Archaeology
Medieval artefacts found in Poland from possible knights court
Archaeologists have found a collection of Medieval artefacts dated from the 11th and 12th century AD in Daromin, a village in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, south-central Poland.
Excavations were carried out by the Nadwiślańska Grupa Poszukiwawcza “Szansa” Association, in which archaeologists found a clasp and two denarii from the Roman period, and a rich collection of artefacts from the early Middle Ages.
Dr Marek Florek, from the Institute of Archaeology of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, said: “Apart from fragments of pottery, there are: coins, including a denarii of Bolesław the Bold, silver, lead and copper alloy ornaments, lead and bronze crosses, everyday objects such as knives and flintlocks, lead and iron weights coated with bronze, militaria and elements of equestrian gear”.
Several of the items, such as the crosses, rings made of copper wire, silver ornaments and an appliqué depicting a rider, were imported from the historic region of Carpathian Rutheni or the Baltic.
Excavations also uncovered a small bronze representation of a horse and a lead mace, likely decorative symbols of military power. The bronze horse is of the Lutomiersk type which were worn by the knightly elites of the early Piast state.
Dr. Florek suggests that the finds, especially those of an elite nature, indicate that a knight’s court could have been located in the vicinity of Daromin in the 11th-12th century AD.
This interpretation is supported by the discovery of barrel-shaped and polyhedral bronze-coated iron weights.
“From the accounts of Ibrahim ibn Jakub, a Jewish merchant from Spain, who reached the Polish lands in the 1060s, we know that Mieszko I was supposed to collect taxes in the form of weights and used them to pay salaries of his men. Therefore, if there was a knight’s court in Daromin in the 11th-12th centuries, their presence, as well as elements of armament and elite items, should not be surprising,” added Florek.
The artefacts are currently being stored in the Sandomierz branch of the Provincial Monument Protection Office in Kielce for further study, after which they will be transferred to the Castle Museum in Sandomierz for display.
Header Image Credit : Dr Marek Florek
A recent study, published in the journal ResearchGate, proposes that the Pyramid of Djoser could have been constructed using hydraulic lift.
The Pyramid of Djoser, also known as the Step Pyramid, is a proto-pyramid built as the final resting place of Djoser, the first or second pharaoh of Egypt’s 3rd Dynasty (2670–2650 BC) during the Old Kingdom period.
The pyramid rises from the Saqqara plateau in six steps to a height of around 60 to 62 metres, serving as the centre of a vast mortuary complex.
Due to the absence of authentic sources from the pyramid architects’ working sphere, there is currently no confirmed comprehensive model for the method used in the pyramid construction.
The prevailing theory suggests that the heavy stone blocks were transported on apparatuses such as rollers, and raised to height using a series of ramps.
In the study, a survey of watersheds near to the pyramid indicate that the Gisr el-Mudir (enclosure) has features of a check dam for trapping sediment and water. Furthermore, the topography beyond the “dam” shows a possible ephemeral lake west of the Djoser complex, and water flow inside the moat surrounding it.
The study authors explain: “In the southern section of the moat, we show that the monumental linear rock-cut structure consisting of successive, deep compartments, combines the technical requirements of a water treatment facility: a settling basin, a retention basin, and a purification system.”
Based on this finding, the study proposes that the Gisr el-Mudir and moat’s inner south section worked as a unified hydraulic system for regulating flow and improving water quality. In addition, the pyramid’s internal architecture is consistent with a hydraulic elevation mechanism never reported before.
“The ancient architects likely raised the stones from the pyramid centre in a volcano fashion using the sediment-free water from the Dry Moat’s south section. Ancient Egyptians are famous for their pioneering and mastery of hydraulics through canals for irrigation purposes and barges to transport huge stones. This work opens a new line of research: the use of hydraulic force to erect the massive structures built by Pharaohs,” said the study authors.
Please note: This study was submitted to PLOS ONE on December 7, 2023. After two rounds of review by peers, the paper was formally accepted by PLOS ONE on June 27, 2024. Since July 23, 2024, it has been the subject of new consultations and review by the PLOS ONE Editorial Board.
Header Image Credit : Shutterstock
Sources : ResearchGate | Piton, Guillaume. (2024). On the possible use of hydraulic force to assist with building the Step Pyramid of Saqqara. PLOS ONE.
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
Constructed between 1630 and 1633 in a Renaissance-Baroque style, the Great Synagogue of Vilnius served as the religious centre of a complex of synagogues, mikvahs, and community institutions devoted to Torah study in Vilnius, Lithuania.
According to a press statement by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA): “The Great Synagogue of Vilna was the beating heart of the Lithuanian Jewry, which included 12 synagogues and study houses, the community council building, the home of Rabbi Eliyahu – the Vilna Gaon, Kosher meat stalls, the famous ‘Strashun’ library, a bathhouse and more.”
During World War II, the synagogue was looted, burned, and partially destroyed by the Nazis in the holocaust. Soviet authorities completely demolished the remaining structure to build a school, intending to prevent any future restoration of Jewish worship.
Only three original pieces of the synagogue survived the destruction: a door of the Holy Ark, a reader’s desk, and a bas-relief with the Ten Commandments, which are now on display at the Vilna Gaon Jewish Museum.
Image Credit : Israel Antiquities Authority
In a recent study conducted by the IAA, the Association of Lithuanian Archaeology, the Good Will Foundation, and the Jewish Community of Lithuania, archaeologists have rediscovered traces of the synagogue’s decorated walls and remnants of flooring with red, black, and white floral patterns that paved the main hall.
Excavations also uncovered huge water reservoirs to feed halachically pure water to the mikva’ot, and one of the giant pillars that surrounded the Bimah (prayer platform).
Dr. Jon Seligman from the IAA and Justinas Rakas from the Lithuanian Archaeological Society, said: “The magnificent remains we are rediscovering bring back moments in the life of a lost vibrant community.”
Header Image Credit : Israel Antiquities Authority
Sources : IAA
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
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