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explorator 25.35 December 18, 2022
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You can read explorator online at:

https://exploratornews.wordpress.com/

Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Edward Rockstein, Kurt Theis,
John McMahon, Barnea Selavan, Joseph Lauer, Mike Ruggeri, Hernan Astudillo,
Richard Campbell, Barbara Saylor Rodgers, Bob Heuman, David Critchley,
Richard Miller, Kris Curry, Rick Heli, Richard C. Griffiths, Frank MacKay,
Don Buck, mata kimasitayo, and Ross W. Sargent for headses upses this week
(as always hoping I have left no one out).

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EARLY HOMINIDS
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Study suggests hominins were sailing the Mediterranean some 450 000 years bp:

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2022-12-15/ty-article/hominins-were-sailing-the-mediterranean-half-a-million-years-ago-study-finds/00000185-1590-dcb5-abe7-dfbe1b5c0000

A study of some 300 000 years bp flint flakes from Lower Saxony:

https://phys.org/news/2022-12-tiny-flakes-story-tool-years.html
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/300000-year-old-flakes-indicate-ancient-tool-use/145554

cf: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-24769-3

Rethinking why bipedalism came about:

https://phys.org/news/2022-12-early-humans-upright-trees.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/12/221214180655.htm
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/dec/14/bipedalism-foraging-research
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2022-12-14/ty-article/chimps-study-suggests-unexpected-origin-for-human-bipedalism/00000185-1138-da2c-a387-31fd11970000
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11082-221216-chimpanzee-trees-walking

Feature on 'new' ideas about Neanderthals:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/dogs-best-friend/202212/new-views-neanderthal-are-reshaping-prehistory

On the early origins of the Silk Road:

https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0dm0f7c/the-prehistoric-origins-of-the-silk-road
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AFRICA
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5000 years bp burials from a 'monumental' site in Kenya:

https://www.bnd.com/news/nation-world/world/article270007377.html

Feature on Vikings in Africa:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/the-vikings-in-africa/145505
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ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
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A nice hoard of gold jewellery from Amarna:

https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/482509/Antiquities/Ancient-Egypt/In-Photos-Gold-amp;-soapstone-jewellery-discovered.aspx
https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/482509/Antiquities/Ancient-Egypt/In-Photos-A-collection-of-gold-and-steatite-jewell.aspx
https://www.livescience.com/gold-jewelry-ancient-egypt-burial
https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/121284/Golden-ancient-Egyptian-ornaments-discovered-in-Tel-el-Amarna
https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/2022/12/13/egyptian-british-archaeologists-unearth-gold-jewellery-in-amarna/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-11543471/Gold-jewelry-remains-Egyptian-woman-buried-3-500-years-ago.html
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-724913
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/3500-year-old-gold-jewelry-collection-tell-el-amarna-necropolis-egypt-1234650306/
https://english.news.cn/20221214/b5fcd45b977d48a6bd0ad5a627655035/c.html
http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2022-12/14/content_85011179.htm
https://www.iflscience.com/cache-of-gold-jewelry-found-in-ancient-egyptian-heretic-burial-66704
https://arkeonews.net/archaeologists-unearth-3500-year-old-gold-jewelry-in-egypt/
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/ornate-collection-of-golden-jewellery-discovered-in-egypt/145516
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/12/14/gold-jewelry-found-in-tell-el-amarna/
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11075-221214-amarna-necropolis-jewelry

Interesting study of Egyptian faience production has revealed a gold mining connection for the quartz used:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/new-research-reveals-what-ancient-egyptian-faience-has-to-do-with-gold/145532
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/12/16/polish-scientists-reveal-what-egyptian-faience-have-to-do-with-gold/

Feature on the lost pyramid of Athribis:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/the-lost-pyramid-of-athribis/145545

Feature on birds in a 3300 years bp painting found a century ago at Amarna:

https://www.livescience.com/realistic-bird-paintings-ancient-egypt

More on the mummy portraits (and other items) revealed at Gerza/Garza (lots of spellings of this one):

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/482581.aspx
https://news.yahoo.com/archaeologists-discovered-full-color-portraits-150412073.html
https://www.sciencealert.com/faces-of-ancient-egyptian-mummies-revealed-in-stunning-discovery

Feature on Lord Carnarvon:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lord-carnarvon-on-his-finds-zdtv6drp9

Feature on hidden rooms in Tutankamun's tomb:

https://www.sciencefocus.com/magazine/tutankhamuns-tomb/

OpEd on Egyptian artifacts in foreign museums around the world:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/who-gets-to-tell-the-story-of-ancient-egypt-180981263/

'Ancient layers' found beneath a mosque in Qazvin:

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/479811/Archaeologists-discover-ancient-layers-beneath-Qazvin-mosque

Archaeologists in Iran are working on a hill which has previously revealed salt mummies:

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/479604/Archaeologists-excavate-hill-adjacent-to-ancient-mine-previously

Plans for an archaeological study of Hendrabi island (Iran):

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/479772/Hendurabi-a-tiny-Iranian-island-to-undergo-archaeological-studies

Excavations at the Burnt City are about to resume:

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/479647/Italian-experts-invited-for-Burnt-City-excavation

Feature on six forgotten women of ancient Mesopotamia:

https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/mesopotamia-history-ancient-women-forgotten

Feature on a Mesopotamian murder mystery:

https://www.asor.org/anetoday/2022/12/mesopotamia-murder-mystery

Feature on preserving and digitizing manuscripts in Iraq:

https://www.rfi.fr/en/international-news/20221218-iraqi-conservators-strive-to-preserve-ancient-manuscripts

More on the 8th century place door sill find (and more) from Nimrud:

https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-724606
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221213-significant-palace-door-sill-uncovered-in-iraqs-ancient-city-of-nimrud/
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article269952242.html
https://www.centredaily.com/news/state/pennsylvania/article269956152.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/penn-museum-helps-make-historic-find-northern-iraq/

A stone figurine in a 16 500 years bp 'votive pit' in Turkiye's Gedikkaya Cave:

https://arkeonews.net/in-turkeys-gedikkaya-cave-a-stone-figurine-was-discovered-inside-a-16500-year-old-votive-pit/

More on the study of the contents of the Uluburun shipwreck and their origins:

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/65944

More on the damage to Hagia Sophia's imperial gate:

https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/greek-news/greek-news/culture/48052-turkey-new-damage-inflicted-to-hagia-sophia-s-imperial-gate-video.html

More on that 11 000 years bp 'narrative scene' relief from Turkiye:

https://www.dailysabah.com/life/history/oldest-scene-in-world-11000-year-old-wall-relief-near-gobeklitepe
https://news.yahoo.com/11-000-old-carving-man-185116047.html

Feature on the Neolithic site of Cayonu:

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2216141

Feature on the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus:

https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2022/12/how-did-this-royal-tomb-become-an-ancient-wonder-size-and-style

The DAI is about to resume its work at Qasr Burqu (Jordan):

https://menafn.com/1105301692/German-Archaeological-Project-Traces-Early-Occupants-Of-Qasr-Burqu

Evidence of 7000 years bp cotton use from the Jordan Valley;

https://www.timesofisrael.com/7000-year-old-fibers-in-jordan-valley-oldest-known-evidence-of-cotton-in-near-east/

60+ Roman burials from Gaza:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/gaza-officials-over-60-tombs-discovered-in-roman-era-burial-site/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/gaza-ap-roman-hamas-gaza-city-b2243165.html
https://apnews.com/ffde1506c06cd1c0cd6d7e7af90bb016
https://apnews.com/article/gaza-strip-hamas-france-government-ffde1506c06cd1c0cd6d7e7af90bb016
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/11/1142146031/ancient-graves-tombs-gaza-discovered
https://www.wpr.org/more-60-ancient-roman-era-graves-were-discovered-gaza
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ancient-tombs-gaza-discovered-construction/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-11526373/Gaza-authorities-discover-60-Roman-era-graves.html
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20221212-gaza-archaeologists-find-complete-roman-era-cemetery
https://www.rfi.fr/en/middle-east/20221212-gaza-archaeologists-find-complete-roman-era-cemetery
https://www.dw.com/en/complete-roman-era-cemetery-discovered-in-gaza-strip/a-64092087
https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/2022/12/13/more-than-60-roman-era-tombs-discovered-in-gaza/
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/gaza-authorities-discover-over-60-roman-era-graves-179281
https://www.jordannews.jo/Section-20/Middle-East/Gaza-archaeologists-find-complete-Roman-era-cemetery-25690
https://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/culture/2022/12/12/archaeology-63-roman-era-graves-discovered-in-gaza_f61ad7de-21a2-4c86-a785-0b2d4e9eea5f.html
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2022/12/12/Gaza-archaeologists-find-complete-Roman-era-cemetery
https://menafn.com/1105311335/Gaza-Archaeologists-Find-Complete-Roman-Era-Cemetery
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/hamas-63-roman-era-tombs-cemetery-gaza-strip-1234650013/
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-724623
https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/sjbcp57ds
https://english.news.cn/20221212/cb939b9647cc46729a85d51b5a924330/c.html
https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-east/dozens-of-roman-era-graves-discovered-in-gaza-20221212-p5c5gt.html

Claims of decipherment of rock inscriptions connected to King Hezekiah:

https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-725074
https://arkeonews.net/proof-of-biblical-kings-israel-deciphers-8th-century-bc-hezekiah-inscription-after-a-decade-of-research/

A couple of Revolt-connected (maybe) coin finds from Israel as Hanukkah approached ... first a cache of 2200 years bp silver coins from near the Dead Sea:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/2200-year-old-coin-hoard-gives-hard-proof-of-book-of-maccabees-say-archaeologists/
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-724728
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2022-12-13/ty-article/israeli-archaeologists-find-proof-that-jews-fled-to-negev-after-revolt-2-200-years-ago/00000185-0699-dd32-a9cf-eef997d10000
https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/bksfxjb00i
https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/12/13/in-time-for-hanukkah-2200-year-old-coins-first-evidence-of-maccabean-revolt/
https://www.jns.org/2200-year-old-coins-first-evidence-in-judean-desert-of-maccabean-revolt/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/ancient-coins-unearthed-israel-cave-maccabean-revolt-rcna61407
https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/12/13/silver-coins-dating-to-maccabean-revolt-found-in-judean-desert/
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/12/14/solid-evidence-maccabean-revolt/
https://www.iflscience.com/coins-hidden-in-desert-cave-may-be-earliest-archaeological-evidence-of-maccabean-revolt-66649
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/coin-hoard-minted-by-ptolemy-vi-found-in-israel/145562

... and a silver half-shekel minted by rebels in 69 CE was found during excavations at the Ophel site in Jerusalem:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/rare-silver-half-shekel-minted-by-rebels-against-rome-in-69-ce-found-in-jerusalem/
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-724924
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article270049802.html
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/rare-half-shekel-coin-discovered-from-great-revolt-period/145521
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/12/15/rare-half-shekel-coin-from-the-great-revolt/

There was also a (re)discovery of some Maccabean-era arrowheads during cleaning at the Tower of David:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/surprise-maccabean-era-arrowheads-discovered-while-cleaning-house-at-tower-of-david/

More on the 2200 years bp sling bullet from Yavne:

https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/archeology/1670513696-2-200-year-old-sling-bullet-discovered-in-israel
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/greek-sling-bullet/?mqsc=E4148753&dk=ZE24N0ZF0
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11070-221212-israel-sling-bullet

OpEd on the changing nature of archaeology in Israel:

https://bam.sites.uiowa.edu/articles/gross-partnering-up

1000 years BCE copper and steatite finds from the Dibba site in Oman:

https://timesofoman.com/article/124371-archaeological-artefacts-discovered-in-musandam-governorate
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11073-221213-oman-dibba-artifacts

Feature on ancient religious coexistence on the Arabian peninsula:

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2215146/middle-east

Folks might be interested in BAR's list of digs:

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/digs/excavate-the-holy-land-2023/
-----
This Week in the Ancient Near East Podcast:

https://thisweekintheancientneareast.podbean.com/

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ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
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A revised study of a horseman's portrait from Spain suggests it depicts someone who fought Publius Cornelius Scipio:

https://english.elpais.com/culture/2022-12-15/study-sheds-light-on-mysterious-mounted-warrior-from-africa-who-fought-the-roman-legions.html

A mosaic find from the excavation of a 1st century BCE villa in Naples associated with Publius Vedius Pollio:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article269943067.html
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/world/article269943067.html
https://www.vesuviolive.it/cultura-napoletana/448634-posillipo-pollione-mosaico-salotto/
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-724821
https://arkeonews.net/archaeologists-uncover-ancient-mosaic-of-the-living-room-of-brutal-publius-vedius-pollio/
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/ancient-roman-mosaic-uncovered-villa-of-vedius-pollio-naples-1234650143/
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/archaeologists-uncover-ancient-mosaic-in-naples/145508
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11076-221214-naples-mosaic-floor

A necropolis of child burials associated with Caesar's Gallic War:

https://www.stilearte.it/scoperta-una-necropoli-di-bambini-morti-di-fame-e-di-stenti-durante-la-guerra-gallica-di-giulio-cesare/

New finds from Pompeii near the crypt of the theatre:

https://www.stilearte.it/nuovi-reperti-emergono-a-pompei-durante-uno-scavo-esplorativo-nei-pressi-della-cripta-del-teatro/

1st century CE (?) Roman wine in amphoras from a site in Germany:

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/65924
https://www.stilearte.it/AS/www/images/70e96599c05dfca8de6aaf2f3e0c2f75.png

A tree ring study suggests drought may have encouraged Attila to attack the Roman Empire:

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/drought-encouraged-attilas-huns-to-attack-the-roman-empire-tree-rings-suggest
https://phys.org/news/2022-12-drought-attila-huns-roman-empire.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/12/221215104635.htm
https://www.jpost.com/science/article-725158
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-11541889/Drought-encouraged-Attilas-Huns-attack-Roman-empire-says-study.html
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/tree-ring-study-suggests-drought-encouraged-attilas-huns-to-attack-the-roman-empire/145540
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/12/16/drought-encouraged-attilas-huns-to-attack-the-roman-empire/

Plans for excavations at Northumberland's Magna fort:

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/huge-roman-fort-excavated-lottery-25738260

Plans for studies of the antiquities from the Thessaloniki Metro:

https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2022/12/13/approval-of-studies-for-the-antiquities-in-the-thessaloniki-metro/

More on the 'ritual banquet' site at Saint-Just-en-Chaussée:

https://www.stilearte.it/resti-umani-un-banchetto-rituale-consumato-dopo-la-battaglia-gallo-romana-meravigliose-armature-celtiche-i-segreti-inquietanti-del-colle/

More on the Sponsian coins:

https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/12/fake-roman-coins-authenticated-bearing-likeness-of-lost-roman-emperor/

More on the mosaic from Rutland depicting scenes from the Trojan War:

https://www.livescience.com/how-found-britain-roman-trojan-war-mosaic

More on remains of 'sausage dogs' in the Colosseum:

https://english.elpais.com/culture/2022-12-14/were-sausage-dogs-pitted-against-lions-in-the-colosseum.html
https://elpais.com/cultura/2022-12-13/no-solo-leones-osos-y-gladiadores-los-perros-salchicha-tambien-salian-a-la-arena-del-coliseo-romano.html

A follow-up feature on the San Casciano bronzes:

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/12/12/the-archaeological-discovery-of-the-century-what-the-san-casciano-bronzes-tell-us-about-roman-and-etruscan-life

The Vatican is returning the three Parthenon sculpture fragments it owns to Greece:

https://apnews.com/6e6d4043fd46c4b81e3d7849c9a14c66
https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-greece-religion-vatican-city-6e6d4043fd46c4b81e3d7849c9a14c66
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/pope-francis-orders-return-parthenon-sculptures-greece-2022-12-16/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/12/16/pope-says-vatican-will-return-parthenon-marbles-piling-pressure/
https://www.dw.com/en/pope-orders-return-of-parts-of-the-parthenon-to-greece/a-64126718
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11547923/Pope-Francis-orders-return-Greece-Parthenon-sculptures-held-Vatican.html
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20221216-pope-to-return-three-parthenon-fragments-to-athens
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/12/17/pope-francis-parthenon-fragments/
https://news.gtp.gr/2022/12/16/pope-francis-returns-parthenon-fragments-to-greece/
https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/europe/2022/12/16/pope-francis-orders-return-of-three-ancient-pieces-of-parthenon-to-greece/
https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1200435/pope-returns-greeces-parthenon-sculptures-in-ecumenical-nod/
https://www.ekathimerini.com/culture/1200519/vatican-to-return-fragments-of-the-parthenon-marbles/
https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/news/international/pope-francis-orders-return-to-greece-parthenon-sculptures-held-in-vatican/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/12/17/pope-francis-parthenon-frieze-vatican-greece/
https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/pope-returns-greeces-parthenon-sculptures-ecumenical-nod-95412080
https://hyperallergic.com/788399/vatican-to-return-its-parthenon-marbles-fragments-to-greece/
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/12/16/pope-francis-returns-parthenon-marbles-vatican-museums-greece

... semi-related opEd:

https://www.ekathimerini.com/opinion/1200405/the-parthenon-sculptures-now-what/

Feature on Honor Frost:

https://divernet.com/scuba-diving/70-years-ago-honor-frost-dived-into-a-well/

Feature on the first sarcophagus given to the Met Museum:

https://untappedcities.com/2022/12/14/met-museum-roman-sarcophagus/

Feature on Roman finds made in Suffolk over the years:

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/23158274.roman-finds-remains-discovered-suffolk/

Feature on digitally recreating Dura Europos:

https://news.yale.edu/2022/12/13/digitally-rebuilding-lost-city

Feature on what happened to the Venus de Milo's arms:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/12/16/venus-de-milo-arms-statue/

Feature on the 10 'best' finds in Greece in 2022:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/12/15/10-best-archaeological-discoveries-2022-greece/

Feature on Marcus Aurelius and his love of Greek philosophy:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/12/16/marcus-aurelius-roman-emperor-embraced-greek-philosophy/

Feature on Apollonius of Tyana:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/12/16/greek-jesus-christ-apollonius-tyana/

Feature on Eos:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/12/10/eos-the-ancient-greek-goddess-of-the-dawn/

Feature on the Megarian Decree:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/12/14/sanctions-pericles-ancient-greece-war/

Feature on Philaenis' 'sex manual':

https://greekreporter.com/2022/12/13/ancient-greek-sex-manual-philaenis/

Feature on what ancient Greeks looks like:

https://neoskosmos.com/en/2022/12/13/features/what-did-the-ancient-greeks-look-like/

In case you missed the TikTok strangeness claiming Rome didn't exist:

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/tiktok-fake-ancient-rome-conspiracy-theory-2225613

In case you've been wondering about those 'cat mosaics' that have been circulating lately:

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mosaics-cats-discovered-pompeii/

Latest Pasts Imperfect newsletter:

https://www.stilearte.it/scoperta-una-necropoli-di-bambini-morti-di-fame-e-di-stenti-durante-la-guerra-gallica-di-giulio-cesare/
-----
Roman Archaeology Blog:

http://romanarc.blogspot.com/

Rogueclassicism:

http://rogueclassicism.com/
============================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
============================================================
A Bronze Age cairn site revealed on Finland's coast:

https://yle.fi/a/74-20008271
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11074-221214-finland-cairn

A pair of Late Bronze Age hoards on top of each other in Poland:

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/65937

Not sure if we've mentioned the remains of an Anglo-Saxon royal hall at Rendlesham:

https://the-past.com/news/royal-hall-revealed-at-rendlesham/

Reanalysis of some 19th century finds from Stonehenge suggest they were a 4000 years bp 'goldsmith's toolkit':

https://phys.org/news/2022-12-ancient-goldworking-toolkit-burial-stonehenge.html
https://www.livescience.com/4000-year-old-shaman-burial-near-stonehenge
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/dec/16/archaeologists-find-near-stonehenge-ancient-goldsmiths-toolkit
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-64005054
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-11545329/Polished-stones-near-Stonehenge-4-000-year-old-goldsmiths-TOOLKIT.html
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/4000-year-old-toolkit-found-near-stonehenge-was-used-for-goldworking-1234650694/
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/archaeology-gold-shaman-stonehenge-2231349
https://www.iflscience.com/ancient-gold-from-near-stonehenge-reveals-glimpse-into-bronze-age-mystery-and-mythology-66678
https://the-past.com/news/goldworking-toolkit-identified-among-grave-goods-from-a-bronze-age-barrow-near-stonehenge/
https://arkeonews.net/new-study-finds-4000-year-old-toolkit-unearthed-near-stonehenge-was-used-to-work-gold/
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/4000-year-old-gold-working-tool-kit-identified-from-barrow-near-stonehenge/145536

cf: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/materials-in-movement-gold-and-stone-in-process-in-the-upton-lovell-g2a-burial/3BBA3D012898FA68D9F35EA27478BE03

17th century small finds from Plymouths Royal Navy supply yard:

https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/news/quest-for-17th-century-relics-at-plymouths-first-navy-supply-yard

On the search for the wreck of the Captain, which sank off the coast of Spain in 1870:

https://digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/data/1188/reader/reader.html?#!preferred/0/package/1188/pub/1188/page/50/article/NaN

More on the most recently-found bog body from Denmark:

https://www.livescience.com/bog-body-human-sacrifice-found-denmark
https://www.iflscience.com/ancient-bog-body-may-have-been-victim-of-a-grisly-sacrificial-ritual-66670
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11081-221216-denmark-bog-body

More on that Mesolithic child burial from Finland:

https://the-past.com/news/feathers-and-fur-in-stone-age-finland/

More on that 1300 years bp 'woman church leader' burial from Northamptonshire:

https://theconversation.com/spectacular-anglo-saxon-burial-uncovered-heres-what-it-tells-us-about-women-in-seventh-century-england-196675
https://phys.org/news/2022-12-spectacular-anglo-saxon-burial-uncoveredhere-women.html
https://hyperallergic.com/786893/necklace-found-in-medieval-burial-site-england-discovery/
https://aleteia.org/2022/12/16/early-medieval-christian-items-unearthed-north-of-london/
https://apnews.com/article/uk-dig-reveals-7th-century-treasures-cbd18136f0e78dc190edabff2ae56e98
https://www.sciencealert.com/stunning-grave-find-once-belonged-to-a-dark-age-female-church-leader

More on finds from the medieval village of Trojca:

https://the-past.com/news/new-discoveries-at-medieval-village-of-trojca/

More on that medieval shipwreck in a Norwegian lake:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/12/world/norway-medieval-shipwreck-found-scn/index.html
https://news.yahoo.com/archaeologists-discovered-medieval-shipwreck-near-193753105.html
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/700-year-old-viking-shipwreck-norway-1234650719/

Finds from the wreck of the Gloucester will be going on display next year:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-63948562

A 17th century silk dress from the Palmwood Wreck is now on display in the Netherlands:

https://the-past.com/news/17th-century-silk-dress-from-the-palmwood-wreck-goes-on-display-in-the-netherlands/

Works at the Doge's palace in Venice are undergoing 'preventive conservation':

https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-painting-e73f3b11cf8a41a222cb3dd43d09f9e3

Shipwrecks off the Isle of Wight were given protected status:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-63975499

Feature on a medieval castle revealed beneath a Gloucester prison's basketball court seven years ago:

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/secret-medieval-castle-hidden-underneath-7924650

Feature on Gloucester's 'lost castle':

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/rediscovering-gloucesters-lost-castle/145559

Feature on medieval great hall festivities:

https://theconversation.com/medieval-great-halls-were-at-the-heart-of-the-festive-season-here-the-community-kept-warm-by-staying-together-194482

----------
Archaeology in Europe News:

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

Medievalists.net:

https://www.medievalists.net/category/news/

Viking Archaeology Blog:

http://viking-archaeology-blog.blogspot.com/

============================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
============================================================
20 000 years bp finds from the Mulan River Basin:

https://theglobalherald.com/news/archaeological-discovery-provides-clues-to-ancient-human-activities-in-se-china/

6000 years bp granaries (with grain!) from Henan:

http://en.people.cn/n3/2022/1215/c90000-10184674.html
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/nation-world/world/article270065997.html
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/nation-world/world/article270065997.html
https://www.macon.com/news/nation-world/world/article270065997.html
https://arkeonews.net/grain-barns-dating-back-6000-years-unearthed-in-china/

Overview of finds from the Lingjiatan Ruins in Anhui:

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1281689.shtml

The Han and Ming Dynasty remains at the Chengdu Sports Center have been opened to the public:

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-12-12/2-000-year-old-ruins-discovered-in-middle-of-giant-Chengdu-stadium--1fHOue92Fl6/index.html

Plenty of Tang Dynasty fragments of Buddha statues from Shaanxi:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202212/17/WS639d6d37a31057c47eba4e0c.html
http://t.m.china.org.cn/convert/c_z8hrGw5q.html

More on 10 000 years bp stone tools for harvesting rice from southern China:

https://home.dartmouth.edu/news/2022/12/ancient-tools-provide-earliest-evidence-rice-harvesting
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11072-221213-china-rice-domestication

Feature on 'reindeer stones' from Mongolia:

https://www.iflscience.com/hundreds-of-ancient-reindeer-stones-dot-mongolia-and-no-one-knows-why-66680

More on the Haniwa figure from the Mozu-furuichi burial mounds:

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/12/09/national/habikino-osaka-largest-haniwa-statue-japan/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11069-221213-japan-wooden-haniwa

Feature on the onna-bugeisha women warriors of Japan:

https://daily.jstor.org/onna-bugeisha-female-samurai-warriors-feudal-japan/

Plans to conserve the a Kushan-era fortification wall at the Bazira fortress site:

https://www.dawn.com/news/1725863/fortification-wall-of-bazira-heritage-site-to-be-conserved

Plans to restore some submerged temples at Bilaspur:

https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/submerged-temples-of-bilaspur-to-be-restored-under-the-guidance-of-archaeologist-kk-muhammed

Assorted items from an 11th century temple near Kancheepuram are missing:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/idols-stone-pilasters-inscriptions-missing-from-a-ruined-temple-ponn-manickavel/article66267491.ece

Feature on Ashoka University's forays into forest archaeology:

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/ancient-shelters-inscriptions-and-shrines-are-now-being-discovered-deep-within-forests-from-bandhavgarh-to-the-aravallis/article66218154.ece

Feature on major Indian kingdoms:

https://www.news9live.com/photogallery/knowledge-images/in-pics-from-maurya-to-mughal-empire-list-of-important-indian-kingdoms-214039

Feature on Sharada Peeth:

https://onlykashmir.in/24292/sharada-center-of-learning-all-you-need-to-know/

Evidence of 4000 years bp copper mining from the Urals:

https://sciencex.com/wire-news/432451363/historians-and-archaeologists-investigate-four-thousand-year-old.html

Not sure about this 'reinvention' of Zhangzhung:

https://thediplomat.com/2022/12/how-china-reinvented-an-ancient-kingdom-to-advance-its-claims-in-the-himalayas/

... or this item on Pakistani 'agents' smuggling items from Afghanistan:

https://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/World/20221217/4015927.html

============================================================
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
============================================================
Concerns arising from plans to demolish Aboriginal structures on the Darling River:

https://theconversation.com/aboriginal-people-have-spent-centuries-building-in-the-darling-river-now-there-are-plans-to-demolish-these-important-structures-195966
https://phys.org/news/2022-12-aboriginal-people-built-darling-river.html

cf: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/arco.5279
============================================================
NORTH AMERICA
============================================================
Arguing about the age of the LSU Mounds continues:

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/mounds-oldest-structures-in-hemisphere-lsu-scientists-argue/article_fdeef348-77de-11ed-9c57-5fd08ad8e036.html

Assorted legal issues have been dealt with regarding the wreck of the SS Pacific:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/15/ss-pacific-shipwreck-found-crew-gold

Construction of a Healing Centre in Sicamous was delayed by archaeological finds:

https://www.eaglevalleynews.com/news/construction-of-shuswap-healing-centre-delayed-after-artifacts-found-on-sicamous-site/

More on the 200 years bp shipwreck revealed at Daytona Beach:

https://www.jpost.com/international/article-724581
https://edition.cnn.com/videos/us/2022/12/06/florida-beach-debris-ship-wreck-daytona-volusia-contd-orig-zt.cnn
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hurricanes-reveal-1800s-shipwreck-on-floridas-east-coast-180981276/

More on the English gold coin found in Newfoundland a few weeks ago:

https://www.numismaticnews.net/world-coins/coin-re-writes-canadian-history

Review/interview of Ray Waddle, *This Grand Errand: A Bicentennial History of Yale Divinity School*:

https://news.yale.edu/2022/12/07/grand-errand-book-charts-divinity-schools-mission-over-two-centuries

On the 'erasure' of an historic Black cemetery in Virginia:

https://www.propublica.org/article/how-authorities-erased-historic-black-cemetery-virginia

Feature on a Texas A&M project to conserve a salvaged colonial-era shipwreck found in 2015:

https://today.tamu.edu/2022/12/15/aggie-archaeologists-conserving-ship-from-colonial-era-virginia/

Feature on GPR use at the Weirs:

https://www.sentinelsource.com/state_news/dartmouth-team-conducts-first-radar-based-archeological-survey-at-the-weirs/article_528b178e-bf79-545d-b6aa-0ae06945a879.html

Feature on Wade Catts and those remains of Hessian soldiers found a month or so ago:

https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2022/december/wade-catts-alumnus-archaelogist/

Feature on some burials in the Center Church in New Haven:

https://mailchi.mp/dailynutmeg/center-church-crypt-down-under

Feature on efforts to preserve a Civil War training camp for Black soldiers in Philadelphia:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/12/15/la-mott-philadelphia-community-center-black-history-civil-war/10900574002/
============================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
============================================================
Brief overview of the excavations at the Maya Tamarindito site in Guatemala:

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/maya-rulers-attract-subjects-guatemala-tamarindito

Study of the importance of 'solar timekeeing' among the Mexica/Aztecs:

https://phys.org/news/2022-12-precise-solar-fed-millions-ancient.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/science/aztec-calendar-leap-year.html

cf: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2215615119

More on the recently-identified 168 Nazca geoglyphs:

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/new-nazca-lines-discovery-2231132
https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-discover-168-mysterious-nazca-geoglyphs-in-the-desert-sands-of-peru
https://www.vice.com/en/article/epz99n/scientists-found-168-more-ancient-figures-etched-into-the-peruvian-desert
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/168-nazca-geoglyphs-identified-in-peru/145525
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11077-221215-peru-nazca-geoglyphs

More on the spider monkey remains from Teotihuacan:

https://www.sciencealert.com/ancient-bones-suggest-maya-befriended-neighbors-with-a-sacrificial-spider-monkey
https://the-past.com/news/sacrificial-spider-monkey-remains-offer-evidence-of-gift-diplomacy-between-teotihuacan-and-maya-elite/

More on the headless life-sized Maya statue from Oxkintok:

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/culture/headless-statue-ancient-maya-oxkintok/
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-724909
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/12/excavations-uncover-headless-life-size-maya-statue/145499
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11067-221212-mexico-maya-statue

More on the Maya stone masks from Tonina:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/11/faces-from-the-past-stucco-maya-masks-unearthed-at-tonina/145371

Feature on quipus:

https://elpais.com/ciencia/cafe-y-teoremas/2022-12-12/nudos-que-representan-numeros-las-matematicas-de-los-incas.html

I think we mentioned this study suggesting the Maya had to deal with mercury issues:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/mayan-civilisation-cities-mercury-pollution-b2245741.html
https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-discover-an-unexpected-danger-lurking-in-ancient-mayan-cities/

INAH's response to last week's item from the Washington Post regarding the Mayan Train:

https://yucatanmagazine.com/inah-claims-new-wapo-reporting-on-the-mayan-train-is-full-of-lies-and-inaccuracies/

Followup to the fires that damaged moai statues on Easter Island:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/17/easter-island-statues-chile-moai-wildfire
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/easter-island-rebounds-after-wildfire-singes-iconic-statues

-----
Mike Ruggeri's Ancient Americas Breaking News:

http://goo.gl/1VdeA

Mike Ruggeri's Ancient Americas lecture channels on Youtube:

https://mikeruggerisyoutube.tumblr.com/

Ancient MesoAmerica News:

http://ancient-mesoamerica-news-updates.blogspot.com/
============================================================
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
============================================================
15 archaeological finds of 2022:

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/art-archaeology-discoveries-2022/index.html

Feature on Tutankhamun and Otzi:

https://www.irishtimes.com/science/2022/12/15/tut-and-otzi-the-worlds-most-famous-mummies-one-a-mighty-ruler-the-other-a-migrant-farmer/

Feature on Thomas James finishing Dickens' last novel:

https://vtdigger.org/2022/12/11/then-again-two-years-after-dickens-died-a-vermonter-finished-his-novel/

Feature on the Book of Enoch:

https://www.jpost.com/judaism/article-724679

Feature on the 'original' Mediterranean diet:

https://hakaimagazine.com/features/unearthing-the-original-mediterranean-diet/

Feature on the history of cannibalism:

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2022-12-14/ty-article/a-brief-history-of-cannibalism-not-just-a-matter-of-taste/00000185-10a9-dfac-ad97-ddab6a170000

Feature on a 400 years bp manuscript about coffee:

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2216201/art-culture

Feature on assorted ancient toys:

https://discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/5-fascinating-toys-fit-for-any-ancient-child

On Grimm's tales and their possible target audience:

https://psyche.co/ideas/young-women-were-the-true-originators-of-the-grimms-tales

On birds and British place names:

https://aeon.co/essays/british-place-names-resonate-with-the-song-of-missing-birds

Xrays revealed a Cezanne self portrait:

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/cezanne-cincinnati-art-museum/index.html
https://dailyprogress.com/news/national/for-almost-160-years-a-c-zanne-painting-had-a-secret-hiding-in-plain-sight/article_55da952a-7c48-5a8f-ac7b-a6c60d6b3a04.html

Wondering if Rembrandt painted a portrait:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/12/arts/design/rembrandt-in-a-red-beret-dispute.html

Latest botched restoration is at London's National Gallery (!):

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/dec/17/national-gallery-botched-restoration-nativity

The Altarpiece of Santa Lucia dei Magnoli has been restored:

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/65918

Pondering the 'eureka' theory of history:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/01/science-technology-vaccine-invention-history/672227/

Recreating an ancient French beer:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-cervois

Another look at whether Richard III killed his nephews:

https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0dphzjx/did-king-richard-iii-kill-his-nephews-to-gain-the-throne-

Early career archaeologists are pessimistic about career prospects:

https://phys.org/news/2022-12-early-career-archaeologists-pessimistic-future-careers.html

Another piece on 536 being the worst year to be alive:

https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/sociedad/historia/2022/12/17/ano-536-como-averiguaron-que-fue-el-peor-ano-para-vivir-de-la-historia.shtml

An argument in Chicago about Michelangelo's Pieta:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/17/us/chicago-archdiocese-st-adalbert-statue.html

Feature on Audrey Munson:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/obituaries/audrey-munson-overlooked.html

Feature on Bessie Mae Kelley in the history of animation:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/movies/animation-bessie-mae-kelley.html

Some clearing of Robert Oppenheimer's name:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/16/science/j-robert-oppenheimer-energy-department.html

More on the pair of sarcophagi found in Notre Dame:

https://www.livescience.com/notre-dame-sarcophagi-wealthy-men
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article269913752.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-11534111/Identifies-skeletons-sarcophagi-ashes-Notre-Dame-Cathedral-fire-REVEALED.html
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/notre-dame-fire-sarcophagus-2228604
https://fr.aleteia.org/2022/12/14/a-notre-dame-le-sarcophage-dantoine-de-la-porte-livre-ses-secrets/
https://greekreporter.com/2022/12/17/skeletons-found-below-ashes-of-notre-dame-cathedral-fire-identified/
https://hypebeast.com/2022/12/french-archaeologists-identify-notre-dame-sarcophagi
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/65904
https://www.sciencealert.com/sawn-off-skull-found-in-mystery-notre-dame-coffin-hints-at-the-life-of-a-nobleman
https://arkeonews.net/the-two-sarcophagi-discovered-beneath-notre-dame-start-to-reveal-their-secrets/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/unraveling-the-secrets-of-the-sarcophagi-found-underneath-notre-dame-180981305/
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11078-221215-paris-lead-coffins

... and a report on the current state of excavations:

https://www.inrap.fr/fin-des-fouilles-la-croisee-du-transept-de-la-cathedrale-notre-dame-de-paris-un-16452
============================================================
CURRENT EVENTS:
============================================================
On Ukraine's museums' efforts to prevent looting:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/18/ukraine-museums-scythian-gold-russian-looters-putin

Latest Confederate monument to be removed from Richmond:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/12/us/confederate-statue-richmond.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab
https://apnews.com/article/richmond-virginia-united-states-government-state-and-politics-909fa32f1ab49af9357c8dc3f384032f?

... and Roger B Taney's bust will be removed from the Capitol:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/14/dred-scott-taney-bust-slavery/

Plenty of features explaining Hanukkah this week:

https://www.livescience.com/why-hanukkah-lasts-8-days
https://www.jpost.com/judaism/jewish-holidays/article-724980
https://www.sdjewishworld.com/2022/12/12/hanukkah-an-overview/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364470

... and why it isn't in the Bible:

https://momentmag.com/bible-edit-hanukkah/

.. and the history of the Isfeng 'Hanukkah donut':

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20221215-isfeng-a-crispy-doughnut-from-al-andalus-for-hanukkah

... and wondering whether Santa Claus is buried in Ireland:

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20221213-is-santa-claus-buried-in-ireland

Early Christians wouldn't have had issues with the idea of a virgin birth:

https://theconversation.com/why-early-christians-wouldnt-have-found-the-christmas-storys-virgin-birth-so-surprising-194133

The history of the Yule log:

https://www.livescience.com/what-is-yule-log

... and the Christmas tree:

https://theconversation.com/the-christmas-tree-is-a-tradition-older-than-christmas-195636

... and mistletoe:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/17/style/mistletoe-history-mystery.html

Feature on the real Ebenezer Scrooge:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4y78YB9vVMG1xYrW8CmzjPw/a-life-wasted-who-was-the-real-ebenezer-scrooge

Feature on various winter solstice-related festivities:

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2022/12/18/newgrange-stonehenge-st-lucias-day-winter-solstice-celebrations-to-brighten-up-your-decemb

============================================================
LANGUAGE RELATED
============================================================
A long-standing 'puzzle' in Sanskrit has been solved:

https://phys.org/news/2022-12-ancient-grammatical-puzzle-years.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg3gw9v7jnvo
https://digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/data/1185/reader/reader.html?#!preferred/0/package/1185/pub/1185/page/26/article/NaN

Feature on the origins of human speech and language:

https://phys.org/news/2022-12-humans-language-evolved-africa.html

============================================================
MUSEUM MATTERS
============================================================
Roman coins:

https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/377450-roman-silver-coins-are-exhibit-of-the-month-at-national-archaeological-museum

Ancient Yemen:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-ancient-yemen-a-booming-economy-sparked-cultures-rivaling-the-greeks-and-romans/

Aisthiseis:

https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/12/12/%CE%B1-multi-sensory-experience-from-the-boc-culture-foundation/

Nosferatu at 100:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/dec/16/nosferatu-100-berlin-vampire-exhibition

cf: https://www.smb.museum/en/exhibitions/detail/phantoms-of-the-night/

Treasures from the Silk Road:

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/splendours-of-uzbekistans-oases-louvre-silk-road-spc/index.html

The Writer and His Tools in Ancient Egypt:

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/121250/%E2%80%98The-Writer-His-Tools-in-Ancient-Egypt%E2%80%99-temporary-exhibition-launches

OpEds relating to the Denver Art Museum returns:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/arts/museums-looted-art-repatriation.html

Natural Interactions in the Book as Art and Making Knowledge:

https://onlineexhibits.library.yale.edu/s/naturalinteractions/page/introduction

============================================================
AUCTIONS AND SALES RELATED
============================================================
Work pants (jeans?) from an 1857 shipwreck sold for a nice price:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/dec/13/oldest-pants-jeans-auction-1857-shipwreck
https://www.fox7austin.com/news/work-pants-found-sunken-trunk-from-1857-sell-for-114000

A very nice price for a 400 years bp copy of Don Quixote:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/dec/14/once-in-a-lifetime-copy-of-don-quixote-fetches-500000-at-auction
https://elpais.com/cultura/2022-12-14/una-de-las-ediciones-mas-antiguas-del-quijote-es-vendida-por-medio-millon-de-euros-en-paris.html
============================================================
ON THE DNA FRONT
============================================================
A DNA study of Late Merovingian remains suggests folks were not that healthy:

https://phys.org/news/2022-12-dangerous-pathogens-lurking-corner-early.html
https://www.livescience.com/medieval-cemetery-germany-burials-illness
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11079-221215-germany-medieval-health

cf: https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-022-02806-8

More on Denisovan DNA connections to immunity among Papuans:

https://www.science.org/content/article/mysterious-ancient-humans-may-have-given-people-papua-new-guinea-immune-advantage
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11068-221212-densiovan-genes-immunity
============================================================
THE TECHY SIDE
============================================================
Feature on technology being used to examine the DSS:

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/dead-sea-scrolls/reading-invisible-dead-sea-scrolls/

Feature on using drones to map large sites in Italy:

https://www.gim-international.com/content/news/unveiling-italy-s-hidden-history-with-fixed-wing-mapping-uavs

I think we've seen the reconstruction of Egtved Girl before:

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/65930

============================================================
TOURISTY THINGS
============================================================
Eleusis/Elefsina:

https://www.rfi.fr/en/people-and-entertainment/20221215-back-from-underworld-greek-city-s-cultural-rebirth
https://neoskosmos.com/en/2022/12/16/news/greece/back-from-underworld-elefsinas-cultural-rebirth/

A number of tourists are apparently stranded at Machu Picchu in the current unrest in Peru:

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/machu-picchu-tourists-stranded-amid-protests/index.html

============================================================
TV/DOCUMENTARY HYPISH THINGS
============================================================
More reviews of Ancient Apocalypse:

https://phys.org/news/2022-12-netflix-ancient-apocalypse-fiction-fact.html
https://www.ualberta.ca/folio/2022/12/ancient-apocalypse-is-more-fiction-than-fact-say-experts.html
https://ahotcupofjoe.net/2022/12/ancient-apocalypse-summary-of-the-series-from-a-professional-pov/
============================================================
CRIME BEAT
============================================================
Some of the items stolen in the Dresden Green Room robbery a few years ago were recovered in Berlin:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/17/german-police-recover-31-items-stolen-in-2019-dresden-jewel-heist
https://apnews.com/article/dresden-berlin-0ba8c0a7adf4719aaecd64753c000a51
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/part-of-haul-recovered-from-german-museum-jewelry-heist-in-2019/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64013430

Three idols stolen from an Ulundurpet temple 11 years ago were recovered from a collector in Chennai:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/three-antique-idols-stolen-from-temple-in-ulundurpet-11-years-ago-recovered-from-art-collectors-house-in-chennai/article66253969.ece

... and there were more:

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chennai/seven-idols-worth-crores-of-rupees-seized-from-house-in-chennai-8321082/

A pair of people were arrested for illegally digging at a Swat heritage site:

https://www.dawn.com/news/1726606/two-held-for-illegal-excavation-at-swat-heritage-site

Police in Greece are investigating the antiquities collection of a German artist:

https://greekreporter.com/2022/12/14/antiquities-found-german-artist-naxos-greece/

More on the theft of Roman coins (and other things) from a UK museum:

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/roman-treasure-stolen-england-2227691
https://menafn.com/1105301659/A-Recently-Discovered-Trove-Of-Ancient-Roman-Coins-Has-Disappeared-From-A-UK-Museum-Facility

More on the al-Thani forgery case outcome:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/london-dealer-john-eskenazi-faces-4m-bill-after-court-rules-he-sold-fake-artworks-to-qatari-sheikh-t3fpfzcjt
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/qatari-sheikh-wins-5-million-legal-battle-against-london-antiquities-dealer-2227672
----------
conflict antiquities:

http://conflictantiquities.wordpress.com/

anonymous swiss collector:

http://www.anonymousswisscollector.com/

Portable Antiquity Collecting and Heritage Issues:

http://paul-barford.blogspot.ca/

Looting Matters:

http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/

Illicit Cultural Property:

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

SAFE:

http://www.savingantiquities.org/blog/

============================================================
REPATRIATION AND RECOVERY
============================================================
Egypt returned 176 stolen coins to Iraq, China, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan:

https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/482510/Antiquities/Ancient-Egypt/Egypt-returns--stolen-coin-artefacts-recovered-in-.aspx
https://dailynewsegypt.com/2022/12/13/egypt-hands-over-176-antique-coins-to-four-countries/
https://www.egyptindependent.com/egypt-returns-173-ancient-coins-to-4-countries-mistakenly-brought-in/
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2215686/middle-east
https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/egypt/2022/12/13/egypt-returns-176-antique-coins-to-four-countries/
https://petra.gov.jo/Include/InnerPage.jsp?ID=46945&lang=en&name=en_news
https://www.jordannews.jo/Section-109/News/Jordan-recovers-ancient-coins-smuggled-to-Egypt-25738
https://en.ammonnews.net/article/62253

The US returned seven seals which had been stolen from the Baghdad Museum in 2003 to Iraq:

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/12/16/antiquities-looted-iraq-museum-returned-seals
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/seven-seals-returned-iraq-2230014
https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/arts/2022/12/14/manhattan-da-returns-iraqi-antiquities-looted-after-2003-invasion

Cambridge is returning 116 Benin bronzes:

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/dec/14/cambridge-university-to-return-over-100-looted-benin-bronzes-to-nigeria
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-63973271
https://www.varsity.co.uk/news/24753
https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/university-of-cambridge-to-return-looted-benin-bronzes-taken-9289920/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11528469/Cambridge-University-agrees-hand-colonial-era-African-artefacts-Uganda.html
https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/benin-university-of-cambridge-charity-commission-british-london-b1047313.html
https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2022/12/15/university-of-cambridge-announces-plans-to-return-looted-benin-bronzes/
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11083-221216-benin-bronzes-repatriation

... and a related OpEd:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/12/13/repatriating-benin-bronzes-unforgivable-act-vandalism/

Trinity College Dublin is pondering the return of Inishbofin human remains taken from a monastery:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/14/trinity-college-dublin-considers-returning-inishbofin-skulls

More on University College Cork returning items to Egypt:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63908027
https://www.dw.com/en/benin-bronzes-from-german-museums-off-to-nigeria/a-64120683?maca=en-newsletter_en_bulletin-2097-xml-newsletter&r=7726037198739913&lid=2379813&pm_ln=180585
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11071-221213-egypt-repatriation-ireland

More on efforts to retern Arapaho and Shshone hair from Harvard:

https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/tribal-news/2022-12-12/repatriation-efforts-are-underway-to-return-arapaho-and-shoshone-hair-samples-from-harvard-university

OpEd on the need for US museums to repatriate items:

https://www.thenationalherald.com/like-parthenon-marbles-us-museums-pressured-to-return-treasures/

The actual transfer of Benin Bronzes from Germany is underway:

https://www.dw.com/en/benin-bronzes-from-german-museums-off-to-nigeria/a-64120683?maca=en-newsletter_en_bulletin-2097-xml-newsletter&r=7726037198739913&lid=2379813&pm_ln=180585

============================================================
NUMISMATICA
============================================================
Latest e-Sylum:

http://www.coinbooks.org/v25/club_nbs_esylum_v25n50.html

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

http://www.coinbooks.org/v25/club_nbs_esylum_v25n51.html
------------------------

Coin Week:

http://www.coinweek.com/

============================================================
OBITUARIES
============================================================
E.P. Sanders:

https://religionnews.com/2022/12/05/e-p-sanders-a-new-testament-scholar-who-redeemed-jesus-judaism/

John Smallwood:

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23187361.much-loved-kes-teacher-archaeologist-john-smallwood-dies/

Pedar Mortensen:

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/479710/Danish-archaeologist-Peder-Mortensen-famed-for-Iranian-studies

Frederick E. Brenk:

https://www.jesuitsmidwest.org/memoriam/brenk-frederick-e-father/

Robert Harris:

https://www.onlineathens.com/obituaries/pgsc0378921

Sir Simon Towneley:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sir-simon-towneley-obituary-gc0mrrmcx

James Angus Clark:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/james-clark-jr-obituary?id=38399542

David J. A . Clines:

https://davidjaclines.org/a-short-academic-obituary/

Myrto Georgakopoulou:

https://www.bsa.ac.uk/2022/12/16/myrto-georgakopoulou-1976-2022/

Peter Parsons:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2022/12/18/peter-parsons-oxford-regius-professor-greek-who-deciphered-many/

Ross Thomas:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/dec/18/ross-thomas-obituary

============================================================
AUDIO/VIDEO NEWS
============================================================
Audio News from Archaeologica:

https://www.archaeologychannel.org/audio-guide/audio-news/3224-audio-news-from-archaeologica-december-4th-through-the-10th-2022
============================================================
GENERAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS BLOGS
============================================================
Archaeology Magazine News Page:

http://www.archaeology.org/news/

About.com Archaeology:

http://archaeology.about.com/

Archaeology Briefs:

http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/

Atlas Obscura:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/

Heritage Daily:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/

Sapiens Archaeology:

https://www.sapiens.org/category/archaeology/

Taygete Atlantis excavations blogs aggregator:

http://planet.atlantides.org/taygete/
============================================================
PODCASTS/VODCASTS
============================================================
Archaeosoup:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Archaeos0up?feature=watch

Archaeology Podcast Network:

http://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/
============================================================
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