================================================================
explorator 12.01 April 26, 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 Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Donna Hurst, 'Duke Jason',
Edward Rockstein, Hernan Astudillo, John McMahon, Joseph Lauer,
Mike Ruggeri,Richard C. Griffiths, Rick Pettigrew, and Ross W. Sargent
for headses upses this week (as always hoping I have left no one out).

* n.b. I changed email programs this week, which might mean some
duplicates from last week may have crept in to this week's issue;
I also might be missing some items from our correspondents. I'm
not sure whether this will be going out as html mail yet ...
================================================================
EARLY HUMANS
================================================================
Interesting detail about Neanderthal births:

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/420/2

Postulating/reviving different uses for bone-based tools:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17004-ancestors-may-have-used-bone-tools-t\
o-make-smoothies.html

On the role of cooking in human development:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/science/21conv.html

More on Neanderthal subgroups:

http://www.livescience.com/history/090414-neanderthal-groups.html

More coverage of the homo floresiensis bones being displayed:

http://www.livescience.com/history/090422-hobbit-cast.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/science/21hobb.html
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1892606,00.html
================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
Four temples with inscriptions from the Sinai are shedding light
on the Hyskos:

http://www.physorg.com/news159552735.html
http://www.drhawass.com/blog/press-release-new-kingdom-temple-discovered-sinai
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1080682.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1080538.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iyy_p39sNj5_F4SGHgS0j-rv-XrQD9\
7MSNMO0
http://www.news24.com/News24/Technology/News/0,,2-13-1443_2504875,00.html
http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidANA20090421T125403ZBAC27/New%20carvings%20shed\
%20light%20on%20pharaohs'%20dark%20age
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090421/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_egypt_temple_discovery_5
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=286070&version\
=1&template_id=37&parent_id=17
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/21/tech/main4959915.shtml?source=RSSattr=\
HOME_4959915
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090421/sc_nm/us_egypt_archaeology_2

Nice feature on the false doors from Herakelopolis Magna:

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/944/he3.htm

More coverage of those burials (now numbering 53) from the Fayum:

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/943/heritage.htm
http://www.emol.com/noticias/internacional/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoticia\
=353273

Interesting computer recreation of Karnak:

http://www.today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/team-s-digital-recreation-of-ancient-89298.a\
spx

Nice feature on Spanish involvement in excavations in Egypt:

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/944/he1.htm

It's the usual drill ... dam construction about to begin (this time
in Iran) and archaeologists are scrambling:

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=192709

A handful of Christian (pre 12th century) artifacts from Tekrit:

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/04/23/Archaeological-artifacts-found-in-Iraq/UP\
I-13111240510472/
http://politicom.moldova.org/news/archaeological-artifacts-found-in-iraq-198465-\
eng.html

A very nice Byzantine mosaic from Idleb:

http://www.sana.sy/eng/35/2009/04/22/222745.htm

I think I mentioned these Hamirat-era finds from Raymah last week:

http://www.sabanews.net/en/news181368.htm
http://www.yobserver.com/local-news/10016210.html

Interview with Brian Rose who just returned from visiting sites
in Iraq:

http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_759_Back_From_Iraq.mp3/view
(scroll down a bit)

Hype for a television program about some important KV63 finds:

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/science-channels-egypts-mystery-chamber/st\
ory.aspx?guid=%7B6373BE63-65B4-4556-A209-F70E3706CF1E%7D&dist=msr_1

Not sure if we've mentioned this Hebrew fragment found near the Gihon
Spring yet:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090425203201.htm

Not sure why the 'chemical warfare' at Dura Europos is making the
rounds again:

http://www.livescience.com/history/090413-nhm-chemical-warfare.html

A (tongue-in-cheek, I hope) Ark of the Covenant suggestion:

http://news.scotsman.com/opinion/Robert-McNeil-Lost-Ark-of.5187620.jp

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)
================================================================
The (alleged) Cleopatra tomb hype continues unabated:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5izUDLGClOQBSWBrVJ7bS77yX85sg
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/04/19/egypt.cleopatra.mystery/index.html
http://uk.reuters.com/article/scienceNewsMolt/idUKTRE53I10T20090419
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=7373921
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/egypt-thou-knewst-too-well-is-cle\
opatras-final-secret-out-1671316.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1665180/kathleen_martinez_and_the_searc\
h_for.html
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10567648
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30309472/
http://news.scotsman.com/world/Finds-may-lead-to-Mark.5184620.jp
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/04/090420-egypt-cleopatra-apvin.htm\
l
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/04/19/cleopatra-mark-antony.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/opinion/22schiff.html
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/04/photogalleries/cleopatra-tomb-pi\
ctures/index.html
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/04/21/in-search-of-cleopatra
http://www.france24.com/en/20090420-egypt-cleopatra-tomb-mark-anthony
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1893329,00.html

Latin is alive and well (maybe) at Fairfield High:

http://www.fairfield-echo.com/news/fairfield-news/latin-not-a-dead-language-at-f\
airfield-high-school-88042.html

Boris Johnson is interviewed about what Pericles would be doing:

http://www.spectator.co.uk/the-magazine/features/3557501/lets-melt-down-the-rail\
ings-to-make-bicycles.thtml

Feature on 'Boudica's Way':

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/apr/23/uk-walking-holidays-history

Not sure if we've had this one on the antikythera mechanism yet:

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2009/2508608.htm

More (almost a followup, but I don't really see anything new) coverage
of that
polynomial texture mapping of that Amazon statue from Herculaneum:

http://www.vision-systems.com/display_article/360076/19/none/none/TECHN/Polynomi\
al-texture-mapping-reveals-secrets-of-Roman-painting

Review of Ursula Le Guin, *Lavinia*:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/fiction/\
article6160305.ece

Recent reviews from BMCR:

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

Recent reviews from Scholia:

http://www.classics.ukzn.ac.za/reviews/2009.htm

Visit our blog:

http://rogueclassicism.com/

Mediterranean Archaeology:

http://medarch.blogspot.com/
================================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
================================================================
Interesting cat 'burial' in the walls of a house in Ugborough:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/8011361.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5200089/400-year-old-mum\
mified-cat-found-in-walls-of-cottage.html

A plan to test folks in Wales to prove Bronze Age Mediterranean origins:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/north_west/8007969.stm

Solving (maybe) the mystery of some cracks in the Maltese landscape:

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome/Researchers-solve-Maltateaser.5193890.jp
http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsId=60076&newscategory=31

Some works by Saint Neophytos were going on display in Cyprus:

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=45272&archive=1

A parking lot marker in Sweden turns out to be a runestone:

http://politicom.moldova.org/news/church-lot-rock-actually-ancient-runestone-198\
713-eng.html

How the tulip arrived in Europe:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090416105353.htm

More coverage of Hapsburg inbreeding:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/revealed-the-inbreeding-that-ruined-th\
e-hapsburgs-1668857.html

Archaeology in Europe Blog:

http://www.archaeology.eu.com/weblog/index.html
================================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
================================================================
Plenty of coverage of the discovery of some new sections of the
Great Wall of China:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6134158.ece
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/great+wall+even+longer+study+shows/3\
099332
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/4/20/apworld/20090420160800&sec=\
apworld
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10567611&ref=rs\
s
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30307130/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8008108.stm

Has the language of the Indus civilization been found/deciphered?:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/apr/23/indus-civilisation-language-symbol\
s
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/uow-ise041909.php
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/04/indusscript.html

Evidence of an early kingdom near Wari-Bateshwar (India):

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=84953

Another case of archaeological neglect in India:

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=85541

Review of a couple of tomes about Hindu history:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/26/books/review/Mishra-t.html

Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog:

http://www.southeastasianarchaeology.com/

New Zealand Archaeology eNews:

http://www.nzarchaeology.org/netsubnews.htm
================================================================
NORTH AMERICA
================================================================
Interesting site/finds from the banks of the Saluda River:

http://www.thestate.com/local/story/755229.html

A Hohokam dig in Continental is winding down:

http://www.sahuaritasun.com/articles/2009/04/24/news/00arch426.txt

A "trove" of Benjamin Franklin letters has been found in the British
Museum:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090423142459.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/23/AR2009042304594.\
html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/arts/24arts-BRITISHCOPIE_BRF.html

... and some interesting Civil War era papers were found during
renovations of a house in Bloomville, NY:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/nyregion/21mirror.html

They've figured out where Mexican forces surrendered to Sam Houston
in 1836:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-battle17-2009apr17,0,45106\
49.story

A followup to that 'turtle rock' story from last week:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090422/NEWS01/304220045

Review of Donald Shomette, *Flotilla*:

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/26/books-flotilla-patuxent-naval-campai\
gn-war-1812/

More coverage of that overdue library book:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/15/AR2009041502000.\
html

More coverage of those beads found in quantity in coastal Georgia:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090409134802.htm
================================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
================================================================
Hotel construction in Cuzco has brought to light several Inca
walls:

http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=332206&CategoryId=14095

The Maya Blue story seems to be making the rounds again (not quite
sure what's different about this):

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090420085049.htm

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
================================================================
They're not going to posthumously review William Wallace's conviction:

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.2502950.0.No_review_of_William_\
Wallaces_conviction_for_treason_in_1305.php

Arguing about the 'Michaelangelo crucifix':

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/arts/design/22michel.html

Is the hand of Leonardo evident in a del Verrochio work?:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/arts/design/24voge.html

Can't remember if I mentioned the World Digital Library yet:

http://www.mymotherlode.com/news/world/news_detail.php?ID=209244&DK=World%20Digi\
tal%20Library
http://pantagraph.com/articles/2009/04/21/news/doc49edd90383a94983172511.txt
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-library_tab_22apr22,0,1841137\
.story
http://www.france24.com/en/20090420-unesco-world-digital-library-launches-online\
-culture
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30324140/

... or the ArtBabble site:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/arts/design/07babb.html

Ever heard of Konrad Witz (pre DaVinci)? Me neither:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2009/apr/17/art-german-\
kunstmuseum-witz

Handel had a handle on finances too:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7992395.stm

On the domestication of the horse:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090423142541.htm

Reactions to the identity of the 'Cobbe portrait':

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090421142316.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/apr/23/shakespeare-portrait-stanley-wells

Koranic studies are changing focus:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/opinion/23kristof.html

Some viking words made their way into English:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090421111659.htm

The Archaeology Channel is featuring a preview of the 2009
TAC festival:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org/

In case you were wondering about the Pulitzers:

http://www.pulitzer.org/awards/2009

Lord Timothy Dexter seems to have been an interesting fellow:

http://www.lordtimothydexter.com/

Review of James Cuno's tome:

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22657

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
================================================================
Frugal Grand Tour (?):

http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/

Ostia:

http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/4/22/111643/748
================================================================
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
================================================================
Iraqi troops made a major bust this past week:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=acKT3j2bEdkw&refer=muse

Very interesting article from Archaeology on the impact eBay has
had on the illegal/forged antiquities trade:

http://www.archaeology.org/0905/etc/insider.html

Looting Matters:

http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/
================================================================
NUMISMATICA
================================================================

Islamic Bank Notes:

http://www.islamicbanknotes.com/


Ancient Coin Collecting:

http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins:

http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/
================================================================
EXHIBITIONS, AUCTIONS, AND MUSEUM-RELATED
================================================================
Henry VIII:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/25/henry-viii-exhibition

Looted Afghan Treasures:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/5201198/Looted-Afghan\
-treasure-to-go-on-show.html

Assorted exhibitions in Italy:

http://www.ansa.it/site/notizie/awnplus/english/news/2009-04-24_124335673.html

The Cleveland MoA is returning some items to Italy:

http://blog.cleveland.com/entertainment/2009/04/cleveland_museum_of_art_will_r.h\
tml
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30348001/
http://www.fox8.com/news/sns-ap-oh--lootedantiquities,0,3385064.story
http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/index.ssf/2009/04/cleveland_museum_of_art_w\
ill_r.html

Another feature on the new Acropolis Museum:

http://www.psfk.com/2009/04/peep-insights-athens%E2%80%99s-new-acropolis-museum.\
html

Battling over the Friede collection:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/25/arts/design/25arts-ARTCOLLECTIO_BRF.html

Tough economic times at the Brooklyn Museum:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=30302

Antiques are on the rise again (maybe):

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/arts/design/24anti.html
================================================================
PERFORMANCES AND THEATRE-RELATED
================================================================
Haydn:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/arts/music/22trio.html

Iliad: Book One:

http://theater2.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/theater/reviews/22ilia.html

Mary Stuart:

http://theater2.nytimes.com/2009/04/20/theater/reviews/20mary.html

An Oresteia:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090427/wilson
================================================================
OBITUARIES
================================================================
Christine Dunbar Sarbanes:

http://www.apaclassics.org/campaign/campaign.html
================================================================
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
================================================================
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game) and every Sunday they are delivered to your mailbox free of
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