Archaeology
Archaeologists excavate a partially submerged stoa complex in ancient Salamis
A team of underwater archaeologists conducting research on the eastern shores of ancient Salamis have uncovered a large partially submerged stoa complex that formed part of the agora public space.
Salamis was an ancient Greek city-state located on the east coast of Cyprus at the mouth of the Pedieos river. According to legend, the city was founded by Teucer, who in Greek mythology fought alongside his half-brother, Ajax, during the Trojan War.
Archaeological evidence indicates that Salamis was first occupied during the Late Bronze Age III, emerging to be the principal city of ancient Cyprus due to strong trading links with Phoenicia, Egypt, and Cilicia.
As part of a joint research project between the Institute of Marine Archaeological Research, the Ephorate of Marine Antiquities, and the University of Ioannina, underwater archaeologists have conducted a three-year program to study the eastern shores of the city at the north-western side of the Ambelaki-Knosoura marine area. Previous studies have identified sunken remains of the Classical city, including large sections of the sea wall and submerged ruins of public buildings.
Excavations within the former landside of the sea wall have revealed a large, long and narrow public building identified as a stoa. A stoa is a covered walkway or portico where merchants could sell their goods, artists could display their artwork, and religious gatherings could take place. Stoas usually formed part of the agora, a central public space in ancient Greek city-states.
The stoa measures 32 metres in length and contains at least 6-7 rooms with internal dimensions of 4.7 x 4.7 metres. Various artefacts and objects were uncovered during the excavations, including ceramics from the Classical-Hellenistic period, amphora stoppers, fragments of marble objects, and 22 bronze coins.
Of the marble objects, two are of particular importance and date from the 4th century BC. One is a column with part of an inscription in fragmentary verses, and the other is part of a stele showing a muscular right hand of a large figure. The stele corresponds with a marble stele housed in the Archaeological Museum of Salamis which dates from around 320 BC.
According to the researchers: “The identification of the Stoa is a very important new element for the study of the topography and residential organization of the ancient city. It is open to the west and probably marks the eastern boundary of the Agora area of the Classical-Hellenistic city rather than the port, extending on generally level ground to the west/northwest of the building.”
Header Image Credit : Ministry of Culture
A study of archaeological sites in Winchester, England, has revealed that red squirrels served as a host for Mycobacterium leprae strains that caused leprosy in people.
Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases in human history and is still prevalent to this day in Asia, Africa, and South America.
It has previously been suggested that the extensive trade of red squirrel fur, greatly valued during medieval times, could have contributed to the leprosy epidemic in medieval Europe.
The results of the study, published in the journal Current Biology, studied 25 human and 12 squirrel samples from two medieval sites in Winchester.
During this period, the city had strong connections to the fur trade and housed the leprosarium, a hospital that treated people with Hansen’s disease (leprosy) caused by Mycobacterium leprae bacteria.
Verena Schuenemann of the University of Basel in Switzerland, said: “With our genetic analysis we were able to identify red squirrels as the first ancient animal host of leprosy.”
The study found that the medieval red squirrel strains were more closely related to human strains in Winchester, rather than to modern squirrel strains from England – suggesting an independent circulation of Mycobacterium leprae strains.
“Our findings highlight the importance of involving archaeological material, in particular animal remains, into studying the long-term zoonotic potential of this disease, as only a direct comparison of ancient human and animal strains allows reconstructions of potential transmission events across time,” says Sarah Inskip of the University of Leicester, UK, a co-author on the study.
Header Image Credit : Shutterstock
Sources : Current Biology, Urban, Blom, and Avanzi et al.: “Ancient Mycobacterium leprae genome reveals medieval English red squirrels as animal leprosy host.” https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(24)00446-9
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
Archaeologists from the Uncovering Roman Carlisle project have discovered a rare lump of Tyrian purple at the grounds of the Carlisle Cricket Club in Carlisle, England.
The project is a community supported excavation by Wardell Armstrong, focusing on uncovering a Roman bath house found in 2017.
The bath house is located near the Roman fort of Uxelodunum (meaning “high fort”), also known as Petriana, in the Carlisle district of Stanwix.
Uxelodunum was constructed to control the territories west of present-day Carlisle and an important crossing on the River Eden. The fort was garrisoned by the Ala Petriana, a 1,000-strong cavalry unit, whose members were all granted Roman citizenship for valour on the field.
Previous excavations at the bath house have discovered colossal sandstone heads depicting Roman gods, in addition to engraved gems known as intaglios, figurines, animal bones, and imperial-stamped tiles.
During the latest season of excavations, archaeologists found a mysterious lump of a soft purple substance. The substance was tested by researchers from Newcastle University, revealing that it contained levels of Bromine and beeswax.
According to the researchers, the substance is Tyrian purple, a coloured dye associated with the Imperial Court in the Roman Empire. Tyrian purple is secreted by several species of predatory sea snails in the family Muricidae, rock snails originally known by the name Murex.
Frank Giecco, Technical Director at Wardell Armstrong, said: “For millennia, Tyrian Purple was the world’s most expensive and sought after colour. It’s presence in Carlisle combined with other evidence from the excavation all strengthens the hypothesis that the building was in some way associated with the Imperial Court of the Emperor Septimius Severus which was located in York and possibly relates to an Imperial visit to Carlisle.”
“It’s the only example we know of in Northern Europe – possibly the only example of a solid sample of the pigment in the form of unused paint pigment anywhere in the Roman Empire. Examples have been found of it in wall paintings (like in Pompeii) and some high status painted coffins from the Roman province of Egypt,” said Giecco.
Header Image Credit : Wardell Armstrong
Sources : Wardell Armstrong
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
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