Bones of a Roman couple—killed for being Christian—may have been identified.
The skeletons of two married, early-Christian saints—said to have been buried alive nearly 2,000 years ago—may have been identified in Italy, scientists announced Thursday.
Analysis of the skeletons—sealed off for centuries in an Italian cathedral until recently—seems to support the legend of Chrysanthus and Daria, who are said to have been persecuted in the city of Rome for being Christians.
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Monday, April 18, 2011
Dundee academics reconstruct Viking woman's face
Academics at Dundee University have helped recreate the face of a Viking woman whose skeleton was unearthed in York more than 30 years ago.
The facial reconstruction was achieved by laser-scanning her skull to create a 3D digital model.
Eyes were then digitally created, along with hair and a bonnet, to complete the look.
The project was part of a £150,000 investment at York's Jorvik Viking Centre.
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The facial reconstruction was achieved by laser-scanning her skull to create a 3D digital model.
Eyes were then digitally created, along with hair and a bonnet, to complete the look.
The project was part of a £150,000 investment at York's Jorvik Viking Centre.
Read the rest of this article...
Did Lucy's species butcher animals?
In August 2010 archaeologists announced that they had discovered evidence that pushed back the origin of butchery nearly 800,000 years. Studying bones of cow- and goat-size animals dated to around 3.4 million years ago from a site in Ethiopia called Dikika, Shannon McPherron of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and his colleagues observed several distinctive marks. After conducting an extensive analysis of the marks, the team determined that they resulted from butchery with stone tools, although no implements were recovered at the site. Because the only human remains known from Dikika belong to Australopithecus afarensis—the species to which the famous Lucy fossil belongs—the researchers concluded A. afarensis was the butcher.
The discovery made a big splash, because scientists thought stone tool use and butchery originated with human ancestors more advanced than Lucy's kind. Furthermore, according to conventional wisdom, A. afarensis relied primarily on plant foods.
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The discovery made a big splash, because scientists thought stone tool use and butchery originated with human ancestors more advanced than Lucy's kind. Furthermore, according to conventional wisdom, A. afarensis relied primarily on plant foods.
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Rising above the Acropolis – Constellation “Draco” signalled beginning of Athenian athletic festival new research shows
When the dragon rose the games began!
About 2,500 years ago, at a time when Athens was in its prime, the people of the city celebrated the birth of Athena, their patron goddess, with a great event.
Known as the Panathenaic festival it featured a series of athletic games that included chariot races, javelin throwing and boating. It even had a bloody contest known as pankration, a combination of wrestling and boxing which is not that dissimilar from today’s mixed martial arts.
Celebrated annually around late July – mid August it was an important part of the city’s life and now, thanks to new research by Professor Efrosyni Boutsikas of the University of Kent, we have evidence that astronomy played a role in these games. She reconstructed the sky over the Athenian acropolis, determining how it would have looked about 2,500 years ago. Her results were published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Archaeology.
Read the rest of this article...
About 2,500 years ago, at a time when Athens was in its prime, the people of the city celebrated the birth of Athena, their patron goddess, with a great event.
Known as the Panathenaic festival it featured a series of athletic games that included chariot races, javelin throwing and boating. It even had a bloody contest known as pankration, a combination of wrestling and boxing which is not that dissimilar from today’s mixed martial arts.
Celebrated annually around late July – mid August it was an important part of the city’s life and now, thanks to new research by Professor Efrosyni Boutsikas of the University of Kent, we have evidence that astronomy played a role in these games. She reconstructed the sky over the Athenian acropolis, determining how it would have looked about 2,500 years ago. Her results were published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Archaeology.
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Mass burial suggests massacre at Iron Age hill fort
Archaeologists have found evidence of a massacre linked to Iron Age warfare at a hill fort in Derbyshire.
A burial site contained only women and children - the first segregated burial of this kind from Iron Age Britain.
Nine skeletons were discovered in a section of ditch around the fort at Fin Cop in the Peak District.
Scientists believe "perhaps hundreds more skeletons" could be buried in the ditch, only a small part of which has been excavated so far.
Read the rest of this article...
A burial site contained only women and children - the first segregated burial of this kind from Iron Age Britain.
Nine skeletons were discovered in a section of ditch around the fort at Fin Cop in the Peak District.
Scientists believe "perhaps hundreds more skeletons" could be buried in the ditch, only a small part of which has been excavated so far.
Read the rest of this article...
Discovering Santa Fiora
The Caput Aquae of the Aqua Traiana
Two web pages about the Santa Fiora Aqueduct:
The Archaeology of the Spring Chamber at the Santa Fiora Nymphaeum
and
Features of the Aqua Traiana Aqueduct Tunnel at Santa Fiora
Two web pages about the Santa Fiora Aqueduct:
The Archaeology of the Spring Chamber at the Santa Fiora Nymphaeum
and
Features of the Aqua Traiana Aqueduct Tunnel at Santa Fiora
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Aqueduct Hunter dot Com launches on Worldwide Water day 2011
The AqueductHunter Website has launched today on Worldwide Water day, and features a special report on the discovery of the Santa Fiora Nymphaeum, the primary source of the Aqua Traiana Aqueduct.
Aqueducthunter.com has twelve pages of information on the Santa Fiora discovery and the Aqua Traiana, twenty six image pages and four brand-spanking new plans and projections of the Fiora Nymphaeum site. Aqueducthunter.com is a great resource for Emperors, Enthusiasts and Erudati alike.
Come and read about the world of Roman Water and meet the fearless aqueduct hunters
at aqueducthunter.com.
Aqueducthunter.com has twelve pages of information on the Santa Fiora discovery and the Aqua Traiana, twenty six image pages and four brand-spanking new plans and projections of the Fiora Nymphaeum site. Aqueducthunter.com is a great resource for Emperors, Enthusiasts and Erudati alike.
Come and read about the world of Roman Water and meet the fearless aqueduct hunters
at aqueducthunter.com.
Friday, April 15, 2011
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.
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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.
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Midlands Viking Symposium to explore the legacy of the Vikings in Ireland
This year’s Midlands Viking Symposium will be taking place outside the United Kingdom for the first time in its history as scholars focus on the role of the Norse in Ireland.
The symposium (April 29th – May 1st) will be held in Dublin, with the opening address and reception taking place at the National Museum of Ireland.
The Vikings left a strong imprint on Ireland that is still apparent in place-names, archaeological finds and in the DNA of the modern population.
Recent archaeological finds of weapons, jewellery and Viking remains have provided new evidence of the deep and widespread impact that the invaders had on Ireland, when they started arriving on its shores more than a thousand years ago. The recently-discovered site of Annagassan promises to rival Viking Dublin in the richness and variety of relics uncovered there.
Read the rest of this article...
The symposium (April 29th – May 1st) will be held in Dublin, with the opening address and reception taking place at the National Museum of Ireland.
The Vikings left a strong imprint on Ireland that is still apparent in place-names, archaeological finds and in the DNA of the modern population.
Recent archaeological finds of weapons, jewellery and Viking remains have provided new evidence of the deep and widespread impact that the invaders had on Ireland, when they started arriving on its shores more than a thousand years ago. The recently-discovered site of Annagassan promises to rival Viking Dublin in the richness and variety of relics uncovered there.
Read the rest of this article...
Dundee University staff bring Viking's face to life
Academics at Dundee University have helped recreate the most accurate picture of Viking life yet as part of a £150,000 investment at York's Jorvik Viking Centre.
York Archaeological Trust, owner of Jorvik, has used the most advanced scientific and archaeological research techniques to bring York's Vikings to life and allow the public to come face to face with the most accurate picture of Vikings at two new exhibitions at the centre, launched this week.
The trust enlisted the skills of academics at Dundee University to produce a facial reconstruction of a female skeleton — one of four excavated at Coppergate in York over 30 years ago.
Read the rest of this article...
York Archaeological Trust, owner of Jorvik, has used the most advanced scientific and archaeological research techniques to bring York's Vikings to life and allow the public to come face to face with the most accurate picture of Vikings at two new exhibitions at the centre, launched this week.
The trust enlisted the skills of academics at Dundee University to produce a facial reconstruction of a female skeleton — one of four excavated at Coppergate in York over 30 years ago.
Read the rest of this article...
This cult of the ruin renders England's landscape soulless. Better to rebuild
A bad omen is at hand. The cult of the ruin is back. I mean not just the return of such modern "ruins" as the Great Depression, Liberal coalitions or royal weddings, but ancient ones too. Television is furiously walking, digging and rescuing relics of the past. The British Museum recalls the venues of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and, perhaps, whatever the RAF leaves standing of Libya. Meanwhile, publishers are chiselling ever more tomes from the walls of castles and abbeys. No self-respecting coffee table is without a leg-buckling volume of ruination.
The architectural writers Jeremy Musson and John Goodall are the latest priests of the cult to celebrate its mysteries. Musson's English Ruins exults in such shrines as Glastonbury, Fountains, Dunstanburgh, Bodiam, Cowdray and even Battersea power station. England to him "is a landscape of ruins". Not a town is without some clump of tumbled stone, telling of "the rise and fall of dynasties … of great follies and long-forgotten certainties". It does not matter if the original is a Norman keep or the boarded-up houses of Yvette Cooper's "Pathfinder" northern ghost towns. They are grist to Musson's mill of fossilised history.
Read the rest of this article...
The architectural writers Jeremy Musson and John Goodall are the latest priests of the cult to celebrate its mysteries. Musson's English Ruins exults in such shrines as Glastonbury, Fountains, Dunstanburgh, Bodiam, Cowdray and even Battersea power station. England to him "is a landscape of ruins". Not a town is without some clump of tumbled stone, telling of "the rise and fall of dynasties … of great follies and long-forgotten certainties". It does not matter if the original is a Norman keep or the boarded-up houses of Yvette Cooper's "Pathfinder" northern ghost towns. They are grist to Musson's mill of fossilised history.
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Lewis Chessman exhibition opens in Stornoway museum
Some of the historic Lewis Chessmen have gone on display on the island where they were found more than 150 years ago.
More than 30 of the 12th Century pieces are being shown at the exhibition at Museum nan Eilean in Stornoway.
The chessmen were found beneath a sand dune near Uig on the west coast of Lewis at some point before 1831.
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More than 30 of the 12th Century pieces are being shown at the exhibition at Museum nan Eilean in Stornoway.
The chessmen were found beneath a sand dune near Uig on the west coast of Lewis at some point before 1831.
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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.
The scenario is speculative, but based on evidence unearthed at the Dmanisi excavation site in the Republic of Georgia and presented earlier this month at a meeting of the Society for American Archaeology in Sacramento, California.
Reid Ferring, a geoarchaeologist at the University of North Texas, has championed the idea, which arose from his ongoing interest in the numbers and arrangements of stones found at the dig. The stones or 'cobbles' are intriguing, he says, because they are otherwise nonexistent in the layers of volcanic sediment that encase the ancient site. “There’s no possible way they got there naturally,” he says of the nearly 200 stones he’s studied.
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The scenario is speculative, but based on evidence unearthed at the Dmanisi excavation site in the Republic of Georgia and presented earlier this month at a meeting of the Society for American Archaeology in Sacramento, California.
Reid Ferring, a geoarchaeologist at the University of North Texas, has championed the idea, which arose from his ongoing interest in the numbers and arrangements of stones found at the dig. The stones or 'cobbles' are intriguing, he says, because they are otherwise nonexistent in the layers of volcanic sediment that encase the ancient site. “There’s no possible way they got there naturally,” he says of the nearly 200 stones he’s studied.
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Roman kilns and Bronze Age remains at Plumley Wood
rchaeological fieldwork carried out in advance of mineral extraction unearthed a group of pottery kilns dating from the late Roman period. This is one of several discoveries revealed by Thames Valley Archaeological Services (TVAS) during the course of quarrying in the area and includes an important Late Palaeolithic site just to the south at Somerley.
The New Forest has long been recognized as an important centre of pottery production in Roman Britain, its products being widely traded throughout the province. It is, however, a somewhat surprising location for site director Andy Taylor and his team to find such an industry. The main drawback being the lack of locally available clay suitable for potting. It appears that the supply of timber for fuel was more important than the lack of clay.
The pottery produced here is distinctive for its shiny appearance, which seems to have been intended to imitate metallic vessels (silver or pewter); and even the shapes also seem to copy metal vessel shapes, such as the very typical indented beaker (see photograph).
Read the rest of this article...
The New Forest has long been recognized as an important centre of pottery production in Roman Britain, its products being widely traded throughout the province. It is, however, a somewhat surprising location for site director Andy Taylor and his team to find such an industry. The main drawback being the lack of locally available clay suitable for potting. It appears that the supply of timber for fuel was more important than the lack of clay.
The pottery produced here is distinctive for its shiny appearance, which seems to have been intended to imitate metallic vessels (silver or pewter); and even the shapes also seem to copy metal vessel shapes, such as the very typical indented beaker (see photograph).
Read the rest of this article...
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.
The discovery was made during improvement works developed at the archaeological site of the Alba Iulia citadel. The temple is part of the Gemina Legion 13 camp and is believed to have been built by the soldiers, as an offering to their patron. The temple comprises a votive altar, a marble plaque representing a gladiator and a marble statue of the goddess, reports Mediafax. Several other traces of the Roman legion camps were also discovered at the site.
Nemesis was the goddess of revenge for Romans, being also regarded as the patron of gladiators and soldiers.
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The discovery was made during improvement works developed at the archaeological site of the Alba Iulia citadel. The temple is part of the Gemina Legion 13 camp and is believed to have been built by the soldiers, as an offering to their patron. The temple comprises a votive altar, a marble plaque representing a gladiator and a marble statue of the goddess, reports Mediafax. Several other traces of the Roman legion camps were also discovered at the site.
Nemesis was the goddess of revenge for Romans, being also regarded as the patron of gladiators and soldiers.
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Römisches Kriegsschiff kreuzt im Dienst der Wissenschaft
Trierer Professor Christoph Schäfer betreut Nachbau einer „Navis Lusoria“
Ein Desaster? Über Monate haben viele Hände an dem Nachbau eines römischen Kriegsschiffs gebaut. Und dann das: Bei der Jungfernfahrt dringt Wasser in den Rumpf. Was Laien in eine Schrecken versetzt, ist für Experten kein unrühmlicher Untergang eines ambitionierten Projekts, sondern durchaus beabsichtigt.
Damit das Schiff schwimmt, müssen seine Planken Feuchtigkeit aufnehmen, aufquellen und auf diese Weise den Bootsrumpf abdichten. Nicht nur bei diesem Verfahren halten sich die Bootsbauer, die in einer Germersheimer Bundeswehrkaserne eine sogenannte „Navis Lusoria“ nachbauen, getreu an die historischen Vorbilder. Wie diese römischen Kriegsschiffe des dritten und vierten nachchristlichen Jahrhunderts konstruiert und gebaut waren, weiß in Deutschland kaum jemand besser als Prof. Dr. Christoph Schäfer, Althistoriker an der Universität Trier. Es ist nicht die erste Rekonstruktion, die unter seinen wissenschaftlichen Fittichen entsteht und neue Erkenntnisse erbringen soll.
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Ein Desaster? Über Monate haben viele Hände an dem Nachbau eines römischen Kriegsschiffs gebaut. Und dann das: Bei der Jungfernfahrt dringt Wasser in den Rumpf. Was Laien in eine Schrecken versetzt, ist für Experten kein unrühmlicher Untergang eines ambitionierten Projekts, sondern durchaus beabsichtigt.
Damit das Schiff schwimmt, müssen seine Planken Feuchtigkeit aufnehmen, aufquellen und auf diese Weise den Bootsrumpf abdichten. Nicht nur bei diesem Verfahren halten sich die Bootsbauer, die in einer Germersheimer Bundeswehrkaserne eine sogenannte „Navis Lusoria“ nachbauen, getreu an die historischen Vorbilder. Wie diese römischen Kriegsschiffe des dritten und vierten nachchristlichen Jahrhunderts konstruiert und gebaut waren, weiß in Deutschland kaum jemand besser als Prof. Dr. Christoph Schäfer, Althistoriker an der Universität Trier. Es ist nicht die erste Rekonstruktion, die unter seinen wissenschaftlichen Fittichen entsteht und neue Erkenntnisse erbringen soll.
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Thursday, April 14, 2011
Job cuts at the Museum of London 'will cripple its vital academic work'
The Museum of London (MoL) is planning to axe curators and conservators from its staff amid accusations that academic expertise no longer counts for anything.
Up to 17 posts have been targeted, sparking outrage from eminent scholars. John Clark, a leading medievalist and former senior curator, now retired, has written to the MoL director, Professor Jack Lohman, protesting at proposals that will "cripple" curatorial work.
He is so alarmed by the cuts that he is considering resigning his honorary title of Curator Emeritus, MoL. In his letter, he told Professor Lohman: "If the proposals for the future of curatorial posts… go ahead, I feel I shall have very little option other than to resign the role of Curator Emeritus for the hollow sham it is."
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Up to 17 posts have been targeted, sparking outrage from eminent scholars. John Clark, a leading medievalist and former senior curator, now retired, has written to the MoL director, Professor Jack Lohman, protesting at proposals that will "cripple" curatorial work.
He is so alarmed by the cuts that he is considering resigning his honorary title of Curator Emeritus, MoL. In his letter, he told Professor Lohman: "If the proposals for the future of curatorial posts… go ahead, I feel I shall have very little option other than to resign the role of Curator Emeritus for the hollow sham it is."
Read the rest of this article...
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Craft, churches and charcoal
Norway’s more than 1,000 year-old-city and historical capital, Trondheim, was a beehive of activity in medieval times. Recent archeological research by scientists from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's (NTNU) Museum of Natural History and Archaeology in the city’s popular public forest, “Bymarka”, has uncovered more than 500 charcoal pits, tell-tale signs of substantial medieval metal working activity.
For centuries, Trondheim – or Nidaros as it was then called – was home to the Archdiocese of Norway, and also for the Faeroe Islands, the Orkney Islands, the Isle of Man, Iceland and Greenland. Nidaros Cathedral, the city’s gothic cathedral, held reliquaries from St. Olaf and thus attracted thousands of pilgrims. And the cathedral was not the only church in town. While just two of the many churches erected in the town center in medieval times still stand, 25 stone churches were built during the Middle Ages in the countryside around Trondheim.
“This charcoal production is most probably directly linked to major historic events and processes occurring in central Norway at the beginning of the Middle Ages. One obvious explanation is the Church’s impact on economic growth and production as well as its demand for building materials,” explains archeologist Ragnhild Berge, a PhD candidate based at NTNU's Museum of Natural History and Archaeology in Trondheim.
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For centuries, Trondheim – or Nidaros as it was then called – was home to the Archdiocese of Norway, and also for the Faeroe Islands, the Orkney Islands, the Isle of Man, Iceland and Greenland. Nidaros Cathedral, the city’s gothic cathedral, held reliquaries from St. Olaf and thus attracted thousands of pilgrims. And the cathedral was not the only church in town. While just two of the many churches erected in the town center in medieval times still stand, 25 stone churches were built during the Middle Ages in the countryside around Trondheim.
“This charcoal production is most probably directly linked to major historic events and processes occurring in central Norway at the beginning of the Middle Ages. One obvious explanation is the Church’s impact on economic growth and production as well as its demand for building materials,” explains archeologist Ragnhild Berge, a PhD candidate based at NTNU's Museum of Natural History and Archaeology in Trondheim.
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Archaeologists hope to find pieces of history on Halifax library site
HALIFAX - Archaeologists in Halifax will be looking for history than what’s in the books at the city’s central library.
Bellvue House - the home for Halifax’s Commander-in-Chief of the British Army - once stood on the same property as Halifax Regional Library, on Spring Garden Rd.
As construction crews begin digging up the ground around the library ahead of the construction of a new building, archaeologists will be keeping a close eye out for artifacts or signs of former structures lying beneath the grass and concrete.
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Bellvue House - the home for Halifax’s Commander-in-Chief of the British Army - once stood on the same property as Halifax Regional Library, on Spring Garden Rd.
As construction crews begin digging up the ground around the library ahead of the construction of a new building, archaeologists will be keeping a close eye out for artifacts or signs of former structures lying beneath the grass and concrete.
Read the rest of this article...
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Dragon Harald Fairhair
The largest Viking ship built in modern times
In March of 2010, construction began on what will be the largest Viking ship ever built in modern times. Named after Harald Fairhair, the king who unified Norway into one kingdom, the great dragon ship is coming together in the town of Haugesund in Western Norway.
At a hundred and fourteen feet of crafted oak, twenty-seven feet on the beam, displacing seventy tons, and with a thirty-two hundred square foot sail of pure silk, this magnificent ship will indeed be worthy of a king.
The Dragon Harald Fairhair will have 25 pairs of oars. It is necessary to have at least two people on each oar to row the ship efficiently. That will give a crew of at least 100 persons, yet the craft should be able to be sailed by only twelve.
Read the rest of this article...
In March of 2010, construction began on what will be the largest Viking ship ever built in modern times. Named after Harald Fairhair, the king who unified Norway into one kingdom, the great dragon ship is coming together in the town of Haugesund in Western Norway.
At a hundred and fourteen feet of crafted oak, twenty-seven feet on the beam, displacing seventy tons, and with a thirty-two hundred square foot sail of pure silk, this magnificent ship will indeed be worthy of a king.
The Dragon Harald Fairhair will have 25 pairs of oars. It is necessary to have at least two people on each oar to row the ship efficiently. That will give a crew of at least 100 persons, yet the craft should be able to be sailed by only twelve.
Read the rest of this article...
Roman “Treasure Trove” find is so saucy!
A SOLID gold pendant with an unmistakable shape was the subject of a “treasure trove” inquest at Lynn County Court yesterday.
For the item on which Norfolk coroner William Armstrong was being asked to adjudicate was a Roman golden pendant in the distinctive shape of a phallus.
The coroner said the pendant was found on land belonging to farmer Neil Riseborough at Hillington on January 30 this year by Kevin Hillier.
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For the item on which Norfolk coroner William Armstrong was being asked to adjudicate was a Roman golden pendant in the distinctive shape of a phallus.
The coroner said the pendant was found on land belonging to farmer Neil Riseborough at Hillington on January 30 this year by Kevin Hillier.
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TV’s Time Team unveil palace’s secrets
KINGS Clipstone again played host to history in the making last week as television show Time Team finally uncovered some of the secrets of King John’s Palace.
The Channel 4 crew arrived last Monday to conduct the first major excavation of the medieval site in some 50 years.
Producers largely managed to keep the dig under wraps to deter treasure hunters but organised tours were laid on for around 100 lucky locals.
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The Channel 4 crew arrived last Monday to conduct the first major excavation of the medieval site in some 50 years.
Producers largely managed to keep the dig under wraps to deter treasure hunters but organised tours were laid on for around 100 lucky locals.
Read the rest of this article...
Macedonians created cement three centuries before the Romans
Some of the finest ancient treasures of Greece have gone on display, in Oxford's Ashmolean Museum in Britain, even though some of the discoveries have never been seen by Greeks.
They have been unearthed in a royal complex belonging to Alexander the Great and his father Philip.
Archaeologists have determined that Alexander's Macedonians were not only great warriors but revolutionary builders as well.
Malcolm Brabant reports from Vergina in Northern Greece.
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They have been unearthed in a royal complex belonging to Alexander the Great and his father Philip.
Archaeologists have determined that Alexander's Macedonians were not only great warriors but revolutionary builders as well.
Malcolm Brabant reports from Vergina in Northern Greece.
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9000 years of drifting sand in Norway
The sand along the south-western coastal rim of Norway has drifted for more than 9000 years, triggered by sea-level changes and human activity, new research has found.
Researchers in countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland study sand drift, but most of them focus on dunes along the coastline, not on the plains further inland.
“Sand dunes are dynamic. For all we know, they may have been formed last year. But sand plains are much older and more stable. Thin organic layers present in sand is interesting, when trying to understand sand drift in pre-historic times,” says botanist Lisbeth Prøsch-Danielsen at the University of Stavanger’s Museum of Archaeology.
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Researchers in countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland study sand drift, but most of them focus on dunes along the coastline, not on the plains further inland.
“Sand dunes are dynamic. For all we know, they may have been formed last year. But sand plains are much older and more stable. Thin organic layers present in sand is interesting, when trying to understand sand drift in pre-historic times,” says botanist Lisbeth Prøsch-Danielsen at the University of Stavanger’s Museum of Archaeology.
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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.
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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.
Read the rest of this article...
Monday, April 11, 2011
Hole in the head: How medieval soldiers survived after battle thanks to early day brain surgery
A massive haul of bones discovered in a medieval graveyard has given an insight into the medical capabilities of people 1,500 years ago.
The skeletons, found in central Italy, show that many soldiers buried close to one another survived after suffering blows to the head with maces and battle axes.
There are signs of medical interventions with one man going on to live despite having a two inch hole in his head, probably caused by a Byzantine mace.
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The skeletons, found in central Italy, show that many soldiers buried close to one another survived after suffering blows to the head with maces and battle axes.
There are signs of medical interventions with one man going on to live despite having a two inch hole in his head, probably caused by a Byzantine mace.
Read the rest of this article...
Achaeologists excitement over an old plough found at Lyminbge in Kent that reveals how farmers worked in the 7th Century
An archaeological discovery is set to shed new light on the history of farming.
Dr Gabor Thomas of the University of Reading and his team have found a 7th Century iron plough coulter during excavations at Lyminge .
A coulter is a vertical soil slicer mounted like a knife to cut through the soil ahead of a plough share to improve the plough's efficiency.
Unlike the small fields associated with earlier light ploughs they cultivated the land in long narrow strips making the large open fields which would become a standard feature of the medieval countryside.
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Dr Gabor Thomas of the University of Reading and his team have found a 7th Century iron plough coulter during excavations at Lyminge .
A coulter is a vertical soil slicer mounted like a knife to cut through the soil ahead of a plough share to improve the plough's efficiency.
Unlike the small fields associated with earlier light ploughs they cultivated the land in long narrow strips making the large open fields which would become a standard feature of the medieval countryside.
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Scientists speak out to discredit 'gay caveman' media reports
Reports that surfaced last week about the remains of a "gay caveman" found in the Czech Republic have prompted scientists to take on an unlikely foe -- an overhyped news media that may be overblowing the archaeological find.
"Dudes! I could be wrong, but I think that to have a 'gay caveman,' you need a skeleton that is both gay and a caveman. And this ain't either!" John Hawks, an associate professor of anthropology at University of Wisconsin-Madison, wrote on his blog in bold type.
Hawks joined a chorus of fellow paleoanthropologists, archaeologists and other bone experts who carefully dissected media reports about the dig, which began to increase after first appearing in British and Czech newspapers.
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"Dudes! I could be wrong, but I think that to have a 'gay caveman,' you need a skeleton that is both gay and a caveman. And this ain't either!" John Hawks, an associate professor of anthropology at University of Wisconsin-Madison, wrote on his blog in bold type.
Hawks joined a chorus of fellow paleoanthropologists, archaeologists and other bone experts who carefully dissected media reports about the dig, which began to increase after first appearing in British and Czech newspapers.
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Farnham Castle appoints New Chief Executive
Farnham Castle has today announced the appointment of Phil Hackett as its new chief executive. Hackett takes over from Jim Twiss, the former chief executive at the Castle for ten years, who retired last month.
Previously Hackett has worked for some of the country’s finest cultural icons; having managed and promoted over 500 destinations and attractions including museums, galleries, sculpture parks, historic abbeys, castles, stately homes, heritage sites, ancient monuments; World Heritage Sites & areas of outstanding natural beauty. He joins Farnham Castle from Shakespeare Country, the tourist board for Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, Royal Leamington Spa, Kenilworth, the Cotswolds and the quintessential English market towns and villages in the Heart of England, where he was chief executive for over three years.
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Previously Hackett has worked for some of the country’s finest cultural icons; having managed and promoted over 500 destinations and attractions including museums, galleries, sculpture parks, historic abbeys, castles, stately homes, heritage sites, ancient monuments; World Heritage Sites & areas of outstanding natural beauty. He joins Farnham Castle from Shakespeare Country, the tourist board for Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, Royal Leamington Spa, Kenilworth, the Cotswolds and the quintessential English market towns and villages in the Heart of England, where he was chief executive for over three years.
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Mystery over Shakespeare's last home
William Shakespeare's last home in Stratford-Upon-Avon is the site of an archaeological dig that hopes to reveal details of the playwright's life, including solving the mystery of what type of house he lived in.
Watch the video...
Watch the video...
How Civil War Photography Changed War
Civil War photographers completely changed popular perceptions of modern warfare.
We've all seen photographs of the Civil War: black-and-white images of bearded Union generals or mustachioed Confederate colonels posing to one side of the camera, dead bodies stacked on the battlefield or common soldiers around a camp tent.
Looking back 150 years to the start of the Civil War this month, what impact did photography have on the war? On the people who lived during the time? What do these images tell us today about the soldiers and their families?
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We've all seen photographs of the Civil War: black-and-white images of bearded Union generals or mustachioed Confederate colonels posing to one side of the camera, dead bodies stacked on the battlefield or common soldiers around a camp tent.
Looking back 150 years to the start of the Civil War this month, what impact did photography have on the war? On the people who lived during the time? What do these images tell us today about the soldiers and their families?
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University archaeologists start Tregaron elephant dig
Archaeologists are digging up a pub beer garden in search of a legendary Victorian circus elephant.
The Tregaron Elephant has long had its place in local folklore, and is thought to have been buried behind the town's Talbot Hotel after dying on tour.
The small-scale excavation started on Saturday morning and the hunt for clues about the animal's final resting place will continue until next Thursday.
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The Tregaron Elephant has long had its place in local folklore, and is thought to have been buried behind the town's Talbot Hotel after dying on tour.
The small-scale excavation started on Saturday morning and the hunt for clues about the animal's final resting place will continue until next Thursday.
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Sunday, April 10, 2011
Fall of Roman Empire caused by 'contagion of homosexuality'
A prominent Italian historian has claimed that the Roman Empire collapsed because a "contagion of homosexuality and effeminacy" made it easy pickings for barbarian hordes, sparking a furious row.
Roberto De Mattei, 63, the deputy head of the country's National Research Council, claimed that the empire was fatally weakened after conquering Carthage, which he described as "a paradise for homosexuals".
The remarks prompted angry calls for his resignation, with critics saying his comments were homophobic, offensive and unbecoming of his position.
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Roberto De Mattei, 63, the deputy head of the country's National Research Council, claimed that the empire was fatally weakened after conquering Carthage, which he described as "a paradise for homosexuals".
The remarks prompted angry calls for his resignation, with critics saying his comments were homophobic, offensive and unbecoming of his position.
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'Gay Caveman' Story Overblown, Archaeologists Say
Archaeologists in Prague say they've uncovered a Stone-Age man buried in a position usually reserved for women — but media claims of a "gay caveman" may be exaggerated, according to some researchers.
The skeleton, which dates back to about 2,500 to 2,800 B.C., was found in the outskirts of Prague. The culture the man belonged to (known as the Corded Ware culture for their pottery decorated with the impressions of twisted cord) was very finicky about grave rituals, reported Iranian news network Press TV, which visited the excavation site. According to the Czech news website Ceskapozice.cz, Corded Ware males were usually buried on their right sides with their heads facing east. This man, however, was buried on his left with his head facing west — a traditionally female position.
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The skeleton, which dates back to about 2,500 to 2,800 B.C., was found in the outskirts of Prague. The culture the man belonged to (known as the Corded Ware culture for their pottery decorated with the impressions of twisted cord) was very finicky about grave rituals, reported Iranian news network Press TV, which visited the excavation site. According to the Czech news website Ceskapozice.cz, Corded Ware males were usually buried on their right sides with their heads facing east. This man, however, was buried on his left with his head facing west — a traditionally female position.
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Archäologie der Schlachtfelder - Konferenz »Fields of Conflict« erstmals in Deutschland
Schlachtfeldarchäologie ist eine junge archäologische Disziplin. Erstmals findet die internationale Konferenz zum Thema »Fields of Conflict« vom 15. bis 18. April in Deutschland statt. Veranstalter sind die Universität Osnabrück und die Varusschlacht im Osnabrücker Land – Museum und Park Kalkriese. Die rund 120 internationalen Konferenzteilnehmer werden sich in Osnabrück und Kalkriese mit antiken aber auch jüngeren militärischen Konflikten beschäftigen.
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Friday, April 08, 2011
Neanderthals: Bad luck and its part in their downfall
AS OUR ancestors moved north out of Africa and onto the doorstep to the rest of the world, they came across their long-lost cousins: the Neanderthals. As the popular story goes, the brutish hominins were simply no match for cultured, intelligent Homo sapiens and quickly went extinct.
Maybe, but it's also possible that Neanderthals were simply unlucky and disappeared by chance, mathematicians propose.
We know that humans and Neanderthals got pretty cosy during their time together in the Middle East, 45,000 years ago. Between 1 and 4 per cent of the DNA of modern non-Africans is of Neanderthal origin, implying their ancestors must have interbred before humans moved into Europe (New Scientist, 15 May 2010, p 8).
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Maybe, but it's also possible that Neanderthals were simply unlucky and disappeared by chance, mathematicians propose.
We know that humans and Neanderthals got pretty cosy during their time together in the Middle East, 45,000 years ago. Between 1 and 4 per cent of the DNA of modern non-Africans is of Neanderthal origin, implying their ancestors must have interbred before humans moved into Europe (New Scientist, 15 May 2010, p 8).
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St Bride's Bay grave remains recorded by archaeologists
Archaeologists are excavating early medieval remains from a cemetery before they are washed away by the sea.
It is known the site at St Bride's Bay in Pembrokeshire contains graves that date back to the 9th and 10th Centuries.
The graves are close to the edge of low cliffs, and Dyfed Archaeological Trust is keen to analyse their contents before they disappear.
Thursday is the last day of excavation work before the site is refilled.
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It is known the site at St Bride's Bay in Pembrokeshire contains graves that date back to the 9th and 10th Centuries.
The graves are close to the edge of low cliffs, and Dyfed Archaeological Trust is keen to analyse their contents before they disappear.
Thursday is the last day of excavation work before the site is refilled.
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Canterbury’s Roman Theatre revealed
Canterbury’s Roman Theatre has once again taken centre stage. Routine investigations at the north-east end of Castle Street, revealed a section of paving that probably formed part of the orchestra, together with masonry possibly associated with the stage.
Blocks of tightly-jointed, squared blocks of greensand were found in the first trench (0.10m in thickness and on average measuring about 1 by 1.20m) and were laid over a thick bedding of mortared flints.
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Blocks of tightly-jointed, squared blocks of greensand were found in the first trench (0.10m in thickness and on average measuring about 1 by 1.20m) and were laid over a thick bedding of mortared flints.
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iPad Helps Archaeologists
New technology is revolutionizing the precise recording of history at an ancient, lost city, bucking a tradition that has been in place for centuries. University of Cincinnati researchers will present "The Paperless Project: The Use of iPads in the Excavations at Pompeii"* at the 39th annual international conference of Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA). The conference takes place April 12-16 in Beijing, China.
UC teams of archaeologists have spent more than a decade at the site of the Roman city that was buried under a volcano in 79 AD. The project is producing a complete archaeological analysis of homes, shops and businesses at a forgotten area inside one of the busiest gates of Pompeii, the Porta Stabia.
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UC teams of archaeologists have spent more than a decade at the site of the Roman city that was buried under a volcano in 79 AD. The project is producing a complete archaeological analysis of homes, shops and businesses at a forgotten area inside one of the busiest gates of Pompeii, the Porta Stabia.
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Canterbury site reveals a rich past
An excavation site in Canterbury, south England, has yielded an amazing amount of material, ranging from a 400,000 year old elephant tusk, to items from the more recent past.
The site lies within an important suburb of the Roman, Anglo-Saxon and medieval city and has been intensively used for the past 2000 years.
Roman development
The earliest deposits encountered comprise clay quarries and rubbish pits of the early to mid Roman period (1st – late 3rd centuries AD), perhaps suggesting some form of ribbon development against a Roman road following the line of the present day, St Dunstan’s Street.
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The site lies within an important suburb of the Roman, Anglo-Saxon and medieval city and has been intensively used for the past 2000 years.
Roman development
The earliest deposits encountered comprise clay quarries and rubbish pits of the early to mid Roman period (1st – late 3rd centuries AD), perhaps suggesting some form of ribbon development against a Roman road following the line of the present day, St Dunstan’s Street.
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What caused Britain's Bronze Age 'recession'?
A large gap in pre-history could signal that Britain underwent an economic downturn over 2,500 years ago.
In history lessons, the three ages of pre-history - Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age - seem to flow together without a gap.
But there is a 300-year period in British history between around 800 BC and 500 BC where experts still struggle to explain what happened, where bronze is in decline and iron was not widely used.
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In history lessons, the three ages of pre-history - Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age - seem to flow together without a gap.
But there is a 300-year period in British history between around 800 BC and 500 BC where experts still struggle to explain what happened, where bronze is in decline and iron was not widely used.
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Anglo-Saxon 7th Century plough coulter found in Kent
An archaeological discovery by the University of Reading is set to shed new light on the history of farming.
Dr Gabor Thomas and his team have found a 7th Century iron plough coulter during excavations at Lyminge, Kent.
A coulter is a vertical soil slicer mounted like a knife to cut through the soil ahead of a plough share to improve the plough's efficiency.
The coulter, one of the defining features of a 'heavy plough', transformed the landscape of England.
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Dr Gabor Thomas and his team have found a 7th Century iron plough coulter during excavations at Lyminge, Kent.
A coulter is a vertical soil slicer mounted like a knife to cut through the soil ahead of a plough share to improve the plough's efficiency.
The coulter, one of the defining features of a 'heavy plough', transformed the landscape of England.
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Bodies found from London's Bedlam hospital
LONDON - Archaeologists have unearthed hundreds of skeletons at a 16th Century burial ground in the heart of the city that once served London’s most notorious psychiatric hospital, the original “Bedlam.”
The bones are expected to yield valuable information about mortality, diet and disease in the period.
They were discovered while experts surveyed a site that is destined to become a new ticket hall for the capital’s huge Crossrail project at Liverpool Street Station.
Opened in 1247, the Bethlehem Royal Hospital began admitting the mentally ill in the 14th Century, eventually becoming known by its middle-English abbreviation Bedlam.
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The bones are expected to yield valuable information about mortality, diet and disease in the period.
They were discovered while experts surveyed a site that is destined to become a new ticket hall for the capital’s huge Crossrail project at Liverpool Street Station.
Opened in 1247, the Bethlehem Royal Hospital began admitting the mentally ill in the 14th Century, eventually becoming known by its middle-English abbreviation Bedlam.
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Wednesday, April 06, 2011
1,700-year-old African skeleton could be an ancestor
It is hoped a 1,700-year-old African skeleton unearthed in Warwickshire could provide data about the DNA history of later populations and the ethnic origin of modern Britons.
The male skeleton, thought to be of a Roman soldier, was found earlier this year in a Roman cemetery in Stratford.
Discovered by Archaeology Warwickshire, the skeleton is thought to belong to the county's earliest known African.
Further tests aim to determine the man's place of birth.
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The male skeleton, thought to be of a Roman soldier, was found earlier this year in a Roman cemetery in Stratford.
Discovered by Archaeology Warwickshire, the skeleton is thought to belong to the county's earliest known African.
Further tests aim to determine the man's place of birth.
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Crossrail archaeology dig unearths mass burial ground
Archaeologists surveying the ground at Liverpool Street station in preparation for Crossrail tunnelling have unearthed hundreds of skeletons on the site of a historic mental health hospital.
Opened in 1247, St Bethlehem hospital was the first institution dedicated to mental health patients and is believed to have led to the coining of the word "bedlam".
The site now lies beneath what will be Liverpool Street's new Crossrail ticket hall.
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Opened in 1247, St Bethlehem hospital was the first institution dedicated to mental health patients and is believed to have led to the coining of the word "bedlam".
The site now lies beneath what will be Liverpool Street's new Crossrail ticket hall.
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Monday, April 04, 2011
New funding unveiled for Stonehenge
Plans to transform the surroundings of Stonehenge came another "crucial" step closer today, English Heritage said as new funding was unveiled.
The £27 million project to build a new centre for visitors and close a road adjacent to the World Heritage Site was hit last year when the new Government announced it was cutting £10 million earmarked for the project.
But it received a boost in October when the Heritage Lottery Fund announced it was more than doubling its contribution to the project to £10 million.
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The £27 million project to build a new centre for visitors and close a road adjacent to the World Heritage Site was hit last year when the new Government announced it was cutting £10 million earmarked for the project.
But it received a boost in October when the Heritage Lottery Fund announced it was more than doubling its contribution to the project to £10 million.
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Oldest known written record in Europe discovered
A clay tablet discovered in an excavation in Greece has changed what is known about the origins of literacy and bureaucracy in Bronze Age Southern Europe. Measuring 5cm by 8cm, this tiny tablet fragment is thought to be the earliest known written record in Europe – dating back to between 1450 and 1350 B.C. – 100 to 150 years before the tablets from the Petsas House at Mycenae.
“I was in disbelief,” said Michael Cosmopoulos, the Professor of Greek Studies at University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL)U and director of the Iklaina Archaeological Project, which he has directed for 11 years. “According to what we knew, that tablet should not have been there.”
The rare find was unearthed in 2010 at Iklaina, which lies in the middle of an olive grove in southwest Greece.
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“I was in disbelief,” said Michael Cosmopoulos, the Professor of Greek Studies at University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL)U and director of the Iklaina Archaeological Project, which he has directed for 11 years. “According to what we knew, that tablet should not have been there.”
The rare find was unearthed in 2010 at Iklaina, which lies in the middle of an olive grove in southwest Greece.
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Saturday, April 02, 2011
Nanotechnology to protect rock tombs in southern Turkey
Nanotechnology, which is the production and use of materials at the smallest possible scale, will be used to restore and protect ancient rock tombs in the Aegean province of Muğla. A project has been prepared and will be presented to TÜBITAK for the protection of tombs with this technology. It will be the first time nanotechnology will be used for protecting cultural assets in Turkey.
The 2,400-year-old rock tombs in Dalyan in the Aegean province of Muğla’s Ortaca district is set to be protected through the use of nanotechnology.
Professor Cengiz Işık, head of excavations at the Kaunos archaeological site, said the idea to protect the rock tombs came up last year during the visit of Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay. It then led to the creation of the Scientific and Technological Council of Turkey, or TÜBITAK’s, Support Program for Research Projects of Public Institutions.
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The 2,400-year-old rock tombs in Dalyan in the Aegean province of Muğla’s Ortaca district is set to be protected through the use of nanotechnology.
Professor Cengiz Işık, head of excavations at the Kaunos archaeological site, said the idea to protect the rock tombs came up last year during the visit of Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay. It then led to the creation of the Scientific and Technological Council of Turkey, or TÜBITAK’s, Support Program for Research Projects of Public Institutions.
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Friday, April 01, 2011
Action on illegal diving at shipwrecks
English Heritage has issued a warning that action will be taken against anyone illegally accessing, damaging or removing items from protected historic wrecks.
This follows the launch of the Alliance to Reduce Crimes Against Heritage (ARCH) in February with the support of over 40 organisations
English Heritage and the police are increasingly working together to safeguard wreck sites designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. In recent weeks, the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) intercepted divers on the edge of the protected wreck site of the British warship, the Coronation, off Penlee Point, near Plymouth. A number of items in their boat were then taken for analysis to determine if they had been taken from the wreck. Officers are now awaiting specialist assessment of the items to see if further enquiries will need to be carried out
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This follows the launch of the Alliance to Reduce Crimes Against Heritage (ARCH) in February with the support of over 40 organisations
English Heritage and the police are increasingly working together to safeguard wreck sites designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. In recent weeks, the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) intercepted divers on the edge of the protected wreck site of the British warship, the Coronation, off Penlee Point, near Plymouth. A number of items in their boat were then taken for analysis to determine if they had been taken from the wreck. Officers are now awaiting specialist assessment of the items to see if further enquiries will need to be carried out
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Longer Pregnancy + Breast-Feeding = Bigger Brains, Longer Life Rea
Advice around breast-feeding can drive new mothers mad, but a new study suggests that the long pregnancies and lactation periods of our prehistoric mamas are responsible for the relatively big brains that differentiate humans from other animals.
By comparing 128 species of mammals, researchers at the University of Durham in England sought to answer this question: do large brains make species live longer by making them smarter in cheating death, or is the longer lifespan of big-brained animals simply the result of the fact that big brains require more care and time to grow?
"We already know that large-brained species develop slowly, mature later and have longer lifespans but what has not always been clear is why brains and life histories are related," said Robert Barton, lead author of the research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in a press release.
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By comparing 128 species of mammals, researchers at the University of Durham in England sought to answer this question: do large brains make species live longer by making them smarter in cheating death, or is the longer lifespan of big-brained animals simply the result of the fact that big brains require more care and time to grow?
"We already know that large-brained species develop slowly, mature later and have longer lifespans but what has not always been clear is why brains and life histories are related," said Robert Barton, lead author of the research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in a press release.
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Ancient Tablet Found: Oldest Readable Writing in Europe
Marks on a clay tablet fragment found in Greece are the oldest known decipherable text in Europe, a new study says.
Considered "magical or mysterious" in its time, the writing survives only because a trash heap caught fire some 3,500 years ago, according to researchers.
Found in an olive grove in what's now the village of Iklaina (map), the tablet was created by a Greek-speaking Mycenaean scribe between 1450 and 1350 B.C., archaeologists say.
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Considered "magical or mysterious" in its time, the writing survives only because a trash heap caught fire some 3,500 years ago, according to researchers.
Found in an olive grove in what's now the village of Iklaina (map), the tablet was created by a Greek-speaking Mycenaean scribe between 1450 and 1350 B.C., archaeologists say.
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Tuesday, March 29, 2011
English Heritage project: Are historic sites at risk of vanishing forever?
From grand canals and railways to humble harbour walls and overgrown lime kilns, the industrial history that is scattered across our landscape is a rich legacy that forms a vital part of our culture – but is the all-important heritage that tells the story of a nation at work falling apart at the seams?
It is the question English Heritage will be asking in a major project it has just launched to find out how much of our physical history is in jeopardy of neglect, decay or even demolition.
The organisation, which hopes to raise the debate about exactly what needs saving and how, will reveal the results of its Industrial Heritage at Risk research later this year.
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It is the question English Heritage will be asking in a major project it has just launched to find out how much of our physical history is in jeopardy of neglect, decay or even demolition.
The organisation, which hopes to raise the debate about exactly what needs saving and how, will reveal the results of its Industrial Heritage at Risk research later this year.
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Archaeological Dig At UKCMRI Site Behind British Library
Construction work will soon begin on a world-class medical research centre behind the British Library. The UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) will bring together scientists from Cancer Research UK, UCL, Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council in a brand new facility.
Before the builders are let loose, an archaeological dig will scrabble about on the site looking for remnants of yore. Public tours of the dig will be available on 16, 18, 18, 20 and 21 April. An on-site exhibition about the UKCMRI will also be open on 31 March.
So what might the archaeologists find? The land was most recently for industrial goods, including a fish shed and coal depot. Before that, dense rows of housing occupied the site. Perhaps more intriguingly, the area sits very close to the Saxon (possibly Roman) site of St Pancras Old Church, and beside the former banks of the River Fleet. It’s quite possible that ancient remains might lay beneath the top soil.
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Before the builders are let loose, an archaeological dig will scrabble about on the site looking for remnants of yore. Public tours of the dig will be available on 16, 18, 18, 20 and 21 April. An on-site exhibition about the UKCMRI will also be open on 31 March.
So what might the archaeologists find? The land was most recently for industrial goods, including a fish shed and coal depot. Before that, dense rows of housing occupied the site. Perhaps more intriguingly, the area sits very close to the Saxon (possibly Roman) site of St Pancras Old Church, and beside the former banks of the River Fleet. It’s quite possible that ancient remains might lay beneath the top soil.
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£58,000 bronze age windfall for Wiltshire museum
The Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes has been awarded £58,200 to work on plans to create new Bronze Age galleries.
The money has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund and now the museum will progress to the second stage of the HLF application process.
The project will cost more than £200,000 and the museum, in Long Street, will have to contribute between £20,000 and £30,000.
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The money has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund and now the museum will progress to the second stage of the HLF application process.
The project will cost more than £200,000 and the museum, in Long Street, will have to contribute between £20,000 and £30,000.
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2,500-year-old intact human brain found
British archeologists have found that the human brain, which was found intact in a muddy Iron Age pit in the UK, dates back to 2,500 years ago.
Found in 2008, the yellowish, crinkly, shrunken brain has astonished scientists who could not believe that such a fragile organ had survived for so many years, LiveScience reported.
"It was just amazing to think that a brain of someone who had died so many thousands of years ago could persist just in wet ground," said Sonia O'Connor, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Bradford.
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Found in 2008, the yellowish, crinkly, shrunken brain has astonished scientists who could not believe that such a fragile organ had survived for so many years, LiveScience reported.
"It was just amazing to think that a brain of someone who had died so many thousands of years ago could persist just in wet ground," said Sonia O'Connor, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Bradford.
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Scientists Trace Violent Death of Iron Age Man
An Iron Age man whose skull and brain was unearthed during excavations at the University of York was the victim of a gruesome ritual killing, according to new research.
Scientists say that fractures and marks on the bones suggest the man, who was aged between 26 and 45, died most probably from hanging, after which he was carefully decapitated and his head was then buried on its own.
Archaeologists discovered the remains in 2008 in one of a series of Iron Age pits on the site of the University's £750 million campus expansion at Heslington East. Brain material was still in the skull which dates back around 2500 years, making it one the oldest surviving brains in Europe.
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Scientists say that fractures and marks on the bones suggest the man, who was aged between 26 and 45, died most probably from hanging, after which he was carefully decapitated and his head was then buried on its own.
Archaeologists discovered the remains in 2008 in one of a series of Iron Age pits on the site of the University's £750 million campus expansion at Heslington East. Brain material was still in the skull which dates back around 2500 years, making it one the oldest surviving brains in Europe.
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Monday, March 28, 2011
Cornish stone circle damaged by cattle
Longhorn cattle introduced as part of a Higher Level Stewardship conservation grazing scheme onto Carnyorth Common near St Just (Cornwall, England) have destabilised a stone of the ancient Tregeseal Circle. Two years ago some 4 or 5 stones were loosened for the same reason. Clumps of cattle hair on many stones show that they are using them as rubbing posts. It is only a matter of time before this herd create more havoc.
These concerns were relayed to Natural England several years ago by the Save Penwith Moors group. According to the group, the presence of these animals will not only damage this important archaeological site but, as has been witnessed by local regular walkers of this moor, has also caused a dramatic drop in the number of walkers and horse riders over the past two years.
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These concerns were relayed to Natural England several years ago by the Save Penwith Moors group. According to the group, the presence of these animals will not only damage this important archaeological site but, as has been witnessed by local regular walkers of this moor, has also caused a dramatic drop in the number of walkers and horse riders over the past two years.
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Saturday, March 26, 2011
2,500-Year-Old Human Preserved Brain Discovered
A 2,500-year-old human skull uncovered in England was less of a surprise than what was in it: the brain. The discovery of the yellowish, crinkly, shrunken brain prompted questions about how such a fragile organ could have survived so long and how frequently this strange type of preservation occurs.
Except for the brain, all of the skull's soft tissue was gone when the skull was pulled from a muddy Iron Age pit where the University of York was planning to expand its Heslington East campus. [Britain's Oldest Brain Found]
"It was just amazing to think that a brain of someone who had died so many thousands of years ago could persist just in wet ground," said Sonia O'Connor, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Bradford. O’Connor led a team of researchers who assessed the state of the brain after it was found in 2008 and looked into likely modes of preservation. [Image of preserved brain]
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Except for the brain, all of the skull's soft tissue was gone when the skull was pulled from a muddy Iron Age pit where the University of York was planning to expand its Heslington East campus. [Britain's Oldest Brain Found]
"It was just amazing to think that a brain of someone who had died so many thousands of years ago could persist just in wet ground," said Sonia O'Connor, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Bradford. O’Connor led a team of researchers who assessed the state of the brain after it was found in 2008 and looked into likely modes of preservation. [Image of preserved brain]
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Archaeologists unearth 150 Roman graves in Canterbury
Canterbury - An ancient burial ground has been uncovered by archaeologists in the southern England county of Kent. The Roman cemetery dates back to around 290AD.
It was during the late era of the Roman Empire when around 150 men, women and children were buried along St Dunstan's Street, a Roman suburb of Canterbury. The site had been home to Halletts garage for several years before it was pulled down and the local authority prepared the land for housing. That was until a skeleton was discovered by workmen.
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It was during the late era of the Roman Empire when around 150 men, women and children were buried along St Dunstan's Street, a Roman suburb of Canterbury. The site had been home to Halletts garage for several years before it was pulled down and the local authority prepared the land for housing. That was until a skeleton was discovered by workmen.
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X-ray technique peers beneath archaeology's surface
Striking discoveries in archaeology are being made possible by strong beams of X-rays, say researchers.
A report at the American Physical Society meeting in Dallas, US, showed how X-ray sources known as synchrotrons can unravel an artefact's mysteries.
Light given off after an X-ray blast yields a neat list of the atoms within.
The technique can illuminate layers of pigment beneath the surfaces of artefacts, or even show the traces of tools used thousands of years ago.
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A report at the American Physical Society meeting in Dallas, US, showed how X-ray sources known as synchrotrons can unravel an artefact's mysteries.
Light given off after an X-ray blast yields a neat list of the atoms within.
The technique can illuminate layers of pigment beneath the surfaces of artefacts, or even show the traces of tools used thousands of years ago.
Read the rest of this article...
Papers from the Staffordshire Hoard Symposium
A Symposium was held at the British Museum in March 2010. Twenty seven papers were delivered and there was much useful discussion. Summaries of many of the papers, together with some of the discussion and subsequent thoughts, will be added to this page over the next few months. In some cases, the embedded images have been processed to allow for a zooming image interface.
Records for the objects in the Hoard are being added slowly, in a skeleton format, which will be enhanced as more data becomes available following research, conservation and time being available to update them. These can all be accessed via our database record for the hoard. The current iteration of the Hoard's website, is going to be superseded shortly by one that has been in development by the Partnership since before Christmas. The old site will still be available via this page and we will shortly be pulling in Flickr images for the Hoard to these pages.
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Records for the objects in the Hoard are being added slowly, in a skeleton format, which will be enhanced as more data becomes available following research, conservation and time being available to update them. These can all be accessed via our database record for the hoard. The current iteration of the Hoard's website, is going to be superseded shortly by one that has been in development by the Partnership since before Christmas. The old site will still be available via this page and we will shortly be pulling in Flickr images for the Hoard to these pages.
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Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Visitor centre planned for Denbigh Castle
A new visitor facility is to be created at Denbigh Castle, North Wales, after plans to improve the attraction's tourist experience received £600,000 from Cadw.
The funding has been made available through the agency's £19m Heritage Tourism Project, which is supported by £8.5m of European Union investment.
Plans for Denbigh Castle will also incorporate the opening up of wall walks, enhancements to the site's interpretation and upgraded links with Denbigh's wider historic landscape.
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The funding has been made available through the agency's £19m Heritage Tourism Project, which is supported by £8.5m of European Union investment.
Plans for Denbigh Castle will also incorporate the opening up of wall walks, enhancements to the site's interpretation and upgraded links with Denbigh's wider historic landscape.
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Roman quarry found in Barry, Wales
An archeologist says he has found the remains of a Roman quarry in the old harbor at Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan which provided the limestone for a Roman fort.
Karl-James Langford of Barry says the pottery remains show that the beach man-made walls might date back to 1,900 years ago, the state-funded BBC reported.
The quarry was used until the 19th century, but its origins were unknown.
"It's not in the records - it may have been completely ignored because it's too obvious," Langford said, adding that the quarry was the limestone source for the Roman fort whose ruins can be seen in the walls around Cardiff Castle.
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Karl-James Langford of Barry says the pottery remains show that the beach man-made walls might date back to 1,900 years ago, the state-funded BBC reported.
The quarry was used until the 19th century, but its origins were unknown.
"It's not in the records - it may have been completely ignored because it's too obvious," Langford said, adding that the quarry was the limestone source for the Roman fort whose ruins can be seen in the walls around Cardiff Castle.
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Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Medieval castle tower to be opened up to the public for the first time
THE last-standing remains of a medieval castle in Lincolnshire will be opened up to the public for the first time.
The South Kyme Tower once formed one of the four corners of a castle, which was built on a Saxon site.
It is believed that the 14th century castle was once visited by Robin Hood and was built by a knight whose signature is on the Magna Carta.
The tower stands on private land and for years has been closed.
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The South Kyme Tower once formed one of the four corners of a castle, which was built on a Saxon site.
It is believed that the 14th century castle was once visited by Robin Hood and was built by a knight whose signature is on the Magna Carta.
The tower stands on private land and for years has been closed.
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Hoard of necessity coins discovered in Roman workshops
Archaeological excavations carried out in Autun, a suburb of Arroux, in France revealed an ancient quarter composed of craft workshops and fine residences. The workshop of the famous coroplath (figurine maker) Pistillus was discovered, along with a pottery kiln and moulds, complete figurines and failed ones, and signed with the name of the figurine maker.
More than 100,000 Roman coins
During the final weeks of the excavation the archaeologists also found a cache of Roman coins dating to the end of the 3rd century AD which were buried in a pit sealed with tiles.
The small bronze coins were of an ‘unofficial’ type, like many that circulated during the troubled period of the second half of the 3rd century/early 4th century. Internal wars and conflict between contenders to the emperor’s throne, epidemics, the financial burdens of sustaining a large army, pressures at the borders of the Empire, economic crisis, and a host of other troubles meant the Empire was in crisis at this time.
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More than 100,000 Roman coins
During the final weeks of the excavation the archaeologists also found a cache of Roman coins dating to the end of the 3rd century AD which were buried in a pit sealed with tiles.
The small bronze coins were of an ‘unofficial’ type, like many that circulated during the troubled period of the second half of the 3rd century/early 4th century. Internal wars and conflict between contenders to the emperor’s throne, epidemics, the financial burdens of sustaining a large army, pressures at the borders of the Empire, economic crisis, and a host of other troubles meant the Empire was in crisis at this time.
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Roman graves uncovered in Canterbury
Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient burial ground in Kent where around a hundred people were laid to rest.
The site - dating back to the late Roman era - is on the former Hallets garage site in Canterbury's St Dunstan's.
Experts have found hardly any grave goods and since most of the bodies are lying east/west they are believed to be mainly Christian.
The excavation is being carried by Canterbury Archaeological Trust.
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The site - dating back to the late Roman era - is on the former Hallets garage site in Canterbury's St Dunstan's.
Experts have found hardly any grave goods and since most of the bodies are lying east/west they are believed to be mainly Christian.
The excavation is being carried by Canterbury Archaeological Trust.
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Monday, March 21, 2011
Archaeological Research To Reveal Hidden Secrets Of Daily Life
A new archaeological research project at the University of Kent will reconstruct urban life in cities such as Constantinople during a period of history that has long remained hidden from view.
Reconstructions of daily life in ancient Roman cities such as Pompeii are plentiful, thanks to centuries of archaeological research. But that is not the case for the later Roman or ‘late antique’ period (AD 300-650) that saw the long transition from the Roman Empire to the Middle Ages.
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Reconstructions of daily life in ancient Roman cities such as Pompeii are plentiful, thanks to centuries of archaeological research. But that is not the case for the later Roman or ‘late antique’ period (AD 300-650) that saw the long transition from the Roman Empire to the Middle Ages.
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Neolithic stone axe on Tralee bypass route
THE discovery of a stone axe on the proposed route of the Tralee bypass proves that people lived in the area about 5,000 years ago.
The find was made by a 60-strong Headland Archaeology (Ireland) Ltd group carrying out excavations along the route on behalf of Kerry County Council and the National Roads Design Office.
Senior archaeologist with Headland Archaeology, Patricia Long, said the axe was "fairly common" and dated from the Neolithic era between 3,500 and 2,500 BC.
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The find was made by a 60-strong Headland Archaeology (Ireland) Ltd group carrying out excavations along the route on behalf of Kerry County Council and the National Roads Design Office.
Senior archaeologist with Headland Archaeology, Patricia Long, said the axe was "fairly common" and dated from the Neolithic era between 3,500 and 2,500 BC.
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Project to record coastline’s history
THE Scottish history and heritage that could be lost to eroding coastlines is to be tracked by a major new project backed by National Lottery funds and hundreds of volunteers.
The Heritage Lottery Fund has given a £285,000 boost to the plan by the Scape (Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion) Trust which will manage coastlines and gather information of the heritage at the sea’s edge before it is lost to storm damage and erosion.
Scotland’s coastline is rich in heritage sites, from Neolithic settlements to Viking graves to 19th century fishing boats.
The first strand of the project, ShoreUpdate, will see 350 volunteers trained to become “custodians of our coastline” as coastal heritage stewards.
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The Heritage Lottery Fund has given a £285,000 boost to the plan by the Scape (Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion) Trust which will manage coastlines and gather information of the heritage at the sea’s edge before it is lost to storm damage and erosion.
Scotland’s coastline is rich in heritage sites, from Neolithic settlements to Viking graves to 19th century fishing boats.
The first strand of the project, ShoreUpdate, will see 350 volunteers trained to become “custodians of our coastline” as coastal heritage stewards.
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Frome Hoard of Roman coins to stay in Somerset
The largest ever collection of Roman coins found in Britain in one pot will stay in the county where it was unearthed.
The Museum of Somerset has raised £320,250 to keep the Frome Hoard. There had been fears it would go to London.
The coins, which date back over 1,700 years, were found last April by metal-detectorist Dave Crisp from Wiltshire.
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The Museum of Somerset has raised £320,250 to keep the Frome Hoard. There had been fears it would go to London.
The coins, which date back over 1,700 years, were found last April by metal-detectorist Dave Crisp from Wiltshire.
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‘Talking fires’ link iron age hillforts
A TEST to show how people in the Iron Age communicated using Welsh peaks was yesterday hailed a success.
Scores of volunteers flashed torches to each other from 10 hillforts in North Wales, the Wirral and Cheshire. The furthest link spanned 15 miles, between hills at Burton Point on the Wirral and Cheshire’s Maiden Castle.
The experiment was designed to see how easily Iron Age communities could interact from their hilltop homes thousands of years ago.
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Scores of volunteers flashed torches to each other from 10 hillforts in North Wales, the Wirral and Cheshire. The furthest link spanned 15 miles, between hills at Burton Point on the Wirral and Cheshire’s Maiden Castle.
The experiment was designed to see how easily Iron Age communities could interact from their hilltop homes thousands of years ago.
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Hoard of Roman coins to stay in Somerset
The largest ever collection of Roman coins found in Britain in one pot will stay in the county where it was unearthed.
The Museum of Somerset has raised £320,250 to keep the Frome Hoard. There had been fears it would go to London.
The coins, which date back over 1,700 years, were found last year by metal-detectorist Dave Crisp.
Read the rest of this article...
The Museum of Somerset has raised £320,250 to keep the Frome Hoard. There had been fears it would go to London.
The coins, which date back over 1,700 years, were found last year by metal-detectorist Dave Crisp.
Read the rest of this article...
Money raised for Iron Age gold treasure find
A £1m Iron Age gold hoard found near Stirling by an amateur treasure hunter has been secured for the nation after a fundraising campaign.
The four neck ornaments - or torcs - were unearthed in a field by David Booth in September 2009.
Mr Booth will now receive a payment of £462,000 after National Museums Scotland secured the necessary funds.
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The four neck ornaments - or torcs - were unearthed in a field by David Booth in September 2009.
Mr Booth will now receive a payment of £462,000 after National Museums Scotland secured the necessary funds.
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Early Roman site found in Gloucestershire
Cotswold Archaeology have unearthed the remains of the earliest known Roman settlement in the Five Valleys including more than a dozen human burials near Stroud in Gloucestershire, south-west England.
The excavations revealed evidence of some of the earliest Roman activity currently known in the area dating back to the mid to late 1st century AD – not long after the Roman invasion in AD43. There is also some evidence of much earlier activity from the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age and Late Iron Age periods, including a tree throw containing at least four individual Beakers (2600 BC-1800 BC).
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The excavations revealed evidence of some of the earliest Roman activity currently known in the area dating back to the mid to late 1st century AD – not long after the Roman invasion in AD43. There is also some evidence of much earlier activity from the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age and Late Iron Age periods, including a tree throw containing at least four individual Beakers (2600 BC-1800 BC).
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Rare Roman altar stones uncovered in Musselburgh
Two rare, carved altar stones found in East Lothian could shed new light about the Roman period in Scotland, it has been claimed.
The Roman stones were found during the redevelopment of a cricket pavilion in Lewisvale Park, Musselburgh.
Experts said they may help re-write the history books on the Roman occupation of Inveresk.
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The Roman stones were found during the redevelopment of a cricket pavilion in Lewisvale Park, Musselburgh.
Experts said they may help re-write the history books on the Roman occupation of Inveresk.
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The pre-Neolithic in the Troodos Mountains of Cyprus
Archaeologists working at the pre-Neolithic site of Rhoudias, situated in the south foothills of the Troodos Mountains next to the Xenos river in Cyprus have recently revealed that this site was repeatedly visited by groups of hunter-gatherers.
The field season was conducted in late November 2010 by a group of postgraduate students from the University of Thessaloniki along with other Cypriot archaeologists and researchers. The director, Professor Nikolaos Efstratiou said the site was part of a route from the coast to the mountains and vice-versa where hunter-gatherers would stay for short periods of time on the journey.
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The field season was conducted in late November 2010 by a group of postgraduate students from the University of Thessaloniki along with other Cypriot archaeologists and researchers. The director, Professor Nikolaos Efstratiou said the site was part of a route from the coast to the mountains and vice-versa where hunter-gatherers would stay for short periods of time on the journey.
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Mass graves to shed light on Britain's bloodiest battle
More than 28,000 died at Towton, but the Tudors' PR machine almost wiped it from history. Until now...
It was one of the biggest and probably the bloodiest battle ever fought on British soil. Such was its ferocity almost 1 per cent of the English population was wiped out in a single day. Yet mention the Battle of Towton to most people and you would probably get a blank stare.
Next week marks the 550th anniversary of the engagement that changed the course of the Wars of the Roses. It is estimated that between 50,000 and 80,000 soldiers took part in the battle in 1461 between the Houses of York and Lancaster for control of the English throne. An estimated 28,000 men are said to have lost their lives.
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It was one of the biggest and probably the bloodiest battle ever fought on British soil. Such was its ferocity almost 1 per cent of the English population was wiped out in a single day. Yet mention the Battle of Towton to most people and you would probably get a blank stare.
Next week marks the 550th anniversary of the engagement that changed the course of the Wars of the Roses. It is estimated that between 50,000 and 80,000 soldiers took part in the battle in 1461 between the Houses of York and Lancaster for control of the English throne. An estimated 28,000 men are said to have lost their lives.
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Goldfund bei archäologischen Untersuchungen in Zug
Bei archäologischen Untersuchungen im Vorgeld einer grossen Wohnüberbauung im schweizerischen Zug hat die Kantonsarchäologie eine Goldmünze aus dem frühen 16. Jahrhundert gefunden. Die Münze wurde zur Zeit der Renaissance in Bologna geprägt und diente als stabile Handelswährung.
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Thursday, March 17, 2011
Experts knocked for six by cricket club Roman artefacts
THE secrets of two ancient Roman altars discovered beneath a cricket pavilion in Musselburgh have finally been revealed after painstaking efforts by archaeologists.
Boasting intricate craftwork loaded with religious symbolism, the significance of the stunning stone carvings - unearthed in March last year - could turn out to be so far-reaching as to rewrite the history of the Roman occupation in Scotland.
When discovered during a revamp at Lewisvale Park, the stones were so brittle that experts were unable to analyse them conclusively. Only the backs and sides were able to be viewed until now when it became safe to inspect them fully.
Read the rest of this article...
Boasting intricate craftwork loaded with religious symbolism, the significance of the stunning stone carvings - unearthed in March last year - could turn out to be so far-reaching as to rewrite the history of the Roman occupation in Scotland.
When discovered during a revamp at Lewisvale Park, the stones were so brittle that experts were unable to analyse them conclusively. Only the backs and sides were able to be viewed until now when it became safe to inspect them fully.
Read the rest of this article...
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Science friction: Study questions how long ago ancient ancestors learned to use fire
WASHINGTON — A new study is raising questions about when ancient human ancestors in Europe learned to control fire, one of the most important steps on the long path to civilization.
A review of 141 archaeological sites across Europe shows habitual use of fire beginning between 300,000 and 400,000 years ago, according to a paper in Tuesday’s edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Most archeologists agree that the use of fire is tied to colonization outside Africa, especially in Europe where temperatures fall below freezing, wrote Wil Roebroeks of Leiden University in the Netherlands and Paola Villa of the University of Colorado.
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A review of 141 archaeological sites across Europe shows habitual use of fire beginning between 300,000 and 400,000 years ago, according to a paper in Tuesday’s edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Most archeologists agree that the use of fire is tied to colonization outside Africa, especially in Europe where temperatures fall below freezing, wrote Wil Roebroeks of Leiden University in the Netherlands and Paola Villa of the University of Colorado.
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All bites are off - fleas did spread plague
COUNTY archaeologists have provided conclusive proof that the plague which wiped out about 60 per cent of the European population in the 14th century was caused by fleas.
Human skeletons excavated from pits near Hereford Cathedral helped scholars at Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Service definitively confirm the plague’s origins.
The team were working as part of an international science project in partnership with the University of Mainz in Germany.
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Human skeletons excavated from pits near Hereford Cathedral helped scholars at Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Service definitively confirm the plague’s origins.
The team were working as part of an international science project in partnership with the University of Mainz in Germany.
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Neanderthals were nifty at controlling fire, says CU-Boulder-led study
But Neanderthal predecessors pushed into cold regions of Europe at least 800,000 years ago without the use of fire
A new study involving the University of Colorado Boulder shows clear evidence of the continuous control of fire by Neanderthals in Europe dating back roughly 400,000 years, yet another indication that they weren't dimwitted brutes as often portrayed.
The conclusion comes from the study of scores of ancient archaeological research sites in Europe that show convincing evidence of long-term fire control by Neanderthals, said Paola Villa, a curator at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History. Villa co-authored a paper on the new study with Professor Wil Roebroeks of Leiden University in the Netherlands.
"Until now, many scientists have thought Neanderthals had some fires but did not have continuous use of fire," said Villa. "We were not expecting to find a record of so many Neanderthal sites exhibiting such good evidence of the sustained use of fire over time."
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A new study involving the University of Colorado Boulder shows clear evidence of the continuous control of fire by Neanderthals in Europe dating back roughly 400,000 years, yet another indication that they weren't dimwitted brutes as often portrayed.
The conclusion comes from the study of scores of ancient archaeological research sites in Europe that show convincing evidence of long-term fire control by Neanderthals, said Paola Villa, a curator at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History. Villa co-authored a paper on the new study with Professor Wil Roebroeks of Leiden University in the Netherlands.
"Until now, many scientists have thought Neanderthals had some fires but did not have continuous use of fire," said Villa. "We were not expecting to find a record of so many Neanderthal sites exhibiting such good evidence of the sustained use of fire over time."
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Medieval discovery: pottery and leather shoes found in dig
REMNANTS of what appears to have been a medieval mill, including “very well-preserved” timber beams, pottery and leather shoes, have been found underneath Meeting House Square in Temple Bar, Dublin.
The discovery by archaeologists came as part of the mandatory archaeological survey, as work got under way on the construction of a retractable rain-cover over the square. The building works have now been halted.
Temple Bar Cultural Trust is describing the discovery as “very exciting”.
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The discovery by archaeologists came as part of the mandatory archaeological survey, as work got under way on the construction of a retractable rain-cover over the square. The building works have now been halted.
Temple Bar Cultural Trust is describing the discovery as “very exciting”.
Read the rest of this article...
Neanderthals were nifty at controlling fire, says CU-Boulder-led study
A new study involving the University of Colorado Boulder shows clear evidence of the continuous control of fire by Neanderthals in Europe dating back roughly 400,000 years, yet another indication that they weren't dimwitted brutes as often portrayed.
The conclusion comes from the study of scores of ancient archaeological research sites in Europe that show convincing evidence of long-term fire control by Neanderthals, said Paola Villa, a curator at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History. Villa co-authored a paper on the new study with Professor Wil Roebroeks of Leiden University in the Netherlands.
Read the rest of this article...
The conclusion comes from the study of scores of ancient archaeological research sites in Europe that show convincing evidence of long-term fire control by Neanderthals, said Paola Villa, a curator at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History. Villa co-authored a paper on the new study with Professor Wil Roebroeks of Leiden University in the Netherlands.
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The Roman Ninth Legion's mysterious loss
The disappearance of Rome's Ninth Legion has long baffled historians, but could a brutal ambush have been the event that forged the England-Scotland border, asks archaeologist Dr Miles Russell, of Bournemouth University.
One of the most enduring legends of Roman Britain concerns the disappearance of the Ninth Legion.
The theory that 5,000 of Rome's finest soldiers were lost in the swirling mists of Caledonia, as they marched north to put down a rebellion, forms the basis of a new film, The Eagle, but how much of it is true?
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One of the most enduring legends of Roman Britain concerns the disappearance of the Ninth Legion.
The theory that 5,000 of Rome's finest soldiers were lost in the swirling mists of Caledonia, as they marched north to put down a rebellion, forms the basis of a new film, The Eagle, but how much of it is true?
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Removing bodies from display is nonsense
The removal of long-dead human bodies from view in museums for reburial is based on a warped notion of respect
WHEN I was 10 years old I saw the mummified body of the 4th Earl of Bothwell, husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, on display in a church in Fårevejle, Denmark, during a school trip. I still have a clear memory of that day as it kick-started my interest in Scottish history. Some years later the body was removed from public display at the request of Bothwell's descendants, and recently there have been calls for its repatriation to Scotland.
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WHEN I was 10 years old I saw the mummified body of the 4th Earl of Bothwell, husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, on display in a church in Fårevejle, Denmark, during a school trip. I still have a clear memory of that day as it kick-started my interest in Scottish history. Some years later the body was removed from public display at the request of Bothwell's descendants, and recently there have been calls for its repatriation to Scotland.
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Iron Age road found in Shropshire by archaeologists
Archaeologists think they may have found evidence that Iron Age Britons were capable of building roads - before the Romans arrived.
Environmental consultants SLR examined a road, thought to be built in the 1st century BC, at Bayston Hill quarry, Shropshire.
Director Tim Malim said the age of the find suggested its construction was not a result of Roman influence.
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Environmental consultants SLR examined a road, thought to be built in the 1st century BC, at Bayston Hill quarry, Shropshire.
Director Tim Malim said the age of the find suggested its construction was not a result of Roman influence.
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Monday, March 14, 2011
More antiquities revealed by Thessaloniki metro
A 4th-century A.D. chapel that may be the oldest Christian place of worship in Thessaloniki was discovered by archaeologists beneath an early Christian basilica, itself unearthed during construction of the Sintrivani metro station in the northern port city.
Among the highlights of the find is a mosaic floor uncovered when structures of the later basilica were removed. This was showed a white field with a clematis theme, dominated by a phoenix with a halo and 13 rays in the centre. On either side are a number of birds, of which seven still survive, two of the right and five on the left.
Archaeologists surmise that there were originally 12 birds, six on either side of the phoenix, and that the picture allegorically represents Christ and the 12 Αpostles. The mosaic is unique in Thessaloniki and is dated sometime toward the end of the 4th and start of the 5th centuries A.D.
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Among the highlights of the find is a mosaic floor uncovered when structures of the later basilica were removed. This was showed a white field with a clematis theme, dominated by a phoenix with a halo and 13 rays in the centre. On either side are a number of birds, of which seven still survive, two of the right and five on the left.
Archaeologists surmise that there were originally 12 birds, six on either side of the phoenix, and that the picture allegorically represents Christ and the 12 Αpostles. The mosaic is unique in Thessaloniki and is dated sometime toward the end of the 4th and start of the 5th centuries A.D.
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Marden Henge excavations opens window on Neolithic ritual
English Heritage archaeologists have uncovered a ceremonial building, thought to be 4,500 years old during a recent 6-week archaeological excavation at one of Britain’s most important but least understood prehistoric monuments, Marden Henge in Wiltshire, south west England.
The structure has been discovered on the site of a previously unknown smaller henge within the banks of the much larger Marden Henge and is one of the best preserved Neolithic buildings in Britain outside the Orkneys.
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The structure has been discovered on the site of a previously unknown smaller henge within the banks of the much larger Marden Henge and is one of the best preserved Neolithic buildings in Britain outside the Orkneys.
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New archaeological finds in El Salvador
Three renowned French archaeologists have been travelling through the country to document the existence of cave art. Their findings at Morazan and La Union shed new light on the ancient inhabitants of El Salvador.
French archaeologists Philippe Costa, Eric Gelliot and Simon Merci from the Sorbonne University in Paris have been travelling through eastern El Salvador to document cave art found in this part of the country and try to better understand who and when created this.
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French archaeologists Philippe Costa, Eric Gelliot and Simon Merci from the Sorbonne University in Paris have been travelling through eastern El Salvador to document cave art found in this part of the country and try to better understand who and when created this.
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Marmaray excavations earn İstanbul new museum
The world’s largest sunken ship museum will be established in İstanbul thanks to finds from the Port of Theodosius dating back to the fourth century, which was discovered in Yenikapı during excavations in the Marmaray project, an undersea commuter tunnel linking Asia and Europe.
Scientists studying the 36 sunken ships salvaged at the Yenikapı archeological site have been able to identify the trees used in building the vessels and their methods of construction.
Professor Ünal Akkemik from the forest engineering department at the forestry faculty of İstanbul University has said that the ships, dating back to the fourth century, were mainly made of oak. Noting that they are confident of uncovering the dates and methods of construction, Akkemik said: “So far 36 ships have been retrieved during the excavations, and I have conducted wood-related assays on 27 of them. We have completed our studies on 20 vessels. These ships were built mainly using oak trees as well as plane, chestnut, pine, cypress, common ash and beech. Some vessels were largely made of oak but had chestnut for the outer portions and oak for inner components. Others were mainly constructed using pine trees.”
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Scientists studying the 36 sunken ships salvaged at the Yenikapı archeological site have been able to identify the trees used in building the vessels and their methods of construction.
Professor Ünal Akkemik from the forest engineering department at the forestry faculty of İstanbul University has said that the ships, dating back to the fourth century, were mainly made of oak. Noting that they are confident of uncovering the dates and methods of construction, Akkemik said: “So far 36 ships have been retrieved during the excavations, and I have conducted wood-related assays on 27 of them. We have completed our studies on 20 vessels. These ships were built mainly using oak trees as well as plane, chestnut, pine, cypress, common ash and beech. Some vessels were largely made of oak but had chestnut for the outer portions and oak for inner components. Others were mainly constructed using pine trees.”
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Sunday, March 13, 2011
Schools failing on teaching of history
Textbooks tailored to A-level teaching have 'stultified' the subject, inspectors warn
History textbooks tailored to fit A-level exam requirements have "stultified" teachers' thinking and left children ill-equipped for the type of independent study needed at university, according to an Ofsted report on history teaching.
The school inspectors also found that the subject has slumped in popularity at academies, where just 20% of students take the subject at GCSE, compared with 48% in private schools.
The renowned historian Simon Schama has agreed to advise ministers on an overhaul of the national curriculum, a move which the education secretary, Michael Gove, says will ensure that no pupil leaves school without learning "narrative British history".
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History textbooks tailored to fit A-level exam requirements have "stultified" teachers' thinking and left children ill-equipped for the type of independent study needed at university, according to an Ofsted report on history teaching.
The school inspectors also found that the subject has slumped in popularity at academies, where just 20% of students take the subject at GCSE, compared with 48% in private schools.
The renowned historian Simon Schama has agreed to advise ministers on an overhaul of the national curriculum, a move which the education secretary, Michael Gove, says will ensure that no pupil leaves school without learning "narrative British history".
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To be or not to be…Irish?
Denmark’s most famous literary prince was probably from Ireland, according to a British expert. While scholars generally agree that William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet was based on the story of Amleth by 12th century Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus, a new theory suggests that the original inspiration for the work came from closer to home.
Saxo’s story in turn is also thought to have been based on the 10th and 11th century sagas of Icelandic author Snow Bear, with the name Amleth (an anagram of Hamlet) coming from the character Amlothi who appears in the earlier stories.
However, Dr Lisa Collinson from the University of Aberdeen claims to have clear evidence that Amlothi was in fact Irish, making reference to the story of Admlithi (with a silent ‘d’) from the eighth or ninth century. The tale tells of a taboo-breaking Irish king who kills his son in a bloody finale.
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Saxo’s story in turn is also thought to have been based on the 10th and 11th century sagas of Icelandic author Snow Bear, with the name Amleth (an anagram of Hamlet) coming from the character Amlothi who appears in the earlier stories.
However, Dr Lisa Collinson from the University of Aberdeen claims to have clear evidence that Amlothi was in fact Irish, making reference to the story of Admlithi (with a silent ‘d’) from the eighth or ninth century. The tale tells of a taboo-breaking Irish king who kills his son in a bloody finale.
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Saturday, March 12, 2011
Stonehenge Being Scanned With Lasers
Modern laser scanning is being implemented to study Stonehenge and to search for hidden clues about how and why the ancient wonder was built.
Researchers said they are surveying all visible sides of the standing and fallen stones. Some ancient carvings have been found in previous studies, including a famous Neolithic “dagger.” The work is expected to be completed by the end of March.
“The surfaces of the stones of Stonehenge hold fascinating clues to the past,” English Heritage archaeologist Dave Batchelor, told BBC News.
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Researchers said they are surveying all visible sides of the standing and fallen stones. Some ancient carvings have been found in previous studies, including a famous Neolithic “dagger.” The work is expected to be completed by the end of March.
“The surfaces of the stones of Stonehenge hold fascinating clues to the past,” English Heritage archaeologist Dave Batchelor, told BBC News.
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Excavations at Banks Chambered Tomb, South Ronaldsay, Orkney
A team of archaeologists from the Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology (ORCA) recently undertook a rescue excavation on a newly discovered Neolithic chambered tomb at Banks, on the island of South Ronaldsay, Orkney. The tomb is located on the southern tip of the island overlooking the Pentland Firth, approximately 1.8 kilometres from the Tomb of the Eagles at Isbister. Whilst this new monument sits well within the rich archaeological heritage of the islands, the very fact that new examples are still being discovered underlines the remarkable prominence of this type of Neolithic burial monument.
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Complete neolithic pot found in Didcot
Archaeologists working on a housing development in Oxfordshire claim to have found one of the oldest complete pots in the country.
The neolithic find was discovered on a housing development in Didcot and is thought to be about 5,500 years old.
Archaeologist Rob Masefield said they could determine its age by the nature of the pot.
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The neolithic find was discovered on a housing development in Didcot and is thought to be about 5,500 years old.
Archaeologist Rob Masefield said they could determine its age by the nature of the pot.
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What did the Romans ever do for us (if they didn't build our roads)?
Archaeologists have found Britain's oldest properly engineered road, and the discovery could change the way we look at a key aspect of British history. Now, many of the country's key A roads – long thought to be Roman in origin – could now turn out to be substantially more British than scholars had thought.
The discoveries, in Shropshire, suggest that ancient Britons were building finely engineered, well-cambered and skilfully metalled roads before the Emperor Claudius's conquering legions ever set foot in Britain in the middle of the 1st century BC.
"The traditional view has often been that Iron Age Britons were unsophisticated people who needed to be civilised by the Romans," said Tim Malim, an archaeologist from the UK environmental planning consultancy, SLR, who co-directed the Shropshire excavation. "It's an attitude that largely has its roots in the late 19th century when Britain saw itself very much as the new Rome, bringing civilisation to the rest of the world." The Shropshire road was built, the archaeologists believe, up to 100 years before the Romans conquered Britain. The archaeologists suspect that the road may have been 40 miles long.
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The discoveries, in Shropshire, suggest that ancient Britons were building finely engineered, well-cambered and skilfully metalled roads before the Emperor Claudius's conquering legions ever set foot in Britain in the middle of the 1st century BC.
"The traditional view has often been that Iron Age Britons were unsophisticated people who needed to be civilised by the Romans," said Tim Malim, an archaeologist from the UK environmental planning consultancy, SLR, who co-directed the Shropshire excavation. "It's an attitude that largely has its roots in the late 19th century when Britain saw itself very much as the new Rome, bringing civilisation to the rest of the world." The Shropshire road was built, the archaeologists believe, up to 100 years before the Romans conquered Britain. The archaeologists suspect that the road may have been 40 miles long.
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Shedding our penis spines helped us become human, DNA study hints
Genetic comparison with chimps suggests that losing chunks of DNA – including one associated with penis spines and facial whiskers – played a crucial role in making us human
Scientists have identified a clutch of subtle genetic changes that have shaped our minds and bodies into the unique form that sets humans apart from chimpanzees and the rest of the animal kingdom.
The work by researchers in the US represents a landmark in a search that has occupied philosophers and scientists for millennia and one that goes to the heart of understanding what it means to be human.
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Scientists have identified a clutch of subtle genetic changes that have shaped our minds and bodies into the unique form that sets humans apart from chimpanzees and the rest of the animal kingdom.
The work by researchers in the US represents a landmark in a search that has occupied philosophers and scientists for millennia and one that goes to the heart of understanding what it means to be human.
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‘Global warming destroying archaeological treasures’ frozen for thousands of years
Climate change is damaging archaeological treasures which have been frozen for thousands of years, according to British scientists.
Remains in some of the coldest places on earth are becoming exposed as warmer temperatures cause ice and hardened ground to thaw, research by experts at the University of Edinburgh's Business School has found.
Ancient relics at risk include tombs, artefacts and human remains
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Remains in some of the coldest places on earth are becoming exposed as warmer temperatures cause ice and hardened ground to thaw, research by experts at the University of Edinburgh's Business School has found.
Ancient relics at risk include tombs, artefacts and human remains
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Reunited after 2,000 years apart: The Pompeii husband and wife whose tomb was buried by Vesuvius
Nearly 2,000 years after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius broke apart a tomb inscription for a husband and wife, the couple's names have been reunited with the recovery of a missing marble fragment.
Pompeii, which had existed for 700 years, was snuffed out in just 24 hours when Vesuvius erupted on the morning of August 24, 79 A.D.
The volcano began spewing ash, mud and noxious gases without warning and a 12-mile high black cloud from the volcano blocked out the sun.
Now marble fragments from a tomb smashed apart and buried during the eruption have finally been joined together, uniting the names of the couple 2,000 years later.
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Pompeii, which had existed for 700 years, was snuffed out in just 24 hours when Vesuvius erupted on the morning of August 24, 79 A.D.
The volcano began spewing ash, mud and noxious gases without warning and a 12-mile high black cloud from the volcano blocked out the sun.
Now marble fragments from a tomb smashed apart and buried during the eruption have finally been joined together, uniting the names of the couple 2,000 years later.
Read the rest of this article...
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