Squiggler

5000 year old golden dagger discovered

Excuse me while I change gears for a moment and indulge my interest in archeological discoveries. This one is cool.

Ancient dagger found in Bulgaria

By Nick Thorpe
BBC News

The alloy used suggests sophisticated metal-working skills

Archaeologists have discovered a precious golden dagger dated to about 3,000BC in a Thracian tomb in the centre of Bulgaria.

It is the latest find from one of many tombs believed to have formed the cradle of Thracian civilisation.

The dagger, made of an alloy of gold and platinum, was found near the village of Dubovo.

Bozhidar Dimitrov, head of Bulgaria's National Museum, told Reuters news agency the discovery was "sensational".

It is the latest in a string of finds in the area in recent years which has excited archaeologists and has provided more details of the skills of the still mysterious Thracian civilisation.

According to officials at the museum, the dagger is 16cm (6in) long and is sharp enough to shave with.

More than 500 other miniature gold items were found in the same tomb.

The detail on the dagger suggests that it was used for sacrificial purposes.

Bloodthirsty

The Thracian civilisation thrived on the edge of the ancient Greek and Roman empires in what is now Bulgaria, Romania, northern Greece and Turkey, and is believed to have lasted up to 4,000 years.

The historian Herodotus described the Thracian as savage, bloodthirsty warriors and provided a description of the elaborate funeral procedures for their rulers.

Other finds in recent years include a gold mask, an ancient Thracian temple, a crown and thousands of items of jewellery.

The alloy used in the latest find suggests a far greater degree of sophistication in metal-working that was previously known for that period.

This significant find confirmed that people in this region were familiar with what was then high technology in metal processing," Mr Dimitrov told Reuters.

Archeology News - Iraq antiquity

I missed this story when it first broke. This is very cool.

27 July 2006

4,400 Year-Old Artifact Returned to Iraqi Government

U.S. agencies and Interpol cooperated in the search

By Cecilia Martin
Washington File Staff Writer

An agent identifies the ancient statue of King Entemena of Lagash, which was on Interpol's list of "Most Wanted Works of Art." (ICE)

Washington – A 4,400 year-old artifact that was stolen from the Iraq National Museum in April 2003 was returned after a three-year search during a ceremony at the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Washington on July 25.

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Secretary for Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki participated in the repatriation ceremony for the ancient diorite statue of King Entemena.

The ancient statue of King Entemena of Lagash. (FBI)

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency in the Department of Homeland Security, worked with the international police organization Interpol to find the statue. It was on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s top 10 list of art crimes. 

In late 2005, confidential overseas informants contacted the Department of Homeland Security with information regarding the whereabouts of the statue.  By May, the statue was located.  It was shipped to the United States where its authenticity was confirmed. 

The diorite statue of Entemena, which dates back to 2430 B.C., was excavated in Ur, Iraq, in the early 20th century.  The statue is missing its head and is carved from black diorite with cuneiform inscriptions along the back and shoulders.  It is the oldest known representation of the king of ancient Iraq, Entemena of Lagash, and stands approximately 30 inches tall and weighs around 136 kilograms.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the statue of Entemena “is perhaps the most significant and historic artifact returned to the people of Iraq. It is the latest in a series of repatriations in which cultural treasures are returned to their rightful owners.”

A photograph of the statue is available on the Department of Homeland Security Web site.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)