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Don Quixote
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Topic: Archaeology news updates Posted: 09-Apr-2012 at 14:13 |
Pink for the Egyptian queen: "...CAIRO: Archaeologists have unearthed the intact sarcophagus of Egypt’s
Queen Behenu, a 4,000-year-old artifact made from rare pink granite. The
sarcophagus was found inside her burial chamber near her pyramid in
Saqqara, chief archaeologist Zahi Hawass has announced.
The Old Kingdom queen’s chamber was badly damaged except for two inner
walls covered with spells meant to help her travel to the afterlife, he
said in a statement...."Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Culture/Arts/Mar/16/Rare-pink-granite-sarcophagus-uncovered-in
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Don Quixote
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Posted: 09-Apr-2012 at 14:15 |
"...
Dated to the pre-Megalithic/Iron Age period in T.N. — 1,800 BC-1,500 BC
A vast urn-burial site has been found at Mandapam village, near Aarpakkam intersection, about 14 km from Kancheepuram.The
importance of the site, archaeologists say, is that it belongs to a
period earlier than the Megalithic Age or Iron Age in Tamil Nadu.They estimate that the site is datable to 1,800 BCE to 1,500 BCE, that is, 3,800 to 3,500 years before the present...."http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article3294390.ece
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Don Quixote
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Posted: 09-Apr-2012 at 14:30 |
"..CAMBRIDGE —
Around 1860 near Kodiak Island off the south coast of Alaska, an
Alutiiq warrior built a streamlined kayak by stretching and sewing the
hides of five female sea lions around a sophisticated wooden frame.
A warrior and whaler, he gave his kayak the biurficated, or double bow,
his people favored to slice through the rough seas of the Gulf of
Alaska to hunt whales with javelin-sized harpoons.
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Centrix Vigilis
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Posted: 10-Apr-2012 at 13:29 |
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"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"
S. T. Friedman
Pilger's law: 'If it's been officially denied, then it's probably true'
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Centrix Vigilis
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Posted: 11-Apr-2012 at 14:39 |
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"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"
S. T. Friedman
Pilger's law: 'If it's been officially denied, then it's probably true'
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Don Quixote
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Posted: 12-Apr-2012 at 12:39 |
Secrets of the earliest Britons could be hidden in 5,000-year-old tomb
"...Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a Neolithic portal
dolmen, one of Western Europe's oldest ritual burial chambered
monuments, in an isolated field in Wales. It is thought the tomb was built from giant boulders about 5,500
years ago. Its capstone bears a seemingly random pattern of dozens of
circular holes gouged into its surface – symbols of Neolithic or Bronze
Age ritual burial activity. What makes it particularly interesting
is that the site has rare remains of human bones and shards of
decorated pottery. An official burial licence must now be sought before
the bones can be removed, but eventually radiocarbon-dating and other
tests planned for the remains may give new insight into our early
farming ancestors...." http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/secrets-of-the-earliest-britons-could-be-hidden-in-5000yearold-tomb-7628109.html
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Don Quixote
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Posted: 12-Apr-2012 at 12:53 |
"...Two deep-frozen
settlements, Qeqertasussuk and Qajaa, were among the traces that some
of the very first immigrants to western Greenland, 4,500 years ago,
left behind at Disko Bay.
A
reconstructed Saqqaq culture drum, shown here by Martin Appelt, an
archaeologist at the National Museum of Denmark, and Natuk Lund Olsen,
an ethnologist at the Greenland National Museum and Archives. (Photo:
Greenland National Museum and Archives)
Unlike settlements elsewhere in the world, where only stone objects
have survived thousands of years hidden in the soil, the deep-frozen
remains in the Disko Bay area have also preserved perishable materials
such as wood and bones, hair, feathers and skins.Archaeological excavations at Qeqertasussuk and Qajaa in the 1980s
brought countless otherwise unknown tools and objects to light –
including harpoons and lances, tools with shafts, kitchen items, even
parts of skin clothing.
Finds like this have gradually helped archaeologists draw a detailed
picture of the people of the Saqqaq culture – the first inhabitants of
western Greenland.Now an extra dimension has been added because of the two pieces of
frozen wood found among so many other wooden items from the two
settlements that are now kept at museums in Nuuk and Qasigiannguit. Archaeologists recognised the two pieces of frozen wood as parts of
drums – used in drum songs and dances, which express the soul of the
Inuit culture. Until Greenland was Christianised, the drum was the
indispensable tool of the angakoq – the Inuit shaman – at séances...." http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/04/2012/inuit-drum-history-longer-than-realised
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Don Quixote
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Posted: 12-Apr-2012 at 12:59 |
"...Buddhist antiques unearthed at Peruvaje
Udupi, April 7, 2012, DHNS:
Buddhist antques of Satavahana period were
unearthed at Peruvaje in Dakshina Kannada. The Buddhist relics were
found on the slopes of a small hill near Jaladurga temple.According
to a press release issued by M S R S College, Shirva, Department of
Ancient History and Archeology Professor T Murugeshi,the antiques
consist of a Buddha’s head which is of 12 cms in height and a flake of
Bodisatva face which is of 9 cms in width and 9 cms in height. It is
made out of soft soap stone (balapa). The face of the
Buddha’s head is totally damaged. It has long ears and a small
“ushnisha” over the head. These features indicate that the image is of
Buddha’s head which dates back to the 7th century AD...." http://www.deccanherald.com/content/240433/buddhist-antiques-unearthed-peruvaje.html
Edited by Don Quixote - 12-Apr-2012 at 13:03
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Don Quixote
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Posted: 12-Apr-2012 at 13:08 |
An unknown son of Pakal II of Palenke has been identified by Mexican archeologists MEXICO CITY.- Parting
from the reintegration of two fragments from the Northern Tableau of the
Temple of the Sun Sanctuary, in Palenque, a new lecture of the glyphic
text was conducted in which the name of another son of Pakal II, unknown
until now, may have been mentioned.
Both sculptural fragments were recovered in 1993 by archaeologist
Arnoldo Gonzalez, from the National Institute of Anthropology and
History (INAH) and were recently incorporated to the Northern Tableau at
the Archaeological Site of Palenque, in the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Epigraphist Guillermo Bernal Romero has interpreted the secondary text
of the tableau, integrated by the pair of fragments salvaged. In a
preliminary expression of the glyphs ordered in columns, the date that
corresponds to September 9th 687 is mentioned, when Palenque forces
broke into the city of Po’ (Tonina) “by the work” of its ruler K’inich
Kan B’ahlam, firstborn child of K’inich Janaab’ Pakal, known also as
Pakal II.
More Information: http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=44857[/url] Copyright © artdaily.org
Edited by Don Quixote - 12-Apr-2012 at 13:09
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Don Quixote
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Posted: 12-Apr-2012 at 13:17 |
"... A bronze, Viking-era "piggy-bank" containing thousands silver coins dating from the 11th century has been unearthed on the Baltic island of Gotland in what Swedish archaeologists have described as a "fantastic" treasure find.... ...A preliminary analysis of one of the coins revealed that it was likely minted in Germany some time between 1000 and 1040.
X-rays also indicate that the bucket, which measures 23 centimetres in
diameter and has a depth of about 17 centimetres, likely contains
"thousands" of coins.
"We can't say for sure because the x-rays couldn't penetrate all the
silver. There might be other silver artefacts in there, but as it looks
now, the bucket appears filled to the brim with coins," said Widerström...."..."http://www.thelocal.se/40206/20120411/
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tjadams
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Posted: 14-Apr-2012 at 11:10 |
Do intelligent dinosaurs really rule alien worlds?By Ian O'Neill-Published April 12, 2012-Discovery News
It sounds like the ultimate science fiction storyline: What if the dinosaurs weren't wiped out by an asteroid impact 65 million years ago? Perhaps they'd still be alive today, in an advanced evolutionary state, developing their space program and their own asteroid impact mitigation strategies. Sadly for us, this would have probably meant that mammals wouldn't have gotten a foothold and the fledgling human race would have become glorified dino-chum. ANALYSIS: Asteroid Family Not Guilty of Dinosaur Killing In new research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the rather outlandish prospect of alien -- not terrestrial -- dinosaur life is explored by Ronald Breslow. And these dino-aliens ("Dinolians"?) didn't have the misfortune of being smacked by an asteroid and/or get snuffed out by a volcanic eruption. |
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/04/12/do-intelligent-dinosaurs-really-rule-alien-worlds/#ixzz1s1mj2kwT
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Posted: 14-Apr-2012 at 11:14 |
Birdlike dinosaur about to lay eggs when death struckBy Jeanna Bryner-Published April 12, 2012-LiveScience
A mysterious birdlike dinosaur was about to lay her eggs when she perished some 70 million years ago in what is now Patagonia, researchers have found. The scenario is based on the discovery of two dinosaur eggs lying near the partial skeletal remains of an alvarezsaurid dinosaur, which was a type of small maniraptoran, a group of theropod dinosaurs believed to be the line that eventually led to modern-day birds. Alvarezsaurids are bizarre among dinosaurs, scientists have said, due to their short, massive forelimbs tipped with a single digit sporting a gigantic claw. The dinosaurs also show highly birdlike skeletons, even though they were flightless. The team named the dinosaur Bonapartenykus ultimus in honor of José Bonaparte, who in 1991 discovered the first alvarezsaurid in Patagonia. |
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/04/12/birdlike-dinosaur-about-to-lay-eggs-when-death-struck/#ixzz1s1nn7ZzX
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tjadams
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Posted: 14-Apr-2012 at 17:12 |
Skull confirms older origin for 'living fossil' fishBy Wynne Parry-Published April 14, 2012-LiveScience
A group of ancient fish, called coelacanths, have changed so little over time they are known as "living fossils." Now, the remains of a skull found in the Yunnan Province of China, confirms these creatures have been around, largely unchanged, for more than 400 million years. Once thought to have died out at roughly the time the dinosaurs disappeared, the first living coelacanth was discovered in a fishing net in 1938 off the eastern coast of South Africa. Since then, others have turned up elsewhere along the coasts of the Indian Ocean. [Image Gallery: Freaky Fish] While it's clear their history goes way back, the fossils they left behind have been scarce so far. A lower jawbone, more than 400 million years old and discovered in Australia, hinted at the earliest known emergence of coelacanths whose appearance matched the two species alive today. This small fossil has been described as the oldest coelacanth, but the authors of the recent research write that it offers so little information that it cannot be reliably placed within the fishes' family tree. |
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/04/14/skull-confirms-older-origin-for-living-fossil-fish/#ixzz1s3Fwwnlf
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tjadams
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Posted: 14-Apr-2012 at 17:15 |
Paleo-art: See a fFuzzy Dinosaur Fishing at DawnBy Jennifer Welsh-Published April 10, 2012-LiveScience
A paleontologist-artist has revealed what a meat-eating dinosaur called Unenlagia (whose name means "half-bird") may have looked like when it roamed the Earth some 85 million years ago during the late Cretaceous. Paleontologist, consultant and scientific illustrator Scott Hartman depicts Unenlagia fishing in the early morning glow from the sun. This species would have eaten meat and probably was covered in feathers, as depicted in the image. The species is likely related to raptors, including Velociraptor of "Jurassic Park" fame. "I did the sketch over a year ago, and had it ready to go (it's a digital painting in Photoshop), so I decided to give it a crack and it fell into place a lot faster than I'd expected (most of the time was spent painting water detail)," University of Wyoming's Hartman wrote in his blog SkeletalDrawing.com Sunday (April 8). "I've reconstructed Unenlagiaas somewhat less ecologically specialized than its relatives Buitreraptor and Austroraptor, but fishing nonetheless." |
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/04/10/paleo-art-see-fuzzy-dinosaur-fishing-at-dawn/#ixzz1s3GZEv3n
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tjadams
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Posted: 14-Apr-2012 at 17:23 |
Mummified Kitten Bred to be Egyptian OfferingBy Jennifer Welsh-Published April 13, 2012-LiveScience
Two thousand years ago, an Egyptian purchased a mummified kitten from a breeder, to offer as a sacrifice to the goddess Bastet, new research suggests. Between about 332 B.C. and 30 B.C. in Egypt, cats were bred near temples specifically to be mummified and used as offerings. The cat mummy came from the Egyptian Collection of the National Archeological Museum in Parma, Italy. It was bought by the museum in the 18th century from a collector. Because of how the museum acquired it, there's no documentation about where the mummy came from. The cat mummies from this period are common, especially kittens. "Kittens, aged 2 to 4 months old, were sacrificed in huge numbers, because they were more suitable for mummification," the authors write in the paper, published in the April 2012 issue of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. |
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/04/13/mummified-kitten-served-as-egyptian-offering/#ixzz1s3IdNjLw
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Don Quixote
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Posted: 14-Apr-2012 at 17:25 |
Archaeologists Excavate Major Ancient Urban Center in Macedonia"... Known
as Heraclea Lyncestis, its ancient remains are located atop a low-lying
hill near the present-day town of Bitola in the Republic of Macedonia.
Under the direction of Anica Georgievska and Engin Nasuh of the National
Museum of Bitola, with cooperation from the New Bulgarian University, a
team of archaeologists, students and volunteers will be revealing more
of its remains, exploring the residential areas near a monumental Roman
theater that punctuates its appearance.
Founded in the fourth century BC by the conquering Phillip of
Macedon, it was a key strategic urban center along the Via Egnatia road
in Antiquity, connecting Rome and Asia Minor. Conquered later by the
Romans, it was mentioned in the chronicles describing the campaigns of
Julius Caesar, and inscriptions, monuments and artifacts discovered at
the site have provided clear evidence of the town’s rising prosperity
and significance during the Roman period. During the Byzantine period,
It was the residence of bishops. In the end, its urban prominence and
history came to an end in the late sixth century when the Slavs
conquered Pelagonia, the geographical plain between present-day Greece and the Republic of Macedonia...."http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/march-2012/article/archaeologists-excavate-major-ancient-urban-center-in-macedonia ____________________________________________________
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Don Quixote
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Posted: 14-Apr-2012 at 17:29 |
"...More than 50 ancient
and rare relics were uncovered in a tomb excavation in Guxian County,
Anhui province. The 53-tomb complex is believed to have been under
construction over many dynastic periods dating back to the Eastern Han
Dynasty nearly 2,000 years ago.
The tomb complex was
discovered accidentally on a construction site. It contains over 50
brick tombs from the Eastern Han, Tang and Song dynasties.
Experts identified the type of people who were buried there.Zhao Lanhui, deputy
researcher of the Bengbu Cultural Relics Institute, said, "lying south
to north would perhaps be people of four generations. Due to its size,
we know the tombs come from the Song Dynasty. It's small with a simple
style.
The tombs hold a unique character that were built in an animal shape."Though some tombs have
been plundered over the years, precious relics have emerged, such as
bronze mirrors, gold and silver garments, along with pottery boxes.Many people buried here were considered common people, until the discovery of a special, delicate and well-preserved mirror.
Zhou Chongwen, archaeologist, said, "It's a relatively large bronze mirror, which means the owner held social status."An archeological study is continuing on into its history and the people who lived here.It's generating much interest in local heritage and cultural identity...." http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/anhui/travel/2012-04/13/content_15044247.htm
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Don Quixote
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Posted: 14-Apr-2012 at 17:32 |
"... Archaeologists have found the oldest
engravings of letters ever to be discovered in central Germany,
officials from the area announced on Thursday.
The ancient letters, called runes, were scratched onto a 12.5
centimetre-long comb by Germanic settlers in the second century,
scientists working on the site in Saxony-Anhalt believe.
The letters spell out “Kama”, meaning comb, the president of the state
Heritage and Archaeology Management Office, Sven Ostritz, said on
Thursday.
It is the oldest ever example of runic writing to be found in that part of the country, he added.
Germanic languages used the runic alphabet to write before the Latin
alphabet became widespread. The earliest runic engravings have been
dated back to 150AD.
Engravings from a similar period have been found in the Märkische
Schweiz region near Berlin, and in western Ukraine, Ostritz revealed.
The comb, which is made from deer antler, was lifted out of its resting
place nearly two metres below the ground several years ago. But it had
been tucked away until recently, when scientists cleaned it off and put
it under a microscope to examine the writing...." http://www.thelocal.de/national/20120413-41929.html
Edited by Don Quixote - 14-Apr-2012 at 17:33
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Don Quixote
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Posted: 14-Apr-2012 at 17:41 |
Greek and Byzantine-era tomb discoveries in Alexandria prompt construction freeze "...Egyptian archaeologists have discovered four Greek and Byzantine-era
rock tombs in a section of old Alexandria's eastern necropolis in an
area neighbouring Al-Ibrahimeya tunnel.The site was discovered during excavations carried out by the Ministry
of State for Antiquities (MSA) and stretches between the areas of
Al-Shatbi and Mostafa Kamel.Excavations uncovered four rock-hewn Greek and Byzantine tombs
containing a collection of funerary pots, perfume containers and lamps.... ...A finely decorated clay container from the second century BC was among the discoveries, he added.
Director general of Alexandria antiquities, Mohamed Mostafa, explained
that the most important tomb is one dating from the Greco-Roman era
which include an open courtyard with two rocky cylindrical columns in
the middle.
Two burial shafts filled with human skeletons and clay pots were also uncovered. A cecorated 'Hidra' container -- a large pot filled with burned human
remains -- was also unearthed along with a tombstone bearing the
deceased’s name.Mostafa told Ahram Online that the tomb’s walls still bear layers of plaster and traces of red paintings.
The second tomb has eight rock-hewn steps and is located under a modern
building; the third and fourth ones are found on a deeper level and
house a collection of clay lamps and pots of different sizes and
shapes.
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Don Quixote
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Posted: 16-Apr-2012 at 18:55 |
One of Earliest Farming Sites in Europe Discovered"... ScienceDaily (Apr. 16, 2012) — University of
Cincinnati research is revealing early farming in a former wetlands
region that was largely cut off from Western researchers until recently.
The UC collaboration with the Southern Albania Neolithic Archaeological
Project (SANAP) will be presented April 20 at the annual meeting of the
Society for American Archaeology (SAA).... ...The findings show that Vashtëmi, located in southeastern Albania, was
occupied around 6,500 cal BC, making it one of the earliest farming
sites in Europe. The location of early sites such as Vashtëmi near
wetland edges suggests that the earliest farmers in Europe
preferentially selected such resource-rich settings to establish pioneer
farming villages.
During this earliest phase of farming in Europe, farming was on a
small scale and employed plant and animal domesticates from the Near
East. At Vashtëmi, the researchers have found cereal-based agriculture
including emmer, einkorn and barley; animals such as pigs, cattle and
sheep or goats (the two are hard to tell apart for many bones of the
skeleton); and deer, wild pig, rabbit, turtle, several species of fish
and eels. What seems evident is that the earliest farmers in the region
cast a wide net for food resources, rather than relying primarily on
crops and domesticated animals, as is widely assumed...."http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120416113013.htm
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