An international team of researchers has succeeded in identifying and analyzing dozens of medieval graffiti in one of Christianity’s holiest sites, the Cenacle of Jerusalem, the place where tradition says the Last Supper took place. At the top of Mount Zion in Jerusalem stands a site of extraordinary religious significance for the three major monotheistic […]
Inscriptions
Posted inIron Age Archaeology
Longest Known Inscription in the Undeciphered Linear A Script of Minoan civilization, Found on an Ivory Scepter in Knossos
A team of archaeologists has discovered in Knossos, on the Greek island of Crete, the longest Linear A inscription found to date. The script appears on a circular ivory object with an attached handle, discovered in a context of clear religious significance within a Neopalatial building. Besides providing the longest inscription in this yet-to-be-deciphered system, […]
Posted inAntiquity
The Rassam Cylinder, a 10-sided prism from the 7th century BC with an inscription describing the reign of Ashurbanipal
The Rassam Cylinder is an ancient clay cylinder containing cuneiform inscriptions that describe the reign and military campaigns of Ashurbanipal, king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. It was discovered in 1854 during excavations at the ancient site of Nineveh, located in present-day Mosul, Iraq. The excavations were led by Hormuzd Rassam, an Iraqi archaeologist appointed by […]
Posted inClassical Archaeology
Roman Sanctuary with Inscriptions Discovered in a Deep Chamber of the Prehistoric Cova de les Dones in Spain
A team of researchers from the universities of Alicante (UA) and Zaragoza (Unizar) has identified a Roman sanctuary in the Cova de les Dones, located in the municipality of Millares, in the province of Valencia (Spain). This discovery, of great significance for understanding the Roman presence in the Iberian Peninsula, is situated in a deep […]
Posted inClassical Archaeology
A Rare Boundary Stone from the Tetrarchy Period of the Roman Empire Contains Two Unknown Place Names
Archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have unearthed a rare Tetrarchic boundary stone at the site of Abel Beth Maacah, located in northern Israel. This remarkable find sheds light on the administrative practices of the Roman Empire during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, revealing details about the organization of territorial boundaries, land ownership, and […]
Posted inClassical Archaeology
A Silver Amulet Found in a 3rd-Century Roman Tomb Contains the Oldest Christian Inscription North of the Alps
In an unprecedented archaeological discovery, a small silver amulet measuring just 3.5 centimeters has revolutionized historical understanding of Christianity north of the Alps. This find, known as the Frankfurt Silver Inscription, contains a delicate rolled sheet with 18 engraved lines in Latin, whose interpretation is reshaping established paradigms about the spread of Christianity during the […]
Posted inBronze Age Archaeology
An ancient inscription from the Late Bronze Age in an unknown language found in Georgia in the Caucasus
Recent archaeological excavations have uncovered a basalt tablet with inscriptions in an unknown language near Lake Bashplemi, in the Dmanisi region of Georgia. The discovery is significant not only because of the rarity of the material found but also because it could reveal unknown aspects of the ancient civilizations that inhabited the Caucasus. The finding, […]
Posted inBronze Age Archaeology
Clay Cylinders with Inscriptions Found in Syria Show the Use of an Alphabet 500 Years Before Egypt
A team of archaeologists from Johns Hopkins University, led by Professor Glenn Schwartz, has discovered small clay cylinders with inscriptions in Syria that appear to be the oldest known examples of alphabetic writing to date. These inscriptions, dating back to approximately 2400 BCE, predate other alphabetic systems by about 500 years. This discovery could reshape […]
Posted inArchaeology
An Ancient Phrygian Inscription to the Mother of the Gods Deciphered on the Arslan Kaya Monument, Revealing Lydian Construction
In the remote highlands of Phrygia, Professor Mark Munn of Pennsylvania State University has deciphered part of the inscription on the Arslan Kaya monument, also known as the “Lion Rock.” This finding confirms the mention of Materan —an ancient name of the Mother Goddess, or the Mother of the Gods— on the monument, suggesting a […]
Posted inIron Age Archaeology
Hieroglyph meaning “city” in the Luwian language spoken in Anatolia until the 7th century B.C. deciphered
A research team led by Petra M. Goedegebuure from the University of Chicago has presented a groundbreaking study on the word used for “city” in the Luwian language, spoken in ancient Anatolia. This research, published in the academic journal Anatolian Studies, offers not only a detailed linguistic analysis of the word in question but also […]
