Explorator 18.35 ~ December 27, 2015

Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Edward Rockstein, Kurt Theis,
John McMahon, Barnea Selavan, Joseph Lauer, Mike Ruggeri,
Hernan Astudillo, Bob Heuman, David Critchley, Barbara Saylor Rodgers,
Frank MacKay, Rick Heli, Simon Kidner, Paul James Cowie, Allan Brockway,
Richard Campbell, Richard C. Griffiths, and Ross W. Sargent for
headses upses this week (as always hoping I have
left no one out).

Belated holiday wishes to folks celebrating and/or who have
celebrated a pile of seasonal holidays over the past couple of
weeks …

================================================================
EARLY HOMINIDS
================================================================
Analysis of a Red Deer Cave thighbone suggests ‘prehistoric’ humans survived in Eurasia until relatively recently:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-bone-red-deer-cave-people.html
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-12/uons-dc121415.php
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/22/science/thigh-bone-suggests-ancient-and-modern-humans-overlapped.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/red-deer-cave-people-1.3374837?cmp=rss
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/1217/Mysterious-14-000-year-old-leg-bone-may-belong-to-archaic-human-species
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3364509/Did-primitive-humans-survive-14-000-year-ago-Thigh-bone-mysterious-Red-Deer-Man-species-suggests-early-relatives-lived-far-later-believed.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=83743
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/12057181/Ancient-human-ancestor-may-have-persisted-through-Ice-Age.html
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn28687-new-species-of-human-may-have-shared-our-caves-and-beds/

Creating a ‘virtual fossil’ to ‘find’ the last common ancestor of homo sapiens and neanderthals:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-virtual-fossil-reveals-common-ancestor.html
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-12/uoc-fr121415.php
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/scientists-reveal-what-our-long-lost-virtual-ancestor-looked-like-before-evolutionary-split-700000-a6777736.html
http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/12/2015/virtual-fossil-reveals-last-common-ancestor-of-humans-and-neanderthals
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3364891/Did-Neanderthals-humans-split-earlier-thought-Virtual-fossil-sheds-new-light-common-ancestor.html

On the slenderness of homo sapiens faces compared to neanderthals:

http://www.livescience.com/53102-neanderthals-protruding-jaws-bone-deposits.html

They’re still talking about Oetzi’s tattoos:

http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/oetzi-the-iceman-has-worlds-oldest-tattoos-141222.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/oldest-tattoo-ever-found-marks-on-iceman-otzi-proved-to-be-first-known-body-art-a6777476.html

================================================================
AFRICA
================================================================
Ongoing concerns for artifacts in Libya:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3361241/UNESCO-museums-warn-extremist-threat-Libya-artifacts.html

… and ISIL has possession of Sabratha:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/12045883/Islamic-State-seizes-Unesco-heritage-site-in-Libya.html

We’ll probably be reading more about this golden rhino from South Africa:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=83766
================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
New Kingdom artifacts from Gebel Al-Silsila:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/177362/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/Ancient-Egyptian-artefacts-discovered-in-Aswans-Ge.aspx

The tomb of Tut’s wet nurse opened to the public:

http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2015/12/20/egypt-opens-tomb-of-king-tuts-enigmatic-wet-nurse-to-public/
http://www.dw.com/en/egypt-opens-tomb-of-king-tuts-enigmatic-wet-nurse-to-public/a-18931056
http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/wireStory/egypt-opens-king-tuts-wet-nurse-tomb-public-35873946
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3368042/Tomb-Tutankhamun-s-wet-nurse-opened-time-discovered-1996-public-allowed-close-look-paintings-inscriptions.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
… with some outlets focussing on the suggestion she may have been his sister:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-king-tut-nurse-sister-expert.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/tutankhamuns-half-sister-meritaten-might-have-also-been-his-wet-nurse-archaeologists-say-a6781231.html
http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/dec/21/egyptian-pharaoh-tutankhamuns-wet-nurse-might-have-been-his-sister
http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/king-tuts-wet-nurse-may-have-been-his-sister-151221.htm
http://news.yahoo.com/king-tuts-wet-nurse-may-sister-expert-194855829.html;_ylt=A0LEV7wCDHdWrUkAmK1jmolQ
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/king-tut-wet-nurse-meritaten-1.3374425
http://www.timesofisrael.com/king-tuts-wet-nurse-was-likely-his-sister-expert-reveals/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-3368098/King-Tuts-wet-nurse-sister-expert.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-22/pharaoh-tutankhamus-wet-nurse-maybe-his-older-sister/7046878

They’re still talking about his beard repairs too:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-egypt-king-tut-mask-botched.html
http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2015/12/17/in-pictures-german-henkel-to-take-part-in-restoration-of-tutankhamun-mask/
http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/dec/16/tutankhamun-gold-mask-egypt-beard-repair
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/17/world/middleeast/repaired-king-tut-mask-back-on-display-in-egypt.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151217-king-tut-mask-beard-repaired-egypt-archaeology/
http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/restored-king-tut-mask-back-on-display-151217.htm
http://artdaily.com/news/83702/Legendary-Egyptian-boy-king-Tutankhamun-s-gold-mask-restored-after-botched-repair

The ‘hidden Nefertiti’ thing keeps coming up:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151218-nefertiti-tomb-mystery-egypt/

… but now we’re getting some more skepticism:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/12067553/Egyptian-expert-disputes-new-theory-that-Queen-Nefertiti-is-in-Tutankhamuns-tomb.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/africa/75471401/Nefertiti-tomb-theory-is-baseless-says-Egyptologist

… and they’re not going to allow damage to Tut’s tomb:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/world-history/leading-archaeologist-says-nefertiti-is-not-in-tutankhamuns-tomb-a6787361.html

Interesting feature on Egyptian astronomy records:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-ancient-egyptians-algol-eclipses.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151217151651.htm

Feature on Abu Simbel:

http://egypttoday.com/blog/2015/12/15/the-golden-age-of-travel-on-the-nile/

Pondering the end of the Old Kingdom:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151224-egypt-climate-change-old-kingdom-archaeology/

More on the search for secret chambers in pyramids:

http://news.discovery.com/history/ancient-egypt/pyramid-secret-chambers-sought-using-cosmic-rays-151217.htm

Excavations at Kursi reveal the existence of a Jewish village, some 1800 years b.p.:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/205134
http://www.algemeiner.com/2015/12/17/marble-slab-found-near-sea-of-galilee-proves-ancient-jewish-settlement-in-area/
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Israeli-archaeologists-find-Hebrew-inscriptions-on-ancient-slab-of-marble-near-Lake-Kinneret-437520
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4740314,00.html
http://www.newswise.com/articles/university-of-haifa-excavations-uncover-unique-hebrew-inscription-showing-existence-of-a-jewish-village-at-kursi
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151218095443.htm

A Byzantine sheep/ram sculpture from Caesarea:

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Christmas-Eve-in-Caesarea-Archaeologists-find-lamb-relic-linked-to-ancient-Christianity-438351
The use of archaeology for modern political purposes raised its ugly head again with a piece in an Israel newspaper about evidence that Byzantine era Muslims weren’t as ‘enlightened’ as might have been though:

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/archaeology/.premium-1.691515

Probably in response to an Egyptian paper having a scholar suggest the Temple was never in Jerusalem (reported via an Israel newspaper):

http://www.timesofisrael.com/egyptian-paper-claims-jewish-temple-was-never-in-jerusalem/

… and then a Jerusalem newspaper had a Muslim scholar saying Muslim claims to Temple Mount were baseless:

http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Temple-Mount-in-Jewish-hands-The-Egyptian-intellectual-who-handed-over-al-Aksa-438173

… and something from the US House of Representatives was brought up too:

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/US-congresswoman-Jerusalems-archaeological-discoveries-prove-historic-Jewish-ties-438085

Feature on the archaeology of Jesus’ time (mostly about sites in Galilee):

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/unearthing-world-jesus-180957515/?no-ist

… and that thing about what Jesus really looked like (from five or six years ago!) returned for some reason:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-jesus-science-mystery.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3359548/Is-real-face-JESUS-Experts-use-forensics-reveal-Christ-looked-like.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/12/25/what-did-jesus-look-like/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35120965

The Magdala Stone (found in 2009) was also back in the news:

http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2015/12/17/459964768/the-magdala-stone-may-be-a-portal-to-early-religion
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/12/13/is-this-stone-the-clue-to-why-jesus-was-killed.html

A roundup of major archaeological find in Israel in 2015:

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/archaeology/1.693631

Feature on Moshe Dayan’s ‘collecting’ efforts:

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/archaeology/.premium-1.692507

Feature on the DSS:

http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/dead-sea-scrolls/dead-sea-scrolls-history-looking-back-on-the-last-75-years/

Interesting feature on ‘Nineveh in Bombay’ and the competition for Mesopotamian artifacts back in the 1800s:

http://scroll.in/article/768431/nineveh-in-bombay-circa-1840s-when-the-splendours-of-ancient-assyria-enraptured-the-city

Ongoing concerns for sites in Yemen:

http://theconversation.com/bricks-and-mortar-fire-yemens-cultural-heritage-is-in-the-crosshairs-48484

More on Suleiman:

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35101068

—–
Archaeology in Europe Blog:

http://archaeology-in-europe.blogspot.com/

================================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
================================================================
A marble sphinx from a Tang dynasty tomb:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-12/15/c_134919096.htm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/peoplesdaily/article-3362518/Clash-civilisations-Archaeologists-unearth-1-000-year-old-sphinx-statue-tomb-ancient-Chinese-scholar.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

A bronze casting workshop from Haojing:

http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2015-12/23/content_22786662.htm

A Han Dynasty tomb in Jiangxi was excavated ‘just in time’ apparently:

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/1892415/tomb-raiders-readied-rob-han-dynasty-crypt-day-it-was-saved-say

… I think this is the same tomb:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-12/15/c_134920096.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2015-12/15/c_134920186.htm

A pile of hanging coffins from Hubei (how do people not notice these things?):

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/peoplesdaily/article-3361098/A-real-cliff-hanger-Archaeologists-discover-hundreds-mysterious-wooden-tombs-suspended-rock-face-rural-China.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

A movement to revive Sanskrit:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=83737

Coins and arrowheads from a Buddhist stupa site in Taxila:

http://www.dawn.com/news/1226642

—–

Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog:

http://www.southeastasianarchaeology.com/

New Zealand Archaeology eNews:

http://nzarchaeology.blogspot.co.nz/index.html
================================================================
NORTH AMERICA
================================================================
Archaeologists have found the site of the Luna settlement near Pensacola:

http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/12/2015/archaeologists-identify-16th-century-luna-settlement

Latest from the Las Capas site:

http://tucson.com/news/blogs/scientific-bent/the-early-gastronomes-of-tucson/article_a590ea11-2768-53d2-ad77-df54a5ce6516.html

Latest from the Vero Beach site:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/fl-vero-man-site-fau-20151218-story.html
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-vero-man-site-fau-20151218-story.html

Remains of a ‘corduroy road’ from Fairfax:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/construction-crew-unearths-remains-of-corduroy-road-in-fairfax/2015/12/21/be1e0b9a-a5d2-11e5-ad3f-991ce3374e23_story.html
http://www.chicagotribune.com/ct-civil-war-cedar-log-highway-20151223-story.html

Interview with Lynn Gamble:

http://www.news.ucsb.edu/2015/016232/deep-history

More on the wood source for Chaco Canyon dwellings:

http://tucson.com/news/local/new-wood-source-found-for-chaco-canyon/article_ad54fe7b-e590-5d6f-947e-2cb5c0bb84aa.html

That ‘first casino’ (Utah) story is making the rounds again:

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/12/17/have-researchers-found-americas-first-casino-162794

Trying to preserve the site of the Battle of Princeton:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/14/nyregion/as-housing-project-starts-another-battle-flares-on-a-revolutionary-war-site-in-princeton.html
http://m.ctpost.com/news/education/article/Legal-battle-continues-over-Revolutionary-War-6695468.php

More on pre-earthquake San Francisco Chinatown:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/traces-san-franciscos-pre-earthquake-chinatown-uncovered-180957528/

================================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
================================================================
Feature/update on Choquequirao:

http://www.peruviantimes.com/18/choquequirao-field-report-2015/25121/

Ceren suggests a somewhat different view of the Maya:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/archaeological-finds-in-el-salvador-tell-a-whole-different-tale-about-maya-society/

Evidence of captive carnivores at Teotihuacan 1000 years before Montezuma’s ‘zoo’:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-early-captive-carnivore-ancient-mexican.html

What Chris Begley is up to:

http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2015/12/17/transylvania-university-indiana-jones–archaeologist-chris-begley/76365846/

Evidence of religious conflict in early Mesoamerica:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-12/uocf-sfr122115.php
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3370189/Religion-causing-conflicts-2-000-years-binding-ancient-societies-belief-systems-torn-apart-Mesoamerica.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/religion-has-been-causing-conflict-for-over-2000-years-say-scientists-a6782631.html

—–
Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Americas Breaking News:

http://goo.gl/1VdeA

Ancient MesoAmerica News:

http://ancient-mesoamerica-news-updates.blogspot.com/
================================================================
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
================================================================
As might be expected, there was a pile of Christmas-related stuff, including the usual piece on the Star of Bethlehem:

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/coleraine-academic-who-says-hes-proven-the-star-of-bethlehem-really-did-appear-in-the-sky-as-described-in-the-bible-34296885.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/12/22/9-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-star-of-bethlehem-2/

… and some ‘revisionism’ about donkeys and cattle being present by the manger:

http://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunications/news.php?action=story&story=164233

… and the ‘real’ date:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/christmas/75281026/christmas-date-unimportant-to-biblical-scholar-murray-harris
http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/12/23/ciencia/1450901374_520054.html

… and virgin births:

http://theconversation.com/friday-essay-virgin-mothers-and-miracle-babies-49889

… and the question of whether the Romans actually invented it:

http://www.historytoday.com/matt-salusbury/did-romans-invent-christmas
http://www.apalachtimes.com/article/20151223/OPINION/151229761/16225/OPINION

… and other pagan bits:

http://theconversation.com/the-holly-and-the-ivy-how-pagan-practices-found-their-way-into-christmas-52343

… and things about mistletoe:

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20151215-why-we-kiss-under-mistletoe
http://theconversation.com/mistletoe-the-kiss-of-life-for-healthy-forests-52137

… and dinners:

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/12/23/460840803/big-bold-wild-we-re-create-christmas-dinner-17th-century-style

… and the Nutcracker:

http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20151218-how-tchaikovskys-nutcracker-became-a-christmas-classic

… and a Christmas Carol:

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35120471

… and the Christmas Truce:

http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/12/25/370381693/a-century-ago-when-the-guns-fell-silent-on-christmas?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social

… and Santa’s diet:

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/12/22/459382720/how-did-santa-get-hooked-on-cookies-and-milk

… and letters that didn’t make it to him:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/22/nyregion/a-chimneys-poignant-surprise-letters-santa-missed-long-ago.html
http://news.yale.edu/2015/12/18/palace-st-nicholas-santa-s-correspondence-beinecke-library

… and what he really looked like:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2015/12/17/bones-of-saint-nicholas-reveal-what-santa-claus-really-looked-like/

… his reindeer:

http://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/12/reindeer_names_origins.html

… etc.:

http://theconversation.com/schnapps-whipping-and-sacks-how-christmas-traditions-evolved-around-the-world-52441
http://theconversation.com/thou-hadst-better-avoid-getting-teary-and-king-leary-this-christmas-52215
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/how-christmas-in-the-us-has-evolved-from-its-german-roots/2015/12/16/c904f84e-a2b6-11e5-9c4e-be37f66848bb_story.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/5-creepy-christmas-traditions-world-article-1.2470215
http://theconversation.com/bah-humbug-the-misery-of-christmas-in-classic-literature-50771
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-34988154

There were also the usual Solstice-related items:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-35158234
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151221-winter-solstice-explained-pagans/

… and the beginnings of the ‘top finds of 2015’ lists:

http://mashable.com/2015/12/19/archaeological-finds-2015/
http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/archaeology/the-top-archaeological-discoveries-of-2015/news-story/4cb9fe635057e8549d35bbc90e9b7967
http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/coolest-archaeological-discoveries-of-2015-151216.htm
Here’s your bizarre-’find’-of-2015 story (from Israel):

http://www.antiquities.org.il/Article_heb.aspx?sec_id=25&subj_id=240&id=4166
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/12066615/Facebook-helps-solve-Israels-Antiquities-Authority-mystery.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/ancient-jewish-relic-found-in-jerusalem-cemetery-turns-out-to-be-new-age-german-energy-beamer-sold-a6783916.html
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/History-mystery-Gold-tool-discovered-in-cemetery-structure-leaves-archaeologists-stumped-438035
http://news.yahoo.com/stumped-archeologists-ask-facebook-help-identify-mysterious-object-214947944.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3370859/Facebook-users-crack-6-month-Israel-antiquities-mystery.html
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/205324
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/archaeology/.premium-1.693209

Feature on the relevance of Jane Austen:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/27/books/review/what-do-jane-austens-novels-have-to-tell-us-about-love-and-life-today.html

Something about Mark Twain:

http://www.signature-reads.com/2015/11/editor-ben-griffin-on-10-years-inside-the-mind-of-mark-twain/

Suggestion that the beginning of the Anthropocene coincides with the development of agriculture:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-scientists-peg-anthropocene-farmers.html
http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmpr/?Page=news&&storyID=22035

Some photos of old eclipses:

http://www.livescience.com/53170-photo-gallery-lost-astronomy-plates.html

Slideshow of some old maps:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/18/design/historys-most-revealing-maps/index.html

I’ll freely admit I don’t get the concept of the ‘archaeologist of the year’:

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/14162347.Bradford_Professor_s_work_marked_with_national_award_nomination/

Big bucks for a 16th century Talmud:

http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Rare-16th-century-Talmud-fetches-93-million-in-NY-auction-438222

Interesting spin on Gertrude Bell/Lawrence of Arabia:

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/should-lawrence-arabia-known-male-10636369

More on the importance of millet in the transition from hunter-gatherer to farmer:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-millet-link-prehistoric-humans-transition.html
http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/millet-the-missing-piece-in-the-puzzle-of-prehistoric-humans-transition-from-hunter-gatherers-to
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-12/uoc-mtm121115.php
http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/12/2015/millet-bridged-the-gap-between-hunter-gathering-and-farming
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/12/23/460559052/millet-how-a-trendy-ancient-grain-turned-nomads-into-farmers

More on ‘additional Mona Lisas’:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/french-scientist-says-mona-lisa-hiding-portrait-another-woman-180957485/
Archaeology Podcast Network:

http://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/archyfantasies/
================================================================
MUSEUM MATTERS
================================================================
Roman War Technology:

http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article51686200.html

Agatha Christie:

http://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/books/daytripping-to-montreal-for-agatha-christie
http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=83941
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/new-montreal-exhibit-shows-agatha-christie-s-secret-life-in-archaeology-1.3357656?cmp=rss

Poussin to Monet:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=83967

Power and Pathos:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/25/arts/design/power-and-pathos-hellenistic-bronzes-as-realism-in-the-flesh.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/style/2015/12/17/a-bronze-age-for-the-national-gallery/?tid=pm_entertainment_pop_b

Shakespeare:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/17/arts/design/for-a-shakespeare-anniversary-an-online-re-creation-of-a-1796-show.html

Louis XIV tapestries:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomteicholz/2015/12/24/tapestries-of-louis-xiv-are-woven-gold/

Sunken Cities:

http://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/egypts-sunken-cities-rise-again

Hadrian:

http://www.timesofisrael.com/three-surviving-bronzes-of-hadrian-united-in-stunning-israel-museum-exhibit/
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/archaeology/.premium-1.693212

Gold from the Ground Up:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/all-gold-exhibition-180957489/

Feature on the googlization of the British Museum:

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20151224-explore-the-british-museum-and-3d-print-its-artifacts-all-from-the-comfort-of-home.html

… and its last acquisition under Neil MacGregor:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-lampedusa-cross-british-museum-makes-last-acquisition-under-departing-director-neil-macgregor-a6777616.html
The Bardo is doing the culture exchange thing with some Italian museums:

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/bardo-museum-tunis-italian-exchange-396924

Kenya is planning an underwater museum:

http://allafrica.com/stories/201512170958.html

================================================================
THE TECHY SIDE
================================================================
A CT scan of a silver amulet found in Jordan a while back revealed an ancient Jewish ‘spell’:

http://sciencenordic.com/archaeologists-develop-new-technology-read-ancient-documents
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3370173/Ancient-Jewish-spell-mysterious-amulet-Scans-reveal-magical-symbols-inscribed-1-300-year-old-silver-scroll.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

3d scanning peanuts and ham:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-professor-d-scans-world-oldest.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2015/12/15/archaeologist-3d-scans-worlds-oldest-preserved-ham-and-peanut/

A budget robot for underwater archaeology:

http://www.reuters.com/video/2015/12/20/budget-robot-for-underwater-archaeology?videoId=366749747&feedType=VideoRSS&feedName=Technology&videoChannel=6

================================================================
ON THE DNA FRONT
================================================================
Latest dog DNA study:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-domestication-dogs-genetic.html
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/dec/15/dog-dna-study-reveals-the-extraordinary-journey-of-mans-best-friend
http://www.scientificamerican.com/citizen-science/darwin-s-dogs/
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/1216/How-did-Fido-come-to-be-man-s-best-friend-A-dog-s-tale

Not sure if this is the result of or prior to DNA studies on the remains of the Romanovs:

http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/12/13/458014142/will-dna-tests-finally-settle-controversy-surrounding-russias-final-tsars

I think we’ve had this DNA and lice story before:

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/12/24/460029361/our-parasites-and-vermin-reveal-secrets-of-human-history

Dienekes’ Anthropology Blog:

http://dienekes.blogspot.ca/
================================================================
CLIMATE MATTERS
================================================================
Devil’s Hole as ‘climate archive’:

https://scilog.fwf.ac.at/en/environment-and-technology/3380/a-climatological-treasure-from-nevada

On whaling logs and climate:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-climate-tool-1800s-whaling.html
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/12/19/old-weather-whaling-logs-could-reveal-our-future-climate/77495226/

================================================================
TOURISTY THINGS
================================================================
Orkneys:

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20151210-were-these-remote-wild-islands-the-centre-of-everything

Athens:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-3361128/Architecture-academia-birthplace-democracy-Athens-grandest-open-air-university-world.html

Kafka’s Prague:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/27/travel/franz-kafka-prague.html

Machu Picchu:

http://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2015/12/22/60-second-vacation-machu-picchu.cnn

Palermo:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/12/18/travel/what-to-do-in-36-hours-in-palermo-sicily.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Ftravel

================================================================
CRIME BEAT
================================================================
Latest on the Kapoor investigation (with ROM fallout):

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/visualarts/2015/12/22/rom-artifacts-part-of-investigation-into-looted-antiquities.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/rom-kapoor-looted-antiquities-1.3375051

Authorities in Cyprus have seized the Odyssey Explorer, which is full of 18th century relics, apparently:

http://cyprus-mail.com/2015/12/24/treasure-hunters-seized-in-limassol/
http://cyprus-mail.com/2015/12/24/antiquities-on-board-seized-vessel-not-unique-to-cyprus/
http://famagusta-gazette.com/police-probe-as-antiquities-found-in-ship-docked-in-cyprus-p31735-69.htm
http://in-cyprus.com/archaeologists-in-custody-as-antiquities-probe-continues/
http://www.cna.org.cy/webnewsEN.asp?a=4209521491e94b188eb8c5811c2f3166

A major bust at an airport in Pakistan:

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/sindh/23-Dec-2015/customs-recovers-antiquities-worth-10m

Followup to the charges (now dropped) against a former forestry official:

http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/education/article/Missouri-professor-Theft-accusations-were-6713276.php

… but a plea regarding Effigy Mounds:

http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/government/retired-effigy-mounds-official-will-plead-guilty-to-removing-ancient-human-remains-20151216

… and a sentence for a Beverly Hills dealer:

http://theartnewspaper.com/news/museums/beverly-hills-antiquities-dealer-sentenced-to-jail-for-smuggling-scheme/
http://savingantiquities.org/markell-charged/

Nice feature on the Amarna Princess forgery:

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/forger-shaun-greenhalgh-art-con-10624248

Latest Culture Crime News:

http://www.anonymousswisscollector.com/2015/12/culture-crime-news-7-13-december-2015.html
conflict antiquities:

http://conflictantiquities.wordpress.com/

anonymous swiss collector:

http://www.anonymousswisscollector.com/

Portable Antiquity Collecting and Heritage Issues:

http://paul-barford.blogspot.ca/

Looting Matters:

http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/

Illicit Cultural Property:

http://illicit-cultural-property.blogspot.com/

SAFE:

http://www.savingantiquities.org/blog/

================================================================
REPATRIATION AND RECOVERY
================================================================
The Nez Perce people recovered some items:

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/dec/19/human-remains-artifacts-returned-to-nez-perce-trib/
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/19/human-remains-artifacts-returned-to-nez-perce-trib/

The UK returned a stela to Egypt:

http://news.yahoo.com/smuggled-ancient-wall-carving-returned-egypt-140223811.html
http://www.livescience.com/53099-smuggled-carving-returned-to-egypt.html
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/173512/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/Stolen-relief-of-Egyptian-King-Seti-I-recovered-fr.aspx
http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/seti-i-mural-repatriated-britain

Some stolen Mameluk era lamps were returned to Egypt:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/43/173508/Heritage/Islamic/Three-stolen-Egyptian-Mamelukera-lamps-recovered-f.aspx

Issues getting stolen Dutch art from the Ukraine:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/15/arts/international/stolen-dutch-art-ukraine.html
================================================================
NUMISMATICA
================================================================
Latest on the Lenborough Anglo Saxon hoard:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-35123682

Feature on trihembiols:

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/your-leeds/nostalgia/leeds-nostalgia-ancient-greek-coin-still-has-currency-1-7618355

A couple week’s worth of e-Syla:

http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_v18n51.html
http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_v18n52.html

… there will be another today, but I don’t want to incorrectly anticipate the link.

————————
Ancient Coin Collecting:

http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins:

http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/

Coin Week:

http://www.coinweek.com/
================================================================
PERFORMANCES AND THEATRE-RELATED
================================================================
Antigona:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/18/arts/dance/review-antigona-is-noche-flamencas-teeming-take-on-the-greek-tragedy.html

Singing Shakespeare:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/23/arts/international/singing-shakespeare-400-years-after-his-death.html

Not sure where to put this mashup of Shakespeare and Star Wars:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/25/books/review-ian-doeschers-william-shakespeares-tragedy-of-the-siths-revenge.html

Les Liaisons Dangereuses:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/26/arts/international/review-les-liaisons-dangereuses-and-linda.html

Handel’s Messiah:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/18/arts/music/in-handels-messiah-the-trumpet-as-divine-agent.html

On ‘accidental notes’:

http://www.npr.org/2015/12/20/460163750/how-accidental-notes-grab-our-attention

================================================================
OBITUARIES
================================================================
James Clupper:

http://www.keysnet.com/2015/12/26/506305/keys-archaeologist-historian-clupper.html

Hal Dalwood:

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/dec/15/hal-dalwood-obituary

Nancy Sandars:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/12052030/Nancy-Sandars-archaeologist-obituary.html

Lewis M. Dabney:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/27/arts/design/lewis-m-dabney-scholar-who-made-edmund-wilson-focus-of-his-lifes-work-dies-at-83.html

Andrew Cayton:

http://earlyamericanists.com/2015/12/22/in-memoriam-andrew-cayton/
================================================================
AUDIO/VIDEO NEWS
================================================================
Audio News from Archaeologica:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org/audio-main-menu-cat/audio-news-list/2339-audio-news-from-archaeologica-13-dec-19-dec-2015
================================================================
UPCOMING CONFERENCES
================================================================
(send in your notices!)
================================================================
GENERAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS BLOGS
================================================================
Archaeology Magazine News Page:

http://www.archaeology.org/news/

About.com Archaeology:

http://archaeology.about.com/

Ancient Digger:

http://www.ancientdigger.com/

Archaeology Briefs:

http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/

Past Horizons:

http://www.pasthorizons.com/

Stonepages:

http://www.stonepages.com/news/

Taygete Atlantis excavations blogs aggregator:

http://planet.atlantides.org/taygete/

Time Machine:

http://heatherpringle.wordpress.com/
================================================================
PODCASTS/VODCASTS
================================================================
Archaeosoup:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Archaeos0up?feature=watch

The Book and the Spade:

http://www.radioscribe.com/bknspade.htm
================================================================
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Explorator

The Archaeological News of the Week

Explorator

Explorator 18.35 ~ December 27, 2015

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Explorator

The Archaeological News of the Week

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