Category: Archaeology

Making Fake Roman Coins in 1st Century India (!)

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Very interesting item from the Deccan Herald:

For those who think financial fraud or circulating fake currencies is a modern day phenomenon, an ancient Roman coin mould on display at the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage in the city is a startling revelation.

The Roman coin mould, which is being displayed for the first time since its excavation in 1993, indicates that fake coins were in circulation around 19 to 20 centuries ago. The terracotta mould is among the most important objects displayed at the exhibition, apart from terracotta figurines, iron objects, bronze dies, stone beads.

M S Krishnamurthy, a retired professor of Archaeology who led the team that unearthed the mould, told Deccan Herald that it was a mould for Roman coins in circulation during the first century AD. “The coins probably were minted either during the period of Augustus or his son Tiberius,” he said.

“In the area where we spotted the mould, a foundry with a crucible was also found. Considering this, it is possible that a person living in Talkad was minting duplicate coins of Romans,” he said. He added that it was one of the rare and unique moulds excavated in the State.

Archaelogist Gowda N L said that the mould contained an inscription of Greek goddess Livia with words, ‘Maxim Pontis’.

“The coins with the same inscriptions were in circulation around the country. Roman coins belonging to the first century AD have been found in various excavation sites around the country. However, such a terracotta mould has never been found elsewhere.”

He added that the coins might have been minted at Talkad and circulated around the country. “It is possible that the value of Roman currency was more in India during the period, which might have led a few individuals at Talkad to indulge in minting fake coins,” he added.

Talkad, of course, is in India … so already in/around the time of Augustus we’re getting fake Roman coins abroad. Anyone know anything more about this find (was it ever published in English? Identifying Livia as a “Greek goddess” doesn’t really lend confidence to this)? The original article is accompanied by a grotty little photo which doesn’t really give you an idea of the coin …

Assorted Theatre Excavations in Turkey

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

A useful little post from Hurriyet:

During the destruction of expropriated shanty houses in the outskirts of İzmir’s Kadifekale neighborhood, the stage and some walls of an ancient Roman theater have been unearthed, Doğan News Agency has reported.

The İzmir Metropolitan Municipality has so far spent 11 million Turkish Liras for the expropriation of buildings around to unearth the ancient theater. Dozens of parcels have been expropriated to unearth the theater, which were stuck among the shanty houses.

While deconstruction continues on an area of 12,000 square meters where the theater is located, Roman artifacts have become clearer as debris is removed.

Among the artifacts are the stage and walls of an ancient theater and stones used in the construction. When the destruction is completely finished, excavations will start in 2015, according to officials.

The most comprehensive information about the ancient theater in Kadifekale can be obtained in the studies of Austrian architects and archaeologists Otto Berg and Otto Walter, who conducted studies in the region in 1917 and 1918, from their plans and drawings.

The remains of the theater, which is thought to have held a capacity of 16,000 people, has characteristics of the Roman era according to many researchers, the study reports.

Ancient resources claim Saint Polycarp from İzmir was killed in this theater during the early ages of Christianity, namely the paganism period of the Roman era, suggesting the theater has witnessed some tragic events in history.

When completed, shows and concerts will be organized in the theater just like in the Ancient Theater of Ephesus.

Ancient theater serves as graveyard

Another Roman theater in the northern province of Bartın’s district Amasra is being used as a graveyard. In the district it is possible to see many artifacts from the Hellenistic, Archaic, Byzantine, Roman, Genoese, Seljuk and Ottoman times. The ancient theater in the neighborhood of Kum began to be used as a graveyard after the 19th century.

During the Amasra-Bartın highway construction between 1970 and 1980, the walls of the ancient theater were damaged and its stones were used in pavement. The graveyard would have to be moved for the ancient theater to be explored.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, the Amasra Museum Director Baran Aydın said they thought some parts of the ancient theater had been covered during the highway construction. A large part of the theater could be revealed if excavations are carried out in the area, he said.

“We don’t exactly know how many parts of the theater have been protected. The best protected side of the theater is its tunnel called ‘Vomitorum.’ Unfortunately, since the area is used as a graveyard, we cannot carry out archaeological excavations at the moment. If it is moved, we can start excavations. But this is a complicated process for both the municipality and the relatives of the deceased,” the director said.

Capacity of 15,000

Aydın said the ancient theater in Amasra was as large as the ancient city of Teos in İzmir’s Seferihisar.

“It was a theater that possibly held the capacity of 15,000 people in a 250-300 meter diameter. We should drill there and find the walls on the right and left, which we call ‘Analemna.’ Then we can speak about the theater,” he said, adding that excavations should be conducted in five-six points in the area.

For some previous coverage on the Izmir theatre:

Wax Tablet from Yenikapi

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Some excerpts from an item in Hurriyet … a bit out of our time period of interest but I’m sure folks will like this:

Yenikapı excavations that started nearly 10 years ago has brought back Istanbul’s historical heritage to 8,500 years. A wooden notebook, which was found in a sunken ship, the replica of which will sail, is considered the Byzantine’s invention akin to the likes of the modern-day tablet computer.

[…]

Calling the objects the “miracle of Yenikapı,” Kocabaş said, “In one of the ships, we found something like today’s notebook. It is made of wood and can be opened like a notebook. It has a few pages and you can take notes using wax. Also, when you draw its sliding part, there are small weights used as an assay balance. Yenikapı is a phenomenon with its 37 sunken ships and organic products. I think these organic products are the most important feature of the Yenikapı excavations.”

[…]

(Hurriyet)

I can’t resist posting the included photo:

via Hurriyet

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a wax tablet with this many ‘pages’ before …

From the Italian Press: Phoenician/Punic Settlement on Mozia

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

From La Repubblica:

Un complesso sistema di strade, mura, pavimenti, abitazioni, strutture rettilinee e curvilinee di un antico quartiere nascosto sotto i vigneti, è stato localizzato nell’Isola di Mozia, di fronte a Trapani. A metterne in risalto l’immagine, grazie a magnetometri e georadar, un gruppo di ricercatori dell’Istituto nazionale di geofisica e vulcanologia (Ingv), in collaborazione con la missione archeologica di Mozia dell’Università Sapienza di Roma, la Sovrintendenza ai beni monumentali e ambientali di Trapani e la fondazione Whitaker.

I risultati dell’indagine sono stati pubblicati sul Journal of Applied Geophysics. “I dati geofisici, raccolti con magnetometri e apparecchiature elettromagnetiche – ha affermato Domenico Di Mauro, ricercatore dell’Ingv – ci hanno permesso di individuare l’immagine del quartiere urbano presente nell’area a sud-ovest del Tophet, il santuario a cielo aperto dove anticamente venivano praticati sacrifici e sepolture. Le geometrie, le dimensioni, la densità degli agglomerati, tipiche delle strutture delle colonie fenicio-puniche del Mediterraneo sono state poi confrontate con altre evidenze già scoperte sull’Isola”. Mozia, uno dei più interessanti siti dell’archeologia fenicio-punica, esplorato ancora in minima parte, custodisce le vestigia di una delle più fiorenti colonie del Mediterraneo. Con un’estensione di quasi 45 ettari, l’isola vantava un’efficiente organizzazione urbana.

“Lo studio consente di formulare alcune ipotesi sulla popolazione di Mozia al tempo del suo massimo splendore (IV-V secolo a. C.). A differenza di quanto stimato dagli storici nel secolo scorso, che calcolavano il numero di abitanti intorno alle quindicimila unità, si è potuto quantificare un numero non superiore alla decina di migliaia”, ha detto il ricercatore. Le prospezioni geofisiche eseguite sull’isola hanno il vantaggio di essere non invasive e di rapida esecuzione. La strumentazione portatile è in grado di rilevare i resti archeologici, non ancora rinvenuti, sfruttando le proprietà magnetiche, elettriche ed elettromagnetiche dei materiali costituenti. Il contrasto tra queste proprietà e il terreno può fornire informazioni preziose, in termini di mappe e immagini, su quanto cercato nel sottosuolo. “Lo studio rappresenta un ulteriore esempio di applicazione delle metodologie di indagine geofisica in ambito archeologico, al fine di evidenziare zone ancora inesplorate”, ha concluso Di Mauro.

The Google Translate version of this is reasonable, but the skinny is we have a major settlement dating to the 4th or 5th century B.C. at Mozia. There is not only an urban quarter, but a Tophet as well; further evidence that the place wasn’t destroyed by the Greeks, as Diodorus claimed.

Outside of that, we really haven’t heard much about this one in the past … the only thing we’ve mentioned comes from 2006: Motya Not Destroyed. See also Dorothy King’s post from that time: Phoenician Aeolic Capital at Motya. The Motya entry in the Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites at Perseus, although obviously out-of-date, provides good background on the belief that Motya had been destroyed by the Greeks.

Bust of Alexander from Cyprus

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ 4 Comments

From ANSA:

Archaeologists in Cyprus found a marble bust of Alexander the Great – considered one of history’s most successful commanders – in a second three-aisled basilica that was brought to light on the site of Katalymmata ton Plakoton, of the Akrotiri peninsula, as Greek Reporter website writes. Excavations by the Cyprus Antiquities Department in the area have been in progress since 2007 when the first basilica was revealed. It is believed that the two basilicas are part of a monumental ecclesiastical complex which according to Eleni Procopiou, an area officer for the Antiquities Department, is related to St John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria, the patron saint of Limassol. The first basilica is a burial monument 36 meters in width and 29 meters in length. Procopiou stated that the second basilica is also a burial monument 20 meters in width and 47 meters in length. It is estimated that the findings date back to the second decade of the 7th century, between 616-617 A.D.

via: Archaeology: bust of Alexander the Great found in Cyprus (ANSA)

I haven’t been able to find a photo of the bust and I don’t think we’ve mentioned this dig before …

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