The city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town near modern Naples.
When Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, Pompeii was burned and buried in ash, while nearby Herculaneum was destroyed by the pyroclastic flow. The area was buried under 4 to 6m (13 to 20 ft) of ash and pumice from the eruption. Pompeii was lost for 1500 years until its rediscovery in 1599 and broader rediscovery almost 150 years later in 1748. Discoveries continue to this day.
The objects that lay beneath the city have been well preserved for thousands of years.
Marble statue with traces of gold-plating from the Temple of Isis, Pompeii.
Helmet of a ‘Thracian’ (Thrax) gladiator. Bronze, from Pompeii.
Mosaic (detail) from Pompeii.
Apollo as an Archer
A gold bracelet bears an inscription. On its inside face are the words 'dominus ancillae suae'– from the master (dominus) to his slave-girl (ancilla).
Archaeologists uncovered at least 20 ancient wooden coffins in the southern city of Luxor in 2019.
Archaeologists found the coffins in the Asasif Necropolis. The necropolis is located in the ancient town of West Thebes and includes tombs dating back to the Middle, New Kingdom and Late Periods (1994 B.C. to 332 B.C.)
Researchers cracked open the spectacular wooden coffins and found perfectly preserved mummies. The find is being described as the most important in a century. The coffins are estimated to be 3,000 years old.
The coffins were found sealed and intact, featuring vibrant color inscriptions and well-preserved engravings, both inside and out. Inscriptions suggest the coffins were for children and priests.
A Byzantium-era gold coin that was discovered in the mountains of southern Norway is a mystery. The coin is a Byzantine histamenon nomisma. These were introduced in Byzantium around 960 AD in what was then the eastern part of the Roman Empire. One side of the coin is stamped with an image of Christ holding the Bible. On the other side, the two emperors Basil II and Constantine VIII.
The two brothers jointly ruled in Byzantium for almost fifty years from 976 to 1025. The coin bears two inscriptions. In Latin, it says Jesus Christ, King of those who rule, and in Greek, it reads Basil and Constantine, emperors of the Byzantine Empire. Struck in gold, standard weight is around 4.4g, though quality and fineness decreased in the 11th century, transitioning to electrum.
It was possibly part of the treasures that Harald Hardrada amassed after serving in the Varangian Guard for the Byzantine emperor in 1034. The Varangian Guard consisted of Scandinavian mercenaries, who served as bodyguards and were known as being fearless. Hardrada was King of Norway from 1046 to 1066. He unsuccessfully claimed both the Danish throne until 1064 and the English throne in 1066. It was customary at that time for the guards to loot the palace when an emperor died, and during Harald’s time in Byzantium, three emperors had died.
Some historians believe that Harald’s demise at Stamford Bridge in 1066 is the end of The Viking Age and deem him the Last Viking. Harald Hardrada, the King of Norway, was killed on September 25, 1066, at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, ending his invasion of England. Caught off-guard by King Harold Godwinson’s forces, Harald was struck in the throat by an arrow while fighting without his chainmail.
Basil II, the 'Bulgar-Slayer,' solidified the empire through military victories.
Basil II (r. 976–1025) and Constantine VIII (r. 1025–1028) were brothers of the Macedonian dynasty who reigned for a combined 66 years, bringing the Byzantine Empire to its zenith. Constantine VIII acted as a nominal co-emperor, largely ignoring statecraft for a life of luxury.
Eleutherna, also called Apollonia, was an ancient city-state in Crete, Greece. It is located on a narrow northern spur of Mount Ida, the highest mountain in Crete.
It flourished from the Dark Ages of Greece’s history until Byzantine times.
The Eleutherna museum is in an area where excavations were conducted and is enclosed within the Eleutherna archaeological park's boundaries.
Located in the heart of Crete, near the island's geographical center, the archaeological site is nestled in a slope of Mount Ida overlooking the sea. Time has erased most traces of the ancient city-state from the surface – with a human presence dating back to 3000 BC. But the ground itself has yielded many treasures.
The site of Eleutherna includes an acropolis, a polis, and a necropolis. Excavations over the years have shown that the people who lived here were of the Bronze Age civilizations of both the Minoans and the Mycenaeans, as well as the Dorians, warriors from the Greek mainland.
Plaques with the Life of Achilles, about A.D. 300–350, made in Thessaloniki; found in Eleutherna
Greek Bee Fibula, 4th century BC
Bee Goddess - From Eleutherna on Crete, c. 700 BC.
The site of Eleutherna includes an acropolis, a polis, and a necropolis. Excavations over the years have shown that the people who lived here were of the Bronze Age civilizations of both the Minoans and the Mycenaeans, as well as the Dorians, warriors from the Greek mainland.
