Archaeology
Archaeologists search for King John’s lost treasure
Archaeologists from the West Norfolk and King’s Lynn Archaeological Society (WNKLAS) are conducting a search for King John’s lost treasure.
John was born in 1166 at Beaumont Palace in Oxford, England, and was the youngest son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.
He ascended to the throne in 1199, however, his turbulent reign has led to John being described as “one of the worst kings ever to rule England”.
The ensuing wars with Philip II of France led to a growing tension between John and his barons, resulting in a resistance movement emerging in the north and east of England.
The barons renounced their feudal ties and marched on London, Lincoln, and Exeter, forcing John to negotiate a peace settlement at Runnymed (which would later become known as Magna Carta).
John failed to honour the terms of Magna Carta and begun raising an army of mercenaries. The barons responded by offering the crown to Prince Louis of France and eventually forced John into retreat.
While John was crossing the tidal estuaries that empty into the Wash on the east coast, it is said that his baggage train containing the English Crown Jewels was swallowed up by quicksand and whirlpools.
A new study by archaeologists from the West Norfolk and King’s Lynn Archaeological Society (WNKLAS) are now hoping to uncover John’s lost treasures in Norfolk.
The researchers will be excavating an area of land next to Walpole Marsh in the Fenlands, located 8 km’s from the present-day coastline. During the Medieval period, the region was a large natural marshland often prone to flooding.
According to the researchers, the excavation site was chosen based on an aerial survey using LiDAR, a method of remote sensing using light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges (variable distances) to the Earth.
Clive Bond, chairman of the West Norfolk and King’s Lynn Archaeological Society (WNKLAS), said: “It’s an opportunity to take a glimpse into the landscape. When you’re looking at something this big it’s quite exciting.”
“There could be something there, absolutely, but actually getting to where it’s been deposited in a changing, dynamic river system – you’re looking a million to one”, added Mr Bond.
Enso Energy is planning to develop the site in late 2024 into a new solar farm to power 10,150 homes. However, according to a report by Enso Energy, “there are no statutory landscape, heritage or ecological designations on site”.
In 1216, John contracted dysentery and died in October at Newark Castle in Nottinghamshire. He was buried in Worcester Cathedral in front of the altar of St Wulfstan.
Header Image Credit : Shutterstock
Sources : West Norfolk and King’s Lynn Archaeological Society (WNKLAS)
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
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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