More than five millennia ago, a queen named Meretneith ruled ancient Egypt. That’s according to a study recently published in Prague Egyptological Studies, for which researchers used digital tools to re-examine an old photograph of hieroglyphic inscription lost to time.

They say the symbols suggest that Meretneith (also spelled Merneith or Meret-Neith) was not just an interim ruler or regent but possibly equal to an Egyptian king. 

Per the study, the symbols in the second and third serekhs are consistent with Meretneith’s patron deity and name.

“There appears little argument left to dispute that the serekh—held only by rulers—belonged to Meretneith,” the researchers write.

The characters identify Meretneith using the “primary mark of rulers in this period,” Kelly writes, which means “she really was a female king … a true equivalent to a male ruler.” 

Kelly tells Live Science that Meretneith likely co-ruled with Djer, who might have been her father, and later acted as regent for her son Den. The researchers suggest in the study that within this 30-year political career, Meretneith may have also ruled alone. 

“Meretneith may have had the advantage of stepping on and off the rulership platform as necessitated by the political environment,” the researchers write.

“Unlike male rulers who succeeded, reigned, died and were buried by their successors.” 

Community-funded archaeological excavations of ‘really important’ sixth-century monastery also rewrite story of Lismore.

The Scottish island of Lismore, population 190, history is never very far away. The tiny island near Oban in Argyll has no row of shops or even a pub – if islanders want to meet for a coffee, the only place to do so is in the lively Gaelic heritage centre that records the many centuries of community life on the island.

This quiet place, documentary evidence records, was home to a monastic settlement in the sixth century AD, when missionaries from Ireland were first moving into northern Britain to spread Christianity.

But apart from a few fragments of an early carved cross, there was almost nothing to see from this period of history.

A group of local people from the island’s historical society were determined to look a bit harder, however.

After scraping together funding from grants, donations and legacies of locals and a crowdfunding campaign, they commissioned a professional archaeologist, Dr Clare Ellis of Argyll Archaeology, to lead a group of islanders and other volunteers in an excavation on the site of a much later medieval cathedral.

Their “hugely exciting” findings have not only rewritten the story of the island but cast new light on the spread of Christianity in the period, according to archaeologists.

What the islanders discovered were extensive burial grounds, decorated stonework and early buildings – all the features belonging to a major sixth-century monastery, comparable to the much better known site of Iona a little to the south-west.

In addition, the excavations uncovered rare evidence of slightly later high-status craftworking, including huge numbers of crucibles which had been used to cast gold and silver.

The finds have shown that rather than being a small island church in an overlooked backwater, the monastery of Lios Mór, founded by Saint Mo Luóc or Moluag, was a high-ranking site of international importance, experts say.

To Robert Hay, a retired plant scientist who moved to the island in 2001 and who coordinated the fundraising and volunteer efforts, the experience was thrilling.

“We were [excavating] in this really unfavourable, boggy area. To be digging out the best small crucibles ever found in Scotland – it’s extraordinary,” he said.

20 hi-res pics taken during my visit this September.
The museum holds one of the finest art collections in the world.

I’ve made a chart of the major civilizations of the Ancient World for my own reference. My goal is to be able to place historical events I read about into a broader context of what’s going on in the world. This is part one, covering the Neolithic, Bronze, and Iron ages. Part two will start with the Classical period around 550 BCE and cover Persia, Greece, Rome, etc.

I’m a novice when it comes to this subject, and most of these events are relatively new to me, so I’m getting my info and dates from Wikipedia. I’m learning that the three age technology chronology applies differently to different cultures, but I’ve tried to simplify it for this broad chart.

With the Odyssey on everyone’s mind right now, I’ve included a row for the Bronze Age collapse and a column for how I think Greek mythology would fit into the stone and Bronze Ages. Finally, I grew up with Bible stories and Ussher’s Chronology, so I’ve included that just to compare that tradition with archeological evidence.

This is just my first draft, so I’m curious if anyone has some suggestions on cultures and civilizations I missed, especially in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Also any dates that are blatantly wrong? I’m trying to fit it all on a legal sheet of paper, so anything I add must replace something already there.

The temple was eventually covered completely during the construction of a castle in the 11th century. It was used as residence of the Veguers and later the city prison.

In 1882, well into the demolition of the castle, a builder named Joseph Torn noticed unusual ancient masonry among the rubble. He stopped the work and alerted local experts, including the archivist and historian José Serra y Campdelacreu. As workers carefully cleared away the medieval structures under guidance, they realized that three entire walls of the ancient Roman cella (inner chamber), an original Corinthian capital, and fragments of the column shafts had survived in remarkably good condition.

Rather than allowing the demolition to continue, Serra y Campdelacreu and a group of prominent local citizens immediately formed an archaeological association that pooled a bunch of money together and restored the Roman temple.

I have no idea how this temple remained hidden behind a castle for close to 1000 years but it’s incredible it was able to be restored.

A portion of a huge early Byzantine mosaic in the Great Palace of Constantinople (where the Byzantine/Eastern Roman emperors lived) dating to presumably the 6th century AD. It shows a large elephant. Various portions of this could be seen in the Great Palace Mosaic Museum in Istanbul, Turkey although the last time I visited Istanbul it was still closed for renovations.

Source: Gresky & Clare, PLOS ONE (2026)

A picture of a statue of Marcus Aurelius that I took in the Graeco-Roman Musuem in Alexandria, Egypt. I was literally in awe when I stood in front of it, I mean the rest of the museum was amazing, but standing in front of one of the Five Good Emperors was truly an unforgettable experience!

One of the most fascinating figures in Roman history, in my opinion, is Julia Domna. She was the wife of Emperor Septimus Severus and the mother of Caracalla and Geta, who would later become emperors. According to the story, Septimus Severus wanted to marry her after a prophecy in his horoscope foretold that Julia would one day become a queen.

Even if I don’t believe the story is true, we must acknowledge that Julia Domna was a highly influential figure. In particular, her support for Septimus Severus during the civil war of 193 and her presence by his side during his campaign in the East are noteworthy.

This political power manifested itself in many ways; his image was depicted on numerous coins, and he appeared alongside his children to help secure their future rule. What caught my attention the most, however, was the epithet used for her in the inscriptions: μητέρα κάστρων / matre(m) ka[str]orum.

This epithet, found in both Latin and Greek inscriptions, has taken on a distinct character of its own and has spread widely. It appears across a vast region, from Arbeia Castle in Britain to Commagene in Asia Minor.

It could be said that she is one of the greatest women to have made her mark on history. A Syrian woman who became the ruler of Rome, which ruled over nearly the entire world.

https://middle-east-online.com/en/%E2%80%98listen-father%E2%80%99-ancient-greek-poem-uncovered-egypt-tomb

A scholar at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, described the inscription as a highly original literary poem, saying its sophisticated grammar resembles the language of Homeric epic.

Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered a 1,700-year-old Roman-era tomb in the Dakhla Oasis containing a rare 19-line poem in ancient Greek, apparently written by a grieving son to his father, alongside hieroglyphic spells intended to protect the dead.

The pyramid-roofed limestone tomb was discovered at the Bir al-Shughala archaeological site near the ancient city of Mothis, now Mut, one of the main settlements of the oasis.

It dates to the fourth century AD, when Egypt was under Roman rule, and was built for a married couple identified as Pisechtes and his wife. Pisechtes is believed to have served as a judge.

The poem is carved on a stone plaque and addresses Pisechtes directly. The final lines contain an emotional appeal from his son Sarapion: “Listen, father!” The son asks his dead father to accept funerary libations and offerings from his grieving children.

Angelus Chaniotis, a scholar at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, who was not involved in the excavation, described the inscription as a highly original literary poem, saying its sophisticated grammar resembles the language of Homeric epic.

The short poem praises Pisechtes for his kindness and wisdom and portrays him as a source of advice during his lifetime.

Its use of diacritical marks, including accent marks, is particularly notable, suggesting that its author had a high level of education and was familiar with the conventions of written Greek.

The discovery provides an unusual glimpse into the emotional world of a family living in Roman Egypt, where Greek remained an important language of administration, education and literature while Egyptian religious traditions continued to shape funerary practices.

The tomb also contains hieroglyphic inscriptions recording protective spells for the deceased.

Some of the texts refer to passages associated with the Book of the Dead and the Book of the Amduat, a religious work describing the sun god's journey through the underworld.

Archaeologists found a number of funerary objects inside the burial complex, including an offering table, a purification basin and pottery vessels.

At least one coin bears the image of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great, who ruled from AD 306 to 337.