================================================================
explorator 11.6 June 1, 2008
================================================================
Editor's note: Most urls should be active for at least eight
hours from the time of publication.

For your computer's protection, Explorator is sent in plain text
and NEVER has attachments. Be suspicious of any Explorator which
arrives otherwise!!!
================================================================
================================================================
Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Diana Wright, David Critchley,
Donna Hurst, Hernan Astudillo, John McMahon, Joseph Lauer,
Kai-Christian Bruhn, Mike Ruggeri, Rochelle Altman, Steve Rankin,
Rick Pettigrew, W. Richard Frahm, and Yonatan Nadelman for headses
upses this week (as always hoping I have left no one out).
================================================================
EARLY HUMANS
================================================================
Latest in the homo floresiensis quest:

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=65412

Pondering the walking-on-two-feet thing:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/uow-dwo052908.php
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080529140042.htm
================================================================
AFRICA
================================================================
The Axum Obelisk will be re-erected soon:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/article.asp?id=7853
================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
An Egyptian fortified city in the Sinai:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080528/ap_on_re_mi_ea/egypt_ancient_city_1
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24860550/
http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080529/twl-uk-egypt-fort-13abf6c.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/28/ap/tech/main4133255.shtml
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2008-05/29/content_6718953.htm
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90874/6420805.html
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2008-05/29/content_6719604.htm
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=26158
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/29/2258720.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/29/content_8273012.htm
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=57755&sectionid=3510212
http://uk.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUKL2838709720080528

They're going to do DNA tests on a mummy to see if it is Thutmose I:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080529/ap_on_re_mi_ea/egypt_mummy_dna_1
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-05-29-egypt-mummy-dna-test_N.htm?csp=34
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/shared-gen/ap/Middle_East/Egypt_Mummy_DNA.ht\
ml
http://news.mobile.msn.com/en-us/articles.aspx?aid=24882319&afid=1&pg1=1

A pile of damaged (and other) cuneiform tablets from Iraq are going
to be digitally restored/preserved:

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/05/29/iraq-cuneiform-tablets.html
http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=66870

Not sure what category to put this Persian 'cup' discovery, but
it certainly received a lot of press attention:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080528/od_afp/lifestylebritainauctionhistory_08052\
8122922
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/29/2259111.htm
http://www.payvand.com/news/08/may/1287.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080528/wl_uk_afp/lifestylebritainauctionhistory
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/click/rss/1.0/-/1/hi/england/somerset/7421774.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2039090/Rag-and-bone-cup\
-dates-to-300BC.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4016077.ece
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=57673&sectionid=3510212
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/heritage/story/0,,2282417,00.html

Archaeologists have found a portico to a temple to Khnum:

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=65820
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080527-egypt-temple.html

Greek-inspired architecture from Iran:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=58095&sectionid=351020105

The Israeli Army is accused of taking a stone coffin from Palestinian
territory:

http://www.imemc.org/article/55105

... while some Islamic-era skeletal material from Temple Mount has
disappeared:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/988803.html

More on that Israel-Palestine archaeological pact:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-archaeology30-2008may30,0,11\
00506.story

More coverage of that prehistoric cave site in Galilee:

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=65358
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/galilee-cave-reveals-secrets-of-hunter\
gatherers-834599.html
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/126281
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=987485

More coverage of that Second Temple quarry:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/126296
(includes a video)

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/

Archaeologist at Large:

http://spaces.msn.com/members/ArchaeologyinEgypt/
================================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
================================================================
Some rather broad claims about the status of women in Mycenae
based on DNA:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/jun/01/genetics.sciencenews

A Roman "agora" excavation in Turkey:

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=

... and evidence of a circus in Mugla?:

http://www.ansamed.info/en/news/ME09.@AM17484.html

A possible temple of Dionysus found in Bulgaria:

http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_540930868

Work has begun on a shipwreck off Cyprus:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080530/lf_nm_life/cyprus_shipwreck_wine_dc_2
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=39503&cat_id=1

The Vatican has restored the Valerii Mausoleum:

http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/CultureAndMedia/?id=1.0.2201338860
http://catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=12751
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/27/europe/EU-GEN-Vatican-Pagan-Tomb.php
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0802845.htm
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/27/world/main4130008.shtml
http://www.indcatholicnews.com/ptres435.html
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-flavatican0528sbmay28,0,5299539\
.story
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-05-27-vatican-tomb_N.htm?csp=34
http://news.mobile.msn.com/en-us/articles.aspx?aid=24846698&afid=1

More scholars are weighing in on the Caesar bust thing:

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/,ra16m1/wissen/special/67/174544/index.html/wissen/ar\
tikel/74/176540/article.html
(Paul Zanker)
http://www.faz.net/s/RubEBED639C476B407798B1CE808F1F6632/Doc~E780B012840B449D8B9\
8A812814DAE479~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html
(W.Will)
http://www.welt.de/welt_print/article2048969/Das_kann_nicht_Caesar_sein.html

(interview with L. Giuliani)

Wired was looking at Thales' eclipse:

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/05/dayintech_0528

Princeton's Latin salutatorian:

http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S21/18/95E73/index.xml

More coverage of the Cleopatra tomb claims:

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=64693
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/97427/Egypt-New-Aphrodite-statue-Cleopatra-bust-othe\
rs-found
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/archaeologist-claims-discovery-of-c\
leopatras-tomb-re-issue_10052930.html
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h1PiWWruRiJiuZptdlvqLZhFg-5Q
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article3998944.ece
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/26/africa/ME-GEN-Egypt-Antiquities.php
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080530-antony-cleopatra.html
http://tinyurl.com/5e798p (El Pais)

... with some info on the sponsor:

http://tinyurl.com/5ecw5x (Dominican Today)
http://tinyurl.com/66atc5 (ditto)

Chicester's Roman baths will re-emerge:

http://www.chichester.co.uk/chichester/Roman-baths-in-Chichester-surface.4127675\
.jp

As the Olympics approach, I'm sure we'll see plenty of these 'origins'
pieces:

http://www.dunnvillechronicle.com/Community/NewsDisplay.aspx?c=5951

Cabernet in Greece?:

http://www.ana.gr/anaweb/user/showplain?maindoc=6479426&maindocimg=4736725&servi\
ce=96

Remembering Robert Fagles:

http://www.nj.com/news/times/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-13/1212120355128450.x\
ml&coll=5

More on colorizing statues:

http://www.projo.com/art/content/lb_ancient_color_art_05-28-08_96A0OKP_v15.237e9\
9f.html

Recent reviews from BMCR:

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/bmcr/recent.html

Recent reviews from Scholia [technical problems]:

http://www.classics.und.ac.za/reviews/2007.htm

Visit our blog:

http://www.atrium-media.com/rogueclassicism

Blegen Library News:

http://blegen.blogspot.com/

Mediterranean Archaeology:

http://medarch.blogspot.com/
================================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
================================================================
DNA tests on a tuft of hair from Greenland is causing yet
another rethinking of ideas about migrations thereto:

http://tinyurl.com/6bfcbd (NS)
http://www.genomeweb.com/issues/news/147236-1.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90960697&ft=1&f=1007
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/uoc-rgi052708.php
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1159750
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/science/30ancestor.html

Latest theory about Stonehenge postulates about the builders'
mathematical abilities:

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=65329
http://tinyurl.com/6a9msd (Independent)

... no, the latest is that it was an ancient royal cemetery:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article4029449.ece
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080529/sc_nm/stonehenge_cemetery_dc_2
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/29/healthscience/druid.php
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080529/tsc-uk-stonehenge-cemetery-9ff7fe2.html
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23782069-38200,00.html?from=public_rss
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/ny-hsston0530,0,6668645.story?track=rss
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/stonehenge-was-domain-of-the-dead-says\
-scientist-836760.html
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rss/redir/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/scienc\
e/jan-june08/stonehenge_05-30.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/science/30stonehenge.html
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jUO3TIhS633b5jL6pyqLx8TuNvkg
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7426195.stm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080529-stonehenge-cemetery.html
http://news.mobile.msn.com/en-us/articles.aspx?aid=24873901&afid=1
Interesting burial of a Lombard warrior and his horse:

http://tinyurl.com/4s5a72 (Telegraph)

Medieval baby bottles from Russia:

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080526/108438896.html

Searching for medieval remains near Carmarthenshire:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/7427891.stm

Archaeology in Europe Blog:

http://www.archaeology.eu.com/weblog/index.html
================================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
================================================================
Some terracotta warriors and assorted sites were damaged in the
recent earthquake in China:

http://tinyurl.com/5pwc4m (SMH)

An archaeologist inspired by Indiana Jones is excavating in
Turkmenistan:

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=64905

A Maori 'pompeii'/'time capsule':

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10512676
http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=65349

Drought is exposing some Aboriginal burial grounds:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/080531/21/172zg.html

What DNA is telling us about the origins of the population of
Southeast Asia:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080523163046.htm

More coverage of those burials on Guam:

http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=14945

Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog:

http://www.southeastasianarchaeology.com/

New Zealand Archaeology eNews:

http://www.nzarchaeology.org/netsubnews.htm
================================================================
NORTH AMERICA
================================================================
Excavating McDowell House (Morganton, NC):

http://tinyurl.com/6fmaa5

Not sure if we mentioned this plantation site excavation before:

http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/story/274197.html

What's going on at Valley Forge:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/us/30valley.html

Restoring the Grange:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/nyregion/18grange.html

Digging in David Caldwell Historic Park (Greensboro, NC):

http://news14.com/content/headlines/596142/archeology-dig-underway-in-triad/Defa\
ult.aspx

Review of Ginger Strand, *Inventing Niagara*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/books/review/Sullivan-t.html

Review of Paula Uruburu, *American Eve*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/books/review/Calhoun-t.html

================================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
================================================================
Using satellite technology to find sites in Oaxaca:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/riot-aus051308.php
http://tinyurl.com/68fej6

Those 40,000 b.p. footprints are back in the news (why?):

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/32728/title/Footprints_in_the_ash

Latest video on the Archaeology Channel looks at Caral:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org/

Interesting mollusk-shell pyramid:

http://ancient-mesoamerica-news-updates.blogspot.com/2008/05/ancient-mesoamerica\
-news-updates-2008_30.html

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
================================================================
Not sure if we've had this Viking DNA story yet:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080527201804.htm
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90781/90877/6421861.html
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/05/researchers-rec.html

A brief interview with James Cuno about his recent book:

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/accent/240974.php

... and one with Nikolay Sarakov about archaeology in Bulgaria:

http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=f1623

Excellent article on the Gospel of Judas fiasco:

http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i38/38b00601.htm

The Leaning Tower of Pisa should be good for a few centuries:

http://tinyurl.com/4t8ole (Telegraph)
http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/l28340884-italy-tower/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7423957.stm

A pair of mysterious duelling pistols:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7414544.stm

A portrait of Elizabeth I has been found:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/uk_news/england/northamptonshire/7421051.stm

Spinning daVinci for a newer audience:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/business/01unbox.html

I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of reviews of this book claiming
that China sparked the Renaissance:

http://blogs.wsj.com/chinajournal/2008/05/30/did-china-spark-the-renaissance

Hopefully this is the final wave of ask-the-local-archaeologist
what-he/she-thinks-about-Indy stuff:

http://www.dailydemocrat.com/ci_9333520?source=most_emailed
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/buzz/archives/139681.asp
http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/WireHeadlines/2008/05/31/archaeologist-view\
s-indiana-jones-as-thi-42.php

... and the real-story-of-the-crystal-skulls thing is wearing
a bit thin too:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/orl-skull08may28,0,4668139.story
http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2008-05-26-crystal-skulls_N.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6968mh
http://www.discoverychannel.ca/reports/article.aspx?aid=8996

... but the reconsideration of plundering of cultural heritage seems
to be a good thing:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080527211802.htm

... and you've got to love this photo:

http://www.theonion.com/content/from_print/daring_bush_returns_from

Are you ready for the 'new humanities'?:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/science/27angi.html

A disputed Hals has been authenticated:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/arts/design/30voge.html

Huet's monkey room has been restored:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/arts/design/30anti.html

The Odyssey Marine folks have found a couple more shipwrecks:

http://in.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idINN2929819420080530
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080530/sc_nm/odyssey_shipwrecks_dc

More tests for the Shroud of Turin:

http://tinyurl.com/6yctpr (JPost)

... and it's going to be on display:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/2054106/Turin-Shroud-to-g\
o-on-public-display.html

Review of Simon Swain (ed.), *Seeing the Face, Seeing the
Soul*:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/the_tls/articl\
e3930776.ece

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Lives of the Week:

http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/lotw/

Arts and Letters Daily:

http://aldaily.com/

Past Preservers:

http://pastpreservers.blogspot.com/
================================================================
TOURISTY THINGS
================================================================
Turkey:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/your_say/article4032001.e\
ce

Gamla:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/126281
================================================================
DIG DIARIES/BLOGS
================================================================
[please send in suggestions! current digs only please!]

Tel Dan:

http://teldan.wordpress.com/

Hopkins in Egypt Today:

http://www.jhu.edu/egypttoday/index.html


================================================================
GENERAL MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS
================================================================
About.com Archaeology:

http://archaeology.about.com/

Archaeorama:

http://blogs.discovery.com/news_archaeorama/

Archaeoblog:

http://archaeoblog.blogspot.com/

Archaeology Briefs:

http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/
================================================================
CRIME BEAT
================================================================
Treasure hunters are pillaging Bulgaria's sites:

http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n141521
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n141525

Drug smugglers pose a threat to sites in Guatemala:

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/n27274870-guatemala-maya/

A bust in Israel:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/987931.html
http://www.antiquities.org.il/article_Item_eng.asp?sec_id=25&subj_id=240&id=1395\
&module_id=#as

Looting Matters:

http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/
================================================================
NUMISMATICA
================================================================
An Islamic coin (805 A.D.) from Oslo:

http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2452938.ece
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Science/2008/05/29/ancient_islamic_coin_found_in_no\
rway/6778/
http://it.moldova.org/stiri/eng/123273/

A possible 'forged painting' on Korea's bank notes?:

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/05/117_24459.html

Ancient Coin Collecting:

http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins:

http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/
================================================================
EXHIBITIONS, AUCTIONS, AND MUSEUM-RELATED
================================================================
The Greeks:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=24471

Vermeer:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/arts/design/30voge.html

Society of the Dilettanti:

http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=24495

Michelangelo:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/31/arts/design/31michel.html

Bible Lands Museum:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1212041428464&pagename=JPost%2FJPArti\
cle%2FShowFull

Medieval and Renaissance Treasures:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/31/arts/design/31medi.html

A couple of Tyches are coming to auction this week:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/arts/design/30anti.html

More on the covering-up of some 'naked' mummies:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/22/2252089.htm

There's a new curator of antiquities at the Getty:

http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=24443

Another 'who owns antiquities' piece:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/arts/design/27conn.html

Nice feature on the Bactrian Hoard:

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/06/afghan-treasures/atwood-text
================================================================
ON THE WEB
================================================================
Maps of War (really neat!):

http://www.mapsofwar.com/
================================================================
PODCASTS
================================================================
The Book and the Spade:

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

The Dig:

http://www.thedigradio.com/

Stone Pages Archaeology News:

http://news.stonepages.com/

Archaeologica Audio News:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org/AudioNews.asp
================================================================
EXPLORATOR is a weekly newsletter representing the fruits of
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on-line news and magazine sources are scoured for news of the
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game) and every Sunday they are delivered to your mailbox free of
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