, west of the Kaiseraugst fort, the Castrum Rauracense.” https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/01/roman-amphitheatre-unearthed-in-switzerland/142560?amp https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/swiss-archeologists-dig-up-youngest-roman-amphitheatre-in-kaiseraugst?format=amp

That has happened to me in the past. Ask Peter if he can fix the situation. As you can imagine, I have posted quite a few pictures over the years

Interesting point. I found this quote: https://ancientimes.blogspot.com/2020/08/roman-mithraism.html?m=1 https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1805-0703-270

I think for any guitar player, this solo by Jimmy Page (from Led Zeppelin) is both unpretentious and powerful. “Dynamics…light and shade…whisper to the thunder. It invites you in. It is intoxicating.” J Page

A small but interesting find while during excavation for a new hotel in Zadar, Croatia. “A statue of the Roman goddess Venus was found on the construction site of a future hotel in the center of Zadar, about a meter high, preserved from the knees to below the chest, made of marble, and about 1800 years old.” ”"Academician Nenad Cambi, our greatest expert on antiquity, believes that it is most likely a statue of the goddess Venus. Its full height was about two meters, and it was probably on a pedestal in the atrium of this ancient urban villa where we are now," said Smiljan Gluščević.” https://www.total-croatia-news.com/lifestyle/59345-venus-statue-in-zadar

This was a great find, indeed. I needed to put this hoard in context for me. The coin hoard was found in Asturias, located in northwest Spain. The article suggests it was a coin hoard hidden from the invading Suebian migration: The Suevi (along with the Vandals and Alans) crossed a frozen Rhine on a night in December 406 AD and migrated into Roman Gaul. Taking advantage of Roman internecine turmoil, these tribes later migrated into Hispania around 409. The article suggested that these coins were hidden by refugees. Maybe, but I doubt low valued Nummi (such as the one pictured above of Constantine I) would have been hidden for safekeeping. Possibly they were an offering (to God for protection) or, even more likely, they were merely misplaced and forgotten. This article is thought-provoking, nevertheless.

Here’s a nice video summary of the most important archaeological findings of 2021.

A mythical gorgon, who could turn people to stone, oversees one of the tombs Here’s an interesting article on the Greek archaeological findings in Naples, Italy. These findings predate the Roman presence by centuries. Naples is one of the oldest continuously inhabited urban areas of the world, once a prominent city in Magna Graecia. “Forty feet below the garden of a 19th-century palazzo, in what's now the Sanità area of the city, a steep staircase burrowing underground leads to four tombs. Each with their own grand entrance -- one even has Ionic columns sculpted on its façade -- they open on to what is thought to have been the original pathway that mourners would have taken. Ancient Greeks built twin-chambered tombs -- one upper chamber, where prayers were said, and a lower one, where the bodies were laid to rest -- by digging out the soft tuff rock, rather like making a cave. But these are no mere caves. The chambers have been sculpted to resemble real rooms, with fake ceiling beams, benches, staircases and even high-mattress "beds" -- sarcophagi, inside which multiple bodies were laid to rest. And these weren't sculpted outside and then brought in. Every single detail -- right down to the perfectly plumped "pillows" on those beds -- has been carved from the original rock face.“ The mouth of the gorgon watching over the dead looks mid-breath. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/naples-greek-tombs-cristallini/index.html

Cornwall, in southwest England, has proven to have a greater Roman presence than previously thought. This wonderful intaglio ring dating from the First or Second Century AD was found by a metal detectorist in his own front yard. “For now, the theory is that the ring that came out of Mike’s front garden flower bed is a Roman intaglio ring, made of gold and weighing 12.8 grams, with Ceres, Roman goddess of agriculture, grain, justice, peace and motherhood, engraved into a chalcedony gemstone.” https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2022-01-16/the-cornwall-man-who-discovered-ancient-gold-in-his-front-garden This style of ring is similar to the “Good Shepherd” ring found recently in Caesarea:

The is an usual find, for sure. A silver capsule with Christian markings, apparently swallowed, was found in Hampshire, England. It is dated to the time of Constantine. “‘It’s made of silver, about three-quarters of an inch long and is shaped like a paracetamol [acetaminophen] tablet. ‘We found it at a site which we suspect to be a Roman temple, and the coins coming out of there date back to Constantine, who brought Christianity to the Roman empire.’ Mr Beasley described the ‘extraordinary’ and ‘mind-boggling’ artefact as priceless. After cleaning and recording the artefact, which was found five weeks ago, the treasure hunters found the symbol of the Chi-Rho.“ https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/01/16/treasure-hunters-discover-greco-roman-artefact-they-call-the-paranormal-paracetamol/?amp

Here is an excellent video about the Roman military sandal (something I have never thought about before). Below is a nice review of the Roman caligae and calcei: https://www.romanobritain.org/8-military/mil_roman_soldier_footwear.php

Max Miller, the ever-entertaining culinary historian, presents another delightful video. This one covers cabbage and it’s role in the history and culture of Ancient Rome: Cato the Elder extolled the medicinal value of cabbage in his “De Agricultura”: https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cato/De_Agricultura/K*.html

Marc Antony denarii were known to circulate throughout the Roman Empire more than a century after Antony’s defeat at the Battle of Actium (31 BCE) and his suicide a year later. Possibly coins from this “enemy of Rome” were allowed to circulate because Antony was never subjected to damnatio memoriae by Augustus. Here’s an interesting paper on possible reasons for Augustus’ “clemency”: https://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1044&context=discentesjournal Interestingly, the famous Antony denarii were found among a Roman coin hoard discovered in Wales in 2015. This hoard also had a coin from Marcus Aurelius, minted more than a century after Antony’s death. It is doubtful that a coin of an individual who suffered damnatio memoriae and was an “enemy of Rome” would have circulated freely in the Empire. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3334908/amp/Significant-hoard-Roman-coins-discovered-Wales-Silver-money-issued-Marc-Antony-2-000-years-ago.html