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explorator 24.50 April 3, 2022
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You can read explorator online at:
https://exploratornews.wordpress.com/
Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Edward Rockstein, Kurt Theis,
John McMahon, Barnea Selavan, Joseph Lauer, Mike Ruggeri, Hernan Astudillo, Richard Campbell, Barbara Saylor Rodgers, Bob Heuman, David Critchley,
Richard Miller, Kris Curry, Rick Heli, Richard C. Griffiths, Frank MacKay, Eric Morse,
Don Buck, mata kimasitayo, and Ross W. Sargent for headses upses this week
(as always hoping I have left no one out).
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EARLY HOMINIDS
============================================================
Study suggests tools are an indicator Neanderthals in the Iberian peninsula were 'threatened' even before sapiens arrived:
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-tools-reveal-patterns-neandertal-extinction.html https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220330141403.htm https://www.archaeology.org/news/10440-220401-neanderthal-tools-extinction
cf:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265219
Dating burials at Olduvai using the cosmogenic nuclide isochron method:
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-cosmogenic-nuclide-dating-olduvai-lithic.html
cf:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004724842200015X ============================================================
AFRICA
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Feature on the ongoing Heuninneskrans excavations (mostly Mesolithic?):
https://lowvelder.co.za/776347/heuningneskrans-a-beehive-of-archaeological-activity/
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ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT ============================================================
A study identifying 'ancient smells' from items found in Egyptian tombs:
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00903-z https://www.archaeology.org/news/10439-220401-egypt-ancient-scents
An update on Zahi Hawass' Tut opera:
https://dailynewsegypt.com/2022/03/29/tutankhamun-opera-will-be-unique-experience-to-world-audiences-zahi-hawass/
Feature on that pregnant 2000 years bp mummy that was CT scanned a while ago:
https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/a-closer-look-at-the-worlds-first-pregnant-egyptian-mummy
Plans to restore a Sassanid palace in Sarvestan:
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/471272/Sassanid-palace-in-southern-Iran-to-undergo-restoration
A farmer came across a Hittite-era bracelet in Corum (Turkey):
https://www.dailysabah.com/life/history/farmer-discovers-rare-hittite-era-bracelet-in-turkeys-corum
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63698
Every week we seem to hear of 'factions' conducting illegal excavations in Syria:
https://www.syriahr.com/en/245593/
An overview of the past month's archaeological finds in Turkey:
https://turkisharchaeonews.net/article/march-2022-turkish-archaeology
More on the 'ritual shrine' from the Jordanian desert found as part of the South Eastern Badia Archaeological Project:
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/03/29/major-archaeological-discovery-in-southern-jordan/
Evidence of vanilla and other spices from residues in 2600 years bp wine jars from the City of David:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/6th-century-bce-jerusalemite-oenophiles-had-a-taste-for-exotic-vanilla-spice-wine/
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-702646 https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/judahite-elite-in-jerusalem-drank-wine-flavored-with-vanilla-1.10706085
https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2022/march/analysis-of-old-testament-jars-reveal-jerusalem-elite-spiced-their-wine-with-vanilla
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/324890 https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/jerusalem/biblical-kings-drank-vanilla-flavored-wine/
Plans to move a Megiddo prison to excavate a church with the earliest (maybe) mosaic depicting Jesus (found several years ago):
https://www.timesofisrael.com/plans-underway-to-move-megiddo-prison-to-excavate-church-with-earliest-jesus-mosaic/
https://www.jpost.com/christianworld/article-702712 https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-702887 https://aleteia.org/2022/04/02/earliest-mosaic-dedicated-to-christ-found-at-israel-prison/
Folks appear to be cleaning up the site of Tiberias in hopes of it becoming a national park:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-years-of-neglect-rare-opportunity-opens-up-for-tiberias-archaeological-gems/
Feature on the early Islamic era Ma'agan Michael B Ship shipwreck found off the coast of Israel quite a while ago:
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/MAGAZINE-shipwreck-changes-what-we-know-about-the-early-islamic-period-1.10708784
More on the curse tablet from Mt. Ebal and the claims being attached to it:
https://www.livescience.com/ancient-curse-tablet-early-hebrew https://www.jpost.com/christianworld/article-703046 https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-702271 https://aleteia.org/2022/03/29/archaeologists-just-found-the-oldest-inscription-of-the-hebrew-name-of-god/
http://www.prweb.com/releases/ancient_curse_inscription_deciphered_from_tablet_discovered_during_archaeological_wet_sift_on_mt_ebal/prweb18577770.htm
More on that 'tourist' finding a 5000 years bp (?) jug in Cave 53 near the Dead Sea:
https://www.newsweek.com/american-tourist-discovers-5000-year-old-clay-jug-bronze-age-cave-qumran-dead-sea-1693271
Feature on a rock inscription which might be the earliest evidence of Christianity in Arabia (maybe):
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/inscriptions/the-earliest-evidence-of-christianity-in-arabia/?mqsc=E4142950&dk=ZE2130ZF0
Feature on assorted finds from Israel which were found 'by accident':
https://stljewishlight.org/jewish-history/10-amazing-jewish-archeological-finds-discovered-by-accident/
Some Goliath revisionism:
https://forward.com/culture/484797/david-goliath-villain-sympathy-bible-israelites-philistines-jonathan/
Over the past 5+ years, 900 sites have been identified in Duqm, with 160 in Nufon (Oman):
https://timesofoman.com//article/114858-over-150-archaeological-sites-discovered-in-this-village-in-oman
https://www.omanobserver.om/article/1116817/oman/900-archeological-sites-found-in-duqm-155-in-nufon
More on the 8500 years bp structures in the UAE off the coast of Abu Dhabi:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-united-arab-emirates-earliest-buildings-are-8500-years-old-180979835/
-----
This Week in the Ancient Near East Podcast:
https://thisweekintheancientneareast.podbean.com/
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ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS) ============================================================
1st century BCE Gallic finds (from 2019) including four busts and a wooden bucket have gone on display:
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63744
A road improvement dig in Bedfordshire revealed remains of a 2000 years bp Roman malting oven/beer production site:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-60932382 https://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/news/people/fancy-an-early-pint-evidence-of-roman-beer-production-found-near-bedford-3631618
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10437-220331-england-spelt-beer
Remains of a Roman mercenary (how was that identified?) and medieval finds from a site near Barry (Wales):
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-60935927 https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/skeleton-roman-mercenary-medieval-remains-23547393
https://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/20029341.look-roman-history-uncovered-five-mile-lane-barry/
https://nation.cymru/news/roman-and-medieval-remains-found-buried-by-new-road-near-barry/
https://www.thenational.wales/news/20034925.celtic-roman-remains-found-five-mile-lane-barry/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10676689/Skeleton-Roman-mercenary-unearthed-Welsh-countryside.html
A Roman-era (maybe) cremation urn from Verulamium Park in St Albans:
https://www.hertsad.co.uk/lifestyle/heritage/excavations-uncover-cremation-urn-8795752
https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/news/cremation-urn-found-during-excavation-work-site-ancient-roman-town
Remains of a Roman-era 'officina' from Caserta (Italian coverage):
https://www.adnkronos.com/caserta-reperti-archeologici-di-epoca-romana-trovati-in-officina-meccanica_72lxVjKRGeaWtoUj5SWZLX
https://www.ilmattino.it/caserta/scoperta_l_officina_deposito_caserta_napoli_beni_archeologici_rubati_nell_antica_cales-6597917.html
Remains of a Roman-era wall beneath the Misene lake (Italian):
https://www.ilmattino.it/napoli/cultura/campi_flegrei_scoperta_archeologica_muro_epoca_romana_lago_miseno-6590611.html
Nice followup on the results of restoration of a pair of Roman busts found at a Norman Church site in Soke Mandeville a few months ago:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10664027/Ancient-Roman-bust-uncovered-HS2-dig-cleaned-reveal-remarkable-new-details.html
https://www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/people/fascinating-details-discovered-about-ancient-roman-artefacts-found-in-stoke-mandeville-3633617
A Cybele stele from Ephesus is going on display in Izmir:
https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/mother-goddess-cybeles-stele-from-ephesus-to-be-displayed-in-izmir/news
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/mother-goddess-stele-on-display-in-izmir-172576
A study of the mortars used to build a 4th century bathing complex in Aquileia:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/gea.21908
More on Bronze Age lead ingots found off Cyprus and their trade implications:
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/inscriptions/the-earliest-evidence-of-christianity-in-arabia/?mqsc=E4142950&dk=ZE2130ZF0
More on saffron origin/use in early Greece:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.834416/full
More on the Virtual Reality recreation of a Pompeiian villa:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-archaeologists-virtually-reconstructed-an-ancient-house-in-pompeii-180979857/
They're still arguing over plans for York's Roman Quarter:
https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/20026442.yorks-roman-quarter-plans-unethical-flawed-say-archaeology-chiefs/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-60902931 https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/20014396.the-damage-history-beneath-feet/
Plenty of press interest in a robot dog patrolling Pompeii:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/mar/28/robot-dog-to-help-manage-pompeii-spot-tunnels-thieves
https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccahughes/2022/03/29/at-pompeii-a-robot-dog-is-helping-guard-and-protect-the-ruins/
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/robot-dog-sent-to-sniff-out-problems-in-pompeii-cdc9p20c7
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-60952514 https://elpais.com/cultura/2022-03-29/un-robot-perro-para-proteger-y-estudiar-pompeya.html
https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/four-legged-robot-deployed-help-manage-pompeii-2022-03-31/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/31/pompeii-robot-dog-patrol-boston-dynamics/
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/20220331/89dbca3262b246babe4772b568199227/c.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10662953/Pompeii-enlists-Spot-robot-dog-inspect-ancient-citys-streets.html
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/dog-robot-guards-pompeii-1234623374/ https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/04/01/spot-a-quadruped-robot-to-protect-pompeii/
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10436-220331-pompeii-robot-dog
Reviews of Barry Strauss, *The War that Made the Roman Empire*:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-war-that-made-the-roman-empire-book-review-actium-mark-antony-cleopatra-turning-the-tide-of-history-11648826419
... and an interview with Barry Strauss:
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/04/a-fresh-take-on-why-octavian-won-the-war-against-antony-and-cleopatra/
... and a feature by Strauss on Actium:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-battle-that-saddled-cleopatra-with-an-undeserved-bad-rep
[paywalled] review of a biography of Alexander the Great:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/drunken-arguments-teenage-conquests-alexander-great/
Feature on Cleopatra:
https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/50/1207/463754/AlAhram-Weekly/Heritage/The-world-of-Cleopatra-%E2%80%94-I.aspx
Feature on the reconstruction of Claudius' arch in Rome:
https://blog.oup.com/2022/03/reconstructing-claudius-arch-in-rome/
Feature on the excavation of a Greek stadium at Magnesia:
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/04/02/an-amazing-before-and-after-of-an-ancient-greek-stadium-excavation/
Feature on the early development of the Christian church:
https://www.livescience.com/the-apostles
Feature on ancient Greeks 'predicting' robot use:
https://greekreporter.com/2022/04/01/ancient-greeks-predicted-robots/
Feature on the Achilles connection to Snake Island:
https://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-island-where-achilles-supposedly-072247536.html
Feature on the ancient Greeks and breast cancer:
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/03/31/ancient-greeks-breast-cancer/
Feature on chariot racing:
https://www.history.com/news/chariot-racing-ancient-rome
Feature on Praxiteles' statue of Hermes:
https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/greek-news/greek-news/culture/46816-media-report-hermes-of-praxiteles-statue-an-eternal-symbol-of-hellenism.html
Feature on women 'gladiators' (someone's dictionary seems to have translated it as 'wrestlers'):
https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/114248/Did-women-fight-brutal-wrestling-matches-in-ancient-Rome
Feature on what the world looked like according to Herodotus:
https://greekreporter.com/2022/04/01/map-of-world-as-herodotus-father-of-history-knew-it/
On race and ethnicity meaning little to the ancient Greeks:
https://neoskosmos.com/en/2022/03/28/dialogue/ancient-greece/race-and-ethnicity-meant-little-to-the-ancient-greeks/
Feature on Linear A:
https://greekreporter.com/2022/03/30/decoding-linear-a-the-writing-system-of-the-ancient-minoans/
Pondering Clytemnestra:
https://lithub.com/is-clytemnestra-an-archetypically-bad-wife-or-a-heroically-avenging-mother/
Pondering whether the Gospel of Luke is a Greco-Roman biography:
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/new-testament/gospel_of_luke_greco_roman/
Yet another feature on the Antikythera Mechanism:
https://www.ekathimerini.com/multimedia/images/1181332/a-marvel-of-ancient-greek-mechanics/
Some Mycenean April Foolery:
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/04/02/mycenaean-era-tablet-homer/
More on the British Museum facing legal action relating to denial of access for 3d scans of the Parthenon Sculptures:
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/mar/29/british-museum-facing-legal-action-parthenon-marbles-3d-scan-refusal
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/british-museum-accused-of-gross-distortion-by-elgin-marbles-scanner-xgphnswvb
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/a-uk-heritage-group-will-sue-british-museum-over-access-to-long-disputed-parthenon-marbles-1234623180/
https://greekherald.com.au/news/british-museum-faces-legal-action-after-refusing-3d-scan-parthenon-marbles/
https://greekreporter.com/2022/03/31/british-museum-parthenon-marbles-3d-scans/ https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/greek-news/culture/46837-british-museum-faces-legal-action-over-3d-scan-of-stolen-parthenon-marbles.html
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/04/03/british-museum-parthenon-sculptures/ -----
Roman Archaeology Blog:
http://romanarc.blogspot.com/
Rogueclassicism:
http://rogueclassicism.com/ ============================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland) ============================================================
A 5000 years bp human femur was found on the banks of the Thames:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-5000-year-old-human-bone-was-found-in-the-river-thames-180979777/
Evidence of female migrants from Europe making their way to Orkney some 4500 years bp (we may have had this already):
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/how-female-migration-changed-the-population-of-prehistoric-orkney-1.10706670
https://www.inverse.com/science/noltland-orkney-bronze-age
A 6th century burial of a 12-year-old (so specific!) girl with plenty of grave goods in Basel:
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63709
Interesting isotopic study of 6th century 'bog bodies' found in Cramond in the 1970s:
https://www.livescience.com/cramond-bodies-in-the-bog-facial-reconstruction https://phys.org/news/2022-03-medieval-isotopic-scotland.html https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-60861932 https://www.aberdeenlive.news/news/aberdeen-news/body-dumped-bog-over-1000-6871677
https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2022/03/isotopic-investigation-reveals-life.html
cf:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12520-022-01509-2
A unique Germanic iron Age torq find from southern Denmark:
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63688
Evidence of Guanches culture occupation of caves in Tenerife:
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/03/archaeologists-locate-ancient-guanches-caves-in-tenerife/143270
A French farmer found (and sold) a rare late coin of Charlemagne:
https://www.livescience.com/rare-charlemagne-coin-found
... on the auction:
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63756
Versailles has restored the Royal Tennis court as a museum:
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63719
Henry VIII's toilet at Clifford's Tower has been restored:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/29/cliffords-tower-york-reopen-radical-transformation-english-heritage
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63729
A Neolithic burial site recreation in Kent has opened to the public (not sure about this one):
https://digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/data/931/reader/reader.html?#!preferred/0/package/931/pub/931/page/46/article/287261
Concerns for some 'at risk' hillforts in Dorset have been relaxed:
https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/20039304.at-risk-dorset-hillforts-now-in-fine-condition/
https://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/20039393.at-risk-dorset-hillforts-now-in-fine-condition/
Feature/reviewish sort of thing on the Vikings in Britain:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/digging-up-viking-history-britain-180979790/
More on the pair of medieval dugout boats found in the River Foyle:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-60866202 http://www.archaeology.org/news/10433-220330-ireland-medieval-boats
More on the burials found under Notre Dame:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/notre-dame-repair-crews-discover-an-ancient-graveyard-with-a-sealed-sarcophagus-180979809/
More on Vikings leaving Greenland because of drought conditions:
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/03/why-did-the-vikings-abandon-greenland/143266
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/03/28/rewriting-the-history-books-why-the-vikings-left-greenland/
More on the Venus of Willendorf's likely Italian origins:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/3d-scans-show-30000-year-old-stone-sculpture-dug-up-austria-likely-came-from-italy-180979678/
More on 8000 years bp mummification evidence from Portugal:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-find-potential-evidence-of-oldest-known-mummification-180979852/
More on that Pictish carved stone find from Scotland:
https://www.zmescience.com/science/amazing-pictish-carved-stone-discovered-in-scotland-move-archeologists-to-tears/
More on Historic England's aerial photograph database:
https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/news/aerial-photography-explorer-reveals-england-from-air/
Feature on the Palmanova Star Fort:
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/03/the-palmanova-star-fort/143256
----------
Archaeology in Europe News:
http://archaeology-in-europe.blogspot.com/
Medievalists.net:
https://www.medievalists.net/category/news/
Viking Archaeology Blog:
http://viking-archaeology-blog.blogspot.com/
============================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC ============================================================
Neolithic points (spear and arrow) from the Sunjiangang site in Hunan:
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-03-26/Stone-weapons-unearthed-at-central-China-prehistoric-site-18I5A3JFOLK/index.html
https://english.news.cn/20220325/5e399c6b2bc747e2bc236583d4ff70e0/c.html http://www.archaeology.org/news/10428-220328-china-neolithic-weapons
More on 27 000 years bp remains of giant camels from Mongolia:
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-giant-camels-archaic-humans-mongolia.html https://www.archaeology.org/news/10429-220328-mongolia-giant-camels
The Chinese press continues to talk about the top finds of 2021 for some reason:
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-03-31/China-unveils-its-top-10-archaeological-discoveries-of-2021-18QsybI0GHe/index.html
http://www.ecns.cn/hd/2022-03-31/detail-ihawymkm2556907.shtml https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202203/31/WS62454e23a310fd2b29e546c4.html https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202203/1257311.shtml http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202203/31/WS62454e23a310fd2b29e546c4_2.html
Greek influences in the sculpting of the Terracotta Army is making the rounds again:
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/03/31/the-terracotta-army-the-clay-army-with-the-greek-signature/
https://greekreporter.com/2022/04/03/why-theres-so-much-backlash-to-the-theory-that-greek-art-inspired-chinas-terracotta-army/
Latest 2500 years bp burial mound finds from Siberia's 'Valley of the Kings':
https://www.livescience.com/burials-siberia-valley-of-the-kings
Assorted prehistoric finds from riverbanks in the Attappady hils:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/prehistoric-relics-reveal-attappadys-ancient-past/article65282602.ece
Giant stone burial (maybe) jars from four different sites in Assam: (pre-400 BCE, apparently)
https://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/mysterious-giant-stone-jars-found-in-india https://phys.org/news/2022-03-mysterious-giant-stone-jars-india.html https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-60937348 https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/giant-ancient-stone-jars-india/ https://www.sciencealert.com/weird-giant-stone-jars-created-by-a-mysterious-people-have-been-found-in-india
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10435-220331-india-stone-jars
cf:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41826-022-00043-3
A 9th century CE three-headed Vishnu sculpture from Kakapora Pulwama:
http://brighterkashmir.com/archaeology-dept-recovers-3-headed-vishnu-sculpture-at-kakapora-pulwama
https://www.risingkashmir.com/Old-idol-of-Lord-Vishnu-recovered--handed-over-to-Archaeological-Department--Police-103627
Gold coins depicting a queen (Victoria?) from a village near Srikalahasti:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/unearthing-of-ancient-coins-creates-flutter-at-srikalahasti/article65268350.ece
The third phase of excavations at Sivakalai are under way:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/excavation-begins-at-sivakalai-archaeological-site/article65274713.ece
https://www.dtnext.in/News/TamilNadu/2022/03/31051453/1360494/3rd-phase-of-excavation-begins-at-Sivakalai.vpf
... and excavations have resumed at the Harappan site of Rakhigarhi:
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/excavation-restarts-at-rakhigarhi-site-382244
Concerns for cannons at a fort in Hyderabad:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/hyderabad-cannons-rot-in-apathy-as-asi-is-unable-to-hold-fort/articleshow/90483826.cms
Feature on the Vedda people of Sri Lanka:
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220327-sri-lankas-last-indigenous-people
A study of 12th century 'bioscapes' in the Marquesa Islands:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220401094848.htm
Latest on the threat to the Mes Aynak site:
https://www.buddhistdoor.net/news/update-a-glimmer-of-hope-for-afghanistans-5000-year-old-mes-aynak-archaeological-site/
============================================================
NORTH AMERICA
============================================================
Prehistoric human remains from a Miami condo development site:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/prehistoric-human-remains-found-at-miami-luxury-condo-site-11648555200
Plenty of finds made over the past couple of years at a Mennonite meeting house site in Lancaster County:
https://lancasteronline.com/features/entertainment/millersville-students-discover-40k-artifacts-at-1719-museum-heres-what-they-found/article_2d28f264-aba5-11ec-b54c-433643b982eb.html
Feature on the Terrace site in Utah and what it is revealing about Chinese immigrants who worked on the Transcontinental Railroad:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/archaeologists-learning-lives-chinese-immigrants-transcontinental-railroad-180979786/
Feature on the Hardaway Site (dating to ca 10 000 BCE) in North Carolina:
https://www.thesnaponline.com/2022/03/28/a-look-at-the-hardaway-site-past-present-and-future/
Logging-related concerns for sites in Treaty 6 territory in Saskatchewan:
https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/amateur-archaeologist-says-logging-puts-historical-sites-at-risk
The Rappahannock people have recovered some ancestral land in Virginia, 350 years after the fact:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/04/01/rappahannock-tribe-fones-cliffs-eagles/
https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/02/us/sacred-land-rappahannock-tribe-trnd/index.html
I think we mentioned these photos recovered and restored from the wreck of the SS Central America:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60866212
More on the identification of the Sparrow-Hawk:
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/sparrow-hawk-1626-shipwreck-cape-cod-new-clues/
============================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA ============================================================
Ten intact 17th century wine vessels from the Atacama Deset:
https://www.elmostrador.cl/cultura/2022/04/01/academico-explica-valioso-hallazgo-arqueologico-de-10-vasijas-del-siglo-xvii-intactas-en-el-desierto-de-atacama/
A study of the Zapotec site of Mitla is under way:
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/04/archaeologists-explore-the-underworld-of-mitla-the-place-of-the-dead/143285
More on the rethinking of the name of Machu Picchu:
https://www.npr.org/2022/03/27/1089088061/machu-picchu-huayna-wrong-name https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/machu-picchu-called-huayna-piccho-scn/index.html
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/have-we-been-calling-machu-picchu-by-the-wrong-name-180979824/
More on the possible identification of a Middle Sican surgeon burial:
https://andina.pe/ingles/noticia-peru-archaeologists-find-remains-of-person-who-served-as-surgeon-in-sican-culture-885759.aspx
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10432-220330-peru-sican-surgeon
More on the starfish offering found at the Templo Mayor in Mexico City:
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/discovery-of-ancient-aztec-war-offering-filled-with-starfish-and-jaguar-skeleton-2091836
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trove-of-starfish-deposited-as-offering-to-aztec-war-god-found-in-mexico-city-180979830/
Feature on Ann Axtell Morris' archaeological work:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/this-archaeologists-wife-was-pioneering-scholar-in-her-own-right
Feature on the Chankillo astronomical observatory site:
https://www.guardianmag.press/2022/03/built-by-an-unknown-civilization-this-is-the-oldest-astronomical-observatory-in-the-americas.html/
https://www.sciencealert.com/the-oldest-known-astronomical-observatory-in-the-americas-long-predates-the-incas
Feature on El Dorado:
https://www.livescience.com/el-dorado
Feature on the Olmec:
https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0bxxbp7/who-ruled-mesoamerica-before-the-maya-
Latest Aztlander Magazine of the Americas:
https://aztlander.wordpress.com/2022/04/01/aztlander-magazine-of-the-americas-2/
Assorted Ancient Americas lectures coming up this month:
https://mikeruggerisancientamericasevents.wordpress.com/
-----
Mike Ruggeri's Ancient Americas Breaking News:
http://goo.gl/1VdeA
Mike Ruggeri's Ancient Americas lecture channels on Youtube:
https://mikeruggerisyoutube.tumblr.com/
Ancient MesoAmerica News:
http://ancient-mesoamerica-news-updates.blogspot.com/ ============================================================
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST ============================================================
A choirboy's hidden 125 years bp note in a pew in a Sunderland church was found:
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/sunderland-research-b991190.html
Rembrandt is confirmed as the creator of a disputed work (although on April 1?):
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/apr/01/rembrandt-pupil-painting-confirmed-work-of-dutch-master-landscape
In case you're wondering about the bullying incident(s) at the Max Planck Institute:
https://www.science.org/content/article/max-planck-archaeology-director-removed-after-alleged-bullying
Feature on women archaeologists:
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-702484
Feature on documenting children in archaeological contexts:
https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/community/dig-it-interpreting-the-past-and-the-archaeology-of-children-5223597
Feature on various sunken cities around the world:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/there-are-potentially-hundreds-of-atlantis-around-the-world
Feature on gardens that have been around for centuries:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220328-how-long-can-a-garden-last
Feature on the origins of tattooing:
https://retrospectjournal.com/2022/03/27/the-origins-of-tattooing-a-brief-overview/
Feature on mead:
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/mead-facts-worlds-oldest-drink
Feature on 30 'lost treasures':
https://www.livescience.com/60436-most-valuable-treasures-still-missing-lost.html
Some rethinking on the authorship of the US Pledge of Allegiance:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/02/us/pledge-of-allegiance-francis-bellamy.html
Pondering what happens to Shackleton's Endurance now that it has been found:
https://theconversation.com/now-shackletons-endurance-has-been-found-who-determines-what-happens-to-the-famous-shipwreck-179752
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-shackleton-famous-shipwreck.html
Feature on Scotland's apologies for witch trials:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/witches-scotland-pardon-apology
On the history of vampires:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/02/opinions/morbius-jared-leto-vampire-legacy-schwartz/index.html
Feature on the female origins of alcohol production:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/female-brewers
Feature on Catalina de Erauso:
https://elpais.com/babelia/2022-03-26/monja-soldado-macarra-icono-vida-y-milagros-de-la-religiosa-trans-catalina-de-erauso.html
Review of Betsy Prioleau, *Diamonds and Deadlines*:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/29/books/review/diamonds-and-deadlines-betsy-prioleau.html
Review of Cat Jarman, *Los reyes del rio*:
https://elpais.com/cultura/2022-03-28/cat-jarman-autora-de-un-nuevo-libro-sobre-los-invasores-escandinavos-putin-no-quiere-a-los-vikingos-en-su-historia-de-rusia.html
============================================================
CURRENT EVENTS:
============================================================
More articles on Russian targeting of Ukrainian heritage sites:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-intentionally-targeting-ukraines-cultural-landmarks-rcna21604
https://www.npr.org/2022/04/02/1090475172/unesco-ukraine-cultural-sites-damage
On the unknown origins of April Fools' Day:
https://www.npr.org/2022/04/01/1089947257/april-fools-day-history
On how it's becoming difficult to teach history in the US:
https://newrepublic.com/article/165598/teachers-afraid-teach-history
Review of Caroline Elkins, *Legacy of Violence*:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/29/books/review/caroline-elkins-legacy-of-violence.html
============================================================
ANIMAL AND PLANT DOMESTICATIONS
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