 | A U.S. veteran discovered the grave of a sixth-century Saxon soldier buried with a sword, spear and knife. The Bronze Age burial was found at Salisbury Plain in England, not far from Stonehenge.
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Tuesday 31 July 2018
Ancient Warrior Clutching Spear Found
Monday 30 July 2018
Ancient ‘gate of hell’ in Turkey to open to visitors
 | An ancient Roman “gate to hell,” believed to be a passage to the underworld in southwestern Turkey, will open to visitors. The gate, which was named “Plutonium” after the god of the underworld, Pluto or Hades, was unearthed at the site of Hierapolis-Pamukkale. |  |
 | Hierapolis-Pamukkale was founded at the end of the second century B.C. Its thermal springs were believed to have great healing powers.
Ceded to Rome in 133 B.C., Hierapolis flourished, reaching its peak of importance in the second and third centuries A.D. The gate was thought to belch the “breath of death,” killing all, except the divinely immune priests who led animals to sacrifice. Scientists have provided an explanation for the mystery. Fissures in the earth’s surface, beneath the site, emits carbon dioxide at concentrations so high it can be deadly. |
Wednesday 25 July 2018
Heritage on-line features US coins July 24-25 Internet Coin Auction
Heritage features US coins July 24-25 2018 at it's Internet Coin Auction. Only coins certified by NGC, PCGS and ANACS are offered.
Tuesday 24 July 2018
Highway Threatens Ancient Roman Site in Bulgaria
 | A new highway that will connect Sofia in Bulgaria with Thessaloniki in Greece threatens the ruins of the ancient Roman settlement of Skaptopara. The ruins are standing in the way of a long-delayed highway running through the picturesque Kresna gorge in southwestern Bulgaria. |  |
 Finds include a well-preserved Roman tomb, ancient coins, figures and vessels. | The future of the archaeological site is contested between state institutions, which rushed through excavations. Archeological works ended on July 20. Many believe the fate of yet another important site in Bulgaria is effectively sealed.  |  |
Saturday 21 July 2018
Stack’s Bowers Galleries August 2018 ANA Sale
 Macedon. Alexander III (the Great), 336-323 B.C. AV Distater, Aegeae Mint, ca. 336-323 B.C. | The Ancient and World Coin sale will be offered on two days, starting on August 14. The event will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. |  Syria. Seleukid Kingdom. Diodotus Tryphon, 142-138 B.C. AR Tetradrachm. |
 Septimus Severus, A.D. 193-211. AV Aureus (7.26 gms), Rome Mint, ca. A.D. 202. |  Una and the Lion 5 Pound. Great Britain, 1839. |  France. Ecu d’Or du Dauphine, ND (1542-47). Romans Mint. Francois I (1515-47). NGC MS-62. |
Thursday 19 July 2018
99m year old baby snake fossil found in amber - first known
| The snake skeleton is almost complete except for the skull. Entombed in a chunk of amber, it includes 97 tiny vertebrae, most with their feathery ribs still attached. The unique sample comes from Myanmar. |
Wednesday 18 July 2018
Fine Ancient and Ethnographic Art at Ancient Resource Auctions
 Roman marble head of Lucius Aelius Caesar. Early 2nd Century AD. Over life size in veristic style. Est $45,000 - $60,000 | Ancient Resource Auctions will be hosting an exquisite collection of sculptures and other rare items in Glendale, CA on July 22. |  Ancient to Renaissance marble bust, 'Emperor Vitellius'. Est $30,000 - $50,000 |
 Egyptian bronze, Harpokrates. c. 500 BC. Est $10k |  Teotihuacan jadeite figure. C. AD 250 - 600. Est $9,000 - $12,000 |  Greek terracotta yarn-making relief scene c. 5th Century BC. Est $8,000 - $15,000 |  Michelangelo "Pieta” (1/2 life size) Lost Wax Bronze Sculpture.Limited Edition of 50. Signed and numbered. Comes with a certificate of authenticity. Sculpted from 1498–1500. Est $60,000 - $65,000 |
Sunday 15 July 2018
The Olduvai Handaxe
 | The Olduvai Handaxe was found in Tanzania in the Olduvai Gorge. The stone tool dates to between 1.4 and 1.2 million years ago, and it was used mainly for the cutting of meat and woodworking. It was made from green volcanic lava, and was used by the first prehistoric people who were evolved enough to be truly comparable to modern day humans. The handaxe found in the gorge coincided with the first known great migration of human ancestors who moved from Africa into Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, bringing the handaxe with them. |  |
Saturday 14 July 2018
Gold-Gilded mask found at ancient Egypt necropolis
 | A silver face mask gilded with gold, a mummification workshop, mummies and sarcophagi have all been discovered at a tomb complex in Saqqara. The discovery is incredibly rare as most tombs were looted in antiquity. Some of the finds date back around 2,500 years, including the silver face mask, which dates to sometime between 664 B.C. and 404 B.C. Researchers believe the mask belonged to a priest who served the sky God Mut. |  |
 Saqqara Step Pyramid | A workshop is in the remains of a building made of mudbrick and limestone. This building is above a large shaft that leads down to several burial chambers holding mummies, sarcophagi, alabaster vessels (used to hold the organs of the deceased) and shabti figurines — the Egyptians believed these figures could act as servants for the deceased in the afterlife. |
Friday 13 July 2018
SS Central America yields rare Territorial Gold Coins
 Second finest known 1854 Kellogg $20 Territorial gold coin, graded PCGS MS62+ | Latest coins from the SS Central America includes rare Territorial Gold Coins. "Territorial" is a term that encompasses a wide range of coins issued by private minters, semi-official entities, entrepreneurs, and opportunists. |  Rare 884 THOUS variety 1853 U.S. Assay Office $20, graded PCGS AU55+ |
 Small Head variety 1852 Wass Molitor $5 gold coin, with a counterstamp advertising Sacramento dentist W.W. Light | Nearly all of the coins arose out of necessity and were created to fill a void that government could not or would not fill. Until they intervened, these issue flourished; once the government entered the market, they effectively disappeared or were made illegal. |  One of the finest known 1855 Wass Molitor Small Head variety $20 gold coins, PCGS AU58 |
Traces of war found in ancient Lydian city Sardis
 | Military equipment has been unearthed in the ancient city of Sardis. Officials believe they might have been used in an ancient war between the Lydians and the Persians. The ancient city of Sardis was the capital of the Lydian Kingdom, and had been home to many civilizations since. The military equipment is believed to have been used in the war that caused the end of the Lydian Kingdom in 546 B.C. |  |
 | The ancient city of Sardis is the first place where coins were minted and is home to one of the Seven Churches of Christianity. Artifacts that have been unearthed there are now displayed at Manisa Museum |  |
Thursday 12 July 2018
Travancore royal against 'commercialization' of temple treasures
 | A member of the royal family of Travancore said he is against the 'commercialization' of the vast riches contained in the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. The Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Thiruvananthapuram, India. The temple and its assets belong to Lord Padmanabhaswamy, and are controlled by a trust run by the Royal family.  |
 | In June 2011, the Supreme Court directed authorities to open the secret chambers of the temple for inspection of the items kept inside. Some had not been opened in centuries. The review of the temple's underground vaults led to the enumeration of a vast inventory of the temple's assets. 18th century Napoleonic era coins were found, as well as a three-and-a-half foot tall solid gold idol of Mahavishnu studded with rubies and emeralds. |  Ceremonial attire adorning the deity was in the form of a gold anki weighing almost 30 kilograms (66 lb). |
| It's estimated that the value of the items is US$22b. This makes the Padmanabhaswamy temple the wealthiest temple in India and the world. The treasures built up in the temple for centuries. |  |
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 Vault B door with Cobra guardians | It was announced that a new hidden treasure vault had been discovered beyond the already documented Vault B. Adding to recent treasure findings in other vaults, researchers are estimating the total treasure could total over $1.5 trillion. ($25b US) The temple has been shrouded in mystery and superstition. Two enormous Cobras are rumored to be protecting the innermost hidden chamber. |  Legend holds that anyone who opens the vault will be met with certain doom. |
Wednesday 11 July 2018
The Armadillo's Ancient Texas Roots
 | The Spaniards named them armadillos – “the little armored ones.” It was a term of affection. A man in east Texas shot one with a .38 and the bullet ricocheted off the armadillo’s thick plating and hit the man in the face. He recovered. The armadillo was never found but is probably still laughing. They are impressive survivors. |  Four million years ago, their distant relatives roamed the earth, glyptodons. They reached a weight of two tons, about the size of a rhino. |
 | In 2016 geneticists analyzed the ancient DNA of a glyptodon, comparing it with that of modern armadillos and found evidence that they are directly related. Why the original was so large or why its descendants became miniaturized is an unsolved mystery. The Texas armadillo has earned it's iconic status. During the Great Depression, an era many blamed on President Herbert Hoover, food was scarce, and many people in Texas hunted and ate armadillos, calling them “poor man’s pork” or “Hoover hogs.” |  Armadillo (aka The Texas Speed Bump) |
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