We know what’s coming and we are prepared.
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
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šŖšŗāļøš·šŗ Brussels feels like a city preparing for war
Though it is outlandish even to type the words, Brussels the international capitalāthe home of the European Union and seat of the nato allianceāfeels like a city bracing for combat. āEurope is in a fight,ā declared Ursula von der Leyen.
To be sure, the old flaws of pan-European governanceāvapid oratory, bureaucratic turf wars and expensive something-for-everyone compromisesāpersist. For all that, in the headquarters of the eu and of nato, very different institutions at opposite ends of the city, recent months have seen a stark change of mood.
Europeans āonly start organising ourselves when we are threatenedā, says an official. The threats are clear now. The most urgent involve three strongmen who view Europe with either disdain or hostility: Presidents Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. Brussels has come to a grim realisation. War is raging on the European continent, in Ukraine, and none of those ...
šØš³šŗšø Absolutely extraordinary paper by RAND, the main think tank of the US military-industrial complex, and another key sign that the U.S. deep state - despite all the chaos and noise - is shifting away from deterring China, towards accepting coexistence (it's literally what they recommend in the paper).
These are the 3 most important recommendations in the paper:
1. Rejecting the false belief that a victory is possible in the China-US rivalry and accepting the legitimacy of the Communist Party:
They write that the U.S. should "clarify U.S. objectives in the rivalry with language that explicitly rejects absolute versions of victory and accepts the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party."
They explain that it's necessary because victory is objectively impossible ("the effective destruction of the other is not a feasible option" ), rejecting it is imposed by hard realities and because continuing to try would be catastrophic (as it would "threaten [either side's] survival" ).
2. ...
