In the following video we will be talking about who Solomon was and why he fell. Enjoy!
This Is Not A Huge Carpet But The World’s Largest Mosaic Unearthed In Turkey
The world’s largest intact mosaic opened to the public on 2019 in Antakya, Turkey, as part of the newly built Antakya Museum Hotel. The 1,300-year-old, 9,000-square-foot mosaic was discovered in 2010. Archaeologists believe this vast mosaic with intricate geometries was the floor of a public building in the ancient city of Antioch. It was damaged during a series of major earthquakes in 526 and 528 A.D., but some of that damage only enhances its spectacular visual qualities because the mosaic remained connected to the floor and mostly intact even as the foundation itself undulated wildly.
Founded in 300 B.C. by one of Alexander the Great’s successor generals Seleucus I Nicator, Antioch was the capital of the Seleucid Empire until it was conquered by Rome in 63 B.C. and became the seat of the governor. Its location made it a hub of trade between the Mediterranean and the East. At its peak, Antioch had a population of half a million and was so important that it was considered a rival first to Alexandria and then to Constantinople as the second most important city in the Empire.
Today Antakya is internationally known for the great number and high quality of mosaics that have been found under its streets. The Hatay Archaeological Museum has a collection of Roman mosaics that is without peer, most of them lifted from excavations and conserved indoors. So it was not unexpected when construction of a new hotel revealed a spectacular late Roman mosaic. The approach taken to its preservation, however, diverged from the well-trodden path of earlier discoveries.
The sheer enormity of the mosaic required a different plan of action. Instead of lifting the mosaic, or part of it, or covering it for its own protection and building over it, archaeologists and architects worked together to create a hybrid: a museum hotel. The Antakya Museum Hotel, located near the Church of St. Peter, a crusader-era church built around a cave believed to be one of the earliest Christian churches in the world, would be built using the archaeology of the site as a lodestar.
EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture placed structural columns along the a former riverbed that crosses through the middle of the site and outside the perimeter of the mosaic. They built a platform on top of the columns to house the hotel’s amenities — ballroom, conference rooms, pool, gym — with passageways and viewing points for guests to view the incredible archaeology beneath them. The rooms are prefabricated units stacked on top of each other, which reduced the amount of on-site construction and the potential damage to the mosaic. The walkways and bridges that connect the rooms create an open space where the archaeology is in sight throughout the building.
Hobbyist with metal detector finds gold medallion from Tudor period
A rare, precious piece of jewelry dating back to the 15th century was found by chance in England by a citizen with little experience with metal detectors.
In 2019, Charlie Clark had just spent six months metal detecting when he discovered a gold medallion in Warwickshire (West Midlands).
The jewelry was engraved with the symbols of the king of the Tudor dynasty, Henry VIII, and his first wife Katherine of Aragon. The first of Henry VIII's six wives had married Henry in 1509.
One side of the jewelry is decorated with a Tudor rose entwined with a bushy pomegranate growing from the same branch. The back is engraved with the letters H and K - for Henry and Katherine. Both sides are inscribed at the bottom with TOVS + IORS, a play on the French word "toujours" meaning "always".
When Clark, still a novice in the field of metal detecting, found the gem, he consulted an expert at Regton, a Birmingham shop, and contacted the British Museum to report his find.
Rachel King, curator of Renaissance works at the British Museum, was shocked when she learned of the discovery, she told CNN. She wondered if it was a genuine artifact, and after the medallion was delivered to the British Museum, it was analyzed to determine if it was indeed from the Tudor period.
One of King's tests dated the jewelry to before 1530, and the curator and her team speculate that the medallion may have been awarded as a prize or worn at a tournament Henry used to organize.
The medallion may change Clark's life if it is sold. He hopes to use the money for his 4-year-old son's education.
In 2021, according to the British Museum, 45,581 archaeological finds were recorded, 96% of which were found by people with metal detectors.
Chania, Greece | Excavation reveals an ancient palace on Kasteli Hill - A hoard of coins was also found
A palace center of ancient Kydonia was discovered during the recent excavations of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chania, according to the head of the systematic excavations on Kastelli Hill of Chania and honorary General Director of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage, Maria Vlazaki.
In her letter detailing the results of the excavation work, Ms. Vlazaki states:
"The old city of Chania has the great privilege of living, breathing and moving on the ruins of many cultures with strong traces and can be called one of the oldest cities in Europe, whose life began as early as the 4th millennium BC. The city has lived since the 4th millennium BC. The very modern settlement, which is the great obstacle to the unveiling of its past, is at the same time the charm of this city, which is marked everywhere, in its subsoil, its soil and its air, by the ancient aura.
This year's excavations by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chania, under the direction of the undersigned Dr. Maria Andreadaki-Vlazaki, which took place during the months of October and November on Kastelli Hill in the old city of Chania, confirmed our recently expressed views that with the systematic exploration of the hill and especially in the area of Katre Street, the palatial center and part of the palace complex of Chania and Kydonia from the Minoan and Cretan-Mycenaean periods are gradually being uncovered.
Our hypothesis, already made in the 1980s when the famous "Seal of the Despot" (Master Impression) came to light, that it depicts the palatial center of Chania, located on the hill of Kastelli and being seen from the sea, has now been confirmed.
The research of 2022 revealed two more wooden column bases, which in some way represent the double colonnade of the great hypostyle room - hall of the 14th and 13th centuries BC, which is gradually coming to light as the excavations progress. Also this year we have uncovered more layers of the calcareous gravel floor, due to the effect of the fault that runs through the excavation and that was formed during the earthquake in the 13th century.
The dimensions of the hypostyle room have already reached 18m (N-S) and 10.30m (E-W), without its boundaries being identified so far, except on the north side, where frescoed openings to important rooms were discovered growing up the hill. Moreover, in contact with the north wall, at a point between the two colonnades where the wall painting is interrupted, there seems to have been a wooden piece of furniture (a seat?) on a stone slab on the floor.
Serious evidence leads to the hypothesis that there may have been a third colonnade to the east, which further emphasizes the importance of the site. The gradual exposure of the site is a strong argument that the southern part of the Mycenaean palace of Kydonia is located at this point of the hill. This is supported by the fact that this very site was chosen to receive the atonement offerings of the numerous animal and human sacrifices after the earthquake.
For the earlier neo-palatial period (16th-15th centuries BC), the 2022 survey provided important evidence: The floor in front of the paved corridor uncovered in 2018 was also made of calcareous gravel, but it had a lower thickness and a different texture and technique than that of the 14th century.
As for the younger years, e.g., late 8th and early 7th century (post geometric period I and II ), the site was also open and paved on a large area, partly with sherds of pitho and large vessels with strong fire marks, probably related to a collective activity, perhaps craft.
An excellent clay head of a female deity was also found in these years, a rare find in Kydonia, as well as a corroded and indistinct bronze head, possibly corresponding to the first one.
In the early Archaic period (second half of the 7th/early 6th century B.C.), a significant complex was built in the area, associated with public gatherings and events, as indicated by the large quantity of black isolated cups, as well as the considerable number of anklets, clay flywheels, and weaving stones that come to light each year.
Deep cracks in the clay soils of Late Geometric and Early Archaic times indicate great seismic activity.
The traces of settlement from the classical period are mainly limited to deposits and minimal building elements, if we exclude the construction of the wall of the acropolis of classical Kydonia in the 4th century. For example, in a deposit with a lot of pottery from the Archaic period and some from the Classical period, a treasure of 33 silver coins, mainly from the 4th century, came to light, which is a great find, extremely rare and especially interesting, as it is a collection of coins from many Cretan cities with thriving coin productions. The coins are in a stage of cleaning and care, but most of the images are very sharp. So far, coins from at least 13 cities are known: Kydonia ("Pseudo-Aeginetan"), Aptera, Polyrinia, Falasarna, Eleftherna, Raukos, Tylissos, Knossos, Gortyna, Phaistos, Lyttos, Praisos and Itanos. Perhaps it is a case of private hoarding, that is, the accumulation of wealth from island-wide activities and the hiding of a substantial amount due to hardship.
A very brief investigation in the Lionaki - Vlamaki plot at the intersection of Canevaro and Skordilon roads yielded more pottery that helps to complement the luxurious clay vessels from the early days of the foundation of the Mycenaean palace (before the mid-14th century BC) that had come to light in large quantities in 2021.
The movable finds include a clay tablet with a Linear A ideogram engraved on its apartment surface, depicting a warrior with a shield, and five seal impressions on its edge depicting two Buchanans. Similar panels exist in the Linear A' archive in Katre Street and are certainly related to a specific person and specific products traded in the Minoan palace of the 15th century. e.g.
Also this year, professors Emm. Manoutsoglou (geologist) and Vlasis Koumousis (civil engineer) offered their valuable help in the excavations. Constant is the collaboration of archaeobotanist Dr. Anagia Sarpakis who, with the assistance of archeologists Eleanna Stathakis, Marilena Pantelakis and tour guide Stavros Stavroulakis, examined the archaeobotanical material of the excavation.
Analyzes for aDNA testing of the skeletal material of the young woman from the "Katre 1" excavation, as well as individuals from Kydonia tombs of the same period, were completed at this stage and showed that the inhabitants of Kydonia in the second half of the 14th and 13th centuries had a mixture of local and "immigrant" genetic variation from the mainland Greece. The girl who was sacrificed also belongs to this population.
Analyzes of the ancient human genomes were conducted in the laboratories of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena, Germany, by Irini Skourtaniotis and Philipp Stockhammer, along with osteological material from other areas of Crete and the Peloponnese. These analyzes provide fascinating information about social organization in the Aegean Bronze Age, as recently announced.
At Kydonia, procedures are also being prepared for authorizing the analysis of a substantial number of charcoal samples from the destruction layer of the Mycenaean palace complex in order to participate in an international research program aimed at tree species identification, tree dating, and radiodating.
The 2022 excavation, funded by the Institute of Aegean Prehistory and supported at the same time by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chania and volunteers, was attended by Ms. Eftychia Protopapadakis, archeologist of the Ephorate and main collaborator, archeology student Elena Karalekas and archeologists Iro Tsirintoulakis and Eleanna Stathakis.
The master craftsmen were Dionysis Alyfantis, Nektarios Babounakis and Yiannis Bitsakis, whose exceptional skills and years of experience played a crucial role in solving questions and problems. The restorer Alexia Grammatikaki takes care of the conservation of the ceramics and the coins, and the architects Irini Vlazakis and Anna Tsitonakis work on the electronic recording of the excavation and the processing of the plans.
Rome: A statue of a Roman emperor in the shape of Hercules was found
A life-size statue of a Roman emperor in the form of Hercules, the hero of Greek mythology, was discovered during sewer work near the Appian Way ( Appia Antica ), the first major public road in ancient Rome.
The discovery was made when a bulldozer was digging through old pipes that needed to be replaced. The archaeologist supervising the work immediately intervened.
"This face came to light and was immediately recognised as a figure dressed as Hercules," Francesca Romana Paolillo, an archaeologist at Appia Antica Park, told Reuters.
The marble sculpture, which depicts a Hercules-like figure wearing a lion skin and carrying the hero's signature club, was discovered Jan. 25 in Scott Park, part of the Appia Antica green space.
It shows forehead wrinkles that are characteristic of depictions of emperors from the 3rd century, a time of deep crisis for the Roman Empire.
The sculpture bears a "clear resemblance" to Emperor Decius, who ruled Rome from 249 to 251 AD, Paolillo said, adding that discoveries of depictions of Roman leaders with the features of Hercules are "quite rare".
The statue, which consists of several broken pieces and was damaged during its accidental discovery, is currently being cleaned and restored.
Reuters saw the statue when it was stored in an ancient Roman water tank, which has now been converted into a warehouse. It is expected that the statue will be displayed in a public space after its restoration.
Decius was the first Roman emperor to fall in battle against the Goths in what is now Bulgaria, and he was the originator of the first organized persecution of Christians.
When it comes to Rome's ancient history, accidental discoveries of archaeological treasures while digging up streets or parks are not uncommon.
In January, archaeologists said they had given up searching for the remains of the opening of the Via Appia because groundwater made it impossible to dig deep enough.
These are the 15 ancient objects from Switzerland that will be returned to Greece
15 ancient objects from Switzerland, ranging from prehistoric to Roman times, will be returned to Greece. The ancient objects will be returned following a Geneva court ruling in a criminal case against a well-known antiquities dealer, while they were seized by Swiss authorities.
They are figurines, clay and copper vessels, a golden tiara with laurel leaves, the torso of a naked male youth, a bronze statuette of a naked athlete, a pair of bronze anklets and a silver coin (stater).
A statement from the Ministry of Culture said that after being informed of the case by the Consulate General of Greece, the ministry has instructed a lawyer to take all necessary measures to gain access to all the confiscated items. It was found that among them were 15 antiquities of Greek interest. According to the relevant documentation, these items were definitively assigned to the Greek State as products of illicit trade by a court order issued in July 2022.
The Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni, stated, "The Ministry of Culture and Sports attaches great importance to the repatriation of all cultural objects that are inseparable from our cultural heritage, especially in recent years. The repatriation of cultural property to its place of origin is not only a universal issue, but also a moral obligation between peoples in the framework of respect and protection of the common global cultural heritage. The need to return cultural property that has been taken unlawfully or through legally questionable procedures stems from the fundamental principles of international conventions, regardless of time limits or restrictions.
In addition to antiquities in the strict sense, there are also antiquities that have been removed, in a way that destroys the monument or the archaeological environment to which they belong. We work systematically on the basis of a holistic management plan, with main axes: the expansion of the protection of cultural properties, the suppression of illegal trade and the return of Greek antiquities to their place.
The Directorate in charge of Documentation and Protection of Cultural Property, in collaboration with all the relevant departments, is working tirelessly and with dedication to achieve both the return of smuggled monuments and the raising of awareness among all citizens about the problem of antiquities hoarding. These efforts have produced very important results, and we are convinced that many more successes will follow. I would like to thank the Greek Consul General in Geneva, Mr. Alexandros Gennimatas, for his decisive contribution to the clarification of the case and the repatriation of the antiquities, the lawyer of the Greek State, Mr. Romanos Skandamis, and for the key role he played in the outcome of this case, the Swiss Archaeological School, as well as the Directorate for Documentation and Protection of Cultural Property for all their actions".
14 antiquities from the USA return to Italy
A New York court has returned to Italy 14 looted and stolen works of art, some from Roman and Greek antiquity, worth $2.5 million that were smuggled internationally into the United States.
The New York State Judiciary has been conducting an extensive campaign for more than two years to return antiquities that were looted from some 20 countries and ended up in museums and art galleries in the metropolis, including the famed Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Under the auspices of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, more than 700 projects worth more than $100 million were returned to 17 countries last year, including Cambodia, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Iraq, Greece and Italy.
The 14 works - some 2,600 years old - returned recently during a ceremony with Italian Consul General Fabrizio Di Michele and Italian carabinieri are part of 214 works (worth a total of $35 million) returned to Rome in the past seven months, the Bragg prosecutor's office said in a statement expressing satisfaction.
Since 2017, the Manhattan District Attorney's office has had a unit dedicated to combating international antiquities smuggling, as New York has been a hub for such smuggling for decades.
The 14 returned works - including a silver tetradrachm from Naxos, Sicily, dating to 430 B.C. and a marble head of Emperor Hadrian dating to 200 AD - "were stolen and smuggled by known (Italian) smugglers Giacomo Medici and Giovanni Franco Bequina and Robert Hecht, an American art dealer based in Paris who died in 2012" the release said.
These people "counted on gangs of gravediggers to loot archeological sites around the Mediterranean that they had chosen because they were not properly protected," the New York Justice Department explained.
The most emblematic case of art smugglers in New York is collector Michael Steinhart, who in 2021 was forced to return some 180 antiquities worth $70 million that had been stolen in previous decades.
Thanks to a deal with the U.S. justice system, he escaped prosecution, but was banned for life from acquiring works on the legal art market.
The Ancient Giants Of Nevada And The Mystery Of Lovelock Cave
Was North America once inhabited by a race of giants? According to an old legend supported by several challenging archaeological finds, it is possible. Many Native American tribes tell stories about the long-forgotten existence of a race of humans that were much taller and stronger than ordinary men.
These giants are described as both brave and barbaric and legends often mention their cruelty towards whomever they pleased.
The Paiute, a tribe that settled in the Nevada region thousands of years ago, have an outstanding legend about a race of red-haired giants called the Si-Te-Cah.
In the Northern Paiute language, ‘Si-Te-Cah’ literally means ‘tule-eaters.’
Legend has it that the giants came from a distant island by crossing the ocean on rafts built using the fibrous tule plant.
As odd as it may sound, this legend repeats itself all over the Americas, suggesting it might be an incomplete chronicle of a real event that happened long ago.
In Crónicas del Perú, sixteenth-century Spanish conquistador Pedro Cieza de León recorded an ancient Peruvian tale about the origin of the South American giants.
According to legend, they “came by sea in rafts of reeds after the manner of large boats; some of the men were so tall that from the knee down they were as big as the length of an ordinary fair-sized man.”
Could the giants of Peru and the Si-Te-Cah have been survivors of a massive cataclysm who took refuge on the American continent?
Legend tells that the Si-Te-Cah waged war on the Paiute and all other neighbouring tribes, spreading terror and devastation. Finally, after years of conflict, the tribes united against the common enemy and began to decimate them.
The last remaining red-haired giants were chased off and sought shelter inside a cave. The tribes started a fire at the cave entrance, suffocating and burning alive the Si-Te-Cah. Those driven out by the smoke were also killed.
In 1886, a mining engineer named John T. Reid happened to hear the legend from a group of Paiutes while prospecting near Lovelock, Nevada.
The Indians told him that the legend was real and the cave was located nearby. When he saw the cave for himself, Reid knew he was onto something.
Reid was unable to begin digging himself but news spread and soon, Lovelock cave was attracting attention. Unfortunately, the attention was profit-driven as guano deposits were discovered inside.
A company started by miners David Pugh and James Hart began excavating the precious resource in 1911 and had soon shipped more than 250 tons to a fertilizer company in San Francisco.
Any artefacts that might have been discovered were probably neglected or lost.
After the surface layer of guano had been mined, strange objects started to surface.
This led to an official excavation being performed in 1912 by the University of California and another one took place in 1924. Reports told about thousands of artifacts being recovered, some of them being truly unusual.
Measuring between 8 to 10 feet in height, these mummies have since been referred to as the Lovelock Giants.
A piece of evidence that remains on-site until this day is a giant hand print, embedded on a boulder inside Lovelock Cave. We won’t go into further debate pertaining to this aspect and its implications.
Around the same time as the second Lovelock Cave excavation, another dig revealed a set of equally-disturbing finds.
According to a 1931 article published in the Nevada Review-Miner, two giant skeletons had been found buried in a dry lake bed close to Lovelock, Nevada.
The oversized remains measured 8.5, respectively 10 feet in height and were mummified in a manner similar to the one employed by ancient Egyptians.
Another common trait between these mummified giant remains and the ones discovered as far south as Lake Titicaca is the presence of red hair.
While some scientists believe the reddish colour is a result of the interaction with the environment in which they were buried, the mummies verify the legends, which described the Si-Te-Cah and their kin as red-haired giants.
Proponents of alternative history believe these violent giants were none other than the biblical Nephilim, the forsworn offspring of the ‘Sons of God’ with the ‘daughters of men.’
If this is true, there’s little chance we might get to see any of the giant mummies. Those interested in keeping history secret will never disclose their location.
Classified Vatican Archives
In the following video we will be exploring classified Vatican archives. Watch the video to find out more!
Windover Pond is older than the Great Pyramids of Egypt and can help unravel the mystery of ancient Americans
There is a fascinating ancient underwater cemetery in Florida, North America. It is called Windover Pond, and it is 8,000-year-old. Windover Pond is older than the Great Pyramids of Egypt and can help unravel the mystery of ancient Americans. The human remains discovered in the Windover Pond can even rewrite America's ancient history.
Windover Pond, east of Orlando, Florida was discovered by chance in 1982. When archaeologists investigated the submerged burial place, they found several well—preserved artifacts and numerous individuals buried in the peat at the bottom of the pond. Today known as the Windover bog bodies, these remains are a perplexing archaeological mystery.
This site is exceptionally unique in North America for several reasons. For one thing, the age of Windover Pond makes it an important archaeological and historical site. It is also rare to find underwater burials where artifacts and human bodies have been so excellently preserved. Perhaps, from a scientific point of view, the most significant part about this site is discovering many bog bodies. As many as 168 bog bodies were found in Windover Pont, allowing scientists to study a large sample of DNA.
Who Were The People Buried In The Underwater Windover Cemetery?
There are many bog bodies in European peats, but they are not as well-preserved as the Windover bog bodies. There must have been some elements in the Windover sinkhole that helped protect the brain tissues for thousands of years.
Scientists suggest "that the slight acidity and high mineral content of the water in the sinkhole might contribute to their longevity. The preservation of brain tissues is reflected by preservation of ancient DNA, and the Windover sinkhole has yielded one of North America's large ancient genetic populations."
When scientists started to examine the Windover bog bodies, they were surprised to see the results. Windover Pond has "yielded dozens of extraordinary well-preserved brains with analyzable DNA. William Hauswirth of the University of Florida College of Medicine identified two mtDNA variants in the Windover material that he had not seen before."
Some years ago, Andrew Merriwether, a geneticist of the University of Michigan, did one of the most extensive surveys of mtDNA sequences from modern and ancient native Americans.
Hauswirth contacted Merriwether and asked him to look at the DNA results.
Hauswirth learned that Merriwether had identified the same variants. Named X6 and X7, these variants "had been found in a number of modern and South American Indian populations. Their presence remains as early as those from Windover indicates that they were likely among the variants that came to the New World in the original migration." 2
When Hauswirth extended his DNA study, "one particular element caught his attention.
At one specific locus, all except one of the individuals shared one allele in common. In many a less variable region this would not merit comment, but in this highly variable part of the genome, it did suggest a blood connection between the individuals.
Hauswirth and his colleagues focused upon one particular gene on the first human chromosome. Hauswirth was able to explore this possibility by looking at some other highly variable regions. Like many interested in recovering ancient kin patterns, he turned to microsatellites.
This gene contained one of those microsatellites that Hagelberg had exploited, made up of tandem repeats of the cytosine-adenine couplet. There may be fewer than ten, or more than twenty couplets in the microsatellite, according to genetic lineage.
Among the Windover individuals, however, two particular microsatellite lengths dominate the population, one of nine repeats and the other of fifteen repeats. Alongside the HLA evidence this was further indication of close blood ties within a population placing its dead in the pond over several centuries."
The fact that these people were related explains why they buried their dead in the Windover Pond.
The assumption about people who lived 8,000 years ago has been that they were too nomadic to develop much of a culture and certainly couldn't afford to care for disabled people. Still, the Windover bog bodies tell a different story.
Among the skeletons found in the Windover sinkhole archaeologists found remains "of a boy crippled from spina bifida who had to be carried around and treated for the 16 years of his life. And there was an elderly woman who also needed such long-term care. Our ancient ancestors apparently tended carefully to each other despite their constant need to keep themselves safe and alive."
What is still unknown is where these people originally came from, and there are some theories. The DNA studies indicate these people were of Asian origin, similar to the four other major haplotypes of Native American peoples.
"Merriwether believes the first Americans came from a single population in Asia, probably in a single wave, though the wave may have lasted for some thousands of years." According to Merriwether there is no way to tell how long the doors was open, but it is possible to "imagine it as anywhere from one big migration with lots of people to a sort of continuous migration over a long period of time."
Merriwether explained that genetic evidence does not tell when these people arrived.
The historical and archaeological significance of Windover Pond should not be underestimated. This site has provided "unprecedented and dramatic" information about early Archaic people in Florida and could be one of the most significant archaeological sites ever excavated in North America.
Living woolly mammoths could roam the tundra again soon
Scientists have sequenced a nearly complete woolly mammoth genome, which should bolster efforts to resurrect the Stone Age zoological rock star.
Working with two mammoth specimens excavated from different parts of Russia and from different eras -- one nearly 45,000 years old, the other just 4,300 years old -- an international team of scientists has sequenced a nearly complete genome for the extinct pachyderm. The achievement provides the most complete snapshot yet of what a woolly mammoth was, which also means we're as close as we've been in a few thousand years to seeing, in person again, what a mammoth is.
"I think in the future it is sort of inevitable that someone will be able to do it, and we will do it," Hendrik Poinar says in the video below. Poinar, an evolutionary geneticist at McMaster University and one of the senior scientists on the project, is referring to the possibility of cloning a woolly mammoth. "The bigger question," he says, "is should we do it."
Poinar does not offer up a definitive yes or no answer to the question, pointing out that a mammoth isn't the easiest species to bring back from extinction, because the gestation period is a full two years to birth just a single offspring, compared with a saber-toothed cat, which could produce more than one litter of prehistoric terror kittens in a single year.
However, Poinar also notes that there are valid ethical arguments for and against bringing back the mammoth, including concerns over diverting effort from more pressing conservation projects, and the belief that humans may have been partially responsible for overhunting the animal into extinction.
Regardless of the complicated ethical questions involved, he says that with the new genome data, it could be theoretically possible to bring back the mammoths within a few decades.
One team of mammoth revivalists -- not directly involved in the publication of the study on the newly sequenced genome -- is not interested in waiting anywhere near that long. A Harvard-based group of scientists led by Dr. George Church is working on bringing back a version of the woolly mammoth by essentially combining DNA from the extinct species with that of the living Asian elephant.
Rather than creating a sort of Hollywood-style "Mammoth Park," the goal of Church's group is partially to bring large elephants back to the northern tundra as a means of converting it back to grassland to help insulate the permafrost below, thereby slowing climate change.
Church's team believes the cloning process to build a mammoth from an Asian elephant and engineered mammoth cells can begin as soon as 2018, meaning the world's first mammoth in thousands of years could be born in the early 2020s.
Going to the zoo is about to get a lot more awesome, folks -- get ready.
Dinosaur With A 'Mohawk' Of Spikes Discovered In Patagonia
As scientists gradually uncovered a dinosaur in southern Argentina, they were surprised to find a horny mohawk rising up from the dinosaur's spine.
The dinosaur, now known as the herbivore Bajadasaurus pronuspinax, had two-feet-long spikes protruding from its back. They were likely similar to horns seen on modern-day antelopes with thick keratin covering the bone spikes.
The Bajadasaurus pronuspinax roamed Patagonia 14o million years ago in the Cretaceous. It belonged to the sauropod family, which were known to have long necks and tails. This specific dinosaur likely measured about 30 feet long.
The diagram below is an illustration of what the upper neck of the dinosaur may have looked like. It lived during the early Cretaceous, nearly 75 million years before the T. Rex.
The dinosaur's spikes were likely used to fend off predators and make it more difficult and deterring to attack. The sharp spikes, creating a mohawk along the dinosaur's back are long and thin enough that they would have likely been surrounded by keratin in order to not break off during an attack.
While the most likely purpose of the spikes was a defense mechanism, experts say that they may have been used to regulate the dinosaur's body temperature, as a mating display, or to store water in the tissue surrounding the spikes much in the way camels store water in their hump.
This animal fed on ground plants but upward facing eyes and a spike mohawk allowed it to deter predators as it spent its days grazing.
The dinosaur was discovered in Bajada Colorada, a small town in southern Patagonia. Most of the skull and the entire spine was uncovered, allowing researchers the ability to better study the dinosaur specimen.
Much in the same way porcupines, puffer fish, and rose plants use spines to deter predators, this dinosaur likely made any predator think twice before attacking.
Stunning Ancient Mosaics Adorn New Museum in Sparta, Greece
Two rare Roman floor mosaics discovered in Greece will feature in a new museum in Sparta which officially opens on November 21st.
The Abduction of Europa and Orpheus with the Animals mosaics were accidentally discovered in the late 19th century on private property.
The two mosaics discovered in 1872 and 1877 are from the end of the 3rd century AD and the start of the 4th century AD.
Mosaics in Greece fell to obscurity
Until now, the mosaics had no permanent home. One was left in a private garden while the other was placed in a wine storage space. The property was bought by the state, and a shelter was erected over them after which the mosaics fell to obscurity.
Researchers believe the two mosaics were part of the decoration of a bath complex. Possibly, the bath infrastructure and mosaics were part of a rich Roman house or two neighboring ones.
Both are distinguished for their composition, rich colors, and craftsmanship.
The 2.05 x 1.98 meter mosaic with the representation of the Abduction of Europa is the central theme of a larger mosaic floor. The woman is depicted sitting on the back of a bull, the form taken by Zeus, in motion towards the right while two winged cupids frame the figure.
With the introduction of the euro as the common European currency on January 1, 2002, Greece chose the representation of the Abduction of Europa in the Sparta mosaic as the motif for the two-euro coin, designed by Giorgos Stamatopoulos.
Orpheus is a Thracian bard, legendary musician, and prophet in ancient Greek religion. He was also a renowned poet and, according to the legend, traveled with Jason and the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece. He even descended into the Underworld of Hades to get his lost wife, Eurydice, back.
Mosaics discovered in Greece tell the story of Europa and Zeus
In Greek mythology, Europa was a Phoenician princess of Argive Greek origin and the mother of King Minos of Crete. The continent of Europe is named after her.
Zeus, the king of the Olympian Gods, transformed into a beautiful white bull to abduct her. The story of Europa is one of the most famous tales of love and lust between the gods.
Zeus was not only known for being the most prominent deity in the ancient Greek pantheon. He also had a reputation for endless love affairs.
Europa was picking flowers with her helpers when she suddenly saw the bull approaching from afar. The princess was astonished by the beauty of the animal. As they neared each other, he quickly leaned down at Europa’s feet in an act of utter submission to her. Encouraged by her helpers, she climbed on the animal’s back.
Zeus got up and slowly started walking around. Soon, however, he accelerated his pace and eventually broke into a gallop, with Europa clinging on for her life. The king of the gods and the frightened princess reached the seaside and dived into the sea.
Zeus had carried Europa from Phoenicia to Crete. Once they got to the island, Zeus reclaimed his human form and finally materialized his lust by mating with her under an evergreen tree.
Europa’s earliest literary reference is in the Iliad, which is most likely from the 8th century BC. Another early reference to her is in a fragment of the Hesiodic Catalogue of Women, discovered at Oxyrhynchus. The earliest vase-painting securely identifiable as Europa dates back to the mid-seventh century BC.
The Antikythera Mechanism: The Ancient Greek Super Computer
In today’s video we will be discussing about the Antikythera Mechanism, which is considered to be an ancient greek computer. Enjoy!
The Real Truth About What Humanity Will Look Like When it Becomes a Type 2 Civilization
In the video below we will be exploring what Humanity will look like when it becomes a type 2 civilization. Enjoy!
"Historical selfies": This is how different tribes would look according to Artificial Intelligence
Over the millennia, different tribes of hominids have emerged on the planet, from those that existed with human beings tocivilizations that were built to perish, to the point where not even their language remains alive.
However, using artificial intelligence one user asked to represent what humanity’s historical selfies’ would look like. Through Facebook, a publication of @everythingartificial went viral, a unique illustration that shows different tribes ranged from the Neanderthals and ancient Egypt till the Zulu and Templar Warriors.
Mysterious Discovery in Spain: Scientists Unearth a Coffin That Will Challenge European History
In this ground-breaking episode of "Unexplained History," scientists make an astonishing discovery in Spain that will challenge European history as we know it. After months of careful excavation, the team uncovers a visigoth stone coffin that dates back centuries. The coffin, unlike any seen before, is filled with mysterious symbols and artefacts.
The scientists work tirelessly to decipher the meaning behind these artifacts, and what they uncover is truly mind-blowing. The findings not only shed new light on the history of Spain but have far-reaching implications for our understanding of the ancient world. Join us on this incredible journey as we uncover the secrets of this mysterious coffin and discover the truth behind one of the greatest historical puzzles of our time. Get ready to be amazed as we present "Unbelievable Discovery in Spain: Scientists Unearth a Coffin That Will Challenge European History."
Who were the Celts? The Valiant People Who Defied Rome
In today’s video we will be exploring who the Celts were. Watch the video to find out more about the valiant people who defied Rome. Enjoy!
Incredible Recent Discoveries in Antarctica!
Step into the realm of mystery and adventure as we unveil the recent discovery of a hidden advanced civilization buried beneath the ice of Antarctica. With cutting-edge technology, scientists have uncovered evidence of a once-thriving society that flourished with technology beyond our modern understanding. What secrets will be uncovered, and what impact will this discovery have on our current understanding of the world?
The Origin of the Quran’s Name for Jesus
In the video below we will be analyzing the origin of the Quran’s name of Jesus. Watch the video to find out more and enjoy!
