Archaeological News

Ancient discovery set to rewrite Australian history

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:37:38 -0400

Five copper coins and a nearly 70-year-old map with an ‘‘X’’ might lead to a discovery that could rewrite Australia’s history.

Australian scientist Ian McIntosh, currently Professor of Anthropology at Indiana University in the US, plans an expedition in July that has stirred up the archaeological community.

The scientist wants to revisit the location where five coins were found in the Northern Territory in 1944 that have proven to be 1000 years old, opening up the possibility that seafarers from distant countries might have landed in Australia much earlier than what is currently believed.

Back in 1944 during World War II, after Japanese bombers had attacked Darwin two years earlier, the Wessel Islands - an uninhabited group of islands off Australia’s north coast - had become a strategic position to help protect the mainland.

Australian soldier Maurie Isenberg was stationed on one of the islands to man a radar station and spent his spare time fishing on the idyllic beaches.

While sitting in the sand with his fishing-rod, he discovered a handful of coins in the sand. Read more.

Chinese may have practised agriculture before advent of rice cultivation 5,000 yrs ago

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:03:25 -0400

Archaeologists in southern subtropical China have uncovered evidence for the first time that people living in Xincun 5,000 years ago may have practised agriculture -before the arrival of domesticated rice in the region.

Current archaeological thinking is that it was the advent of rice cultivation along the Lower Yangtze River that marked the beginning of agriculture in southern China.

Poor organic preservation in the study region, as in many others, means that traditional archaeobotany techniques are not possible.

Now, thanks to a new method of analysis on ancient grinding stones, the archaeologists have uncovered evidence that agriculture could predate the advent of rice in the region. Read more.

Archaeologists uncover remains of Pigeon Forge's origins

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:39:32 -0400

PIGEON FORGE — A team of archaeologists from University of Tennessee and other agencies set up under the Old Mill General Store next to the Little Pigeon River Thursday to excavate remains of Iron Forge, the original forge for which the city was named.

Iron Forge, built in 1817, included a bloomery furnace and water-powered trip hammer to smelt and mold ore into iron bars.

“The forge was a small operation, a small forge,” said Alan Longmire, a blacksmith and archaeologist in the environmental division of the Tennessee Department of Transportation. “There’s iron ore all along the ridge up there by Middle Creek Road, and they would just bring that down here and put in the forge.” Read more.

Archaeologist claims to have located site of Roman battle

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:32:23 -0400

Archaeologist Mike Haseler believes he has evidence to suggest that the battle of Mons Graupius took place in Moray.

Mons Graupius was a key battle for British independence against the repressive hand of Rome almost 2000 years ago.

According to the Romans, 10,000 Britons died that day at the hands of this first European super-state, while many others fled the scene.

Despite stringent efforts by experts, the site of the battle between the Romans and the Caledonians – in either 83AD or 84AD – has never been conclusively identified.

However, Mr Haseler believes his research strongly points to the battle taking place near Elgin, at Quarrelwood Hill to the north-west of the town. Read more.

Nepal's archaeologists discover Buddha relics during excavation

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:19:53 -0400

Nepal’s archaeologists have discovered artifacts dating from the Buddha era from an excavation site at Devdaha of Rupandehi district, which is located at a distance of 20km from Buddha’s birthplace Lumbini in western Nepal.

A team of Nepal’s Department of Archeology (DoA) started excavation at the Devdaha area some two years ago after archeological evidences suggested that it was the maternal home of the Buddha.

The excavation at Bhawanipur began three weeks back. Walls, bricks, silver and wooden bracelets, clay utensils, butter lamps and stones are among the things discovered.

Prakash Darnal, officer at the archeological department, said that findings of relics such as a bust of the Buddha, a well and the ruins of the Siddhartha palace will help prove the area’s relation with the Buddha. Read more.

When Did Humans Begin Hurling Spears?

Sat, 18 May 2013 06:15:19 -0400

Archaeologists have long debated when early humans began hurling stone-tipped spears and darts at large prey. By throwing a spear, instead of thrusting it, humans could hunt buffalo and other dangerous game from a safe distance, with less risk of a goring or mauling. But direct evidence of this hunting technique in early sites has been lacking. A new study of impact marks on the bones of ancient prey shows that such sophisticated killing techniques go back at least 90,000 years ago in Africa and offers a new method of determining how prehistoric hunters made their kills.

Other researchers have used indirect methods to study the use of projectiles, such as analyzing impact fractures on ancient stone points or identifying traces left by hafting on the points. Such evidence suggests that early humans created throwing spears as early as 500,000 years ago in Africa. But that kind of evidence leaves room for doubt and is frequently disputed. Read more.

Isle of Iona may be ancient burial site

Sat, 18 May 2013 06:07:54 -0400

An archaeological survey on the famous Scots isle of Iona – where St Columba landed 1450 years ago to spread Christianity in Scotland – has shown signs of ancient burials.

This is the first geophysical investigation to be undertaken away from the core focus of the Columban monastic enclosure and the Benedictine Abbey.

The surveys were carried out on National Trust for Scotland land on the island by Dr Sue Ovenden and Alastair Wilson of Rose Geophysical Consultants.

The pair examined two areas in the fields to the south of the village - one close to the current village hall and south of the Nunnery and the other at Martyr’s Bay.

The area close to the village hall seems to show features of recent or natural origin which will be excavated later this year. Read more.

Archaeologists uncover Pagan skeletons at housing development near Stonehenge

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:48:00 -0400

Archaeologists have discovered six Pagan Saxon skeletons dating back over 1,000 years on a housing development site just a few miles from Stonehenge.

The discoveries, which also include round barrows dating back to the Bronze Age 4,000 years ago, were unearthed at a redundant brownfield development site in Amesbury, Wiltshire, which is also famous for the Amesbury Archer – an early Bronze Age man found buried among arrowheads.

The remains are thought to be those of adolescent to mature males and females. Five skeletons were arrayed around a small circular ditch, with the grave of a sixth skeleton in the centre. Two lots of beads, a shale bracelet and other grave goods were also found, which suggest the findings are Pagan. Read more.

How a Skerries wreck launched archaeologist’s career

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:29:27 -0400

Uncovering the secrets of the deep off Skerries 35 years ago helped launch the career of a maritime archaeologist – and brought him closer to the secrets of Henry VIII’s flagship war vessel, Mary Rose.

Christopher Dobbs worked on the wreck of the Kennemerland while studying at Cambridge University in 1978 – artefacts from which are now displayed proudly at the Shetland Museum.

From there he became one of the diving salvage team to help raise the Mary Rose in 1982.

He will speak of his experiences at a meeting of the UK Maritime Heritage Forum tomorrow evening, and promises to give a tantalising insight into what it’s like uncovering the secrets of the deep. Read more.

Update: Fine for destruction of ancient Mayan pyramid? $5,000

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:18:11 -0400

BELIZE CITY – The penalty for the near-total destruction of one of the biggest Mayan pyramids in Belize — which the government called “unforgivable” and left archaeologists speechless — may leave conservationists speechless: just $5,000.

Police have launched an investigation and anyone found responsible could face five to 10 years in imprison, a fine of about $5,000 or both.

To avoid the fee, fingers are frantically pointing in the Caribbean country, with the owner of De’ Mar’s Stone Co., the road-building company that has been blamed for the incident, saying the landowner gave him permission to extract the material. Read more.

Billion-Year-Old Water Preserved in Canadian Mine

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:13:49 -0400

Pockets of water trapped in rocks from a Canadian mine are over a billion years old, and the water could contain life forms that can survive independently from the sun, scientists said this week.

The ancient water was collected from boreholes at Timmins Mine beneath Ontario, Canada, at a depth of about 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers).

“When these rocks formed, this part of Canada was the ocean floor,” said study co-author Barbara Sherwood Lollar, an Earth scientist at Canada’s University of Toronto.

“When we go down [into the mine] with students, we like to say imagine you’re walking on the seafloor 2.6 billion years ago.”

Working with U.K. colleagues Chris Ballentine and Greg Holland, Sherwood Lollar and her team found that the water was rich in dissolved gases such as hydrogen and methane, which could provide energy for microbes like those found around hydrothermal vents in the deep ocean. Read more.

Viking-era coins unearthed by Danish teenager

Fri, 17 May 2013 07:26:29 -0400

Danish museum officials say that an archaeological dig last year has revealed 365 items from the Viking era, including 60 rare coins, AP reported.

Danish National Museum spokesman Jens Christian Moesgaard says the coins have a distinctive cross motif attributed to Norse King Harald Bluetooth, who is believed to have brought Christianity to Norway and Denmark.

Sixteen-year-old Michael Stokbro Larsen found the coins and other items with a metal detector in a field in northern Denmark.

Stokbro Larsen, who often explores with his detector, said he is often laughed at because friends find him “a bit nerdy.”

Moesgaard said Thursday, May 16 that it was the first time since 1939 that so many Viking-era coins have been found, calling them “another important piece in the puzzle” of history. (source)

Caltrans dig near Novato unearths Miwok artifacts

Thu, 16 May 2013 21:20:24 -0400

Archaeologists have been huddled along Highway 101 north of Novato for the past month sifting the dirt for clues about how humans survived hundreds of years ago.

Arrowheads, parts of grinding bowls, stone tools and shells are some of what was uncovered at the Coast Miwok site established along the bay waters, which provided fertile ground to sustain an austere existence.

“It’s a major site,” said Nick Tipon, a member of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Sacred Sites Committee, who monitored the dig that ended Thursday. “For us it is interesting to learn more about our past and our ancestors.”

The work is being done because Caltrans will soon pave a frontage road over the site as part of the Novato Narrows widening project. Read more.

Cemetery Reveals Baby-Making Season in Ancient Egypt

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:43:06 -0400

The peak period for baby-making sex in ancient Egypt was in July and August, when the weather was at its hottest.

Researchers made this discovery at a cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis in Egypt whose burials date back around 1,800 years. The oasis is located about 450 miles (720 kilometers) southwest of Cairo. The people buried in the cemetery lived in the ancient town of Kellis, with a population of at least several thousand. These people lived at a time when the Roman Empire controlled Egypt, when Christianity was spreading but also when traditional Egyptian religious beliefs were still strong.

So far, researchers have uncovered 765 graves, including the remains of 124 individuals that date to between 18 weeks and 45 weeks after conception. The excellent preservation let researchers date the age of the remains at death. Read more.

Remains of Nubian soldier who lived 1,400 years ago found in Egypt

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:18:18 -0400

Cairo, May 16 (EFE).- Archaeologists found the 1,400-year-old remains of a Nubian soldier in Aswan, a city in southern Egypt, Minister of State for Antiquities Ahmed Eisa said.

The soldier’s remains were discovered in a field that dates to the Late Roman Period and Early Middle Age near the border of Egypt and Nubia.

The find shows that conflicts broke out periodically along the frontier between Egypt and Nubia, a region that covered parts of southern Egypt and northern Sudan.

The soldier’s remains are in good condition and he appeared to be between 25 and 35 at the time of his death, the ministry said, adding that he was stabbed just under the chest.

The body was buried with stones from a border wall that apparently collapsed during the fighting. (source)

Neanderthal culture: Old masters

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:11:31 -0400

The earliest known cave paintings fuel arguments about whether Neanderthals were the mental equals of modern humans.

In a damp Spanish cave, Alistair Pike applies a small grinder to the world’s oldest known paintings. Every few minutes, the dentist-drill sound stops and Pike, an archaeologist from the University of Southampton, UK, stands aside so that a party of tourists can admire the simple artwork — hazy red disks, stencilled handprints, the outlines of bison — daubed on the cave wall tens of thousands of years ago. He hopes that the visitors won’t notice the small scuff marks he has left.

In fact, Pike’s grinder — and the scalpel that he wields to scrape off tiny samples — is doing no harm to the actual paintings, and he is working with the full approval of the Spanish authorities. Pike is after the crust of calcite that has built up over the millennia from groundwater dripping down the wall. The white flecks that he dislodges hold a smattering of uranium atoms, whose decay acts as a radioactive clock. A clock that has been ticking ever since the calcite formed on top of the art. Read more.

Update: Contractor Issues Apology For Destroying Mayan Archaeological Site

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:37:29 -0400

BELIZE CITY, Belize - The man at the center of the destruction of a Maya archaeological site in northern Belize, Denny Grijalva, has expressed regret at the razing of the Noh Mul monument and has launched an internal investigation into the incident.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Grijalva said he is “committed to fully cooperate with the authorities in their investigation into this regrettable incident.”

He explained that his company De’Mar’s Stone Company “obtained permission from a landowner to extract material from his property from which material has been excavated for well over a decade.”

According to Grijalva, heavy machines started extracting material from the Noh Mul Maya archaeological site at 8 am on Thursday, May 9 and the destruction of the Maya archaeological site happened “on a private property between the villages of San Pablo and San Juan in the Orange Walk district.” Read more.

Archaeologists begin salvage operation at historic fort site in Wyoming

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:31:35 -0400

Kerry Lippincott shook the wood-framed screen back and forth, sifting dirt from pieces of the past.

“Carolyn, Carolyn, Carolyn!” the Casper archaeologist shouted, bringing forth a cream-colored stone no bigger than a quarter.

Carolyn Buff, the executive secretary/treasurer for the Wyoming Archaeological Society, inspected the find Wednesday morning. Unremarkable to the untrained eye, the piece of stone was identified as an Indian “flake,” a rock piece that resulted from striking one stone against another to make tools.

It was the first Indian artifact of the renewed excavation to join a growing collection of military and period items such as metal, nails and buttons. Volunteers have until Sunday to collect what they can before the former military site in Evansville becomes a housing addition. Read more.

1,000-year-old church and eight skeletons found in Lincoln Castle grounds

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:38:46 -0400

Archaeologists have discovered a 1,000-year-old church during construction work at Lincoln Castle.

Eight skeletons have also been found in the building – which was never known about until now – by workers on the £19.9m Lincoln Castle Revealed project.

Experts believe the church pre-dates both the castle and the Norman conquest – and is one of the most important archaeological finds in Britain.

Cecily Spall, an archaeologist on the site, said the amazing find was hugely significant for Lincoln.

“The information we can get from this undocumented church is gold dust,” she said.

“Historical documents only tell part of the story for this area so this find is very special.” Read more.

The Ancient Burmese City of Bagan Struggles for International Recognition

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:34:04 -0400

Propped up on bamboo scaffolding, two artisans are gently applying a dissolving solution to an arched ceiling inside Ananda, a signature temple of the ancient Burmese city of Bagan. They are removing layers of a white coating that served as a rudimentary protective barrier against abrasive rain and insect infestations but also concealed pictorial details. To one of the workers, a pious Buddhist, removing this veneer to expose the original 12th century fresco is spiritually fulfilling. “Each time I uncover an image of Buddha on the wall, I feel delighted,” he says. The care given to restore Ananda to its original form is the exception, however. Hundreds of other monuments in the area have been subjected to what conservationists regard as historical treason.

Though Bagan is less famous than Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, Egypt’s Luxor or Peru’s Machu Picchu, its historical treasures are no less impressive. Some 3,000 temples, monasteries and pagodas stretch across a 26-square-mile plain. From the 9th century to the 13th century, the area was the capital of a kingdom that consolidated and controlled most of modern-day Burma, officially known as Myanmar, and served as a hub of Buddhist scholarship. Read more.