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The mystery of the Roman Lycurgus Cup: Nanotechnology in the ancient world?
The British Museum holds a very beautiful ancient exhibit – the Roman Lycurgus Cup. But he is more famous for his unusual optical properties. Under normal lighting, the goblet appears yellowish-green, and in transmitted light it acquires a deep wine-red hue. Only in 1990, scientists were able to reveal the secret of these unique properties, but how could such an effect be achieved in ancient times? After all, these are the real nanotechnologies …
The cup is a so-called diatret – a double-walled bell covered with a figured pattern. Its height is 16.5, and its diameter is 13.2 centimeters.
The earliest found diatrets belong to the 1st century BC. n e., and their heyday reached its production in the III and IV centuries. Diatrets in that era were considered very expensive items and were available only to the rich. Continue reading
8 ancient cemeteries, which were found in our time on construction sites
The bones of people who lived in the old days are often right under the feet of unsuspecting city dwellers, and their graves have long been forgotten. Such old burials are sometimes found again when they build subways, buildings or other structures.
1. The barracks of the army of Emperor Hadrian
Italy
During the construction of the metro in Rome, a lot of rarities were found, from a house of the II century, decorated with mosaics and frescoes, to 2300-year-old aqueduct. The station of San Giovanni, the opening of which was planned in 2018, during its construction “presented” the world with many artifacts, such as Renaissance pottery and the remains of an agricultural fountain of the first century. Back in 2016, during the expansion of the Line C metro, there were ancient premises. Continue reading
Primitive thongs, wigging pillow and other ancient things that have survived.
In the daily arsenal of modern man there are a lot of various inventions that make his life much easier. And few people think that many of these things appeared in one form or another several thousand years ago. Of course, they looked somewhat different, but the functions were performed by all the same as today.
1. Greenland Fur Thong
The clothes were rather “modest” throughout history. But it turns out that modern thongs have existed for a surprisingly long time, and the Greenland Inuits have been wearing them for several hundred years. “Naatsit” are traditional thongs, but made of … leather and fur, and sewn with whale tendons or yarn of deerskin. They were usually decorated with beads and worn as underwear for both men and women.
2. Sacred Twenty Cube Continue reading
