Ralph Fiennes in “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple”
Credit: Sony Pictures
After decades of anticipation, the sequel to Danny Boyle’s iconic virus-based horror film, 28 Days Later, has arrived. Titled 28 Years Later: Temple of Bones, this gripping narrative picks up almost immediately from the chilling conclusion of the previous installment. It introduces a perilous gang led by Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell).
This time, the real menace emerges from the human characters, prominently featuring the “infected” portrayed by Samson (Chee Lewis-Parry). Ian Kelson, played by Ralph Fiennes (as shown above), finds himself forming an unexpected camaraderie with him.
As they gaze at the stars and enjoy music from Duran Duran, Kelson delves deeper into the virus’s mysteries and embarks on a quest to develop a cure. The story builds to a thrilling and intense finale.
Despite the dark themes, the film balances its grim narrative with moments of humor and humanity, enriching the horror landscape. Should this third installment, 28 Years Later, resonate with audiences, it has the potential to become a celebrated trilogy in cinematic history.
Ralph Fiennes’ Role in “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple”
Sony Pictures
It’s hard to overstate the impact of 28 Days Later. This groundbreaking 2002 film features Jim the Courier (Cillian Murphy), who awakens from a coma to find Britain devastated by an “angry virus,” a precursor to the past two decades of zombie media. The film serves as a stark reflection of societal decay and chaos.
A new trilogy could have easily followed the original formula, but in 2025, 28 Years Later shatters that mold. Set decades after the initial outbreak, this film revitalizes the series by focusing on Spike (Alfie Williams), a young boy navigating life on a virus-free island amid the ruins of Britain. His journey introduces new species of the infected and intelligent ‘alphas’ like Samson (Chee-Lewis Parry), who exhibit strategic thinking.
The second installment, Bone Temple, written by Alex Garland and directed by Nia DaCosta, shifts its focus to “the Jimmys,” a gang of youth captivated by bloodsports rather than the infected. These characters are stripped of their identities, led by the enigmatic Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), who dubs them all “Fingers.”
As the story unfolds, the Jimmy family’s troubling regression poses a menace to Spike as well. The harrowing first scene of Bone Temple sees Spike fighting for survival against Jimmy, marking a pivotal moment where an uninfected individual is killed, initially highlighting a crucial distinction.
This film challenges our understanding of the infected. We meet Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), a retired physician and Spike’s ally, who attempts to understand these new beings. He once used morphine to subdue Samson but finds the alpha craves the drug, establishing a reluctant bond between them.
Through shared experiences, Kelson—an anthropologist at heart—investigates the cultural remnants of humanity by creating monuments and reclaiming narratives from desolate towns. His quest prompts profound questions about the consciousness of the infected. “What if you could speak?” he muses. “Do you have memories? Are you evolving?”
As Bone Temple invites us to reconsider the nature of evolution, we ponder whether beings like Samson symbolize a new paradigm. Are they regaining their humanity or transitioning into something uniquely different? As the story progresses, we ask if a cure is possible for these once-infected beings, and whether the lines between human and infected remain clear after decades.
Kelson’s psychological exploration yields unexpected revelations. Upon encountering Jimmy and his gang, he discovers a potential path to healing for the remnants of humanity—infected or otherwise. The profound message of this riveting film is that our understanding of the infected must evolve. As we follow Spike’s journey through this dystopian world, it begs the question: could the infected become humanity’s saviors? With the trilogy’s finale on the horizon, anticipation builds for what lies ahead.
Bolivian archaeologists have unearthed an ancient complex located approximately 215 km (130 miles) southeast of the historic Tiwanak site. This large modular structure, featuring integrated sunken courtyards, bears a striking resemblance to the terraced temples of Tiwanak, indicating significant national investment.
Isometric reconstruction of the Paraspata temple rendered with a 3 m high wall. Image credits: Capriles et al., doi: 10.15184/aqy.2025.59.
The ancient society near the southern shore of Lake Titicaca was once among the most influential civilizations in Bolivia.
Known as Tiwanak, this society is regarded by archaeologists as one of the earliest instances of Andean civilization and a precursor to the Inca Empire, yet it mysteriously vanished around a millennium ago.
“Much remains enigmatic about the Tiwanak civilization,” remarked Pennsylvania archaeologist Jose Capriles.
“Their society disintegrated around 1000 AD, long before the Incas seized control of the Andes in the 15th century.”
“At its zenith, Tiwanak showcased a well-organized social structure, leaving behind architectural remnants like pyramids, terraced temples, and monoliths. While most of these artefacts are found around Lake Titicaca, Tiwanak’s influence extended much farther, though the exact boundaries of its control remain debated.”
“The newly uncovered temple complex is situated about 215 km south of the historically recognized Tiwanak site, known to local indigenous farmers but inadequately studied by researchers due to its unassuming setting.”
“However, the site’s location is quite strategic.”
During the Tiwanaku period, it linked three major trade routes across diverse ecosystems, with the fertile highlands around Lake Titicaca to the north.
This has led researchers to conclude that the site must have been significant in connecting communities.
“People traveled, traded, and erected monuments at pivotal points across the arid mountainous terrain,” Dr. Capriles said.
“Upon discovering an unmapped rectangular area, we employed various techniques to visualize the region.”
“The function of the site was unclear, so I integrated different satellite images.”
“We also carried out a series of UAV missions to capture high-resolution images.”
“Using photogrammetry—a method that constructs 3D models from photographs—we achieved a more detailed visualization of the structure and its surrounding landscape.”
Stone alignments identified an ancient temple named Palaspata, derived from the local terminology.
This temple complex spans roughly 125 m in length and 145 m in width, featuring 15 rectangular enclosures surrounding a central courtyard.
The layout seems to align with rituals that coincide with the sun’s zenith, particularly when it is directly above the equator.
Paraspata Temple. Image credits: Capriles et al., doi: 10.15184/aqy.2025.59.
Using the information gathered, researchers created reconstructions to visualize what the ancient Palaspata temple may have looked like.
The temple’s surface contained numerous fragments of Kelcups, which were used for consuming chicha, a traditional corn beer, during agricultural festivals and ceremonies, suggesting the temple was a key trade hub.
This highlights that corn was cultivated in the Cochabamba valley, indicating the temple’s role in facilitating connections among various culinary traditions on its elevated grounds, thereby enhancing access to an assortment of products.
“The temple likely served a spiritual function, as evidenced by the interconnections that managed trade and harvest distribution within designated ritual spaces,” noted Dr. Capriles.
“Most economic and political dealings were likely mediated through divinity, since this was a common framework for fostering cooperation among disparate individuals, as religion often serves as a unifying force among different groups.”
“The discovery was a revelation, even for local inhabitants,” commented Jas Ventura Guaralo, the mayor of Caracoro, where the site is located.
“The archaeological findings at Palaspata are vital as they unearth significant aspects of local heritage that have been largely ignored.”
“This discovery is crucial for our community, and we regard its documentation as invaluable for boosting tourism and showcasing the region’s rich history.”
The team’s paper was published today in the journal Ancient.
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Jose M. Capriles et al. 2025. Gateway to the East: Palaspata Temple and the southeast expansion of Tiwanak. Ancient 99 (405): 831-849; doi: 10.15184/aqy.2025.59
Archaeologists have uncovered an entrance to a large stone temple in an ancient Egyptian town, Athribis, near the modern city of Sohag.
The south tower of the Athribis pylon and the hill behind it. It is believed that there is a sanctuary here. Image credit. Marcus Müller, Athribis Project.
“The entrance to the temple in the rock appears to lie beneath a still-untouched pile of rubble behind it,” said archaeologists Professor Christian Reitz and Dr Markus Müller from the University of Tübingen.
“Since 2022, we have been working with Mohamed Abdelbadia of the Egyptian Antiquities Authority and the Egyptian team at Asribis to excavate the large stone temple.”
“Excavations have been underway since 2012 to reveal an ancient temple district built between 144 BC and 138 AD.”
“The width of the complex was a total of 51 meters, and the monumental temple entrance towers were each 18 meters high.”
“Today there is only about five meters left. The rest was sacrificed to quarrying,” they added.
“Thanks to the fallen coins, the removal of this stone may have taken place in 752 or shortly thereafter.”
Archaeologists also discovered a relief of a king offering a sacrifice to the lion-headed goddess Lepit and her son Kolantes.
A newly discovered hieroglyphic inscription reveals for the first time which king was responsible for the decoration of the pylon, and perhaps also for its construction: Ptolemy VIII in the 2nd century BC.
“We unexpectedly encountered a previously unknown chamber in the northern tower,” the researchers said.
“We used air cushions, wooden scaffolding and rollers to remove ceiling blocks weighing approximately 20 tonnes.”
“We found a chamber about 6 meters long and 3 meters wide.”
“It was a storage room for temple utensils and was later used to store amphora.”
“A corridor led to the room through a pylon, allowing access from outside.''
“This entrance is also decorated with reliefs and hieroglyphs,” they added.
“Once again we see the goddess Lepit, but on the opposite door frame the fertility god Min is depicted, along with two very rarely depicted beings, the falcon-headed decan (who can measure the hours of the night) It is accompanied by a star.
“Unique in Egyptian temple architecture is the second door in the façade of the pylon, which opens onto a previously unknown staircase that led to the upper floors on at least four floors. It has now been destroyed and further storage rooms may be rebuilt there.”
“Finely smoothed limestone blocks in vertically cut rock facades may belong to rock sanctuaries,” says Professor Wrights.
“The finds over 3 meters high and the typical decorations at the top of the temple, such as the cobra frieze, indicate that there may have been a door behind the temple.”
The recently discovered structure predates the famous Inca citadel of Machu Picchu by approximately 3,500 years and was constructed long before the Inca Empire and its predecessors, as confirmed by a team of archaeologists. Ukupe Cultural Landscape Archaeological Project.
Newly discovered archaeological remains at La Otra Banda, Cerro las Animas, Peru, include carvings of mythical bird creatures. Image courtesy of Ukpe Cultural Landscape Archaeological Project.
“It was an amazing find. It speaks to the early origins of religion in Peru,” said Dr Muro Inoñan, an archaeologist at Peru’s National Archaeological Institute. The Field Museum.
“We still know very little about how and under what circumstances complex belief systems emerged in the Andes, but we now have evidence of some of the earliest religious spaces that people were creating in the region.”
“I don’t know what these people called themselves, or what other people called them.”
Dr. Inonhán and his team discovered a new archaeological site in La Otra Banda, Peru, in 2023.
They chose a section roughly 10 meters by 33 feet (10 meters by 33 feet) and began slowly removing sediment that had accumulated over thousands of years.
Just 1.8 metres (6 feet) deep, remnants of an ancient wall made of mud and clay were found.
“It was quite a surprise to see these very ancient structures so close to the modern surface,” Dr Inonyan said.
As archaeologists dug deeper, they found evidence that a temple once stood on the site.
“It appears that a huge temple was built on the slope of the mountain and parts of it have been discovered,” Dr Inonyan said.
“One of the most exciting things we found was a small theater with a backstage area and a staircase leading up to a stage-like platform.”
“It may have been used for a ritualistic performance before a selected audience.”
Archaeologists discovered an intricately carved clay slab depicting a bird-like creature next to the theater’s steps.
“It’s a very beautiful and at the same time an interesting design of a mythical creature – it looks like an anthropomorphic bird but also has reptilian features,” Dr Inonyan said.
“This figure stood out to us because it gives us important clues about when this temple was built and how this structure relates to other ancient temples built by earlier groups in the Andes.”
“Statues of mythical creatures similar to the one our team found have been found in Peru, where archaeologists have Initial PeriodThat’s about 4,000 years ago.”
“Despite the name, they were not the first people to inhabit this area. People have lived in Peru for 15,000 years.”
“Around 5000 to 3000 BCE, during a period known as the Pre-Pottery Period, people along the Peruvian coast began to develop societies and complex political systems.”
“Then came the Early Period, which began around 2000 BCE and lasted until 900 BCE.”
“The early stage is important because it’s when we first start to see evidence of institutionalized religion in Peru.”
“The bird creatures in this temple resemble figures known from the Chavin region from about 500 years later. This new site may help shed light on the origins of this religion.”
Italian archaeologists have unearthed the so-called Sacramento in Pompeii, the ancient Roman city frozen in time after the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
A 2,000-year-old sacramental vessel discovered in Pompeii, Italy. Image courtesy of Pompeii Archaeological Park.
The newly discovered sacrarium – an ancient temple used for ritual activities and storing sacred objects – covers an area of approximately 8 square meters.
The chamber was excavated in the center of Pompeii by Dr. Gabriel Suftriegel and his colleagues from the Pompeii Archaeological Park.
“Against the blue background of the wall, two female figures are depicted on either side of a central niche,” the archaeologists said in a statement.
“The figures in the side niches represent the horae, the four seasons, while the figures in the central panel represent an allegory of agriculture and shepherding, shown with the symbols of the plough and pedum (a short staff used by shepherds and hunters).”
“The blue color seen in this room is rarely seen in Pompeii frescoes and was usually used in more elaborately decorated rooms.”
In the sacristy, researchers found 15 transport amphorae and a set of bronze objects, including two jugs and two lamps.
They also unearthed large amounts of ancient building materials that can be used in the renovation work.
“A pile of empty oyster shells was found by the front door. The shells had probably been crushed into small pieces and added to the plaster or mortar,” the scientists said.
“The room was found in a building located on the southern side of a block (insula) belonging to the secondary area of the larger domus,” the researchers added.
“The structures discovered include a bathhouse, which is still being excavated, and a large reception room decorated with black frescoes overlooking a courtyard with a staircase leading to the first floor of the complex.”
“These excavations are part of a wider project aimed at strengthening the boundaries between excavated and unexcavated areas and improving the hydrogeological structure in order to more effectively and sustainably protect Pompeii’s vast archaeological site (more than 13,000 rooms in 1,070 residential units, public areas and sacred sites).”
Team paper Published in Electronic Journal Scavi di Pompei.
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Gabriel Suchtriegel others. Nostalgia Land: District 9 of Pompeii, 10 Sacred Sites on the Island. Electronic Journal Scavi di Pompeipublished online June 3, 2024
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