Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Edward Rockstein, Kurt Theis, John McMahon, Barnea Selavan, Joseph Lauer, Mike Ruggeri, Hernan Astudillo, Richard Campbell, Barbara Saylor Rodgers, Bob Heuman, David Critchley, Richard Miller, Kris Curry, Rick Heli, Richard C. Griffiths, Frank MacKay, Don Buck, mata kimasitayo, and Ross W. Sargent for headses upses this week (as always hoping I have left no one out).
============================================================
EARLY HOMINIDS
============================================================
As might be expected, a major discussion has broken out over the status of Sahelanthropus (dubbed Toumai) in the human family tree:
A study of 70 000 years bp ‘trapped’ piece of ochre from a site in South Africa:
Feature on the Denisovans:
https://www.livescience.com/denisovans-extinct-human-relative
The find of a 500 000 years bp elephant tusk in Israel might be of interest:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/israeli-ap-tel-aviv-university-mediterranean-b2156497.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/israeli-archaeologists-dig-up-large-tusk-of-ancient-elephant/2022/08/31/5dc69c26-2915-11ed-a90a-fce4015dfc8f_story.html
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/elephants-prehistoric-israel/
============================================================
AFRICA
============================================================
Documenting some 1000 years bp paintings in a church in Sudan:
Excavations at Zanzibar’s Stone Town suggest it’s much older than previously thought:
More on the multinational group surveying the Skerki Banks:
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/08/30/shipwrecks-ahoy-unescos-underwater-mission-scours-sea-bed-off-italy-for-archaeological-treasures
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/marine-archaeologists-are-scouring-a-busy-trade-route-for-ancient-shipwrecks-1234637752/
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/unesco-marine-archaeology-2167546
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-from-eight-countries-unesco-explore-skerki-banks-180980693/
============================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
============================================================
A pollen study suggests the Khufu branch of the Nile once ran close enough to the pyramids to provide a route for stones to be transported for their construction:
https://phys.org/news/2022-08-khufu-nile-river-giza-stones.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/30/science/pyramids-nile-river-construction-egypt.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/world/egypt-river-nile-branch-pyramids-study-b2156802.html
https://egyptindependent.com/french-study-reveals-secret-behind-the-pyramids/
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-715984
https://arkeonews.net/a-long-lost-branch-of-the-nile-helped-in-building-egypts-pyramids-scientists-say/
https://www.sciencealert.com/a-hidden-landscape-we-can-no-longer-see-may-explain-the-mystery-of-the-pyramids
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10804-220901-nile-river-flow
cf: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2202530119
… and a feature on the Pyramid of Khufu:
A study of Tutankhamun’s shoes suggests he may have had foot problems:
Feature on finds over the past century at Thebes:
Feature on ancient Egyptian collections in Australia:
https://egyptianstreets.com/2022/09/02/egyptian-collections-in-australia-a-curators-perspective/
More on Zahi Hawass’ call for the return of the Rosetta Stone:
https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/474147.aspx
… and a backgrounder on the Rosetta Stone and the ‘obsession’ with ancient Egypt:
Hawass has also announced plans for a major campaign to recover stolen Egyptian antiquities:
Meanwhile, Egypt will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the translation of the stone:
https://www.cairoscene.com/Buzz/Egypt-to-Celebrate-200th-Anniversary-of-Rosetta-Stone-Discovery
… as part of a celebration of 200 years of Egyptology:
France marked the bicentennial of the decipherment too:
More on the restoration of a statue of Thutmose II:
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/08/egypt-restores-massive-statue-king-thutmose-ii
… and the shrine of Amun-Ra:
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/08/egypt-restores-ancient-shrine-amun-ra
… and the resumption of restoration efforts at the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak:
Perhaps clarifying a confusing piece from last week, digs are under way in the Sialk hills at a 6000 years bp site:
Neolithic and Chalcolithic finds from a site in Iran’s Kordestan province:
Marking 22 years of excavations at Ecbatana:
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/476207/Ecbatana-photo-exhibit-workshop-to-spotlight-22-seasons-of
Italian archaeologists are back digging at Ebla:
Feature on Ashurbanipal’s library:
More on the possible decipherment of Linear Elamite:
https://phys.org/news/2022-08-team-deciphered-ancient-iranian-linear.html
https://www.asor.org/anetoday/2022/09/irans-linear-elamite-deciphered
https://www.livescience.com/ancient-linear-elamite-writing-deciphered/
https://www.sciencealert.com/mysterious-script-from-4000-years-ago-may-finally-be-deciphered
Evidence of a 9300 years bp settlement site from the Sircalitepe Mound (Turkey):
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkiye/traces-of-permanent-settlement-dating-back-over-9-000-years-discovered-in-central-turkiye/2670197
https://arkeonews.net/traces-of-9300-year-old-settlement-unearthed-near-volcanic-cappadocia-in-central-turkey/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/10802-220831-turkey-obsidian-settlement
Remains of a Urartian ‘garbage dump’ from excavations at the Ayanis Castle near Lake Van:
https://arkeonews.net/urartian-royal-garbage-dump-was-found-during-excavations-at-ayanis-castle/
Overviewish on recent finds in Istanbul:
An overview of finds in Turkey in August:
https://turkisharchaeonews.net/article/august-2022-turkish-archaeology
Feature on the century-long dig at Hattusha:
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/hattusha-excavations-continue-for-more-than-a-century-176616
More on archaeologists’ call for protection of Hagia Sophia:
https://www.thenationalherald.com/greek-archaeologists-call-on-unesco-to-protect-aghia-sophia/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-call-on-unesco-to-protect-the-hagia-sophia-180980659/
Israel is targetting US Christian groups for biblical excavations:
https://www.jpost.com/christianworld/article-716219
Feature on the Dead Sea Scrolls:
More on the 1200 years bp ‘luxury villa’ from the Negev:
—–
This Week in the Ancient Near East Podcast:
https://thisweekintheancientneareast.podbean.com/
============================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
============================================================
Scythian finds and a Bronze Age dwelling from Ukraine (!):
https://www.livescience.com/scythian-artifacts-found-ukraine/
A Gallic necropolis Mercin-et-Vaux with all sorts of WWI damage:
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/65012
Excavation of a 2nd century BCE burial in Tuscany is shedding light on Etruscan identity in Roman times:
https://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2022/08/025.html
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-716152
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/09/archaeological-site-reveals-new-insights-into-etruscan-identity/144576
Latest finds from the dig at Roman Caistor are shedding light on the Iceni:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-62677813
https://digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/data/1081/reader/reader.html?#!preferred/0/package/1081/pub/1081/page/43/article/NaN
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/08/excavation-reveals-new-insights-into-iceni-people-during-roman-period/144561
A Roman site of some sort at Driffield:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-humber-62769708
https://news.yahoo.com/driffield-earliest-roman-settlement-evidence-071257944.html
1800 years bp amphorae and ‘water jugs’ from Metropolis:
https://greekreporter.com/2022/09/03/amphorae-ancient-greek-city-metropolis/
A 2nd century CE tomb of a ‘bird oracle’ from Pergamon:
https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/ancient-ornithomancy-pergamon-reveals-tomb-of-bird-oracle/news
https://arkeonews.net/the-tomb-of-the-bird-oracle-markos-was-found-in-the-ancient-city-of-pergamon/
3rd/4th century CE (?) pithoi and structure finds from the Thracian Valley of the Kings:
Recent finds from Claros suggest it continued to be prominent as a prophecy centre until the 7th century:
New excavations are underway at Ostia Antica:
Study suggests Greeks were using ‘cranes’ 150 years earlier than previously thought:
Concerns for the site of Leptis Magna:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1936031/middle-east
Arguing over who should pay for excavation of artifacts found during sewer construction in Larnaca:
https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/08/29/larnaca-locals-shouldnt-pay-for-unearthed-antiquities/
Not sure where to put this one on a sphinx intaglio found at Muziris:
The Kore of Thera is back on display:
https://greekreporter.com/2022/09/02/kore-thera-ancient-greek-masterpiece/
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/09/03/santorini-female-statue-first-time/
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/65018
More on that study of Roman funerary banquets:
https://phys.org/news/2022-08-dietary-funerary-meals-people-roman.html
http://www.archaeology.org/news/10805-220901-roman-funeral-meals
cf: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0271296
More on the giant phallus find in Spain:
https://english.elpais.com/culture/2022-08-25/archaeologists-discover-one-of-the-largest-phallic-sculptures-of-ancient-rome.html
https://www.vice.com/amp/en/article/5d3d4n/archeologists-discover-huge-stone-penis-in-ancient-roman-ruins
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10793-220829-spain-roman-phallus
More on the recent ‘middle class’ finds from Pompeii:
https://hyperallergic.com/756467/household-objects-unearthed-in-pompeii/
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/archaeologists-excavate-pompeii-home-2168070
More on the tumulus of Laona:
https://www.newsweek.com/ancient-fortress-found-under-burial-mound-cyprus-1738989
More on the DNA study suggesting the Griffin Warrior was a local aristocrat:
https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2022/08/uc-analysis-shows-griffin-warrior-ruled-his-homeland.html
http://www.archaeology.org/news/10798-220830-griffin-warrior-dna
We may have had this item on the Chroma exhibition at the Met:
Feature on Roman Cambridge:
https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/history/roman-cambridge-called-duroliponte-very-24762621
First person account on digging with the Marzuolo Archaeological Project:
https://cornellsun.com/2022/08/29/what-i-found-in-the-earth/
Josh Gates was apparently visiting the San Giuliano Archaeological Research Project:
https://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunications/news.php
Feature on the rock-cut tombs at Blaundus:
https://greekreporter.com/2022/08/31/hundreds-ornate-rock-cut-tombs-turkey/
Feature on the Spartans:
https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0cxx40h/what-made-the-spartans-such-fierce-warriors-
Feature on the Vandals:
https://www.livescience.com/who-were-the-vandals
Feature on the Huns:
https://www.livescience.com/the-huns
Feature on the Pompeiian fresco of Terentius Neo and his wife:
Feature on Artemis:
Feature on Callimachus:
Feature on Ancient Greeks and the spread of Buddhism:
https://greekreporter.com/2022/08/29/greeks-spread-buddhism-to-world/
Another feature on the underwater museum at Alonissos:
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/07/31/greeces-first-underwater-museum-in-alonissos-opens-august-1-2/
—–
Roman Archaeology Blog:
Rogueclassicism:
http://rogueclassicism.com/
============================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
============================================================
Previously-unseen ‘carvings’ at Ireland’s Grange Stone Circle (ca 3000 BCE or so):
https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/carvings-discovered-stone-circle-limerick
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10807-220902-ireland-carved-stone
A 1300 BCE burial ground from Kopilo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) is shedding light on mortality rates, it seems:
https://www.newsweek.com/balkan-cemetery-studies-reveal-high-prehistoric-mortality-rate-1737689
Overview of the excavation of the 2500 years bp Flower’s Barrow hillfort site:
https://insidedio.blog.gov.uk/2022/08/31/excavating-a-2500-year-old-iron-age-hill-fort/
Study suggests the Vikings weren’t the first to settle the Faroe Islands:
https://norwaytoday.info/culture/study-vikings-were-not-the-first-to-settle-the-faroe-islands/
A 1400 years bp folding chair from a woman’s burial in Germany:
https://www.newsweek.com/scientists-amazed-find-1400-year-old-folding-chair-womans-grave-1738218
https://www.dw.com/en/1400-year-old-folding-chair-found-in-bavaria/a-62973127
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/65004
https://arkeonews.net/1400-year-old-folding-chair-found-in-a-womans-grave-in-germany/
Remains of a 16th century kiln from downtown Faro:
https://www.portugalresident.com/16th-century-kiln-found-in-downtown-faro/
https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2022-09-04/16th-century-pottery-kiln-discovered-in-downtown-faro/70000
Haven’t had a ‘vampire burial’ for a while … here’s a 17th century one from Poland:
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/65027
https://arkeonews.net/remains-of-female-vampire-found-with-sickle-across-her-neck-and-a-padlocked-toe-in-poland/
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/09/padlocked-vampire-grave-found-in-poland-with-sickle-around-the-neck/144586
A centuries-old wooden boat ‘blown up’ during WWII has been restored and is back on display:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-62725048
Overview of the dig at the Lodge Moor camp:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-62741972
Archaeologists are back looking at the Pasman Venetian shipwreck:
https://www.total-croatia-news.com/lifestyle/65324-pasman-venetian-wreck
More on the 7500 years bp ‘Spanish Stonehenge’:
https://www.livescience.com/neolithic-stone-complex-discovered-spain
More on that trove of 169 gold rings from a burial in Romania:
https://www.sciencealert.com/extraordinary-trove-of-ancient-gold-rings-discovered-in-romanian-grave
More on the River Thames ‘trading hub’ find:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-berkshire-62675992
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-715964
https://www.archaeology.org/10796-220830-anglo-saxon-cookham
More on monastical parasitic infections at Cambridge:
https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/medieval-monks-were-riddled-with-worms-study-finds
https://bigthink.com/the-past/medieval-friars-were-possessed-by-parasites/
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10745-220822-cambridge-medieval-parasites
More on ‘disappearing islands’ off Wales:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/08/220825120347.htm
Feature on the social function of 6000 years bp rings found at various sites in Finland:
https://psyche.co/ideas/far-flung-ancient-communities-forged-bonds-through-broken-rings
Feature on castle remains in Belfast:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-62167256
Feature on the Minquiers:
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220828-the-british-islands-that-disappear-every-day
Feature on Devil’s Dyke:
https://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/news/history/hertfordshire-ditch-you-never-knew-7538379
———-
Archaeology in Europe News:
http://archaeology-in-europe.blogspot.com/
Medievalists.net:
https://www.medievalists.net/category/news/
Viking Archaeology Blog:
http://viking-archaeology-blog.blogspot.com/
============================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
============================================================
Han/Jin Dynasties era ironware production and processing workshop from Hunan:
https://english.news.cn/20220828/6c435d6d5ba1442e942b8444dc95b4bc/c.html
http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2022-08/29/content_78393562.htm
Spring and Autumn period white lead cosmetics from a burial in Shaanxi:
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1274592.shtml
More on the ‘bronze beast’ recently excavated at Sanxingdui:
https://www.zmescience.com/science/ancient-bronze-statue-of-mythical-creature-unearthed-in-china/
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/64996
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10797-220830-china-bronze-beast
Feature on assorted prehistoric sites in China’s Liyang Plain:
http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2022-09/01/content_78399669.htm
More on Indonesian burials (7500-13 000 years bp) and conclusions being made about migrations:
https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/prehistoric-burials-migration-indonesia/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/10795-220829-indonesia-migration-burials
A Megalithic era (?) anthropomorphic ‘menhir’ from Yadadri:
A fragment of an ivory figurine (probably 11th century) from Gangaikondacholapuram:
A 12th century Ganesha idol from Andhra Pradesh:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/amaravati/andhra-pradesh-rare-sculpture-of-lord-ganesh-discovered-in-macherla-of-palnadu-district/articleshow/93835983.cms
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/rare-kakatiya-era-miniature-sculpture-of-lord-ganesha-found/article65825793.ece
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/290822/rare-ganesh-sculpture-of-12th-century-ad-found-in-macherla.html
https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/vijayawada/2022/aug/30/ganesha-sculpture-in-fighting-posture-foundat-thechennakesava-temple-in-macherla-2492519.html
An offshore search for the remains of the ancient city of Korkai is underway:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/tn-state-archaeology-dept-starts-searches-in-sea-for-ancient-port-city-korkai/articleshow/93972203.cms
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/mission-launched-to-trace-lost-port-of-korkai/articleshow/93978009.cms
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2022/sep/04/tamil-nadu-launches-underwater-survey-for-sangam-era-port-of-korkai-2494677.html
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/excavation-at-ancient-port-city-of-korkai-begins/article65845179.ece
Concerns for Mohenjo Daro:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1708220
https://www.paktribune.com/news-details/dept-of-archaeology-called-for-urgent-attention-towards-mohenjo-daro
https://odishatv.in/news/international/mohenjo-daro-may-be-removed-from-the-world-heritage-list-184698
Flooding in Pakistan is raising concerns for sites:
A possible 10 000 years bp burial find from Azerbaijan:
============================================================
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
============================================================
Some coins from the Batavia have ‘resurfaced’ in Queensland:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/300677130/literal-shipwreck-treasure-from-famous-doomed-dutch-vessel-the-batavia-resurfaces-in-australia
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/literal-shipwreck-treasure-from-famous-doomed-dutch-vessel-resurfaces-20220830-p5be0i.html
Feature on a kakpo feather cloak at the British Museum:
https://blog.britishmuseum.org/caring-for-the-only-known-full-kakapo-feather-cloak-in-the-world/
============================================================
NORTH AMERICA
============================================================
Native American finds during tower construction in San Jose (paywalled, I think):
Plenty of finds (1000/1500 to 2000/2800 years bp) from Little Chebeague Island and Littlejohn Island off the coast of Maine:
https://www.wabi.tv/2022/09/01/archaeologists-dig-up-new-details-about-maine-islands-native-peoples/
https://www.wmtw.com/article/archaeologists-dig-new-details-maine-islands-native-peoples/41052874
After 70 years, digging has resumed at the Tatichek site (10 000 years of continuous occupation!):
https://thetyee.ca/News/2022/08/31/70-Year-Hiatus-Cheslatta-Resumes-Archeological-Dig/
A Black cemetery in Clearwater has at least 328 burials:
https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/special-reports/erased/archaeologist-328-graves-black-cemetery-clearwater-business-property/67-6ef60594-2cef-4378-b07c-f49f9d79ffc6
https://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/history/2022/09/01/328-graves-from-black-cemetery-are-under-company-and-clearwater-road/
Feature on the archiving of finds from the Theatre Royal site in Barkerville:
Feature on activities at various University of Lynchburg field schools this past summer:
https://www.lynchburg.edu/2022/08/lynchburg-students-dig-into-archaeology-at-field-schools/
Feature on various Native American sites in central Missouri:
https://www.newstribune.com/news/2022/sep/03/traces-of-ancient-indian-cultures-in-mid-missouri/
Feature on the various folks digging at an Irish-immigrant-connected site in Lowell (Mass.):
More on that hidden mural from Vermont:
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/64983
============================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
============================================================
A possible 3000 years bp priestly burial from Peru:
https://news.yahoo.com/ancient-tomb-belonging-priest-found-074058755.html
http://www.archaeology.org/news/10808-220902-peru-pacopampa-man
Overviewish pieces on excavations in the Dominican’s Cabo Natural Monument:
https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2022/09/03/archaic-people-buried-children-and-adults-together/
https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2022/09/01/remains-found-in-samana-more-than-3000-years-old/
Restoration of an image of the Virgin Mary in a church damaged in Mexico City’s 2017 earthquake is underway:
https://apnews.com/article/sports-religion-caribbean-mexico-city-8e01e4303688f90412dd8c3bf880801f
Restoration of the Maya temple of Dzibilchaltun is underway:
More on dendrochronology and the wreck of the Dolphin off Argentina:
https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2022/08/24/scientists-say-a-shipwreck-off-patagonia-is-a-long-lost-1850s-rhode-island-whaler/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tree-rings-american-shipwreck-Dolphin-1859-180980676/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/10799-220830-patagonia-whaler-dendrochronology
More on drought and the downfall of Mayapan:
https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/maya-radiocarbon-dating-drought/
Feature on the wreck of the Principe de Asturias off Brazil:
Feature on Acatitlan:
https://yucatanmagazine.com/acatitlan-the-mexica-aztec-city-of-the-mighty-god-of-war/
… and Peten Itza:
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/09/peten-itza-the-last-maya-kingdom/144580
Of possible interest is news that the last remaining member of an uncontacted Brazilian tribe has died:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/28/americas/brazil-indigenous-man-in-the-hole-death-intl-hnk/index.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab
—–
Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Americas Breaking News:
Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Americas lecture channels on Youtube:
https://mikeruggerisyoutube.tumblr.com/
Ancient MesoAmerica News:
http://ancient-mesoamerica-news-updates.blogspot.com/
============================================================
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
============================================================
Feature on Pope Celestine:
https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-mountains-italy-4f223159e467e671a2bee5b0c297eda5
Feature on assorted ancient scripts:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220818-how-to-write-a-message-to-the-future
Feature on the history of tombstones:
https://phys.org/news/2022-08-humans-tombstones.html
Feature on the origins of the Venus of Willendorf:
https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/the-origin-of-the-30-000-year-old-venus-of-willendorf
Feature on rape as a weapon of war:
Feature on deception in warfare:
https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-war-and-the-long-tradition-of-deception/a-62995243
Feature on the ‘new’ discipline of archaeoecology:
https://phys.org/news/2022-08-archaeology-ecology-combined-fuller-picture.html
cf: https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/fulltext/S0169-5347(22)00174-4
Pondering various approaches to history:
https://aeon.co/essays/historical-data-is-not-a-kitten-its-a-sabre-toothed-tiger
On the naming of Middlesbrough’s Forty Foot Road:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-62724875
Feature on Chinese involvement in the 19th century Brazilian circumnavigation of the world:
Feature on Juana Maria:
Gibraltar is officially a city now:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-62710553
Review of the second volume of Crawford’s biography of T.S. Eliot:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/02/books/review/robert-crawford-eliot-after-the-waste-land.html
Review of Martin Edwards, *The Life of Crime*:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/30/books/review/life-of-crime-martin-edwards.html
More on Dom Pedro’s heart touring Brazil:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/dom-pedro-heart-portugal-brazil
============================================================
CURRENT EVENTS:
============================================================
On the history of Labor Day in the US:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2022/09/02/what-is-labor-day/7960694001/
Latest ‘glue-in’ damaged a Rubens in Munich:
https://www.dw.com/en/climate-activists-damage-frame-of-a-rubens-painting-in-munich/a-62927968
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/climate-activsts-rubens-british-museum-joseph-hotung-morning-links-1234637724/
Oregon’s Swastika Mountain might be renamed:
https://www.npr.org/2022/08/29/1119688609/oregon-renaming-swastika-mountain-halo
Scotland is set to vote on the pardoning of witches:
https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/the-51/20220902-exorcising-the-ills-of-the-past-scotland-set-to-vote-on-pardoning-witches
============================================================
ANIMAL AND PLANT DOMESTICATIONS
============================================================
Connecting dog genomes and human activities:
============================================================
LANGUAGE RELATED
============================================================
Feature on the royal roots of French in Quebec:
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220829-the-royal-roots-of-quebecs-french
============================================================
MUSEUM MATTERS
============================================================
Phoenician sarcophagus:
https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/valletta-museum-unveils-ancient-phoenician-sarcophagus.977552
Visions of Egypt:
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/09/02/new-exhibition-looks-at-how-the-west-created-the-fantasy-of-ancient-egypt
https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/118720/British-exhibition-reveals-impact-of-ancient-Egyptian-arts-on-creativity
Cuerdale Hoard:
https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2022/08/the-cuerdale-hoard-vikings-rule-in-preston/
Roman Glass:
Dickens Letters:
Donatello:
https://www.dw.com/en/donatello-italian-renaissance-star-gets-solo-exhibition/a-62994243
cf: https://www.smb.museum/en/exhibitions/detail/donatello/
Cartier and Islamic Art:
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220831-how-islamic-art-and-design-conquered-the-world
cf: https://dma.org/art/exhibitions/cartier-and-islamic-art-search-modernity
Feature on the use of VR at the Mosul Heritage House Museum:
https://phys.org/news/2022-08-virtual-reality-revives-iraq-war-ravaged.html
An archaeological museum has opened in Isfahan:
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/476273/Archaeological-museum-opened-to-public-in-Isfahan
I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about this collection of early Chinese porcelain and jade bequeathed to the British Museum:
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/29/british-museum-joseph-hotung-bequest-chinese-porcelain-jades
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/chinese-treasures-left-to-british-museum-drp9htl3g
Latest Nazi-era case revolves around the Guelph Treasure:
https://apnews.com/article/travel-lawsuits-museums-ddeec59b4186e059e0b0be29d9864b36
The National Museum in Rio continues to try to recover from that fire back in 2018:
https://elpais.com/cultura/2022-09-02/el-museo-nacional-de-rio-lucha-por-recomponer-su-coleccion-tras-el-catastrofico-incendio-de-2018.html
============================================================
AUCTIONS AND SALES RELATED
============================================================
A cache of 17th/18th century gold coins found during kitchen renovations bay in 2019 is coming to auction:
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/gold-coins-england-kitchen-intl-scli/index.html
https://www.cbs58.com/news/coins-worth-up-to-290-000-found-under-kitchen-floorboards
https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/118877/Home-renovation-in-northern-England-reveals-rare-set-of-gold
Joseph Hotung’s (huge) art collection is coming to auction:
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/08/29/hong-kong-collector-joseph-hotung-auction-sothebys
An Adirondack guideboat:
https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2022/09/ausable-river-association-to-auction-adirondack-guideboat.html
============================================================
ON THE DNA FRONT
============================================================
DNA from a mass burial of apparent medieval pogrom victims have Asheknazi connections:
https://phys.org/news/2022-08-medieval-mass-burial-centuries-earlier-ashkenazi.html
https://phys.org/news/2022-09-bodies-uk-mediaeval-anti-semitic-massacre.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/08/220830131610.htm
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/aug/30/jewish-remains-found-in-norwich-well-were-medieval-pogrom-victims-study
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/30/europe/medieval-well-mystery-bodies-scn/index.html
https://www.dw.com/en/17-bodies-found-at-shopping-mall-construction-site-were-medieval-ashkenazi-jews/a-62969497
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-715841
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-02356-w
cf: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(22)01355-0
A study of 10 000 years of ‘natural selection’ in Europe seen via DNA:
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.24.505188v1
More on medieval evidence of Klinefelter syndrome:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2022-08-30/dna-medieval-skeleton-genetic-condition-trisomy-klinefelter/101376444
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-715869
More on DNA and IndoEuropean origins:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/early-european-language-spread-by-word-not-sword-8ssm38qt3
https://scitechdaily.com/the-southern-arc-vast-genetic-study-reveals-insights-into-migration-patterns-and-language-development/
https://greekreporter.com/2022/08/28/dna-indo-european-proto-greek/
============================================================
THE TECHY SIDE
============================================================
Latest facial recreation is of ‘Penang Woman’:
https://www.livescience.com/stone-age-facial-reconstruction-woman-malaysia/
============================================================
CLIMATE MATTERS
============================================================
Not sure if we mentioned this sunken medieval village emerging from the Scar House Reservoir:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-62677584
Plenty of things are emerging from melting Swiss glaciers:
Drought has revealed a steamboat that sank in the Missouri River over a century ago:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/drought-reveals-steamboat-north-alabama-missouri-river/
More on sites revealed by drought in Spain:
More on sites revealed by low waters on the Tigris and Euphrates:
… and more on the 1st century CE Roman fort revealed in Spain:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11161091/Roman-settlement-flooded-create-reservoir-visible-entirety-drought-Spain.html
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2022/08/30/spain-roman-military-camp-drought/4691661855391/
More on the Viking-era arrowhead from a melting Norwegian glacier:
https://www.livescience.com/viking-three-sided-arrowhead-norway
https://sciencenorway.no/archaeology-viking-age-vikings/the-last-person-who-touched-this-three-bladed-arrowhead-was-a-viking/2069302
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article265075029.html
http://www.archaeology.org/news/10794-220829-norway-iron-arrowhead
============================================================
TOURISTY THINGS
============================================================
Aphrodisias:
https://www.dailysabah.com/ds-tv/city-of-aphrodite-takes-visitors-on-historical-journey-in-turkiye/news
============================================================
PERFORMANCES AND MUSIC RELATED
============================================================
Joan of Arc:
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/09/joan-of-arc-nonbinary-globe/671321/
============================================================
CRIME BEAT
============================================================
Big news this week is investigators seizing 27 looted antiquities from the Met:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/02/arts/design/met-museum-looting.html
https://politpost.com/2022/09/02/investigators-citing-looting-have-seized-27-antiquities-from-the-met/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/met-museum-looted-art-new-york-b2158733.html
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/met-museum-artifacts-seized-new-york-looting/index.html
https://www.axios.com/2022/09/02/new-york-investigators-artifacts-met-13-million
https://news.yahoo.com/investigators-seize-27-looted-antiquities-195100118.html
https://www.art-insider.com/manhattan-da-raids-the-met-seizes-antiquities-for-repatriation/4064
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/09/03/new-york-greek-antiquities-met/
… including a Hindu artifact:
https://hyperallergic.com/757491/manhattan-da-to-seize-looted-hindu-artifact-from-met-museum/
https://observer.com/2022/09/another-antiquity-suspected-of-being-looted-will-be-seized-from-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art/
… a sort of preliminary piece:
Meanwhile, several German museums are implicated in an Egyptian trafficking investigation:
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/08/30/german-museums-latest-to-be-implicated-in-far-reaching-criminal-investigation-into-antiquities-trafficking
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/antiquities-trafficking-investigation-expands-1234637874/
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/simonian-german-museums-2168971
French dealer Didier Wormser is standing trial for looted Egyptian antiquities:
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/09/02/french-art-dealer-didier-wormser-stands-trial-for-trafficking-looted-egyptian-antiquities
https://menafn.com/1104802360/French-Art-Dealer-Didier-Wormser-Stands-Trial-For-Trafficking-Looted-Egyptian-Antiquities
More on the seizure of that 3000 years bp Egyptian artifact in Memphis (Tenn.):
https://phys.org/news/2022-08-agents-memphis-seize-shipped-ancient.html
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/08/31/ancient-egyptian-lid-mummy-customs-border-protections-seized
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/us-authorities-seize-3000-year-old-egyptian-artefact
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/u-s-customs-has-seized-a-3000-year-old-egyptian-artifact-in-memphis-1234637655/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/us-customs-seizes-a-3000-year-old-egyptian-artifact-in-tennessee-180980673/
Feature on Stefan Guericke and his past smuggling activities in Greece:
https://greekreporter.com/2022/09/01/antiquities-smuggler-greece/
———-
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 FBI is returning a number of mosaics to Italy:
https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fbi-returns-2000-year-old-italian-art-that-languished-in-a-storage-facility-090122
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2022/09/03/fbi-returns-ancient-roman-mosaic-medusa-2000-years-old-italy/6881662254277/
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/fbi-returns-italian-art-los-angeles/index.html
Nice backgrounder on the looting of artifacts in Cambodia and their ending up in western collections:
https://www.eurasiareview.com/02092022-a-looting-matter-cambodias-stolen-antiquities-oped/
A pile of Panamanian artifacts returned from the Netherlands:
Native American human remains and cultural items were fond in storage at the University of North Dakota (and will be returned):
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/09/01/north-dakota-university-native-american-ancestral-remains/7960032001/
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/31/us/north-dakota-native-american-bones-artifacts-repatriation-reaj/index.html
Greece is happy with a deal returning 161 items (mostly from the Met):
https://apnews.com/bfe272b17395914295561461d1e684a4
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/09/01/greek-artefacts-leonard-stern-returned-metropolitan-museum
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/greece-heralds-deal-to-recoup-161-ancient-treasures-from-us/2022/08/30/ce4e16d4-28ae-11ed-a90a-fce4015dfc8f_story.html
https://www.ekathimerini.com/culture/1192181/greece-heralds-deal-to-recoup-161-ancient-treasures-from-us/
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/greece-heralds-deal-recoup-161-ancient-treasures-us-89071936
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/a-trove-of-161-ancient-artifacts-greece-2168681
Seems to be a deal being discussed to return items to Thailand from the US:
Iraq has repatriated over 200 more items:
Seems to be a potential Nepali repatriation story here:
https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepali-ritual-altar-in-berlin/
Hong Kong’s Palace Museum supports repatriation efforts:
More on the Getty orpheus and the sirens returns:
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/64992
More on the Museum of the Bible returning a Gospel manuscript to Greece:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/museum-of-the-bible-returns-centuries-old-gospel-manuscript-to-greece-180980670/
============================================================
NUMISMATICA
============================================================
Feature on Celtiberian coins:
https://coinweek.com/ancient-coins/coinweek-ancient-coin-series-coins-of-the-celtiberians/
Feature on coins of Akragas:
https://coinweek.com/ancient-coins/ancient-greek-coins-eagles-akragas/
Latest e-Sylum:
http://www.coinbooks.org/v25/club_nbs_esylum_v25n35.html
… and the one which should appear later today:
http://www.coinbooks.org/v25/club_nbs_esylum_v25n36.html
————————
Coin Week:
============================================================
OBITUARIES
============================================================
Richard Taruskin:
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/postscript/the-monumental-musicology-of-richard-taruskin
Peter Davison:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/peter-davison-obituary-lcnzwlfh0
Trudy Harrington-Becker:
https://www.mccoyfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Gertrude-Becker-3/#!/Obituary
Mario Benzi:
https://www.cittadellaspezia.com/2022/09/01/addio-al-professor-mario-benzi-grande-studioso-delle-civilta-antiche-nel-mediterraneo-460578/
https://www.cfs.unipi.it/2022/08/31/dipartimento-in-lutto-per-la-scomparsa-di-mario-benzi/
Stanley Turkel:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/03/nyregion/stanley-turkel-dead.html
Vera Menchik (archived):
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/02/obituaries/vera-menchik-overlooked.html
============================================================
AUDIO/VIDEO NEWS
============================================================
Audio News from Archaeologica:
============================================================
GENERAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS BLOGS
============================================================
Archaeology Magazine News Page:
http://www.archaeology.org/news/
About.com Archaeology:
Archaeology Briefs:
http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/
Atlas Obscura:
Heritage Daily:
https://www.heritagedaily.com/
Sapiens Archaeology:
https://www.sapiens.org/category/archaeology/
Taygete Atlantis excavations blogs aggregator:
http://planet.atlantides.org/taygete/
============================================================
PODCASTS/VODCASTS
============================================================
Archaeosoup:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Archaeos0up?feature=watch
Archaeology Podcast Network:
http://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/
============================================================
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