Ancient Hun warrior's tomb uncovered in Romania, lost van Dyck found in a New York barn, prehistoric whale skull discovered in Maryland.
1,500-Year-Old Remains Of A Hun Warrior And His Horse Unearthed During Road Construction In Romania
CNAIR/Vasile Pârvan Institute of ArcheologyWhile preparing to build a section of the A7 motorway near the town of Mizil, workers stumbled upon this fifth-century tomb complete with gold, jewels, a cauldron, a sword, and the warrior’s horse.
In the fourth century C.E., the fearsome horsemen known as the Huns began making devastating incursions into the eastern reaches of the Roman Empire. Nomadic warriors originating in central Asia, the Huns trampled over everyone from the Goths to the Vandals as they advanced westward into Europe. At the height of their power under the rule of the ruthless King Attila in the middle of the fifth century, they got as far as present-day Germany and France before launching a failed attack on Rome itself which heralded the end of their terrifying reign.
Now, roadway workers in southeastern Romania have stumbled upon the 1,500-year-old remains of a Hun warrior. A true Hun, his tomb was packed with weapons ranging from a wooden bow and iron arrowheads to an intact sword complete with a bejeweled scabbard. Archaeologists even uncovered the remains of his horse and the gilded saddle it once wore.
Learn the full story behind this incredible discovery here.
Rare Van Dyck Painting Found In Farmer’s Shed Covered In Bird Droppings Expected To Sell For Up To $3 Million
Sotheby’sStudy for Saint Jerome with an Angel, Anthony van Dyck, circa 1618-20. Oil on canvas, mounted to board.
The last place one would expect to find a four-centuries-old masterpiece is in the back of a shed. But that’s exactly what part-time art collector Albert B. Roberts found in 2002 when examining a farmer’s shed in Kinderhook, New York.
The painting depicts a nude old man sitting hunched-back on a stool. With the man’s face and lean muscles cast in shadow, the three-foot-tall piece was reminiscent of 17th-century Flemish portraits. Now, it has officially been authenticated as an original work by famed Flemish artist Anthony van Dyck.
Dig deeper in this report.
A Beachcomber Just Stumbled Upon A 12-Million-Year-Old Whale Skull In Maryland
Calvert Marine MuseumCody Goddard discovered the whale skull, which is partially submerged in the water next to Goddard’s knee.
As Cody Goddard walked along Matoaka Beach in the Chesapeake Bay, he hoped to find fossils, maybe some ancient shark teeth. Instead, the Pennsylvania man stumbled upon a 12-million-year-old whale skull.
Goddard and his family were visiting Maryland in October 2022 when they decided to go beachcombing. As they walked along Matoaka Beach, Goddard suddenly noticed a large block of sediment on the beach with a piece of fossil sticking out.
See more here.
