Ancient Greece

Archaeologists have discovered a rare 2,400-year-old gold coin during emergency excavations at the Montedoro necropolis near Agrigento, Sicily. Minted in Syracuse in the late 5th century BCE, the coin provides a unique glimpse into the turbulent period of conflict between Greek cities and Carthage.

A new study published in the "Journal of Archaeological Science" reveals an unusual detail about jewelry used by ancient elites in Greece: an examination of 91 iron objects found that 13 rings contained significant amounts of nickel, indicating the use of meteoric iron. Researchers determined that nine of these rings are highly likely of meteoric origin.