guy

“A three-dimensional reconstruction has depicted how a significant Scottish Pictish fort may have looked more than 1,000 years ago. Images of Burghead Fort in Moray have been created based on excavations by the University of Aberdeen.“ “It has long been known that Burghead was home to a Pictish settlement but it was thought that the 19th century development of the modern town had eroded most traces of this important period of its history. But over the last five years, a very different picture has emerged and the digs have yielded some of the most significant Pictish items and building remains ever. Professor Gordon Noble, who led the dig, said: “The scale of houses and buildings we have discovered evidence of show that this was a densely populated and important Pictish site.“ https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-59121017 https://www.originalfm.com/news/north-east-scotland-news/scotlands-largest-pictish-fort-reconstructed-in-new-images/ Nice video on the Pictish presence in Scotland: A nice podcast on the Picts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-our-time/id73330895?i=1000394608647 The Picts have been recently discussed:

An interesting discovery: A team of archaeologists have discovered a previously unknown Roman sanctuary in the ancient city of Doliche, located in south-eastern Turkey. Excavations are still at an early stage, with the deity worshiped in the temple yet to be determined, but it has been suggested that the temple could have been a sanctuary for the worship of a Roman emperor cult. The discovery underlines the fact that Doliche is a place where religious developments in the Middle East of antiquity can be studied particularly well: in the past, the Münster team uncovered the sanctuary of Jupiter Dolichenus outside the town, a subterranean sanctuary of the god Mithras and a large early Christian basilica dating from the 4th century AD. https://www.heritagedaily.com/2021/10/archaeologists-reveal-roman-sanctuary-in-ancient-doliche/141821?amp The earlier discovery of a Christian basilica: The ancient village of Doliche was a significant place of worship of the Syrian Baal. After the conquest of the city and the incorporation into the province of Syria in the last third of the 1st century AD by the Romans, the cult was transferred to Jupiter and spread as a soldier god Iupiter Dolichenus throughout the Roman Empire. After the destruction of the main sanctuary in Doliche by the Sassanid king Shapur I. mid of the 3rd century AD, the cult went down. The city persisted, however. With the flowering of Christianity, a basilica was built. https://www.alaturka.info/en/turkey-country/southeastern/4784-doliche-christian-basilica-and-bath-discovered-in-turkey

In a previous post, this gladiator funerary monument from Ephesus was mentioned: Epitaph of Palumbus. In a framed field a relief representing a bearded, heavily-armed gladiator holding a palm branch; at right a dog; inscription on the frame below the relief: Ὑµνὶς Παλούµβῳ | ἰδίῳ ἀνδρὶ µνείας | χάριν I asked Dr. Thomas Scanlon, Professor Emeritus of Classics from the University of California, to take a closer look. Here is his reply below (with permission): Thank you, Dr. Tom, for shedding light on this fascinating and touching funerary monument. https://www.sciencebuzz.org/museum/ask/coleman/graveyard

I’m amazed that the vibrant green color has survived after nearly 2000 years.

An exciting discovery of fragments of an 8-foot tall statue of Hadrian was found in Alabanda, Turkey. https://www.archaeology.org/news/9990-210914-turkey-hadrian-statue Wonderful video stream: https://m.yenisafak.com/en/video-gallery/news/archaeologists-unearth-statue-of-roman-emperor-hadrian-in-ancient-city-in-turkey-3580050

It is interesting that the coin found at the site is from Carausius (reign 286-293 AD). (Thank you Orange Julius from cointalk.com for help with identification.) It is thought that it was probably Carausius who dismantled the triumphal arch to build a Saxon Shore fort at Richborough to protect from invading barbarians. This was one of many forts in the Saxon Shore system on both sides of the Channel to defend against the invading Saxons, Franks, and others. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxon_Shore

A reconstruction of the Richborough triumphal arch as it may have looked from the waterfront in about AD 120. © Historic England (illustration by Peter Lorimer) Bachground: Richborough (Rutupiae) was an important port city for the Roman conquest and control of Britain. It is the start of the Roman Watling street. Because of changing coastlines, the site is now more than two miles inland from the coast. Richborough is Britain’s only known site of a Roman triumphal arch. The arch is thought to have been in existence from 85 AD to 275 AD. It has been suggested that that the Italian Carrara marble and it’s inscriptions would not have survived well the British climate of snow and humidity, however. (SEE English Heritage volunteer Jenny below in video.) The triumphal arch would have greeted disembarking Romans as they left what was once a harbor city to travel inland. This would have been a powerful and symbolic entranceway to Britain for the arriving Romans. https://theisleofthanetnews.com/2021/10/29/holding-cell-for-gladiators-and-wild-animals-uncovered-in-excavation-of-richborough-roman-amphitheatre/ https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-59079284

https://todayuknews.com/science/archaeology-roman-statues-found-underneath-the-site-of-a-norman-church-in-stoke-mandeville/amp/

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02948-y

In the Tarim Basin in China, genomic studies suggest that the mummies discovered were of North Eurasian descent. “The genomic study found that the Tarim Basin mummies were not newcomers to the area but rather appear to be direct descendants of Ancient North Eurasians.” “With over 300 tombs, the Little River (Xiaohe) Cemetery, a Bronze Age burial located in the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, Western China, contains the largest number of mummies found at any single site to date. Located on the Silk Road at the confluence of the Eastern and Western cultures, the naturally mummified human remains in boat coffins dating to circa 2,000 BCE to 200 CE have inspired speculations on their enigmatic origins.” “Despite being genetically isolated, the Bronze Age peoples of the Tarim Basin were remarkably culturally cosmopolitan—they built their cuisine around wheat and dairy from the West Asia, millet from East Asia, and medicinal plants like Ephedra from Central Asia.” The wooden boat-shaped coffins covered on cowhides are an unusual finding since the region is far from any large body of water: https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/mysterious-mummies-found-in-chinese-desert-have-an-unexpected-origin/ An excellent video on the discovery:

Please don't underestimate Ms. Loren:

Underwater archaeology continues to yield great discoveries: “According to the ministry, the wreck is dated between the end of the 5th century BC and the middle of the 4th century BC, and appears to have settled on the bottom of the sea intact, since the dispersal of the objects follows the shape of the ship.” “The amphorae were raised between 24-27 September from a depth of 222 meters in a salvage operation by the Underwater Antiquities Ephorate. [The] shipwreck from the Classical era [was] discovered in the narrow channel between the island of Kythira and Neapolis on the Peloponnese in 2019.” https://neoskosmos.com/en/2021/10/26/life/arts/shipwreck-lying-in-sea-off-peloponnese-carried-a-load-of-amphorae/

Here’s a good article about debasement of coinage in Nero’s reign: https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/9477/

There have been previous threads about the importance of salt and salt mining in the ancient world: A recent study looking at fecal samples found in an Iron Age Hallstatt salt mine give some interesting insights. Hallstatt is a town in Austria known for its Iron Age salt mines and salt production. This analysis of the fecal samples found the two fungal species used for fermentation. These species could be used for beer and blue cheese production. Fermented foods require microorganisms to be produced or preserved. These include beer, cheese, yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, miso, kimchi, nattō, among others. The fungus Penicillium roqueforti, for example, gives blue cheese its distinct blue-green veined appearance and taste: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211013114028.htm Summary: Modern analysis, including DNA and microbial studies, is shedding light on ancient life. These findings in the article are the result of analysis of ancient fecal samples.

I always confuse Constantius III with Constantine III (the Western Emperor of Britain). Most of us know little about Constantius III. His wife Galla Placidia is better known to most of us. (Her life is worthy of a television series.) This will be a valuable resource for students of Roman history. Ian: Were you able to find many ancient sources on Constantius III? Archaeological and numismatic evidence? This will be your fifth book in my library. Congratulations!

Mummified cats from Ancient Egypt in the British Museum Here is an entertaining article from Antigonejournal.com on the subject of cats and their special place in ancient society and folklore: https://antigonejournal.com/2021/10/egyptian-cats-greek-curiosity/

Here are two excellent videos on Roman inflation and coin debasement.

Written evidence by Pytheas of the Greek contact with ancient Britain predated the Roman presence as discussed in the thread below: The Mycenaean Greeks may have had an even earlier contact with Britain around a thousand years before in 1700 BCE: https://greekreporter.com/2021/10/24/greek-presence-in-britain-history/ The debate remains, however, whether these items are really Mycenaean or were brought to Britain at a much later date. These findings, as well as the writings of Pytheas (see above) suggest an earlier than expected contact of Britain with Ancient Greece.

It is great to see that Augustus (Brian Blessed) and Livia (Siân Phillips) are still alive. Both are well into their 80s.

A nice reunion of two of the main characters:

The catastrophe continues with no end in sight: https://scitechdaily.com/sulfur-skies-over-la-palma-no-signs-that-cumbre-vieja-volcanic-eruption-is-calming/amp/

The archaeological museum in Hatay, Turkey looks like a wonderful place to visit. This newest mosaic on display will be an added marvel, for sure. https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/mosaic-depicting-grape-harvest-to-go-on-display-in-turkeys-hatay/news https://m.bianet.org/english/culture/252229-roman-vineyard-mosaic-to-be-showcased-in-southern-turkey

Pictures of the wood items from L'Anse aux Meadows that were studied https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-vikings-occupied-settlement-in-what-is-now-newfoundland-1000-years-ago/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vikings-landed-north-america-470-years-before-christopher-columbus-research/

A piece of wood from the Norse deposit at L'Anse aux Meadows M. Kuitems https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/new-dating-method-shows-vikings-occupied-newfoundland-in-1021-ce-180978903/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03972-8 This must have been a fascinating original encounter:

The amount of lava flow from this volcano is overwhelming. (This could also explain why so few bodies have been found at Pompeii.) The controversy of the number of survivors after the volcanic explosion of Pompeii was discussed on a previous thread: