#elite burial

[illustratus]

[dalishious]

Vorgoth Game Files Notes

Vorgoth is deep-voiced, solemn, and imposing. They're a member of the Mourn Watch, an elite group of necromancers from the kingdom of Nevarra. But what Vorgoth is exactly--their species, age, gender, whether or not they're alive--€”is a mystery, shrouded and masked in a cloak. Vorgoth clearly has supernatural powers, however. Even their voice has an otherworldly echo. Vorgoth doesn't speak much, and only in short sentences. As one of the Mourn Watch, they help guard Nevarra's sacred burial complex, the Grand Necropolis. Like all Watchers, Vorgoth is also sworn to stop occult threats to this world, and takes this duty seriously. NOTE: Vorgoth is masculine in appearance (tall, broad) and voice, but their pronouns are "they/them". Vorgoth does not use they/them because they are non-binary (as opposed to our more typical non-binary characters); they use them because they're a total unknown (and may be a pluralistic entity; in the rare instance Vorgoth refers to themselves, they use "we" not "I".)

Diversity win: The entity known as Vorgoth is plural

[blueiscoool]

Exceptional Sixth-Century Sword Unearthed in Anglo-Saxon Cemetery in the UK

Archaeologists have uncovered a spectacular sixth-century sword from an Anglo-Saxon cemetery near Canterbury, Kent, in a discovery hailed as one of the most remarkable of its kind. The weapon, distinguished by its exceptional preservation and craftsmanship, is being compared to the famous Sutton Hoo sword found in Suffolk in 1939.

The newly unearthed sword features a silver-and-gilt hilt with intricate decorative patterns and a blade inscribed with runic script. Even the leather-and-wood scabbard, lined with beaver fur, has survived the passage of time. A ring attached to the pommel may symbolize an oath to a king or high-ranking figure, reflecting the weapon’s elite status.

Lead archaeologist Professor Duncan Sayer of the University of Central Lancashire expressed awe at the find. “It’s really incredible, in the top echelons of swords, an elite object in every way. It rivals the swords from Dover and Sutton Hoo,” he said. The Sutton Hoo sword, crafted with gold and cloisonné garnets, is considered a pinnacle of Anglo-Saxon craftsmanship, but this recent discovery stands out for its remarkable condition.

Sutton Hoo Sword.

The cemetery, whose exact location remains undisclosed to protect the site, has so far revealed 12 graves, though researchers estimate it contains up to 200 burials. Male graves have yielded weapons such as spears and shields, while female burials include brooches, buckles, and knives. Notably, the grave containing the sword also held a gold pendant engraved with a serpent or dragon—a type of ornament typically associated with high-status women. Archaeologists suggest it may have been an heirloom or a gift from a female relative.

Other artifacts at the site hint at connections to regions beyond Britain. Scandinavian objects were found in a fifth-century woman’s grave, while items of Frankish origin appear in later burials. These findings illuminate the migration patterns and cultural exchanges following the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the early fifth century.

The excavation has also provided rare insights into Anglo-Saxon funerary customs. Conservator Dana Goodburn-Brown discovered fly pupae on the sword, suggesting the deceased’s body was left exposed for a time before burial, likely to allow loved ones to pay their respects. “So we’re learning something about the funerary practices,” she explained in the upcoming BBC Two series Digging for Britain.

The sword and other artifacts are undergoing conservation and will eventually be displayed at the Folkestone Museum. Prof Alice Roberts, presenter of Digging for Britain, described the site as “an extraordinary Anglo-Saxon cemetery with incredibly furnished graves… The sword is just astonishing.”

By Dario Radley.

[nutsackx]

POKÉMON X THE OUTSIDERS AU

info under images lol

if anyone reposts these like the cowboy or scientist au I’m deleting my whole account watch your bakc

I’m gonna preface this by saying I haven’t played or even really indulged in Pokémon for like… 7 years so forgive me if any of this is off or doesn’t make sense…

ANYWAY!!

Original gang is just the Curtis brothers. Ponyboy, after years of putting it off to put time into school, decides he’s finally ready to try being a Pokémon trainer (he’s a bit of a late bloomer, starting at 14 instead of ten…yikes). Usually, their father would’ve helped him on his journey….but he’s, dead, so. 

Darry agrees to help him, eventually Soda gets dragged along too because he’s worried Pony and Darry fighting 24/7 will ruin the experience for Ponyboy. And, Soda, being a Pokémon ranger, has a lot more knowledge than even Darry about how to safely go about this. 

First they come across Steve. Soda and him are already besties, of course. And they have kinda a rivalry going on where they are constantly tryin to one-up each other (all in good faith lmao). It’s not until Steve starts talking about how he started with Pokémon that Darry realizes just how different it was than when he was starting out. Steve agrees to come along, mainly saying he thinks Pony’s gonna get himself killed cus’ he SUCKS!!

After all the yada yada and defeating his first gym leader, Pony finds a dead Radicate and REFUSES to move on until they give the poor creature a proper burial. Since they’re already relatively close, Darry redirects the group to Lavender Town. 

While inside Pokémon tower, they come across a decrepit, old, decaying black-belt class trainer (Mr.Miyagi ((yeah I put him in here, what are you gonna do about it?)),sorry for all the mean adjectives) who of course starts being an old man and going on and on about the boy he fosters there and how weird he’s acting lately (Darry refuses to interrupt because he RESPECTS HIS ELDERS!!!). 

Mr.Miyagi admits that not being around people his age has probably messed with his development, practically calling the boy a hermit, and asks the guys to bring him along in exchange for a very strong Gengar (for Pony, ofc). Darry, upon hearing that the boy is a strong fighter and MUCH quieter then the rest of the freaks he’s dealing with, agrees. 

They go from floor to floor looking for him, eventually finding a cloaked figure on some fuckass floor idk. It takes a minute but they’re like, damn, this hoe possessed! And they battle him, he’s hard to beat but they do it eventually, yada yada. Johnny then takes the hood off, apologizes profusely, and explains that he’s a channeler but not really good at his job yet. (also imagine him with the most fuckass stutter, like Shaky from rdr)

The guys inform him about their promise to Mr.Miyagi, Johnny’s upset for t-minus two minutes before he’s just like “whatever okay” and joins them. (Quickly becomes the favorite, ofc, because he can actually shut his damn mouth). 

They move on to the next gym, yk how it goes…but yeah they come across a traveling circus. And you’ll NEVER GUESS WHO IS A CLOWN!! 

So anyway, Clown-bit, we love him. They come across him, agree to fight so he’ll give them some food and pokeballs, and Pony beats his ASS. 

They don’t really invite Two-Bit along (they think he’s annoying…who doesn’t?) but he just joins anyway. Imagine like constant clown puns. Also he and Johnny quickly take a liking to each other cus’ they’re both kinda outcasts of the group (Johnny’s known the guys for like, a week…and Two-bit Just showed up. Also, we need more Johnny and Two-Bit friend content so).

They keep going, Pony defeats a few more gym leaders, and takes notice that a lot of them seem to recognize someone on their team. When he askes, Johnny admits to being the son of one of the elite four. At first, Pony is thrilled by the info, until he pries a little more and realizes Johnny’s father was an abusive asshole and pretty much sent him away to Pokémon tower to force him into becoming a trainer. Yikes. 

Anyway, on their journey they come across some UGLY blonde guy, like one of those biker trainer classes yk..? Anyway yeah it’s Dallas, shocker. He kinda just gets in their way and refuses to move until they ALL battle him. Obviously, they don’t wanna do that, a lot of work for some ugly freak (did I mention he’s ugly?). 

They agree to let Ponyboy fight him, but he uh…loses. After a bit of back and forth Dallas agrees to let them go if they help him get to the Indigo Plateau in Kanto, so he can face off against the Elite Four there (his bike is old, cus yk…he’s poor.) 

Darry at this point has an entire league of teenagers following him around, so he’s like what’s one more? And boom they move on. 

I don’t have much planned out from here (this was all pulled from my ass anyway). Maybe the Shepards can be like…the Team Rocket of this AU?? And Soc’s are the gym leaders. 

Also, Yeah Cherry and Marcia are both Kanto elite four cus I SAID SO!!! And uh…Johnny and Cherry are dating because it’s MY AU AND I DO WHAT I WANT!!!! She’s the breadwinner and that’s okay, we love her for it <3

twobit prolly falls in love with Marcia when he sees her but idk if she’d reciprocate with an actual clown. Mayeb Randy lowered her standards???

anyway. That is all. Might flesh this out more if the obsession grows, or it’ll die in a week like the Crazy Scientist stuff. Oh well!

EXPLANATION OF DESIGNS/MORE INFO—

Ponyboy

CLASS: Youngster 

Ngl his design took very little time…..oops

his cap hides a really bad dye job, and he refuses to take it off

He chose squirtle as his starter, idrk why but squirtle just suits him. Maybe cus he almost drowned!!

Would’ve fought to the DEATH if he didn’t get squirtle. This boy knows what he wants 

He has a little pokeball necklace that his mom got him as a joke, will kill someone for it 

He deffo has a really nerdy messenger bag that he keeps all of his stuff in

He’s scared of his own Beedrill 

He does NOT need those glasses. But he likes them becuase he thinks they make him look more professional (everyone can tell they’re blue light glasses)

Sodapop

CLASS: Pokémon Ranger

LOVES his job and therefore is almost always seen in uniform

he loves electric/steel type Pokémon cus they reminds him of cars, so his hair is usually sticking up because of static electricity 

has a whistle, but Darrel stole it and tossed it into the forest VERY early into the journey 

yellow is his favorite color cus I said so

Raichu is his PRIZED Pokémon 

He’s kinda like Snow White the Pokémon love him 

His Flareon and Johnny’s Espeon are best friends 

Darrel

CLASS: Veteran 

Wanted to be a football player, but couldn’t because that wouldn’t keep the family afloat, that’s why his outfit has the numbers on it. 

Lot of scars, some from football and some from his days as a trainer 

His outfit used to have sleeves, but he found them annoying and just shopped them off one day 

Always keeps the spare pokeballs on him 

In highschool he had his hair grown out, but chopped it after their folks died because his father was always trying to get him to cut it 

I don’t really have a backstory for his necklace, buts it fire okay

Treats his Pokémon VERY well, if there was a trainer rating website he would be top 5

Picks his Pokémon based on size and strength

Two-Bit

CLASS: CLOWN

Obviously he’s a clown so, that explains the outfit 

NEVER seen without the makeup, even when it rains or he’s sleeping…that stuff is ON THERE

He has false lashes on his waterline, and yes they’re pink 

He is incapable of being quiet because of all the bells 

The hat doesn’t come off. if it did his hair under there would be hella matted 

All of Two’s Pokémon are just as annoying as he is, he hides earplugs in his shoes for people (they never take them) 

FATASS can and will eat anything in sight

Mr.Mime is his favorite of all his Pokémon….they ate both annoying together and everyone hates them for it 

Johnny

CLASS: Channeler 

the scar on his eye is from his father 😬 from when he figured out Miyagi wasn’t actually training him to be the next member of the Elite Four…. the eye is blue because of some psychic shit idk 

His outfit is from Miyagi entirely, the sleeves used to be connected, but he found it too annoying to fight in those so he tore them (Miyagi was secretly VERY unsettled) 

If you look really closely he has purple eyeliner

Johnny refuses to cut his hair, so it’s usually in a braid to be out of his way, he lets it down sometimes 

He has the little flower charm connected to his belt…what a cutie 

His hood is actually up a LOT, most of the time his face is obscured 

There’s flames on his sleeve….wonder why (not the reason you think okay. His father was a fire type trainer…JOHNNY LIVES IN THIS AU OKAY.)

also the metal things around his arm are like…incredibly heavy. Mr.Miyagi put them in originally so he could build muscle while doing everyday things, but Johnny insists on keeping the on forever. 

Loves all of his Pokémon equally, and they love him back. Always has atleast one out of their Pokeball so he doesn’t get lonely….my baby 

He doesn’t even like the color purple that much it’s just kinda his thing now 

Pokémon FLOCK to this man 

Dallas

CLASS: Biker

Tore the sleeves off of his jacket as well…they really like doing that 

YELLOW teeth and GREASY hair he does not take care of himself

Really likes dog-looking Pokémon 

Has an empty slot because one of his Pokémon just DIED LMAO (idk which one. Oh well) 

Has rips in his jeans, does not plan on fixing it 

Hand-carved his belt buckle. The ‘win’ in Winston is underlined. Ignore the fact that this idiot keeps fucking losing 

The bandages are protecting nothing. He thinks it makes him look cool

Pokémon are revolted by him. Like, his own literally hate him. 

Steve

Class: Hooligan

kind of an ass, but he looks cool

any cutscene of him he’s making sure his hair is still spiked trust

loves steel type Pokémon because…cars

his favorite color is green, making any green Pokémon his all time favorite

for being a little shit, he treats his Pokémon rather well

has studs ALL over his back, once leaned back on Soda and has never heard the end of the pain he caused

he has a tongue piercing….so….

when the gang is lacking resources, he and Dallas are the first to steal

[thelesbianoffrontiers]

Myrna and Vorgoth character descriptions (from here)

MYRNA

AGERANGE: 25

CHARACTERDESCRIPTION: Myrna is a necromancer from Nevarra. Utterly precise diction, calm demeanor. Crisp, polite, and intimidatingly competent. Myrna often speaks in declaratives, and absently drops archaic or obscure words at least once a conversation. She's not unfriendly, however, and firmly on the side of those doing good.

Myrna is part of the Mourn Watch, an elite group of necromancers who run Nevarra's sacred repository of the dead: the Grand Necropolis. They also protect people from occult dangers, a duty she takes seriously.

VORGOTH

CHARACTERDESCRIPTION: Vorgoth is deep-voiced, solemn, and imposing. They're a member of the Mourn Watch, an elite group of necromancers from the kingdom of Nevarra. But what Vorgoth is exactly—their species, age, gender, whether or not they're alive—is a mystery, shrouded and masked in a cloak. Vorgoth clearly has supernatural powers, however. Even their voice has an otherworldly echo.

Vorgoth doesn't speak much, and only in short sentences. As one of the Mourn Watch, they help guard Nevarra's sacred burial complex, the Grand Necropolis. Like all Watchers, Vorgoth is also sworn to stop occult threats to this world, and takes this duty seriously.

NOTE: Vorgoth is masculine in appearance (tall, broad) and voice, but their pronouns are "they/them". Vorgoth does not use they/them because they are non-binary (as opposed to our more typical non-binary characters); they use them because they're a total unknown (and may be a pluralistic entity; in the rare instance Vorgoth refers to themselves, they use "we" not "I".)

[serpentface]

The (now extinct) utosai, the last of the great lacetors.

Lacetors are a clade of warmblooded reptiles that fill niches as large grazers. The only genera surviving in the contemporary are relatively small (averaging about the size of cattle), but many older species grew bigger than elephants. Utosai were the last remaining members of this branch, dwindling towards extinction as their once vast grasslands experienced rapid desertification over a period of a mere few millenia, becoming the massive, mostly uninhabitable desert region colloquially known as the Deadlands.

They would historically live in herds consisting of one male, several (sometimes dozens of) females, and their associated young, which would migrate vast distances to follow seasonal rains. Males would fight each other to gain control of their mates or tempt away singular females, with young males roaming in bachelor herds. As reliable grasslands grew sparser, these herds grew much smaller, with the last remaining utosai being found largely as small bands of females and lone, wandering males that would opportunistically mate when they were lucky enough to find each other.

Utosai had very thick scaly skin that folds in plates, in part a vestigial defense mechanism against large predators that had LONG vanished. Like many other lacetor, they had partly bony facial pads that grew large and colorful in males as display features. Their tremendous curving horns served predominantly as additional display features, while the smaller, jutting horns partly figured into intraspecies combat, with males standing side by side and front to back and swinging these horns at each other in ritualized combat behavior.

These horns were clearly of value to the people who once inhabited the same ranges as utosai, as their ivory figured heavily into their craftwork and holy objects and can be found near-ubiquitously in the burials of high ranking people in the east interior Deadlands. These surviving utosai ivory artifacts are of tremendous value, with the mere prospect of obtaining them tempting many graverobbers and other such wealth-seekers into the remains of ancient human settlements (a mostly futile and often deadly task, most accessible tombs have already been plundered and those still left in peace are hidden deeply beneath the sands).

Utosai lasted far longer than many of their counterparts, surviving on (and trapped within) dwindling patches of coastal grassland fed by ocean rains, too isolated within stretches of desert for any chance of migration to grasslands further from the equator. These last fragmentary populations were discovered by traders and treasure seekers sponsored by the early 2nd Burri empire, with many hatchling utosai being taken back overseas hundreds of miles north. It is unknown when the last wild utosai died, but all but the tiniest fragments of their coastal grasslands are gone and the great beasts are nowhere to be found.

The captive animals were bred in Bur and eventually produced a relatively large (and heavily inbred) population, probably maxing out at around 1000 individuals. They were never truly domesticated but could be made tame and well accommodated to handling, which eventually developed into their use as mounts, forming an elite cavalry unit used in warfare. A war utosai was outfitted with a shielded tower upon its back from which archers could fire from height, and would be driven by a rider on its neck. Their use was functionally similar to irl war elephants, being utilized for intimidation, to scatter enemy formations, and to lead (or break) charges. These were the largest animals that most people would have ever seen, and were often reckoned as nigh-invulnerable. The utosai was heavily used in Bur's wars of conquest, and became an esteemed animal emblematic of the second Burri empire's might.

Very few consistently effective counters to the war utosai were discovered during the duration of their use. One very famous, very successful counter was used by the pre-Wardi Ephenni tribe in its war of independence against the second Burri empire (which was already beginning to collapse). The province of Ephennos was of key import to the empire as a breadbasket, being highly fertile lands and providing much of the grain that sustained the empire. A cavalry of ten utosai (a VERY excessive number against a less well-trained, less well-armed group of soldiers) was brought overseas to assist in crushing dissent and were devastating in battle, with only two of the ten being killed in three years of protracted warfare.

In an act of cleverness, desperation, or both, a trio of khait were covered in pitch and set ablaze, and spurred into hurtling towards the bulls in the utosai cavalry. The utosai panicked and fled, trampling many Burri soldiers in the process and utterly destroying their formations, with three of the eight utosai falling onto their sides (weighed down by their towers) and killed by Ephenni soldiers. This allowed for victory in battle, and this victory ultimately turned the tide in favor of the kingdom of Ephennos and its eventual independence. A motif of three khait wreathed in flames is still widely used in this region and as emblematic of Ephenni heritage (who, while broadly assimilated into Wardi nationality, still retain a sense of individual identity, and pride in their city-state being a center of power and birthplace of kings within Imperial Wardin).

The use of utosai in warfare dwindled after the discovery of this fairly effective counter. They were no longer reckoned as nearly invulnerable, and the great cost of transporting and feeding these animals became increasingly inviable. Captive breeding began to dwindle along with their use in warfare. The last utosai were lost, killed, or slowly died off in the Burri wilderness during and after the empire's tumultuous collapse. Some folklore describes hidden populations surviving in some wilder areas- there are several places in Bur where people claim to sometimes see the silhouettes of these great beasts against the horizon, and the rural parts of Ephennos are rumored to have a few of them (perhaps descendants of the surviving war utosai, perhaps their ghosts). Otherwise, they are lost to the world.

[sflow-er]

Addressing the top complaints (outside of tumblr) about KAJ winning Melodifestivalen and representing Sweden at Eurovision:

1 "It's a joke act!"

Fun Eurovision entries are a spectrum. There are true joke acts at one end (e.g. We Are the Winners in 2006, Dustin the Turkey in 2008), "serious" acts with fun elements at the other (e.g. Lordi in 2006, Hatari in 2019, Daði Freyr in 2021), and acts with variable levels of humour in between (e.g. Verka Serduchka in 2007, Cezar the opera vampire in 2013, Käärijä in 2023, Baby Lasagna in 2024).

KAJ are also in that middle part of the spectrum. Based on their musical talent and dedication to their craft, you could even put them a couple of notches closer to the "serious" end. In the sixteen years they've been making music and comedy together, they have released seven albums as KAJ and one as Vörjeans, and written two musical plays. They have parodied loads of different genres (e.g. Kpop, rap, EDM, Latin-inspired party music, even opera) and sold out venues in Svenskfinland.

Several of the non-joke acts on this spectrum did very well in the ESC, especially in the popular vote. Just as KAJ did very well in Mello, where they smashed the all-time voting record and defeated runner-up Måns by about one million votes.

2 "They aren't Swedish!"

Céline Dion isn't Swiss, but she still won the ESC for them in 1988. Plenty of artists have represented countries they had little or nothing to do with - which isn't the case with KAJ.

Finlandssvenskar are descended from Swedish settlers who came to Finland from the Middle Ages on, [EDIT1: misconception, many thanks to the user who reached out!]

KAJ are native Swedish speakers from a country where Swedish has been spoken from the Middle Ages on. Part of a minority that has close cultural ties to Sweden, they will have grown up following Swedish entertainment alongside Finnish. Hell, Jakob has even told an anecdote of how it was his biggest dream as a tween to be on Allsång på Skansen (at age 14, he even won a contest to be on stage with Anders Lundin but got cold feet).

Also, Bara bada bastu was written with Swedish producers. It's a Swedish song performed by native Swedish speakers who were specifically invited to participate in Melodifestivalen.

3 "Their dialect isn't real Swedish!"

Fun fact: it's not Finnish influence that makes Ostrobothnian (österbottniska) dialects so distinctive. It's elements retained from Old Swedish (fornsvenska) which have fallen out of use in standard forms of Swedish, such as old words and the tendency to shorten words at the end. Finland wasn't part of Sweden anymore when pronouncing all the last letters and endings as written became a thing there, and the Ostrobothnians still aren't doing it.

[EDIT2: Of course, the dialect does also have Finlandisms, as pointed out by the user who reached out! My point here was to highlight how close Ostrobothnian dialects are to Old Swedish: closer than other Fenno-Swedish dialects or even standard forms of Swedish. So, what KAJ are singing is very "real" Swedish by all measures.]

4 "They are promoting a tired stereotype of Finnish people!"

...said journalists from the country whose hosting organisation made an entire interval act joking about Finland last year.

"Finnish people are extreme sauna lovers" is indeed a stereotype, but KAJ aren't mocking it, nor are Finns at large offended by it. Even those who don't actually enjoy the sauna acknowledge it as a pillar of Finnish culture and tradition. It's where babies used to be born and bodies washed for burial, where ailments were healed and the toils of the week washed away. "The best remedy for the body and soul" as it says in the song.

Not only that, some finlandssvenskar even find Bara bada bastu validating. They are often stereotyped as wealthy snobs in Finland because a small percentage of them are descended from the colonial elite, which is unfair and frustrating to the large percentage who are just completely normal people. By embracing the Finnish national stereotype on the big stage, KAJ are showing that the Swedish-speaking minority are not that different from the Finnish-speaking majority and uplifting them - while also giving Swedish people with Finnish ancestry something nostalgic to relate to.

Also, take a second to consider who or what it is the guys are very gently poking fun at. It helps if you know the random Finnish words and phrases aren't actually random; they are widely joked to be the only phrases that Swedes know in Finnish.

But that's okay though. If this is how you see us, we aren't offended. We are here to help you relax and let go of the stress that everyone feels living in these times - as per Finnish sauna tradition!

[probablyasocialecologist]

A system of ancient ceramic water pipes, the oldest ever unearthed in China, shows that neolithic people were capable of complex engineering feats without the need for a centralized state authority, finds a new study by University College London researchers. In a study published in Nature Water, the archaeological team describe a network of ceramic water pipes and drainage ditches at the Chinese walled site of Pingliangtai dating back 4,000 years to a time known as the Longshan period. The network shows cooperation among the community to build and maintain the drainage system, though no evidence of a centralized power or authority. Dr. Yijie Zhuang (UCL Institute of Archaeology), senior and corresponding author on the paper, said, "The discovery of this ceramic water pipe network is remarkable because the people of Pingliangtai were able to build and maintain this advanced water management system with stone age tools and without the organization of a central power structure. This system would have required a significant level of community-wide planning and coordination, and it was all done communally." The ceramic water pipes make up a drainage system which is the oldest complete system ever discovered in China. Made by interconnecting individual segments, the water pipes run along roads and walls to divert rainwater and show an advanced level of central planning at the neolithic site. What's surprising to researchers is that the settlement of Pingliangtai shows little evidence of social hierarchy. Its houses were uniformly small and show no signs of social stratification or significant inequality among the population. Excavations at the town's cemetery likewise found no evidence of a social hierarchy in burials, a marked difference from excavations at other nearby towns of the same era. But, despite the apparent lack of a centralized authority, the town's population came together and undertook the careful coordination needed to produce the ceramic pipes, plan their layout, install and maintain them, a project which likely took a great deal of effort from much of the community. The level of complexity associated with these pipes refutes an earlier understanding in archaeological fields that holds that only a centralized state power with governing elites would be able to muster the organization and resources to build a complex water management system. While other ancient societies with advanced water systems tended to have a stronger, more centralized governance, or even despotism, Pingliangtai demonstrates that was not always needed, and more egalitarian and communal societies were capable of these kinds of engineering feats as well.

[thetravelingtyper]

Beasts of the Deep...Pt 1 (Simon 'Ghost' Riley x Researcher! Reader ? Au)

In ruins beside the sea, you discover something from another time...

WC: 4.8k

Part 2, Masterlist

Warnings: None

From the Destruction of Leviathan by Gustave Doré (1865)

Sapphire waves crashed listlessly along the jagged cliff. As their consistent roar turned to a sweet hum in your mind you devoted yourself further to your work. Before you laid a dazzling sight. Flecks of mother of pearl, abalone and silver sprinkled the ground of the royal chamber you were in, the flickering of lamplight sending dazzling shimmers all around. The site was remarkably preserved, surprisingly kept even. In dry walls, despite the proximity to the sea, silver cording inlaid flourishing designs. Seals, whales and other sea life swam in the brick, their forms colored in with fresco and mosaic.

You look up from the rubble before you to trace the shine of pottery. Different fish shaped vessels line the room, undisturbed by the many earthquakes that ravaged other sites in the area. You didn't need to open them to tell what was inside. Dried wine, honey, ichors of the gods that once ruled this distant land. You remember your supervisor rumbling about the rich lives of the elites that lived on this island, how cruel they were and the enormous wealth you knew he was hoping to find (that you kept to yourself though, better not to risk his ire). 

But while all the others sought the grand prizes of burial mounds and lavish riches, you sought the ecological knowledge of the far past.You pulled your journal out and with a miniature camera took photos of the mosaics, jotting down notes for later. Just as you heard voices approaching from the stairs to the outside you stood up, pulling yourself into a stretch as Matthew entered the chamber.

You turned to meet him as the cover of the tarp opened as sunlight finally streamed into the chamber. You pull a smile to your face as the man finally makes it down the stairs, a smirk on his face that has your mood souring.

“You and the others already took everything of value.” You spit out, riling up at the look in his eyes when he sees the silver in the walls again in the new light.

“Find anything of value left in this stupid hovel?”

“You and Saph are too protective of this site, too bad we can’t strip the walls,” He kicks a boot in the dirt kicking up a fine cloud of debris and dust, “would make up for the losses.”

You cough, your eyes wanting to water, but you wipe them with your bandanna. 

“Maybe if you and your goons stopped breaking things we wouldn't be set back so much. Besides it's illegal to deface anything, that includes the walls.”

He just hums, looking you up and down with a strange look in his eyes before turning to head back up the stairs. 

“Whatever you say Mole.”

You ruffle up at the nickname, but before you can reply Matthew is marching out, closing the tarp and leaving you in the dim lamplight.

You stand a moment before sighing. Reaching down to the crate at your side you adjust the oil feed and the light bristles with life, a warmth radiation from it that seeps into your downturned spirit. Matthew, while rough, did have a point. The dig needed something to be able to keep going. The small island you were working for was looking for a prize to boost the floundering tourist industry so time was running out. 

You stand for a moment in thought, eyes tracing the menagerie of creatures swimming though time around you. You always found yourself drawn to the room, some deep set curiosity swirling in your mind. While your eyes wander there is a different sort of gleam, off set from the pearly white and abalone. Your head tilts as your eyes find rest on an ancient beast. 

Stepping closer to examine it you are met with what could only be defined as a monster, swirling around itself in rage, its coils lined not with silver but gold, set apart from the rest of the art in the room. Spellbound you reach a hand to it and upon touching the old brick a jolt of electricity runs through you and you shoot back in surprise.

“What?” Your voice seems muffled but the wide room, the dust itself concealing anything from the outside, to your shock then there is another gleam, one you hadn’t noticed before at the heart of the beast, guarded by raised claws and fins. Your hand reaches for it and the shape comes loose from its crevice. 

As your fingers curl around the shape there is a noise like thunder in your mind and warmth in your heart. You feel then like you are being watched, and all at once the world seems to seep out and an old magic flood in. The creatures in the walls become drenched in color as the feeling of water rises until you are floating in a wide sea. 

Around you the cries of gulls echo into the wide world and the stars about this dark sea drip their sterling light. Your mind's eye widens as there is then a leviathan, a great dragon emerging from the waves, golden eyes staring into yours. It speaks in an ancient rumble than a mighty clawed hand reaches around you.

Voices again from the outside of the tent and all at once you are human again. You blink, the mist in your mind washing away with lucid waves. You find your palms curled together in front of you, as if reaching to offer something before a great deity. You break from the position, opening your palms and gasping. In your palm is a pendant you have never seen before, insent in a golden scallop shell, with a crackled glaze is a sapphire the size of a half dollar. It is wired in with sturdy gold wire with four, two on each side, pearl beads. The pendant rests heavily in your hand and without thinking you find yourself reaching up and pulling it on in a daze.   

Once the pendant is hanging at your sternum you wake in a stupor. You blink luridly, unaware for a moment before your hand darts to the pendant in shock.

“What?’

You question yourself before quickly reaching to take the jewel off but find that once you reach for the clasp they seem to alway slip out of reach. Anytime you try to lift the pendant off a shock jolts your mind painlessly and you drop it back to your chest. You begin to worry but the sound of a voice at the top of the stairs and daylight once again flooding the room has you moving the pendant under your shirt to hide it as Saph comes down the stairs. You kneel down to the wall after one final glance towards the beast only to find it gone.

“Thought I might find you down here, did Matthew bother you too much?”  

You look up to the woman and smile, hoping your apprehension doesn’t come through.

“He’s just being himself, a right old dick.”

She snorts at that and approaches you.

“Come on, we're heading back into town for the day, there’s a storm coming in and the museum wants us back early.”

You look up to her at that, working to gather your journal and camera and stuff them into the satchel at your side.

“But it was clear outside only a while ago.”

She nods at that but gestures to the stairs,

“You might want to take a look now.” 

You pull yourself up and move to follow her, pulling a tarp over the debris at your feet and putting on your satchel. You give one final look around you and the animals in the wall seem to shine a little brighter as you nod to Saph to head up. She starts up the stairs and you follow, but as you leave the room you swear you feel a set of eyes on you. 

-

In some dark forgotten place, an old force breathes. The sound of chains breaking and a low rumble fills the room. Statues crumble in the movement as a large tail slides into the shadow, but what emerges is not a beast but a man. An exposed chest heaves as he steps from the labyrinth of shadow, a beast of the dark coils around his body and he grunts in pain when the pattern of it inks itself onto him. The gold braces that bound his hands and ankles dissolve then, running down, droplets of gold then dissolving into the cobbled floor. 

-

You make it out of the ruin and find the cleared sky now gathered in stormy clouds. Saph helps you past a tumbled over table and you both watch as Matthew gives orders to a few college students who in turn fumble with equipment, flustered. You shake your head in exasperation before going to help. 

They greet you with relieved smiles and you, upon taking a hammer, help to pin the tarps to cover the exposed works. You feel Matthew approach and stiffen before a firm arm is reaching out to grab a board before it knocks into you. He steps around you and lifts the wood before setting it aside. You mutter out a thanks as you finish your task. He just winks at you before turning to the others. 

As you and the students stand there is a flash of lightning and a loud crash of thunder that makes one of the students yelp in surprise.  

“That’s enough for today go ahead and head home guys!” Your voice rings out over the picking up wind and the students scamper off towards the jeeps in the distance. Matthew looks to you, some shine of concern in his eyes but you mention to Saph.

“I'll ride back with Saph you go ahead we’ll lock down.”

His voice is cut off by a rumble of angry thunder and the clouds threatening to drench you three. He nods curtly and heads off to the jeeps. You see the college students pull out soon followed by him. Saph heads off towards the jeeps but something pulls you to the edge of the cliff, past toppled walls and torsoless statues. A row of them line a path to the cliff face. You step the ancient treaded stone, the click of your own work boots muffled by the winds swelling around you. The world seems to shift then.

As you take the final steps up to the dias, the stones smooth out as if kissed by the rough sea. You feel the sudden urge to take your shoes off to feel the coolness of the stone but ignore it to instead look over the vast ocean. You almost feel like at the summit of history here, the ruins around you lending to the fact this ocean was once owned. But like most beasts, very few could tame the sea.  

You rear an arm out to the horizon then, the massive clouds in the distance swirling in the wind, dark and foreboding. There is a rumble then, and a flash of lightning strikes the sea between the scope your parted fingers. The water churns and you swear you see movement under the waves before Saph is calling for you. As your head turns away a form slips beneath the waves.

-

The ride back into town is calm despite the torrential downpour that falls upon you two just as you close the door. The wipers work overtime as you stare out the window in thought, the sea slowly sinking away to the forest that separates the dig site from the town.  She leaves you to your thoughts for a while, at least before the ringing of her phone makes her groan.

“He won’t let up will he.” You smirk at her, a fond smile lighting up on your face as Saph ignores the phone.

“He should know I am busy!”

“He is just a love sick puppy for you. For an engineer he’s quite soft.”

Despite her mock frustration her smile is sweet when you discuss her fiance. The two were together for a long time but he only recently proposed and when she got stationed off of the mainland on the island he had been insistent in calling every day when she got off. 

“He probably just saw the weather-” she fishes out her phone and passes it to you, “can you let him know we’re heading back into town before it hits?”

You slide her phone open, past the image of her cat Shadow and type in a quick message, signing off with a smiley face. He pings back only a second later with a hello to you and a best wishes. 

You set the phone into the cup holder and his calling ceases as you both laugh. 

The rest of the trip into town is quiet, the forest breaking up to the edge of softened civilization. Cattle graze in fields and you catch the occasional deer and seagull mingling in the temperate climate. It was thankfully the ending of summer so the weather was usually even, but sudden storms would still kick up and apparently a large front had decided now it was time to strike. 

The leaves in the trees were starting to turn as you both pulled into the research center of the local university, your main base away from the ruins scattered around the island. Saph pulls into the free spot and stops the engine as the rain pours outside. 

“Ugh I wish this rain would let up, we're gonna get drenched! It was supposed to be clear this afternoon.”

You unbuckle your seatbelt and prepare for the water but as you crack open your door the rain lets up, slowing to a drizzle, then a sprinkle then nothing at all. Saph raises a brow, and you chuckle.

“Maybe it likes me.”

Saph rolls her eyes as you get under cover of the awning and she follows, the rain then deciding you had passed safely comes down again, at this Saph smiles.

“Maybe.”

The doors slide open and you pass through the students leaving for the day, their waves and smiles warming your heart at the dedication. The weekend had finally arrived and you all could now get a long break before the fall classes began and you lost a few of the students to their courses.

As you make it to the archeology department there is a group of other work study students standing at the entrance to your office. Saph looks to you and you catch Matthew's blond hair over the crowd. He seems to be arguing as there are semi raised voices and you and Saph make it to the outer ring of the crowd. There is another voice that washes over you, and their blue eyes find you over the crowd and yours widen when the pendant feels heavier under your shirt.

Matthew's eyes trace the other man’s eyes towards you and you can see the frown set on his face as he shifts blocking the other man from view with his height.  Saph looks to you as the students realize you’ve returned and part to let you both through. 

“What's going on Matthew, why are you here?”

The blond turns to look down at, running a hand through his hair, eyes looking too you and Saph.

“I was going to ask you to dinner to discuss team development-” A hand on his shoulder makes him startle as an older man joins the two men, you nod your head in greeting towards the dig supervisor, a man you didn’t quite like.

“There will be no need for that Matthew.” Mr. Wright winks at you and you feel Saph step closer to you.

“Mr. Wright it’s a pleasure!” Matthew is quick to correct himself, an easy smile lighting his face as he shakes his hand. You roll your eyes in your mind and let your eyes wander to the third man as the two make pleasantries. In a smart brown suit is a tall man, hair nicely swept back and a well groomed beard, flecks of grey in the brown. As you meet his face you find his eyes on you, when your eyes meet his eyes he smiles and you swoon. He steps past Matthew, disregarding their conversation to address you.

“Dr. Jonathan Price, professor of history and archeology.”

You nod and smile at his manners and as your hand meets his his other takes it and he squeezes your hand.

You reply with your name and your position. You were the student coordinator for the department, on loan from the mainland after the recent discoveries. 

“It’s good to meet you Dr. Price,” His lips quirk up and there is a shine in his eyes. You hear Matthew clear his throat, seemingly irritated. Dr. Price just chuckles, releasing your hand with a final squeeze in his,

“John is fine Love.”

You just nod, taken aback before Mr. Wright draws his hands together with a hum. 

“I’m glad you two are already so chummy, from now on you will be working with Dr. Price in the cliff sights around the island. Matthew you will be transferred to the salvage department.”

Matthew turns to him in shock, 

“But I thought you needed a new lead for the cliff sites?”

Mr. Wright nods, hand coming to his beard in though, he then claps you on the back, 

“Congratulations dear you've been promoted. Dr. Price, I leave her to your care. And now Matthew we need to discuss the findings for this sudden squall that's appeared.”

With that Mr. Wright turns and Matthew gapes after him before realizing himself and after glancing at you he follows the older man. The students chatter with congratulations before there is a ding of the intercom for the school.

As a warning of the oncoming storm we recommend all students, staff, and faculty leave soon before the worst of the weather hits. 

“Alright you guys you've heard the intercom, now shoo and have a good break!” You smile at the cheers from the students as most disperse, while a few linger chatting with Dr. Price he discusses details of an essay for his class calmly as you work to unlock your office and opening the door you hear Saph’s phone ring.

“Saph you need to get home, go on and talk to Chris I’ll text you when I get home!” You call out to her over your shoulder as you set your stuff on your desk. She  leans into your office, minding the sun catchers that hang from your door frame. Your office is filled with plants and trinkets you’d found that the school let you have.

“Are you sure? You didn't bring your car today, how will you get home?” She moves to step into your office but her phone rings again, no doubt a worried Chris. She silences it another time but you wave her off. You hear the students part ways as thunder rumbles outside, and she frowns. 

Dr. Price’s voice resounds from the now empty hall and he steps into view of the doorway. You both turn to him and he approaches and with a nod form you enters your office. Saph looks at him a little caught off guard and unsure but you wave her concern off.

“I can see her home.”

“If you don’t mind of course, I was hoping to discuss some things with you anyway before the weekend hits with work next week.”

“That's fine with me, I stay close to campus anyway. Head home Saph.” Outside the window lightning flashes and the lights flicker a moment.

Saph still seems apprehensive so you smile and round your desk to pat her arm. 

“Go on ahead and call Chris.”

She finally gives up at Price’s nod and you sigh in relief as she hugs you and moves to head out.

“Text me when you get home.”

And with that she finally leaves, leaving you and Price in the warm lights of your office. Warm eyes regard you as he watches you gather your things. In his presence the amulet warms and you reach for it subconsciously. You look up to him and meet his eyes and there is electricity in your blood then.

You feel a sense of sincerity from him in a strange way, comfort in some shared secret. You know then he is aware of you. He rounds your desk, approaching you. Your eyes widen at this, uncertainty nibbling at your mind but all he does is open his arms in question. 

“You found something today didn’t you dear, something that is more than it seems.”

The utterance of the amulet takes a weight off your shoulder. You reach under your shirt and pull the gem out, it shines with a bright luster. He looks at you inquisitively and you step forward into his reach as he hums. Admiring the amulet. However when he goes to reach for it there is a sudden crash of thunder and lightning that sends the room into darkness. You jump in surprise but Price only chuckles, mumbling something that sounds like “typical” under his breath. His arms return to his sides and the power flutters back to life.

You blink at his expression and finally question him.

“How did you know I found it?”

He answers your question with one of his own,

“How exactly did you find it?”

You look at him apprehensively, 

“I don’t exactly know how, one moment there was a great beast lined in gold in the murals on the wall and next it was gone.”

Price nods and then looks at you with new eyes. They soften considerably and you find yourself wanting to turn away from the look but you are captured by the ocean in them. He looks ready to speak but the power flickers again and he sighs.

“That is enough for today, it is already ticking into the evening so I should get you home. Do you mind riding with me?”

He seems older at that moment, and you feel for him. In return you smile and gather your backpack from your chair and nod.

“I would like that thank you.”

“Of course dear.”

He allows you to grab your things, and follows you out of your office, holding then closing your door for you. You pass down the hall in relative silence, the sounds of the rain on the ceiling a soothing rhythm. But when you make it to the front doors of the building the rain ceases for a minute and you look up at the sky in wonder. For your curiosity a single drop falls and hits you square in the nose but nothing else falls. As you blink and then wipe your nose, Price just watches you with a look.

Passing the work jeeps you make it to a sleek car, and while shuffling your things Price steps around and opens the back door for you to set your things in. Doing so he then opens the passenger door and helps you to slide into the car before closing the door and heading to the driver's side. And in a final moment, as the rain begins once again, Price backs out of the spot and pulls away from the college.  

-

As you make it through town you finally reach your apartments, a charming little brick building converted from an old factory into newer apartments. The rain lets up as Price slows then pulls alongside the curb. 

“Do you need help with your things?”

“I think I am fine, I appreciate it John.”

“Anytime Dear, here.” He motions for you to stop before he digs in the glove box pulling out a little notebook and pen. He writes something down and tears out the paper before passing it to you. On the paper you find his number scrawled in fine writing. 

“Contact me sometime over the weekend and I would like to get coffee to discuss some things about the site, if that is fine with you?”

You flush a little but nod, a smile tugging onto your lips.

With that he watches to make sure you make it into your apartments, only pulling away when you get inside.The cold front sets in as you walk up the stairs to your floor, the sound of rain battering the windows and thunder rumbling over the building as the storm moves overhead. You make it to the third floor with ease. When you get to the top of the stairs you hear some movement up ahead and see quite the sight. 

“I will thank you John.”

In the apartment next to you, one that had been empty since you’d moved in, there were two men lifting a sofa in the hall, blocking your passage. The door to the apartment was closing and the taller man cursed, a thick Scottish accent and you, without much thinking, hurry forward to get the door for them. When he realizes what you are doing he smiles and nods to the other man who steps backwards into the apartment.  

“You’re a blessing, Love.” The other man finally sees you and his face lights up with a charming smile, English accent thickening his annunciation. You shift aside and they bring the sofa into the apartment. 

Looking around there are boxes scattered and some assorted pieces of furniture already in place. There is a blur of black that darts from the kitchen and struts into the living room to investigate the arrival of someone new.

Your heart warms as the men set the sofa down and the Scot drops himself onto it with a huff. You naturally slide your satchel down and kneel down to greet the fluffy black cat that greets you with a loud purr. You scratch under her head and she wiggles. You fall back onto your behind when the cat jumps into your arms. 

“Nyx! That’s rude sweetheart.” The other man shakes his head and approaches you to help you up. An arm drops and while cradling Nyx, who stretches her front legs over your shoulder, you take his offered hand and he pulls you up while the Scots head turns, tilting in interest.

The man who helped you up lingers a little close, he offers to take the cat from you and you both try but she just meows in protest. She doesn’t dig her claws in so the man is able to lift her like a sack of potatoes. 

“Kyle, we need to introduce ourselves now.” 

“Go ahead Johnny, I need to take care of the child. Sorry Love it's her dinnertime, I am Kyle by the way.

The other man, who introduces himself as Johnny, pulls himself up and approaches you with an easy smile on his handsome face. His eyes are electric while he meets Kyle's honey eyes in a shared look. Their eyes turn to the pendant and the same warmth fills your chest. Johnny approaches and you hear the thunder rumble louder in warning but Johnny just smirks.

He takes your hand and brings it to his lips pressing a light kiss that angers the storm. 

“Johnny”

Kyle reappears from the kitchen followed by Nyx who ignores her food to come between you and Johnny, nudging her head against your pants as the power flickers.

“What, I gotta greet the lass don’t I?”

“You know how he is.” Kyle mutters it quietly, while Johnny just gives a cheeky grin. Johnny then gestures to the amulet.

“It's pretty on you lass.” 

He releases your hand but lingers close to you, enough so you can feel his watch from the shirt he wears. He looks down at you warmly and you feel a tug at your heart when Kyle moves to join you. Nyx looks at him and meows to which he chuckles and looks down to you as well. You warm a little in the cheeks under their scrutiny but your phone ringing breaks the silence.

“That would be my coworker. I need to let her know I am home.”

“Aye lass don’t be a stranger now thanks for the help, we’ll see you home.”

He collects your satchel and you head out the open door followed by them and Nyx who lingers at your feet for attention. When you reach your apartment Johnny laughs.

“We’re lucky then to have you so close.” 

You give him a small smile and unlocking your door you bid them both a good night. They wait for you to close your door before Johnny scoops up Nyx turns to kyle,

“So it begins.” 

“Indeed.”

End Part One

[iamdangerace]

Camille Monfort

The Amazon Vampire - a French opera singer who captivated the elite of Belém, Brazil in the late 19th century. Monfort is said to have died from cholera in 1896, but some legends claim she was actually a vampire who used the epidemic to cover her supernatural activities.

There are still those who say today that her tomb is empty, that her death and burial were nothing more than an act to cover up her case of vampirism, and that Camille Monfort still lives in Europe, now at the age of 154.

[dontforgetukraine]

The Karelian tract of Sandarmokh is just one of the places of mass burial of victims of Stalinist terror in the territory of the former USSR. From October 27 to November 4, 1937, they killed 1,111 prisoners of the Solovetsky stage there. Most were executed on November. Among them - representatives of the Ukrainian elite: writers, scientists, teachers, and engineers. In 1995, Veniamin Iofe, the director of the St. Petersburg Memorial Research Center, discovered firing lists in the archives of the FSB's Arkhangelsk Department. He wrote a letter to the SBU archive, informing them that among the victims at Sandarmokh were many people from Ukraine. In July 1997, 236 execution pits were found on hectares of the Karelian taiga. Mikhail Matveev led the punitive operation. He had long served in prison authorities, specializing in torture and execution of sentences. It is believed that Matveev killed with his own hand. He had two years of education. He shot, as stated in one of the documents, "quickly, accurately and sensibly." Researchers compare the consequences of Sandarmokh for the Ukrainian nation to beheading. "Shooted Revival" was executed in Sandarmokh. In particular, the following were killed there: • Mykola Zerov, neoclassicist; • Mykhailo Yalovy, President of the Free Academy of Proletarian Literature of Kharkiv (VAPLITE); • Mykola Kulish, a playwright and author of the play "Myna Mazaylo", which ridicules assimilation; • Les Kurbas, a creator of Ukrainian modern theatre, director of Kharkiv theatre "Berezil"; • Valerian Pidmohylny, the author of the urbanist novel "The City"; • Stepan Rudnytskyi, the founder of Ukrainian cartography, provided the foundational territorial and geographical arguments for Ukrainians' state independence. • Volodymyr Chekhivskyi,a chairman of the Council of People's Ministers and minister of Foreign Affairs of the Ukrainian People's Republic,under whose leadership the Act of Unification of the Ukrainian People's Republic and the West Ukrainian People's Republic was announced. At the time, the Stalinist regime destroyed the Ukrainian elite. Today, Russian troops are also targeting Ukrainian artists and scientists. Remembering the crimes of the past is essential for preserving our independence in the future. —Holodomor Museum

[darkurgediaries]

Vorgoth's Datamined Description!

While I was digging around in the game files, I came across Vorgoth's character description, while we STILL don't know what Vorgoth is, I found it interesting nonetheless!

Pasting it for easier reading:

“Vorgoth is deep-voiced, solemn, and imposing. They are a member of the Mourn Watch, an elite group of necromancers from the kingdom of Nevarra. But what Vorgoth is exactly, their species, age, gender, whether or not they're alive, is a mystery, shrouded and masked in a cloak.

Vorgoth clearly has supernatural powers, however. Even their voice has an otherworldly echo.

Vorgoth doesn't speak much, and only in short sentences. As one of the Mourn Watch, they help guard Nevarra's sacred burial complex, the Grand Necropolis.

Like all Watchers, Vorgoth is also sworn to stop occult threats to this world, and takes this duty seriousy.

NOTE: Vorgoth is masculine in appearance (tall, broad) and voice, but their pronouns are "they/them". Vorgoth does not use they/them because they are non-binary (as opposed to our more typical (non-binary characters); they use them because they're a total unknown (and may be a pluralistic entity; in the rare instance Vorgoth refers to themselves, they use "we" not "I".)”

[city-of-ladies]

"Centuries ago, two people were buried arm in arm on top of a horse in what is now Austria. The unique burial prompted archaeologists to think that the two were a male-female married couple from medieval times. But it turns out they couldn't have been more wrong.

A new analysis of the remains suggests that the couple was actually a mother-daughter pair who died around 1,800 years ago during the Roman era.

"It's the first genetically proven mother-daughter burial in Austria in Roman times," study senior author Sylvia Kirchengast, a professor of evolutionary anthropology at the University of Vienna, told Live Science. "We also disprove a long-held misconception about the kind of relation between the two individuals.

In the new study the researchers re-evaluated the remains via radiocarbon dating, ancient DNA analysis and a visual inspection. They found that the bones belonged to individuals whose ages at death were 20 to 25 and 40 to 60 years old and lived around A.D. 200 when the Roman Empire held sway over the region. In a twist, both human skeletons turned out to be females, according to an anatomical analysis. DNA results confirmed their biological female status and showed they were first-degree relatives — meaning they were either sisters or mother and daughter, according to the study, which was published in the May issue of the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

Due to the pair's DNA results, their age difference and other factors, the researchers concluded that individuals were mother and daughter, with the daughter embracing the mother in the grave. "It's very unlikely that two sisters have an age difference of 20 years during those times. So we felt that it's more likely that they are a mother-daughter pair," Kirchengast said. 

The inclusion of a horse and gold pendants strongly hints that the women were of high social status. It also indicates they were non-Roman elites. "To our knowledge it's extremely uncommon for Roman people to be buried with horses. They were not a 'horse-people'," study lead author Dominik Hagmann, an archaeologist at University of Vienna, told Live Science. He suspected these two individuals were from a Celtic culture still existing in Roman times. The Celts were more commonly buried horses with their owners.

There are other signs that the deceased were familiar with horses. "What I find odd is that the older skeleton shows signs of frequent horse riding," Kirchengast said. "Maybe both women were enthusiastic horse-riders.""

[blueiscoool]

Archaeologists Uncover Two Life-Size Statues Carved Into the Wall of a Tomb in Pompeii

The figures appear to represent a married couple. Experts think the woman, who is holding laurel leaves, may have been a priestess.

Two nearly life-size statues have been discovered inside a cemetery in Pompeii, the ancient Roman city destroyed by Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 C.E. Experts think the figures are a funerary relief depicting a couple once buried at the site.

The statues adorn the wall of a tomb found in a necropolis near Porta Sarno, one of Pompeii’s city gates, according to a statement from Pompeii Archaeological Park. The cemetery is filled with cremation burials. Carved into the tomb’s wall are several niches that once held funerary urns, as well as a carved relief depicting a woman and man standing side by side.

As researchers write in the park’s digital magazine, the sculptures were likely carved during Rome’s Late Republican period (between the second and first century B.C.E.). Tombs of this kind are rare in southern Italy.

The researchers theorize that the funerary sculptures represent a married couple, though they say they can’t be certain. “This could be her husband, but it could also be her son,” Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the archaeological park, tells the Guardian’s Angela Giuffrida. “There was no inscription, so we don’t know.”

The male figure wears a simple toga, while the woman wears a large cloak over a tunic and many accessories. Her carved jewelry includes amphora-shaped earrings, a wedding ring, bracelets and a necklace with a lunula pendant (in the shape of a crescent moon). As the researchers write, Roman girls wore lunula amulets until marriage to protect themselves from evil.

In her right hand, the female figure holds laurel leaves, which Roman priestesses and priests once used to purify spaces. In her left hand, she holds a cylindrical container that may represent a scroll.

“She really looks like a very important woman in the local elite,” Zuchtriegel tells the Guardian. “There is also this idea that she could have been a priestess of Ceres, holding these plants and what appears to be a papyrus roll.”

Ceres is the Roman goddess of agriculture, fertility and motherhood. In Roman religion, she was symbolically connected to the moon, as its phases were thought to correspond with harvests, which could explain the female statue’s lunula pendant, per the journal.

“Since women in Roman society were commonly relegated to the domestic sphere and to the tasks of the Roman matron, being a priestess was the highest social rank to which a woman could aspire,” write the researchers.

As leaders of religious cults, priestesses “would have overseen rituals in temples and taken part in processions dedicated to Ceres,” Sophie Hay, a British archaeologist working at Pompeii, tells the Telegraph’s Nick Squires. “She was the goddess of agriculture and cereals but she was also associated with fertility and new life. She was widely revered.”

The funerary reliefs’ age and quality alone make them rare finds. However, the fact that the female figure may represent a priestess holding religious objects makes the discovery exceptional, as the researchers write. The statue also offers valuable insight into the religious practices of Pompeii’s ancient residents, providing new evidence that Ceres “has a clear place in the officially sanctioned religion in Pompeii, with a dedicated priestess.”

Later this month, the funerary reliefs will be displayed in an exhibition at the archaeological park called “Being a Woman in Ancient Pompeii.” Visitors will be able to observe as experts clean and conserve the sculpted figures.

By Sonja Anderson.

[eezdalf]

Individual houses were typically in use for between fifty and 100 years, after which they were carefully dismantled and filled in to make foundations for superseding houses. Clay wall went up on clay wall, in the same location, for century after century, over periods reaching up to a full millennium. Still more astounding, smaller features such as mud-built hearths, ovens, storage bins and platforms often follow the same repetitive patterns of construction, over similarly long periods. Even particular images and ritual installations come back, again and again, in different renderings but the same locations, often widely separated in time.... as individual houses built up histories, they also appear to have acquired a degree of cumulative prestige. This is reflected in a certain density of hunting trophies, burial platforms and obsidian - a dark volcanic glass, obtained from sources in the highlands of Cappadocia, some 125 miles north. The authority of long-lived houses seems consistent with the idea that elders, and perhaps elder women in particular, held positions of influence. But the more prestigious households are distributed among the less, and do not appear to coalesce into elite neighborhoods.

a description of Çatalhöyük, a neolithic city from 7,400 bc. from the dawn of everything, by davids: graeber and wengrow.

this city remained settled for 1,500 years - "roughly the same period of time that separates us from amalafrida, queen of the vandals in .. ad 523"

[centuriespast]

The fourth-century church at Trimithis in the Dakhla Oasis in Egypt, the site of an extraordinary number of burials, including the remains of a female from Tomb 10, Room 3, about 50–65 years old, who lived a comparatively elite lifestyle and ate a refined diet.

Credit…The NYU Amheida Excavations