A cache of gilded jewels, pottery, and weapons has been uncovered by archeologists excavating an ancient burial site located close to Pella (in northern Greece). This particular location is of importance because it is also the birthplace of Alexander the Great.
The Birthplace of Alexander Brings Greek Treasures
Researchers excavating the land uncovered a cemetery that held more than 40 graves dating back to between 650 and 279 BC. The information found at this burial site will provide details regarding the establishment of the Macedonian kingdom, whose rule influenced parts of India , a country that saw a handful of conquests by Alexander.
Out of all the items found at the site, archeologists are most excited about the graves that contained the remains of 20 warriors that lived during the late Archaic period (somewhere between 580 and 460 BC). Beside swords and knives made out of iron, some of the warriors were buried with bronze helmets. A gold foil also covered their eyes, mouths and chests with elaborate decorations that showed images of lions and other creatures that represented the power of royalty.
The find is certainly of great importance because researchers will learn more about the Macedonian culture during the Archaic period, stated the head of a project that has spanned eight years and 900 gravesites. One of the characteristics of the culture that is highlighted includes the link between the ancient Macedonian society and an organization that involved the military as a significant entity. Researchers will also learn more about their overseas trade habits that are believed to have taken place as early as the second half of the seventh century BC.
Another interesting discovery included graves containing 11 women from the Archaic period, who were decked out in necklaces made of gold and bronze. They also wore broaches and earrings that may offer clues about various levels of class and status within the ancient Macedonian society. Other graves of substance include nine that date back to the late classical or early Hellenistic period, which is around the same time as the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC) , a man who never tasted defeat while in battle.
Tricky Frog Discovered in Australia
In an isolated part of northern tropical Australia, a species of tiny frog that many researchers thought extinct has been rediscovered this month. Measuring 1 ½ inches long, the Armoured Mistfrog has been missing from the human eye since 1991. This caused many to assume that it had succumbed to a nasty fungus that was striking the species throughout the northern part of the Queensland state. However, two months ago, a student conducting research on a different frog species in Queensland accidentally came in contact with what he believed was a handful of Armoured Mistfrogs congregating at a creek.
A researcher at the Australian National University in Canberra, who has been studying north Queensland frogs for the past 10 years, administered a DNA test on tissue samples taken from the frogs. The results indeed prove that the frogs discovered in the creek were the hard-to-find Armoured Mistfrog.