Archaeologists bowled over by city discovery

THESE are the first pictures of an ancient warlord's treasure found at a city allotment site which has sent archaelogists into a spin.

It was a chance in a million which led forensic experts to dig up this rare seventh-century brass bowl, which has been hailed as one of the most exciting archaelogical discoveries in the past decade.

The bowl was only unearthed when gardener Helen McGlashon (26) found a human skull while digging on her vegetable patch off Palmerston Road, in Woodston, Peterborough.

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ROMAN COFFIN LIDS GO ON DISPLAY IN NORTH YORKSHIRE

English Heritage is putting three rare coffin lids on display for the first time at its store in Helmsley, North Yorkshire, after solving a riddle that has defied archaeologists for the past three decades.

The heavyweight relics, excavated from Wharram Percy Deserted Medieval Village, near Malton, were used for the burial of a high-status Viking family, but experts have now discovered they entombed Romans up to 800 years earlier.

Unearthed at Wharram 30 years ago as part of Britain’s longest running dig (1950-1990), the re-used coffin lids concealed the burials of a child up to five years old, a female in her early twenties and a male aged between 40 to 50, found in the churchyard and dating between 1060 to 1160.

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Following in the steps of a Trojan hero

Archaeologists have discovered the place where Aeneas is believed to have first set foot in Italy.

It is the closest point on the Italian peninsula to Albania and, until efforts by the coastguard some years ago, was the destination of choice for Albanians fleeing poverty for the glamour and prosperity of their wealthy neighbour. But suddenly, the little town of Castro in the province of Lecce has something much more exciting to shout about.

Archaeologists at the University of Lecce have discovered that the modern town, with its 15th-century walls, sits on the ruins of the port that was the first landfall in Italy made by the semi-mythical wanderer of the ancient world, Aeneas. According to Virgil's epic, he fled Troy as the Greeks destroyed it and made his laborious way westwards finally to found a "new Troy", the imperial city of Rome.

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Ancient paintings discovered in heart of London

A series of important ancient Roman artworks have been discovered under a restaurant in the City of London.
A series of ancient paintings have been uncovered beneath the streets of London.

The Roman artworks were found underneath an Italian restaurant in Lime Street, in the City of London.

Painted 1,900 years ago, the paintings depict goldfinch and lavish bunches of grapes, magazine London Archaeologist reports.

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Ein echter Knochenjob

Die Gebeine von Menschen der Frühen Neuzeit lassen auf deren Ernährung und Umwelt schließen.

Freiwillige Vegetarier? Die gab es in der Frühen Neuzeit vermutlich noch nicht. Aber auch aus der Not geborener Fleischverzicht war in dieser kritischen Phase des Übergangs vom Mittelalter zur Moderne wohl eher selten, sagt Diana Peitel. Die Anthropologin hat in ihrer Dissertation am Institut für Humanbiologie und Anthropologie der Freien Universität Berlin überraschend zeigen können, dass sich die Menschen der Frühen Neuzeit nicht schlechter ernährten als im Mittelalter.

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Bronze age life by airport runway

Archaeologists have published findings of an important Bronze Age settlement at Manchester Airport.

The dig, which was part of the multi-million pound development of Runway 2, uncovered Early Bronze Age artefacts at Oversley Farm in Styal.

The finds - which include flint arrowheads, pottery and tools - will go on display at Chester Museum.

Experts at the dig said they had made a "significant discovery" about pre-historic life in Cheshire.

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DNA examination of ancient dental pulp incriminates typhoid fever as a probable cause of the Plague of Athens.

Department of Orthodontics, Dental School, University of Athens, 2 Thivon str., 11527 Goudi/Athens, Greece. manjpap@dent.uoa.gr

BACKGROUND: Until now, in the absence of direct microbiological evidence, the cause of the Plague of Athens has remained a matter of debate among scientists who have relied exclusively on Thucydides' narrations to introduce several possible diagnoses. A mass burial pit, unearthed in the Kerameikos ancient cemetery of Athens and dated back to the time of the plague outbreak (around 430 BC), has provided the required skeletal material for the investigation of ancient microbial DNA. OBJECTIVE: To determine the probable cause of the Plague of Athens. METHOD: Dental pulp was our material of choice, since it has been proved to be an ideal DNA source of ancient septicemic microorganisms through its good vascularization, durability and natural sterility.

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TAC FESTIVAL 2007 PREVIEW

Location: Worldwide Length: 33 min.

The world's best films and videos on archaeology and indigenous peoples are showcased at The Archaeology Channel International Film and Video Festival, to be held 1-5 May 2007 in the Jaqua Concert Hall at The Shedd Institute in Eugene, Oregon, USA. This preview video includes a short clip from each of the 21 productions that will compete on the big screen. Film-makers from 23 countries submitted a total of 86 entries for this event, which is one of the world's few contests in the genre of heritage film.

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Debt-ridden British Museum funds foreign trips

It spends less on new acquisitions than almost any other major museum in the world and is currently £2 million in the red. Yet the British Museum has been able to find tens of thousands of pounds to send its 23-strong team of trustees and top managers on a series of foreign trips.

The museum, home to the Elgin marbles and the Rosetta Stone, has dispensed with the tradition of holding its annual meeting of trustees at its London headquarters and has instead begun holding them overseas.

Sir John Tusa, the managing director of the Barbican Centre, Vikram Seth, the novelist, and Bonnie Greer, the broadcaster, are among the trustees who have attended meetings abroad.

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Egypt Vows "Scientific War" If Germany Doesn't Loan Nefertiti

She may not be Helen of Troy, but the face of another ancient beauty has nearly launched a "scientific war" between Germany and Egypt.

In an escalating conflict over a famous 3,400-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti, the head of Egypt's antiquities authority has threatened to ban exhibitions and tours of Egyptian artifacts from Germany.

Ancient Egypt Cities Leveled by Massive Volcano, Lava Find Suggests (April 2, 2007)
Time Line of Ancient Egypt
Great Pyramid Built Inside Out, French Architect Says (April 2, 2007)

Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, had requested the sculpture for a temporary exhibition. But German officials say the iconic artwork is too fragile to travel.

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Trace Your Viking Roots At Jorvik Viking Centres New Exibition

A new exhibition hitting the JORVIK Viking Centre in York in May 2007, will be sure to cause a storm, as it delves into the historic ‘melting pot’ of York that was created by immigration and trade in Viking times.

The unique ‘Are you a Viking’ exhibition, which opens to the public on the 26th May, will bring together bio-scientific and artefactual evidence to determine if visitors could have Viking ancestors. Using computer technology, a 3-dimensional walk-through Viking riverside scene, graphics and interactive activities visitors will be able to investigate:

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12th century target for dig in ashes of Cowgate

A MAJOR archaeological dig is to go ahead on the site of the massive Old Town fire in a bid to find remains which, it is hoped, will date back as far as the 12th century.

City council archaeologist John Lawson and his team will spend several days hunting for artefacts in a trench to be dug just off the Cowgate.

The dig will be the biggest since the devastating 2002 blaze which destroyed a number of buildings on the Cowgate and South Bridge.

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2 000-year-old tombs unearthed

Archaeologists in northeastern Greece have unearthed eight tombs containing the remains of men and women who lived over 2 000 years ago, along with an assortment of jewellery, weapons and agricultural tools, the Greek culture ministry said on Friday.

The tombs dating from the fifth to third centuries BC were dug into rock, likely covered with stone slabs and probably lay alongside an ancient road, the ministry said in a statement.

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Fears for safety of ancient Naxos temple

Laborers working to extend the harbor on the island of Naxos are dumping truckloads of building material in front of an archaeological site even though a court has ordered local authorities to suspend the work, campaigners claimed yesterday.

A group of 33 concerned residents lodged an appeal in February with the Council of State, Greece’s highest administrative court, asking for the construction work taking place in front of the Temple of Apollo to be stopped because of fears it is damaging the site.

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Unique Ancient Thracian Chariot Unearthed in Bulgaria

A completely intact Thracian chariot was unearthed by the Bulgarian archaeologist Vesselin Ignatov on Friday, Darik News reported.

The chariot was found near a burial barrow close to the central Bulgarian town of Nova Zagora. Ignatov and his team have already dated the finding to 2 century BC. The chariot has two wheels with its roof made of heavy bronze in the form of eagle heads and a folding iron chair, where the driver sat. The chariot was aimed to be pulled by three horses.

The uniqueness of the finding is that it is completely intact, with all its parts on place except the wooden ones, and now we can calculate its precise size and how exactly it was placed in the tomb, Ignatov said. He believes a second chariot will be found as the excavations continue.

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Archaeologists aim to uncover lost Crafta Webb hamlet

Herefordshire Council’s archaeologists are helping to uncover the mystery of the lost Crafta Webb hamlet.

The former settlement on Bredwardine Hill grew rapidly in the early 1800s as a result of the George Jarvis Charity.

Jarvis left £30,000 in his will to help the poor of the three villages of Bredwardine, Staunton on Wye and Letton and this led to the hamlet’s population growing to more than 400 by the mid 19th century.

By the late 20th century, however, there were just 150 residents and today nothing can be seen of this once-thriving village that once had its own grocer, tailor and shoemaker.

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Battle Abbey - breathtaking demonstrations

THERE will be breathtaking demonstrations of early Medieval falconry, dubbed the 'sport of kings', at Battle Abbey next weekend.

Dressed in period robes, skilful members of Raphael Falconry will use a cast of beautiful and fast-flying hunting hawks, peregrine falcons, owls and kestrels to demonstrate the centuries-old hunting techniques and explain how at the date of 1066, hawking changed almost as dramatically as the course of English history.
Although an opening scene of the Bayeaux Tapestry shows King Harold with a hawk on his fist, during Saxon times falconry wasn't a wealthy pastime but used primarily to put food onto medieval tables.

Yet when William the Conqueror took to the throne of England, only nobility and royalty were allowed to enjoy the sport and the type of hawk or falcon an Englishman carried on his wrist marked his rank.

From 11am-5pm each day visitors can find out more during spectacular flying displays as the magnificent birds of prey soar above the battlefield site.

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Legendary Bulgarian King's Relics Prepped for 2nd Funeral 800 years After Death

The relics of the legendary Bulgarian Tzar Kaloyan were anointed with chrism and wine by the Veliko Tarnovo Metropolitan Bishop Grigoriy on Wednesday as part of the preparation of relics' second burial.

Bishop Grogoriy also said a forgiveness prayer and placed on them an icon of the Bulgarian saint Ivan Rilski. He also threw a handful of soil from the one in which the bones laid before they were found in 1972 by the archaeologist Valo Valov. After that the relics were wrapped in a crimson shroud and placed in a special coffin, made of rustproof, nickel-plated steel with Tzar Kaloyan's personal coat of arms, taken from the ring found in his funeral. The only difference is that there is a third year inscribed on the coat of arms in addition to the birth and death, 2007, the year of the re-burial.

The religious ceremony took place in the Crypt of the regional historical museum in Bulgaria's ancient capital of Veliko Tarnovo. The relics were placed in the coffin by the head of the Molecule Biology and Experimental Morphology Institute, Professor Yordan Yordanov.

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Remains of Roman teenager buried

The remains of a teenage Roman girl who was buried in the City of London more than 1,500 years ago have been laid to rest in her original grave.

The girl's skeleton was discovered in 1995 when the Swiss Re building, better known as the gherkin, was being built.

For the next 12 years the body was housed at the Museum of London, after its discovery during an excavation.

A service was held for the girl at St Botolphs Church after which her remains were reburied near to the gherkin.

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Priceless artifacts returned to Ancient Agora

A poignant ceremony was held at the Ancient Athens Agora's Stoa of Attalus on Wednesday to mark the return of six priceless black-glazed ceremonial pottery pieces from the collection of eminent British scholar and philhellene Martin Robertson.

The miniature artifacts were bequeathed to the Athens Agora's museum, as stipulated in Robertson's will, following his death in December 2004. The author of the authoritative "A History of Greek Art" (Cambridge University Press 1975), considered his magnum opus, inherited the items from American archaeologist Lucy Talcott, the recording secretary of Agora excavations in the 1930s and ‘40s.

The artifacts were officially presented by one of Robertson's sons, Stephen, at the ceremony, who stressed that he was bringing a gift by his father to "his beloved Greece". Stephen Robertson also drew a comparison to the ongoing campaign for return of the Parthenon Marbles to Athens, saying Wednesday's ceremony can demonstrate to the British Museum's administration that a similar return of antiquities is not impossible.

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