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Tag: archeology

  • Egyptian Sarcophagus Found in Israel

    Egyptian Sarcophagus Found in Israel

    A sarcophagus (coffin) dating back to the Bronze Age was recently found in the Jezreel Valley in Israel.

    Archaeologists dug up the cylinder-shaped sarcophagus while exploring the Tel Shadud mound in the valley.

    The foot of the body was first discovered, but after three weeks of brushing away dirt, the face of the mystery person was revealed.

    Edwin van den Brink, an Egyptologist and archaeologist with Israel’s Antiquities Authority, told The Associated Press that the carcass had a really “beautiful” and “serene” face.

    The top of the sarcophagus was broken into pieces covering most of the body, but the head was very visible.

    The Antiquities Authority said in a statement that they additionally found “an anthropoidal lid surrounded by a variety of pottery, consisting mainly of storage vessels for food, tableware, cult vessels and animal bones.”

    However, the discovery of a gold scarab ring really put everything into perspective for the archeologists.

    Located on the ring was the carving of Pharaoh Seti I’s name. Seti ruled Egypt during 13th Century BC. He was also the father of Pharaoh Ramses II, who is commonly identified as the Egyptian ruler in the biblical book of Exodus at the time of Israel’s escape from slavery.

    It’s unclear if the unidentified man was Egyptian or Canaanite, but one thing is for certain-he was involved in governmental matters.

    “Since the vessels interred with the individual were produced locally, we assume the deceased was an official of the Canaanite origin who was engaged in the service of the Egyptian government,” researchers said.

    Others believe that the man may have just been a tax collector or just a wealthy man who copied the funerary standards of Egyptian pharaohs.

    Archaeologists plan to have DNA testing done to confirm the corpse’s identity.

    They hope to find more sarcophagi in the same area.

    Images via YouTube

  • Seattle Mammoth Tusk Discovered At Construction Site

    Experts from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture claim that a recently discovered mammoth tusk might be the largest found in the entire Seattle area. The tusk, which is also believed to have come from an Ice Age mammoth, was unearthed by several construction workers conducting an excavation in the Lake Union area of Seattle.

    According to a report given by Seattle’s television network KIRO-TV, the construction workers immediately stopped digging as soon as they spotted the tusk and informed the Burke Museum of their find. After recovering the fossil and studying it, vertebrate paleontology curator Christian Sidor says that they are almost certain that it belonged to a mammoth from the Ice Age.

    The fossil was buried underneath privately owned land, so the owner has full discretion over the tusk. It has since been turned over by the landowner to the Burke Museum, so the staff can now make it accessible to other experts and scientists who are interested in examining it. There is currently no state law in Washington that restricts people from doing what they want with their land, so museums are required to seek the owners’ consent before excavating artifacts from their land.

    Acclaimed paleontologist Jack Horner of the Museum of the Rockies says that Mammoths inhabited numerous areas around the United States thousands of years ago. Finding any intact remnants of these colossal animals is rare, though, according to Horner as they are often shattered by construction machines and equipment.

    Mastodons and other prehistoric elephant relatives were said to live in Washington around 10,000 years ago. Geologist David Williams said that both Mammoths and Mastodons roamed the state right after the ice thawed. He also said that dental fossils would serve as better proof of these creatures’ existence as they are more accurate samples for DNA identification than ancient skeletal remains.

    http://youtu.be/EaR6kdLo5Pk

    Image via YouTube

  • Celtic Coins Found by Amateur UK Treasure Hunters

    The Celtic coins found by a group of amateur treasure hunters in the United Kingdom are thought to be worth close to $15.6 million, or, if you prefer, £10 million. The discovery was made on the Channel Island of Jersey, and is considered to be the largest haul of its kind in northern Europe. However, ownership and official valuation has yet to be determined, though the hunters’ booty do fall under the island’s Treasure Act. According to English law, the coins belong to the Queen.

    For the past 30 years, explorers Reg Mead and Richard Miles have been digging around the same area in search of something historic and rare. This cache of 50,000 bronze and silver coins, which are thought to have originated in or around 50 BC, should fit the proverbial bill quite nicely. Considering the duo have powered through a number of disappointments over the past three decades, this significant unearthing has to be nothing short of overwhelming.

    “The fact that it has been excavated archaeologically is also rare and will greatly enhance the level of information we can glean about the people who buried it,” explained Olga Finch, curator of archaeology at the Jersey Museum. “It is an amazing contribution to the study of Celtic coins.”

    Mead and Miles are understandably anxious to see what else is buried in the area. In order to do so, archeologists are attempting to keep the location a secret for fear of looters showing up and stripping the place clean of potential valuables. The huge clump of coins, which reportedly weights in at nearly one ton, has been carted off to a safe place.

    Although their discovery is nothing more of astonishing, this isn’t the first time archeologists have found buried treasure on the island. In 1935, a collection of 11,000 valuable coins were discovered in the same area by explorers.

  • Terracotta Warriors: More Statutes Unearthed in China

    Terracotta warriors, the sculpted army that depict Qin Shi Huang’s legion of soldiers, are buried in the area surrounding the Huang’s mausoleum. Archeologists estimate that there are over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses arranged outside of the emperor’s final resting place, many of which are still buried in the surrounding pits. In addition to his army, a handful of statues depicting officials, acrobats, strongmen, and musicians, have also been discovered over the years.

    On Monday, an official announced that Chinese archaeologists had unearthed 110 new terracotta statutes. The most interesting aspect of this particular discovery is the condition of the warriors. According to Shen Maosheng from the Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, the latest batch of statutes are well-preserved and colorfully painted. He also added that there are 11 more that currently remain buried.

    Presently, visitors to the area can tour the archeological dig site, where workers continue to excavate the statues. Check out the embedded video for a look at the warriors that have already been unearthed.