Queen's Hairpin Found

From Hurriyet Daily News:

A hairpin belonging to 16th century French Queen Catherine de Medici has been discovered at a royal residence outside Paris. What has conservators scratching their heads is exactly where it was found: down a communal toilet.

Officials said it’s the first time in modern history that a possession of the Renaissance royal has been found at Fontainebleau Palace. Though the queen was renowned across Europe for her lavish jewelry, much of her collection has been lost, sold or stolen over the centuries.

The rare 9 centimeter-pin was identified easily because it bore interlocking C’s - for “Catherine.” The artifact was found by accident as archeologists dug around the toilet to prepare the surrounding area for restoration.

Droguet called the find a “mystery.” “But what would Catherine de Medici be doing there? Maybe it was a lady-in-waiting who took it. Perhaps it just fell in.”

Ancient Body Adornment

From the Bangkok Post:

What do women today have in common with those in prehistoric times? The answer is none other than a love for body ornaments _ rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelet, anklets.

"All human groups have created accessories. Body ornaments are not just about beauty, but also about beliefs," said Asst Prof Mayurie Veraprasert, a lecturer at the Archaeology Faculty, Silpakorn University, who prepared the exhibition, "Body Ornaments : Beliefs, Beauty, and Creativity", at Phufa Treasure Trove on the 4th floor of Siam Paragon. The event opening on Monday was graciously presided over by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

The exhibition, on view until December 31, features images of body ornaments worn by women in different historical periods, from Dvaravati to Ayutthaya. Some depict images of adornments on skeletons from prehistorical burial sites, as well as images of people wearing elegant accessories in the famous mural painting at Wat Phumin in Nan province. One section deals with contemporary ornaments, created by students of the Decorative Arts Faculty, Silpakorn University, and another presents a full set of exquisite ornaments on a khon character, Kumpakan, made by students at the Royal Goldsmith College. The accessories were used in a khon production, The Battle of Kumpakan, commanded by Her Majesty the Queen.

Jewels of Eleutherna

From the Straits Times:

ARCHAEOLOGISTS on the Greek island of Crete have unearthed the 2,900-year-old tomb of three women buried with jewels of surprisingly advanced skill, culture officials said on Friday.

The tomb in the ancient town of Eleutherna, near the modern city of Rethymno in northern Crete, held gold necklaces and medallions decorated with lion heads and the forms of ancient gods, excavation supervisor Nikos Stambolidis said.

'The jewels are of a style that appeared in the Hellenistic Era (many centuries later),' said Stambolidis, director of the Cycladic Museum in Athens.

'We had no knowledge that this level of craft existed earlier,' he told AFP.

The elaborate nature of the tomb indicates that its three occupants, two of whom were adolescents, were likely priestesses or princesses.

A number of offerings including scarabs, amber seals and earthenware were also found in the burial chamber which was two metres high.

The town of Eleutherna is believed to have reached its peak in the Geometric Era around 3,000 years ago. Excavation in the last 25 years has so far yielded over 500 items of clay, metal and ivory including sculptures, tools and weapons.

One of the most prized sculptures of the Louvre Museum in Paris, a limestone female statue called the Lady of Auxerre, is believed to have come from Eleutherna.