#archeology

#archeology

Gaza Strip Farmer Found 4,500-Year-Old Statue of Canaanite Deity AnatTalk about a lucky find!While digging land, a farmer in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip unearthed a stone statue of an ancient goddess. According to the Palestinian archaeologists that inspected the artifact, the statue dates back 4,500 years to the late Bronze Age. The artifact is a depiction of the head of the Canaanite deity of beauty, love, and war, Anat. The statue depicts the goddess wearing a serpent crown. It is now on display in Qasr al-Basha, one of Gaza’s museums. Image credit: BBC/Rushdi Abualouf#find #archeology #BronzeAge #Canaan #GazaStrip #Anat #statue

1,000-Year-Old Gold Mask from a Sicán Tomb in Peru was Painted with Human BloodA mask painted with bright red color was discovered when archeologists excavated the tomb of an elite 40–50-year-old man from the Sicán culture of Peru thirty years ago. The researchers reported that after analyzing the paint, they discovered that the red pigment contained blood and bird egg proteins.In the early 90s, a team of archeologists and conservators led by Izumi Shimada excavated a tomb where an elite man’s seated skeleton was painted and was upside down at the center of the chamber. A red-painted gold mask that covered the man’s face was also found. At the time, scientists identified the paint as cinnabar but Luciana de Costa Carvalho, scientist and colleagues wondered what the Sicán people used in the paint mix to keep the layer attached to the metal surface for 1000 years.The researchers went on and analyzed a small sample of the red paint on the mask. Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy revealed that the sample contained proteins. Six proteins from human blood in the red paint were identified. The Muscovy duck’s eggshells were a likely candidate to be used in the paint mix as well.#BloodPainting #BloodMask #Archeology #TombImage Credit: Journal of Proteome

Entrance Gate to Zeus Temple Discovered in TurkeyAn entrance gate to a Zeus Temple has been discovered in Turkey thanks to excavations made in the ancient city of Magnesia. The temple, officially called the Temple of Magnesia Zeus, is one of the many religious sanctuaries found in the ancient city.In addition to the Zeus Temple, the Artemis sanctuary, stadium, and theater area were previously unearthed by archaeologists. Following the discoveries of religious places and artifacts in the city, experts said that Magnesia was a leading city in ancient times where religious festivals were held in temples and sanctuaries. With the discovery of the entrance gate, archaeologists stated that their goal is to reveal the entire temple by continuing excavations until the end of the year.Image credit: via the Hürriyet Daily News; Torsten62 /CC BY-SA 4.0#Archeology #ZeusTemple #Magnesia #Turkey #Excavations #AncientTemples

Ancient Pots Found In China Suggest That Humans Have Been Drinking Beer Since 9,000 Years AgoHow long have we been acquainted with alcohol? Turns out we’ve been acquainted with the beverage way before the dawn of some of the oldest civilizations in the world. Researchers have found ancient pots at a burial site at Qiaotou in Southern China. These pots are said to date back 9,000 years, and the microfossil residues found in these pots suggest that they were used to hold beer made of rice.Because these beer vessels were found near an ancient burial site, the researchers believe that the beer was used in ceremonies which honored the dead.The beer inside the pots were not the only ones that were deemed special; the pots themselves were special, too.The ancient pots were discovered in a platform mound, which was surrounded by a human-made ditch, based on ongoing excavations at Qiaotou. No residential structures were found at the site. The mound contained two human skeletons and multiple pottery pits with high-quality pottery vessels. As the study reports, these artifacts are probably some of “the earliest known painted pottery in the world.” No pottery of this kind has been found at any other sites dating to this time period.(Image Credit: Leping Jiang)#Alcohol #Beer #Fermentation #AncientChina #Culture #Archeology #BeerMaking #Rituals #Ceremonies #AncientCivilization

Archeologists Unearth a 2000 Year-Old Fast-Food Joint in Pompeii Fast-food joints are all around us and have been sprawling across the globe since the 20th century, but who would’ve thought that we would find one that’s 2000 years old?An ancient fast-food and drink counter was unearthed by archeologists in the streets of ancient Pompeii, in the archeological park’s Regio V site. The site had once catered various culinary treats to its Roman customers, including pork, fish, snails, and beef. Aside from these, traces of duck bone fragments as well as crushed fava beans were also found at the site. The counter is adorned with vibrant frescos and deep, round jar holders. Experts consider it as the first of 80 to be discovered in what is believed to be a good condition considering its age.According to Massimo Osanna, director general at the Archeological Park of Pompeii, "As well as bearing witness to daily life in Pompeii, the possibilities to analyze afforded by this thermopolium are exceptional because for the first time we have excavated a site in its entirety".The “thermopolium”, Latin for “hot-drink counter” is set to open for tourists on August 12. Image: Luigi Spina | Parco Archeologico di Pompei via AP#archeology #excavation #pompeii #ancient #fastfood #touristattraction