Who was this Emperor called Wen of Han, you ask, and why was he important? Well, he’s a well-known figure in Chinese history. He reigned from 180 BC to 157 BC, and it is said that during his reign, China enjoyed both peace and prosperity. Now, no one really knew where he was buried.
But, researchers learned that a tomb they discovered back in 2006 belongs to no other than Emperor Wen himself. His tomb contained over 1000 small statues as well as bronze, iron, and pottery relics. This finding sealed the deal, and now researchers know where all Western Han emperors were buried.
A 4.5 Billion Years Old Meteor
Some people occasionally stumble upon a $5 bill. What you don’t expect to find on the ground, though, is a 4.5 billion-year-old meteor made out of pallasite. About two decades ago, an anonymous hitchhiker was traveling across Fukang in Xinjiang, China, when he suddenly stumbled upon this extraordinary mass from space.
This beautiful rock is now known as the Fukang Meteorite. It is covered with pieces of olivine crystals and embedded in an iron-nickel matrix. Scientists aren’t exactly sure where this came from, but they do know that it’s extremely valuable. The meteorite weighs slightly over a ton, and just a few grams of its crystals are worth over $500.
A 2,000-Year-Old Green Stone Mask
The green stone mask shown in the picture below dates back more than 2,000 years ago. It was discovered in 2011 by researchers in Mexico who were investigating the base of a pyramid. The Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacán, Mexico, got its name from the Aztecs. This ancient civilization was a lot more advanced than we had originally believed.
The Aztecs had access to many technologies and rituals which have only been discovered in the last few centuries. These let them carve rock into beautiful sculptures like this unique mask, even before the tools for such creations were invented.
How the Curia Pompeia Was Established
Curia Pompeia? What's that? Isn't that the name of some Paco Rabanne fragrance? Well, no. It used to be the place where Roman senators would meet during the times of the Roman Republic. While we don't know exactly when it was built, researchers believe that during the time of the Roman general Pompey the Great.
But, only recently, it was discovered that this amazing site was actually built during three different time periods. Firstly during the period of Pompey in 55 BC. Then, around 19 BC, during the time of Augustus. And finally, around the early medieval period. How cool is that?
This Is the Earliest Proof of Maize Being Used
You probably haven't spent too much time thinking about Maize. Unless you are an aficionado of polenta or popcorn, that is. But maybe you should have thought about it a little more since this domesticated cereal grain pretty much rules our lives.
Recently, a new study found the earliest evidence of this grain being a dietary staple. Basically, about 5600 years ago, migrants from South America brought with them unique types of corn, and these, in turn, were used to help sustain the ancient Maya civilization. How was discovery actually made? The dental remains of the new migrants were analyzed! That's so cool.