================================================================
explorator 11.42 February 8, 2009
================================================================
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 all who answered my question about html links last
weekend; I'm hoping to implement that style of link in the near
future but have to do a bit more fiddling.
================================================================
================================================================
Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Barnea Selavan, Diana
Wright, Jan Bailey, Donna Hurst, Rick Heli, John McMahon,
Joseph Lauer, Mike Ruggeri, Martin Bemmann, Andrew Smith,
Duke Jason, Rick Pettigrew,Ross W. Sargent, Toke Lindegaard Knudsen,
and W. Richard Frahm for headses upses this week (as always
hoping I have left no one out).
================================================================
EARLY HUMANS
================================================================
Australopithecines had 'jaws of steel':

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090203093125.htm
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article5645493.ece
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-86141.html

They've (finally) done a CT scan of Lucy:

http://www.physorg.com/news153146616.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE51560320090207
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090206/sc_nm/us_lucy_digital_2

What would Neanderthal music sound like?:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7874415.stm

Why Neanderthals survived so long in/around Gibraltar:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090202140046.htm

The oldest human hairs have been found in a fossilized piece of
hyena poop (!):

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/02/090206-oldest-hair-hyenas.html

Humans were inhabiting the Mendip Hills much, much earlier than
previously thought:

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/02/06/priest-nun-plague.html

There's a 'hobbit symposium' coming up:

http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/article.php?q=09020750-top-minds-hobbit-debat\
e-gather-at-stony-brook-university
================================================================
AFRICA
================================================================
Evidence of Africa's oldest human sacrifice is from the Sudan:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25010527-401,00.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/sudan/4517916/Afr\
icas-oldest-human-sacrifice-found-in-Sudan.html
http://www.cais-soas.com/News/2009/February2009/04-02-Parthian.htm

On the DNA front they've figured out when the various 'pygmy' groups
diverged:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090205133751.htm

Nothing really 'archaeological' in this one, but perhaps we'll
be hearing more from these caves they're finding in the Kalahari:

http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=7&aid=27&dir=2009/January/Friday30
================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
A green amulet to protect Egyptian child mummies:

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/02/05/child-mummy.html
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-88345.html

A not-overly-informative piece on digging in the Valley of the Kings:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090203173651.htm

An overview of recent finds (various periods) at Karnak:

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/932/fr1.htm

Interesting tale of a garden ornament which turned out to be an
ancient Egyptian artifact:

http://www.24dash.com/news/Communities/2009-02-02-Garden-ornament-is-ancient-Egy\
ptian-relic
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4433944/Terracotta-vase-\
left-in-garden-for-20-years-is-ancient-Egyptian-relic.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1133881/Owner-garden-patio-ornament-told\
-actually-ancient-Egyptian-artefact.html?ITO=1490
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-86563.html

I suspect this one has to be taken with a grain of salt of unknown
magnitude, but the IAA is supposedly tunnelling near/under the
Al Aqsa Mosque:

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=118983&d=8&m=2&y=2009

Using hyperspectral imagery to analyze a 10th century B.C./B.C.E.
Hebrew ostrakon:

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=118983&d=8&m=2&y=2009

Latest on the Jehoash tablet:

http://www.touro.edu/media/pr/releases/PR-Sandstone.asp

A preliminary report on University of Pisa's campaign at Dra'
abu el- Naga:

http://www.archaeogate.org/storage/15_article_1017_1.pdf

Some Parthian jar burials from near the Persian Gulf:

http://www.cais-soas.com/News/2009/February2009/04-02-Parthian.htm

Sites from various periods in al-Baida:

http://www.sabanews.net/en/news175218.htm

Concerns (it appears) for sites and antiquities in Saudi Arabia:

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2009020228\
214

Looks like someone is going looking for Noah's Ark in Turkey:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,486684,00.html

... more coverage of 'evidence' of the flood itself:

http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-88924.html

More coverage of King Solomon's Mines:

http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-85496.html

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)
================================================================
A cinema fire in Izmir revealed a Roman wall:

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/10911397.asp?scr=1

More on those Albanian shipwrecks:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28963784/
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/146906/Ancient-wreck-hunt-in-once-forbidden-waters
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/02/01/europe/EU-FEA-Albania-Underwater-Treas\
ures.php
http://www.rpmnautical.org/albaniasurvey08.htm

More on Mt Lykaion:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090202175200.htm

More on Pantheon-as-sundial:

http://www.odt.co.nz/on-campus/university-otago/41868/otago-researcher-sheds-lig\
ht-pantheon

Recent reviews from BMCR:

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

Recent reviews from Scholia:

http://www.classics.ukzn.ac.za/reviews/2008.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)
================================================================
Using Henry VIII's armour to document his physical changes over
time:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article5635985.ece

A bit out of date, but I don't think this mass grave from the
30 Years War ever made it to the English-speaking press:

http://tinyurl.com/bbu5ha

Some metal detectorists have found a Saxon burial in Sussex:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/sussex/7869373.stm

Evidence that some Benedictine nuns from France were victims of
the plague:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29054365/
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/02/06/priest-nun-plague.html

Richard III's coffin (maybe) has been moved:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/leicestershire/7865877.stm

(Much) more on the HMS Victory:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5678770.ece
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090201/ap_on_bi_ge/shipwreck_discovery
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/europe/7863840.stm
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/national_world&id=6636282
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/science/03shipwreck.html
http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/US-salvage-experts-claim-700m.4938953.jp
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/01/AR2009020100647.\
html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hKo0b5m6jN_bAY1zRqMets8V8vIgD9\
62S2RO0
http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=6780500&page=1
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,605052,00.html
http://www.canada.com/news/British+naval+wreck+hold+billion+gold/1244876/story.h\
tml

... which gave rise to a good Opeddish thing on matters marine salvagical:

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/02/f-marine-law.html

Archaeology in Europe Blog:

http://www.archaeology.eu.com/weblog/index.html
================================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
================================================================
Plans are afoot to search for evidence of Japan's lost Yamatai
Kingdom:

http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-86211.html
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200902020047.html

Something's missing from this burial chamber in a Dutch cemetery
story:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Surat/Burial_chamber_unearthed_at_Dutch_cemet\
ery/articleshow/4093322.cms

More artifacts from Mohenjo Daro:

http://www.dawn.com/2009/02/02/top12.htm
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-85580.html
http://www.karachinews.net/story/461446

More on pre-Lapita petroglyphs:

http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-85747.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090204/lf_afp/tongahistoryarchaeology_200902040521\
34

More on 'competition' in the ongoing golden age of Chinese
archaeology:

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=4&article_id=9901\
7

Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog:

http://www.southeastasianarchaeology.com/

New Zealand Archaeology eNews:

http://www.nzarchaeology.org/netsubnews.htm
================================================================
NORTH AMERICA
================================================================
Plenty o' coverage of evidence for the oldest use of chocolate in
the US:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/02/090202-ancient-chocolate.html?so\
urce=rss
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090203/ap_on_sc/sci_mmmmm_chocolate_2
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090203173331.htm
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601202&sid=aZqgPQH0Ry9k
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090202/sc_livescience/firstsignofchocolate\
inancientusfound
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2009-02/03/content_7440644.htm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28985087/
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-cacao3-2009feb03,0,6521359.story
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/us/04cocoa.html

Still arguing over the ownership of 'Indian Head Rock':

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/2009/feb/Indian-Head-Rock-Ownership\
-Dispute-Reaches-Federal-Court.html

France lays claim to a Lake Michigan shipwreck:

http://www.grandhaventribune.com/paid/310545953032777.bsp

Interesting old murder/hanging tale:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/us/02land.html

Review (by William Safire) of a couple of tomes about Lincoln:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/books/review/Safire-t.html

================================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
================================================================
Latest video at the Archaeology Channel is about the Incan
site and fortress of Choquequirao:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org/


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
================================================================
Don't know about you, but I'm semi-tired of the annual misinformation
about the origins of Valentine's Day, so this year we'll just alert
you to one item which has all the 'theories' in it:

http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20090208/LIFESTYLE/902080320

Pieces from the Petrobelli Altarpiece have been reunited:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/4538663/Fragments-of-butchered-Renaissanc\
e-masterpiece-reunited-for-first-time.html

Interesting bit of technology which can be used for modelling sites:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10554277

A major Yiddish library is now available online:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/yiddish-library-goes-live-online/

Trying to revive the Manx language:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090202140656.htm

The oldest free library in the U.S. may have to close:

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/38128204.html

More on Mendelssohn's bicentennial:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090202.wmendelssohn0203/BNS\
tory/Entertainment/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20090202.wmendelssohn0203

More on the Vatican publishing their Hebrew manuscripts:

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20090130.htm
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304675756&pagename=JPArticle/Show\
Full

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
================================================================
Rome:

http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/news/travel/story.html?id=0907162c-c037-4cef-\
8d2b-dd9dc514a2bb

Pamphylia:

http://www.sundayszaman.com/sunday/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=166305
================================================================
DIG DIARIES/BLOGS
================================================================
[please send in suggestions! current digs only please!]

Norton Community Archaeological Group:

http://nortoncommarch.wordpress.com/

Tel Kadesh:

http://sitemaker.umich.edu/kelseymuseum.digdiary/read_our_blog

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
================================================================
Plenty of coverage of arrests connected to a Syriac Bible recovered
in Cyprus:

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=43870&cat_id=1
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=43939&cat_id=1
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINTRE5152HR20090206?sp=true
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090206/lf_nm_life/us_cyprus_bible

A book dealer had been plundering the Rothschild Library:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article5663010.ece

Scotland has cleared up its laws relating to treasure trove and the
like:

http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Code-clears-up-39finders-keepers39.4943459.j\
p

Looks like Sweden will be next on the 'repatriation stage':

http://www.cphpost.dk/culture/122-culture/44647-ambassador-mediates-in-a-case-of\
-stolen-artefacts.html

More on Egypt returning artifacts to Iraq:

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/02/06/Egypt_returns_ancient_statue_to_Iraq/UPI-\
88101233941292/
http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news%5C2009-02-05%5Ckurd.htm

Another review of Sharon Waxman's book:

http://www.thestar.com/Entertainment/article/583718

Looting Matters:

http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/
================================================================
NUMISMATICA
================================================================
A search for some more medieval coins at Edenbridge came up
empty:

http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/edenbridge/Edenbridge-diggers-search-treasure/articl\
e-673185-detail/article.html

Irish Mining Tokens:

http://www.mining-memorabilia.co.uk/AIMC.htm

The Royal Collection of Hanover may be up for sale:

http://coinarchaeology.blogspot.com/2009/01/disaster-in-germany-royal-collection\
-of.html

Ancient Coin Collecting:

http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins:

http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/
================================================================
EXHIBITIONS, AUCTIONS, AND MUSEUM-RELATED
================================================================
Jan Lievens:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/02/05/entertainment/e15333\
0S84.DTL

Written in Bone:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090205/ap_on_re_us/sci_written_in_bone

Etruscans:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2009-02-04-dallas-etruscan-exhibit_N\
.htm
http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2009/02/01/ap/entertainment/other/d961rdo00.tx\
t

Treasures from Shanghai:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=28861

Napoleon on the Nile:

http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2009/02/02/Feature/\
Rare-Napoleon.Works.From.Egypt.Come.To.Suart.Galleries-3607804.shtml

River of Gold:

http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/exhibits.shtml

A large group of Iranologists are petitioning the new U.S.
president in regards to those tablets at the Oriental Institute:

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=188577

Some folks in Chichester aren't too pleased about plans for a
Roman museum there:

http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/448/Anger-as-69m-Roman-museum.4946966.jp

Ford's Theater is reopening as a museum:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/07/arts/design/07linc.html

Brandeis might not be selling its art after all:

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/02/06/brandeis

The NGA in Washington acquired a Brugghen:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/07/arts/07arts-NATIONALGALL_BRF.html?_r=1

... while a Titian remains in London:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/titian-painting-is-saved-for-71-mil\
lion/

================================================================
OBITUARIES
================================================================
Ezzatollah Negahban:

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=188672
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=84618&sectionid=351020105

Olga Raggio:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/arts/design/06raggio.html
================================================================
DON'T EAT THAT ELMER (A.K.A. CVM GRANO SALIS)
================================================================

================================================================
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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