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Painted throne room discovered in Peru
Excavations of a large prismatic Moche building in Peru have uncovered a painted room thought to date to around 650 AD, believed to be the throne room of a previously unknown female ruler. The function of this room was determined by the discovery of an earthen throne. It showed signs of wear consistent with normal use. Newly discovered murals in the room depict a female figure, in one scene sitting on a throne and in another as the focal point of a ritual procession scene. Archaeologists therefore believe that the throne room may have been intended for a female Moche leader, the first known example in Peru.
Celtic chamber tomb revealed
Archaeologists recently discovered a well-preserved Celtic burial chamber near Rietlingen in southwest Germany that dates back to the 6th century BC. This room, along with other burials and cremations, was found in a 65-meter-high mound, measures 3.4 meters by 4.05 meters, and is made of oak boards that were preserved in the waterlogged conditions at the site. Grave goods that may have formed part of the burial were plundered in ancient times, but some human remains have been recovered and analyzed. These suggest that the person buried there was a young man between 15 and 20 years old. The burial was clearly intended for a high-status figure, and the researchers hope post-excavation analysis will reveal more.
Early origins of European cocaine use
A recent analysis of a 17th-century Milanese brain reveals evidence of the use of the coca plant, suggesting the drug was being used in Europe centuries earlier than previously thought. The study, carried out by the University of Milan, focused on brains in the Ca’ Granda crypt, the burial site of patients of the 17th-century Ospedale Maggiore Hospital, a pioneer hospital for Milan’s poorest citizens at the time. Ta. The first documentation of the use of cocaine in the form of salt in Europe dates from the 19th century, but researchers found that two of the study participants had been chewing the leaves or brewing them as a tea as far back as two centuries. It was discovered that he had taken cocaine. Used as part of therapy or recreationally. The study was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science (http://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.106040).
Text: Rebecca Preedy / Image: Lisa Trevor
