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š“ó §ó ¢ó „ó ®ó §ó æš Archaeologists find 2000 year-old 'Gemstones' in drain beneath a Roman Bathhouse, Carlisle, England
Down a drain beneath the murky waters of an ancient Roman bathhouse in Carlisle, England, nearĀ Hadrianās Wall, archaeologists have discovered a troveĀ of gemstones lost by bathers 2000 years ago. More than 30 gems, including amethyst,Ā jasperĀ andĀ carnelian have been found so far during excavations at the site. Wealthy bathers likely dropped them back in opulent bathhouseās heyday in 2nd-3rd Century CE.
āItās incredible,ā says archaeologistĀ Frank Giecco, who led the excavation, toĀ Observerās Dalya Alberge. āItās caught everyoneās imagination. They were just falling out of peopleās rings who were using the baths. They were set with a vegetable glue and, in the hot and sweaty bathhouse, they fell out of the ring settings.ā
The pieces feature deities dedicated toĀ war, sun,Ā commerce,Ā luckĀ andĀ fertility. The largest were around 0.6 inches and smallest were just under 0.2 inches. Their small size would have made the carvings particularly difficult, requiring the expertise of an advanced craftsman.Ā
āYou donāt find such gems on low-status Roman sites,ā Giecco tells Observer. āSo theyāre not something that would have been worn by the poor.ā Still, Carlisle site isnāt entirely unique: In the past, similar gemstones have beenĀ found in the drainsĀ of other bathhouses during archaeological excavations.Ā
The small, semiprecious engraved gems areĀ known as intaglios, which were first produced some 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia. Owners would press their intaglios into clay or wax to create a seal, which they used to authenticate documents (similar to a modern-day signature). āTheir material, size and color would reflect the wealth and taste of the patron,ā writes G. Max Bernheimer, Christieās international head of antiquities, on auction houseās website. At one point, he adds, it was in fashion for Romans to wear intaglios featuring the likenesses of their favorite philosophers.
āThe intaglios can be seen on many levels,ā Giecco tellsĀ Artnetās Min Chen, āfrom pieces of art to connections to the individuals who owned them.ā
In addition to the gemstones, the team at the Carlisle bathhouse found over 40 womenāsĀ hairpins and 35 glassĀ beadsĀ in drain. Hundreds of other artifacts, including pottery, weapons and coins have also been uncovered at the site. Eventually, discoveries will most likely go on view at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery.
āCarlisle was very much at the center of the Roman frontier,ā Giecco tells BBC News, āand we are very excited to go back ā¦ for more amazing finds, as it is the site that just keeps giving.ā
š archeohistories
Ukrainian forces have begun training and testing exoskeletons for battlefield use. Soldiers from the 147th Separate Artillery Brigade are using them in the Pokrovsk sector for both logistics and frontline operations. The goal is to reduce physical strain, especially when loading heavy artillery shells into howitzers without automatic loaders. Artillery crews can handle up to 1200 kg of ammunition per day, and early tests show that exoskeletons help them work faster and with less fatigue Above all, by improving the conditions for those soldiers on the front lines who handle such heavy loads, plus the stress of work. Seeking to reduce overall fatigue in the troops
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šŗšø Blue Owl Capital just disclosed that investors tried to pull 40.7% of one fund and 21.9% of another in a single quarter, and both funds gave the same answer, you can only have 5% back, and everyone else waits in line.
This is a bank run, not a normal withdrawal.
Wall Street spent the last decade selling millions of investors on something called semi-liquid private credit, higher yields, steady income and the promise you could get your money back every quarter if you needed it. What they buried in the fine print was what happens when too many people try to leave at the same time.
Analysts who have covered private credit for decades say nothing on this scale has ever been reported before at any major private credit manager.
These funds do not hold stocks you can sell on a Tuesday afternoon, they hold private loans to mid sized companies that cannot be liquidated quickly without destroying the price for every investor still trapped inside.
This product was originally designed for ...
šŗšø President Trump wants to switch to war economy in 2027 with massive increase in military spending and massive cuts to healthcare and other domestic agencies
Once a deficit hawk ā he said in 2016 that he thought he could balance the budget in five years ā Trump ended his first term with $7.8 trillion in added debt. His 2027 proposal is expected to give an update on 10-year deficit projections currently estimated at around $16 trillion.
The GOP's message for the Midterms will be focused on the "need" for a massive defense build up while the Democrats' message will be focused on affordability.
The fiscal 2027 budget will be the first time Trump puts his second-term governing agenda into one comprehensive document ā with the numbers to back it up. The budget he released last year lacked detailed line-by-line spending targets and the economic assumptions necessary to project the long-term cost of his proposals.
Investors in US Treasuries will be looking to see if the debt and ...
