Roundup of Archaeology and History May 19-25

I’m off to Phoenix Comic Fest tomorrow, so I’ll post this a bit early. Hopefully, I’ll remember to take some pictures from my adventures in the land of clever costumes and share them. I, boring soul, am going not for fancy clothes, but to listen to author panels. Some really smart authors that I’ve enjoyed hearing in the past are back again this year, along with some new ones I’m interested to get to know.

Here are some posts I enjoyed from around the web:

A 5^th century Greek bronze helmet, like the one Pericles is famously depicted with, has been excavated in the Black Sea region—not the usual spot. This helmet covered the face and neck very thoroughly and was basic equipment of Greek hoplite soldiers. There were Greek colonies in the region for centuries with a lot of interaction with the nomadic steppe peoples such as the Scythians. The “Corinthian” helmet was found in a burial ground of Greek warriors. I bet you don’t think of the classical Greek world as extending so far north, but it did.  Click here for Archaeology News Network “Corinthian helmet found at excavations on the Taman Peninsula”

The history of horses and all the bits, bridles and saddles that may or may not have been in use at any given time is a complicated subject. Here’s a fascinating piece of evidence from 2700 BCE (Early Bronze Age) in central Israel (Biblical city of Gath) with a donkey skeleton that has a bridle bit. Apparently, it’s the earliest example of a bridle bit in the Near East—or so they claim in this post. It’s a continuing discussion, how much the ancient Near Eastern horsemen of somewhat later than this find used chariots versus riding horseback. This donkey was apparently laid out as a sacrificial offering in the construction of a domestic house. Foundation offerings often reveal interesting things and the concept itself is intriguing—what would you lay down underneath your house’s foundation to protect and bless your home? Click here for Archaeology News Network “Archaeologists uncover earliest evidence for equid bit wear in the ancient Near East”