NOW OPEN! The Largest Maritime Museum in the Philippines - MUSEO DEL GALEÓN | SM Mall of Asia
Check out the largest experiential maritime museum in the Philippines - MUSEO DEL GALEÓN!
The Museo del Galeón is an immersive, interactive maritime museum. Its four galleries trace the Philippines' seafaring history and identity through the following stages:
・Precolonial Era: Exploring the nation's early maritime past.
・Galleon Trade: Detailing the era of the Manila galleon trade.
・Modern Development: Covering the post-galleon era and the ongoing growth of the Philippine maritime industry.
Visitors are invited to engage with interactive exhibits to discover the enduring maritime legacy of the Filipino people.
Discover a new world of wonder and history at the Philippines’ largest experiential maritime museum.
Vera C. Rubin Observatory, formerly the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), is an astronomical observatory in Coquimbo Region, Chile.
This brand new telescope just sent scientists 800,000 alerts in one night, each one flagging that something has CHANGED in our sky… Here’s what it caught… This telescope contains the largest camera in the world.
Collection of gold beads, amulets discovered during excavations on Greek island
All 32 of the items were found in excellent condition and believed to have belonged to a gold necklace or pendent.
Aerial photograph of the archaeological site of Kolona on Aegina, Greece, April 22, 2026.(photo credit: Greek Culture Ministry)By MIRIAM SELA-EITAM
A collection of gold beads and amulets dating to the first half of the second millennium BCE were found during 2025 excavations at the archaeological site of Kolona on the Greek island of Aegina.
The discovery, announced last week by the Greek Culture Ministry, was found inside the ruins of a large stone structure, near the remains of a wall that protected the “inner suburb” of the Middle Bronze Age settlement.
Included in the collection were eight gold bilateral disc-shaped amulets, one gold non-bilateral disc-shaped amulet, seven golden biconical beads, one cylindrical gold bead, eight decorative sheets of gold leaf, and seven spherical carnelian beads.
All 32 of the items were found in excellent condition and believed to have belonged to a gold necklace or pendent.
In addition, a needle and twelve copper fragments, likely from small knives, were found at the site.
Gold bilateral discoid periapt found at Aegina, Greece, April 22, 2026. (credit: Greek Culture Ministry)
According to archaeologists, the jewelry may have served as grave offerings, possibly from a Middle Bronze Age burial. However, there has been no evidence of a surviving tomb to support this theory.
Pieces bear similarity to famed 'Aegina Treasure'
The jewelry, and the amulets in particular, bear similarities to pieces from the “Aegina Treasure,” a Minoan gold hoard believed by some to have been found in a tomb on the island in 1891, while others think it to have been taken from the Chryssolakkos necropolis at Malia, Crete.
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In 1892, the British Museum purchased the majority of the hoard from British artifact dealers. Further pieces were later bought by the museum in 1914.
The Aegina Treasure has been dated to the Greek Bronze Age between 1850 and 1550 BCE.
It includes two pairs of earrings, three diadems, a chest pendent, bracelet, and gold cup, four rings, ornamented plaques and plain strips. As well, there are five hoops and numerous beads and pendants made out of gold, lapis lazuli, amethyst, quartz, cornelian and green jasper.
Aegina’s "treasures" range from the world-famous Aegina Treasure—a controversial hoard of Bronze Age gold—to its well-preserved ancient temples and unique local exports like its famous pistachios.
The Aegina Treasure
This is a collection of spectacular Minoan-style gold jewelry dating between 1850 and 1550 BC. [1, 2]
The Collection: It includes ornate earrings, three diadems, a chest pendant featuring a deity (often called the "Master of Animals"), a bracelet, and a gold cup.
Controversy: Most of the hoard was illicitly removed from the island in 1891 and has been held in the British Museum since 1892.
New Discoveries: In April 2026, a new hoard of 3,500-year-old gold jewelry was unearthed at the Kolona Archaeological Site, showing striking stylistic similarities to the original treasure and confirming Aegina's role as a major Bronze Age trade hub. [1, 2, 4]
Ancient Greek treasures, dated from the Kingdom of Pontus, a Hellenistic state located in the northeastern part of Anatolia, are displayed in a new museum in the city of Samsun, Turkey.
Among the antiquities is the Amisos Treasure. It consists of 64 pieces, was found during a construction excavation in Samsun on Nov. 28, 1995, and is considered the most valuable treasure belonging to the dynasty members of the Pontus Kingdom.
It is stated that the history of the gold artifacts dates back to the 1st century B.C. and could have belonged to the sixth Pontus king, Mithridates Philopator Philadelphus.
The contents were:
“a pure gold king’s crown,
15 gold buttons,
four gold bracelets with human and animal figures on it,
18 broken gold bracelets,
a gold barette,
two gold earrings,
10 big gold necklaces,
a gold ring with a gem,
24 necklaces,
424 beads,
a glass bowl,
four earthenware,
three kerosene lamps
and an earthenware plate.”
Gold artifact from the Pontus Kindom. Credit: Samsun Museum
Treasures from the Pontus Kingdom, Roman and Byzantine times
The museum also exhibits coins from the Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, Ottoman and Republican periods, jewelry, arches, sculptures, tombs and warship models from the Chalcolithic, Early Bronze, Hittite, Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Another highlight of the new museum is the Amisos Mosaic with a base size of 56 square meters. It is a remarkable ancient mosaic discovered in the Turkish city of Samsun, which was formerly known as Amisos in antiquity. The mosaic was unearthed during archaeological excavations in the area and dates back to the Roman period, around the 2nd or 3rd century CE.
Amisos Mosaic: Credit: Samsun Museum
The Amisos Mosaic is renowned for its intricate design and detailed craftsmanship. It depicts scenes from ancient Greek mythology, including images of gods, mythical creatures, and other figures. The mosaic is composed of colorful tesserae (small tiles) made of stone or glass, meticulously arranged to create vibrant and lifelike compositions.
The rise and fall of the Kingdom of Pontus
The Kingdom of Pontus along the southern coast of the Black Sea emerged in the 4th century BC after the collapse of the Persian Empire and the conquests of Alexander the Great.
The region was initially inhabited by various indigenous peoples but became heavily influenced by Greek culture following the arrival of Greek colonists and the establishment of Greek colonies along the Black Sea coast.
Pontus reached its peak under the rule of Mithridates VI Eupator, also known as Mithridates the Great, who reigned from around 120 BCE to 63 BCE.
Mithridates was a formidable ruler who expanded Pontus’ territory through military conquests and alliances. He also resisted Roman expansion into Anatolia, leading to a series of conflicts known as the Mithridatic Wars between Pontus and the Roman Republic.
Despite Mithridates’ efforts, Pontus eventually fell to the Romans, with Mithridates being defeated by Roman general Pompey the Great in 63 BCE. The kingdom was then incorporated into the Roman Republic’s territories as a client state.
The region continued to be significant during the Roman and later Byzantine periods, but the Kingdom of Pontus as an independent entity ceased to exist after its conquest by Rome.
Based on research by historian Dr. Alwyn Ruddock, it is believed that a group of Italian friars accompanied John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) on his second voyage to North America in 1498. [1]
Key details regarding Italian friars in Newfoundland include:
Augustinian Missionaries: The group was reportedly composed of reformed Augustinian friars from Italy, led by Giovanni Antonio de Carbonariis, who was an Italian friar and diplomat working with European ties.
Establishment of a Colony: Evidence suggests these friars did not return with Cabot but rather remained on the Newfoundland coast (potentially in the Conception Bay area) to establish a mission community.
Carbonear's Namesake: There is a hypothesis that the modern town of Carbonear, Newfoundland, takes its name from this mission, with the town's name possibly derived from Carbonariis and his order.
Early European Church: Historians suggest these friars may have built a church, potentially making it the first Christian settlement and the oldest, though short-lived, medieval church on the continent.
Ongoing Research: While Dr. Ruddock's findings are heavily discussed, they are difficult to verify because she ordered her research notes destroyed upon her death. However, The Cabot Project at the University of Bristol is currently working to corroborate her claims. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Note: While there is a strong historical hypothesis, direct archeological proof of this specific 1498 settlement has not yet been confirmed. [1]
The Cabot Expedition & Giovanni Antonio de Carbonariis [1, 2]
The most prominent connection involves Giovanni Antonio de Carbonariis, a high-ranking Augustinian friar from Milan. [1, 2]
The 1498 Voyage: According to research by historian Alwyn Ruddock, Carbonariis accompanied the Italian explorer John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) on his second major expedition in 1498.
A Medieval Mission: Ruddock proposed that Carbonariis and other "reformed" Augustinian friars remained in Newfoundland to establish a religious colony and mission.
First Church in North America: If these claims are true, this settlement—possibly at Carbonear—would have featured the first Christian church and the only medieval church ever built on the North American continent.
Modern Investigation: The Cabot Project at the University of Bristol continues to investigate these claims, though absolute archaeological proof remains elusive. [1, 2, 3]
Carbonear
The town of Carbonear is one of the oldest permanent settlements in Newfoundland and among the oldest European settlements in North America. The harbour appears on early Portuguese maps as early as the late 1500s as Cabo Carvoeiro (later anglicized as Cape Carviero).
Origin of Placename
There are a number of different theories about the origin of the town's name. Possibly from the Spanish word "carbonera" (charcoal kiln); Carbonera, a town near Venice, Italy where John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) had been resident; or from a number of French words, most likely "Carbonnier" or "Charbonnier," meaning "coalman."[14]
In the late 20th century, historian Alwyn Ruddock of the University of London, one of the world's foremost experts on John Cabot's expeditions to the New World, suggested that a group of reformed Augustinian friars, led by the high-ranking Giovanni Antonio de Carbonariis, accompanied Cabot on his second voyage to reach North America in 1498. (Italian bankers had helped finance Cabot's previous expeditions.) The friars stayed to establish a mission community in Newfoundland for the Augustinian order of the Carbonara. She believed that the settlement may have been short-lived but built a church. The modern name of the town may be derived from the order and its church. If true, Carbonear would have been the first Christian settlement of any kind in North America, and the site of the oldest, and only, medieval church built on the continent.[15] Evan Jones of the University of Bristol is leading further investigations of Dr Ruddock's claims to find additional evidence with colleagues in what is known as The Cabot Project.[16]
Sheila Na Geira
Local legend tells of an Irish princess of the O'Conner family, Sheila NaGeira, who settled in Carbonear after being rescued by privateer Peter Easton and marrying his first officer, Gilbert Pike. While Easton is a historical figure, evidence of NaGeira has yet to be found. The legend's combination of romance, pirates, and New World adventure has inspired much research and numerous works of fiction on the topic.
The Italian Friar Legend: Some, such as local historians, argue that Italian friars accompanied early explorers to the general region in the late 15th century. This idea suggests they might have established a presence, though it is not widely accepted as fact.
In summary, the documented history of Conception Bay South focuses on its development as a agricultural and residential hub for nearby St. John’s, and the "Italian friar" stories remain in the realm of local legend rather than established municipal history. [1, 2]
Giovanni Antonio de Carbonariis
Fr. (Brother) Giovanni Antonio de Carbonariis was an Augustinian Friar from Milan who served in London as envoy between the Duke of Milan and King Henry VII. He is known to have sailed with John Cabot (aka Giovanni Caboto) during his 1498 expedition to North America. He may have founded a mission settlement and North America's oldest church (since the Norse settlements in Greenland) at Carbonear, Newfoundland and Labrador.[1]
History
Giovanni Antonio de Carbonariis accompanied Francesco Pagano's diplomatic mission to London at the start of 1490, as did Christopher Carbonariis, who appears to have some family connection. Jones says that "de Carbonariis" appears to be a family name. Giovanni Carbonariis' association to John Cabot has been known since the 19th century, based on his letter of 20 June 1498 to the Duke of Milan. He said that ‘Messer Giovanni Antonio de Carbonariis’ had accompanied Cabot's recently departed expedition. The Friar had left with five ships provided by King Henry VII of England.[2] The Spanish envoy in London, Pedro de Ayala, wrote to the Crown noting that one of the five ships in Cabot's expedition had been badly damaged in a storm and was forced to land in Ireland, leaving Cabot to sail on. The ambassador notes that on the damaged ship was ‘another Friar Buil.’ This was an allusion to Bernardo Buil, the Minim missionary who had accompanied Christopher Columbus's 1493 expedition.[3] Based on limited information, historians thought that Carbonariis was a minor player in the expeditions, and may not have sailed further than Ireland. Historian James Williamson had ascertained that Carbonariis was 'a man of some importance', having served as an envoy between the Duke of Milan and Henry VII,[4] but the friar had been overlooked by most historians since then interested in the English voyages of exploration from Bristol.
Augustinian
Alwyn Ruddock of the University of London was one of the world's foremost experts on John Cabot's expedition and suggested in correspondence that Carbonariis had a more important role, but due to ill health was unable to publish her findings. After her death in December 2005, all of her research notes and materials were destroyed, according to instructions in her will. Learning of her research, Dr Evan Jones of the University of Bristol has re-investigated her claims, finding new documents and verifying some of her positions. This includes that Carbonariis was an Augustinian friar who had been educated in Pavia. In the late 15th century, he was serving as the deputy papal tax collector in England. Since his principal, Adriano Castellesi, had been in Rome since 1494, Carbonariis was in effective control of one of the most lucrative clerical appointments in England. In this period, the Church still owned about one third of the land in England, and the Pope took ten per cent of the income generated from that property.[5] Based on his position, Carbonariis controlled institutional wealth and had access to King Henry.
Fr. Giovanni Antonio Carbonariis emerges as a key player in Ruddock's account of John Cabot's voyages. While she never published a full account, she claimed that he was the explorer's most important backer in England, having arranged for Cabot to get a loan from Italian bankers in London for an expedition after the Venetian arrived in London in 1495. Even more importantly, she suggests that it was Carbonariis who secured Cabot an audience with King Henry VII of England. In March 1496 Cabot and his three grown sons were granted royal Letters patent for westward exploration. Ruddock also claims that Carbonariis outfitted a ship, called the Dominus Nobiscum, which accompanied the 1498 expedition. The ship carried other Italian friars who, with Carbonariis, are believed to have established a church and religious community in Newfoundland.[6] In his account of this period, historian Richard Hakluyt had mistakenly associated the friars and ship by that name with a 1527 voyage by Cabot's son Sebastian Cabot; but, the latter's ships for that expedition were named Samson and Mary of Guildford.[7]
While the religious community in Newfoundland is thought to have lasted at most only a few years, it would have been significant as North America's first Christian settlement since the Norse settlements in Greenland. This church appears to have been named after the church of San Giovanni a Carbonara in Naples, which was the mother church of a group of reformed Augustinian Friars called the 'Carbonara'. Dr Ruddock suggested that the community was located at what is now Carbonear, Newfoundland and Labrador, the modern name being a relic survival of the 15th-century settlement. (Williamson had already noted a connection between the name of the papal deputy and Carbonear.)[4] From 2010 to 2014, archeological excavations were undertaken by Professor Peter Pope (d. 2017)[8] of Memorial University of Newfoundland in Carbonear to study its colonial history. Remains from the 17th into the 19th century were found.[9][10]
Ruddock's book proposal and surviving letters to colleagues do not indicate the sources on which she based her claims about the North American settlement, but she had written of discovering more than 20 documents related to Cabot's voyages. Historian Evan Jones has investigated some of her claims and confirmed evidence for a 1499 voyage undertaken by William Weston, a merchant of Bristol; he is now identified as the first Englishman to lead an expedition to North America.[11] Evan Jones and co-researchers, including Margaret Condon (University of Bristol) and Dr Francesco Guidi Bruscoli (University of Florence), are carrying out further investigations of Dr Ruddock's claims as part of The Cabot Project.
Cabot decided on one last voyage to North America in 1498. On June 20th, 1948, a letter from Bishop Agostino de Spinola to the Duke of Milan, references Carbonariis, a priest, embarking on this voyage which was rare at the time (Towns, 2019, p. 58). Rather than joining to act as ministers for the crew onboard, Towns (2019, p.58) believes friars and priests were joining the expedition to minister on land, setting up new bishoprics in North America.
Here, Carbonariis founded a mission as an Augustinian friar, which if successful, would have created the first Christian settlement on the continent, founding Roman Catholicism in Canada.
1498-
Cabot receives permission from the King to return to North America, and sets sail for his third voyage towards its coast, lasting two years. He is accompanied by Father Giovanni Antonio de Carbonariis, among other friars.
Carbonariis’ Role in North America
Once Cabot received permission from the king to return to North America in 1498 with Carbonariis who had been his largest support by his side, the two among five ships of friars and explorers made their way to Eastern Canada. As a result of this voyage, Carbonariis set up the first religious colony in Newfoundland near a small town known today as Carbonear (Marandola, 2017). While it is not confirmed that Carbonariis is the one responsible for bringing Roman Catholicism to North America, the Italians were the first to accomplish the European rediscovery of America after the Vikings left also the group of Italians first to establish a Church in a Colony in North America (Marandola, 2017).
Legacy
Carbonear is believed to be one of the first Christian settlements in North America, home to the oldest and only medieval church. Historians such as Dr. Alwyn Ruddock suggested Brother Giovanni Antonio de Carbonariis was one of the first Europeans along with other Augustinian friars to create the oldest permanent settlements in Newfoundland when he accompanied John Cabot’s voyage in 1498. According to Boyle (2010), the friars established a mission community in Newfoundland for the Augustinian order of the Carbonara. The town’s name, Carbonear was already in use by the time colonization began in the seventeenth century by the British.
Conclusion
The role of Giovanni Antonio de Carbonariis in the rediscovery and early development of Canada is often overshadowed by the fame of John Cabot. However, without Carbonariis' significant contributions—both as a financier and as a religious figure—Cabot’s voyages and the subsequent European presence in North America may not have materialized in the same way. As a diplomatic envoy and Augustinian friar, Carbonariis used his influence, wealth, and religious dedication to back Cabot’s expeditions, ensuring their success. His most enduring legacy lies in the establishment of the first Roman Catholic mission in Canada, which laid the foundations for the spread of Christianity in the New World. Despite the limited historical record about his personal life, the town of Carbonear and the first Christian settlements he helped establish in Newfoundland serve as a testament to his pivotal role in Canada’s early history. Dr. Alwyn Ruddock’s research has shed light on the crucial impact of Carbonariis, reminding us of the often-overlooked contributions of this Italian friar to the multicultural tapestry of early Canadian history. Through his efforts, the cultural and religious influence of Italy, as well as the roots of Roman Catholicism in Canada, continue to shape the nation’s identity today.
Carbonear wears its history on its sleeve. The seaside town is stitched together from merchant houses, saltbox homes, and church spires that have overlooked Conception Bay for centuries. But some historians believe the community is hiding something even older, the ruins of the first church in North America, built not by English planters or Irish fishermen, but by a group of Italian friars in the late 15th century.
It’s a story that straddles fact and folklore, tantalizing possibility and stubborn absence of proof.
Posted below is the first topic concerning the possible early Italian colony established in 1498 on Newfoundland. I posted this first topic in December 2025.
Today's new post is the reply to that first topic.
Early Undocumented European settlements in the Americas
Video
(Scroll to 18:31 in the video)
...During 1498 voyage, Giovanni Cabot sailed with a group of Italian friars and established a colony in Newfoundland, the first in North America...
An Italian colony established on Newfoundland in 1498 is considered one of the earliest European colonies established in the Americas. The video above does not mention the name, specific location and purpose of the colony in Newfoundland. Perhaps one purpose was to have the friars convert the indigenous people to Catholics. Another purpose may have been to establish a mutual trade relationship with the indigenous people.
Here's a list of European colonies, settlements, cities and towns in the Americas from 1493 to 1599. The list below doesn't mention the first European settlement in the Americas which is La Navidad, established in December 1492 by Christopher Columbus and his 39 crewmembers.
La Navidad, meaning "The Nativity," was the first European settlement in the Americas, founded by Christopher Columbus in 1492 on Hispaniola (present-day Haiti) after his flagship, the Santa María, wrecked on Christmas Day. Columbus left 39 men to build a fort from the ship's timbers, but upon his return the following year, he found the settlement destroyed and the colonists dead, killed by the native Taíno people in an early clash between Europeans and Indigenous peoples.
Founding of La Navidad (December 1492)
Shipwreck:
On Christmas Eve, 1492, Columbus's flagship, the Santa María, ran aground on a coral reef off Hispaniola's coast.
Necessity:
With no space for all his crew on the remaining ships, Columbus decided to establish a settlement.
Construction:
He used salvaged wood from the Santa María to build a palisaded fort, naming it La Navidad (The Nativity) because it was born on Christmas Day.
Garrison:
Columbus left 39 men, appointing Diego de Arana as governor, with instructions to trade for gold and find gold mines.
Founded byChristopher Columbusin 1494 as a gold town, the original place was abandoned by 1562 after an earthquake destroyed the settlement and refounded 5 kilometers away between 1562-1564. Was destroyed again in 1805 by the Dessalines invasion and by an earthquake in 1843.
Capital of the Dominican Republic. Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in the Americas. Founded in 1498, byBartholomew Columbus.
First European established city on the Pacific Coast of the Americas. Founded in 1519, at the present day ruins ofPanama Viejo, it was sacked by the Welsh pirateHenry Morganin 1671, and resettled to nearbyCasco Viejo, in 1673.
Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in Puerto Rico, and in the United States. Oldest continuously inhabited state or territorial capital in the United States.
Founded in 1525, rebuilt and changed locations twice afterwards (1528 and 1545) and oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in El Salvador.
Originally founded as Villanueva de La Serena, the city was destroyed completely in a native uprising in 1549 and re-founded the same year as San Bartolomé de La Serena; its founding date is for this reason sometimes listed as 1549. Second oldest European city in Chile.
Remedios has the most uncertain foundation date in Cuba, 1545 has been accepted because it is when the village erected its town hall, but its origin has been studied and documented back to 1513.
Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in the continental United States (not counting Spanish settlements in Puerto Rico). Preceded only byPensacola, Florida, which was destroyed in 1559, andFort Caroline, destroyed in 1565.
Third oldest European settlement in Puerto Rico. In the same area where the Taínos had had their village of Guayama. Coamo became officially a town in 1616, and given the title ofvillaby Spanish Royal Decree in 1778.[30]
