Walking Dead in Magna Grecia.

In an article recently published in Popular Archaeology Magazine, University of Pittsburgh Postdoctoral Fellow and writer Carrie Sulosky Weaver examines and summarizes the evidence in the archaeological and historical record that supports the suggestion that the ancient Greeks believed in the ‘undead’, or ‘revenants’, individuals who could emerge from a state of death to something that was neither living nor dead—leaving their graves at night to harm the living.

As one case in point, she elaborates on finds unearthed in a cemetery located near the ancient coastal Greek town of Kamarina in southeastern Sicily. Known as Passo Marinaro, this cemetery served as a Classical period necropolis in use from the 5th through 3rd centuries BCE. Approximately 2,905 burials have been excavated by archaeologists at the site, more than half of which contained grave goods, such as terracotta vases, figurines, and metal coins.

But two of the burials were unique. The first, designated tomb 653, contained an individual who, although of unknown gender, apparently suffered from serious malnutrition and illness in life. But “what is unusual about Tomb 653 is that the head and feet of the individual are completely covered by large amphora fragments,” states Weaver. “The heavy amphora fragments found in Tomb 653 were presumably intended to pin the individual to the grave and prevent it from seeing or rising.” The second burial, designated tomb 693, contained the remains of a child about 8 to 13 years old. Also of indeterminate gender, this individual was buried with five large stones placed on top of the body. “Like the aforementioned amphora fragments,” states Weaver, “it appears that these stones were used to trap the body in its grave.”*

Weaver draws upon ancient documentary and other archaeological records throughout the Mediterranean world from the Neolithic through the 19th century CE that tend to lend support to the Kamarina burials as possible ‘revenants’.

“Although there are no clear indicators in either the burial contexts or the skeletal remains that would explain why the occupants of Kamarinean Tombs 653 and 693 were pinned in their graves, their special treatment suggests that necrophobic beliefs and practices were present in Greek Sicily,” she concludes about the burials. “However, our understanding of these traditions is tenuous and more questions than answers remain. It is hoped that the careful  examination of future cases will shed light on this unusual custom and provide us with a more complete picture of necrophobia [the irrational fear of the dead and things associated with death] in the ancient Greek world.”*

The detailed article by Weaver is published in the Summer 2015 issue of Popular Archaeology Magazine.

*Weaver, Carrie L. Sulosky, Walking Dead and Vengeful Spirits, Popular Archaeology Magazine, Vol. 19, Summer 2015

From: http://popular-archaeology.com/

The tomb of Henry VII in Pisa has revealed a fabulous 14th century silken shroud worked with lions …

Henry VII of Luxemburg (1275 – 1313) was the son of a rather insignificant count of Luxemburg and raised at the French court. During his youth he agreed to become the vassal of the French king and few believed he was destined for something more. Nevertheless in 1308 he became embroiled in the political machinations, which followed upon the assassination of the German King Albert. When an infight broke out between the two contenders – Charles of Valois and Rudolf, the Count Palatine – Henry was elected as a compromise. In January he was crowned king in Aachen and in 1309 the pope – residing in Avignon – confirmed his election and promised to crown him emperor. After much politicking to and fro Henry began his descent into Northern Italy in October 1310.

Here he met with a hot mixture of support and armed opposition resulting in continuous negotiations, sieges and downright warring. In 1311 he was crowned king of Italy in Milan but it took nearly one and a half year before he achieved his imperial coronation in Rome – in the Lateran and performed by cardinals since the king of Naples held St. Peter and Castel san Angelo and the Pope resided in Avignon. A few months later and back in Pisa, where he had his base, he began to plan a war against Naples. Unfortunately he died of Malaria near Siena a few weeks after he had embarked upon this venture; from here he was taken back to Pisa and buried. Of him Dante famously declared  (in the Paradiso) that it was “he who came to reform Italy, before she was ready for it”. (Par. xxx, 137-8).

In Pisa a sarcophagus was created by Tino di Camaiano who was a pupil of Pisano, while his brother commisoned a chronicle, Codex Balduini Trevirensis with a series of interesting illuminations describing his Italian campaign and the good people of Pisa lamented their loss of the massive funding he had used up on his way to glory. Later the tomb was dismantled and moved and nobly thought there might be anything interesting left in the coffin.

This week a conference was organized in Pisa in commemoration of his death 700 years ago and at the same time it was announced that his tomb had been opened and had revealed a treasure trove of extraordinary objects. These include a large silk cloth worked with the imperial lions and pink and blue ribbons measuring 3 x 1.20 meters, a sceptre, an imperial crown and a globe. Apart from his physical remains the objects are claimed to be of extraordinary value. Especially the silken shroud is said to be extremely important not only because of its size, but also the vibrant colours.

SOURCE: Medieval Histories

Mycenean Palace and Linear B Tablets Discovered in Sparta Area.

By A. Papapostolou

A new excavation in the Xirokambi area of Aghios Vassilios west of Sparta, in the Peloponnese, Greece, has revealed a richness of Mycenean artefacts in the area, including the remains of a palace, Linear B tablets, fragments of wall paintings, and several bronze swords.

The excavation, led by emeritus ephor of antiquities Adamantia Vassilogrambrou, was presented publicly at the biennial Shanghai Archaeology Forum at the end of August as one of 11 sites showcased from different parts of the world.

The Aghios Vassilios excavation began in 2010, after Linear B tablets were found in the area in 2008, pointing to the existence of a powerful central authority and distribution system. The deciphered texts were devoted to perfume and cloth production, the trade of which was controlled by a palace administration in the Mycenean era.

Evidence of a central palace administration was confirmed also by the architecture, which is dated to the 14th century BC, while contact with Crete was confirmed by the finding of a double axe, a feature of the island’s palace culture.

Artefacts found include seals, a multitude of ceramic and bronze vessels, and 21 bronze swords. According to the evidence, a sudden fire that broke out either at the end of the 14th century or the beginning of the 13th destroyed the three buildings on the site which were never rebuilt at the same location.

Italian archaeologists reproduce the wine of ancient Rome.

by Tom Kington from www.theguardian.com

Archeologists in Italy have set about making red wine exactly as the ancient Romans did, to see what it tastes like.

Based at the University of Catania in Sicily and supported by Italy's national research centre, a team has planted a vineyard near Catania using techniques copied from ancient texts and expects its first vintage within four years.

"We are more used to archeological digs but wanted to make society more aware of our work, otherwise we risk being seen as extraterrestrials," said archaeologist Daniele Malfitana.

At the group's vineyard, which should produce 70 litres at the first harvest, modern chemicals will be banned and vines will be planted using wooden Roman tools and will be fastened with canes and broom, as the Romans did.

Instead of fermenting in barrels, the wine will be placed in large terracotta pots – traditionally big enough to hold a man – which are buried to the neck in the ground, lined inside with beeswax to make them impermeable and left open during fermentation before being sealed shut with clay or resin.

"We will not use fermenting agents, but rely on the fermentation of the grapes themselves, which will make it as hit and miss as it was then – you can call this experimental archaeology," said researcher Mario Indelicato, who is managing the programme.

The team has faithfully followed tips on wine growing given by Virgil in the Georgics, his poem about agriculture, as well as by Columella, a first century AD grower, whose detailed guide to winemaking was relied on until the 17th century.

"We have found that Roman techniques were more or less in use in Sicily up until a few decades ago, showing how advanced the Romans were," said Indelicato. "I discovered a two-pointed hoe at my family house on Mount Etna recently that was identical to one we found during a Roman excavation."

What has changed are the types of grape varieties, which have intermingled over the centuries. "Columella mentions 50 types but we can only speculate on the modern-day equivalents," said Indelicato, who is planting a local variety, Nerello Mascalese.

"To sweeten up their wine, which could be vinegary, the Romans added honey and water to it," he said. "They made better stuff for nobles and cheaper, more vinegary stuff for slaves. We will try and make both types."

The drinking habits of Romans have also changed in two millennia. Whereas Italians today drink moderately with meals, their ancestors were more given to drunken carousing.

"An edict was issued in the first century AD halting the planting of vineyards because people were not growing wheat any more," said Indelicato.

"The Romans took the concept of getting together for a drink from the Greeks after they conquered the Greek-controlled Italian city of Taranto in the third century BC.

"They drank at festivals to mark the pending harvest, after the harvest. In fact, any occasion was good for a drink."

Archaeologists Just Found Another British Noble Buried Under a Parking Lot

By Adam Clark Estes.

There's a sad lesson about urban planning in the trend of major archaeological finds turning up under parking lots in the United Kingdom. Or maybe it's a happy lesson. It's hard to tell.

Archaeologists just announced the discovery of headstone bearing the marks of nobility at the site of a new building being constructed in Edinburgh. Though they've yet to analyze the remains, they believe the knight was buried sometime in the 13th century. "This find has the potential to be one of the most significant and exciting archaeological discoveries in the city for many years, providing us with yet more clues as to what life was like in medieval Edinburgh," said Richard Lewis, a member of the City of Edinburgh Council, in a statement.

Funnily enough, the site of the discovery is a parking lot once used by the University of Edinburgh's archaeology department. This is even funnier when you consider the fact that the long lost remains of King Richard III showed up underneath a parking lot in Leicester. On one hand, the tandem discoveries show that the Brits paved over a lot of important piece of land to build parking lots. On the other hand, the fact that these remains were well preserved and untouched in modern times also suggests that parking lots work as pretty good shields from earth movers. 

It turns out that a lot of great archaeological treasures are found under parking lots. They are, after all, both plentiful and protective. And the recent discovery also shows that the Brits are giving due diligence to having archaeologists on hand when they break ground. While not everybody is thrilled about what historian Edward Tenner refers to as an "exhumation craze," it's encouraging to see workers take care to treat the ground beneath historical locations gingerly.

Source

Archaeologists believe Stonehenge may have been a burial site.

by: Shane McGlaun

One of the great mysteries in archaeology for decades has been exactly what Stonehenge was used for. Archaeologists and scientists have also attempted over the decades to figure out exactly how prehistoric humans could have constructed such an elaborate site using massive and incredibly heavy stones. Over the weekend, archaeologists offered up a new theory on what I Stonehenge might’ve been used for.

The archaeologists believe that centuries before the first massive sarsen stone was put in place at Stonehenge, the monument could’ve been a giant burial ground. The archaeologists report that they’ve discovered over 50,000 cremated bone fragments from 63 different individuals. These bone fragments were excavated and studied for the first time by a group of archaeologists headed by Professor Mike Parker Pearson.

Pearson has been working with Stonehenge and nearby monuments for decades. According to Pearson, he believes the earliest burials of the site are much older than the monument itself in its current form. According to Pearson, the smaller standing stones were carried to the site from Wales and placed as grave markers at approximately 3000 BC.

He believes that the site remained as a graveyard for at least 200 years with sporadic burials after that time. The archaeologists and his team used new techniques and were able to determine the first time that the burials at the location were not only of adult men. According to the new investigation there are almost equal numbers of men and women including children. The archaeologists discovered artifacts such as an incense bowl leading them to believe that the people buried at the site could’ve been religious and political leaders along with their immediate family.

Source

Giant camel fossil unearthed in the Arctic.

by: Erin Wayman.

The long-lost cousins of today's camels once roamed the high Arctic, browsing open forests in regions that are near-barren landscapes today. That's the conclusion from an analysis of the fragmentary remains of an ancient leg bone unearthed on Canada's Ellesmere Island, which lies just west of northern Greenland. The find also adds to the tantalizing clues about how these moose-sized, presumably shaggy progenitors fit into the camel family tree—a lineage that today boasts only two species of true camels but includes plenty of South American relatives such as llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicuñas.

Today, camels inhabit arid regions stretching from northern Africa to the interior of Asia. But ancestors of the creatures first evolved in North America about 45 million years ago, says Natalia Rybczynski, a paleontologist at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa. Some of these animals crossed a land bridge from what is today Alaska to eastern Siberia—and that meant they were living, even thriving, at latitudes where few mammals can now subsist.

The fossils, dug up by Rybczynski and her colleagues in recent field seasons, came from a gravel-rich layer of sediments laid down more than 3.4 million years ago. The 30 or so bits of bone, none more than 7 centimeters long, have suffered much since they were entombed: Ice sheets have scoured Ellesmere Island several times in the past few million years, and today's freeze-thaw cycles continue to splinter fossils into ever-smaller fragments, Rybczynski says. The sizes and shapes of the bone bits suggest that they came from a tibia (a lower leg bone), but from those clues alone it's impossible to identify the species or group of mammal the fossils came from. However, some bone features clearly indicate that the creature was an artiodactyl, a broad group that today includes deer, cows, and camels.

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