December 2011, Daily News

Archaeology News for the Week of April 10th, 2011

Mon, Apr 11, 2011

April 16th, 2011

Maya Mystery Solved by "Important" Volcanic Discovery?

Even at ancient Maya cities far from volcanoes, ash rained down relatively frequently, a "spectacularly important" new study says. The finding could explain how these ancient metropolises survived—and even prospered—despite having poor soil. Extending south from southern Mexico, through Guatemala, and into northern Belize, the Maya Empire prospered from about A.D. 250 to 900, when it crumbled. (See an interactive map of the Maya civilization.) Recently scientists discovered a distinct beige clay mineral in ruined canals at Guatemala's Tikal archaeological site—once the largest city of the southern Maya lowlands. The mineral, a type of smectite, derives only from the breakdown of volcanic ash. (National Geographic News)

TYRANNICAL ROMAN EMPEROR'S HOME RECONSTRUCTED

Notorious for being a cruel megalomaniac tyrant who persecuted early Christians, had his stepbrother, two of his wives and even his own mother murdered, Rome's fifth emperor, Nero, has never been held dear in Roman history. In fact, he has been accused of nearly destroying Rome, itself, by allegedly setting the Great Fire in 64 A.D. that devastated the city. Now tourists can tour his first palace. (Discovery News)

Ancient 'debit card' discovered in Saxony-Anhalt

“It’s something of a rare find in Europe” said archaeologist Andreas Hille from the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt. The antiquated debt counter measures 30 centimetres in length and displays 23 notches, with both a name and the date 1558 visible. Archaeologists made the exciting find during excavations in the small easterly university town of Wittenberg, made famous by the Protestant theologian Martin Luther. (The Local)

Archaeologists find ancient 'freezer' at flood defences dig

An old freezer is being investigated after being found dumped in the middle of Craigmillar. But the case is unlikely to trouble the city's fly-tipping patrols, as the discovery dates back hundreds of years. The 18th century ice house is just one of a series of new discoveries made by archaeologists at the Niddrie Marischal estate over the past few weeks ahead of flood prevention work in the area. (Evening News)

Rich Old Hungarian grave could have belonged to prince

Rich grave finds from the Conquest Era of the Magyars or Hungarians have been uncovered by archaeologists in Pest Country, including ninth Century horse furniture and a belt, with a particularly rich sabretache, or pouch. (Digital Journal)

April 15th, 2011

3-D map of Guatemala's 'Head of stone' confirms size, location of ancient buildings

Archaeologists have made the first three-dimensional topographical map of ancient monumental buildings long buried under centuries of jungle at the Maya site "Head of Stone" in Guatemala. The map puts into 3-D perspective the location and size of Head of Stone's many buildings and architectural patterns, which are typical of Maya sites: 70-foot-tall "triadic pyramid," an astronomical observatory, a ritual ball court, numerous plazas and also residential mounds that would have been the homes of elites and commoners, according to archaeologist Brigitte Kovacevich, Southern Methodist University, Dallas. (PhysOrg)

Uncovered: The remains of two Roman soldiers

ARCHAEOLOGISTS believe they have uncovered the remains of two Roman soldiers beneath one of Colchester’s former barracks. The remains of two spearmen, laid to rest on their backs with their weapons and armour, have been discovered in a cemetery beneath the former Hyderabad Barracks. (Essex County Standard)

Large-scale remains of Shang, Zhou dynasties found in Yibin

During the second-round of excavations at the Shizhudi graveyard in Yibin, the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and other units recently discovered large-scale remnants of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, according to the cultural sectors of Yibin, Sichuan Province on April 12. (Peoples Daily Online)

Sands, not lights, cover Gaza archaeology sites

Five thousand years of fascinating history lie beneath the sands of the Gaza Strip, from blinded biblical hero Samson to British general Allenby.The flat, sandy lands on the Mediterranean's southeastern shore have been ruled by Ancient Egyptians, Philistines, Romans, Byzantines and Crusaders. Alexander the Great besieged the city. Emperor Hadrian visited. Mongols raided Gaza, and 1,400 years ago Islamic armies invaded. Gaza has been part of the Ottoman Empire, a camp for Napoleon and a First World War battleground. But archaeology here does not flourish. (WinCountry.com)

April 14th, 2011

Africa the Birthplace of Human Language, Study Says

Human language originated in Africa, according to a newly completed University of Auckland study. The study results parallel and complement recent genetic and phenotype studies that support an African origin for Homo sapiens, or modern humans, strengthening the notion that the development of language was a key innovation that enabled modern humans to spread across the globe. (Popular Archaeology)

Craft, Churches and Charcoal

Norway's historical capital, Trondheim, was a hive of activity in medieval times. Recent archaeological research in the city's public forest, "Bymarka", has uncovered more than 500 charcoal pits, tell-tale signs of substantial medieval metal working activity. (Past Horizons)

South America's Oldest Textiles Identified With Carbon Dating

Textiles and rope fragments found in a Peruvian cave have been dated to around 12,000 years ago, making them the oldest textiles ever found in South America, according to a report in the April issue of Current Anthropology. The items were found 30 years ago in Guitarrero Cave high in the Andes Mountains. Other artifacts found along with the textiles had been dated to 12,000 ago and even older. However, the textiles themselves had never been dated, and whether they too were that old had been controversial, according to Edward Jolie, an archaeologist at Mercyhurst College (PA) who led this latest research. (ScienceDaily)

The Other Mexico: Mayan Ruins at Palenque

Palenque can't match the sheer perfection of Chichen Itza, but its comparative isolation is astounding. The ruins are located in high mountainous terrain, with sweeping views of the sprawling flats below. It's also estimated that less than 10% of the original site has been excavated, leaving many to wonder what lies beneath the trees and vines. (Gadling)

A temple of Roman goddess Nemesis, discovered in Alba Iulia

A temple built by Roman legions at the end of the second or start of the third century has been discovered within the Alba Iulia citadel, reports Mediafax news wire. The intricate detail of this discovery consists in the fact that a sacred temple was rarely, if ever, built inside a Roman legion camp. (Business Review)

Lewis Roberts Binford (1930-2011)

I am very sorry to inform you that Professor Lewis Binford, the scholar whose name evokes an entire intellectual movement within archaeology, has passed away. His optimism and intellectual fervor have been a major influence on several generations of archaeologists. (Examiner.com)

April 13th, 2011

Nazi warplane lying off UK coast is intact

A rare World War Two German bomber, shot down over the English Channel in 1940 and hidden for years by shifting sands at the bottom of the sea, is so well preserved a British museum wants to raise it. The Dornier 17 -- thought to be world's last known example -- was hit as it took part in the Battle of Britain. It ditched in the sea just off the Kent coast, southeast England, in an area known as the Goodwin Sands. The plane came to rest upside-down in 50 feet of water and has become partially visible from time to time as the sands retreated before being buried again. Now a high-tech sonar survey undertaken by the Port of London Authority (PLA) has revealed the aircraft to be in a startling state of preservation. (Yahoo News)

Priceless Egyptian Treasures Returned

A statue of King Tutankhamun, which was looted during Egypt's anti-government protests, has been returned to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo along with three other pharaonic artifacts, Zahi Hawass, Minister of State for Antiquities, announced today. (Discovery News)

Was Eurasia a stone's throw for early humans?

Picture this scene: it's 1.8 million years ago in the southern reaches of the Caucasus Mountains and a powerful feline, an ancestor of the modern jaguar, has just made a kill. The predator retreats to a secluded gully where it can feed on the bloodied carcass at its leisure. Suddenly a volley of rocks rains down, delivering painful blows and forcing the big cat to abandon its dinner and withdraw. Moments later, a band of prehistoric humans scrambles down the gully to claim the prize. Chalk up another victory for the diminutive scavengers whose relatives will one day take over the planet. (Nature.com)

Archaeologists in southwest NM discover tools, other remnants of ancient nomadic society

An archaeology team from the Museum of New Mexico has unearthed tools and a structure believed to have been used by an ancient nomadic hunter-gatherer society in southwestern New Mexico. (Daily Reporter)

April 12th, 2011

Shakespeare's last home is focus of archaeological dig

Archaeologists have begun delving into layers of Tudor soil untouched for 400 years as they resume a dig on the site of William Shakespeare's last home. The dig is being carried out at New Place, in Stratford-upon-Avon. For the next seven months, visitors to Nash's House and New Place will be able to watch the team of archaeologists and volunteers at work. 'Shed new light' The live archaeological project will explore foundations and other remains thought to date from Shakespeare's era. (BBC News)

Exclusive: Early Christian Lead Codices Now Called Fakes

Seventy metal books allegedly discovered in a cave in Jordan have been hailed as the earliest Christian documents. Dating them to mere decades after Jesus' death, scholars have called the "lead codices" the most important discovery in archaeological history, and leading media outlets have added fuel to the fire surrounding the books in recent weeks. (Yahoo News)

Tourism Does Not Harm All Caves, Study Suggests

Unlike the situation in other caves, damage caused by tourists at the Águila cave in Ávila, Spain is "imperceptible," despite it receiving tens of thousands of visitors each year. This is the main conclusion of an international research study headed by the University of Alcalá (UAH), which measured heat variations in the cave.(Science Daily)

Thang Long Royal Citadel cracked and sunk

According to the Institute for Archaeology, a section of the wall to protect the northern area of the relic collapsed while the structure of soil layers of the relic was broken. Mud water has overflowed from the National Assembly House project to the relic.(VietnamNet)

Nails Used to Crucify Jesus May Have Been Found, Filmmaker Says in Israel

Two ancient nails discovered in a Jerusalem archaeological excavation 20 years ago may have been those used to crucify Jesus, filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici says. The nails, discovered in an excavation of a first century Jewish tomb in 1990, have divided historical opinion. Jacobovici's view is set out in a documentary that will be aired on television in both the U.S. and Israel. (Bloomberg)

April 11th, 2011

Archaeologists Uncover Evidence of a Minoan Presence Among Ancient Canaanites

A recent and ongoing excavation at the remains of an expansive Middle Bronze Age Canaanite palace in the western Galilee region of present-day Israel is opening a new window on the possible presence of ancient Minoans at an ancient Canaanite palace, revealing what may be the earliest known Western art found in the eastern Mediterranean. (Popular Archaeology)

About '1,000 Relics' Stolen During Egypt Uprising

Thieves stole around 1,000 relics from museums and archeological sites across Egypt since protests against the government broke out in January, Egypt's minister for antiquities Zahi Hawass said Sunday in a newspaper interview. (Discovery News)

War Historian Michael Mckernan discusses new archaeology find at Gallipoli.

With ANZAC day approaching, an international team of archaeologists have revealed findings of rediscovered tunnels, trenches, dugouts and equipment at Gallipoli. The finds were made during a two week assessment of a 3.7-square-kilometre section of battlefield in October last year. (ABC Canberra)

'Roman Town' helps kids dig archaeology

Created by professional archaeologist and former teacher Suzi Wilczynski, founder of Dig-It! Games, the game lets kids become archaeologists and join in the uncovering of an ancient city found near Pompeii. In the process of solving the mystery of what happened to the ancient city of Fossura, kids will experience what it is like to be on an archaeological dig. (USAToday)

April 10th, 2011

HOW THE CIVIL WAR CHANGED MODERN MEDICINE

The bloodiest conflict on American soil ushered in a new era of medicine. The American Civil War often gets credit for ending slavery and reshaping the federal government in this country. But the War Between the States has another, often overlooked legacy: It may have started a new era in modern medicine. As soldiers fell in unprecedented numbers from both injuries and disease, anesthesia became a specialty. The fields of plastic and reconstructive surgery exploded. And doctors developed new ways to treat a surge in nerve injuries and chronic pain, marking the beginning of contemporary neurology. (Discovery News)

Poverty Point: Louisiana’s hill country

Discussions of context and recent history aside, the state of Louisiana holds complex man-made structures and archeological finds dating back more than 5,000 years. (BestofNewOrleans.com)

Reopen ATV trail, protesting riders say

Recapture Canyon is on the outskirts of Blanding and was open to cross-country motorized travel in 2005 when two Blanding men improved a seven-mile trail by adding hillside rock shoulders, fill dirt and pipe culverts to channel springs and runoff. They did it without a permit and this year a judge fined them $35,000. The BLM has since closed the trail after discovering damage to archaeological sites in the canyon. (UtahNews)

Bones of Leper Warrior Found in Medieval Cemetery

The bones of a soldier with leprosy who may have died in battle have been found in a medieval Italian cemetery, along with skeletons of men who survived blows to the head with battle-axes and maces. (FoxNews)

Largest archaeological survey of Gallipoli uncovers dozens of artefacts

The initial phase of the first-ever joint Australian, Turkish and New Zealand archaeological survey of the 3.7sq km Anzac battlefield, where 8700 Australians died, has been released and it has not only verified much of the history, but has uncovered an incredible number of artefacts. (CourierMail.com.au)

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