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An archaeological mystery in a half-ton lead coffin
University of Michigan ^ | Mar. 29, 2010 | Unknown

Posted on 03/29/2010 12:52:22 PM PDT by decimon

The lead coffin archaeologists found in the abandoned ancient city of Gabii, Italy could contain a gladiator or bishop.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—In the ruins of a city that was once Rome's neighbor, archaeologists last summer found a 1,000-pound lead coffin.

Who or what is inside is still a mystery, said Nicola Terrenato, the University of Michigan professor of classical studies who leads the project—the largest American dig in Italy in the past 50 years.

The sarcophagus will soon be transported to the American Academy in Rome, where engineers will use heating techniques and tiny cameras in an effort to gain insights about the contents without breaking the coffin itself.

"We're very excited about this find," Terrenato said. "Romans as a rule were not buried in coffins to begin with and when they did use coffins, they were mostly wooden. There are only a handful of other examples from Italy of lead coffins from this age—the second, third or fourth century A.D. We know of virtually no others in this region."

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The site of Gabii, situated on undeveloped land 11 miles east of Rome in modern-day Lazio, was a major city that pre-dates Rome but seems to have waned as the Roman Empire grew.

Studying Gabii gives researchers a glimpse into pre-Roman life and offers clues to how early Italian cities formed. It also allows them broader access to more substantial archaeological layers or strata. In Rome, layers of civilization were built on top of each other, and archaeologists are not able or allowed to disturb them.

>

(Excerpt) Read more at ns.umich.edu ...


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: gabii; godsgravesglyphs; lazio; michigan; universityofmichigan
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To: IrishCatholic
There were a few other important plot points that I forgot, I'm sure.

Like the leader-type whose incredibly restrictive white male (Army/Marine/Minister) father - in between (beating/abusing/molesting) them - taught them how to shoot. Anything. From a .22 to a RPG. With perfect accuracy - unless it's better for the plot that they miss. And said weapon will always have the correct ammo, in exactly the correct amounts.

And the cars that conveniently don't start.

And the car keys that are always easy to find. Don't you always leave yours above the sun visor? OR the car keys that are impossibly hard to find, as well. "DAMN! I left them in the house, on the table, right next to the zombie axe-murderers! I hate it when that happens...."

I'm sure that there are plenty more points that I've missed. Something to do with "Why would a bunch of teenagers who - in real life - would have NOTHING to do with each other, wind up at a deserted farmhouse/camp/wilderness road, etc etc etc" But, I'll leave it to other FReepers to fill in the holes. :-)

41 posted on 03/29/2010 1:45:44 PM PDT by wbill
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To: decimon

42 posted on 03/29/2010 1:54:11 PM PDT by seawolf101
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To: seawolf101; JoeProBono

43 posted on 03/29/2010 2:02:20 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (VP Biden on Obamacare's passage: "This is a big f-ing deal". grumpygresh: "Repeal the f-ing deal")
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To: Shaun_MD

bookmark for later


44 posted on 03/29/2010 2:04:29 PM PDT by madmomma
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To: IrishCatholic
And BTW, I accidentally clicked on your homepage and got sucked into reading all of it. You've got too many ideas on there that make far too much sense. You sure that you should be on FR? :-)

Because everyone here just knows that the Civil War had nothing to do with slavery, that every cop is just a thug with a badge and gun, and the Catholic Church is at the root of every global conspiracy.

Really. I saw some movie-or-other with Tom Hanks on that last one. ;-) Hollywood wouldn't lie to me, would they?

45 posted on 03/29/2010 2:13:09 PM PDT by wbill
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To: Jack Hydrazine

I love the theme on this thread. I can just imagine that 10,000 Roman Centurions paid with their lives to get the thing in that coffin in there and sealed up. Now, along comes Bill Nye the Science Guy. “Hold muh beaker and watch this, kids.”


46 posted on 03/29/2010 2:17:44 PM PDT by TigersEye (Duncan Hunter, Jim DeMint, Michelle Bachman, ...)
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To: TigersEye
It was Pinhead, but he escaped long ago from the lead coffin.

Later, he was contained in a special puzzle box with the rest of his buddies.

47 posted on 03/29/2010 2:32:05 PM PDT by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's for sure.)
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To: decimon

“An archaeological mystery in a half-ton lead coffin”

maybe the guy was radioactive


48 posted on 03/29/2010 2:40:17 PM PDT by dozer7 (Love many, trust few and always paddle your own canoe)
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To: 1rudeboy

Romans as a rule were not buried in coffins to begin with and when they did use coffins, they were mostly wooden. There are only a handful of other examples from Italy of lead coffins from this age—the second, third or fourth century A.D. We know of virtually no others in this region.”

Don’t open it!

Think repo man - great movie


49 posted on 03/29/2010 2:41:49 PM PDT by dozer7 (Love many, trust few and always paddle your own canoe)
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To: decimon; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 240B; 24Karet; ...

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic · subscribe ·

 
Gods
Graves
Glyphs
Thanks decimon.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
 

·Dogpile · Archaeologica · LiveScience · Archaeology · Biblical Archaeology Society ·
· Discover · Nat Geographic · Texas AM Anthro News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo · Google ·
· The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·


50 posted on 03/29/2010 3:45:03 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
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To: decimon

What reason would anybody possibly have to bury a gladiator or bishop in a half-ton lead coffin??


51 posted on 03/29/2010 4:45:20 PM PDT by wendy1946
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran; WakeUpAndVote

Thanks; I’m here all week. Don’t forget to tip your Census taker.


52 posted on 03/29/2010 5:29:28 PM PDT by LTCJ (The Constitution; first, last, always.)
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To: wendy1946
What reason would anybody possibly have to bury a gladiator or bishop in a half-ton lead coffin??

He stunk?

53 posted on 03/29/2010 5:42:49 PM PDT by decimon
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To: LTCJ
Don’t forget to tip your Census taker.

Are they cows?

54 posted on 03/29/2010 5:43:31 PM PDT by decimon
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To: decimon

LOL. Dunno, but I’ll let you know if one shows up at the door.


55 posted on 03/29/2010 5:50:28 PM PDT by LTCJ (The Constitution; first, last, always.)
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To: decimon; SunkenCiv

Who or what is inside is still a mystery, said Nicola Terrenato, the University of Michigan professor of classical studies who leads the project—the largest American dig in Italy in the past 50 years.

So really they have only one lead in this investigation. =)


56 posted on 03/29/2010 6:00:36 PM PDT by Redcitizen (Armed sheep employ grazing fire.)
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To: 1rudeboy
Actually, it will be ok, it's just a time-traveler from a future where everything living has adapted to higher levels of radation than we can stand....

Thank you, H. Beam Piper.

57 posted on 03/29/2010 6:04:16 PM PDT by Old Student (We have a name for the people who think indiscriminate killing is fine. They're called "The Bad Guys)
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To: SunkenCiv
Oh man the Gladiator is dead, bummer i liked that movie..
58 posted on 03/29/2010 6:13:18 PM PDT by GSP.FAN (These are the times that try men's souls.)
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To: GSP.FAN

Well, he did manage to get all the prisoners released. Didn’t bang the hot sister from Copenhagen, total letdown.


59 posted on 03/29/2010 6:15:34 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
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To: Redcitizen

When ya bury someone in a half-ton lead coffin, you really, really don’t want whoever it is to dig their way out. Probably a cursed mummy from Egypt. I’m just glad cursed mummies can’t swim. At least I hope not.


60 posted on 03/29/2010 6:19:58 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
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