Category: Archaeology

Punic Amphora from Denia

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Brief item from Euroweekly:

AN amphora dating back to the fourth century BC has discovered buried three metres deep in the ground near Denia port. Archaeologist Josep A Santonja Gisbert says the jar is in perfect condition and has identified it as ‘Punic’ a unique type that was produced in Ibiza between the years 400/375 and 300 BC. Linked to other similar discoveries found in settlements and underwater sites around the Iberian lift from Ampurias to Almeria, and the Balearic Islands, is clear evidence of the expansion of Eivissa wine and its consumption by the Iberian tribes. Its presence is particularly relevant as it fills an historical void connecting Iberian culture and settlements existing in the vicinity of Denia. A representative of the the Archaeological Museum of Denia said they were very grateful to Alvaro Gomez Ferrer who discovered the item and the local police for their collaboration in excavating the find. A full report will be compiled by the experts and issued to the Underwater Archaeology Centre of the Generalitat Valenciana.

The original article has a photo of the amphora … this find obviously predates the Roman occupation of the site (we heard of a Roman fish-salting factory there a while ago: Roman Salting Factory from Denia/Dianum) and probably comes from the time the place was a colony of Massilia(Strabo’s: Hemeroscopeium (3.4.6). For a press release (in Spanish) from Denia, which identifies the type more specifically as a PE14 amphora:

A Major Mosaic Museum in Şanlıurfa

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Another one from Hurriyet:

Turkey’s largest mosaic museum is being built where a theme park had been planned in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, one of the oldest cities in the world.

A few years ago, during the foundation excavations for a theme park in the Haleplibahçe neighborhood, mosaics featuring hunting and fighting scenes of warrior “Amazon women” from the Roman era in the fifth and sixth centuries were discovered. Experts have classified these mosaics as the world’s most valuable.

The project was then transformed to include an archaeology museum, archaeopark and mosaic museum, as specialists were concerned that the artifacts being excavated could be damaged if transported to another place.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has ordered the acceleration of the project, which will cover an area of 200,000 square meters and cost 38 million Turkish Liras.

‘City deserves this museum’

Şanlıurfa Gov. Celalettin Güvenç told Anatolia news agency that cultural centers, museums and big sporting arenas were the leading highlights of cities, adding that Şanlıurfa’s cultural background merited such a museum. “This museum will be a significant cultural tourism destination. Haleplibahçe will attract Western attention to this city as well as Göbeklitepe. We plan to finish construction work here in 500 days.”

Şanlıurfa Culture and Tourism Director Selami Yıldız said the project consisted of the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum on 26,000 square meters, the Edessa Mosaic Museum on 4,000 square meters and an archaeopark on a 29,000-square-meter area between the two museums. There will also be an amphitheater, cafes and walking areas as well. “We will have the largest museum complex on a 60,000-square-meter area,” said Yıldız.

The Şanlıurfa Museum currently covers an area of 2,500 square meters, but the new museum will be 10 times larger, Yıldız said. “This new museum will display the world’s oldest artifacts. No museum in the world displays 12,000-year-old works. We will exhibit the artifacts that should be exhibited in a closed area.” Yıldız also said Istanbul, Gaziantep and Hatay had noteworthy mosaics. “Now Şanlıurfa will come to the fore.”

We mentioned the find of mosaics (the Hurriyet piece has a small photo of one) back in 2008: Roman Palace in Turkey. Didn’t know about the ‘theme park’ connection …

Roman Shipwreck from Antibes

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I’ve been trying to find out a bit more about this Roman shipwreck find which seems to be an ‘exclusive’ of the Past Horizons folks (A Roman shipwreck in the ancient port of Antibes). To supplement that, I’ve come across a podcast with an interview with a couple of the archaeologists involved (in French):

… and here’s the INRAP press release (also in French):

Kiddy Bling from Yeronisos

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From the Cyprus Mail (tip o’ the pileus to our long-time Explorator source Dave Sowdon for this):

ARCHEOLOGISTS digging a small island off Cyprus’ western coast have discovered amulets bearing male names, believed to have been worn by male toddlers over 2,000 years ago, it was announced yesterday.
The artefacts were found on the island of Yeronisos, or Holy Island, near Peyia, an important place of pilgrimage during the later Hellenistic period – 325-58 BC – when worshippers crossed the waters to pray at its sanctuary of the god Apollo.
“A series of small amulets that may have been worn by toddler boys brought to Yeronisos to mark their transitional time of weaning have been recovered,” the department of antiquities said. “One recently discovered amulet is inscribed with the male names Minas, written along the side, and Diophantes, written on the bottom. These may represent the names of boys who wore the talisman during special ceremonies on Yeronisos.”
A sherd also recovered from the site bears the male names Chariton, Thrasayis, Nikkon and Hereas.
“These are perhaps the names of boys who participated in the weaning rituals,” the department said.
Other shells found on Yeronisos preserve the writing exercises of children practicing their Greek letters. “These suggest that a school for boys may have been part of the sanctuary.”
That these amulets were made on Yeronisos is suggested by the discovery, this season, of an unfinished charm, not yet pierced for suspension and not yet engraved with designs.
In the north side of the island, archaeologists unearthed a circular platform, which they believe was used for dancing – an integral part of the boys’ education and a means of pleasing Apollo – the Olympian god of music and song, prophecy and oracles.
Late Hellenistic pottery excavated this season includes drinking cups, bowls, and juglets.
The excavation was undertaken by the New York University Yeronisos Island Expedition, under the direction of Professor Joan Breton Connelly.
NYU started exploring the island in June 1990, at around the same time as it was officially declared an ancient monument.

The original article has links to a couple of webpages associated with the project … here … and here. The Cyprus Mail also had a more general feature on the dig which is worth checking out: People-friendly green archaeology.

Thracian Remains at Tsarevo

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Another tantalizingly brief item from Novinite:

Bulgarian archaeologists have discovered a Thracian settlement during the first ever excavations in the town of Tsarevo on the southern Black Sea coast.

The team is led by Milen Nikolov, an archaeologist from the Regional History Museum in the Black Sea city of Burgas.

The settlement is very close in location to the town church “Uspenie Bogorodichno.” The find proves that Tsarevo and nearby areas have a history more ancient that what was believed until now.

During the excavations, the archaeologists have found remnants showing that as early as the 4th – 5th century BC Thracians have built a town that existed until the 1st century AC.

Nikolov explains the discovery is a 2 500-year history rewind, saying the finds further include a four-wick lamp, tomb gifts, and a number of vessels.