Archaeologists unearth 'masterpiece' sealstone in Greek tomb

Eureka Alert ^ | 6-NOV-2017 | University of Cincinnati

[sparklite2]

The "Pylos Combat Agate," as the seal has come to be known for the fierce hand-to-hand battle it portrays, promises not only to rewrite the history of ancient Greek art, but to help shed light on myth and legend in an era of Western civilization still steeped in mystery.

The remarkably undisturbed and intact grave revealed not only the well-preserved remains of what is believed to have been a powerful Mycenaean warrior or priest buried around 1500 B.C., but also an incredible trove of burial riches that serve as a time capsule into the origins of Greek civilization.

But the skill and sophistication of the Pylos Combat Agate is unparalleled by anything uncovered before from the Minoan-Mycenaean world, say the researchers. And that raises a bigger question: How does this change our understanding of Greek art in the Bronze Age?  

[sparklite2]

Ping

[sparklite2]

A little easier to see.

[pax_et_bonum]

Wow.

[Teflonic]

What an amazing find, so much detail worked into such a small object.

[SkyPilot]

I went to a Black Studies seminar, and the professor told us that all of Western Civilization was "stolen" from Africa, who were much more advanced.

[dfwgator]

We wuz kangz ‘n sheeeeit!

[sparklite2]

LOL

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Actual size: 1.4 inches across! Look at that detail in that size. Wow. The sculptor really had mastered human anatomy. I didn’t think anybody had mastered the human body like that until Leonardo da Vinci 2,000 years later.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

LOLOL...Western Civilization is highly overrated, isn’t it?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Isn’t it amazing how the advanced civilizations that rose up around the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Europe were not that far geographically from darkest Africa?

[G Larry]

Ya, when I first heard that crap I asked, “So where’s all of this “advancement” in Africa now?”

[PLMerite]

“...and the professor told us that all of Western Civilization was “stolen” from Africa, who were much more advanced.”

How did you keep a straight face?

Or did you?

[Sawdring]

This thing would be great a great artifact in Dungeons & Dragons. Imbue it with some kind of protection magic!

[Hot Tabasco]

Looks almost like it was machine stamped or injection molded..........

[Popman]

Amazing...

[hanamizu]

There are Roman coins that are less than 1/4” in diameter with complete inscriptions. Now of course the dies were made, in reverse. If there is a mistake, you know it is barbaric copy, the Romans believed in quality control. The moneyers either had phenomenal eyesight, or they a way to magnify what they were looking at.

[yarddog]

This was several hundred years before the Trojan War.

The Mycenaean’s and Minoans were surprisingly advanced considering how little we know of them.

[SkyPilot]

He was angry, bitter, and all his “facts” were pan-African BS conspiracy garbage and outright lies.

[blueplum]

this is like, ambrosia for the soul.

One think I noticed is, either the guy on the defensive has really really big teeth, or exaggerated mouth shapes were used as costuming in their battle helmets. And they’re fighting on top of at least one body, so it must have been one heck of a battle.