Archaeologists Identify 1,900-Year-Old Roman Artifact in Louisiana Home

A New Orleans family made a remarkable discovery while clearing their overgrown backyard — a 1,900-year-old Roman marble gravestone believed to have been missing from an Italian museum for decades. The tablet, engraved with Latin inscriptions including the phrase “spirits of the dead,” has since been identified as the ancient grave marker of Sextus Congenius Verus, a sailor who served in the Roman imperial navy.

The Unusual Find That Sparked Archaeological Investigation

Anthropologist Daniella Santoro of Tulane University said the family was initially startled by the Latin inscription. “The fact that it was in Latin really just gave us pause,” she told reporters. “You see something like that and realize it’s not an ordinary thing.”

Santoro contacted her colleague, classical archaeologist Susann Lusnia, who quickly recognized the artifact’s extraordinary significance. “When I first saw the image that Daniella sent me, it sent a shiver up my spine,” Lusnia said. “I was floored.”

Further research confirmed that the marble slab matched a Roman funerary inscription documented in 1910, which was once held by the National Archaeological Museum in Civitavecchia, a coastal city northwest of Rome.

Missing Since World War II

Historical records show that the Civitavecchia museum, which housed numerous Roman naval artifacts, was destroyed during World War II bombings. Many items were lost or looted in the aftermath.

According to Lusnia, the gravestone’s measurements — roughly one square foot and one inch thick — perfectly matched the original catalog entry. “You can’t have better DNA than that,” she said, noting that museum officials confirmed the tablet had been missing for decades.

The stone commemorates Sextus Congenius Verus, who died at age 42 after more than twenty years of service aboard a ship named for the Greco-Roman god of medicine, Asclepius. The inscription praises him as “well deserving” and was commissioned by two “heirs,” likely his fellow sailors, since Roman soldiers and sailors at that time were legally prohibited from marriage.

From Ancient Italy to Modern Louisiana

How the 1st- or 2nd-century artifact ended up in New Orleans remains a mystery, but clues have begun to emerge.

As news of the discovery spread, Erin Scott O’Brien, a previous owner of the home, came forward saying she recognized the marble slab immediately after seeing it on television. “I always thought it was just a cool piece of art,” she said.

O’Brien explained that she had received the artifact from her grandparents — an Italian woman and a New Orleans man stationed in Italy during World War II. The piece had been displayed as a garden ornament for years before being left behind when the house was sold to Santoro in 2018.

“None of us knew what it was,” O’Brien added. “We were watching the news in shock.”

Repatriation Talks Underway

The discovery has prompted the FBI and Italian authorities to initiate discussions on the tablet’s formal repatriation to Italy. The agency has not yet issued an official statement due to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, but experts say the artifact’s provenance appears authentic and well-documented.

If returned, the gravestone will likely be reinstated at the Civitavecchia Archaeological Museum, closing a historical loop that began nearly two millennia ago and was interrupted by war.

A Roman Legacy Remembered

For scholars, the rediscovery of the gravestone is not just an archaeological event but a symbolic resurrection of memory. Grave markers were vital in ancient Roman culture, serving as a way to preserve a person’s name and deeds for eternity.

“Now Sextus Congenius Verus is being talked about so much,” Lusnia reflected. “If there’s an afterlife and he knows, he’s very happy because this is what a Roman wanted — to be remembered forever.”

The unexpected find highlights how the remnants of ancient history can resurface in the most unlikely places — even a quiet backyard in modern-day New Orleans.

Source: AP News – Along-lost ancient Roman artifact reappears in a New Orleans backyard

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In a groundbreaking discovery, archaeologists have uncovered a massive, ancient Egyptian tomb that dates back over 3,600 years, shedding new light on a forgotten dynasty and a mystery king.

The tomb, found in January at Abydos in Egypt, is a remarkable find, with multiple chambers and a decorated entryway. However, despite its grandeur, the identity of the tomb’s owner remains a puzzle. Graverobbers had damaged the hieroglyphic texts at the tomb’s entrance, making the king’s name unreadable, according to a report from the Penn Museum at the University of Pennsylvania.

What makes this discovery particularly intriguing is the lack of skeletal remains. Without these, pinpointing the tomb’s royal occupant is challenging. However, experts believe the tomb may belong to a king who ruled Upper Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period, a time marked by political fragmentation. This period, between 1640 and 1540 BC, saw the rise of the Abydos Dynasty—one of the least understood ruling lineages in Egyptian history.

“This is an enigmatic dynasty, largely forgotten in ancient records due to the political chaos of the time,” said Josef Wegner, an Egyptologist and the lead researcher on the excavation. “This tomb opens up new avenues to explore and better understand the Abydos Dynasty.”

The tomb was found deep underground—nearly 23 feet (7 meters)—at the site of an ancient necropolis, also known as the “City of the Dead.” Abydos, considered one of the most sacred sites in ancient Egypt, was historically associated with Osiris, the god of the underworld, and was a favored burial ground for the earliest pharaohs. The necropolis expanded over centuries, with tombs built for royalty from various dynasties.

Wegner and his team had previously discovered another tomb in Abydos that confirmed the existence of the Abydos Dynasty. This discovery, made more than a decade ago, revealed the tomb of King Seneb-Kay—an entirely unknown pharaoh who was absent from traditional historical records. To date, Seneb-Kay’s tomb is the only one with a preserved name.

The newly found tomb, however, is significantly larger, suggesting it may belong to a predecessor of Seneb-Kay. It is located in a section of the necropolis believed to be older, which strengthens the theory that the tomb is linked to an earlier king of the Abydos Dynasty.

While the tomb’s architectural style closely resembles Seneb-Kay’s, it is much more expansive. The main chamber measures approximately 6.2 feet (1.9 meters) wide and nearly 20 feet (6 meters) long. Experts speculate that the tomb may belong to King Senaiib or King Paentjeni, two rulers mentioned in limited archaeological records.

“There’s a chance it could be an entirely unknown king,” Wegner added. “We don’t think we have all the names of the Abydos kings—many of them were never recorded.”

Although the tomb lacks clear inscriptions identifying its occupant, researchers did find two painted images of the goddesses Isis and Nephthys, often associated with mourning rituals. These images offer valuable insights into the funerary customs of the time.

The team plans to expand their excavation efforts in the area, exploring over 100,000 square feet of desert terrain in the hopes of uncovering more tombs. “We could discover 12 to 15 more kings from this dynasty,” Wegner said. To aid their search, they’ll use advanced technologies such as ground-penetrating radar and magnetometry to map underground structures.

Salima Ikram, an Egyptologist at the American University in Cairo, expressed her excitement over the find: “This discovery confirms that there was a significant royal cemetery in Abydos during this time. It gives us more information about royal tomb architecture and provides clues about the kings of this elusive dynasty.”

While the identity of the tomb’s owner remains uncertain, this discovery is already reshaping our understanding of this long-lost period in Egyptian history. “These kinds of finds challenge our previous conceptions and enrich our understanding of Egyptian history,” said Laurel Bestock, an Egyptologist at Brown University. “They remind us how incomplete the historical record can be, and how much more there is to uncover.”

For now, the tomb remains a mystery, but the ongoing excavation promises more surprises as archaeologists continue to explore Egypt’s ancient past. As Wegner puts it, “In archaeology, you never know what twists and turns the evidence will lead to, and that’s what makes it so exciting.”

Source: CNN – Archaeologists uncover an ancient Egyptian tomb belonging to a mystery king

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Over 1,600 years after his death, archaeologists may have uncovered the final resting place of the saint who inspired the legend of Santa Claus. A team of experts believes they have discovered a sarcophagus at St. Nicholas Church in Demre, Turkey, marking an important step in identifying the burial site of Saint Nicholas, the beloved bishop whose spirit of generosity still influences Christmas traditions today.

A Surprising Find in the Heart of History

The discovery took place during an excavation led by associate professor Ebru Fatma Findik from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University’s Department of Art History. The excavation, part of a project sponsored by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, was conducted at the Church of St. Nicholas, which is located in Demre, Antalya.

The sarcophagus was found in a two-story annex of the church, thought to be the original burial site of Saint Nicholas, who lived in the ancient city of Myra in the 4th century. While drilling inside the structure, the team was surprised to encounter the sarcophagus, which appeared to be undisturbed in its original position.

“We believe this is the first time we’ve discovered a sarcophagus in its original location,” Findik explained.

A Closer Look at the Sarcophagus

The sarcophagus is constructed from local stone and measures approximately 2 meters in length and 1.5 to 2 meters in height. It has a barrel-shaped roof and a handle on its lid, which is typical of sarcophagi from the region. According to Findik, its design strongly resembles others found in the area, further supporting the theory that this could be the burial site of Saint Nicholas.

“We’re working inside a 20-meter-long, two-story structure adjacent to the church courtyard,” Findik said. “The sarcophagus is part of a group of undecorated sarcophagi, made of local stone.”

Historical Significance and Connection to Saint Nicholas

The exact location of Saint Nicholas’ burial has long been a mystery. Historical sources suggest that he was buried near the sacred area of the city of Myra, and the newly uncovered sarcophagus might confirm that this site is indeed the location described in those records. Findik believes the discovery adds crucial archaeological evidence to support the idea that this area is where the saint’s remains were once laid to rest.

“We can now say we’ve found archaeological evidence that confirms historical accounts of Saint Nicholas’ burial site being in the city’s sacred area,” Findik explained.

Artifacts and New Insights

Before reaching the sarcophagus, the excavation team uncovered other interesting artifacts, including fragments of terracotta oil lamps and animal bones, which shed further light on the area’s historical significance.

Saint Nicholas, who was born in the 3rd century in the village of Patara (modern-day Turkey), became famous for his acts of generosity, especially toward children. Orphaned at a young age, he used his inheritance to help the needy. He served as bishop of Myra and passed away in 343 CE. Nearly 200 years after his death, his remains were moved to the Church of St. Nicholas.

Looking Ahead to Further Discoveries

Findik and her team are excited about the progress of the excavation, hopeful that this discovery will lead to more insights into the life and legacy of Saint Nicholas.

“We are thrilled by the discovery of the sarcophagus so close to the church believed to house Saint Nicholas’ tomb,” said Findik. “We look forward to continuing the excavation and restoration, which will contribute to both our historical understanding and Turkey’s tourism.”

Source

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