Archaeology
Courtesan tomb discovered in burial cave
Archaeologists have discovered a burial cave containing the tomb of a courtesan in the Via Hebron area of Jerusalem, Israel.
In a press announcement by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), recent excavations have revealed the cremated remains of a young woman buried with a well-preserved folding box mirror from the late 4th century to early 3rd century BC.
According to the researchers, the discovery is the earliest evidence of a cremation burial in Israel from the Hellenistic period, with the woman likely being a companion/courtesan known as a hetaira who accompanied senior military personal or a Hellenistic government official during Alexander the Great’s campaigns or more likely during the Wars of the Diadochi (Wars of Alexander’s Successors).
Commenting on the box mirror, Liat Oz, who directed the excavations said: “This is the second mirror of this type discovered in Israel, and in total, only 63 example mirrors are known from around the Hellenistic world.”
Image Credit : Shai Halevi
Similar folding box mirrors have been documented in Hellenistic tombs and temples, usually found decorated with engravings or reliefs of idealised female figures and goddess figures – particularly that of Aphrodite, the goddess of love.
According to the press announcement: “Bronze mirrors like the one recently discovered were considered an expensive luxury item, and they could come into the possession of Greek women in two ways; as part of their dowry ahead of a wedding, or as a gift given by men to their hetairai. As such, the mirrors symbolized, among other things, the connection – as well as the intimate relations between the clients and the hetairai.”
The hetairai were integral to the Ancient Greek societal system, resembling Japanese geishas in some aspects. They offered companionship and social support, with a focus on more than just, or primarily, sexual services.
Some hetairai entered into common-law unions with the Greco-Hellenistic monarchs, as well as esteemed military leaders and renowned intellectuals. The hetairai hosted intellectual gatherings and inspired some of the most iconic sculptures and paintings, some of which have been found displayed in Ancient Greek temples.
Header Image Credit : Yoli Schwartz
Excavations led by the Israel Antiquities Authority, working in collaboration with Tel Aviv University and the Weizmann Institute of Science, have linked an event mentioned in the Bible to archaeological findings from the City of David.
The results of the excavation, published in the journal PNAS, challenges the accepted perceptions of the development of Jerusalem during the rule of the kings of Judah. In particular, the scope of Jerusalem during the reigns of David and Solomon and the period that followed.
The researchers have accurately dated several structures, including the city walls and royal construction projects, which are linked to Jerusalem’s growth to the west during the period of King Hezekiah around 2,700-years-ago.
The previous assumption was that the city expanded due to the arrival of refugees due to the Assyrian exile, however, the new findings now indicate that the city spread towards Mount Zion in the 9th century BC during the reign of King Jehoash, 100 years before the Assyrian exile period.
Prof. Yuval Gadot from the Department of Archeology at Tel Aviv University, said: “In light of this, the new research teaches us that the expansion of Jerusalem is a result of internal-Judean demographic growth and the establishment of political and economic systems.”
Excavations have also revealed that the wall of Jerusalem on the eastern slopes of the city of David is older than previously thought. It was thought that the wall in this area was built by Hezekiah, King of Judah, however, findings now indicate that it dates from the reign of King Uzziah.
King Uzziah is described in a passage in the bible that reads: “’And Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem… and strengthened them” (2 Chronicles 26:9).
According to Dr. Uziel: “Until now, many researchers have assumed that the wall was built by Hezekiah during his rebellion against Sennacherib (King of Assyria), in order to defend Jerusalem during the Assyrian siege. It is now apparent that the wall in the easter part of the City of David, was built earlier and as part of the construction of the city during the reign of King Uzziah.”
Header Image Credit : Leonardo Gurvitz, City of David Archives
Sources : IAA
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
A new study, published in the journal Antiquity, suggests that the ancient Pueblo culture used conch-shell trumpets for communication.
The focus of the study is the site of the Chaco Canyon in north-west New Mexico. Located in Chaco Culture National Historic Park, Chaco Canyon contains numerous small dwellings and multi-story buildings known as great houses.
Based on the density of structures, archaeologists speculate that the site was once a bustling metropolis, inhabited by as many as 2,300 people during its height from AD 1050 to 1130.
Conch-shell trumpets have been found in burial contexts at Chaco Canyon, which today are used in contemporary Pueblo ritual practices.
Using a Soundshed Analysis model, archaeologists have digitally modelled the sound of a conch-shell trumpet being sounded at a great house in relation to other features in the landscape. Soundshed Analysis calculates the distance a sound can travel from a point, taking into account both the type of sound and environmental conditions such as elevation and ambient noise.
“Chaco Canyon is surrounded by over one hundred understudied great house communities”, says lead author Professor Ruth Van Dyke from Binghamton University. “We sought to determine if extra-canyon great house communities demonstrated relationships similar to Chaco Canyon between landscape, community layout, and sound.”
In this case, the team modelled the sound of a conch from great houses at five Chacoan communities to determine whether it would reach all habitation sites within the community.
They found that if somebody blew a conch-shell trumpet from the great house at the centre of all five Chacoan communities, the sound would have reached almost all of the surrounding settlements.
This suggests that ancient Puebloans may have managed their land-use and community structures around the sound of trumpets. The sound was potentially used to signal communal activities, such as religious ceremonies.
“This is not unlike the idea of a medieval church bell calling a community to mass”, states Professor Van Dyke.
It also indicates how Chacoan heritage sites should be managed going forward.
“Soundscapes were meaningful dimensions of past experiences, landscapes, and environments and are important facets of social interaction in the ancient world,” observes Professor Van Dyke. “Management of archaeological and heritage sites should incorporate consideration of the auditory environment.”
Header Image Credit : Shutterstock
Sources : Antiquity | Seashells and sound waves: modelling soundscapes in Chacoan great-house communities – Ruth M. Van Dyke, Kristy E. Primeau, Kellam Throgmorton & David E. Witt. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2024.54
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
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