Blind Melon/FacebookBlind Melon frontman Shannon Hoon was just 28 years old when he died. Blind Melon was supposed to play a show in New Orleans on Oct. 21, 1995. Their tour bus was parked on St. Charles Avenue, and the band’s energetic frontman, Shannon Hoon, was lying inside. But he wasn’t resting between performances. He was dead. Just hours before, the 28-year-old had been an electric, unpredictable lead singer who had charmed and worried the world in equal measure. Now, he was gone, a casualty of a battle he had fought publicly, loudly, and tragically. Shannon Hoon’s death was the culmination of the restless energy of a small-town Indiana athlete, the artistic hunger of a man who refused to be pinned down by his own hit single, and the haunting prescience of his own lyrics. From Lafayette Jock To California Rocker Born in 1967 in Lafayette, Indiana, Hoon was not the stereotypical brooding grunge artist. During his high school years, he was a promising athlete — a pole vaulter, wrestler, and football player who channeled a surplus of kinetic energy into everything he did. But beneath the varsity jacket was a volatile creativity that Lafayette couldn’t contain. “I was such a jock,” Hoon admitted in a 1995 interview with journalist Marc Allan. “I couldn’t enjoy a game of pinball without wanting to beat my opponent.” He described himself as “always [suffering] from… being somewhere and wanting to be somewhere else.” Blind Melon/FacebookShannon Hoon and his mother, Nel. After high school, he fronted a local glam metal band called Styff Kytten, but the horizon of the Midwest felt too close. So, in 1990, he boarded a Greyhound bus to Los Angeles, where he arrived with little more than his voice — a high, reedy, soulful instrument that could veer from a whisper to a banshee wail in a single measure. And in the City of Angels, fate moved quickly. Hoon reconnected with his sister’s friend from back home — none other than Axl Rose. The Guns N’ Roses vocalist took Hoon under his wing, inviting him to sing backing vocals on the Use Your Illusion albums and appear in the video for “Don’t Cry.” It was a massive endorsement, but Shannon Hoon was wary of riding coattails. He wanted his own band. Blind Melon/FacebookChristopher Thorn, Brad Smith, and Glen Graham of Blind Melon. He found his musical soulmates in a group of transplants: guitarists Rogers Stevens and Christopher Thorn, bassist Brad Smith, and drummer Glen Graham. They were a motley crew of hippies and rockers who united around Hoon’s wild charisma. They named themselves Blind Melon, a moniker derived from a nickname Smith’s father used for neighborhood stoners. “[T]here’s no leader of this band and there never will be,” Hoon insisted, per a 1995 band biography for Capitol Records. “That’s the key. You can’t control how the public perceives you — people see rock ‘n’ roll bands as the guitar player and the singer — but that’s not Blind Melon.” Blind Melon’s self-titled debut album, released in 1992, was a slow burn until MTV discovered the video for “No Rain.” The song, an upbeat folk-psychedelic tune about alienation, was paired with the image of a tap-dancing “Bee Girl.” It became an anthem for the misunderstood, propelling the album to sell four million copies. But for Shannon Hoon, that success was a double-edged sword. The Blessing And The Curse Of The Bee After Blind Melon went quadruple platinum, Hoon was suddenly a rock star, a role he took on with chaotic unease. He became known for his onstage antics — stripping naked, destroying sets, and performing in his girlfriend’s dress at Woodstock ’94. The media naturally painted him as a wild child, a caricature of the “tortured artist.” Hoon, for his part, rejected the cliché. “That ‘tortured artist’ shit really irks me,” he told Kerrang! magazine in August 1995. “Anyone between the age of 21-35 has grown up in a pretty shitty world and, sadly, kids in their teens are faced with the depressing music of their elders. I don’t want to instill that kind of torture into my child’s life.” Behind the scenes, however, Shannon Hoon’s drug use was escalating. The “Bee Girl” fame had brought money and access, fueling a dependency that began to fracture his relationships — and his health. By 1994, Blind Melon was desperate to shed the “one-hit wonder” label. They retreated to New Orleans to record their sophomore album, Soup. It was a darker, more complex record, steeped in the gothic atmosphere of the French Quarter and the personal demons Hoon was battling. Blind Melon/FacebookBlind Melon band members bowling, circa 1992. The recording sessions were intense. Hoon was often inebriated, yet his creative output was sharper than ever. His paranoia, hope, and confusion bled through onto tracks like “2X4” and “Galaxie.” It was clear that he was writing about his life experience in real time. When Soup was released, however, critics were unkind. They wanted another “No Rain,” and instead, they got a dense, challenging album about addiction, murder, and existential dread. Hoon was understandably defensive of the work, arguing that listeners needed patience. “I think that people are not going to listen much to something that they might have to listen to a couple of times,” he lamented. “It’s that whole, ‘don’t bore us, get us to the chorus’ type of mentality.” Soup was a painfully open exploration of Hoon’s troubles. He knew he needed help. Unfortunately, he didn’t get it in time. Shannon Hoon’s Struggles With Addiction In July 1995, Hoon’s life changed forever with the birth of his daughter, Nico Blue. Fatherhood seemed to flip a switch in him. He spoke of his infant with a desperate, terrifying love, knowing he needed to clean up to be the father she deserved. The first step, he and his bandmates knew, was to stop touring. Blind Melon/FacebookShannon Hoon entered a rehab facility in 1994 and again in 1995. “This is all fun and youth-prolonging, but I’m going to be a father, and it’s hard to be when you’re away,” he told the Associated Press in 1995. “I need to start caring for myself if I’m going to be the proper father.” He brought a camcorder everywhere, documenting his life for Nico, perhaps sensing he might not be there to tell her the stories himself. These tapes, later compiled into the documentary All I Can Say, show a man oscillating between lucid brilliance and chemical fog. Despite his desire to change, the pull of the road — and the addiction that accompanied it — was too strong. Against the advice of his therapist and those close to him, Shannon Hoon insisted on touring to support Soup. He brought a drug counselor with him, but the arrangement was short-lived. The counselor was sent home after a week, and Shannon Hoon’s safety net was gone. Shannon Hoon’s Tragic Death At Just 28 Years Old On Oct. 20, 1995, Blind Melon’s tour rolled into Houston, where Hoon played what would be his final show. It was a chaotic performance, to say the least. He was clearly under the influence, forgetting lyrics and lashing out at the sound engineer. After the show, he called his girlfriend, Lisa Crouse, and spoke to her and baby Nico. It was a rare moment of connection on a night that was rapidly spiraling. After the show, the bus set off for New Orleans, and the city that had birthed the dark creativity of Soup would now claim its creator. Blind Melon/FacebookShannon Hoon with Blind Melon. Sometime in the early morning hours of Oct. 21, Hoon consumed a lethal amount of cocaine. When the band’s sound engineer went to wake him for a sound check at the famous club Tipitina’s, Hoon was unresponsive. At 1:30 p.m., Shannon Hoon was pronounced dead. The news sent a shock wave through the music world. This wasn’t the romanticized burnout of a rock star; it was the ugly, quiet end of a father who had tried — and failed — to outrun his demons. In the wake of his death, Blind Melon released Nico, a collection of outtakes and demos, named for the daughter who would only know her father through his songs and videos. The remaining band members tried to carry on, but their magic was inextricably tied to Hoon’s voice. Hoon’s legacy is often reduced to the “Bee Girl,” but that is a disservice to his artistry. Soup has since been re-evaluated as a cult classic, a masterpiece of ’90s alternative rock that was ahead of its time. And Shannon Hoon’s lyrics continue to resonate with listeners to this day. “I know we can’t all stay here forever,” Hoon wrote in the first song he ever penned, “so I want to write my words on the face of today and they’ll paint it.” After reading about the death of Shannon Hoon, go inside the wild life and tragic end of AC/DC frontman Bon Scott. Then, learn about the dramatic rise and fall of Alan Freed. The post Inside The Life And Death Of Shannon Hoon, The Troubled Lead Singer Of Blind Melon appeared first on All That's Interesting.

AA PhotoThe smiling Medusa may be indicative of an era of peace and prosperity. During excavations in the ancient city of Amastris, Turkey, archaeologists came across a monumental Roman stoa, or covered walkway, which seemingly collapsed in an earthquake 2,000 years ago. In the midst of restoring the stoa, they discovered a figure carved on its ceiling: Medusa. A monster from Greek myth whose gaze could turn victims into stone, Medusa is often depicted as frightening and snarling. But, unusually, this Medusa was carved with a cheerful expression, which archaeologists think may be indicative of the national mood at the time it was made. Discovering The Carving Of Medusa On A Roman Stoa According to Türkiye Today, the smiling Medusa was found during excavations in the ancient city of Amastris, located in modern Bartın, Turkey. AA PhotoRuins in the ancient city of Amastris, which is located along the Black Sea in northern Turkey. During these excavations, which began in 2017 and now stretch over an archaeological site of 30,000 square feet, archaeologists found the ruins of a Roman stoa, a covered walkway and public gathering space that seemingly collapsed in an earthquake 2,000 years ago. Though in pieces, the stoa was once “monumental” and was surrounded by 30-foot-tall columns. To archaeologists working in Amastris, it’s a clear sign of the city’s wealth and splendor. But the most fascinating feature of the stoa was not discovered until archaeologists began the slow and delicate process of trying to put the structure back together. Then, they discovered a carving of the mythological figure Medusa that once adorned the ceiling of the walkway. One of the Gorgon sisters, Medusa is best known for her hair of snakes, her power to turn people into stone, and her defeat by the Greek hero Perseus. As such, she’s often depicted in antiquity as a frightening figure with bared teeth, fiery eyes, and snarling lips. She typically adorned houses or shields in ancient times as a symbol of protection meant to frighten enemies. Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg)/Wikimedia CommonsAn Italian roof ornament from the sixth century B.C.E. with a more typical depiction of Medusa, shown with a sinister grin. But, unusually, the Medusa carving found in Amastris seems to be smiling. The Meaning Behind The Smiling Medusa Found In Amastris “Medusa normally became a symbol with a frightening expression and snake hair in order to scare the enemy and create fear,” Dr. Fatma Bağdatli Çam of Bartın University, the leader of the excavations, stated, “but our Medusa was made just like an Eros, like the face of a very small child and in a smiling pose.” So, why is this Medusa depiction so different from others? While it’s impossible to know for sure, Çam suspects that it had something to do with Amastris’ golden years two millennia ago. AA PhotoCam with the Medusa carving, which has an unusually cheerful expression. Specifically, Çam believes that the smiling Medusa might have been carved during an especially prosperous time in Amastris’ history. The city enjoyed its heyday during the life of Queen Amastris (340 to 285 B.C.E.), the niece of the Persian king Darius III. She gave her name to the metropolis and was the first queen to issue coins in her own name. At its peak, Amastris was likely home to tens of thousands of people, and archaeologists have already made a number of exciting discoveries at the site in addition to the Roman stoa and the Medusa carving. They have uncovered coins, the stone head of Alexander the Great, statues of water nymphs, a “protective” amulet, and fragments of inscriptions. As such, the Medusa carving adds to archaeologists’ growing understanding of what life was like in Amastris thousands of years ago. Clearly, it was a thriving metropolis with a growing population and the wealth to build elaborate structures. The Medusa carving also hints at another thing — that prosperity brought such happiness to Amastris that its people reinterpreted a classically frightening image into something much more pleasant. After reading about the smiling Medusa found in Turkey, discover the stories behind some of the most fearsome Greek gods and goddesses. Or, learn the tragic story of Hypatia of Alexandria, the ancient Greek female philosopher and mathematician who was stoned to death. The post Archaeologists In Turkey Just Discovered A Smiling Medusa Carved Into The Marble Ceiling Of An Ancient Walkway appeared first on All That's Interesting.

  The presidency is the much sought-after golden fleece of American politics, which very few attain. Even otherwise successful politicians like Henry Clay, Walter Mondale, and John McCain, have an air of failure linked to their names because they failed to become US president. Ironically, for a few of those who did make it, their rise to the presidency is the source of a reputation for failure. Here are five men whose presidencies may have been the low point of their careers.   1. Martin Van Buren (1782-1862), President (1837-41) Martin Van Buren, by Henry Inman, c. 1837. Source: Wikimedia Commons; with Anti-Van Buren campaign art portraying the president as a snob, 1840. Source: The White House Collection   Born in 1782 in upstate New York, Van Buren became a skilled and politically connected attorney in the early 19th century. Between 1808 and 1820, he scaled a series of New York political posts while building a base of support and maneuvering between factions.   Unlike many of the idealistic, elitist, founding fathers, Van Buren believed in taking politics straight to the people, campaigning openly, networking, and intriguing. In the early 19th century, the property qualifications for white men to vote were dropping, making politics a more populist business. The “Little Magician” as he became known used his knowledge of political alignments to become a power in New York State.   Starting in the 1820s Van Buren helped to bring party politics to the national stage as a senator. He became a leader of war hero Andrew Jackson’s faction, helping to organize it into the Democratic Party, now the oldest surviving political party in the world. With Van Buren’s organizational help, Jackson was elected to two terms as president on his image as a rough-and-tumble man of the people. During Jackson’s tenure (1829-37) Van Buren was a leading power behind the throne.   A father of modern politics and the Democratic party, Van Buren’s star began to fall when his own turn in the White House came in 1837. The financial Panic of 1837 hit just a few months into his term, casting a pall over his years in office.   Worse yet, by the 1840 campaign season, the opposition Whig party was using the Little Magician’s tricks against him. In the mold of the Jackson campaign, the Whigs portrayed their candidate, William Henry Harrison as a self-made frontiersman, and Van Buren as a big city fancy-boy, an image the latter could not shake. The populist Harrison campaign connected with voters and sent “Martin Van Ruin” packing after one term.   2. John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), President (1825-29) John Quincy Adams, 1861. Source: Wikimedia Commons   If not for his presidency, John Quincy Adams might be counted as one of the most accomplished men of his age. The son of second President John Adams, Quincy carved out a life of service that started in his 20s. While his dad’s role got him started in government, the son did not rest on his family’s reputation. By the 1820s, he had arguably eclipsed his old man’s pre-presidential career.   Starting in the 1790s, the younger Adams served as minister (ambassador) to the Netherlands, and then Prussia. In 1809, President Madison appointed Adams as the first ever US minister to Russia. While still in Europe he was tasked to lead the US delegation in peace talks with Britain which ended the War of 1812.   In between diplomatic posts, he found time to serve as senator from Massachusetts. Finally, as secretary of state under James Monroe (1817-25) Adams crafted the Monroe Doctrine, a guideline to keep Europe out of Latin America, which would remain US policy for over a century.   The elder John Adams, by Gilbert Stuart, 1800-1815. Source: National Gallery of Art   This impressive rise was followed by an ill-starred presidency. Elected by the US House in 1824, with a minority of the popular vote, Adams was seen by opponents as having stolen the election from the popular Andrew Jackson.   Congress tried to block the new president’s ambitious program of infrastructure projects. Meanwhile, the tariff was an even more controversial issue, and Adams signed a tariff bill that only succeeded in angering the South. On a personal level, Adams could be difficult to work with and kept a running feud with his hot-tempered vice president, John Calhoun. Unsurprisingly, the 1828 election threw Adams out of office in favor of Jackson.   After his presidency, Adams was back in his element, now as a leading voice for the antislavery movement in Congress. Representative Adams helped to defeat the “gag rule” against debating slavery in the House of Representatives, and successfully argued the case of the Amistad mutineers in front of the Supreme Court, helping them regain their freedom. In contrast to Amistad, it is hard to picture anyone making a film of Adams’s four years in the White House.   3. James Buchanan (1791-1868), President (1857-61) Presidents Buchanan and Lincoln entering the Senate Chamber before the Inauguration, by Winslow Homer, 1861. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Buchanan is often ranked last in surveys of presidential historians. As the president preceding Lincoln, he had a tough place in history, almost anyone would look mediocre next to the Great Emancipator. Judged on its own merits, however, Buchanan’s administration still looks like a failure.   As a young attorney in Pennsylvania, Buchanan built a record of success that fellow lawyer Abe Lincoln could only dream of. By the time he was 30 and entered national politics, he had already amassed over $250,000 ($5-10 million in 2024).   Rising first in the US House, then the Senate, Buchanan became a leading Democrat and a national figure, serving as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. As secretary of state under James Polk (1845-49), he successfully negotiated the Oregon Territory boundary with the UK. In the Pierce administration (1853-57) he was called to service again, as the US ambassador to Great Britain.   All the while, OPF (Old Public Functionary) as Buchanan called himself, was repeatedly angling for the top job of president. His turn finally came in 1856 when the Democrats gave him the nod, and he won that year’s election. Little good followed.   James Buchanan, by Jacob Eichholtz, 1834. Source: The Smithsonian   The Kansas territory was awash in violence as competing pro and anti-slavery mobs fought to dominate it before statehood. Rival territorial governments sprouted, and Buchanan favored the proslavery government, an unpopular move since it clearly did not have a mandate from Kansas voters.   Meanwhile, the economy tanked in the Panic of 1857, and the president did nothing about it. To top things off, Buchanan’s protégé, Congressman Daniel Sickles murdered a man in broad daylight on Pennsylvania Avenue.   When Lincoln was elected in 1860 and the South started leaving the nation, Buchanan did little—seeming inept to critics, or even partial towards the South. As Lincoln assumed office, the outgoing president told the newbie “If you are as happy, my dear sir, on entering this house as I am in leaving it … you are the happiest man in this country.”   4. William Howard Taft (1857-1930), President (1909-13) William Howard Taft and his wife Helen “Nellie” Taft at a horse show, 1911. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Taft is often remembered as the fattest US President, weighing in the 300s. While this might be unfair to a man with his distinguished legal career, Taft did little during his presidency that stands out. Taft’s heft may have even saved him from being a forgotten president like Chester Arthur or Benjamin Harrison.   Born to a political Ohio family, Taft excelled in law from an early age, dreaming of sitting on the Supreme Court. In 1886, he married Helen “Nellie” Herron, an ambitious woman who wanted him to use his talents to pursue elected office. She became a driver of his political career, while he mostly just wanted to be a judge.   As an attorney, judge, and law professor, the young Republican came to the attention of President McKinley (1897-1901) who appointed him Governor of the Philippines in 1900. In turn, Taft’s friend Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09) made him Secretary of War. Taft excelled in these roles. By the 1908 election, Secretary Taft was Roosevelt’s right-hand-man and chosen successor. Taft, now the reluctant Republican nominee, easily beat Democrat William Jennings Bryan.   At the summit of power, Taft was not ambitious. He expanded some of Roosevelt’s policies against business trusts, but also became more conservative than his predecessor, reopening some public lands that T.R. had closed to commercial exploitation. Taft had moved away from the Roosevelt wing of the party.   Taft’s Inauguration, 1909. Source: Wikimedia Commons   As the election of 1912 neared, Teddy Roosevelt now came back as a fierce critic of his former aide. Attacking Taft from the left, he ran in the 1912 election for the Progressive Party, calling Taft a “fathead.” Taft called Roosevelt a “demagogue” and wept over the feud with his old mentor.   Neither man won that brutal election, as progressive Democrat Woodrow Wilson swooped in for victory. Sandwiched in between the activist presidencies of Roosevelt and Wilson, Taft’s administration seems like a footnote in history.   Taft was not a lucky president either: First Lady Nellie had a stroke early in the administration, taking time to recover. Chief aide Archibald Butt died on the Titanic, while Vice President James Sherman died just days before the election of 1912.   The post-presidency was a notable improvement, as Taft settled into a more pleasant role teaching law at Yale. In 1921, Taft’s lifelong dream came true, as he was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by President Harding.   5.  Herbert Hoover (1874-1964), President (1929-33) Chief Justice William H. Taft swears in Herbert Hoover, and outgoing President Calvin Coolidge looks on, 1929. Source: Wikimedia Commons   A plucky orphan with a love of geology, Hoover graduated from Stanford University in 1895. By the time he was 40, the geologist whiz kid had made his name and fortune inspecting and supervising mines all over the world, accompanied by his wife Lou, a geologist in her own right.   The start of World War I in 1914 moved Hoover into public service. That year, the State Department tapped him to use his organizational skills to get over 100,000 stranded Americans out of Europe. Upon America’s entry into the war (1917), he was put in charge of the US Food Administration and became an economic advisor to President Wilson. After the war ended, Hoover headed relief efforts to feed the tens of millions starving in war-ravaged Europe and Asia.   A storm of publicity now hovered around Hoover, including presidential buzz. Despite his service in the Democratic Wilson administration, Hoover was a Republican and was given the job of commerce secretary under Presidents Harding (1921-23) and Coolidge (1923-29)   A dynamic force in conservative administrations, Hoover was constantly suggesting improvements, to his boss’s chagrin. Coolidge said of Hoover “That man has offered me unsolicited advice for six years, all of it bad.” Much of the country disagreed, and elected Hoover president in 1928.   A “Hooverville,” Seattle Tide Flats, 1933. Source: Seattle Municipal Archives   The stock market crash in October 1929 determined Hoover’s presidential legacy, as the US led the world into the Great Depression. Hoover’s philosophy of volunteerism and limited federal intervention was not enough for many who wanted immediate relief. His tariff hike in 1930, only hurt trade, deepening the Depression.   Ironically, the man who fed millions around the world was now seen as indifferent to his own people’s suffering. Shantytowns were “Hoovervilles,” and newspapers were dubbed “Hoover blankets.” Hoover lost the 1932 election to Franklin Roosevelt in a landslide.   A washed-up ex-president before 60, Hoover nevertheless remained active in his three remaining decades. The Roosevelt and Truman administrations recognized his usefulness and asked the old logistics pro to head relief efforts for World War II-related famine. In the ‘40s and ‘50s, Hoover was also tapped to help reorganize the executive branch. By the time of his death in 1964, the once-hated president had regained much respect as an elder statesman and humanitarian.   Bibliography:   The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers. “Awards and Scholarships: Herbert Clark Hoover (SME)”. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://aimehq.org/what-we-do/awards/aime-william-lawrence-saunders-gold-medal/herbert-clark-hoover   Burns, James M. and Dunn, Susan. The Three Roosevelts. New York: Grove Press (2001)   C-SPAN, Presidential Historians Survey 2017. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.c-span.org/presidentsurvey2017   Baker, Jean H. Essential Civil War Curriculum. “James Buchanan.” Accessed December 5, 2024. https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/james-buchanan.html   History.com “Hoovervilles” Updated: October 4, 2022. Accessed December 3, 2024. https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/hoovervilles   Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. “Herbert Hoover.” Accessed December 03, 2024. https://millercenter.org/president/hoover.   Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. “James Buchanan.” Accessed December 03, 2024. https://millercenter.org/president/buchanan.   Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. “John Quincy Adams.” Accessed December 03, 2024. https://millercenter.org/president/jqadams   Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. “Martin Van Buren.” Accessed December 03, 2024. https://millercenter.org/president/vanburen.   Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. “William Taft.” Accessed December 10, 2024. https://millercenter.org/president/taft.   National Archives: Herber Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. “Lou Henry Hoover: Early Life.” Accessed, November 28, 2024. https://hoover.archives.gov/exhibits/lou-henry-hoover   National Park Service: William Howard Taft National Historic Site. Accessed December 4, 2024. https://npshistory.com/publications/wiho   President James Buchanan: 15th President of the United States Under the Constitution of 1787: March https://www.jamesbuchanan.org   Silbey, Joel H. Martin Van Buren and the Emergence of American Popular Politics. New York: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers. 2002   Swanberg, W.A. Sickles the Incredible. Gettysburg: Stan Clark Military Books (1984)   U.S Department of Commerce, Commerce Research Library. “Secretary of Commerce, Undersecretary of Everything Else: Herbert Hoover as Department of Commerce Secretary, 1921-28.” Accessed November 30, 2024. https://library.doc.gov/digital-exhibits/hoover-digital-exhibit   The White House. “Herbert Hoover: The 31st President of the United States.” Accessed November 29, 2024. https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/herbert-hoover/   The White House Historical Association “Helen Taft.” Accessed December 3, 2024. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/bios/helen-taft  

Simon Ritz/INRAPOne of the ceramic jugs contained approximately 23,000 to 24,000 coins. Archaeologists have uncovered three 1,700-year-old ceramic storage jugs full of Roman coins in a village in northeastern France. The jugs, also known as amphorae, were discovered during excavations of the village of Senon that were carried out by the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP). The first jug alone weighed 83 pounds, which archaeologists estimate equals about 23,000 to 24,000 coins. The hoards of coins date back to about the last quarter of the third century C.E., or perhaps the early fourth century. The Ancient Roman “Piggy Banks” Unearthed In Northeastern France INRAPIt’s believed that these hoards were a type of long-term deposit rather than hastily buried treasure. The first amphorae of coins was actually discovered before the INRAP excavation began. It was found by the Regional Archaeology Service, according to an INRAP statement. The other two jugs, however, were uncovered once the INRAP excavation began. The second amphorae weighed about 110 pounds and contained about 18,000 to 19,000 coins. The third and final jug had already been retrieved from its cache during ancient times, and only three coins were left behind in the pit where the amphorae used to sit. Archaeologists estimate that the three hoards in total contain at least 40,000 ancient Roman coins. INRAPThe coins depicted various emperors from the Gallic Empire. While it might seem as though these coins were hidden like buried treasure, archaeologists actually theorize that these amphorae functioned more like piggy banks and were used to store long-term savings. Archaeologists came to this conclusion based on where the hoards were found within the remains of the residential homes that were excavated. Each jug was placed in a well-constructed pit that sat off of the living room. The pits were deep enough that the opening of the jug was level to the ground, making it easy to access. Archaeologists found coins that were stuck to the rim of the jug, indicating that these coins were placed in the jug after it was situated in its pit. Based on the coins found in the amphorae, archaeologists believe these ancient piggy banks were buried sometime between 280 C.E. and 310 C.E., a tumultuous period in Gallic and Roman history. The Gallic And Roman History Behind The Coins Found In Senon Lino Mocci/INRAPOne of the coin jugs being excavated from its pit in Senon, France. The coins feature depictions of emperors Victorinus, Tetricus I, and his son Tetricus II. These men once ruled the Gallic Empire, which spanned the regions of modern-day France that were located north of the Roman Empire’s sphere of influence. From 260 to 274 C.E., the Gallic Empire controlled Gaul as well as many of the surrounding provinces not under Roman rule. Then, in 274, the Roman Emperor Aurelian reintegrated these regions back into his empire. These coins weren’t the only Gallic artifacts uncovered during the excavation. Archaeologists found remnants of many Gallic-era wood buildings in Senon, with some areas holding more than one structure per square meter. This shows that even before Roman rule took hold in the area, there was a densely-populated settlement at Senon. Archaeologists also found stone buildings with underfloor heating, basements, and workshops. While it appears that this settlement was flourishing, a fire in the fourth century led to its decline. After the fire seemingly destroyed Senon, an effort was made to re-establish it. However, after yet another fire, the settlement was abandoned for good in the 4th century C.E. It’s believed that the newly-unearthed coins had gone untouched from then until now. After reading about the tens of thousands of Roman coins uncovered in France, see the hoard of Roman gold coins found in Italy that could be worth millions. Then, learn about the hoard of Roman coins found by an illegal metal detectorist who didn’t report the discovery until years later. The post Archaeologists In France Just Found Two Ancient Roman ‘Piggy Banks’ Filled With 40,000 Coins appeared first on All That's Interesting.