Archaeology
Atlantean type sculpture discovered in the Archaeological Zone of Chichén Itzá
Archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have discovered an Atlantean type sculpture while prospecting for a new road in the Archaeological Zone of Chichén Itzá.
Chichén Itzá was a Maya city that rose to regional prominence in Mexico’s Yucatan toward the end of the Late Classic and into the early part of the Terminal Classic. The site covers an area of 4 square miles, which at its peak is estimated to have had a population of around 35,000 inhabitants.
The people of Chichén Itzá had a tradition known as the Cult of the Cenote, which involved the offering of human sacrifices to the rain god, Chaac. As part of this ritual, individuals were cast into the city’s principal cenote located in the northernmost section of the site. Alongside these sacrifices, valuable items such as gold, jade ornaments, and other treasures were also deposited.
According to a press announcement, archaeologists prospecting for a new road as part of the Mayan Train project have discovered an Atlantean type sculpture associated with a Maya domestic complex.
Atlantean type sculptures are anthropomorphic statues, where previous studies at Chichén Itzá have uncovered similar examples at the Temple of Warriors. The recently discovered Atlantean type sculpture is male in appearance and has both arms raised while holding an object. According to the researchers, the statue is 90 centimetres in height and was likely part of a ceremonial altar.
Atlantean figures have also been found at other pre-Columbian cultures of Mesoamerica such as the Toltec culture that constructed large statues of Toltec warriors at Tula, in addition to Atlantean figures found at the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan.
Header Image Credit : INAH
Archaeologists from Oxford Archaeology have uncovered a well-preserved Bronze Age wooden well in Oxfordshire, England.
The discovery was made during construction works for the Benson Relief Road in compliance with planning conditions to ensure archaeological finds are recorded.
John Boothroyd, Senior Project Manager at Oxford Archaeology, said: “When investigating what appeared to be a standard pit for the site, the archaeological team started exposing the remains of a preserved wooden post driven vertically into the ground.”
Excavations revealed that the posts formed the uprights of a wattle structure lining the edge of the pit, which have been well-preserved due to the soil conditions being waterlogged.
The timber structure was digitally recorded, before being carefully dismantled by hand for removal to the Oxfordshire Museum Service.
Samples of the preserved wood have been sent for further analysis to indicate the type of wood used in the construction. Excavations also found pieces of struck flint, animal bone and pottery used for storage and waste.
Previous studies of the area around Benson and as far as Wallingford have revealed traces of Bronze Age activity and settlement.
“Despite the extremely challenging conditions, the team were able to expose and fully record the well. The specialist soil samples collected will also help establish what the surrounding landscape would have been like, and the intensity to which it was settled, when the well was actively being used.”
Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “This find gives fantastic insight into the area’s past land use. It is thought the well may have been used for agricultural irrigation purposes for settlements nearby. Archaeological surveys like this are an important part of the process of delivering construction schemes. They help us identify and understand past residents of the area and record them for future generations.”
Header Image Credit : Oxford Archaeology
Sources : Oxfordshire County Council
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
A restoration project to remove invasive plants from dunes in the Heist Willemspark, Belgium, has led to the discovery of three intact WWII bunkers.
Heist Willemspark is located in the Knokke-Heist municipality, situated on the coastline of Belgium near the border with the Netherlands.
During WWI, the area of the park was used as a German position for heavy artillery batteries known as “Freya” and “Augusta”, and a series of forward observation bunkers for ranging shipping in the English Channel.
A number of these structures were repurposed by the German army in WWII, and further fortified as part of the Atlantic Wall, a system of coastal defences built between 1942 and 1944 along the coast of continental Europe. The area of the Atlantic Wall at Heist Willemspark was designated by the German army as Stützpunkt Heyst.
Image Credit : Municipality of Knokke-Heist
According to a press statement by the Municipality of Knokke-Heist, the bunkers were discovered by the Agency for Nature and Forests during a restoration project called LIFE DUNIAS.
Excavations at a depth of only a few feet revealed three Gruppenunterstand Type VF2a bunkers. The VF2a is intended for housing a Gruppe (the smallest German unit consisting of 10 soldiers) who operated forward radar positions. The bunkers at Heist Willemspark measure 6 by 7 metres externally, and are capped by a concrete reinforced roof measuring 1 metre thick.
The project also found traces of brick trenches, a fragment of a concrete track, and large amounts of rubble containing objects such as utensils, ammunition, cabling, and water pipes.
A representative of LIFE DUNIAS said: “These ruins illustrate the previous attempts to completely erase the park’s war history. The lighter structures were demolished and reduced to rubble, while heavier bunkers were covered with a layer of soil and hidden, as if they had never existed.”
Header Image Credit : Municipality of Knokke-Heist
Sources : Municipality of Knokke-Heist
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
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