Anglo-Saxon die stamp of horned figure found in Kent

By: SGK ADVERTISING ADDA on June 23, 2026 / comment : 0

A rare 6th-7th century Anglo-Saxon die stamp discovered in Kent, southeast England, is the first of its kind found in England. Its discovery may rewrite the history of metallurgy in England and the origins of iconic artifacts like the Sutton Hoo helmet.

The complete copper alloy die stamp was discovered in 2024 by metal detectorist Stephen Newbury near the village of Lynsted. It depicts an anthropomorphic figure wearing a headdress with horns that curve towards each other terminating in birds’ heads. Beneath the horns are two large triangular ear pieces. The figure is wearing is a bead-bordered belt. The legs are bent at the knees and separated in a pose that suggests leftward movement, maybe walking or dancing. He holds two spears, points upwards, clutched in the right hand and a sword, blade downwards, in a sheath in his left. What looks like a sword-ring is attached to the pommel.

It is a patrix, a die stamp used to make Pressblech foils. Pressblech was a form of die stamping that unlike the typical technique, used a patrix, a positive image with the figures stand out in relief from the background rather than a matrix where they recede. The foil, precious metal like gold or silver for the highest quality pieces, copper for others, was placed over the patrix, protected with a layer of leather or lead or some other thick material that was also soft enough to let the image come through, and then hammered to impress the design onto the metal.

Pressblech foils were used to adorn elite armory like the helmets in the Sutton Hoo ship burial and Staffordshire Hoard. Some of the pressblech foils on the Sutton Hoo and Staffordshire Hoard helmets include a pair of figures that share striking features in common with the Lynsted die stamp. They wear the same horned headdress with bird-head terminals and long triangular ear flaps. They each hold two spears in one hand a sword in the other, although their spears point down and swords point upward. Their legs are bent and posed as if in movement.

These figures are known as “weapon dancers” and may have had some connection to the worship of Odin. They are most commonly found decorating foils, brooches, pendants and, more rarely, dies Denmark, Sweden and England.

Before this discovery, both the Sutton Hoo and Staffordshire Hoard helmets, the only Anglo-Saxon era helmets with pressblech foils found in England, were thought to have been imported, made in Sweden or Denmark. While their foils do not match the Lynsted die, its existence is evidence that in fact such refined examples of high-end metallurgy could have been manufactured in England. Of course, the die itself could have been imported, but the iconography does diverge in a key way from depictions of the horned figure found on Scandinavian artifacts: the spears point upwards, a feature found in English examples of the horned figure.

KCC finds liaison officer and Kent officer for the Portable Antiquities Scheme Dr Andrew Richardson said: “This small but remarkable find provides important evidence that helmets like the Sutton Hoo example could have been made in Kent, highlighting the skill and connections of early medieval craftworkers in the county.”

The die stamp has been declared Treasure and will now be assessed by the valuation committee. Once its market value is determined, a local museum will have the opportunity to acquire it for that sum. The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge in Canterbury is hoping to secure it for display close to where it was found.

* This article was originally published here

Backstage at Gorillaz' epic, one-off stadium show: 'The vibe is ridiculous'

By: SGK ADVERTISING ADDA on June 23, 2026 / comment : 0 films E, news

Damon Albarn, De La Soul and Moonchild Sannelly talk backstage as Gorillaz play their biggest show.

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Backstage at Gorillaz' epic, one-off stadium show: 'The vibe is ridiculous'

By: SGK ADVERTISING ADDA on June 23, 2026 / comment : 0 BBC News, news

Damon Albarn, De La Soul and Moonchild Sannelly talk backstage as Gorillaz play their biggest show.

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Curse tablet with rare Greek inscription found in the Netherlands

By: SGK ADVERTISING ADDA on June 22, 2026 / comment : 0

An unusual lead curse tablet has been discovered in Heerlen, the Netherlands. It measures 9.3 x 4.8cm (3.7 x 1.8 inches) and dates to the second century A.D. Most of the curse tablets found in this part of the Roman Empire were written in Latin, but this inscription is in Greek written in the Egyptian style.

Curse tablets, called defixiones in Latin and katadesmoi in Greek, invoked the aid of underworld deities to “bind” an enemy or rival in business, court, sports or love. The curse would then be hidden in a place deemed to have the best access to the chythonic gods. The Heerlen tablet was discovered in a pit under the town hall square. The inscription was deciphered at the Institute for Papyrology of Heidelberg University using RTI (reflectance transformation imaging) technology, and its text is unusual both in language and in its targets.

What is particularly noteworthy about the tablet is the invocation of various deities and demons in the Egyptian style, composed in ancient Greek, since most curse tablets found in Northern Europe are written in Latin. In addition, the Heerlen curse tablet contains a group of three magical symbols, known as “Characteres”. According to Dr Ast, these were likely used to convey the desired message to the supernatural powers. They are followed by the names of two men and two women, who are referred to as fellow slaves. “The tablet served either as a curse against these four slaves or as a curse in their name against an unnamed person,” according to the Heidelberg papyrologist.

The composition of the group of people on the tablet is also unusual, according to the researcher, because it includes two men with Latin names and two women with Greek names. “It cannot be ruled out that one of the two women was the author of the inscription and had brought the supposed ability to communicate with divine powers through such curses with her from Roman Egypt,” says Dr Julia Lougovaya, Research Associate at the Institute for Papyrology.

When the study of the tablet is complete, the artifact will go on display at the Heerlen Museum.

* This article was originally published here

Real, raw and unfiltered? Authenticity helps female singers rule the charts

By: SGK ADVERTISING ADDA on June 22, 2026 / comment : 0 films E, news

Is the relatable style of Olivia Rodrigo, Olivia Dean and Lola Young changing pop music?

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Real, raw and unfiltered? Authenticity helps female singers rule the charts

By: SGK ADVERTISING ADDA on June 22, 2026 / comment : 0 BBC News, news

Is the relatable style of Olivia Rodrigo, Olivia Dean and Lola Young changing pop music?

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Mosaic with rare depiction of river god found in Aspendos

By: SGK ADVERTISING ADDA on June 21, 2026 / comment : 0

Archaeologists have uncovered a mosaic with a rare depiction of a river god in the ancient Greek city of Aspendos, in southern Turkey’s Antalya province. The mosaic dates to the 3rd century A.D. and has a central panel featuring a youthful Eurymedon, personification of the river the city was built on.

The founding legend of Aspendos dates the city back to 1000 B.C. when it was established by Greek colonists from Argos. Whatever the kernel truth in that origin story, by the 5th century B.C., Aspendos was minting its own silver coins and they were widely accepted throughout the Greek world for their reliable quality. Its location on the Eurymedon River just 10 miles from the Mediterranean coast made it an important stop for traders, and the city became wealthy from the trade in salt, olive oil and wood.

Ruled variously by Lydia, Persia, Macedonia and its descendants, Aspendos fell under Roman control in 190 B.C. Today its best-preserved remains date to the Roman imperial period, including the theater which is the best-preserved Roman theater in the world.

The mosaic was discovered in the East Square of Theater Street, the street that connects the theater to Aspendos Acropolis. The surviving mosaic floor is large, an estimated six meters wide and 25 meters long (20 by 82 feet), extending from the East Square to the city walls. About 7.5 meters (25 feet) of its length have been uncovered so far. Archaeologists are continuing to excavate the rest of it.

The figural panel depicts Eurymedon reclining the river, his arm propped on an amphora that has water flowing out of its mouth into the river. He is draped in a robe of vivid moss green, and fish swim in front of his extended leg. He holds a river reed in his right hand, and wears a crown of reeds or grasses. A variety of geometric patterns border the panel, including guilloche, floral scrolls and triangles, squares and peltas. A second large panel consists only of black and white geometric designs.

The structure the mosaic adorns is believed to have been a pool when it was built in the 3rd century. It was later divided into rooms after the building was damaged in an earthquake in 262 A.D.

The find points to a decorated urban area where water carried both practical and symbolic meaning. In a city closely tied to its river, such an image would have been immediately recognizable. […]

The mosaic was made with small stone pieces known as tesserae. The color transitions, balanced proportions, and detailed treatment of the figure suggest skilled craftsmanship.

River gods were familiar figures in Greco-Roman art, but examples in Anatolian mosaics are limited. That makes the Young Eurymedon mosaic especially important for understanding how local geography and civic identity were expressed in Roman-period art.

* This article was originally published here

BBC pulls new Ashley Cain series after sexist language accusations

By: SGK ADVERTISING ADDA on June 21, 2026 / comment : 0 BBC News, news

The BBC said it has "no future projects" with Cain planned as it pulls his BBC Three documentary series Into the Danger Zone

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BBC pulls new Ashley Cain series after sexist language accusations

By: SGK ADVERTISING ADDA on June 21, 2026 / comment : 0 films E, news

The BBC said it has "no future projects" with Cain planned as it pulls his BBC Three documentary series Into the Danger Zone

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Rare sealed sarcophagus found in Croatia

By: SGK ADVERTISING ADDA on June 20, 2026 / comment : 0

A rare stone sarcophagus found intact, still closed and sealed, has been discovered in the Adriatic coastal town of Cavtart, Croatia. The sarcophagus dates to Late Antiquity, between the 4th and 6th centuries A.D. and is one of very few sarcophaguses preserved undisturbed in their original context ever found in Croatia.

The five-ton sarcophagus was found in the necropolis of the Roman colony of Epidaurum. Numerous burials of different types were unearthed in the excavation before the massive sarcophagus was found three meters (10 feet) below the surface. It is a sarcophagus of the Salonitan type, a design manufactured in the workshops of Salona, capital of Roman Dalmatia. It was completely untouched by looters and showing no signs of ever having been moved. The lid was still sealed shut with a layer of lime mortar.

In order the remove the sarcophagus and relocate it to an area where it is visible to the public, archaeologists decided to unseal the lid and take both parts out separately. Restorer Sinisa Bizjak worked with sculptor Tomislav Šalo to remove the lime mortar binding the lid to the coffin. Inside the sarcophagus were the remains of one individual. The skeletal remains are in poor condition, but archaeologists recovered them and took samples of organic deposits and other materials inside the coffin.

The samples taken will now undergo scientific analysis. Archaeologists hope to narrow down the burial date and find out more about the deceased. The burial remaining in its original location without being disturbed gives archaeologists a rare opportunity to investigate its context.

It now stands at the junction of pathways leading to the Račić Family Mausoleum, St Rocco’s Cemetery and the steps descending towards Ključice beach.

The relocation ensures that both residents and visitors can view the monument and gain a deeper appreciation of Cavtat’s rich ancient heritage and its connection to the former Roman colony of Epidaur.

* This article was originally published here