Cultural Heritage - Part 3

77 reports

Chancay Mummy Mask Reveals Ancient Funerary Practices in Peru

A wooden mask with human hair and cinnabar pigment, crafted by the Chancay people between 1000 and 1450 CE, offers new insight into pre-Inca mortuary traditions and the use of symbolic 'false heads' in Andean burial bundles

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Roman Mosaic Uncovered at Devon Villa Site After 16 Years of Investigation

Archaeologists have excavated a Roman mosaic beneath farmland in Devon, England, revealing a rare decorated floor from a villa complex. The find offers new evidence for Roman presence in a region where such sites are uncommon.

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Archaic Necropolis in Southern Italy Yields Rare Organic Artifacts

Archaeologists have uncovered a 6th-century BCE necropolis beneath Gragnano, Italy, preserving organic materials and imported grave goods that reveal new details about elite burial practices and Mediterranean trade in pre-Roman Campania

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Cypriot Gold Ornaments Reveal Ancient Mediterranean Connections

Archaeologists have analyzed a cache of 3,400-year-old gold ornaments from chamber tombs at Hala Sultan Tekke, Cyprus, uncovering evidence of local craftsmanship influenced by Egyptian, Mycenaean, Minoan, and Near Eastern traditions

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Bronze Age Sword Recovered from Protected Wreck off Devon Coast

A 3,000-year-old Bronze Age sword has been recovered by volunteer divers from the Salcombe Cannon and Moor Sand sites off south Devon, offering new evidence for prehistoric maritime activity and trade in the region

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Digital Survey Reveals Medieval Bridge Remains at Chester Castle

Archaeologists using advanced digital scanning have identified the remains of a 13th-century bridge beneath Chester Castle in England, challenging previous assumptions about the site's medieval architecture and preservation

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Ancient Human Remains and Maya Ceramics Found in Cenote Yaakun

Archaeologists have begun a research and conservation project at Cenote Yaakun near Playa del Carmen after the discovery of a possible young adult woman's skeleton and a cluster of Maya ceramics in a deep underwater context

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Excavation at Costa Rica Airport Site Reveals Pre-Columbian Settlements

Archaeologists have completed a rescue excavation in the Diquís Delta, documenting residential areas and daily life from AD 800-1500, while confirming that Costa Rica's new airport will not disturb the region's monumental stone sphere sites

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Isotope and DNA Evidence Trace St. Helena Burials to West Africa

Researchers have analyzed teeth and DNA from over 150 individuals buried on St. Helena after liberation from slave ships, revealing diverse childhood origins across West and Central Africa and highlighting the scale of forced displacement

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Gold Plaque Reveals Jupiter Dolichenus Worship at Apsaros Fort

A rare inscribed gold plaque recovered at the Roman fort of Apsaros on Georgia's Black Sea coast offers the first direct epigraphic evidence for the cult of Jupiter Dolichenus at the site, shedding light on religious practices among the garrison

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Bronze Elamite Helmet Reveals Ancient Deities and Battlefield Symbolism

A rare bronze helmet from southwestern Iran, dated to 1500-1100 BCE, features gold-plated divine figures and a raptor motif. Researchers analyze its construction, iconography, and uncertain archaeological context to interpret its significance.

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Roman Protective Deity Relief Found Beneath Vindolanda Barracks

Archaeologists at Vindolanda, a Roman fort near Hadrian's Wall, have uncovered a carved stone relief depicting a protective deity. The artifact was found beneath a fourth-century barracks floor, offering insight into ritual practices at the site.

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Early Maya Mural at Calakmul Depicts Mythical Hero Juun Ajaw

A mural from Structure II at Calakmul, Mexico, has been identified as one of the earliest known depictions of the Maya figure Juun Ajaw. Researchers used digital reconstruction to analyze the mural's iconography and its architectural context

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Medieval Lead Seals in Vladimir Linked to Princess Maria Vsevolzha

Archaeologists in Vladimir have uncovered rare lead seals from a medieval neighborhood, offering new evidence for the administrative role of Princess Maria Vsevolzha in pre-Mongol Rus'. The finds shed light on elite women's authority in the 12th-13th centuries

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New Kingdom Tomb With Painted Walls Found at Sheikh Abd el-Qurna

Archaeologists excavating at Sheikh Abd el-Qurna on Luxor's west bank have identified a previously undocumented New Kingdom tomb, featuring painted wall scenes and inscriptions naming the owner as Paser. The find adds to the understanding of elite burial practices in Thebes.

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Roman Guardian Spirit Relief Found at Vindolanda Barracks

Archaeologists at Vindolanda in northern England have uncovered a rare carved sandstone relief depicting a Roman Genius, preserved beneath a fourth-century barrack floor and offering new evidence for religious practices at the site

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New Rock Art Sites Reveal Ancient Ritual Traditions in Zacatecas

Archaeologists have documented eight previously unknown rock art sites in the Valdecañas range, central Mexico, using systematic survey methods to investigate the ceremonial landscape and artistic traditions of hunter-gatherer groups from 600 to 1,200 years ago

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Part 3 of 3