Ancient History News Archive February 2012

February 2012

News

Ancient Greek Helmet Discovered

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published on 29 February 2012
LiveScience is reporting that an ancient Greek helmet has been found at the bottom of Haifa Bay in Israel. The helmet dates from c. 600 BCE and belonged to a Greek mercenary warrior who likely served Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt (r. 610-595 BCE). This unique artifact has since been cleaned and is now on display at the National Maritime Museum in Haifa, Israel... [continue reading]
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Peregrini, Barbari, and Cives Romani: Concepts of Citizenship and the Legal Identity of Barbarians in the Later Roman Empire By Ralph W Mathisen The American Historical Review... [continue reading]
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Making a boat fit for a Pharaoh

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published on 29 February 2012
Giza plateau was crowded on Monday as journalists, TV anchors, photographers and antiquities officials flocked to the northern side of King Khufu's Great Pyramid to witness Japanese scientists and archaeologists taking samples from different parts of Khufu's second solar boat... [continue reading]
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Making a boat fit for a King

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published on 29 February 2012
Giza plateau was crowded on Monday as journalists, TV anchors, photographers and antiquities officials flocked to the northern side of King Khufu's Great Pyramid to witness Japanese scientists and archaeologists taking samples from different parts of Khufu's second solar boat... [continue reading]
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The Romans and Their Roads – The Original Small Element Pavement Technologists By J. Knapton Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Concrete Block Paving, June 23-27, 1996 Introduction: French... [continue reading]
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The archaeological examination by robotic camera of an intact first century tomb in Jerusalem has revealed a set of limestone Jewish ossuaries or “bone boxes” that are engraved with a rare Greek inscription and... [continue reading]
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Ancient Helike dig searches for volunteers

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published on 28 February 2012
The legends of ancient lost cities are often overwhelming, yet those who are keen on actual facts are welcome in Greece. The ancient city of Helike, discovered in 2000, is seeking volunteers to help with the excavation works.  A view of the excavations... [continue reading]
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America discovered by Stone Age hunters from Europe?

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published on 28 February 2012
New archaeological evidence suggests that America was first discovered by Stone Age people from Europe – 10,000 years before the Siberian-originating ancestors of the American Indians set foot in the New World.  Solutrean tools, Upper Palaeolithic... [continue reading]
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Exploration of Biblical battle site reaches new depth

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published on 28 February 2012
This summer, Tel Aviv University's Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology is adding another excavation to their already expansive list of seven active digs. Azekah, a city of the ancient kingdom of Judah that features prominently in the Bible — both... [continue reading]
News

Exploration of biblical battle site reaches new depth

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published on 28 February 2012
This summer, Tel Aviv University's Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology is adding another excavation to their already expansive list of seven active digs. Azekah, a city of the ancient kingdom of Judah that features prominently in the Bible — both... [continue reading]
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The fate of the Ninth: The curious disappearance of Legio VIIII Hispana By Duncan B Campbell Ancient Warfare, Vol.4:5 (2010) Introduction: On the morning of 7 October 1854, The York Herald and General Advertiser carried... [continue reading]
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Oldest instrument is dug up in Skye cave

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published on 27 February 2012
The remains of what could be the oldest stringed instrument to be found in Europe have been discovered in a remote cave on Skye.  The standing section between trenches 2 and 15, within the forecourt area outside the stairwell entrance to Bone passage, before... [continue reading]
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Ancient cave speaks of Hades myth

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published on 27 February 2012
There, in a gloomy underworld, departed heroes such as Achilles gathered mostly to grouse about their boredom, and await the verdict of the judges of the dead.  Alepotrypa Cave "I would rather be a paid servant in a poor man's house and be above ground... [continue reading]
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Maurya dynasty artefacts discovered in Bangladesh

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published on 27 February 2012
Archaeologists discovered an earthen wall and different objects of the Maurya, Gupta and Pal dynasties in Mahasthangarh archaeological site of Bogra district last week.  The site where archaeologists discovered an earthen wall and different objects... [continue reading]
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Rethinking the social structure of ancient Eurasian nomads

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published on 27 February 2012
Prehistoric Eurasian nomads are commonly perceived as horse riding bandits who utilized their mobility and military skill to antagonize ancient civilizations such as the Chinese, Persians, and Greeks. Although some historical accounts may support this view... [continue reading]
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Evidence of Early Bronze Age massacre found in Turkey

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published on 27 February 2012
Mass killings, systematic violence or warfare seem to have existed across all stages of the human civilization. A mass burial excavated at Titris Hoyuk, an archaeological site of Early Bronze Age (3000-2000 BC) in southern Turkey, shows evidence of massacre that... [continue reading]
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Ancient Nubians: A hard life

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published on 27 February 2012
Life in ancient Nubia could be brutal. Residents of Mis Island – a remote area along the Fourth Cataract of the Nile River in present day Sudan – were plagued by meager diets, high infant mortality and diseases such as scurvy and tuberculosis. Angela Soler, a recent... [continue reading]
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Ancient Nubians: Making the bones speak

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published on 27 February 2012
In a narrow, modest laboratory in Michigan State University’s Giltner Hall, students pore over African skeletons from the Middle Ages in an effort to make the bones speak.  A Nubian skeleton laid out on a table at Giltner Hall Little is known about... [continue reading]
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The Roman Ninth Legion’s mysterious loss

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published on 27 February 2012
The Roman Ninth Legion’s mysterious loss By Miles Russell BBC News Magazine (2011) Introduction: One of the most enduring legends of Roman Britain concerns the disappearance of the Ninth Legion. The theory that 5,000 of Rome’s... [continue reading]
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Lucretia: An Ancient Example of Honor

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published on 27 February 2012
Lucretia: An Ancient Example of Honor By Aubrey Hanson Published Online (2009) Introduction: The Roman historian, Livy, wrote a comprehensive history of Rome during the reign of Augustus. The work, Ab Urbe Condita, spanned from the time of Aeneas, preceding... [continue reading]
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To Nurture or Neglect: The Body in Early Christian Art and Cappadocian Thought By Laurie J. Christianson Essays in Medieval Studies, Vol.7 (1990) Introduction: Christians of the fourth century faced a true dilemma... [continue reading]
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Blended Cuisine in Ancient Rome

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published on 27 February 2012
Blended Cuisine in Ancient Rome By Charles Feldman Repast: Quarterly Newsletter of the Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor, Vol.20:4 (2004) Introduction: They [fundamental elements] prevail in turn as the cycle moves round, and decrease into each other... [continue reading]
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Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned

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published on 26 February 2012
Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned By Mary Francis Gyles The Classical Journal, Vol. 42, No. 4 (1947) Introduction: Curiosity concerning the origin and development of the expression “Nero fiddled while Rome burned” leads to an investigation which... [continue reading]
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Colchester Before the Romans or Who Were Our Belgae?

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published on 26 February 2012
Colchester Before the Romans or Who Were Our Belgae? By Christopher Hawkes Essex Archaeology and History, Vol.14 (1982) Excerpt: Pre-Roman Colchester fell in A.D. 43, to the Romans under Claudius. It was the previous... [continue reading]
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Cynicism Then and Now

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published on 26 February 2012
Cynicism Then and Now By John Christian Laursen Iris: European Journal of Philosophy and Public Debate, Vol 1, No 2 (2009) Abstract: Ancient cynicism was a moralistic school of ascetic and anti-materialistic gadflies and critics. Modern cynicism is generally understood... [continue reading]
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A Historical Study of Athletics in Ancient Athens to 322 B.C.

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published on 24 February 2012
A Historical Study of Athletics in Ancient Athens to 322 B.C. By Donald Gordon Kyle PhD Dissertation, McMaster University, 1981 Abstract: This dissertation investigates the historical development and significance... [continue reading]
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New Indus Valley site discovered in Pakistan

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published on 24 February 2012
The lifting of mud from a site in east of Khairpur Joso has resulted in the discovery of an archaeological site locally called Nathar-j-Daro  Mohenjo Daro, Larkana People of the area found some artefacts when contractors of the Frontier Works Organisation... [continue reading]
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Bronze Age hoard declared treasure

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published on 24 February 2012
A "significant discovery" of a Bronze Age artefacts in Carmarthenshire have been recorded as treasure.  The museum says the hoard shows the type of weapons and dress items worn nearly 3,000 years ago The hoard of 13 bronze items found in a field at... [continue reading]
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Ireland & The Romans--A Project

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published on 24 February 2012
So did the Romans have much of anything to do with the "Emerald Island"? The Irish Times is reporting that a new academic project has commenced, exploring the links between Roman Europe and Celtic Ireland. Entitled "Late Iron Age and Roman Ireland (Liari)," the project has already caused quite a stir! Please click here to read about this fantastic initiative.
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4500-year old Sumerian temple found in Ur

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published on 23 February 2012
Iraqi and foreign archaeologists have uncovered a temple at the Sumerian city of Ur, which dates back to about 2500 B.C., the head of the Antiquities Department says.  Ruins iof Ur, Southern Iraq So far the scientists have uncovered one of the walls... [continue reading]
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Archaeologists show off priceless gold haul

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published on 23 February 2012
For the first time archaeologists are showing a 1.8-kilo haul of gold they found while performing excavations around a gas pipeline last year.  Archaeologists in Lower Saxony are, for the first time, displaying a priceless gold haul found during the construction... [continue reading]
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Sleep Patterns of the Past

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published on 23 February 2012
The BBC reports that the popular belief of eight hours of sleep being optimal is a development of the 19th century, and that people have had a very different pattern of sleep before. In previous times humans usually had a first period of sleep of several hours, followed by a night-time awake phase, which in turn is followed by a second period of sleep of several... [continue reading]
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Rock art discovery could shed light on when New World was settled

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published on 23 February 2012
The outline of a figure scratched into a cave in Lapa do Santo in central-eastern Brazil is believed to be between 10,000 and 12,000 years and has been dubbed "the horny little man" because of its oversized phallus.  The figure, dubbed 'The little horny... [continue reading]
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More than a Hull: Religious Ritual and Sacred Space on Board the Ancient Ship By Carrie E. Atkins Master’s thesis, Texas A&M University, 2010 Abstract: Greco-Roman religion in the ancient Mediterranean... [continue reading]
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Golden Clues from a Lost Civilization

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published on 22 February 2012
Archaeologists have made perhaps one of the most exciting Pre-Columbian finds in recent decades! In the vicinity of El Caño, Panama, excavations have unearthed fantastic tombs filled exquisite golden items. Since 2010, dozens of artifacts have been recovered and now scholars are peeling back the layers of time in order to solve the mysteries of this long forgotten... [continue reading]
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Pre-Columbian "Nasca" Lines in Brazil?

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published on 22 February 2012
The New York Times ran an article last month, detailing the importance of geoglyphs found deep within the Amazon rainforest in northwestern Brazil. Although they have been known to scientists and archaeologists since the 1970s, these "land carvings" are receiving increasing attention from the international community. Characterized by remarkable "geometric precision"... [continue reading]
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More on Jordan’s earliest buildings discovered

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published on 22 February 2012
A  joint team of American, British, Danish and Jordanian archaeologists working in eastern Jordan has announced its discovery of 20,000-year-old hut structures, the earliest yet found in that country. Along with materials found in the huts, the find suggests... [continue reading]
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Archaeologists bringing Jerusalem's ancient Roman city back to life

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published on 22 February 2012
If you look at a map of the Old City of Jerusalem, you'll notice something odd. While the vast majority of the Old City's streets form a crowded casbah of winding alleyways, there are a few straight-as-a-ruler streets that bisect the city from north to south and... [continue reading]
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Event: Golden age of the Celts

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published on 21 February 2012
LONDON. Ever wondered how the Celts warded off evil spirits? Come along to this event and find out more about the Celts. The British Museum is hosting an event of Celtic art and mythological stories for children and adults alike. The event costs GBP 12 and takes place on Sunday 04 March at the British Museum in London, from 14h00 to 19h00. Find out how to... [continue reading]
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Archaeologists begin restoring ancient boat near pyramids

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published on 21 February 2012
Archaeologists on Monday began restoration on a 4,500-year-old wooden boat found next to the pyramids, one of Egypt's main tourist attractions.  In this Thursday, June 23, 2011 file photo, an Egyptian and Japanese team of scientists use a pulley system... [continue reading]
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Costa Concordia nearly hit Roman shipwreck

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published on 21 February 2012
The Costa Concordia, a cruise liner than recently sunk off the Italian island of Giglio, nearly landed on an ancient Roman shipwreck. The modern ship sunk only a ship's length away from the ancient wreck. The waters around Giglio are in fact an ancient ship graveyard, as many vessels have sunk there before. Even the oldest known shipwreck of the Mediterranean... [continue reading]
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Ice Age Flowers Regrown

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published on 21 February 2012
Russian biologists have managed to regrow flowers from seeds that were frozen for about 30.000 years. The seeds of prehistoric Silene stenophylla were extracted from plant seeds found in the Russian permafrost soil. They were probably dug in by Ice Age squirrels and never defrosted since. The flowers show significant differences from their modern counterparts... [continue reading]
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Indonesia "Pyramid" built by 2,000 people

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published on 21 February 2012
Mount Padang, the largest Megalithic site in Southeast Asia, has been renowned since the 16th century. It has even been mapped out by the National Archeological Research Center.   The Gunung Padang Megalithic site It faded away for awhile due to... [continue reading]
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Archaeo-metallurgy of Indus civilisation

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published on 21 February 2012
This is an anthology of 21 articles by professional archaeologists engaged in Harappan studies and allied sciences. The articles include long-term critical surveys of archaeological discoveries; literature on metal use; specialised archaeo-metallurgical analyses of copper smelting... [continue reading]
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Israel plans to preserve biblical site in West Bank

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published on 21 February 2012
The ministerial committee that deals with national heritage sites, under the auspices of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, decided last week to embrace a new West Bank project: Thanks to a government allocation of NIS 5 million, archaeological excavations... [continue reading]
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Prehistoric architecture found in Jordan from 20,000 years ago

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published on 21 February 2012
Some of the earliest evidence of prehistoric architecture has been discovered in the Jordanian desert, providing archaeologists with a new perspective on how humans lived 20,000 years ago. The ancient hut structures in eastern Jordan were discovered... [continue reading]
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Four shipwrecks found off Cretan coast

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published on 21 February 2012
Four previously unknown shipwrecks have been discovered some 30 kilometers off the Bay of Irakleio, Crete, in recent underwater exploration conducted by the ephorate of underwater antiquities.  The new finds comprise two Roman era shipwrecks, one containing... [continue reading]
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Aelian's Wild Tales in Translation

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published on 21 February 2012
The Wall Street Journal had a great review of Aelian's "On the Nature of Animals," in a of a new translation, by Gregory McNamee. Born c. 170 CE, Aelian is perhaps the world's first "naturalist." Please click here to read this review.
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Objects Stolen From Olympia--A True Greek Tragedy

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published on 20 February 2012
We have the unfortunate news of reporting a robbery of precious items from the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games, in Olympia, Greece. The BBC is reporting that around seventy items were stolen and that the museum has been significantly damaged. The news prompted the resignation of Greece's Minister of Cultural Affairs, Pavlos Geroulanos, but did... [continue reading]
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The Roman Revolution: Could the Embrace of Rationalist Principles Have Saved the Republic? By Gene Callahan Oakeshott on Rome and America (Imprint Academic, 2012) Introduction: One of the most frequent... [continue reading]
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Restoration of Ancient Egyptian Vessel

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published on 20 February 2012
ABC News is reporting that a joint team of Japanese and Egyptians scientists is in the process of restoring a 4.000 year old boat, which originally belonged to the famous Pharaoh Kufu. Khufu--also known as "Cheops"--ordered the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Egyptologists and scientists have already restored another similar boat with much success. Please click here to read more.
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The Theurgic Turn in Christian Thought; Iamblichus, Origen, Augustine, and the Eucharist By Jason B. Parnell PhD Dissertation, University
 of 
Michigan, 2009 Abstract: This dissertation aims to suggest... [continue reading]
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The Two Orients for Greek Writers

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published on 20 February 2012
The Two Orients for Greek Writers By Takuji Abe The Kyoto Journal of Ancient History, Vol.11 (2011) Abstract: India was subdued by Darius I and incorporated into the vast Persian Empire at the end of the sixth century. This conquest stimulated... [continue reading]
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Archaeologists discover Jordan’s earliest buildings

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published on 20 February 2012
Archaeologists working in eastern Jordan have announced the discovery of 20,000-year-old hut structures, the earliest yet found in the Kingdom. The finding suggests that the area was once intensively occupied and that the origins of architecture in the region date... [continue reading]
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Understanding Carthage as a Roman Port

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published on 20 February 2012
Understanding Carthage as a Roman Port By Henry Hurst Bollettino di Archeologia on line (2010) Introduction: By setting the renewed study of Portus into the wider frame of the Ports of the Roman Mediterranean, Simon Keay’s admirable initiative stimulates... [continue reading]
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Roman Perceptions of Blacks

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published on 19 February 2012
Roman Perceptions of Blacks By Lloyd Thompson Electronic Antiquity, Volume I, Number 3 (1993) Introduction: Certain preconceptions about ‘blacks’ in predominantly ‘white’ societies have distorted modern visions of the ways in which Aethiopes... [continue reading]
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Metallurgy and the Development of Etruscan Civilisation

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published on 19 February 2012
Metallurgy and the Development of Etruscan Civilisation By Pieter William Mommersteeg MPhil Dissertation, University College, London, 2011 Introduction: This dissertation assesses the role played in the development of metallurgy... [continue reading]
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Wooden sarcophagus unearthed at Egyptian necropolis

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published on 19 February 2012
Encased in soil, this extraordinarily delicate face emerges into the sun for the first time in thousands of years.  The wooden sarcophagus was found at the necropolis of Qubbet el-Hawa in Aswan, Egypt The wooden sarcophagus was unearthed by archaeologists... [continue reading]
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Website Profile: Ancient History Encyclopedia

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published on 18 February 2012
Ancient History Encyclopedia offers readers some of the most detailed information about the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians and other civilizations from antiquity. Founded by Jan van der Crabben in 2008, the site now has about... [continue reading]
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The Origin and Failure of Roman Sumptuary Laws

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published on 18 February 2012
The Origin and Failure of Roman Sumptuary Laws By Noah Mencow Columbia Undergraduate Journal of History – Published Online (2008) Introduction: Sumptuary laws, defined as “Laws made for the purpose of restraining luxury... [continue reading]
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The Chariot: A Weapon that Revolutionized Egyptian Warfare

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published on 17 February 2012
The Chariot:  A Weapon that Revolutionized Egyptian Warfare By Richard Carney History Matters: An Undergraduate Journal of Historical Research (Spring 2006) Introduction: Egypt is one of the oldest civilizations in the world... [continue reading]
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Neolithic settlers colonized Spain from N. Africa

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published on 17 February 2012
The Neolithic period, around 10,000 BC in the Middle East, a time when the nomadic economy became permanent, founded on farming and breeding, could have arrived on the Iberian peninsula through a third route of expansion - North Africa. This is according... [continue reading]
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Bronze Age hut found on Lipari

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published on 17 February 2012
Italian archaeologists on Friday found a Bronze Age hut during construction work in a town square on the southern Italian island of Lipari. Roman-era Hellenistic slabs were also unearthed, archaeologists said.  Huts of the middle Bronze Age superimposed over... [continue reading]
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Stonehenge inspired by 'sound illusion'?

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published on 17 February 2012
Stonehenge, it is said, marks an ancient burial site, forms an astronomical calendar and is even considered as a monument to the fertility gods.  Stonehenge But, now an archaeologist has claimed that these iconic stones were inspired by an extraordinary hallucination. ... [continue reading]
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Sardinia's lost warriors rise from the dust

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published on 17 February 2012
Archaeologists and conservation experts on the Italian island of Sardinia have succeeded in re-assembling literally thousands of fragments of smashed sculpture to recreate a small yet unique army of life-size stone warriors which were originally destroyed... [continue reading]
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The first-ever ‘Mother Goddess' image carved in sandstone rock — representing the earliest perception of idolising woman as Goddess dating back to 3 Century BC — has been found close to the Sri Chalukya Kumara Bheemeswara Swamy temple at Samarlakota near... [continue reading]
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Impressive Pre-Columbian Art Exhibit

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published on 16 February 2012
The Walters Museum, in Baltimore, MD USA, is the current venue of a fantastic exhibition not to be missed: Exploring Art of the Ancient Americas: The John Bourne Collection will be on view until May 20, 2012. Featuring over 135 exquisite objects from South and Central America, this exhibition covers nearly 3,000 years of art history. Among the highlights... [continue reading]
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Edinburgh Egyptians in the News

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published on 15 February 2012
Last week, we mentioned the opening of an exciting new exhibit of ancient Egyptian objects and artifacts in Edinburgh, Scotland. The BBC has just covered the opening of this exhibition with a news report that can be viewed by clicking here.
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Roman cemetery discovered in Djerba

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published on 15 February 2012
A chance discovery of around 100 Roman graves was made recently near el Kantara on the island of Djerba. Employees working for the STEG (Tunisian Society of Electricity and Gas) as well as employees from the Ministry of Equipment and Housing uncovered the graves... [continue reading]
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Suffolk Roman gold and silver coins declared treasure

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published on 15 February 2012
The discovery of Roman gold and silver coins on farmland in Suffolk suggests "relatively high status people" lived in the area, an archaeologist has said.  A father and son found the coins near Mildenhall, in Suffolk Fifteen silver coins and one gold... [continue reading]
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Authorities seize stolen artefacts in Lattakia

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published on 14 February 2012
Authorities on Monday seized number of stolen archeological artifacts in Lattakia Province.  A Source told SANA that the authorities stopped and searched a suspected car and found a group of archeological artifacts and plastic bags containing ancient... [continue reading]
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Lombard cemetery unearthed near Udine

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published on 14 February 2012
Graves unearthed in the northern Italian region of Friuli over the last several days held objects belonging to ancient Lombard warriors.  Archaeologists excavated the tombs of men, women and children, some of which showed signs of past intrusions. ... [continue reading]
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Romanizing Baal: the art of Saturn worship in North Africa

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published on 13 February 2012
Romanizing Baal: the art of Saturn worship in North Africa Wilson, Andrew. I. Proceedings of the 8th International Colloquium on Problems of Roman Provincial Art, Zagreb 2003 (Opuscula archaeologica: Dissertationes et Monographiae). Zagreb... [continue reading]
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Ancient Greek Yarn-Making

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published on 13 February 2012
Ancient Greek Yarn-Making Kissell, Mary Lois Bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Vol.13 No.11 (1918) Abstract The Metropolitan Museum is fortunate in having among its Greek collections three antique ceramics of exceptional interest, since they... [continue reading]
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Megalithic burial sites found

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published on 13 February 2012
A series of 20 megalithic burial cairn circles have been found on a hillock in Madugala village in Mahbubnagar district by a team of archaeologists and historians.  Twenty megalithic burial cairn circles found on a hillock in Madugala village in Mahbubnagar district... [continue reading]
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A new study of tropical forests will provide a 50,000-year perspective on how animal biodiversity has changed, explored through an archaeological investigation of animal bones.  Ancient bat bones As dawn breaks, a Cantor’s Roundleaf bat flies through... [continue reading]
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SPECIALIZATION – THE HIDDEN FEATURE OF THE ROMAN PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION Żyromski, Marek  (Poznań) POMOERIVM 1 (1994) ISSN 0945-2354 Abstract Specialization seems to be one of the main features... [continue reading]
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Astronomy and ancient Greek cult : an application of archaeoastronomy to Greek religious architecture, cosmologies and landscapes Boutsikas, Efrosyni PhD Thesis, University... [continue reading]
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Rites of Passage and their Role in the Socialization of the Spartan Youth Metaxia Papapostolou, Pantelis Konstantinakos, Costas Mountakis, Kostas Georgiadis Department of Sport Management, (University of Peloponnese) SMIJ... [continue reading]
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Coinage and Sulla’s Retirement

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published on 12 February 2012
Coinage and Sulla’s Retirement By Ian Worthington Rheinisches Museum für Philologie, No. 135 (1992) Introduction: Sulla’s retirement into private life in 79 BC has provoked numerous explanations, including illness, apathy towards Rome’s... [continue reading]
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Old Formats, New Experiments and Royal Ideology in the Early Nubian Period (ca. 721-664 BCE) By Roberto B. Gozzoli Egypt in transition: social and religious development of Egypt in the first millennium... [continue reading]
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Hellenism and Its Impact

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published on 12 February 2012
In the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal, Dr. James Romm of Bard University has written an excellent review for "A Culture of Freedom," by Christian Meier. Just published, this work focuses on Hellenism and its impact in the Near East as well as in Europe and North Africa. Please click here to read this review.
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Did Ancient Romans Love Their Children? Infanticide in Ancient Rome

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published on 12 February 2012
Did Ancient Romans Love Their Children? Infanticide in Ancient Rome By Mindy Nichols Senior Seminar Thesis, Western Oregon University, 2008 Introduction: Abandoned babies are not the thing of the past, it still... [continue reading]
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Deconstructing the Discourses of Roman Imperialism

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published on 12 February 2012
Deconstructing the Discourses of Roman Imperialism Mattingly, David J. Historically Speaking, January (2011) Abstract The reputation of the Roman Empire has proved peculiarly resilient to postcolonial revisionist views. It... [continue reading]
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PROBLEMS IN THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE PERSONNEL AND THE QUESTION OF MARINES IN THE ROMAN FLEETS Saddington, Denis Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, Volume 52, Issue 1, (2009) Abstract... [continue reading]
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Acropolis of forgotten kingdom uncovered

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published on 11 February 2012
Numerous archaeological excavations are underway at a huge site in Anatolia which will uncover an ancient and rich yet forgotten kingdom known as Tuwana from the darkness of history, which will be featured in an open-air museum.  The news was reported... [continue reading]
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A New Discovery of a Component of Greek Astrology in Babylonian Tablets: The “Terms” By Alexander Jones and John M. Steele ISAW Papers 1 (2011) Abstract: Two cuneiform astrological tablets... [continue reading]
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Call to conserve Neolithic grave in Delancey Park

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published on 10 February 2012
Plans to conserve a Neolithic site in Guernsey have been submitted to the Admiral de Saumarez Trust and the Guernsey Museums service.  Dr Nash and his team visited the site for three consecutive years Archaeologist Dr George Nash produced the Conservation... [continue reading]
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Ancient Egyptians Take Over Scotland

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published on 10 February 2012
Fascinating Mummies opens today at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. On show until May 27, 2012, this exhibition presents a special collection of objects and treasures from the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, based in Leiden, Netherlands. Highlights include detailed cat scans of various mummies, from all over Egypt, as well as rare sarcophagi. Please... [continue reading]
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Large meteorite likely found in Druid burial site

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published on 10 February 2012
With a weight that rivals a baby elephant, a meteorite that fell from space some 30,000 years ago is likely Britain's largest space rock. And after much sleuthing, researchers think they know where it came from and how it survived so long without weathering away. ... [continue reading]
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Edakal cave yields one more Tamil-Brahmi inscription

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published on 10 February 2012
A short inscription engraved in the Brahmi characters has been discovered in the Edakal cave on the Ambukuthi hill in Kerala's Wayanad district. This is the fifth Tamil-Brahmi inscription discovered in the caves.  The pre-historic anthropomorphic figure... [continue reading]
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Ancient cremated bodies found in field

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published on 10 February 2012
Archaeologists digging in Cawston have described the discovery of the remains of two cremated bodies dating back some 2,000 years as a major find. Excavation work underway to uncover an Iron Age settlement off Calvestone Road, Cawston Land on Calvestone... [continue reading]
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Adventures in the Mexican Jungle--A Visit to Calakmul

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published on 09 February 2012
In this fun and engaging article, freelance writer Elisabeth Eaves journeys into the Yucatan peninsula's remotest region in order to visit the mysterious Mayan city of Calakmul. Flourishing around the year c. 600 CE, Calakmul was a wealthy and influential city, rivaling the fêted city of Tikal for power and prestige. Three times as large as the better-known... [continue reading]
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Bulgarian Roman Ruins Revealed

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published on 09 February 2012
While our readers and visitors from Europe have been suffering through frigid weather for the past week or so, winter's wrath has proven itself as a blessing in at least one part of the old continent. An ancient building from Roman times, as well as pottery shards and the foundation of an ancient sewer system, has been revealed in the port city of Bourgas, Bulgaria... [continue reading]
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Power to the Camels: The Camel, Not Caesar, Ran Rome

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published on 09 February 2012
Two archeologists from Belgium, Fabienne Pigière and Denis Henrotay, make a very interesting argument in the latest edition of the Journal of Archaeological Science: the bedrock of Roman power depended upon the camel. They posit that camels connected the various parts of the empire and were the favored animals for long distance trade. Furthermore, they also... [continue reading]
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Rome Without Emperors: The Revival of a Senatorial City in the Fourth Century CE By Robert R. Chenault PhD Dissertation, University of Michigan, 2008 Abstract: This dissertation is a study in the cultural... [continue reading]
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Railways in the Greek and Roman world

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published on 08 February 2012
Railways in the Greek and Roman world By M J T Lewis Early Railways. A Selection of Papers from the First International Early Railways Conference, edited by A. Guy and J. Rees (2001) Introduction: Because the Greeks and Romans, for all their inventiveness... [continue reading]
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Roman Political Advice 2.000 Years Later

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published on 08 February 2012
2012 is likely to be a year of great political importance for the United States and for the European Union, if not for the entire world. Recently on NPR (National Public Radio), Professor Philip Freeman of Luther University spoke about his new book, "How to Win an Election: An Ancient Guide for Modern Politicians." Freeman's work is a translation of a text written... [continue reading]
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Ashdod excavations unearth Biblical era fortress

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published on 08 February 2012
The foundation of a large fortress that was situated there during the First Temple period was exposed in an excavation the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted with funding provided by Hofit – Ashdod Development & Tourism Company, Ltd. ... [continue reading]
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Rare Indus seal discovered in Cholistan

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published on 08 February 2012
The Punjab University archaeology department has discovered a rare Indus seal in steatite material with carved figure of Ibex with two pictographs from Wattoowala, Cholistan, during a survey of different sites near Derawar Fort along the ancient bed of River... [continue reading]
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Catalan archaeological mission returns to Egypt

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published on 07 February 2012
One year after the uprising in Egypt, the mission of archaeologists and Egyptologists of the University of Barcelona, working in collaboration with the Catalan Egyptology Society, returns to Cairo to resume its excavation work in Oxirrinco. The news is reported... [continue reading]
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Behind the Mask of Agamemnon

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published on 06 February 2012
Behind the Mask of Agamemnon By John G. Younger, Spencer P.M. Harrington, William M. Calder III, Katie Demakopoulou, David Traill, Kenneth D. S. Lapatin, and Oliver Dickinson Archaeology, Vol. 52 (1999) Introduction: “I have opened up a new world for archaeology,”... [continue reading]
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The Dissemination of Divination in Roman Republican Times – A Cognitive Approach By Anders Lisdorf PhD Dissertation, University of Copenhagen, 2007 Introduction: At the climax of the play... [continue reading]
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The Uses and Abuses of the Ancient Maya

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published on 06 February 2012
The Uses and Abuses of the Ancient Maya By David Webster Paper given at The Emergence of the Modern World Conference (Otzenhausen, Germany, 2008) Introduction: I happen to study an ancient people – the Classic Maya (AD 250-900) –... [continue reading]
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Female leadership in the ancient synagogue

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published on 05 February 2012
Female leadership in the ancient synagogue By Bernadette J. Brooten From Dura to Sepphoris: Studies in Jewish Art and Society in Late Antiquity, edited by Lee I. Levine and Zeev Weiss (Rhode Island, 2000) Introduction: Jewish women in the ancient Mediterranean... [continue reading]
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Fabulous Pre-Islamic Artifacts in Berlin

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published on 05 February 2012
Last week, we noted the opening of "Roads of Arabia" at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, Germany. Now, you can access several pictures and a brief review of the exhibition from Der Spiegel, by clicking here. This is the first time that such rare and exquisite artifacts have been displayed in Germany. The exhibition has already won rave reviews from museum-goers... [continue reading]
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A Distant Diaspora: Thinking Comparatively about Origins, Migrations and Roman Slavery By Jane Webster The African Diaspora Archaeology Network (2010) Introduction: It is estimated that more than 100 million... [continue reading]
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Subway excavations yield countless treasures

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published on 05 February 2012
Greek Macedonians discovered a valuable treasure hidden in the bowels of the earth, thanks to the methodical excavations undertaken in the construction of the Thessaloniki metro.  Many artifacts found in the excavation, from items such as gold hoops, benches... [continue reading]
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Mars the Avenger By Alan Scribner CreateSpace, 2012 ISBN: 978-1463789787 Mars the Avenger is an historical mystery set at the height of the Roman Empire. In the novel, Marcus Flavius Severus, a judge of... [continue reading]
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Archaeologists and pagans alike glory in the Brodgar complex

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published on 03 February 2012
Archaeologists are notoriously nervous of attributing ritual significance to anything (the old joke used to be that if you found an artefact and couldn't identify it, it had to have ritual significance), yet they still like to do so whenever possible. I used... [continue reading]
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Harappan-era pottery recovered in Punjab

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published on 03 February 2012
Hallmark pottery dating back to 1900 BC has been recovered during the recent excavations in Ropar (now Rupnagar), Punjab. The Archaeolog-ical Survey of India, which recently started excavating the site after a gap of 56 years, has recovered fragments of “geometrical... [continue reading]
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Peterborough Roman villa finds revealed

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published on 03 February 2012
Artefacts from a stunning Roman villa which was unearthed in Walton, Peterborough went on display at the weekend.  Archaeologist Sarah Henley talks to David Favell, 67, at Paston and Gunthorpe community centre, about Roman artefacts discovered at nearby... [continue reading]
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Second oldest case of Prostate Cancer discovered in Egyptian mummy

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published on 02 February 2012
Recent radiological findings led by experts from the American University in Cairo may potentially dispel the long held-belief that cancer is a man-made, modern-day disease. With the diagnosis of the first real case of prostate cancer in... [continue reading]
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Forthcoming Spring Exhibitions

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published on 02 February 2012
Although it is only February, museums and galleries across the world are preparing to showcase ancient treasures and objects to the delight of museum-goers. Be sure to check out some of these exhibitions this coming spring season! Byzantium and ancient Egypt seem to be en vogue this season: Roads of Arabia: Archaeological Treasures From the Kingdom of Saudi... [continue reading]
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Pollen reveals ancient palace grew citrus fruit

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published on 02 February 2012
The earliest evidence of local cultivation of three of the Sukkot holiday's traditional "four species" has been found at the most ancient royal royal garden ever discovered in Israel.  An artist’s impression of the Israelite palace at Ramat Rachel... [continue reading]
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Pollen reveals ancient palace grew citrus

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published on 02 February 2012
The earliest evidence of local cultivation of three of the Sukkot holiday's traditional "four species" has been found at the most ancient royal royal garden ever discovered in Israel.  An artist’s impression of the Israelite palace at Ramat Rachel... [continue reading]
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The Etruscans: A Population-Genetic Study

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published on 01 February 2012
The Etruscans: A Population-Genetic Study By Cristiano Vernesi et al. American Journal of Human Genetics, Vol.74:4 (2004) Abstract: The origins of the Etruscans, a non-Indo-European population of preclassical Italy, are unclear. There is broad agreement... [continue reading]

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