Cultural ties with China to be strengthened

Pakistan and China held ministerial-level talks here and discussed a plan to push forward their culture ties and strengthen people-to-people contacts. The two sides also reached an understanding to take necessary steps for upholding common cultural identity. They also agreed to work together for properly preserving their archaeological and historical resources. During the talks, Cultural Minister Ghazi Gulab Jamal and his Chinese counterpart Meng Xiaosi pledged to maintain close interaction at the level of their respective institutions to implement the existing bilateral agreement in the cultural sector. Gulab Jamal told media at the end of his weeklong visit to China that the Chinese side showed willingness to work together with Pakistan to promote and preserve their cultural heritage. Pakistan and China have strong bonds of friendship and there is a great similarity in their cultures and traditions.[...]
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"Sensational" archaeological find

News of the discovery of an ancient manuscript, hidden in a south midlands bog, seems to have swept the globe. It was 11 days ago that extensive fragments of what appears to be an Irish Early Christian Psalter (Book of Psalms) were spotted by a farmer when the bog was being bulldozed for commercial potting soil. He contacted the National Museum which dispatched a team of experts, including Director Dr Pat Wallace, who brought the manuscript to the museum's conservation laboratory a day later.
On Tuesday the National Museum announced details of the discovery without revealing the exact location. The vellum pages, which form what appears to be a slim, large format book with a wraparound vellum or leather cover, were described as the Irish equivalent of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is thought that the manuscript was written around 800AD but how long after that it was deposited in the bog, possibly lost in transit or dumped after a raid, will probably never be known; it is possible that it has lain there for more than 1,000 years.[...]
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Pakistan & China to cooperate in archaeology

Minister for Culture, Dr. G.G. Jamal on Sunday said Pakistan and China will start cooperation in the field of archaeology and preservation of artefacts. He said this while talking to journalists after completing week-long visit to China on 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. The minister said during visit, the Pakistani delegation held meetings with Chinese dignitaries and cultural related personalities and both were agreed to further boost the cooperation between the two countries in the field of culture.[...]
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Hemet museum to open this summer; Reveals treasures of ice age

When the Metropolitan Water District began drilling to depths of 270 feet below the earth’s surface to build Diamond Valley Lake, Southern California’s largest drinking water reservoir, a monumental discovery was made: fossils, tools and other important artifacts that date back more than 230,000 years.
Construction was immediately stopped to make way for a corps of archaeologists and paleontologists who swiftly worked to excavate the site and preserve this remarkable evidence of the past before the lakebed was permanently flooded.
The result of this hard work will soon be revealed at the Western Center for Archaeology and Paleontology when it opens this summer. It is at 2345 Searl Parkway in Hemet. The 33,000-square-foot museum will be a true showcase with more than $4 million of Ice Age mammal exhibits and archaeological exhibits highlighting Native Americans and early settlers. It is designed to engage, educate and entertain everyone who enters its doors, from small schoolchildren and families to academic scholars and tourists.[...]
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Culture office says no to empress excavation

The State Administration of Cultural Heritage does not support the excavation of the 1,300-year-old tomb of Wu Zetian, the only empress in Chinese history, a cultural official has said.
The administration official was responding to calls by some archaeologists that the Qianling mausoleum should be excavated.
Located 80 kilometers northwest of the ancient city of Xi'an, capital of the northwest's Shaanxi Province, Qianling is the joint tomb of Wu Zetian, who remained in power for 50 years, and her husband, Emperor Li Zhi of the Tang Dynasty (AD618-907).
It is the only tomb in China which contains the bodies of two emperors. Wu Zetian was buried in the tomb 22 years after her husband was interred. Qianling is also the best preserved ancient tomb in China and has not been looted, said Liu Qingzhu, head of the Institute of Archaeology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.[...]
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Maulwurfs-Invasion bedroht prähistorische Stätte in der Türkei

Archäologen in der Türkei kämpfen mit Schaufeln und Hacken gegen einen ungewöhnlichen Feind: Eine Invasion der Maulwürfe bedroht die wichtige prähistorische Ausgrabungsstätte in den Hügeln von Kültepe, wie Ausgrabungsleiter Fikri Kulakoglu am Mittwoch gegenüber der türkischen Nachrichtenagentur Anadolu klagte. Durch die von den Tierchen gegrabenen Tunnel dringe Wasser von den benachbarten Äckern in die archäologische Stätte ein. Seine Kollegen und er seien jetzt mit Schaufel und Hacke im Einsatz, um das Wasser abzuleiten. Die Maulwürfe seien eine echte Plage und bedrohten 4000 Jahre alte Kunstwerke.[...]
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The 6000-Year-Old Site of Shad Qoli Destroyed in Silence

Evidence of 6000 years of civilization were simply wiped off due to a decision made by the governor’s office of Qom province. Ignoring the previous warnings by Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO), the Governor Office of Qom province refused to stop constructions at Shad Qoli to give archeologists some time to finish with their studies in this historical site, which resulted in destruction of Shad Qoli almost entirely.[...]
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Basler Archäologen finden Massengrab

In einem ehemaligen Friedhofsareal bei der Basler Elisabethenkirche ist ein mittelalterliches oder neuzeitliches Massengrab entdeckt worden. Gefunden wurden über 30 Skelette von Erwachsenen und Kindern.
Entdeckt wurde das Massengrab in den letzten Wochen von der Archäologischen Bodenforschung Basel-Stadt in Leitungsgräben, wie es in einer Mitteilung heisst. Überrascht zeigen sich die Archäologen nicht über den Gräberfund an sich, sondern von der Lage der Skelette.[...]
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Forgotten Jamestown well holds centuries-old artifacts

Sometime around 1610, archaeologists figure a thirsty colonist put his brass pistol on the side of a well as he pulled up some water and accidentally knocked the weapon in.
It is conjecture, but it is one explanation for a cache of rare finds they fished up Tuesday from the bottom of a 400-year-old well at an overlooked corner of Historic Jamestowne, a national park. The items included the Scottish pistol, a man's leather shoe and a small lead plaque reading "James Towne" -- the equivalent of a colonial luggage tag.[...]
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Foreign scientists participating in archaeological research in East Kazakhstan

Archaeological expedition from The Institute of Archaeology of Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science continues its research of the necropolis Berel located in East Kazakhstan oblast (region of Kazakhstan).
The works are being held within the framework of realization of the State Program Cultural heritage of Kazakhstan for 2003-2006. Students and teachers from a number of universities of Ust Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk towns are taking part in the expedition.
Leader of archaeological project Zeinolla Samashev stated that main purpose was to obtain further data on architecture and construction technique, level of economic development of ancient nomadic tribes of IV-III c. BC. And another objective is preparation of investigated objects for storage in a museum and reclamation of excavated grounds. [...]
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Historical discoveries in krisnha district of andhra pradesh

The Minister of Culture, Smt. Ambika Soni told the Rajya Sabha today that the scientific clearance, carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India at Yernampadu mound, Ghantasala (District Krishna, Andhra Pradesh) in February-March 2006, has exposed remains of three square brick platforms which were served to enshrine Buddhist statues, known as Buddhist chaitya. These platforms were referred to as three dimensional structures. In addition, fragmentary limestone pillars, architectural members and pottery of the first and second century AD were discovered.[...]
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Scientists study Ariz. Hohokam era site

An archaeological site containing the remains of a Hohokam settlement dates back to a rarely explored Hohokam era, according to recent dating. The settlement in Queen Creek, just southeast of Phoenix, has preliminarily been dated between 1400 and 1450, which could make it one of the latest settlements of the mysterious desert dwellers ever identified. Hohokams are believed to have inhabited the Sonoran Desert between 500 and 1450 before they abruptly disappeared.[...]
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Archaeology students seek 19th-century well

The busted-up 1891 toilet let them know they were on the right track. Students in the field school at Fort Vancouver found the porcelain toilet last year while digging in chief factor John McLoughlin's garden outside the northwest wall. They're in search this summer of the well that watered his garden. A ground radar scan 15 years ago year showed a shaft at the site, so they felt confident they were in the right spot.[...]
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Engineers Discover 1,500-year-old Byzantine Port

Turkish Engineers discovered the ruins of an ancient Byzantine port as they drilled a huge underground rail tunnel. The ancient port, which is at least 1500 years old, harbored abandoned buildings, crumbling walls, trash and broken wine bottles.
It is common for residents of most great historic cities to uncover important relics each time they dig deep into the earth. But there was more to the uncovering of the ancient port in the Yenikapi neighborhood.
The site has grown into the largest archaeological dig in Istanbul's history. The experts were surprised to stumble on the ruins of the ancient port. However, archaeologists knew from ancient documents that the port was somewhere around Yenikapi.[...]
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Even mummies need scenery change

In a journey of discovery much like opening an Egyptian tomb, work has begun to refurbish the exhibit that surrounds the mummy at the Wayne County Historical Museum. The mummy, bought for the museum by its founder Julia Meek Gaar, is one of the most beloved exhibits -- intriguing thousands of school children for decades.
The project to refurbish the exhibit and catalog the museum's Egyptian collection developed when Richmond native Bonnie M. Sampsell of Chapel Hill, N.C. -- who happens to have a passion for Egyptology -- came home to visit her mother, Gene McClelland.[...]
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Cattle first kept in Sahara

An archaeologist who has spent decades studying sites in the Sahara says nomads who roamed the area millennia ago were the first to domesticate cattle.
At the time, what is now desert was a vast savannah with a humid climate, Dr. Stefan Kropelin of the University of Cologne told the BBC. When the climate changed and the area became one of the driest places on Earth, its inhabitants moved into the Nile Valley.[...]
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1,500-year-old Byzantine port discovered

It seems a typical scene of urban decay: abandoned buildings, crumbling walls, trash and broken wine bottles. Yet it's more than 1,500 years old. Engineers uncovered these ruins of an ancient Byzantine port during drilling for a huge underground rail tunnel.
Like Romans, Athenians and residents of other great historic cities, the people of Istanbul can hardly put a shovel in the ground without digging up something important.
But the ancient port uncovered last November in the Yenikapi neighborhood is of a different scale: It has grown into the largest archaeological dig in Istanbul's history, and the port's extent is only now being revealed.[...]
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Leave our glimpse of Stonehenge alone

Later today, all being well, we will leave behind the oppressive heat of London and head west to enjoy the cooling breezes of the north Devon coast.
It is a journey we have made many times; and the highlight of the long drive has always been the first glimpse of Stonehenge as the car crests the hill on the A303 just after the Amesbury roundabout, laying bare the panoramic Wiltshire landscape. As a child, I vaguely remember stopping for a picnic among the stones, something that seems astonishing when you consider that, today, they are fenced off and can be viewed close up only while walking around them in circular procession along a set path. It is strictly no touching.[...]
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7 mummies removed from 1st intact tomb

Top Egyptian archaeologist and Head of Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass, unveiled the last and largest sarcophagus of seven that were discovered by American team in tomb four months ago. Although a more thorough investigation of the mummies is yet to be conducted, Hawass said: "The discovery proved in my opinion that this tomb was actually stolen at the beginning of dynasty 18th and after that used as embalming material" he said. An American team found what appeared to be an intact tomb in the Valley of the Kings, the first found in the valley since the discovery of the boy Pharaoh Tutankhamen in 1922 by the English archaeologist Howard, archaeologists said.[...]
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Fire leads to American Indian find

At a former American Indian village near Rattlesnake Canyon, James Ramos saw upturned earth and an invitation. Part of the village site that the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians historian was touring July 16 - potentially 8,000 years old - had been scraped into a firebreak by bulldozer crews battling the Sawtooth Complex Fire west of Yucca Valley.
Working to protect the area's contemporary residents, fire crews discovered and, in a few cases, damaged archaeological sites. Historical remnants of American Indian, pioneer, missionary and mining activities abound in the area, said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection archaeologist Gerrit Fenenga. One of two CDF archaeologists assigned to the 60,000-plus-acre Sawtooth fire, Fenenga and partner Linda Pollack helped fire crews protect the sites and record new discoveries.
"We probably discover more sites on fires than any other way," Pollack said.
Firefighters often trace the same routes through the hills that Serrano and Cahuilla Indians once did, Pollack said, stumbling over archaeological sites in places now rarely visited.[...]
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Archaeologist balances preservation, public safety

As helicopters passed overhead this week to drop retardant on the Heart Zone fire, Doug McKay surveyed a fire break bulldozed into the hillside intended to block the fire's spread toward Big Bear Lake. Crews had plowed through an archaeological site dating back at least 1,000 years near Onyx Summit, southeast of the mountain resort community. For the San Bernardino National Forest archaeologist, such is life during fire season as he balances his legal obligations to safeguard historic sites with the paramount need to protect communities and lives.
At least three archaeological sites have been damaged during efforts to fight the 800-acre Heart Zone fire, originally part of the massive Sawtooth Complex Fire that charred 61,700 acres, left one person dead and destroyed 50 homes. "Suppression, rather than the fire, often has more of an adverse effect on cultural sites," McKay said. "They are like endangered species. They are the only one of their kind."[...]
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Policeman's log offers wreck clue

A policeman's handwritten note from 85 years ago may hold a vital clue to a mysterious wreck off Caithness. Archaeologists hope to confirm the sunken vessel in Sinclair's Bay is that of the German destroyer V81, which was at the Battle of Jutland in 1916.
The team from Nottingham University came across the officer's log in the archives of Wick Library by chance. A PC Innes reported a German warship getting into difficulty on Friday, 13 February, 1920.[...]
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Tara protesters plan new demonstration

TaraWatch is planning a peaceful demonstration outside the Hill of Tara Visitors Centre tonight at 8pm. The group are demonstrating in co-operation with local support groups and political representatives. Sinn Féin, the Green Party and Labour have all promised to send representatives. National Roads Authority archaeologist Mary Deevey will give a talk entitled 'Archaeology on the M3' at the event.
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Too much of a good thing?

Inhabited for thousands of years, the environs of Athens and other Greek cities are dotted with an archaeological wealth that rarely appears in even the best of guide-books.
Hidden behind overgrown weeds, apartment blocks or simply lying in a corner of countryside are the remains of dozens of ancient settlements, unearthed by archaeologists and subsequently abandoned, simply because the Greek state lacks the capacity to catalogue them all.
"It's not possible to clean and preserve everything, it would take a lot of money to weed all the sites and fence them off," says Athina Hatzidimitriou, secretary of the union of Greek archaeologists.[...]
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Divers find remnants of old shipwrecks in Currituck Sound

N.C. State underwater archaeologists have found the remains of several boats in the Currituck Sound, including two they believe sank more than 100 years ago.Divers discovered last week what they believe was the steam freighter Undine. The ship struck a log and sank off Mackay Island in March 1912 while en route from Norfolk, Virginia, to Coinjock. Richard Lawrence with the state Department of Cultural Resources believes the freighter was carrying passengers when it sank.[...]
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Ancient artifacts are caught in modern international affair

For decades, scholars at the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute have painstakingly pieced together ancient clay tablets they had on loan from the government of Iran -- deciphering the cuneiform writings and studying what these thousands of fragments revealed about the history of Persia.
But now, this treasure trove sits in the middle of a politically charged legal battle that has museum professionals worried about the willingness of other countries to loan artifacts to the U.S in the future. A federal court last month upheld a decision to seize and sell off the collection, in order to raise funds to compensate Americans injured in a terrorist attack in the Middle East. The reasoning, according to court documents, is that the Islamic Republic of Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism.[...]
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Divers Find Remnants Of Old Shipwrecks In Currituck Sound

State underwater archaeologists have found the remains of several boats in the Currituck Sound, including two they believe sank more than 100 years ago. Divers discovered last week what they believe was the steam freighter Undine, which struck a log and sank off Mackay Island in March 1912 while en route from Norfolk, Va., to Coinjock, said Richard Lawrence, director of the Underwater Archaeology Branch of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
"We feel pretty confident that is what it is," Lawrence said. Lawrence believes the freighter was carrying passengers when it sank. His team discovered the bottom section of the Undine, measuring about 93 feet from bow to stern, he said. Part of the boat was still intact. The engine and other parts of the boat appeared to have been salvaged years ago, perhaps by the ship's crew, he said.[...]
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Forscher wollen das Kelten-Rätsel lösen

Die Kelten galten lange Zeit als primitive Draufgänger. Doch das Klischee, das vor allem der römischen und griechischen Geschichtsschreibung entstammt, löst sich durch neue archäologische Funde langsam auf. Nur eines bleibt rätselhaft: Warum verschwanden die Kelten?
Die langen Haare verfilzt, die Tierfelle am Körper schlecht gegerbt, fallen keltische Krieger brüllend über den Feind her. Solche Bilder bringen viele Menschen mit den Kelten in Verbindung. Verwundern darf das nicht: Bis vor wenigen Jahren stammte fast das gesamte allgemeine Wissen über die frühen Kelten aus den Berichten griechischer und römischer Historienschreiber. Von sinnlosem Draufgängertum der Barbaren, die an der oberen Donau hausten, ist die Rede. Andere Quellen berichten von tollkühnen, leicht erregbaren und auf den Kampf versessenen Kriegern, die ihren Pferden die Köpfe der erschlagenen Feinde um den Hals hängten.[...]
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Museums show archaeological and historical wealth of Turkey

The museums of a country are probably the most distinctive signs of the importance that country attaches to culture and history. It can also be said the amount of interest shown in museums depends on how capable they are of presenting the cultural and archaeological wealth of a country.
However, Turkey's museums recently came to the agenda due to an unfortunate event -- the theft and replacement by fakes of pieces from the Karun Treasure on display in Uşak Archaeology Museum. Turkey possesses a large number of museums housing its centuries-old cultural heritage. A total of 2,815,470 pieces are currently on display in 92 museums under the auspices of the Culture and Tourism Ministry, according to the ministry's data.[...]
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Greece puzzles over how to protect its scattered archaeological sites

Inhabited for thousands of years, the environs of Athens and other Greek cities are dotted with an archaeological wealth that rarely appears in even the best of guide-books.
Hidden behind overgrown weeds, apartment blocks or simply lying in a corner of countryside are the remains of dozens of ancient settlements, unearthed by archaeologists and subsequently abandoned, simply because the Greek state lacks the capacity to catalogue them all. "It's not possible to clean and preserve everything, it would take a lot of money to weed all the sites and fence them off," says Athina Hatzidimitriou, secretary of the union of Greek archaeologists. One of these sites is Lamptres, an ancient settlement near Koropi, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Athens. Another is Megalohori, an ancient coastal village 170 kilometers south of the capital that has been left to the elements for the past 30 years, according to local authorities.[...]
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China says give back Yin relics

The Chinese government refuses to relinquish its claim to the repatriation of an estimated 50,000 Bronze Age relics from the Yin Ruins, including examples of the earliest written Chinese characters, a government cultural official said yesterday. The official with the State Administration of Cultural Heritage was speaking as the Yin Ruins were added to the World Heritage List at a meeting of the United Nations Environmental, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage committee, in Lithuania's capital, Vilnius. Located in Anyang, central China's Henan Province, the Yin Ruins are the earliest remains of an ancient capital city in China, which can be dated back 3,300 years to the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC to 1100 BC), also known as the Yin Dynasty.[...]
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Excavation unearths burial site

Archaeologists believe they may have discovered one of the oldest churches in Scotland during an excavation in Aberdeen. They are awaiting test results which will confirm whether they have uncovered a religious burial site dating back to the 6th Century.
The find was made during Scotland's biggest archaeological dig in the east kirk of St Nicholas Church. So far 300 skeletons have been unearthed, far more than expected. The excavation is part of a £5m renovation of the site.[...]
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Skeleton dug up at Noetzie castle "almost certainly" that of Khoisan teen, says expert

An archaeologist who examined the human skeleton unearthed in the grounds of one of the Noetzie castles near Knysna is "almost certain" it is that of a Khoisan teenager buried in pre-colonial times. Knysna police have meanwhile opened an inquest docket and the skeleton is in the town's mortuary. The Cape Times asked the Knysna police whether their opening an inquest docket meant they disagreed with the archaeologist and suspected a crime, but they would not comment. A police spokesman in George said the bones would be sent for forensic examination in his town, but he could not say how long this would take. Dave Halkett, an archaeologist with the University of Cape Town, said yesterday he had visited the site, but the skeleton had been removed.[...]
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Centuries-old statues to get new home

The Archaeological Survey of India will soon house 13 statues dating back to the 15th century in a newly constructed museum near here.
The statues of Ram, Lakshman, Hindu gods, kings and courtiers have been lying in an open excavation site, 30 kilometers from here since 1999."These statues are very heavy and will be brought down from the top of the mound with the help of laborers," according to Nikhil Halder, the in-charge of the ASI at the excavation site. The statues would be restored and placed in the museum, he said according to Telegraph daily.[...]
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Bronze Age ditch cleared

Senior officials and military personnel from the Ministry of Defence in London spent a day on Salisbury Plain recently, working alongside staff and volunteers of various environmental groups, helping to clear a 200-metre length of Bronze Age linear ditch.
The work was part of the fifth annual Biodiversity Day, organised by Defence Estates and helped conserve the clearly defined stretch of the 3,500-year-old ditch.
The scheduled ancient monument runs next to the Tidworth golf course towards Bronze Age barrows in the corner of the Tidworth tank driving area.[...]
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Villa mosaic's secrets revealed

Archaeologists excavating part of a Roman villa in Somerset have unearthed a mosaic of Daphne and Apollo. The mosaic, which dates back to the 4th Century, is part of the Dinnington Roman Villa site near Ilminster.
It is thought to be the only one of its kind in the country to feature the figures from Greek mythology. The treasure was uncovered by a team of experts from Somerset County Council and students from Winchester University and Taunton's Richard Huish College.[...]
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Home of China's earliest writing shoots for world heritage listing

The Yin Ruins, home to China's earliest writing--the oracle bone inscriptions, is under review for inclusion into the World Heritage List during the 30th session of the World Heritage Committee in Lithuania.
"We have expected for Yin Ruins's listing for long," says Tang Jigen, an archaeologist with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). "Whatever the result (of the voting) is, the value of Yin Ruins is eternal, and we shall study and protect her forever." Located in Anyang, central China's Henan Province, the Yin Ruins is the earliest remains of an ancient capital city in China, which can be dated back to some 3300 years ago in the Shang Dynasty (1600BC-1100 BC), also known as the Yin Dynasty.[...]
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Military builds mock archaeological ruins and Muslim cemetery on Fort Drum range

As part of a DoD-funded program to train Soldiers in the more elusive aspects of military service – cultural awareness – Fort Drum's cultural resources division has completed the initial stages construction of simulated archaeological ruins and a Muslim cemetery at the post's Range 48.
Dr. Laurie Rush, Fort Drum's cultural resources director, applied for and was awarded funding from the Defense Department's Legacy Program to develop training materials and find innovative ways to prepare Soldiers, as well as members of the other military braches, to complete their mission while taking all measures to protect the world's cultural heritage.[...]
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Archaeological Guides Available for Mobile Phones in Italy

Without a good sign next to it, an ancient ruin is little more than a pile of rocks.
Anyone who has visited even the major archaeological sites in Europe has experienced the common frustration. Monuments there often lack good historical explanations or offer information that is out of date. Now, a new technology born in Italy — one of the countries that could use a lot of help in this area — could quell a bit of this aggravation by offering tourists the chance to download to their mobile phones information and graphics about the sites they visit.
Agamemnon, named for the Mycenaean king who led the Greeks during the Trojan War, was developed by Milan-based firm TXT e-solutions. More than providing just a standard tour for each location, the technology can adapt to the user's individual interests, researchers say.[...]
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Thracian Settlement in Central Bulgaria Stuns Archaeologists

A Thracian settlement, dating back to the 5th century BC, was uncovered near the village of Vassil Levski, the municipality of Karlovo, Central Bulgaria. The site covers an area of 25 decares and includes a fortified wall and a number of Greek utensils, which archaeologists believe were used for importing wine from the Mediterranean.Experts describe the remains of the settlement as unique due to a 3000-year-old building with a tiled roof, decorated just like the utensils. Excavations are currently located in the eastern part of the settlement, where the royal residency of the yet unknown king is believed to sit. Archaeologists fear the ancient town will not be unveiled in its full dimensions as its boundaries go into private property.
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Egyptian artifacts to go on show in Japan

Egypt gave the green light on Monday for an exhibition of more than 300 Pharaonic artifacts to be exhibited in Japanese cities over the next 12 months, the Supreme Council of Antiquities said. The exhibition, which is to start in Fukuoka from Friday, is of pieces discovered during digs in Egypt by archaeologists from Waseda University in Tokyo, culture minister Farouk Hosni said. He said that the Japanese would be insuring the artifacts for $25 million. The exhibition comprises 327 pieces from different Egyptian museums, and will tour 10 cities, including Kyoto, Nagasaki, Sapporo, and Tokyo, said the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass. Egypt will earn about $174,000 from the exhibition and also gain four scholarships in Japan for Egyptian archaeologists, he said. According to the official MENA news agency, Japan will contribute $298 million toward the construction of a new Egyptian museum in Cairo, the total cost of which will be $550 million.[...]
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Rätsel um "Damen von Ilse" gelöst

Wissenschaftler haben das Rätsel um die vor mehr als 2500 Jahren im westfälischen Petershagen-Ilse begrabenen 20 "Damen von Ilse" gelöst: Untersuchungen ergaben, dass einige der Frauen Zugewanderte aus Süddeutschland oder anderen Regionen waren.
Die Zähne der Frauen hätten dies bei einer so genannten Strontium-Isotopenanalyse verraten, teilte das Westfälische Museum für Archäologie in Herne mit. Mit dieser Methode werden Ablagerungen in den Zähnen untersucht. Da sich Zähne nach der Kindheit nicht mehr verändern, kann so der Ort der Kindheit bestimmt werden.[...]
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Entdeckung des "tropischen Stonehenge" gefeiert

Brasilianische Zeitungen sprechen schon von der Entdeckung des "tropischen Stonehenge". 127 kreisförmig angeordnete Granitblöcke auf einer Hügelkuppe im Amazonas-Regenwald haben Medien und Forscher gleichermaßen in ihren Bann gezogen: Die Steine gelten als mögliche Überreste eines Jahrtausende alten astronomischen Observatoriums, so wie der berühmte Steinkreis im südenglischen Stonehenge.Die Archäologen wurden im vergangenen Jahr auf die Blöcke bei Calcoene im Staat Amapa aufmerksam, die teilweise rund drei Meter hoch sind und in einem Kreis mit einem Durchmesser von etwa 30 Metern aufgebaut sind.[...]
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Excavation underway to find more about our Thames Valley ancestors

An excavation on the town's earliest known settlement began this week as the Marlow Archaeological Society (MAS) attempted to find out more about our ancestors in the Thames Valley. The dig began on Tuesday in Low Grounds Farm in the Harleyford Estate where Marlow's first ever residents lived at a time when the rest of the town was just a lake. Pam Knight, fieldwork secretary, said: "The first few days went brilliantly. We have been taking off the top layer of three different areas (trenches) in different spots the most interesting one will be expanded to a minimum of 20 metres by 20 metres so it's going to be a really big dig.[...]
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Dilmun calendar theory backed

A Saudi archaeologist who has been trying for nine years to prove his theory that the Dilmun civilisation celebrated New Year on June 21 - the first day of summer - has finally received some official recognition. Information Ministry Assistant Under-Secretary for Culture and National Heritage Shaikha Mai bint Khalifa Al Khalifa is said to have endorsed his judgement after visiting the 4,000-year-old Saar settlement to observe the phenomenon last month.
Archaeologist Nabiel Al Shaikh says an ancient temple at the settlement, which features an oddly positioned triangular room, was used as an astronomical device to measure the position of the sun, letting priests know it was the beginning of the New Year.
If correct, his hypothesis means the Dilmun civilisation would have been one of the first to base its calendar on the movement of the sun, making it different to other societies of the time such as Mesopotamia, Iran and Egypt.[...]
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Archaeological dig to focus on Bronzeville

Urban archaeologists will be starting a dig today in the historic Chicago neighborhood of Bronzeville. The dig is part of DePaul University's Archaeological Field Project, a five-week summer course that focuses on unearthing historic artifacts from Chicago's past. Twenty DePaul undergraduate students have signed up for the course. They'll be digging on private property in Bronzeville, the center of black business and cultural life in the first half of the 20th Century. The site where the dig will take place was once the Phyllis Wheatley Home for Girls—a rooming house for black women. Past excavation sites have included the Pullman neighborhood and the Field Museum.[...]
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Discoverers of Thracian Village in Bulgaria apply for state financing

The archaeologists who recently discovered a Thracian village applied for state financing for the excavations, planning to make the village a cultural tourism destination. The project already received funds from several private companies and from Plovdiv municipality, Focus news agency reported.
The money would be needed for the conservation of the remains and the construction of a shelter, Konstantin Kisyov, head of the Plovdiv Archaeological Museum and leader of the archaeological team, said. The new site was situated near the road from Sofia to Kazanluk and could easily be included in cultural tour packages, Kisyov said.
Archaeologists re-covered a fortress stone wall, the foundations of the king's palace and unique decorated gilt tiles. The utensils used for import of Mediterranean wine proved that the king had sufficient political and economical power to trade with the Greek cities. All the remains date to fifth century BC.
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Pillars of the Minar

Living in the Qutub Minar’s neighbourhhod is a privilege only a few enjoy. Sanjeev Batra is one of them. But he’s aware that people living close to the city’s monuments are expected to do more than just soak in the majestic views from their windows. So, with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) trying to revive public participation in preserving monuments, Batra volunteered to help ASI maintain the complex.
With a group of friends, Batra, 48, owner of the property where the popular Olive Bar and Kitchen runs, takes regular rounds of the complex. He says, ‘‘Seven years ago, many bus routes passed through Mehrauli. It was a big threat to the monument and blocked tourist movement in the area as well. We objected to it. It took us seven years to win a court case. Now only those buses headed for Mehrauli enter the area.’’[...]
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17th century paintings found in Jharkhand

Two paintings, dating back to the 17th century, have been found in Jharkhand by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which says they resemble Rajasthani paintings in vogue during the Mughal period.The paintings were found in a Shiva temple located in the state's Gumla district, about 140 km from here. According to an ASI official, the paintings resemble the Pahari style that was common in Rajasthan during the 17th century.[...]
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Bulgarian archaeologists uncover ancient Thracian city

Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient Thracian town in Karlovo Municipality in Central Bulgaria, local media reported on Sunday.
Initial estimates dated it to the 5th century B.C., and remnants of the town's fortress wall have been unearthed.
The archaeologist will be looking for the residence of the ruler, supposed to have been a powerful Thracian king, reports said.
Greek vessels, most probably used to keep wine, have also been found.
Reports said that the ancient Thracian town may prove to be one of the most important sites in the history of Bulgarian archaeology and to provide valuable information about the life of Thracians in the region.
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10,000 Years of Anatolian History will be Exhibited in Germany

Ten thousand years old archaeological artifacts from Anatolia will adorn the halls of an exhibit in Germany, scheduled for next year. Most of the ancient artifacts gathered from different regions of Anatolia were dug by foreign and Turkish archaeologists.
Klaus Schmidt, assistant professor of archeology at the German Institute of Archeology, said that institute officials have plans to launch the archaeological exhibit with the support of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, titled “10,000 years in Anatolia.” Preparations are underway to have the exhibit ready for opening day early next year in the German city of Kalsruhe.
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Rome’s ancient sites are at eternal peril

Weeds with stone-splitting roots. Relentless traffic belching pollution. Tourists trampling across the once palatial residences of emperors. Earthquakes and terrorism waiting to happen. From the imposing stone bulk of the Colosseum to the romantic ruins of imperial luxury atop the Palatine Hill, the Eternal City’s monuments, once pillaged by foreign conquerors, today face an array of perils old and new. Rome’s fragile ruins have the urgent attention of teams of monument “doctors,” armed with such high-tech instruments as micro-cameras probing for weak spots.[...]
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Burial site clear, housing project resumes

Work on Bethel Island's largest-ever housing development can continue in earnest now that archaeologists have removed the remains of about two dozen American Indians found on the site. The 310-acre area between Gateway and Stone roads on the western side of the island contains two large sand mounds where archeologists had been removing skeletons since April.
By the time they finished in mid-June, they had unearthed the bones of at least 23 people, said archaeologist Rob Jackson of Pacific Legacy Inc., a Sacramento area company that helps government agencies and private parties meet the regulations governing the removal of human remains and artifacts from historical sites.[...]
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Study on archaeological pottery finds in the Basque Country

With shards and fragments and other pottery artefacts that have survived the ravages of time, ancient civilisations can be better understood. In general, these investigations are carried out by archaeologists, basing their work on the shapes and other parameters of pottery remains. Geologists at the Department of Mineralogy and Petrology at the University of the Basque Country (EHU-UPV) are putting the finishing touches to this research project, using certain techniques based on geology.
Researchers at the EHU-UPV studied pottery from the Neolithic to the XVI century, generally those artefacts found in the Basque Country. They focused on archaeological investigation using physical-chemical techniques. These have the twin objectives of obtaining information about the technology used in making pottery as well as obtaining data on the raw material(s) used in the production of the pieces.[...]
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Looters still ravaging ancient Arizona

An Arizona State Land Department investigator and an Arizona State University archaeologist looked intently out the windows of the small aircraft as it circled a desert wash above ancient gravesites. Soon, the two men saw the telltale signs: makeshift roads, heavy equipment, a series of linear cuts." Look at all those holes; they weren't there before," archaeologist Keith Kintigh said. "That's where they're digging."
Experts fear looting of ancient Native American burial sites in Arizona is on the rise, though Land Department investigator Brad Geeck said there are no hard statistics to track those trends. "Every year, the calls seem to increase." The rewards, experts say, outweigh the risks. A single intact pot can bring as much as $75,000.[...]
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Funde auf der Reichenau: Gräber mit Mönchsskeletten

Bedeutende Funde aus der großen, mittelalterlichen Klosterzeit hat ein Team der Denkmalpflege Freiburg auf der Bodenseeinsel Reichenau gemacht.
Zunächst stieß man auf die Reste einer rund 1000 Jahre alten Mörtelmischmaschine, mit deren Hilfe die Mönche beim Bau des Benediktinerklosters das gewaltige Mauerwerk auffüllten. Danach konnte erstmals ein vollständiges Skelett eines Mönchs auf der Reichenau geborgen werden.
Und mittlerweile hat man zehn Gräber entdeckt mit komplett erhaltenen Gebeinen - einen kleinen Teil des früheren Klosterfriedhofs. Das Alter der Grabgruben wird auf Grund der Fundumstände auf 700 bis 1000 Jahre geschätzt. Sie stammen damit aus der Blütezeit des Reichenauer Klosters.[...]
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Freeway archaeology

Team excavating possible ancient American Indian camp near I-25
Steve Kalasz looked at a pile of rocks near a shrub and saw history. "It's right underneath the surface," he said. "People were here 1,000 years ago." The frizzy-haired archaeologist stood on a windswept hilltop not far from Interstate 25 and pointed east and then west to the other side of the freeway.
He said that the archaeological site being excavated was likely a regular camp for American Indians who hunted bison and gathered seeds - a highly mobile group. Colorado Department of Transportation officials stumbled on the site in 2002 when the city of Lone Tree wanted to expand an interchange at the Lincoln Avenue exit in anticipation of new home developments.[...]
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Race on to save Egypt's ancient treasures

Swiss archaeologists are joining the scramble to recover invaluable ancient remains in Egypt before they are lost forever beneath modern developments. Cornelius von Pilgrim is leading efforts to unearth evidence of how people lived thousands of years ago near the southern city of Aswan.
"Many ancient towns are being covered by modern towns with deep foundations that destroy the ancient remains," von Pilgrim told swissinfo.The archaeologist from the Swiss Institute for Egyptian Architectural and Archaeological Research in Cairo has been working alongside Egyptian experts for the past six years in Aswan."We still do not know much about these old towns. They have been neglected because they are more difficult to dig and not as spectacular as tombs and pyramids," he explained. "We know more about the beliefs of ancient Egyptians than about how they lived."Aswan is where they made the chance, but significant discovery of a stone ramp used to transport granite blocks to waiting ships.[...]
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Renovated museum to encourage tourism in Salt - Jordan

The Salt Archaeological Museum, newly renovated under a project headed by the royal Netherlands embassy, opened on Sunday.In his address at a reception to mark the occasion, Dutch Ambassador Hugo Gajus Scheltema said he first saw the museum several years ago and was charmed by the structure and knew it had greater potential."I thought it should do more than just show archaeological objects — it should tell a story and educate children," Scheltema told guests gathered in the museum's new courtyard café."I also really like the town of Salt and wanted to recreate a point of interest for tourists because it's been neglected so terribly," he added.The Dutch ambassador put together a team responsible for the project headed by British archaeologist Alison McQuitty and involving Dutch archaeologist Jitske Blom and two Jordanian designers, Alaa Diab and Yazan Doughan.[...]
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Tackling 10,000-year-old mystery

Ten thousand years ago, a band of nomadic hunters stampeded 600 bison off the edge of a small cliff then speared and butchered the beasts before hauling off the meat. Or maybe not.
Maybe, instead, a lightning bolt or a swift-moving grass fire killed the whole herd, and their remains were quickly buried beneath wind-blown sand and silt. A few decades later, hunters camped on the buried bison remains, leaving behind stone spear points and tools that, over the millennia, have mixed with the animal bones.[...]
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More on "Bosnian Pyramids"

In "Bosnian 'Pyramids' Update," which was posted on June 14, 2006, I commented on the news stories concerning geologist Aly Abd Alla Barakat, who was said to be from the Egyptian Mineral Resource Authority. According to the stories, Barakat declared that the hill was indeed a pyramid, though a "primitive" one. Was Barakat there officially? What was his expertise? The news stories said that he was "sent by Cairo" (Reuters, June 5) and that he was an "expert in pyramids" (Deutsche Presse-Agentur, June 2). Barakat, we were told, had sent his report to Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, who had "recommended him to the foundation leading the excavation work" (Agence France-Presse, June 12). Taking it all together, you might believe that Barakat had been dispatched by Dr. Hawass. Could that be true?[...]
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Grab des Helden Theseus entdeckt

Griechische Archäologen haben ein Grab entdeckt, in dem Theseus - einer der berühmtesten Helden der griechischen Mythologie - bestattet worden sein soll. "Wir glauben jetzt, dass wir auf den Spuren des Theseus sind. Dass er eben kein "Märchen" war, sondern tatsächlich gelebt hat", sagte die Archäologin Eleni Konsolaki der Athener Zeitung "Ta Nea".
Nach seinem Tode wurde Theseus demnach in einer überdimensionalen, unterirdischen Anlage bei Troizin auf der Ostseite der Halbinsel Peloponnes bestattet. Im Grab seien Knochen gefunden worden. Ein DNA-Test soll nun beweisen, ob die menschlichen Überreste aus dem - wie die Archäologen vermuten - 15. bis 16. Jahrhundert vor Christus stammen. Das sei die Zeit, in der Theseus gelebt haben soll.[...]
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Tilton sewer project on hold for archaeology

A long-awaited sewer project in the Lochmere section of town may be delayed and its cost increase if archaeologists find Native American artifacts in test pits that will dug later this month. The sewer project has been in the works for several years; work is slated to begin this fall and wind up next year.[...]
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Tilton sewer project on hold for archaeology

A long-awaited sewer project in the Lochmere section of town may be delayed and its cost increase if archaeologists find Native American artifacts in test pits that will dug later this month. The sewer project has been in the works for several years; work is slated to begin this fall and wind up next year.[...]
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San Marcos home to archaeological treasure trove

About 50,000 artifacts have been dug up from site owned by Texas State.
Archaeology students at Texas State University-San Marcos have spent long hours digging gingerly with trowels through layer after layer of dirt in a pit measuring about 13 feet by 10 feet. Once in a while, the tedium is punctuated by moments of intense exhilaration.
"I was jumping up and down and yelling," Lisa Zotz, a senior, said of her discovery of a spear point that was fashioned from flint several thousand years ago.
The excavation, wrapping up its fourth season this week, has unearthed a couple of hundred stone points, many pieces of animal bones and teeth, and bits of burnt rock and clay — all told, perhaps 50,000 artifacts, said Britt Bousman, an assistant professor of anthropology overseeing the work next to San Marcos Springs.[...]
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Archaeologists dig at site believed to be from ancient bison

An archaeological team has started digging at a site believed to be the place where American Indians camped and hunted bison 12,000 years ago.
The Beacon Island site was uncovered after Lake Sakakawea began shrinking.
Fred Sellet, the field director of the archaeological team, said bone fragments of ancient bison already have been recovered, three days into the dig, along with stone tools.
The site is on federal land, and the dig is a cooperative effort involving the nonprofit PaleoCultural Research Group, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Three Affiliated Tribes.
A National Park Service grant is financing the dig to salvage material before the lake rises.[...]
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Terracotta army could invade UK

The British Museum is in negotiations to stage the largest exhibition of China's famed terracotta warriors ever seen outside their native country. The London museum hopes to host the warriors towards the end of next year.
Two British Museum exhibitions are now on loan to China, as part of an ongoing collaboration with the country. In 1974 in northern Shaanxi province, some 8,000 statues of warriors and horses were found underground near the tomb of first emperor Qin Shihuang.[...]
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On Rome's hills, architects battle to save ruins

Weeds with stone-splitting roots. Relentless traffic belching pollution. Tourists trampling across the once palatial residences of emperors. Earthquakes and terrorism waiting to happen.
From the imposing stone bulk of the Colosseum to the romantic ruins of imperial luxury atop the Palatine Hill, the Eternal City's monuments, once pillaged by foreign conquerors, today face an array of perils old and new.
Rome's fragile ruins have the urgent attention of teams of monument "doctors", armed with such high-tech instruments as micro-cameras probing for weak spots.
So far, the Colosseum has made it through two millenniums, its imposing stone bulk still standing after quakes, lightning strikes, pillaging, traffic tearing round it and subway cars vibrating below. And now, following terrorist bombings in London and Madrid, the great stadium where gladiators once thrilled the masses is equipped with metal detectors.[...]
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Iraq, Poland plan to boost archaeology cooperation

A senior official from Iraq's Archaeology Department said that the government and Poland are holding talks on how to enhance archaeological ties, Azzaman reported.In a statement, the countries are working on an 11-item agreement which includes, among other things, the resumption of polish excavation activities in Iraq.Polish scientists were active in excavating ancient Iraqi sites and they have helped shed light on little known Mesopotamian epochs and made magnificent discoveries.Polish specialists will also help their Iraqi counterparts on how to stem the current wave of illegal diggings in the country, the official added.
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Fast 2000 Jahre alte Militär-Statue in Syrien entdeckt

Ein syrischer Archäologe hat eine rund 2000 Jahre alte Militärstatue im Garten des Museums von Palmyra in Syrien entdeckt.
Die Skulptur, die sich auf einem 2,25 Meter langen und 60 Zentimeter breiten Brett befindet, stammt wahrscheinlich aus dem 1. Jahrhundert n. Chr. und zeigt einen militärischen Führer, wie die amtliche syrische Nachrichtenagentur Sana berichtete. Sie wurde von dem Leiter des Museums, Khalil Al-Hariri, entdeckt. Den Angaben zufolge trägt die Statue eine Inschrift auf Griechisch. Sie sei von einer Kompanie gemacht worden, um deren Anführer für seine guten Taten zu ehren.
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Fernbank Museum group searches site for evidence of lost Spanish mission in Telfair

Under the shade of pine trees in a remote wooded area in southern Telfair County, archaeologist Dennis Blanton examines a piece of clay about the size of a fingernail.
It looks like it could be some type of jewelry, but it's not man-made. It's a remnant of an ancient dirt dauber nest, preserved by the heat of fire that turned it into a kind of ceramic.
The work of dirt daubers centuries ago turns out to be helpful today to people who are trying to uncover evidence that in the 1600s, Spaniards and Muscogee Creek Indians coexisted on this spot near the Ocmulgee River.
"That's actually about the best evidence you are going to find that a building was here," said Blanton, as he held out the piece that had just been unearthed.[...]
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From Stonehenge to Samarkand: An Anthology of Archaeological Travel Writing

If reporters write the first draft of history, explorers and archaeologists produce the first sketches of prehistory. Surveying a ruin before few suspected that anything existed there before, and until recently feeling free to carry off artifacts in the name of art and science, they have enjoyed the special privilege of nosing around remote places, from Petra to Mesa Verde, without a plane to catch.
The idea behind this smart collection, edited by the anthropologist Brian Fagan, is that any number of visitors over the centuries to sites in the Middle East, Rome, Greece, China, Central Asia and Mexico have been in a broad sense archaeologists. Recorded accounts from any period, even if wrong-headed, form layers that can be profitably sifted.[...]
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Pak Govt launches $25 mn project to renovate Katas Raj Temple

Pakistan government will renovate at the cost of $25 million the ancient Katas Raj Temple where the Pandavas from Mahabharata are believed to have spent their years in exile. The three-phased restoration, which could take as many as 10 years would include development of the pond, which was considered to be as "old as civilisation."
The Pandavas are believed to have spent their years of exile at this temple after they were banished by their cousins Kauravas as depicted in the epic Mahabharata. The Shiva Temple, which dated back to the sixth century, was in a bad shape prompting Pakistan government to undertake its renovation, Director General of Pakistan's Punjab Archaeological Department Oriya Mqbool Jan Abbas said.[...]
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Rome's Ancient Sites Are at Eternal Peril

Weeds with stone-splitting roots. Relentless traffic belching pollution. Tourists trampling across the once palatial residences of emperors. Earthquakes and terrorism waiting to happen. From the imposing stone bulk of the Colosseum to the romantic ruins of imperial luxury atop the Palatine Hill, the Eternal City's monuments, once pillaged by foreign conquerors, today face an array of perils old and new. Rome's fragile ruins have the urgent attention of teams of monument "doctors," armed with such high-tech instruments as micro-cameras probing for weak spots.
So far, the Colosseum has made it through two millennia, its imposing stone bulk still standing after quakes, lightning strikes, pillaging, traffic tearing round it and subway cars vibrating below. And now, following the terrorist bombings in London and Madrid, the great stadium where gladiators once thrilled the masses is equipped with metal detectors.[...]
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Mulla Sadra Dam to Drown 7000 Years of History

The never-ending story of a historical site being damaged due to development projects and dam constructions seems to never let the minds of the people of Iran rest. This time, the same story is repeated for the 7000-year-old historical site of Mehr Ali Farsi in Fars province which was partly submerged as a result of inundation of Mulla Sadra Dam.
Although Iran’s Archeology Research Center has issued a certificate for carrying out excavations in this historical site, the Ministry of Energy has refused to fulfill its commitments, seeking to immediately inaugurate the dam after its construction was completed. This is while based on a memorandum of understanding signed a few months ago between Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) and the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry was expected to coordinate its projects with ICHTO and is in charge of providing the budget for carrying out excavations in the vicinity of their development projects.[...]
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Urmenschen-Schädel bei Tiflis entdeckt

Archäologen haben im Kaukasus einen weiteren 1,8 Millionen Jahre alten Schädel eines Urmenschen gefunden. Das wissenschaftlich hoch bedeutsame Menschenfossil wurde in Dmanisi südlich der Hauptstadt Tiflis geborgen, sagte der Generaldirektor des Georgischen Nationalmuseums, Prof. David Lordkipanidze, der dpa.
In Dmanisi sind damit insgesamt fünf Schädel des frühen Homo erectus sowie mehrere Unterkiefer ausgegraben worden. Alle Schädel hätten ein vergleichsweise geringes Hirnvolumen und deutlich ausgeprägte Knochenwülste über den Augen. Einer dieser Schädel der «ersten Europäer» war am Montag nach Deutschland gebracht worden und soll in Bonn erstmals der Öffentlichkeit gezeigt werden.[...]
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