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Singapore’s first shipwreck
Underwater excavations have uncovered the first ancient shipwreck to be found in Singapore. The vessel, known as the Temasek Wreck, underwent several stages of investigation between 2016 and 2019, and the results of the research have now been published in the Journal of International Ceramic Studies (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joics.2025.100013). It appears that the ship was most likely a Chinese junk that set sail from Quanzhou, in southern Fujian, in the mid-14th century, heading for Temasek, the port that preceded modern-day Singapore. The wreck is significant for its cargo of ceramics, with more than 3.5 tonnes recovered. Particularly noteworthy is the quantity of Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain, which exceeds that of any other documented shipwreck. The cargo also featured a variety of other high-quality ceramics; researchers are therefore optimistic that this assemblage could serve as a reference collection to aid in the study of less well-provenanced finds from the period.
Next stop, the Colosseum!
Rome’s new Colosseum metro station has opened to the public after 11 years of construction. The process involved extensive archaeological investigations, which have revealed a wealth of archaeology including 28 ancient wells, the remains of a cold plunge pool and thermal bath from a 1st-century AD dwelling, and other structures, as well as hundreds of artefacts, among them hairpins, knives, ceramics, oil lamps, pipes, and statues. Many of these finds are now on display inside the station, alongside videos documenting the excavation process. Inaugurated at the same time was the next stop along the line, Porta Metronia. Investigations at this site revealed a large military complex including barracks dating to the early 2nd century AD and a home with well-preserved frescoes and mosaics. These remains are currently visible to commuters, but a more formal museum is scheduled to open later this year.
Drilling into Ancient Egyptian tools
New analysis of a small copper-alloy object excavated a century ago from a cemetery at Badari in Upper Egypt indicates that it is the earliest rotary metal drill known from ancient Egypt. The artefact was found in the burial of an adult man dating to the Predynastic period (late 4th millennium BC), and was originally believed to be an awl, but recent research published in the journal Egypt and the Levant (http://www.austriaca.at/?arp=0x0041300e) revealed distinctive wear consistent with a drilling motion, rather than simple puncturing. The researchers suggest, too, that the leather thong wound around the object is a remnant of the bowstring used to power the drill, which would have enabled faster, more controlled drilling than twisting by hand. The discovery represents a rare example of the technology that made ancient Egypt’s famous craftwork and construction projects possible. Furthermore, chemical analysis found that the tool was made from an unusual copper alloy that was harder and visually distinct from standard copper, offering insights into early metalworking as well.
Text: Amy Brunskill / Image: Wikimedia Commons, Markx89
