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explorator 24.52 April 17, 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, Adrienne Mayor,
Don Buck, mata kimasitayo, and Ross W. Sargent for headses upses this week
(as always hoping I have left no one out).

In addition to all the major religious festivals going on (Happy ____) , today marks the close of our 25th year of compliling Explorator! A big thanks to all my correspondents now and over the years (a couple have been around since
the beginning!) and to all our readers (i.e. you)!

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EARLY HOMINIDS
============================================================
A 120 000 years bp Neanderthal camp site from Spain's Alicante province (last summer):

https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2022/04/15/archaeologists-uncover-120000-year-old-neanderthal-camp-site-in-spains-alicante-area/

On the importance of archery to the survival of early humans:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/apr/16/how-archery-was-vital-to-the-survival-of-early-humans

Using climate modelling to determine the environments in which various early human species lived:

https://phys.org/news/2022-04-early-human-habitats-linked-climate.html https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220413131147.htm https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2022-04-14/human-evolution-climate-change-migration-homo-sapiens-africa/100984382
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/climate-change-human-evolution-habitat-migration
https://www.inverse.com/science/ancient-climate-altered-human-evolution-study https://www.sciencealert.com/there-s-a-massive-hidden-factor-in-the-evolution-of-humans-over-2-million-years
https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2022/04/early-human-habitats-linked-to-past.html
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/04/14/early-human-habitats-linked-to-past-climate-shifts/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-did-climate-change-affect-ancient-humans-180979908/
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10462-220413-climate-human-evolution

cf: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00975-x https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01050-1

Feature on 8 early human species:

https://bigthink.com/the-past/other-human-species/

More on the 45 000 years bp 'population hub' from Africa accounting for Asian populations in Europe:

https://phys.org/news/2022-04-population-hub-africa-east-asian.html https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/948948 http://www.archaeology.org/news/10456-220412-europe-asia-migration ============================================================
AFRICA
============================================================
Feature on the Nubian site of Tombos (Sudan):

https://theconversation.com/archaeological-site-along-the-nile-opens-a-window-on-the-nubian-civilization-that-flourished-in-ancient-sudan-174575
https://phys.org/news/2022-04-archaeological-site-nile-reveals-nubian.html https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Archaeological-site-along-the-Nile-opens-a-window-17074928.php
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Archaeological-site-along-the-Nile-opens-a-window-17074928.php

A study of food residues in Nok culture (Nigeria) pottery shows a diet rich in plants:

https://theconversation.com/chemical-traces-in-ancient-west-african-pots-show-a-diet-rich-in-plants-177579
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ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT ============================================================
A Greco-Roman era pottery workshop and storage facility from Alexandria:

https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/41/464431/Antiquities/GrecoRoman/GraecoRoman-pottery-workshop,-storage-facility-une.aspx
https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/114799/Roman-era-pottery-manufacturing-workshop-discovered-in-Egypt%E2%80%99s-Alexandria
https://egyptindependent.com/photos-roman-era-pottery-making-workshop-uncovered-in-alexandria/
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/04/12/ancient-greek-workshop-alexandria/ http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/africa/20220412/16e9f66103ab43688ba693d72117ed4d/c.html
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/04/amphora-workshop-uncovered-in-tabba-matouh/143327
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/04/12/amphora-workshop-uncovered-in-tabba-matouh/

More on the reerection of an obelisk associated with Hatshepsut at Karnat:

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/114711/Hatshepsut-Obelisk-restored-re-erected-successfully-in-Karnak-Temples
https://egyptindependent.com/egypt-restores-erects-obelisk-of-queen-hatshepsut-at-karnak/
https://dailynewsegypt.com/2022/04/11/egypt-restores-re-erects-obelisk-of-queen-hatshepsut-at-karnak/
https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/egypt/2022/04/10/ancient-obelisk-re-erected-in-original-location-at-luxors-karnak-temple/

Egypt relocated the Mashhad al-Tabataba, the only remaining monument from the Ikhshidid era:

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/04/egypt-saves-only-remaining-monument-ikhshidid-era

Feature on the first known prosthetic device (from Egypt):

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/114744/1st-prosthetic-limb-known-to-mankind-was-made-in-ancient

Feature on the mummy of Herakleides at the Getty:

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63819

More on the 4000 years bp 'bitumen boat' remains from near Uruk:

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/archaeology-today/mesopotamian_boat/?mqsc=E4143288&dk=ZE2140ZF0
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/04/archaeologists-unearth-ancient-sumerian-riverboat-in-iraq/
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10458-220412-iraq-uruk-boat

A survey suggests Iran's Islamic Feyzabad site has archaeological potential:

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/471545/Qazvin-s-Feyzabad-holds-historical-values-archaeologist

Climate-change-related concerns for monuments in Iraq:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/15/iraq-ancient-buildings-destroyed-by-climate-change-salt-sandstorms

Feature on the Banu Musa brothers:

https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/banu-musa-the-9th-century-muslim-inventors-who-revolutionised-automation-56360

Excerpt from Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, *Persians: The Age of the Great Kings*:

https://lithub.com/on-the-wests-demonization-of-ancient-persia/

... and a review:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/persians-iran-history-book-review-mighty-and-misunderstood-11650033881

Feature on the concept of music in Mesopotamia:

https://www.asor.org/anetoday/2022/04/music-ancient-mesopotamia

Finds from Kultepe (period?) are going on display:

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/culture/artifacts-unearthed-from-turkiyes-kultepe-to-go-on-display/2564484

The medieval (probably) altar of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was 'rediscovered' this week:

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/church-holy-sepulchres-ancient-altar-rediscovered-researchers-say-2022-04-13/
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-704039 https://www.timesofisrael.com/researchers-rediscover-original-medieval-altar-of-church-of-the-holy-sepulchre/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/04/14/graffiti-covered-stone-slab-might-mark-lost-altar-of-church-of-the-holy-sepulcher/
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/jerusalem-ancient-altar-intl-scli/index.html https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/church-holy-sepulchres-ancient-altar-rediscovered-researchers-say-rcna24347
https://www.dailysabah.com/life/history/researches-rediscover-ancient-altar-of-church-of-the-holy-sepulchre

... and an interview with Jodi Magness on the archaeology going on there:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/what-does-archaeology-say-about-the-location-of-the-church-of-the-holy-sepulchre/

A Byzantine mosaic is the latest item from Israel found by a 'family out for a hike':

https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/04/11/family-out-for-a-hike-stumbles-across-byzantine-era-mosaic/

Feature on the nature of Jerusalem archaeology:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/jerusalem-archaeology-modernizes-but-runs-into-ancient-problems/

Palestinians apparently vandalized Joseph's Tomb:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-vandalize-west-bank-shrine-drawing-israeli-condemnations/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-703723

... and it was 'secretly' repaired:

https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/04/13/josephs-tomb-repaired-in-covert-dawn-mission/

... related opEd:

https://www.jpost.com/christianworld/article-703796 https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-joseph-s-tomb-an-ongoing-israeli-palestinian-flashpoint-1.10734530

Meanwhile, once again Israeli settlers 'invaded' Sebastia:

https://imemc.org/article/israeli-colonizers-soldiers-invade-sebastia-2/

... and Israeli bombings threaten archaeological sites in Gaza:

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/forensic-architecture-israel-destroy-palestinian-archaeological-site-2099642

253 sites were identified in Asir and Hail:

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2061141/saudi-arabia

-----
This Week in the Ancient Near East Podcast:

https://thisweekintheancientneareast.podbean.com/

============================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS) ============================================================
Bronze Age and Roman finds from a dig in the North York Moors:

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heritage/bronze-age-and-roman-discoveries-at-archaeological-dig-at-prehistoric-farming-village-in-the-north-york-moors-3651600

A Roman sarcophagus (2nd century?) from Teramo (Italian):

https://www.rivieraoggi.it/2022/04/13/350977/sarcofago-di-epoca-romana-rinvenuto-e-recuperato-in-provincia-di-teramo/

Time Team was digging at the Roman villa near Banbury:

https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heritage/why-the-romans-built-a-huge-villa-near-banbury-time-teams-dig-reveals-valuable-evidence-and-artists-impressions-show-an-incredibly-beautiful-site-3656562

A hoard of more than 1000 Constantine-era coins from Bebendorf (Switzerland):

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63842

A 5th century mosaic find from Theodoric's palace in Verona:

https://www.ansa.it/english/news/lifestyle/arts/2022/04/13/theodoric-the-great-villa-mosaic-found-near-verona_f092783e-10af-4d05-92c0-6392fdf676a8.html
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63855 http://www.archaeology.org/news/10464-220414-italy-theodoric-mosaic

Road construction damaged a Roman aqueduct in Nis (Serbia):

https://rs.n1info.com/english/news/roman-aqueduct-damaged-in-southern-serbian-city/

A report reveals hundreds of antiquities were looted from Samos during WWII:

https://www.ekathimerini.com/culture/1182143/german-research-shows-samos-antiquities-were-looted-before-wwi/
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/04/14/ancient-greek-german-museum/ https://greekreporter.com/2022/04/13/germany-looted-greek-antiquities-samos/

Restoration of a Byzantine mosaic in Nahariya was recently completed:

https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-703768

1266 Roman coins found in Wiltshire a decade ago are going on display:

https://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/20060324.roman-coins-treasure-found-wiltshire-go-display/

More on the Hellenistic cremation burial from Istanbul:

https://www.dailysabah.com/life/history/istanbuls-haydarpasa-dig-reveals-hellenistic-cremation-tomb
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/hellenistic-cremation-tomb-found-in-istanbuls-haydarpasa-dig/2559474
http://www.archaeology.org/news/10457-220413-istanbul-hellenistic-tomb

More on the suggested 'start date' for the Antikythera Mechanism:

https://www.livescience.com/antikythera-mechanism-start-date-found https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7d899/another-mystery-of-the-ancient-antikythera-mechanism-may-have-been-solved
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/04/researchers-home-in-on-possible-day-zero-for-antikythera-mechanism/

... and features on the artifact itself:

https://www.ekathimerini.com/opinion/interviews/1182202/antikythera-mechanism-a-crowning-achievement-of-ancient-technology/
https://www.livescience.com/antikythera-mechanism-photos

More on a study of Roman coins and what they reveal about a late-Republic currency crisis:

https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/research_team_sheds https://www.archaeology.org/news/10452-220411-coins-silver-copper

More on Pompeii's robot dog:

https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-703968 https://hyperallergic.com/723619/meet-spot-the-robot-underdog-of-pompeii/ https://www.npr.org/2022/04/11/1092162972/boston-dynamics-robot-dogs-pompeii

Feature on Stephen Miller and his work at Nemea:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/04/14/american-archaeologist-devotes-life-to-reviving-ancient-nemean-games/

Feature on Boudicca:

https://www.livescience.com/37061-boudicca.html

Feature on a family in Rome reconstructing an ancient Roman warship (Italian):

https://www.archeomedia.net/roma-ostia-antica-una-famiglia-di-maestri-dascia-ricostruisce-unantica-nave-da-guerra-romana/

Feature on obelisks in Rome:

https://www.dailysabah.com/life/history/istanbuls-haydarpasa-dig-reveals-hellenistic-cremation-tomb

Feature on a bowl from Tibet depicting Alexander:

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/MAGAZINE-ancient-bowl-from-tibet-shows-alexander-the-great-the-jewish-version-1.10734329

Feature on Circe:

https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/04/13/circe-greek-mythology/

Feature on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World:

https://www.livescience.com/seven-wonders-of-the-ancient-world

Feature on Alexander and Diogenes:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/04/15/alexander-great-diogenes-philosophy/

Feature on an earthquake that hit Crete in 365 CE:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/04/10/ancient-earthquake-destroyed-everything-crete/

Feature on Greek sports:

https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/04/11/seven-sports-ancient-greeks/

Feature on gambling in ancient Greece:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/04/11/gambling-ancient-greece-dice-games/ https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/04/16/ancient-greeks-and-gambling/

Feature on a manuscript found in 2007 revealing a battle between Goths and Greeks at Thermopylae in 262 CE:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/04/11/ancient-text-reveals-epic-battle-between-greeks-and-goths-at-thermopylae/

Feature on the Greek origins of Marseille:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/04/12/greek-origins-marseille-france-oldest-city/

Feature on celebrating birthdays in ancient Rome:

https://eaglesanddragonspublishing.com/ancient-everyday-celebrating-birthdays-in-ancient-rome/

Feature on the 'Pasquino' statue in Rome:

https://www.publicbooks.org/pasquino-statue-rome-italy-covid/

Feature on the Roman ships of Fiumicino:

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63811

Feature comparing Homeric and Biblical 'nobodies':

https://mosaicmagazine.com/observation/history-ideas/2022/04/homeric-and-biblical-nobodies/

The British Museum denied a request to 3d scan the Parthenon sculptures (not sure is this is a new 'denial'):

https://hyperallergic.com/722684/british-museum-denies-request-to-3d-scan-parthenon-marbles/

... while the new director of the Acropolis Museum is (as expected) calling for their return:

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220414-time-to-close-parthenon-marbles-row-acropolis-museum-director
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/acropolis-museum-parthenon-marbles-returned-greece-b994496.html

Latest Pasts Imperfect newsletter:

https://pastsimperfect.substack.com/p/pasts-imperfect-41422?s=r
-----
Roman Archaeology Blog:

http://romanarc.blogspot.com/

Rogueclassicism:

http://rogueclassicism.com/ ============================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland) ============================================================
A 3000 years bp burial from Alava is the earliest known victim of bubonic plague:

https://elpais.com/ciencia/2022-04-11/un-hombre-enterrado-en-la-peninsula-hace-3000-anos-ilumina-el-origen-de-la-peor-pandemia-de-la-historia.html

Neolithic and Bronze Age finds from a farming site near Guisborough:

https://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/20066371.archaeological-dig-gives-new-insight-prehistoric-farming-near-guisborough/

Bronze and Iron Age hoards from a Shropshire site:

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/north-shropshire/2022/04/13/shropshire-is-home-to-one-of-the-most-important-archaeological-sites-in-western-britain-says-expert/

GPR has located a Viking-age boat burial near Oyesletta in Norway:

https://norwaytoday.info/culture/viking-ship-grave-discovered-in-kvinesdal/ https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/04/survey-locates-boat-grave-from-viking-age/143321

Pondering an Iron Age (?) sandal found in Norway's Horse Ice Patch:

https://sciencenorway.no/archaeology-history-iron-age/why-was-this-flimsy-roman-looking-sandal-buried-beneath-the-snow-in-an-ancient-dangerous-norwegian-mountain-pass/2008637

They're repeating the news of the discovery of a sarcophagus and other items in Notre Dame:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/14/ancient-tombs-statues-notre-dame-cathedral-archaeological-dig
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2022/04/15/notre-dame-cathedral-archaeological-dig-report/2501650031303/
https://www.wsaz.com/gallery/2022/04/15/photos-ancient-tombs-statues-found-underneath-notre-dame/
https://www.trtworld.com/art-culture/mystery-sarcophagus-found-under-notre-dame-cathedral-56364
https://www.news24.com/news24/world/news/see-mystery-stone-coffin-believed-to-be-from-the-14th-century-found-in-notre-dame-after-the-fire-20220414
https://www.npr.org/2022/04/16/1093200949/notre-dame-cathedral-artifacts-found

... apparently because of plans to open the sarcophagus:

https://phys.org/news/2022-04-mystery-sarcophagus-notre-dame.html https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220414-mystery-sarcophagus-found-in-notre-dame-to-be-opened
https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/mystery-lead-sarcophagus-found-below-firedamaged-notredame-to-be-opened/
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/a-mysterious-sarcophagus-discovered-beneath-notre-dame-will-soon-be-opened-1234625466/

... and an update on what's going on with restoration efforts:

https://fr.aleteia.org/2022/04/14/notre-dame-trois-ans-apres-ce-qui-a-ete-fait-et-ce-qui-reste-a-faire/

18th/19th century finds from a hotel construction site in Nuneaton:

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/in-your-area/archaeologists-unearth-incredible-18th-century-23684434

Treasure inquests are under way for some items found in Norfolk:

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/treasure-inquests-opened-norfolk-historic-objects-8896264

More on the height of early European farmer types:

https://phys.org/news/2022-04-european-farmers-heights.html https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220407170927.htm https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2022/04/first-european-farmers-heights-did-not.html
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/04/14/first-european-farmers-heights-did-not-meet-expectations/

More on the 'lost' Ice Age cave from near Brixham being rediscovered:

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/lost-ancient-prehistoric-cave-first-6934385

More on the find of 'Arthurian-era' royal burials in the UK:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/possible-royal-graves-dated-to-the-time-of-king-arthur-found-in-great-britain-180979927/

More on Vikings and the reason they left Greenland:

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/sorry-vikings-you-didn-t-flee-greenland-because-of-little-ice-age-1.10742336

More on efforts to preserved bricks found in the Mary Rose:

https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/04/13/the-race-to-preserve-the-bricks-of-a-tudor-warship/
https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/20060324.roman-coins-treasure-found-wiltshire-go-display/

A project to restore a 1000 year bp water system in Spain:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/11/ancient-water-system-restore-spain-sierra-nevada-aoe

Feature on peat bogs in Ireland:

https://www.thetravel.com/visit-peat-bogs-of-ireland/

Feature on the Lyons 'fishbones' (tunnels):

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/lyon-treasure-fishbones-tunnels

Feature on witch hunting in medieval Catalonia:

https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0c04nbt/the-remote-village-with-the-key-to-a-dark-european-chapter

----------
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 ============================================================
Three Tang Dynasty tombs from Shanxi:

https://english.news.cn/20220411/d6f6e68dfa594a3398c4c3b4f11340ec/c.html http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2022-04/11/content_78158522.htm

A pair of early Western Han burials from Yancheng:

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63830

More on that project to restore some Tang Dynasty armour:

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202204/1258922.shtml http://www.ecns.cn/news/culture/2022-04-12/detail-ihaxmtii6873717.shtml https://english.news.cn/20220412/649ace9ae89b4e5ba9bfb79c319eb0f6/c.html

Feature on the Kayakekudduke Watchtower Site in northwest China:

https://english.news.cn/20220414/227414e3e8944f46b027c5330824e5a9/c.html

Study suggests the Bamboo Annals contain the earliest account of a candidate aurora:

https://phys.org/news/2022-04-earliest-candidate-aurora-chinese-annals.html https://www.iflscience.com/space/worlds-earliest-account-of-auroras-found-in-3000yearold-chinese-documents/

cf: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273117722000229

Chinese scholars are collaborating with their Afghan counterparts to conserve Silk Road relics:

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202204/1259139.shtml

Cambodia has started restoration of the gate to the Ta Prohm temple:

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/asiapacific/20220411/3e0d92631b0d4db88b80af764411680e/c.html
http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2022-04/13/content_78162582.htm

Funding for a study of the people of Angkor:

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501057492/318000-study-award-to-university-of-hawaii-anthropologist-to-study-people-of-angkor/

A 900-1200 years bp Buddhist stupa from Nateshwar (Bangladesh):

https://bdnews24.com/science/2022/04/17/another-buddhist-stupa-found-at-munshiganj-archaeological-site

Concerns for a 920 years bp Nandi idol from Nalgonda:

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/920-yr-old-nandi-idol-found-in-utter-neglect-in-nalgonda-dist/articleshow/90886553.cms

More on the giant stone jars from Assam:

https://www.livescience.com/ancient-stone-jars-india https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/how-ancient-megalithic-jars-connect-assam-with-laos-and-indonesia-7865066/
https://bigthink.com/the-past/india-archeology-stone-jars-assam/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discover-mysterious-giant-jars-in-india-180979864/

Feature on the Adichanallur excavations:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/thoothukudi/article65309279.ece ============================================================
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND ============================================================
More on the 50 000 years bp rock shelter site from Pilbarra:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/08/wa-aboriginal-site-near-rio-tinto-mine-more-than-50000-years-old-new-study-reveals
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10454-220411-western-australia-occupation ============================================================
NORTH AMERICA
============================================================
Digging is under way at the Franklin Grove estate in Tennessee:

https://www.williamsonherald.com/news/local_news/archaeological-digs-begin-at-franklin-grove-site/article_140eae6c-b9ca-11ec-b832-0f7ca7b258d4.html
https://williamsonsource.com/archaeologists-are-conducting-digs-at-future-home-of-franklin-grove/

Overviewish thing on a dig to reveal what remains of Payne's Crossing:

https://www.ohio.edu/news/2022/04/students-faculty-set-out-uncover-once-thriving-civil-war-era-african-american

Climate change concerns for sites in Palm Beach County:

https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/environment/2022-04-16/climate-change-is-affecting-archaeological-sites-in-palm-beach-county

Feature on obsidian use by Lake County indigenous folk:

https://www.lakecountybloom.com/obsidian-use-in-lake-countys-indigenous-cultures/

Feature on Fort Ross:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/04/12/fort-ross-russian-jamestown/

More on migrants not coming to North America via an ice-free corridor some 13 000 years bp:

https://bigthink.com/the-past/ice-free-corridor-clovis-americas/

More on the identification of the Sparrow Hawk:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-this-new-englands-oldest-known-english-shipwreck-sparrow-hawk-180979880/

Plans to 'resink' some timbers from historic ships found in Old Town Alexandria a while ago:

https://www.alxnow.com/2022/04/12/historic-ship-re-sinking-to-start-next-month-at-ben-brenman-park/

The National Park Service has added 16 new Underground Railroad sites to its network:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/national-park-service-adds-16-new-sites-to-the-underground-railroad-network-180979904/

Review of Allen Guelzo, *Robert E Lee: A Life*:

https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v44/n07/matthew-karp/his-whiskers-trimmed

============================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA ============================================================
Mural fragments from the Las Pinturas pyramid in San Bartolo, Guatemala reveal the earliest known record of a Maya calendar (300-200 BCE):

https://phys.org/news/2022-04-earliest-evidence-maya-sacred-calendar.html https://www.livescience.com/earliest-evidence-maya-calendar https://english.elpais.com/culture/2022-04-14/earliest-record-of-the-maya-calendar-found-in-the-depths-of-guatemalan-pyramid.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/earliest-evidence-maya-calendar-found-guatemalan-pyramid-rcna24402
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/maya-calendar-hieroglyph-date-oldest-evidence
https://www.zmescience.com/science/archaeology/the-earliest-mayan-calendar-may-have-been-found-in-2300-year-old-guatemalan-ruins/
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-704256 https://www.dailysabah.com/life/history/archaeologists-find-earliest-maya-calendar-in-guatemalan-pyramid
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/63849 https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/04/this-is-the-oldest-known-use-of-the-maya-calendar/
https://www.sciencealert.com/the-earliest-example-of-a-maya-calendar-has-been-found-in-fragments-in-guatemala
https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2022/04/fragments-of-ancient-maya-260-day-calendar-found-in-guatemala/
https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2022/04/earliest-record-of-maya-calendar-found.html
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10463-220414-guatemala-maya-calendar

cf: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abl9290 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01058-7

1500 years bp (or thereabouts) ritual deposits from feasts at Palenque:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/04/ritual-deposits-from-ancient-feasts-found-at-palanque/143336

I think we mentioned this surgeon's burial from Lambayeque:

https://boingboing.net/2022/04/12/ancient-surgeon-found-buried-with-his-scalpels-awls-needles-and-other-tools-of-the-trade.html
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/04/ancient-peruvian-was-buried-with-tools-for-cranial-surgery/

A wall collapse at the pre-Inca site of Kuelap has led to its temporary closure:

https://perureports.com/peru-temporarily-closes-pre-incan-archeological-site-kuelap-after-wall-collapse/9318/

More on an earthquake and tsunami affecting Chile's Atacama desert some 3800 years bp:

https://phys.org/news/2022-04-megathrust-earthquake-tsunami-years-hunter-gathers.html
https://www.iflscience.com/environment/people-avoided-chiles-coast-for-1000-years-after-ancient-megatsunami/
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/04/a-tsunami-wiped-out-ancient-communities-the-atacama-desert-3800-years-ago/
https://www.sciencealert.com/ferocious-super-quake-we-never-knew-about-sent-humans-into-hiding-for-1-000-years
https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2022/04/massive-earthquake-and-tsunami-wiped.html
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10455-220412-chile-atacama-desert

More on Inca sacrifice victims being given ayahuasca:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/04/inca-children-were-drugged-and-then-sacrificed-on-volcanic-peaks-and-mountains/143318
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01037-y

More on stone spheres from Costa Rica:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/04/archaeologists-excavate-giant-stone-spheres-in-costa-rica/143313

More on not-Machu Picchu:

https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-703855
-----
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 ============================================================
Study suggests the origin is civilization is tied specifically to the adoption of cereal crops:

https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/study_sheds_new https://phys.org/news/2022-04-civilization.html https://www.sciencealert.com/there-s-a-new-hypothesis-for-how-human-civilizations-first-got-started
https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2022/04/study-sheds-new-light-on-origin-of.html
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/04/12/study-sheds-new-light-on-the-origin-of-civilisation/
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10461-220413-cereal-farming-tax

cf: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/718372

Feature on how ancient societies recycled their 'outdated' monuments:

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/04/statue-repurposing-how-ancient-societies-recycled-old-monuments.html

Not sure where to put this interview with one of the Curators of the Museum of the Bible on the role of archaeology:

https://www.jpost.com/christianworld/article-703648

Feature on 11 time capsules waiting to be opened:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/time-capsules-waiting-to-be-opened

How the plague affected the sacrament of penance:

https://www.jpost.com/christianworld/article-703912

Feature on Martha Sharp Joukowsky:

https://www.archaeological.org/archaeologists-you-should-know-joukowsky/

Feature on Mary Gartside and her theories about colour:

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220401-the-women-who-redefined-colour

Feature on the Ladies of Llangollen:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-60917657

Feature on Katharine Jowett's paintings of China:

https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/arts-music/article/3172706/british-artist-whose-paintings-chinas-capital

Feature on Picasso's Blue Period:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-exhibition-reveals-the-hidden-images-under-picasso-blue-period-paintings-180979875/

Feature on the cult of the Virgin Mary:

https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/how-the-cult-of-the-virgin-mary-has-evolved-through-history-book-review-miri-rubin/

A study of the role of rats in pandemics is in the works:

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/20065002.york-major-rat-research-project/

I think we mentioned this Spanish chapel murals 'revamp':

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/08/spanish-chapel-artist-murals-jesus-cees-sant-cristofol

Ten things about the Titanic:

https://www.dw.com/en/10-things-about-the-titanic-you-probably-didnt-know/a-61368562

... similar:


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