Theater of Nero found beneath a hotel site in Rome, oldest known glass workshop discovered in the Czech Republic, ancient "sounding" dance floor unearthed in Peru.
Archaeologists In Rome Uncover Lost Theater Of Nero
ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock PhotoArchaeologists discovered the remains of the ancient Theater of Nero in Rome.
Emperor from 54 C.E. until he died in 68 C.E., Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was notorious for having supposedly played his fiddle while Rome burned in a massive fire and for allegedly killing two of his wives — and even his own mother.
But despite his bad reputation, Nero was also famously a lover of the arts. About 2,000 years ago, it’s believed he had an elaborate theater built where he staged public performances of music and poetry. For centuries, this fabled Theater of Nero theater was lost. Now, archaeologists believe they’ve finally found it — beneath the courtyard garden of a future Four Seasons hotel in Rome.
Learn more about this “exceptional” discovery here.
Earliest-Known Glass Workshop North Of The Alps Uncovered In The Czech Republic
AntiquitySome of the glass objects found at Němčice, which archaeologists now believe was an important glassmaking site.
Archaeologists have long known that the early settlement site of Němčice in the Czech Republic was special. Since its discovery in 2002, researchers have discovered thousands of gold coins, sunken huts, and glass jewelry there.
Now, archaeologists excavating the site have unearthed a number of glass objects in various states of completion, indicating that Němčice was the site of a glassmaking workshop — the oldest known workshop north of the Alps.
In addition, archaeologists came across a square structure that bears a striking resemblance to other ancient buildings that were used for rituals. These finds all suggest that the settlement at Němčice played an important role as a ritualistic and production center in the ancient world. Learn more in this article.
Ancient Open-Air Dance Floor Designed To Mimic The Sound Of Thunder Unearthed In Peru
ORP-PIACI ProjectThe open-air platform at Viejo Sangayaico makes a deep percussive sound when stomped on.
Archaeologists in Peru have discovered an ancient open-air dance floor designed to create a drum-like sound when stomped on, possibly in honor of a thunder god. The dance floor was found at the Viejo Sangayaico site, roughly 125 miles southeast of Lima, and likely constructed sometime between 1000 and 1400 C.E.
The unique design of this “sounding” platform alternates between four layers of camelid guano and four layers of clay, with the materials being strategically placed to create a percussive sound. Archaeologists say the Viejo Sangayaico dance floor was likely created to mimic the sound of thunder, as Andean cultures believed in various gods connected to lightning, rain, and thunder.
Dig deeper into this fascinating find here.
