Archaeology
Archaeologists uncover first shots of the French and Indian War
A team of archaeologists have uncovered the first shots of the French and Indian War during excavations at Jumonville Glen, part of Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States.
The French and Indian War (from 1754 to 1763) was part of the broader conflict known as the Seven Years’ War. This particular theatre was fought between the British Empire’s North American colonies against the French, with both factions receiving assistance from various Native American tribes.
The British colonists were supported at various times by the Iroquois, Catawba, and Cherokee tribes, and the French colonists were supported by the Wabanaki Confederacy member tribes which included the Abenaki and Mi’kmaq, and the Algonquin, Lenape, Ojibwa, Ottawa, Shawnee, and Wyandot (Huron) tribes.
The conflict started over a disagreement regarding authority over the confluence of the Allegheny River and Monongahela River, known as the Forks of the Ohio.
The dispute erupted into violence at the Battle of Jumonville Glen in May 1754 near present-day Hopwood and Uniontown in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Virginia provincial troops under the British flag, commanded by 22-year-old Lieutenant Colonel George Washington, led an attack supported by allied tribes against a French campsite, resulting in the death of 13 Frenchmen and 21 captured.
A joint archaeological project involving the American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR), the National Park Service Northeast Archaeological Resources Program, the National Park Service Northeast Museum Services Centre, Paul Martin Archaeology Associates, and the Advance Metal Detection for the Archaeologist (AMDA), have uncovered 18th century ballistics and other artefacts from the skirmish at Jumonville Glen, providing evidence of the first shots fired that ignited the French and Indian War.
“The archeology project was the first serious investigation of the historic skirmish site,” said Fort Necessity Superintendent Stephen M. Clark. “Through the help of this partnership project, the National Park Service can now provide a deeper understanding of where the French and Indian War started.”
Header Image Credit : NPS
According to an announcement by the Pomeranian Provincial Conservator of Monuments, archaeologists have discovered five Bronze Age axes in Starogard Forest District, located in Kociewie, Poland.
The initial discovery was made by history enthusiast, Denis Konkol, who notified local authorities from the Pomeranian provincial conservator of monuments. In Poland, it is forbidden to conduct an amateur search for artefacts using a metal detector, either for commercial or for personal use unless licensed by local authorities, requiring all finds to be reported which become the property of the state.
Upon inspection of the discovery site, archaeologists found five axes within a radius of several dozen metres at a depth of 20 to 30 centimetres beneath a layer of turf and humus.
Igor Strzok, Pomeranian provincial conservator of monuments, said: “The extraction of these finds took place under the archaeological supervision of our colleagues from the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments. This means that we prevented possible destruction of the site.”
The five axes date from between 1700 and 1300 BC and were likely a ritual deposit of a cult nature, however, the archaeologists haven’t ruled out that the axes could also be a deposit related to trade.
According to the announcement, the objects are tautušiai type axes associated with Baltic cultures from today’s Lithuania or north-eastern Poland. Defined by their considerable size, the axes feature a slim handle with raised edges and a wide blade.
Previous excavations of Bronze Age sites in the region generally find bracelets or breastplates, while the most recent unearthing of a weapon or Bronze Age tool dates back 20 years, highlighting the scarcity of such finds in the region.
The axes are scheduled to be transported to the Archaeological Museum in Gdańsk, where experts will conduct a thorough examination.
Header Image Credit : Stargard Forest District
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
Archaeologists have uncovered a mosaic depicting lions during excavations at ancient Prusias ad Hypium, located in modern-day Konuralp, Turkey.
Prusias ad Hypium was a city in ancient Bithynia which was annexed by the Roman Republic in 74 BC. The city flourished as a significant trading hub, maintaining autonomy in its local governance and even issuing its own currency.
The city was rediscovered during the 19th century, with recent excavations being conducted by the archaeology department of Düzce University under the patronage of the Konuralp Museum, and supported by the Municipality of Düzce.
Excavations indicate that the city exhibits characteristics of a Hellenistic polis. Among the surviving remains are remnants of the city walls, a gate within the fortifications, an open-air theatre, an aqueduct, and a Roman bridge.
A recent archaeological study has focused on the theatre, known locally as the “The Forty Stairs”. The theatre was built during the Hellenistic period (300–30 BC) and was expanded in the Roman period.
The study has uncovered the remains of a mosaic depicting a pair of lions, which was found in a room of the portico in the middle of the theatre axis.
The room has a rectangular shape and is adorned with a mosaic covering the entire floor with a geometric floral pattern. At the centre is a mosaic frame depicting the pair of lions either side of a pine tree. Hanging from the tree is a tympanum (a drum or tambourine), and on the left branch is a pan flute.
According to the researchers, the room was dedicated to the cult of Dionysus. During Dionysian processions, it was common to observe Silenus and maenads participating by playing musical instruments such as the tympanum and pan flute.
Header Image Credit : Konuralp Museum
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
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