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Ancient Silver Goblet Features the Earliest Depiction of the Universe’s Creation

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“Ain Samiya’s Silver Goblet”

Israel Museum, Jerusalem/Ardon Bar Hama

A silver chalice dating back 4,300 years, found in Palestine’s West Bank, displays a depiction of the universe’s formation from primordial chaos, marking it as the oldest recorded visual interpretation of a creation myth.

“It’s a one-of-a-kind design,” says Eberhard Sanger from the Lewisian Research Foundation in Switzerland. “It conveys a complex narrative using a minimal number of lines.”

Measuring about 8 cm in height, the “Ain Samiya” goblet was uncovered 55 years ago in an ancient tomb located a few miles northeast of Ramallah, on the western edge of the Fertile Crescent, an area where early civilizations thrived.

The goblet features two distinctive scenes. The first shows a large serpent confronting a chimera with a human upper body and animal legs, positioned on a small flower-like circle. The second scene depicts a smiling serpent lying on the ground beneath a much larger flower-like circle, supported by two humanoid figures—of which only one is currently visible due to the goblet’s damage.

Archaeologists of the 1970s proposed that these scenes could represent Enuma Elish, the Babylonian creation myth in which the primordial entity Tiamat is overcome by the god Marduk, resulting in Tiamat’s body transforming into heaven and earth. However, Zanger notes that this interpretation has its shortcomings; notably, there are no battle representations on the goblet, and it is approximately 1,000 years older than Enuma Elish itself.

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<p>This has led other scholars to suggest alternative meanings. For instance, they propose that the goblet might represent the cyclical rebirth of a year and the passing of another.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, Zanger and his associates, including independent researcher <a href="https://utoronto.academia.edu/DanielSarlo">Daniel Sarlo</a> from Toronto, and <a href="https://fabiennehaasdantes.academia.edu/">Fabienne Haas Dantes</a> from the University of Zurich, argue that the original interpretation remains the most accurate. They contend that the scenes depict the creation of the universe, drawing from ancient creation stories that predate even <em>Enuma Elish</em>.</p>

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            <img class="Image" alt="This scene illustrates cosmic order emerging from chaos, featuring figures such as serpents and deities (Credit: ? Israel Museum, Jerusalem, by Florica Weiner)." width="1350" height="901" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=400 400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=500 500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=600 600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=700 700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=800 800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=837 837w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=900 900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1003 1003w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1100 1100w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1200 1200w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1300 1300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1400 1400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1500 1500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1600 1600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1674 1674w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1700 1700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1800 1800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1900 1900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=2006 2006w" sizes="(min-width: 1288px) 837px, (min-width: 1024px) calc(57.5vw + 55px), (min-width: 415px) calc(100vw - 40px), calc(70vw + 74px)" loading="lazy" data-image-context="Article" data-image-id="2504118" data-caption="The images engraved on the goblet portray deities, serpents, and the sun" data-credit="Israel Museum, Jerusalem/Florika Weiner"/>
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                <p class="ArticleImageCaption__Title">The engravings on the goblet depict a deity, a serpent, and the sun.</p>
                <p class="ArticleImageCaption__Credit">Israel Museum, Jerusalem/Florica Weiner</p>
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<p>Zanger's research team views the first scene as ambiguous. The chimera signifies a weaker god combined with an animal. The small flower-like circles beneath its legs symbolize the powerless sun. A colossal serpent dominates this chaos. In contrast, the second scene reveals that order has emerged from chaos, with gods distinguished from animals, transforming into potent humanoid figures. They raise the powerful sun atop a "vessel of heaven," indicating the separation of heaven from earth, while the chaotic serpent lies defeated beneath the sun.</p>
<p>Zanger also mentions that cuneiform texts from another area of the Fertile Crescent, dating similarly to the goblet, discuss how deities divided heaven and earth. This indicates that by the time of the goblet's creation, the locals had already contemplated the theme of world creation. "The remarkable aspect of this artifact is that it allows us to glimpse their conception of this narrative," he states.</p>
<p><a href="https://independent.academia.edu/JLisman">Jan Lisman</a>, an independent researcher from the Netherlands, remains skeptical of this interpretation. "What it depicts is the daily journey of the sun," he argues. "But it certainly does not reflect 'origin' or 'chaos.'"</p>

<p><a href="https://www.altestestament.unibe.ch/about_us/people/prof_em_dr_schroer_silvia/index_eng.html">Sylvia Schroer</a>, a professor at the University of Bern, Switzerland, shows some willingness to entertain the notion that the goblet signifies world creation. However, she believes a different aspect of the new analysis is problematic.</p>

<p>According to Zanger, some images on the Ain Samiyah goblet, notably the giant snake, resonate with ancient cosmological tales from the Fertile Crescent and adjacent areas. They posit that this implies a profound connection among various creation myths which may trace back to a singular, more ancient narrative. Illustrating this, they cite a celestial vessel resembling that in the goblet, which is carved on a pillar at Göbekli Tepe in modern-day Turkey, a location dating back 11,500 years—7,000 years prior to the goblet's creation. "This is astonishing," Zanger remarks.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, Schroer argues that it might be too speculative to assert that all creation narratives in the region are tightly intertwined. "Even with similarities, it doesn't necessitate clear influence," she maintains.</p>

<div class="JournalReference" data-title="JEOL – Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society “Ex Oriente Luxˮ" data-title_link="https://www.exorientelux.nl/jeol/" data-reference_type_overwrite="Journal reference:" data-doi="in press" data-method="shortcode" data-component-name="journal-reference">
    <p class="JournalReference__Title"><i>JEOL – Journal of Ancient Near East Studies “Ex Oriente Luxˮ</i> <a class="JournalReference__Link" href="https://www.exorientelux.nl/jeol/">DOI: In print</a></p>
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            <img class="Image SpecialArticleUnit__Image" alt="Caravan in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt" width="2560" height="1441" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=375 375w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=500 500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=600 600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=700 700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=750 750w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=800 800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=900 900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=1003 1003w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=1100 1100w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=1200 1200w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=1300 1300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=1400 1400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=1500 1500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=1600 1600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=1700 1700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=1800 1800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=1900 1900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/07111001/shutterstock_2429800603-scaled.jpg?width=2006 2006w" sizes="(min-width: 1277px) 375px, (min-width: 1040px) 26.36vw, 99.44vw" loading="lazy" data-image-context="Special Article Unit" data-caption="Caravan in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt" data-credit="Shutterstock"/>
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Source: www.newscientist.com

Rediscovering Thetford Treasure: Archaeologists Explore 1,500-Year-Old Gold Jewelry and Silver Spoons

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The treasure jewels discovered in Tetford Forest, East Anglia, indicate that Tetford maintained pagan practices until the 5th century A.D.

A ring from the Sitford storage on display at the British Museum. Image credit: Geni/CC by-sa 4.0.

The Thetford treasure was unearthed in 1979 by a metal detectorist trespassing at a construction site on Fison’s Way, Gallows Hill, Thetford.

This treasure comprised 81 items, including 22 gold rings, various gold gems, and 36 silver spoons or strainers.

Several gems were found alongside the shalebox, with additional objects nearby.

The retrieved items included coins, presenting researchers with dating challenges.

The collection is now part of the British Museum and is currently on display.

Professor Ellen Swift, an archaeologist from the University of Kent, remarked:

“The extensive evidence uncovered at this site substantiates the religious context previously indicated by inscriptions found among the spoons in the reservoir, suggesting that the dating of the Thetford reservoir extends into the fifth century.”

“The economic significance of the site—evidenced by the value and variety of its contents—indicates that it likely held considerable power and influence in the area.”

This revised chronology is bolstered by a thorough comparison of multiple artifacts (both spoons and jewelry), alongside discoveries of contextual dates from Continental Europe and objects from the 5th-century Hoxne Reservoir housed in the British Museum.

Professor Swift also found that England was less isolated than previously thought, and the treasured items were influenced by the Roman Empire.

“The Sitford gems display remarkable stylistic diversity, hinting at various artisans producing works from different regions,” Professor Swift explained.

“Some of the latest rings in the collection may have originated from Northern Italy or nearby regions, including necklaces adorned with conical beads from Balkan tribes in Europe.”

“Most of the jewelry reflects a ‘Rome of the Mediterranean’ aesthetic, suggesting a shared cultural heritage among elite circles across a broad geographic area.”

This research was published in the Journal of Roman Archaeology.

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Ellen Swift. 2024. Rethinking the dates and interpretations of Thetford treasures: the fifth c. A storage of gold jewels and silver spoons. Journal of Roman Archaeology 37(2): 409-448; doi: 10.1017/s104759424000278

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient silver coins dating back 1,000 years discovered in Britain’s treasure trove

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An archaeologist from Oxford Cotswold Archeology (OCA) has made an exciting discovery of 321 11th-century AD silver coins (319 full pennies and 2 cut halfpence) in mint condition near the site of a future nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast. This finding sheds light on the social and political unrest of the 11th century and suggests that the change of government following the coronation of Edward the Confessor in 1042 caused significant turmoil among the population. This collection may have belonged to a local influential figure who felt threatened by the political changes and chose to bury his wealth as a precaution.

A treasure trove of 1,000-year-old silver coins. Image credit: Oxford Cotswold Archaeology.

The newly discovered cache of coins was carefully wrapped in cloth and lead.

The coins in the hoard were issued during the reigns of Harold I “Rabbit’s Foot” (1036-1040), Harthacnut (1040-2), and Edward the Confessor (1042-1066).

Most of the coins date back to the reign of Harold I, with Harthacnut issuing significantly fewer, and only 24 issued by Edward the Confessor.

While the majority of coins were minted in London, some were also minted in Thetford, Norwich, Ipswich, Lincoln, and Stamford.

A few coins were issued by smaller mints such as Langport and Uxbridge in southwest England, making them extremely rare.

“This hoard of coins offers a valuable glimpse into the historical context of that era, indicating that Edward the Confessor’s ascension to the throne was a time of uncertainty and societal unrest. This further supports the idea that it was a period marked by apprehensions,” said Alexander, a coin expert from OCA.

“The analysis of this coin hoard was a collaborative effort involving experts in numismatics, finds, conservation, and project partners.”

“It is a privilege to contribute to bringing this story to life.”

Despite representing considerable wealth for the time, these coins likely belonged to individuals of moderate status rather than high-ranking individuals.

They were probably a savings pot of a local influencer and were roughly equivalent in value to a small herd of cattle at that time.

“The hoard was affectionately named Masu for obvious reasons, so discovering it was truly an honor,” said OCA archaeologist Andrew Pegg.

“When I unearthed it, I saw the edge of a coin peeking out, and I was amazed!”

“It’s an impeccable archaeological time capsule,” he added.

“The insights we’re gaining from it are remarkable, and I am proud to contribute to the history of my corner of Suffolk.”

The mid-11th century in England was a period of uncertainty and shifting loyalties.

Edward the Confessor’s coronation in 1042 followed over 25 years of rule by Danish kings Canute, Harold, and Harthacnut. This event reinstated the House of Wessex on the English throne.

The change in leadership likely sparked uncertainty and apprehension among the populace.

Specifically, some affluent individuals connected to the previous regime were either exiled or had their assets seized after Edward’s coronation.

The hoard’s owner may have buried his wealth in fear of political changes, hoping to retrieve it later as a safety net.

“We may never fully understand why this treasure was left undiscovered,” concluded the archaeologists.

“The discovery of an 11th-century coin hoard is truly extraordinary,” said Damien Leydon, Site Delivery Director at Sizewell C.

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of Silver and Bronze Coin Hoard from Gallus Revolt Unearthed in Israel

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Jewish Revolt Constantius Gallus, alias Gallus' RebellionThe Roman Civil War of 351-354 AD broke out during the Roman Civil War and was the last Jewish revolt against Rome.

Bronze and silver coins from the 4th century AD found at Lod in central Israel. Image courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The 1,650-year-old treasure was discovered by archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). rodcentral Israel.

The treasury contains 94 silver and bronze coins dating from 221 to 354 AD.

“The most recent coins date to the period of Gallus' revolt (351-354 AD),” the IAA archaeologists said.

“Documentary evidence for the revolt is scarce, but there are documents that document the destruction of major Jewish communities, such as Lod, Tzipori, and Tiberias, by the armies of Constantine Gallus.”

Also found were impressive stone and marble artifacts, inscriptions in Greek, Hebrew and Latin, and inscriptions bearing the names of Jewish men of priestly descent.

“This is probably a magnificent Jewish building where the city's elders lived,” said IAA archaeologists Shahar Crispin and Mol Wiesel.

“We know from Talmudic texts that Lod was the most important center for the Jews after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.”

“Famous 'Sages of Rod' include Rabbi Eliezer ben Horcanos, Rabbi Tarfon, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yossi Hagalili.”

“The building, destroyed down to its foundations, is a clear indication that the rebellion was forcibly put down with violence and brutality, and was not merely a localized uprising as previous studies have claimed.”

“This is the only evidence so far of the scope and power of this rebellion in Lod, which is in the heart of the country.”

“It is difficult to determine whether this magnificent building was used as a synagogue, a study hall, a meeting place for the elders, or all three functions combined,” said IAA professor Joshua Schwartz.

“What is clear, however, is that the size of the buildings, the coin deposits, and the assemblage of archaeological finds produced by the excavations fit well with the description of Lod/Diospolis as depicted in both Jewish and non-Jewish sources as a center of Torah-faithful Jewish life during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods.”

“Lod's role as a leading community with elders continued from the time of its destruction until this moment, when it was brutally destroyed in the Gallus Rebellion.”

“The incredible finds made here reinforce our commitment to researching and protecting Rod's history and rich heritage,” said IAA director Eli Escuse.

“Together with the city's new exhibition centre with its beautiful rod mosaics, we will bring this building into public awareness.”

Source: www.sci.news

Romantic Inscription Found on Ancient Silver Thimble in Wales

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A post-medieval silver thimble was discovered by Robert Edwards while metal detecting in Pembrokeshire, a county in south-west Wales.

An ancient silver thimble discovered in the Carew community in Pembrokeshire, Wales.Image credit: Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum of Wales

“I was searching behind an oak tree and had no success until I changed the program and found a very clear signal,” Edwards said.

“At first I thought it was a sixpence, but to my surprise it was not a coin, but a silver piece!”

“When I later saw a similar waffle pattern on another thimble, I knew I had found something special.”

“To be honest, my cousin who is also my detection partner was a little jealous!”

“I like to think about who used it,” he added.

“Was it used in the castle we saw on the way?” Did someone get into trouble by losing it? I'm so happy to be able to share it with you all. ”

According to experts, Amgefa Cymru – Museum of Walesthe ancient thimble is tall and narrow, but heavy.

This artifact is a two-piece construction with a rounded top soldered to the main body.

Six horizontal bands are placed in a zigzag pattern around the body and overlaid on an incised brick or basket weave pattern.

“'' is engraved at the base of the band.I still love you like' Roman capital in serif font.

The researchers said: “Posey's inscription appears on several 17th-century silver thimbles found across England and Wales.”

“The Cardiff, Kent and Hampshire examples were all reported through the Treasure Act 1996.”

“Such romantic passages are very similar to those found on modern posey rings,” they added.

“Perhaps a thimble, worn on one's finger while sewing, was considered an intimate (and therefore romantic) possession, suitable as a gift between lovers.”

Source: www.sci.news