explorator 14.38 January 8, 2012

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explorator 14.38 January 8, 2012
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================================================================
================================================================
Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, David Critchley,
Diana Wright,Edward Rockstein, Rick Heli, Hernan Astudillo,
Kurt Theis,John McMahon, Barnea Selavan,Joseph Lauer,
Mike Ruggeri, Richard Campbell,Richard C. Griffiths,
Bob Heuman, Rochelle Altman,and Ross W. Sargent for headses
upses this week (as always hoping I have left no one out).
================================================================
EARLY HUMANS
================================================================
A new German-Israeli center devoted to researching archaeology and
anthropology/early humans:

http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/01/new-german-israeli-center-will\
.html
================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
As hinted at las week, that 'ancient seal' is starting a bit of a discussion
as to its purpose:

http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/december-2011/article/hebrew-university-pro\
fessor-disputes-claims-about-purpose-of-newly-discovered-jerusalem-temple-artifa\
ct
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/scholars-offer-new-explanation-for-rar\
e-temple-artifact-in-jerusalem-1.405361

Feature on Egyptian animal mummies:

http://news.discovery.com/history/mummified-animals-egypt-120106.html

A bronze age burial from Aleppo:

http://www.sana.sy/eng/35/2011/12/27/390924.htm

Recent finds via the Temple Mount Sifting Project:

http://templemount.wordpress.com/2011/12/28/finds-from-the-first-and-second-temp\
le-period-city-dumps-at-the-eastern-slopes-of-the-temple-mount/

Overview of the past month of archaeology in Israel:

http://www.bibleinterp.com/articles/rep368006.shtml

Feature on the Tel Dan excavations:

http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/december-2011/article/archaeologists-excava\
te-legendary-city-of-dan

Plenty of digging is about to commence in Sharjah:

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2012/January/th\
euae_January22.xml&section=theuae&col=

Looking at those on the 'bottom' of Babylonian society:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-slaves-babylonians.html

A review of 2011 in Egyptian antiquities developments (or lack thereof):

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2011/1078/heritage.htm

Interesting item on hairstyles in ancient Judaea:

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/explainer/2011/12/was_jesus_christ_s_hairstyl\
e_normal_for_his_time_.html

Archaeological sites are threatened by the Red-Dead Water Conveyance
Project:

http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093469005&src=RSS

Tourism is down in Petra:

http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093470540&src=RSS

More on that 'love pipe' from Jerusalem:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4169262,00.html
http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=52784

More on that Afghan collection of Hebrew documents:

http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=251913

Egyptology News Blog:

http://egyptology.blogspot.com/

Egyptology Blog:

http://www.egyptologyblog.co.uk/

Dr Leen Ritmeyer's Blog:

http://blog.ritmeyer.com/

Paleojudaica:

http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/

Persepolis Fortification Archives:

http://persepolistablets.blogspot.com/
================================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
================================================================
Lots of excitement (and hype) about a spintria token found by the Thames:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/8991212/Roman-brothel-token-discovered-in-Thame\
s.html
http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/discovery/bawdy-token-used-to-pay-for-pleas\
ure-1.1207552
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/293790/The-Roman-Empire-of-sex
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2012/jan/04/porn-roman-\
brothel-tokens-erotic-art
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2083295/Explicit-coin-Thames-X-rated-sto\
ry-Roman-sex-slaves-Britain.html

... Mary Beard brings some balance to the hype:

http://timesonline.typepad.com/dons_life/2012/01/a-roman-brothel-token.html

Haven't seen English coverage yet of this find of 37 Etruscan tombs near
Viterbo:

http://www.ilmessaggero.it/articolo.php?id=175652

Interesting (maybe ... the photo doesn't match the story) relief from
Stratonikeia:

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-267387-2000-year-old-relief-bust-found-in-strato\
nikeia.html

Allison Emmerson's talk at the AIA/APA shindig about Pompeii's trashy tombs
got some press coverage:

http://www.livescience.com/17747-pompeii-trashy-tombs-mystery.html
http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-ancient-pompeii-trash-tombs.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104115049.htm
http://news.yahoo.com/mystery-pompeiis-trashy-tombs-explained-130608439.html
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/uoc-iap010412.php

A couple of responses to Mary Beard's comments on the state of classics
last week:

http://www.algemeiner.com/2012/01/06/greek-wisdom-in-the-21st-century/
http://www.thejewishweek.com/blogs/well_versed/athens_and_jerusalem_case_knowing\
_classics

'Rumblings' over plans to restore the the Colosseum:

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/06/world/europe/rome-colosseum-restoration-plan-p\
rotests/
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/30147879/detail.html
cf:
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/28/colosseum-may-be-a-fixer-upper-but-\
its-not-collapsing-italian-officials-say/?ref=design

... while a Russian billionaire offered to buy the Temple of Zeus in
Agrigento:

http://www.ansa.it/web/notizie/rubriche/english/2012/01/05/visualizza_new.html_4\
0598954.html
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2012/01/05/Town-resists-billionaires-Zeus-temple-bid\
/UPI-45331325813873/

... and UNESCO is getting involved with Pompeii:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Italy-allows-Unesco-into-Pompeii/25422

UNESCO is also stepping in at some Roman sites in Tunisia:

http://allafrica.com/stories/201201061054.html

Response (from the nuns) about plans to sell Blundell Hall antiquities:

http://www.crosbyherald.co.uk/news/crosby-news/2012/01/04/augustinian-nuns-react\
-angrily-to-claims-ince-blundell-hall-could-lose-its-marbles-92534-30060498/

... in case you missed the story last week:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-16393476

Relive the torments of Sisyphus, Tantalus, et al in 8 bit game form:

http://www.pippinbarr.com/games/letsplayancientgreekpunishment/LetsPlayAncientGr\
eekPunishment.html
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2012/01/05/video-game-based-on-ancient-greek-tor\
ments/

On Gozo as Calypso's island:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120108/life-features/Malta-s-encount\
er-with-Homer-s-greatest-hero.401536

Interesting idea for a floating antiquities museum (haven't we heard this
before?):

http://www.emg.rs/en/news/region/172131.html

Studying Greek pottery for space program purposes:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-deciphering-elements-iconic-pottery.html
http://news.discovery.com/space/slac-analysis-of-attic-pottery-could-improve-spa\
ce-shuttle-tiles-111230.html
http://usa.greekreporter.com/2012/01/04/study-of-ancient-greek-pottery-can-help-\
improve-modern-spacecraft/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2081306/Scientists-study-ancient-\
Greek-pottery-improve-spacecraft-tiles.html

Review of Robert Knapp, *Invisible Romans*:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/political-bookworm/post/the-99-percent-in-an\
cient-rome--and-america/2011/12/13/gIQAxauWYP_blog.html

Review of the Loeb Boethius and Procopius:

http://www.salon.com/2012/01/07/when_did_rome_really_fall/

Reviewish/Interviewish of Mitchell's Iliad translation:

http://onpoint.wbur.org/2012/01/02/homers-iliad-retold

More on that 'green grocer curse' tablet:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/science/reaching-back-2000-years-to-unravel-a-\
curse.html
http://mynorthwest.com/11/601769/UW-professor-translates-ancient-curse

Latest reviews from Scholia:

http://www.classics.ukzn.ac.za/reviews/

Latest reviews from BMCR:

http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/recent.html

Visit our blog:

http://rogueclassicism.com/
================================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
================================================================
A review of the 'big finds' from Bulgaria this past year:

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=135489

Evidence of medieval life in Lyndhurst:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-16442870

Feature about the Locating London's Past website:

http://www.historytoday.com/blog/2012/01/locating-londons-past-mapping-capital

Feature on the Knights Templar:

http://www.historytoday.com/helen-nicholson/saints-or-sinners-knights-templar-me\
dieval-europe

Archaeology in Europe Blog:

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

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ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
================================================================
Again we hear that Angkor Wat was a victim of drought (not sure
why this is labelled 'new'):

http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-explanation-sudden-demise-khmer-empire.html
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0103/Ancient-City-of-Angkor-may-have-been-\
ruined-by-drought
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/01/04/drought-led-to-demise-ancient-city-ang\
kor/
http://news.yahoo.com/drought-led-demise-ancient-city-angkor-142407479.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/science/angkor-seat-of-the-khmer-empire-wilted\
-when-water-ran-low.html

Shang and Zhou dynasty burials from China's Zhejiang province:

http://english.people.com.cn/202936/7698412.html

Interesting bronze drum find from Viet Nam:

http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/Life-Style/219351/ancient-bronze-drum-found-e\
xcavated-by-local-farmer.html

More on tomb raiders in China:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/01/china-tomb-raiders-destroy-relics
East Asian Archaeology:

http://eastasiablog.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/east-asian-archaeology-cultural-her\
itage-%E2%80%93-2052010/

Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog:

http://www.southeastasianarchaeology.com/

New Zealand Archaeology eNews:

http://www.nzarchaeology.org/netsubnews.htm
================================================================
NORTH AMERICA
================================================================
More on wood from Lake Huron:

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Divers+find+clue+ancient+civilization/596\
1711/story.html

Not sure if this is the same bronze artifact from Alaska which we mentioned
a few weeks
ago or not:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-unearth-ancient-bronze-artifact-alaska.html

That 'Maya in Georgia' claim mentioned last week is taking a strange turn
(I still don't
buy it):

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/mayan-ruins-georgia-archeologist-objects-web-st\
ory-viral/story?id=15291662#.TwmQJno8euI
cf:
http://www.mountainx.com/article/38687/Mayan-ruins-in-Georgia-An-unorthodox-theo\
ry-generates-Internet-buzz

The 'lost city' of Cahokia has apparently been found during bridge
construction in St Louis:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2082113/The-lost-city-Cahokia-Archaeolog\
ists-uncover-Native-Americans-sprawling-metropolis.html?ITO=1490
================================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
================================================================
Some petroglyphs dating back 8000+ years b.p. have been found in Peru:

http://www.andina.com.pe/Ingles/Noticia.aspx?id=0wSJs39TTKo=

Mike Ruggeri's Ancient Americas Breaking News:

http://web.mac.com/michaelruggeri

Ancient MesoAmerica News:

http://ancient-mesoamerica-news-updates.blogspot.com/
================================================================
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
================================================================
DNA suggests brucellosis has been around for a while:

http://news.discovery.com/history/bones-modern-disease-ancient-skeletons-120104.\
html
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1112448672/scientists-crack-medieval-bone-co\
de/
http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/04/modern-disease-found-in-ancient-bones-2.html
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/modern-disease-found-ancient-bones-195035352.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120103135448.htm
http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-scientists-medieval-bone-code.html
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/msu-scm010312.php

Lord Byron as first 'celebrity diet guy':

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16351761

Interesting feature on Jeanne Baret:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-jeanne-baret-botanist-female-circumnavigator\
.html

Distinguishing between old and new violins isn't easy:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-professional-musicians-master-violins.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/science/in-play-off-between-old-and-new-violin\
s-stradivarius-lags.html

Interesting genome-adapations for early African-'Americans':

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/science/genome-research-points-to-adaptation-a\
mong-early-african-americans.html

On the history of snow globes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/the-self-contained-snowstorm.html

Marking Joan of Arc's 'birthday':

http://news.discovery.com/history/joan-of-arc-birthday-010612.html

Back to Columbis finding syphilis in the New World:

http://news.discovery.com/history/columbus-syphilis-010512.html

The NEJM is celebrating its 200th anniversary:

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-england-journal-years-medical-history.html

Not sure where to put this item on human rights and archaeology at Catal
Huyuk:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-stanford-archaeologist-role-human-rights.htm\
l

High tech dating of artworks:

http://www.physicstoday.org/resource/1/phtoad/v65/i1/p58_s1?bypassSSO=1
http://scitation.aip.org/getpdf/servlet/GetPDFServlet?filetype=pdf&id=PHTOAD0000\
65000001000058000001&idtype=cvips&doi=10.1063/PT.3.1408&prog=normal&bypassSSO=1

Next installment of that John Milton series from the Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2012/jan/02/john-milton-devil-par\
adise-lost

http://www.ancientdigger.com/

BLOGS
================================================================
About.com Archaeology:

http://archaeology.about.com/

Archaeology Briefs:

http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/

Taygete Atlantis excavations blogs aggregator:

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

Time Machine:

http://heatherpringle.wordpress.com/

================================================================
GENERAL MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS
================================================================
Latest Biblical Archaeology Review (the 'dig' issue):

http://www.bib-arch.org/bar/

================================================================
CRIME BEAT
================================================================
Some Turkish smugglers were caught with a statue in their car:

http://eu.greekreporter.com/2012/01/05/turkish-police-arrest-two-men-with-aphrod\
ite-statue-in-their-car/
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-267698-police-find-aphrodite-statue-that-was-mis\
sing-for-years.html
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-267698-missing-aphrodite-statue-found-in-kirsehi\
r.html

"Vandals" have irreparably damaged a Roman mosaic in Burgos:

http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_33201.shtml
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2081175/Thieves-chisel-Roman-mosaic--Exc\
eptional-Spanish-archaeological-site-thought-targeted-order.html


Looting Matters:

http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/

Illicit Cultural Property:

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

Safe Corner:

http://safecorner.savingantiquities.org/
================================================================
NUMISMATICA
================================================================
The Prospero Collection of Greek coins came to auction and brought
in some big bucks:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/652cf2a2-3863-11e1-9f07-00144feabdc0.html
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/03/world/europe/prospero-collection-ancient-greek-coi\
ns/index.html(pre
auction hype)

Some ancient Judean coins ar coming to auction:

http://www.kusi.com/story/16454510/ancient-judean-coins-going-to-nyc-auction

Latest eSylum:

http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_v15n01.html

... and the one which should appear later today:

http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_v15n02.html

Ancient Coin Collecting:

http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins:

http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/

Coin Week:

http://www.coinweek.com/========================================================\
========
EXHIBITIONS, AUCTIONS, AND MUSEUM-RELATED
================================================================
Modern Antiquity:

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/jan/06/how-picasso-and-other-modern-masters-were\
-by/

Working in Archaeology:

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9458819.Exhibition_shows_archaeologists_at_work/

The Horse:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/jan/02/british-museum-equine-history-hors\
es

Lux in Arcana:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=52777

Faces Revealed:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=52770

Roads of Arabia:

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article556814.ece

John Adams Unbound:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/nyregion/in-a-long-island-library-an-exhibitio\
n-on-john-adamss-books.html

Some video from the DSS exhibition:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_9VS6ld51g (featuring L. Schiffman)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIqoYvl2UuA

Feature on the British Museum:

http://www.tampabay.com/features/travel/british-museum-showcases-ages-of-history\
/1209331

... and one on US Museums in general:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-probing-museums.html

Overview of interesting museum purchases this year:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/30/arts/design/intriguing-items-from-a-year-of-au\
ctions.html

The Louvre is the most visited museum:

http://iphone.france24.com/en/20120103-france-paris-louvre-museum-world-most-vis\
ited-mona-lisa-british-museum

Some art critics choose their favourite 'long term' pieces:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/30/arts/design/some-favorite-things-not-hanging-o\
n-a-wall.html

Check out our Twitter hashtage for more ancient exhibition reviews:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23classicalexhibit
================================================================
PERFORMANCES AND THEATRE-RELATED
================================================================
The Enchanted Island:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/02/arts/music/the-enchanted-island-at-the-metropo\
litan-opera-review.html

Pirates of Penzance:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/31/arts/music/pirates-of-penzance-at-symphony-spa\
ce-review.html

An overview of assorted things going on on London stages:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/28/arts/28iht-lon28.html

Bachanalia:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/31/arts/music/bachanalia-at-merkin-concert-hall-r\
eview.html?ref=music

Check out our Twitter hashtag for Ancient Drama reviews:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23ancientdrama

... and for Sword and Sandal flicks:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23swordandsanda
================================================================
OBITUARIES
================================================================
Emmett Bennett:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/science/emmett-l-bennett-jr-dies-at-93-helped-\
decipher-linear-b.html
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Classicist-Emmett-Bennett-93-2435211.php
================================================================
PODCASTS
================================================================
The Book and the Spade:

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

Stone Pages Archaeology News:

http://news.stonepages.com/

Archaeologica Audio News:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org/AudioNews.asp

Naked Archaeology Podcast:

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/archaeology/
================================================================
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