Researchers Assemble Ancient Brain Tissue Archive

OXFORD, ENGLAND—According to a statement released by the University of Oxford, researchers surveying all the known recorded instances of the preservation of human brain tissue at archaeological sites have assembled a database of more than 4,000 human brains. Some 1,300 examples, including many dating as far back as 12,000 years ago, were the only soft tissue preserved in the remains of past people, suggesting brains may preserve better in some circumstances than other organs, perhaps due to the brain’s unique biochemistry or environmental factors. The researchers also suggest the sheer number of examples indicates that brain tissue survives at a rate much higher than scholars had previously supposed, and that future study of biomolecules in these brains might yield new insights into the lives of ancient people. "We’re finding amazing numbers and types of ancient biomolecules preserved in these archaeological brains," said study leader and paleobiologist Alexandra Morton-Hayward of the University of Oxford. "It’s exciting to explore all that they can tell us about life and death in our ancestors,” Read the original scholarly article about this research in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. To read more about what insights can come from archaeologists' study of human soft tissue, go to “Bog Bodies Rediscovered.” 

Jin Dynasty Tombs Uncovered in Northern China

CHANGZHI, CHINA—Live Science reports that three opulently decorated brick tombs unearthed during salvage excavations in Shanxi Province date to the Jin Dynasty, whose leaders ruled in northern China from 1115 to 1234. The Jin were not ethnically Han—the largest ethnic group in China today—but descended from a seminomadic Tungusic-speaking people from northeastern China. Jin emperors came to power in the wake of a revolt against Liao Dynasty rule in northern China, and controlled what had been Liao territory until they were conquered by the Mongols in the thirteenth century A.D. The tombs feature carved arches, doors, and windows, as well as painted murals of human figures and floral motifs. Inscriptions inside the chambers record information about historical events and geography of the Jin period. Paintings in one of the tombs, however, are rendered in different colors and depict different flora and fauna than the other two. To read more about the turbulent period in which the Jin Dynasty rose to power, go to "Weapons of the Ancient World: Fire Lances and Cannons."

Unknown Building Discovered in Sicily's Valley of the Temples

AGRIGENTO, SICILY—The Valley of the Temples in the Sicilian city of Agrigento is one of the island’s most extraordinary sites—yet it has never been completely excavated. The Art Newspaper reports that archaeologists discovered a previously unknown building during a recent geophysical survey of more than 30,000 square feet of an area near the main temples. The ancient city of Akragas (modern Agrigento) was settled in the sixth century B.C. by colonists from Greece and became a major religious center. “As we are very close to a sanctuary, we thought that there might be remains of unknown monuments in this area, and the geophysical anomalies clearly revealed their existence,” said archaeologist Sebastiano Imposa of the University of Catania. The new building, the researchers explained, may have been connected to the city’s religious workings. Imposa and his team have also conducted a small test excavation at the site and found several blocks of a wall likely belonging to the new structure. They will continue excavations and hope to find more of the newly discovered building in the future. Read the original scholarly article about this research in Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. To read about the discovery of a lost theater in Agrigento, go to "Sicily's Lost Theater."

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.”