An ancient tomb, dating back to the late Hellenistic to early Greco-Roman periods (3-2nd century B.C.) has been discovered near the site of the ancient city of Philippi, during the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline. The remnants of a gold crown were found in the tomb as well as other artefacts. Excavations by archaeologists […]
Archaeologists in Crete have discovered an intact Minoan-era tomb containing two well-preserved adult skeletons as well as funerary offerings. An initial inspection of the ceramics found in the tomb allowed it to be dated to the late Minoan period, circa 1400 to 1200 B.C., the Greek Ministry of Culture stated. The tomb was discovered during […]
A clay tablet with an engraved inscription discovered during excavations at the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia has been shown to preserve 13 verses of Homer’s Odyssey. According to a Greek Culture Ministry announcement today, initial estimates date the tablet to the Roman era, possibly before the 3rd century AD. If the tablet’s age is […]
Homer’s Odyssey has been voted the most influential story to have shaped the world, according to a poll of more than 100 international authors, academics, journalists and critics conducted by Britain’s BBC. The Odyssey is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other great work ascribed to Homer, and is the second-oldest extant work in Western […]
Archaeologists have discovered probably the earliest Greek art in a cave in Crete, dating back to the last Ice Age, according to the Journal of Archaeological Science. The artwork found in Asphendou Cave is the earliest known Greek portrayal of extinct animals and is more than 11,000 years old. Speaking to the journal, Dr Thomas […]
Archaeologist and linguist, Dr. Gareth Owens, has announced that the decipherment of the Phaistos Disc is 99% complete. Owens, who has devoted the last 30 years to trying to solve the puzzle, will make an official announcement of the results of his research on February 7. The Phaistos Disc, made of fired clay, was discovered in […]
Archaeologists digging on the Cycladic island of Keros in the central Aegean, have revealed “unusually sophisticated prehistoric monuments,” according to a press release from Cambridge University’s Department of Archaeology. The report said that new excavations have revealed that the settlement of Daskalio, the site adjoining the prehistoric sanctuary on Keros, had a “more imposing and […]
It was over 2,000 years ago that the ancient Greek mathematician Eratosthenes calculated the Earth’s circumference. Using only a stick, Eratosthenes calculated that the circumference is approximately 40,030 km, a figure that mid-20th century scientists came up with after launching satellites into space. Eratosthenes, who was the head of the Library at Alexandria, had heard […]
In Greece, December 6 is celebrated as St. Nicholas Day, is the country’s patron saint, and all but restaurants, tavernas and a few shops close to celebrate the day. The 4th-century saint is of course also famously known around the world as Father Christmas. In early December 2017, a report by the University of Oxford […]
The Greek ‘Classical Period’ was not only a time of beauty, art and culture. It is through historic writings that we learn that Diogenes the Cynic, the ancient Greek philosopher, was probably the man who invented ‘the finger’ insult! The biographer of ancient Greek philosophers, Diogenes Laertios, wrote that the cynical philosopher made the gesture to […]
