Latest news with #NationalArchaeologicalMuseum
New York Post
24-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Museum unveils massive collection of 50,000 coins that remained hidden for centuries
Spanish officials recently unveiled a trove of priceless Ancient Roman coins, marking the first time the massive collection has been put on public display. The National Archaeological Museum in Madrid recently announced the 'Treasure of Tomares' exhibit in a press release. Discovered during a construction project in Tomares, Spain, in 2016, the collection consists of over 50,000 coins. The coins date between the late third century and the early fourth century A.D. 'The so-called Treasure of Tomares was discovered by chance in 2016 during construction work in the Zaudín Olive Grove Park, located in the town of Seville,' the museum said in a May statement translated from Spanish to English. 7 The National Archaeological Museum in Madrid recently announced the 'Treasure of Tomares' exhibit in a press release. Europa Press via Getty Images 7 The coins date between the late third century and the early fourth century A.D. Museo Arqueológico Nacional 7 'Treasure of Tomares' exhibit showcases one of world's largest Roman coin collections Museo Arqueológico Nacional 'Subsequent investigations revealed this location corresponded to an olive estate of ancient Hispalis, the Roman-era Seville.' Nineteen amphorae were found, and three of them are visible in the exhibit. One has been broken, while the other two are still sealed with their coins intact. 'The third is fragmented and displayed alongside the 2,800 coins emerging from its interior,' NAM's statement explained. 7 Nineteen amphorae were found, and three of them are visible in the exhibit. Museo Arqueológico Nacional 7 One has been broken, while the other two are still sealed with their coins intact. Museo Arqueológico Nacional The museum added, 'To reinforce the historical context, the exhibition is complemented by a selection of this type of coin, bronze pieces with a silver surface coating belonging to the nine emperors who succeeded during this period, in addition to seven specimens considered unique due to the exceptional iconography of their reverses.' The collection is the largest assortment of Roman coins discovered in Spain and one of the largest in the world. Exhibit photos show the ancient coins spilling from the fragmented amphora, which has remarkably preserved some of its features over the centuries, including its handles. Close-up pictures of the coins show that many of them have rusted with age, but the portraits on the coins are still faintly visible. 7 The collection is the largest assortment of Roman coins discovered in Spain and one of the largest in the world. 7 Exhibit photos show the ancient coins spilling from the fragmented amphora, which has remarkably preserved some of its features over the centuries, including its handles. Museo Arqueológico Nacional 'This extraordinary collection provides very valuable information about the economy, society and politics during the era of the Tetrarchy, marking the end of the crisis of the 3rd century, a crucial historical moment that continues to be studied today,' the museum noted. Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! Spain, known as Hispania in Ancient Rome, played a significant role during antiquity. It provided mineral resources for the Roman Empire and was a strategic location during the Roman wars against Carthage. Last year, archaeologists announced that the world's oldest bottle of wine was found in an Ancient Roman burial site in southern Spain.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Treasure from the stars? 3000-year-old iron artefact may not be from Earth-- Suggests study
Ancient artefacts often conceal stories that reveal facts about civilisations, as well as some unbelievable secrets that one can't imagine to be a reality for those times. While gold and precious jewels tend to steal the spotlight in archaeological discoveries, it's often the overlooked items considered less important that reveal the most surprising truths. Among some of these discoveries, some artefacts contain truths that stretch back to the cosmos. New research suggests that two relatively dull-looking artefacts from one of Europe's most stunning Bronze Age treasures may have origins in space. A study has revealed that two unexpected and corroded-looking objects have proven to be of great value. A 3000-year-old treasure holds metal from the stars among the 66 gold items discovered in the 1963 Treasure of Villena in Alicante, Spain. A bracelet and a hollow hemisphere, unlike the rest of the golden hoard, appeared to be made of iron. After all, the Iron Age in the Iberian Peninsula didn't begin until around 850 BCE, and the Villena gold is dated between 1500 and 1200 BCE, which is almost 650 years later. Researchers, led by Salvador Rovira-Llorens, now-retired head of conservation at Spain's National Archaeological Museum, decided to dig deeper. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Saiba o passo a passo de como colocar assinatura digital em PDF ZapSign Leia mais Undo They proposed that the iron might not be from Earth at all. Instead, it could be meteoritic iron, a metal from space, known to have been used in rare Bronze Age artefacts like Pharaoh Tutankhamun's dagger. To test this, the team obtained permission from the Municipal Archaeological Museum of Villena to take tiny samples from the bracelet and the cap. Using mass spectrometry, they analysed the metal's composition and found signs of high nickel content, which is an important clue for its meteoritic origin. According to the researchers, 'The available data suggest that the cap and bracelet from the Treasure of Villena would currently be the first two pieces attributable to meteoritic iron in the Iberian Peninsula, which is compatible with a Late Bronze chronology, prior to the beginning of the widespread production of terrestrial iron,' as published in Trabajos de Prehistoria. While corrosion on the artefacts limits how definitive the findings can be, the results strongly support the theory that these pieces were crafted from metal that fell from the sky. The team also suggests newer, non-invasive analysis could provide even clearer evidence.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Mysterious jewellery made from alien world metal found in 3,000-year-old treasure
A stunning archaeological discovery in Spain is rewriting the story of ancient metalworking . Hidden within the famed Treasure of Villena , researchers have discovered two iron artifacts crafted from a substance meteoritic iron that does not belong to the Earth. It is a rare metal that arrived on Earth via falling space rocks. The treasure which dates back over 3,000 years, includes a bracelet and a decorative hemisphere. Both of the objects are made from extraterrestrial material . This surprising find predates the known start of the Iron Age in Iberia and reveals early humans' advanced use of celestial metals. Scientists discovered alien world metal jewellery The treasure was discovered in 1963 in Alicante, Spain. The Treasure of Villena consists of 66 stunning artifacts, mostly gold, from the late Bronze Age. But among them unusual iron items—a bracelet and a small dome—stood out. Their iron composition seemed out of place for an era that hadn't yet embraced iron tools or ornaments. What is the source of alien metal by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Researchers led by Salvador Rovira-Llorens, former conservation head at Spain's National Archaeological Museum, tested the artifacts using mass spectrometry. They found the iron was rich in nickel which is a distinct marker of meteoritic origin. Unlike iron mined from Earth, this variety falls from space and makes these items some of the earliest known examples of space metal used by humans. Redefining Iberian metallurgy These artifacts date to between 1400 and 1200 BCE, nearly 500 years before the Iron Age began in Iberia around 850 BCE. The discovery challenges established timelines and suggests that ancient Iberians not only encountered meteoritic iron but also recognized its value and developed methods to shape artefacts and jewellery. Significance of meteorite iron Meteoritic iron was used in other ancient cultures like Egypt's Tutankhamun's dagger. Similarly, the Iberians may have regarded this 'metal from the heavens' as special. The items may have carried ritual or symbolic meaning, possibly worn or wielded by elite members of society. A first for Iberian archaeology This is the first recorded use of meteoritic iron in Iberia. The artifacts offer a rare glimpse into Bronze Age innovation. Published in Trabajos de Prehistoria, the discovery has opened the door to more non-invasive tests that could uncover further secrets from the stars that are locked within Earth's oldest treasures.
The Sun
04-05-2025
- Science
- The Sun
Butchered giraffe and glass BRAIN found in ancient treasure trove of objects buried by Mount Vesuvius 2,000 years ago
UNEARTHED The town of Herculaneum was buried under roughly five times the amount of ash that Pompeii was IT was an ordinary day when Mount Vesuvius plastered nearby towns in thick volcanic ash 2,000 years ago. A treasure trove of objects was buried, each giving an insight into the lives people led. 9 9 Butchered giraffe In the drains beneath the long-gone markets of Pompeii, archaeologists have found a rich variety of foods - from sea urchin to shellfish. But perhaps the most exotic find was the leg joint of a butchered giraffe. It is thought to be the only giraffe bone ever recorded from an archaeological excavation in Roman Italy, according to archaeologist Steven Ellis, who directs the University of Cincinnati's excavations at Pompeii. The discoveries point to busy trade relationships outside of Italy. 'How part of the animal, butchered, came to be a kitchen scrap in a seemingly standard Pompeian restaurant not only speaks to long-distance trade in exotic and wild animals, but also something of the richness, variety and range of a non-elite diet," explains Ellis. 9 Glass brain In Herculaneum, a town to the west of Mount Vesuvius, two bizarre pieces of dark-coloured glass were found inside the skulls of two individuals. The first piece of glass suspected to be of 'organic origin' was identified in Herculaneum in 2020. A glassy, black material was found inside the skull of a man on a wooden bed, who was buried by volcanic ash. While the second was hunk of black glass was found earlier this year. Experts believe these are fossilised brains, caused by the extreme heat from the short-lived ash cloud that swept through the ancient town of Herculaneum in 79CE. Herculaneum was buried under roughly five times the amount of ash that Pompeii was. Similarly, the second victim had also been lying on their bed when the cloud descended. For the brain to become glass, it must have been heated to above 510°C before quickly cooling. This is an incredibly rare process is called vitrification. 9 9 Cheeky art The Romans' affinity for brothels, alcohol, and pornography has been well documented and discovered among the ruins of Pompeii. Hundreds of sexually explicit works of art from Pompeii have been placed in the Secret Museum in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. These include graphic sex scenes - which experts believe could be advertisements for local brothels - as well as lots of phallic statuary, believed to bring wealth, fertility, and good luck. Some of these pieces were so cheeky that they were deemed "pornographic" in 1821, and the museum closed the room to visitors in 1849. The Secret Museum didn't reopen for good until 2000. 9 Graffiti Pompeiians were politically active - and they have the graffiti to show for it. There was an upcoming election when the city was buried by Mount Vesuvius. Political slogans and messages of support for candidates can still be seen preserved on the walls today. Though it wasn't just political statements being plastered around. Last May, charcoal wall drawings were unearthed that archaeologists believe were made by children as young as five. The drawings, which were of children's height, suggest they had attended gruesome gladiator battles in the city. The simple etchings depict men with shields and spears fighting animals and each other. Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, said children of the time would have come into contact with extreme forms of speculated violence. This includes the frequent executions of criminals and slaves. "We came to the conclusion that in all likelihood the drawings of the gladiators and hunters were made on the basis of a direct vision and not from pictorial models," he said in a statement at the time. "Probably one or more of the children who played in this courtyard, among the kitchens, latrine and flowerbeds for growing vegetables, had witnessed fights in the amphitheatre." 9 Surgical tools Archaeologists have also recovered surgical instruments from Pompeii - which paint a squeamish picture of medical practices in 79 AD. Medical tools have been found in various parts of the excavated city, but most most were found at a structure known as the House of the Surgeon. While the Romans had not yet developed germ theory, many of the tools were made of copper alloys. Copper has antimicrobial properties - meaning the tools may have prevented infections. The destruction of Pompeii – what happened in 79 AD? Pompeii was an ancient Roman city near modern Naples, in the Campania region of Italy. It was destroyed, along with the Roman town of Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area, and buried under volcanic ash in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The violent explosion killed the city's inhabitants, with the site lost for around 1,500 years until its initial rediscovery in 1599 and broader rediscovery almost 150 years after that. The thermal energy released from Vesuvius was said to be a hundred thousand times that of the nuclear blasts at Hiroshima-Nagasaki. The remains beneath the city have been preserved for more than a millenium due to the lack of air and moisture in the ground. During excavations, plaster was injected into the voids in the ash layers that once held human bodies, allowing scientists to recreate their exact poses at the time of their deaths. Mount Vesuvius is arguably the most dangerous volcano on earth. It had been inactive for almost a century before roaring back into life and destroying Pompeii. Since then, it has exploded around three dozen more times – most recently in 1944 – and stands in close proximity to three million people. Although its current status is dormant, Vesuvius is an 'extremely active' and unpredictable volcano, according to experts. To this day, scientists are finding cultural, architectural and human remains on the banks of Mount Vesuvius. Excavations at thermal baths in Pompeii's ruins in February revealed the skeleton of a crouching child who perished in the 79 AD eruption.
Asharq Al-Awsat
12-04-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Trove of Artifacts Recovered from Black Market Goes on Display in Naples
Hundreds of once-missing artifacts, hunted down over decades by a special police unit, have been unveiled for the first time in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, in southern Italy. In its vaults, the museum preserves 15,000 artifacts seized or confiscated from the black market over the years by a police unit focused on the protection of cultural heritage. It is the loot of raiders who for decades have targeted sites from classical antiquity in southern Italy, such as Pompeii and Herculaneum. Some even used underwater metal detectors, GPS, sonar and drones to extract treasures from the shipwrecks and archaeological sites submerged in the Mediterranean Sea. From its repository, the museum selected 600 pieces to display for visitors. Among them is a statue that had been in an apartment building's courtyard since the early 20th century until its theft in the 1980s, and which was found in 2009. There are artifacts from Pompeii that a French archaeologist bought from a local farmer in the 1990s for 50,000 lire (about $28 today). There are also ancient ceramics, coins, bronzes, marbles, pottery, furnishings, weapons and armor dating from the Archaic Period (approximately 650 to 480 BC) to the Middle Ages. 'It is a beautiful exhibition that tells a beautiful story, a story also of redemption for our stolen archaeological artifacts, which often find their way into private property or even international museums,' Massimo Osanna, the head of national museums at Italy's culture ministry, who helped curate the exhibition, said in an interview. 'Thanks to the work of the public prosecutor's office and the police, together with the ministry, (these artifacts) are finally coming home and to light.' In 2023, the latest year for which there are complete records, the police unit recovered over 100,000 artifacts which it estimates are worth a total 264 million euros ($299 million).
