Medieval Royal Baptismal Font Found in Germany

QUEDLINBURG, GERMANY—Medievalists.net reports that a Christian baptismal font dated to the tenth century has been uncovered in what is now the crypt of the church on the castle hill in Quedlinburg, which is located in central Germany. The sandstone font is quatrefoil in shape and is thought to have been built during the early years of the rule of the Ottonian dynasty. Researchers from the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt note that the structure is the oldest known baptismal font built in this style to be discovered north of the Alps. They think that Duke Henry I of Bavaria (A.D. 922–955) may have been baptized in the font. He is remembered for his attempt to kill his brother, Otto the Great, during an Easter Sunday attack on Quedlinburg in A.D. 941. Otto the Great’s daughter, Mathilde, may have also been baptized at the site. She became the first abbess of Quedlinburg Abbey, and was followed in that role by Adelheid I, (A.D. 977–1044), daughter of Otto II, who may have also been baptized in the font. To read about excavations of a basilica commissioned by Otto the Great that once overlooked the village of Helfta, go to "Otto's Church."

Medieval Pilgrim Badge Recovered in Poland

LUBLIN, POLAND—A metal detectorist in southeast Poland discovered a medieval pilgrim badge, which was made of tin-lead alloy and decorated with a mythological design, according to a Live Science report. Such badges were often worn by Christian pilgrims to signify that they were traveling or had traveled to a certain holy place, and were also believed to safeguard the wearer against illness and accidents while on a journey. At the center of this circular badge is the figure of a basilisk, a winged mythological creature that resembles a dragon. Although researchers have found other pilgrim badges throughout Poland, this is the first to feature the image of a basilisk. More commonly, the medieval artifacts depict saints or knights, or are shaped like shields, crosses, or spirals. To read about pilgrim badges unearthed in the Netherlands, go to "Letter from Rotterdam: The City and the Sea."

Bar Kokhba–Era Complex Excavated Near Sea of Galilee

HUQOQ, ISRAEL—The Jerusalem Post reports that archaeologists working at the site of Huqoq near the Sea of Galilee have excavated an underground complex likely used by Jewish rebels in the first and second centuries A.D. Although the site has been known for nearly 50 years, it has never been properly excavated and its full extent was not known until now. The intricate system of tunnels and hiding rooms, one of which is a huge converted cistern dating to the Second Temple period (586 B.C.–A.D. 70), was likely used by local rebels during the first revolt against the Romans in A.D. 66 and the Bar Kokhba Revolt in A.D. 132–136. For decades, archaeologists have questioned whether the Bar Kokhba, or Second Revolt, took place in the Galilee, explained Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologists Uri Berger and Yinon Shivtiel. “It is not certain that the complex was used for hiding and escaping during the Second Revolt, but it does appear to have been prepared for this purpose,” they said. “We hope future excavations will bring us closer to the answer.” To read more about the Jewish community at Huqoq and the elaborate mosaics discovered in the synagogue there, go to "Mosaics of Huqoq."

18th-Century British Shipwreck Identified in Florida Keys

KEY WEST, FLORIDA—According to a statement released by the National Park Service (NPS), a shipwreck in Dry Tortugas National Park has been identified as that of eighteenth-century British warship HMS Tyger. The final mission of the 130-foot-long warship, which was built in 1647, involved patrolling the waters off Florida during a conflict with Spain known as the War of Jenkins’ Ear (1739–1748). HMS Tyger struck a coral reef at the western end of the Florida Keys on January 13, 1742. Crewmembers dumped a number of cannons and anchors overboard, but the ship continued to sink. The wreckage was originally found near Garden Key in 1993. Five British six- and nine-pound cannons found more recently around 500 yards away are believed to be the cannons jettisoned in an attempt to keep the ship from sinking. The 280 men onboard ultimately abandoned ship and took refuge on Garden Key for more than two months. There, they assembled makeshift vessels using material salvaged from the wreck and then navigated 700 miles in 55 days through enemy waters to arrive at British-controlled Port Royal in Jamaica. “Archeological finds are exciting, but connecting those finds to the historical record helps us tell the stories of the people that came before us and the events they experienced,” Tortugas National Park Manager James Crutchfield said in the press release. “This particular story is one of perseverance and survival.” To read about an eighteenth-century Spanish fort in Florida that was defended by formerly enslaved Africans, go to “Freedom Fort.” 

Neolithic Burial Complex Excavated in Germany

MAGDEBURG, GERMANY—According to a press release from the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt, archaeologists conducting excavations on and around a small hill in eastern Germany known as the Eulenberg have discovered a burial complex that Neolithic people used for generations. They found that between 4100 and 3600 B.C., when people belonging to what scholars call the Baalberg Culture lived in the area, two large wooden burial chambers measuring 65 and 100 feet long were constructed within 700 feet of each other. Some 1,000 years later, members of the Globular Amphora Culture (3300–2800 B.C.) constructed a processional route that connected the two tombs, alongside which they buried pairs of young cattle. Later, people dug a palisaded ditch along the processional route and seem to have deliberately avoided destroying the cattle burials. Nearby burial mounds dating to the period of the Corded Ware Culture (2800–2050 B.C.) suggest the landscape was considered important for at least 2,000 years. To read more about the people living in Germany during this period, go to “The Neolithic Toolkit.” 

Ming Dynasty Tomb Found in China's Xinfu District

XI'AN, CHINA—According to a report in The Miami Herald, archaeologists from the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology have uncovered a 400-year-old stone tomb dated to the Ming Dynasty in the Xinfu District, located some 300 miles southwest of the capital, Beijing. The incredibly well-preserved grave spans more than 80 feet and includes two burial chambers and niches sealed with a stone tomb gate, as well as a set of carved ornamental double doors that feature dragons. Its passageway is inscribed with text that reads, “Epitaph of the Prince of Ming Ru Hou'an.” The main chamber holds two intricately decorated wooden coffins painted with gold diamonds and other colorful floral and bird patterns. The niches contain several porcelain vases and jars containing grain, oil, and liquids. In the smaller back chamber, archaeologists found fine wooden furniture, including tables, chairs, and altars in various state of ruin; candlesticks and lampstands; tin cups and pots; and writing tools such as inkstones and Chinese calligraphy implements. Over 60 additional tombs have been excavated as part of explorations before nearby highway construction commences. To read more about the archaeology of the Ming Dynasty, go to “China’s River of Gold.” 

Millennium-Old Moravian Ice Skate Unearthed

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC—According to a report from Radio Prague International, a medieval ice skate made from animal bone has been uncovered in the central Moravian city of Přerov. The object was unearthed in the basement of a house on the city’s Upper Square by archaeologists from the Comenius Museum and has been dated to the second half of the tenth century or the first half of the eleventh century A.D. based on accompanying ceramics. The skate was most likely crafted from the shin bone of a horse. It has a curved tip at the front end with a hole drilled into it and another hole drilled in the back. A strap threaded through the holes would have been used to attach the skate to a shoe or a wooden sledge. According to archaeologist Zdeněk Schenk, the skate was used for transportation, not leisure activities. “Rather than skating, they would shuffle along the frozen surface with the help of a stick or two,” he says. “They would also attach the blades to sledges to carry a load of goods across the frozen water.” To read about the saga of a mysterious skeleton dating to the same period, go to “The Man in Prague Castle.”