Ancient Origins Unleashed Debrief: A Medieval Castle found, Alexander’s Sacred Tunic and Middle Kingdom burials top this bumper pack of ancient finds.
Greetings the Unleashed!
I’m not going to lie, as I’m sure some of you might have noticed, it’s been a little while since the last round up. For those who are worried about missing out on the latest finds, fear not, as this round-up is a bumper edition.
Here’s the rundown of what’s in store for you:
Sacred Tunic of Alexander the Great Found in Ancient Macedonian Tomb: Archaeologists in Vergina, Macedonia, have uncovered a fragment of purple-dyed fabric believed to be Alexander the Great's sacred tunic.
Egyptian Middle Kingdom Burials in Luxor: 11 sealed tombs with rich grave goods reveal the affluence of ancient Luxor.
Medieval Castle Found in Scotland: Volunteers uncover a lost castle linked to Mary Queen of Scots.
Babylonian "Ark" Story: New clues in a Babylonian map hint at a Great Flood narrative.
Temple of Poseidon in Greece: Newly uncovered temple reveals greater dimensions than expected.
Viking Burial Ground in Sweden: Archaeologists find 139 Viking graves filled with treasures and shipwrecks.
Bone Changes from Ancient Tobacco Use: Study links tobacco consumption to skeletal changes from the 12th century.
5,000-Year-Old Chinese King's Tomb: An elaborate tomb likely belonging to an early Chinese king.
First Sedentary People in Serbia: 8,000-year-old Serbian house offers clues to Europe’s early farming communities.
Norse Seeress in Denmark: Grave of a Viking völva believed to be a high-status seeress and seductress.
Mysterious Bamboo "Wagon" in Swiss Alps: A puzzling bamboo contraption found near a melting glacier.
Here we go…
Holy cape, Batman…
Sacred Tunic of Alexander the Great Found in an Ancient Macedonian Tomb?
A fragment of purple fabric, a sacred chiton (tunic), found in a royal tomb in Vergina, Macedonia, northern Greece, could be that of Alexander the Great! The team of archaeologists uncovered a cotton textile dyed in purple that aligns with ancient accounts of the sarapis, a ceremonial garment worn by Persian kings, which Alexander adopted after his victory over Darius III. The textile was found in the golden ossuary of Tomb II, along with the remains of a male individual and a golden oak wreath.
A Regal Fabric: Tyrian Purple of Alexander
The study, led by Antonis Bartsiokas from Democritus University of Thrace, has been published in The Journal of Field Archaeology. After conducting a series of chemical, physical, and microscopic analyses, the researcher team concluded that the fabric is cotton, a rare material during that period.
The royal tunic Alexander wore was dyed with "Tyrian purple," a color reserved for royalty across many ancient cultures. This color emphasized his rank and imperial dominance. Purple was a rare luxury, symbolizing wealth, power, and divinity.
Untouched…
Archaeologists Find 11 Sealed Middle Kingdom Burials in Luxor, Egypt
Archaeologists have discovered an ancient tomb containing 11 sealed burials near the legendary historical site of Luxor, Egypt. They also found an impressive collection of grave goods in the tomb, highlighting the wealth of the individuals who were buried there.
The tomb, dating back to the Middle Kingdom (1938–1630 BC), was unearthed in the South Asasif necropolis, with coffins for men, women, and children. Potentially, the site may have served as a family tomb over several generations through the 12th and early 13th Dynasties.
The finds were made by a joint-archaeological mission of Egyptian and US archaeologists, according to a press release by the South Asasif Conservation Project. The newly discovered tomb is located near the Temple of Hatshepsut on Luxor’s West Bank, and this is the first Middle Kingdom tomb discovered in this area.
“The unearthing of the first Middle Kingdom tomb in the South Asasif necropolis alters its history, placing South Asasif within the sprawling Theban Middle Kingdom necropolis,” said Katherine Blakeney, the lead American archaeologist working at the site. “Further exploration of the Middle Kingdom burials in the South Asasif necropolis will significantly advance our ongoing research on Middle Kingdom influences on the art and funerary rituals of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty.”
Intact Despite the Flood: A Beautiful Array of Artifacts
Many of the tomb’s original wooden coffins and linen wrappings were destroyed by ancient floods, but some items remained intact, including jewelry from women’s burials: these include an amethyst necklace featuring 30 beads, as well as two cylindrical agate beads and a hippo-head amulet, as detailed in the statement.
Lost castle found…
Volunteer Archaeologists Find Lost Medieval Castle in Scottish Forest
Scotland is famous the world over for its collection of medieval castles, and a team of volunteer archaeologists have have just added a new one to the list. Most intriguingly, the castle they believe they’ve discovered is linked to Mary Queen of Scots, and also to the Battle of Langside, which may have led directly to the castle’s destruction and the famous Mary’s downfall.
Following the Roadmaps to an Archaeological Treasure
Over the summer of 2024, representatives of Scotland’s Clutcha Archaeology Group were digging in the forested land of Chatelherault Country Park near the town of Hamilton in South Lanarkshire, in search of any trace of Eddlewood Castle, a legendary structure that has been lost for more than 450 years.
They had a good idea of where to look for the hidden fortified complex, as they had access to two sources that described its location. The first was an estate plan prepared for the Duke of Hamilton in 1776, which marked out where the castle had supposedly once stood. The second source was a written report from the year 1889, which discussed the Battle of Langside and described in detail the spot where the castle had been built.
Armed with this information, the Clutcha Archaeology volunteers, with help from experts affiliated with Archaeology Scotland and the Countryside Ranger Service, opened three excavation test pits in what was deemed a promising location, to see if they could uncover any evidence of a buried medieval castle.
Much to everyone’s delight, such evidence was in fact found.
All mapped out…
Babylonian Map of the World Includes “Ark” Story Linked to Noah’s Ark
A 3,000-year-old Babylonian tablet known as the Imago Mundi, or the “Babylonian Map of the World,” recently led British Museum researchers to an astonishing find: a reference to a Great Flood story that parallels the Biblical account of Noah’s Ark.
Originally unearthed in 1882 in Sippar, an ancient Babylonian city near present-day Baghdad, Iraq, this unique clay tablet has challenged archaeologists and scholars for over a century. However, a recent breakthrough in the deciphering of the cuneiform script on the tablet's back has uncovered new details that connect ancient Babylonian beliefs with flood narratives familiar to many around the world.
A Map of Babylonian Cosmology
This remarkable tablet, barely larger than a hand, features the oldest known map of the world.
“If you look carefully,” explains Dr. Irving Finkel, a curator at the British Museum in a British Museum video, “you will see that the flat surface of the clay has a double circle drawn...with cuneiform writing in it which says it's the 'Bitter River’.”
Inside this double-ringed circle sits Babylon, encased by a water boundary representing Mesopotamia. The Euphrates River and several prominent cities, including Babylon itself, are marked within the map’s borders.
Beyond this “known world,” the tablet depicts triangular forms believed to represent mountains or distant, mysterious lands. These locations are associated with otherworldly features, described by Finkel as “places full of magic, and full of mystery.”
Fit for a god…
Temple of Poseidon Fully Uncovered, Proves Much Larger than Expected
Archaeologists have finally uncovered the full extent of the Temple of Poseidon at Samikon in the Western Peloponnese, Greece. The temple complex is significantly larger than expected, measuring approximately 28 meters long (91.8 ft) and nearly 9.5 meters (31.1 ft) wide, adding new depth to a find first made two years ago. Two large interior rooms dating back to the 6th century BC, along with a bronze plaque that likely adorned the temple walls, are the two more significant discoveries from this round of excavations.
The recent excavations were part of a five-year project led by the Austrian Archaeological Institute and supported by the Department of Antiquities of Elis. This is a site which researchers have searched for over a century, following hints provided by ancient Greek geographers like Strabo, reports a press release by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OAW). In 2021, the first breakthrough had been made, when Austrian and Greek researchers, together with geophysicists and geoarchaeologists, uncovered the foundation walls.
Shipwrecks, Treasure, and 139 Viking Graves: Vast Cemetery Discovered in Sweden
A phenomenal find unfolds in Sweden! Archaeologists were all set to investigate a settlement from the Stone Age outside Varberg. But the work took a new direction when they stumbled upon a gigantic burial ground from the Viking Age. Remains of 139 graves with, among other things, animal and human bones, costume jewelry, clay pots, bonfires and even shipwrecks were found.
“We have only excavated about six percent of the burial field”, says Petra Nordin, project manager at Arkeologerna, (the Archaeologists) at the State Historical Museums.
A Swift Change of Focus
On paper, it appeared to be a normal preliminary investigation of a Stone Age settlement, when the archaeologists began investigating the site in Tvååker, in May 2017. The municipality planned new water pipes and a roundabout, and the site would be excavated in stages. Finds were made of flint and a furnace, but the area turned out to be hiding an even bigger secret.
Even in the first year, Petra Nordin realized that it was a bigger job than anyone had imagined when they started finding remains of Viking age burials:
“We had found five graves with bone remains and fire layers. The bones were from dogs and humans. Then we realized that here was a large Viking burial ground that we had to focus on.”
Archaeologists Reveal How Tobacco Use Changed Human Bone Structure
A new study has revealed that the consumption of tobacco left a detectable mark on human bone structure. By analyzing skeletal remains dating back as far as the 12th century, researchers have identified significant changes in bone composition linked to tobacco use. This discovery allows scientists, for the first time, to identify the remains of tobacco users even in cases where dental evidence is absent.
The study, part of the Tobacco, Health & History project led by Dr. Sarah Inskip, focuses on the molecular changes caused by tobacco use in human cortical bone, the dense outer layer of bones that provides strength and protection, notes a University of Leicester release. These changes, still traceable centuries after death, offer a new method for categorizing skeletal remains and gaining deeper insights into the long-term health effects of tobacco use on past populations.
5000-year-old Tomb Could Belong to First Chinese King
A magnificent and massive tomb belonging to an early Chinese king, likely from a ‘complex society’ and dated to 5,000-years-ago, has been unearthed at the Wangzhuang ruins in Yongcheng, Henan province, central China. It seems that the grave was the final resting place of a king from a prehistoric society, further supported by the discovery of over 350 artifacts at the site so far.
Not A Regular Settlement: Capital of a Prehistoric Kingdom
Researchers, in fact, believe that this discovery indicates that the Wangzhuang ruins were likely the capital of a prehistoric kingdom, not just a regular settlement. This theory was supported by Zhu Guanghua, an associate professor at Capital Normal University, reports South China Morning Post.
The tomb itself measures between 4.52 and 4.8 meters (15 to 15.5 feet) in length and 3.47 to 3.68 meters (11.5 to 12 feet) in width, featuring both an inner and outer coffin. Despite the damage sustained, the tomb contains a wealth of burial items: over 100 pieces of pottery, nearly 200 small jade ornaments, bone tools, and animal remains, including pig mandibles (a signifier of wealth), have been found within.
First Sedentary People in Europe: 8,000-Year-Old House Discovered in Serbia
An extraordinary discovery in southern Serbia sheds light on the origins of sedentary life in Europe. Archaeologists have uncovered an 8,000-year-old house in Svinjarička Čuka, providing new insights into early agricultural societies and the spread of Neolithic innovations in the Balkans.
Were the first farming societies in Europe nomadic, or were they (seasonally) sedentary? How did sedentary life spread between Anatolia and Europe, and how did the first sedentary people influence agricultural techniques on our continent?
An Austrian-Serbian team of archaeologists, led by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), discovered the remains of a rectangular house in Svinjarička Čuka, built around 8,000 years ago.
“The new finds in Svinjarička Čuka provide significantly new insights and data that are likely to change previous models on the development of settlement in the Balkans,” says Barbara Horejs, archaeologist and scientific director of the Austrian Archaeological Institute of the ÖAW.
The building, constructed from wattle and daub combined with wooden posts and exceptionally well-preserved by fire, offers crucial clues to the construction methods and way of life of these early agricultural pioneers.
The Viking Seeress of Fyrkat: a High-status Sorceress and Seductress
A Norse burial site in Denmark from around the year 940 contains the remains of a woman of high status whom experts believe was a seeress or völva.
Such women held a special place in society and commanded the attention of Viking kings, warriors and even the gods. Witches, called völur, are mentioned in some of the old Norse manuscripts.
This grave contains the body of a woman who has been dubbed the Seeress of Fyrkat. She was buried with items that indicate she may have practiced seid or sorcery.
The völur were known to seduce men, and for this reason some deemed them dangerous. The goddess Freya was also known as a seducer, and she may have been a divine role model for sorceresses in Norse society.
Origins Unknown: Unfathomable Bamboo ‘Wagon’ Found in Swiss Alps
As glaciers continue to melt in the Swiss Alps, a hiker made an unusual discovery near the fading Schwarzhorn Glacier - a two-wheeled bamboo contraption that has left archaeologists scratching their heads.
Found in the Splügen Pass on November 2, 2024, by Swiss hiker Sergio Veri, this curious find resembles a wagon but lacks clear definition or historical context. While initially estimated to date from the 20th century, the contraption’s origins and purpose currently remain unknown.
The Canton of Graubünden’s Archaeological Service, who shared the find on social media, describes the structure as made of bamboo rods and laces, suggesting it was designed to carry something, but no one is sure what.
The use of bamboo - a material not native to Switzerland but introduced to Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries - adds to the mystery, but also indicates it is certainly not ancient. The object’s structure suggests some kind of utility, but without similar artifacts for comparison, speculation about its function abounds on the post.
Until next time… Keep em peeled…
Gary Manners - Senior Editor, Ancient Origins
Love your Substack, just fascinating‼️ Thanks 🙏