Saturday, December 11, 2004
VICTORIAN URINAL MAKES CRICH TRAMWAY VILLAGE A PRIZE WINNER
Located at the end of the line, this particular example of Victorian engineering must have come in very handy. Courtesy Crich Tramway Village.
An unsung cog in the great machinery of the Victorian tram system has received the acclaim it deserves at the National Railway Heritage Awards in London.
A gentleman’s urinal left derelict for years, but restored to full working order and installed at Crich Tramway Village in Derbyshire has been given the Virgin Trains Volunteers Award.
Presented by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester, the annual National Railway Heritage Awards recognise excellence in restoration and environmental care of railway and tramway structures.
24 Hours Museum News
Ice-age ivory flute found in German cave
A 35,000-year-old flute made from a woolly mammoth's ivory tusk has been unearthed in a German cave by archaeologists, says the University of Tuebingen.
The flute, one of the oldest musical instruments discovered, was pieced together from 31 fragments found in a cave in the Swabian mountains in southwestern Germany, the university said on Friday.
The mountains have yielded rich pickings in recent years, including ivory figurines, ornaments and other musical instruments. Archaeologists believe humans camped in the area in winter and spring.
Reuters
Friday, December 10, 2004
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Tool use confirmed in monkeys
UK researchers have collected the first hard evidence of monkeys using tools, Science magazine reports.
Cambridge researchers observed wild capuchin monkeys in the Brazilian forest using stones to help them forage for food on an almost daily basis.
Scientists have already known for some time that capuchins use tools in captivity, but have only occasionally observed them doing so in the wild.
BBC News
Remains reburied to make way for rail line
THE remains of bodies dug up to make way for the Channel Tunnel Rail link have finally been put to rest.
Bones from more than 5,000 people were removed during the building work but have now been reburied at Camden's cemetery in East Finchley. It was the second time the bodies had been disturbed - 150 years ago they were taken out of St Pancras churchyard during the construction of the Midland Railway.
Bishop of Edmonton Peter Wheatley performed the reburial service on Wednesday.
Ham & High
TD raises fears over 'Tara motorway'
The Government was urged today to seek advice from independent archaeologists before deciding the destiny of the ancient seat of the Kings of Ireland.
Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe accused the environment minister of adopting a "road-based bias" when choosing the route between Navan and Dublin, which cuts through the Tara Skyrne Valley.
He said that because it was the most economical option, Tara had been condemned from the outset for lying directly on the "desire line", while other options had not been considered.
Online I E News
Heritage group starts running Roman Fort
BIRDOSWALD Roman Fort is now in the hands of English Heritage after an official hand-over ceremony this week.
A Roman legionnaire in uniform handed over a standard to symbolically mark the start of the fort’s new era with English Heritage.
The site was previously owned by Cumbria County Council.
Gordon Seabright, commercial director of English Heritage, joined councillors on Wednesday to take over the running of the popular fort which attracted 35,000 visitors last year.
Cumberland News
Thursday, December 09, 2004
Discovery and study of ancient fabrics provide clues to life in ages past
In 1993, Russian archaeologist Natalia Polosmak discovered an undisturbed kurgan, or tomb, in the rugged Ukok Plateau of Siberia, just inside a strip of no-man's land between Russia and China. It belonged to the Pazyryks, Iron Age horsemen who inhabited the steppes of western Asia up until the second century B.C.
Sign On San Diego
Ancient brooch is a real treasure
A MEDIAEVAL brooch unearthed by a man using a metal detector in a field at Mildenhall has been declared treasure.
Archaeologist John Newman told an inquest last week that tests had revealed the brooch, dating from the 13th century, contained 98 per cent silver.
The Standard
Greek farmer uncovers Roman monument
A farmer ploughing his field in central Greece hit on an ancient Roman trophy dating from 86 BC, the culture ministry announced.
Archaeologists have unearthed the lower part of the stone-made monument near the village of Pyrgos some 100 kilometres north-west of Athens.
An inscription identified the finding as a trophy raised there by Roman General Sulla after his victory over Mithridates, King of Pontus - a kingdom on the Black Sea in Asia Minor.
ABC News
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Historical fort begins a new era
A new era begins for an historical landmark which moves into the care of English Heritage after transfer was approved by Cumbria County Council.
Birdoswald Roman Fort, near Brampton, is set on Hadrian's Wall and is a popular tourist attraction.
At a special ceremony on Wednesday, a legionnaire in uniform will hand over a standard to mark the transfer.
BBC News
'Duck pond' turns out to be a moat
It appeared to be nothing more than a duck pond, but a chance comment and some research have revealed otherwise.
The mysterious moat could have more ancient origins as a medieval swannery, a Roman lookout, a refuge for people on the run – or there could be another explanation for it.
Whatever the story behind the structure on a farmer's land near Stalham, it will soon be restored to somewhere near its former glory.
EDP 24
LATE-NIGHT TREASURE HUNT ENDS IN COURT
A Police helicopter was used to track down two treasure hunters on a nocturnal foray at a protected historical site.
Valuable historical information is being destroyed by people motivated by private gain. Keith Knox, from Immingham, and Robert Best, from Laceby, ran away after they were spotted on the helicopter's infra-red night vision equipment in a field close to Croxton, near Kirmington.
This is Grimsby
Cretan excavation sheds light on Dark Ages of Greek history
On a narrow spur under the shadow of Mount Ida in central Crete, archaeologists for the past 20 years have been excavating a town that flourished from the Dark Ages of Greece’s early history until Medieval times.
The Eleutherna project, a systematic dig carried out by a three-pronged team of top archaeologists from the University of Crete, is in itself unusual in a country where most excavations are carried out by harried Culture Ministry employees chasing after land developers.
Kathimerini
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
HERITAGE OF CITY TO GO ONLINE
Modern-day Indiana Joneses will no longer have to rummage through dusty museums to find information on Bath's hidden heritage treasures. From tomorrow, details about artefacts stored at the city's numerous museums, libraries and archives will be available at the click of a button.
Tap Into Bath will allow members of the public, school pupils and researchers to find information on the hundreds of collections housed in the city.
It is the first time organisations in a British city have combined to provide a comprehensive database of stored treasures, and the move may now be copied by other cities.
This is Bath
Monday, December 06, 2004
Bulgaria Unearthed Yet Another Ancient Gold
Two gold earrings were found during excavation works near the Black Sea city of Nessebar.
The jewellery belonged to a woman buried during the Hellenic period IV- III century B.C., Tanya Dimova, chief of the Nessebar Museum announced.
The Bulgarian archaeologists were surprised by the high quality of the metal- over 24 carats. The earrings were made by an extreme professional and had a lion's head. The archaeologists are expecting to find more jewellery as at present they are excavating a second tomb.
Novinite
St Paul's West Front is restored
The most famous side of St Paul's Cathedral is due to be re-opened following a £5m restoration project.
The West Front, which is the main ceremonial entrance of the London cathedral, will be unveiled on Monday.
The renovation scheme will see the entire cathedral repaired for the 300th anniversary of the laying of the final stone in 1708.
BBC News
IRON AGE HOARD IN SHORWELL FIELD
A HOARD of gold and silver coins, ingots and pottery dating to the Iron Age has been hailed the largest and most significant find of its kind on the Island.
The remarkable discovery, made on farmland by members of the IW Metal Detecting Club — a club founded less than 12 months ago — was declared treasure by Island coroner John Matthews at a hearing last week.
Eighteen gold staters, 138 silver staters, one thin silver coin — used by Celtic Durotriges who inhabited parts of Devon, Dorset and Somerset more than 2,000 years ago — and seven copper alloy coins of the Roman period, were found during a dig in March this year.
Isle of Wight County Press
Saturday, December 04, 2004
History unearthed
A HOARD of Viking jewellery has been found by a metal detector enthusiast in the Cheshire countryside.
The finder, Steve Reynoldson from Keighley in West Yorkshire, made the discovery near Huxley on Sunday during a metal detecting rally which attracted almost 100 enthusiasts.
Archaeologist Dan Garner, who works for Chester Archaeology, went to the site where he confirmed the booty of 20 silver arm bands was likely to date from the Viking period in the 10th century.
Liverpool Daily Post
Ancient Roman Rest Stop Discovered
Underneath a German bus terminal, archaeologists have found the remains of a 2,000-year-old Roman roadside rest stop that included a chariot service station, gourmet restaurant and hotel with central heating.
The building complex indicates that citizens of the Roman Empire traveled in relative comfort, according to press releases from the Press Office for the City of Neuss, Germany.
Discovery Channel
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