Oxford study aims to trace Cornish roots

A study which could prove that people in Cornwall and Devon can trace their roots to the Ancient Britons is being carried out in the two counties in February by Oxford University's genetic research team. This national genetics study 'People of the British Isles' aims to collect a total of 3,500 blood samples from people whose parents and grandparents were born in the same rural locality.

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Hill of Tara nominated to be world heritage site

THE HILL of Tara is among a number of locations which have been nominated for inclusion on a list of possible Unesco world heritage sites.

Campaigners against the route of the M3 motorway in Co Meath have joined heritage groups in submitting proposals to an advisory group, set up by Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government John Gormley, to review the list of Irish sites.

The existing tentative nomination list for world heritage sites dates back to 1992 and includes Killarney National Park, the Burren and Clonmacnoise. Deadlines for submissions for inclusion on the revised list closed yesterday.

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İzmir hails big year in archaeology

İZMİR - With thousands of artifacts retrieved from excavation sides, 2008 was a busy year for İzmir’s archaeological agenda. According to figures released by the Culture and Tourism Directorate of İzmir, 143,617 historical artifacts were surfaced from 16 dig sites during 2008, revealing the desperate need of more museums in the city

The year 2008 was a busy year in İzmir for history boffins and archaeologists with 143,617 historical artifacts being excavated from 16 dig sites throughout the year and 10,125 on display in museums.

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Archaeologists discover prehistoric blades at Birmingham City University

ARCHAEOLOGISTS in Birmingham have discovered two stone flint blades which date back more than 9,000 years.

A dig at Birmingham City University unearthed the amazing find, which is thought to have been dropped by a prehistoric man.

The excavation took place in between Park Street Gardens, Bartholomew Street and New Canal Street and was carried out by the University of Leicester Archeological Services between October and November.

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Earliest Chemical Warfare Felled Roman Fort

A cramped tunnel beneath a Middle Eastern fort might have produced the oldest evidence of chemical warfare, according to a CSI-style review of archival records.

Presented at the recent meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America, the review focused on the dramatic remains of 20 Roman soldiers unearthed in the 1930s in the city of Dura-Europos, Syria.

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Dramatic bid to save 'jewel of the Iron Age'

DISCOVERED only 13 years ago, the remarkably preserved ancient settlement at Old Scatness on Shetland forced experts to completely rewrite the history of Iron Age Britain.

Old Scatness Broch, a mile from Sumburgh Head, was a pristine time capsule which enabled archaeologists to date the chronology of an Iron Age site in northern Europe with unprecedented accuracy.

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Bacteria clue to migration of humans

RESEARCHERS have a new ally in tracing the migration routes followed by early humans – a common stomach bacterium. It helps explain how groups were related as our ancient ancestors spread steadily across the globe.

Discovering the routes taken by early humans, who left Africa tens of thousands of years ago, is a difficult process. Now the bacterium Helicobacter pylori is helping to confirm theories and garner new insights, according to Mark Achtman, professor of microbiology at University College Cork, formerly of the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin. Achtman is also a Science Foundation Ireland principal investigator.The latest discovery, published only last week, explains how Australia and many of the Pacific islands were settled by migrating populations.

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Hidden Wrecks Revealed

NEARLY a thousand new archeological sites have been discovered off the North East coast as part of an English Heritage-funded project.

During the survey, conducted by EH archaeologists along with help from Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, ship wrecks, wartime defences and medieval remains have been uncovered. The survey has been done to help researchers understand the history of the coastline and damages it may face.

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Ötzi’s Last Days –

Glacier man may have been attacked twice

Another chapter in a murder case over 5000 years old. New investigations by an LMU research team working together with a Bolzano colleague reconstructed the chronology of the injuries that Ötzi, the glacier man preserved as a frozen mummy, received in his last days. It turns out, for example, that he did in fact only survive the arrow wound in his back for a very short time – a few minutes to a number of hours, but no more – and also definitely received a blow to the back with a blunt object only shortly before his death. In contrast, the cut wound on his hand is some days older. “We are now able to make the first assertions as to the age and chronology of the injuries,” reports Professor Andreas Nerlich, who led the study. “It is now clear that Ötzi endured at least two injuring events in his last days, which may imply two separate attacks. Although the ice mummy has already been studied at great length, there are still new results to be gleaned. The crime surrounding Ötzi is as thrilling as ever!"

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Druids in row over boy's skeleton

A decision is due to be made over the future of a skeleton found near an ancient stone circle 80 years ago.

Druids have called for the remains of the three-year-old child to be reburied at Avebury, Wiltshire, out of respect.

But archaeologists insist the skeleton - currently on display at the Alexander Keiller museum - should be kept available for research and testing.

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Unique Hoard Discovered by Archeologists in Centre of Moscow

Moscow archeologists unearthed a hoard of ancient coins, jewels and an icon. Many of the items date back to the 12th century.

It is the time when Moscow was first mentioned in chronicles as a small settlement. The experts also found rare articles by ancient counterfeiters. The excavations are carried out on the area of the so-called "Tyoplye torgovie ryady" (i.e. Warm Shopping Streets).

On the 6-meter depth one can discern outlines of ancient Moscow constructions: a well, remains of a palisade, charred logs, and traces of a big fire.

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Mutmasslicher Sarg der Königin Editha entdeckt

Bei archäologischen Untersuchungen im Magedburger Dom wurde kürzlich ein Bleisarg entdeckt, der vemutlich die sterblichen Überreste der Königin Editha beherbergt. Die im Jahr 946 Verstorbene war die erste Gemahlin Ottos des Großen - der ihr die Stadt Magdeburg als Hochzeitsgeschenk verehrte.

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Cave dig hopes to find signs of modern man

AN ULTRA modern search at Kents Cavern hopes to uncover clues missed by the Victorians.

Two archaeologists are planning to excavate a small part of Kents Cavern, Torquay, to unravel their quest to see if modern man lived alongside Neanderthals.

They say it is the most important site in the UK to solve the scientific mystery.

The dig is the first excavation at the cave in more than 80 years.

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Thousands celebrate Up Helly Aa

Europe's biggest annual fire festival has been staged in Shetland.

Known as Up Helly Aa, it celebrates the islands' Viking heritage with a torch-lit procession and the spectacular burning of a replica galley.

This year it was led by a 60-strong band of latter-day Viking warriors known as the Jarl Squad led by the Viking chief or Guizer Jarl.

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Digging back into the past

AN archaeological dig has started in Herefordshire on an historical house.

As part of the refurbishment and works to create a new building for Ledbury’s library and Info centre, an archaeological dig has started at the Master’s House, which is one of the oldest buildings in the town.

An appeal for volunteers to help with the dig received an excellent response with 18 people standing by to join the dig which started on Monday.

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Turkish expert rebuilds faces for ancient skulls

ISTANBUL - Sadi Çağdır, a forensic medical expert, put a face back on to a skull from the antique city of Metropolis with the technique of facial reconstruction, after reassembling the pieces of the broken skull. 'It is the first facial reconstruction to be undertaken in Turkey at an excavation site,' he says.

The skull of a man from ancient times has had his face restored after 1,200 years. The Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review was able to enter the Forensic Medicine Institution in Istanbul’s Yenibosna district by special permission from the Ministry of Justice to witness a facial reconstruction procedure conducted under the guidance of Sadi Çağdır, a medical forensic expert. One of dozens of skulls from cases in the laboratory, with its broken tooth and its smiling face attracted the most attention.

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Medieval find in Northampton's Gold Street

Major roadworks in the centre of Northampton have given shoppers a glimpse into the town's medieval past as well as providing evidence of the historic shoe trade.

Workers began digging up Gold Street about a month ago to allow two new water mains to be laid beneath the street.

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History group excited by rath survey findings

MEMBERS of Newbuildings and District Archaeological and Hiscoriccal Society are up-beat about the initial findings of last week's survey of the Rath off Duncastle Road.

The survey of the proposed dig site was carried out on Thursday and Friday by LTU Utility Location Intelligence, based in Oldham, England, and was organised through Precision Industrial Services Ltd, at Campsie Industrial Estate.

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Mystery stones cause stir among archaeolgists

TWO mysterious stones found on Fleetwood beach have been sent for analysis at the University of Central Lancashire, Preston.
The stones went on display at last week’s monthly meeting of the Wyre Archaeology Group at Farmer Parrs, Fleetwood.

Ken Emery, group secretary, said: “We had a good turn-out of 20 people and the stones were a big talking point. The general consensus was that they were net weights for fishing, but it was hard to determine their age.

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Scientists to test DNA to find out if Galileo could really see stars

When he was buried – at the insistence of the Catholic church in unconsecrated ground – Galileo Galilei left behind at least two conundrums: how could a man with impaired eyesight have made the observations that revolutionised astronomy; and did his faulty vision alter what he saw and recorded?

When his body was moved to the basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, almost 100 years later on the initiative of local freemasons, it gave rise to a third riddle: who was the woman found buried alongside him?

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