The newly discovered tombs are believed to date back to the Hellenistic or Hellenistic-Seleucid period. Archaeologists in drought-hit Iraq have discovered 40 ancient tombs after water levels in the country's largest reservoir declined, according to an antiquities official. The tombs, believed to be more than 2,300 years old, were unearthed at the edges of the Mosul Dam reservoir in the Khanke region of Duhok province in the country's north.
Archaeologists have unearthed ancient structures in Turkey that could represent the world's earliest human settlement. The discovery was made at Mendik Tepe, near Göbekli Tepe, the 12,000-year-old site known for its monumental stone pillars and early rituals. Experts noted that the new structures may predate Göbekli Tepe and are likely nearly 7,000 years older than Stonehenge, placing them at the very cusp of the Neolithic Revolution.
Researchers at the National Museum of Denmark have uncovered an ancient Viking figurine from the 10th-century with an immaculate hairstyle. The 'very well-groomed' figure, just 1.2 inches (3cm) tall, has a middle parting, fancy imperial moustache and a long braided goat beard. Peter Pentz, curator at the National Museum of Denmark, described the figure as 'the first thing that comes close to a portrait from the Viking period'.
Archaeologists in Kiryat Gat, about 40 miles south of Tel Aviv, uncovered the first-ever Canaanite workshop in the region. The factory contained long flint blades and massive stones used to shape and mold weapons with precision. Researchers also discovered hundreds of underground pits, some lined with mud bricks, that served as storage areas, dwellings, workshops and even ritual spaces. The scale and sophistication of the site reveal that the Canaanites had organized settlements, specialized crafts and thriving trade networks.
The discovery of a 900-year-old ceramic ceremonial vessel at the Harran Archaeological Site in Turkey is significant as it showcases sophisticated multicolored lusterware glaze typical of medieval Islamic craftsmanship.
The recently identified portrait of Konstantinos XI Palaiologos in a monastery church provides new insights into Byzantine art and its historical context, particularly during the mid-Byzantine period.