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Dec 13, 2009, 5:07:02 PM12/13/09

================================================================
explorator 12.34 December 13, 2009
================================================================
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For your computer's protection, Explorator is sent in plain text
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================================================================
================================================================
Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Donna Hurst, Rakesh Lallgie,
Edward Rockstein, Hernan Astudillo, John McMahon, Joseph Lauer,
Mata Kimasitayo, Mike Ruggeri, Diana Wright,
Kurt Theis, Rick Heli, and Ross W. Sargent,Bob Heuman, Don Buck,
for headses upses this week (as always hoping I have left no one
out).

n.b.: Explorator might be delayed/missing for the next couple of
weeks as we do various holiday-related travelling. I'm pretty sure
I will have internet access, but am not sure when ...

n.b.2.: Happy Channukah for those who are celebrating!
================================================================
AFRICA
================================================================
A study of ostrich eggshell beads:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-12/sicp-aso120609.php

These Ethiopian crosses might be of interest:

http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2009_11/lastlook128.html

More on plans to preserve Tut's tomb:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10613977

More on Minoan-style painting being found in a Canaanite palace:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121119.htm

Review of some books of semi-touristy/historical ANE interest:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=1132808
================================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
================================================================
A Roman resort at Largs?:

http://www.largsandmillportnews.com/news/localhistory/articles/2009/12/10
/395001-was-largs-a-roman-holiday-resort/

A reappraisal (sort of) of Syme's *Roman Revolution*:

http://openlettersmonthly.com/blog/second-glance-the-roman-revolution/

Interesting feature on a possible human sacrifice at Nauplion:

http://surprisedbytime.blogspot.com/2009/12/under-threshold.html

Bulgaria is marking the 60th anniversary of the discovery of the
Panagyurishte Treasure:

http://www.novinite.com/newsletter/print.php?id=110858
http://www.balkantravellers.com/en/read/article/1632

Fragments of Spanish-origin amphorae in India:

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/73920/India/First+century+Spanish
+pottery+found+in+Pattanam.html>
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Fragments+of+Spanish+
amphora++unearthed+from+Pat&artid=7nHWk4B7a5M=&SectionID=l
Mx/b5mt1kU=&MainSectionID=lMx/b5mt1kU=&SEO=&SectionName=tm2kh5uDhixGlQvAG
42A/07OVZOOEmts>

Feature on Greek tragedians:

http://www.marconews.com/news/2009/dec/11/words-wisdom-who-were-greek-tra
gedians/

The Antikythera Mechanism is getting press attention again:

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100011_10/12/2009_
113191

More on Hollywood messing with the ancient world:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/13/hollywood-classical-e
uropean-culture

but cf:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-greek13-2009dec13,0,12142
38.story

More on the orientation of Greek temples:

http://www.livescience.com/history/091210-greek-sun-temples.html
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2009/12/11/ancient-greek-temples-point-sun
/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253
A+foxnews%252Fscitech+%2528FOXNews.com+-+SciTech%2529
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34380314/ns/technology_and_science/

More on that submerged Roman city off the coast of Libya:

http://trak.in/news/ancient-roman-city-found-off-libyan-coast/32038/

Latest reviews from Scholia: http://www.classics.ukzn.ac.za/reviews/

Latest reviews from BMCR: http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/recent.html
================================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
================================================================
Feature on a student's experiences digging a Celtic/Iron Age site
in Spain:

http://www.retrieverweekly.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=5158&format=
html

Some medieval tombstone which came to light during a fire are
going on display:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/wear/8400393.stm

Using the homeless to dig a site in Bristol:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/bristol/somerset/8402213.stm

Can't remember if we mentioned Trevor Watkins' Rhind lectures (last
April) on the Neolithic Revolution:

http://www.socantscot.org/article.asp?aid=257

Evidence from sites in Sweden suggest the Polar Ice cap during the
last
Ice Age might not have been as extensive as previously thought:

http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=
2054&format=1&artikel=3270787

Interesting item on a huge slave burial ground on St Helena:

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/a
rticle6950288.ece

An Iron Age dump on Skye is threatened by erosion:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_island
s/8403563.stm

(Much) more on Neolithic cannibalism in Germany:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,665824,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8394802.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/6746198/Archaeol
ogists-find-evidence-of-cannibalism-at-neolithic-site-in-Germany.html
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/298016,archeologists-discover-sig
ns-of-mass-cannibalism-at-german-site.html
http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-5439.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1233667/Cannibalism-uncove
red-Ancient-human-burial-site-shows-evidence-slaves-skinned-butchered-lik
e-animals.html
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1795426/evidence_of_mass_cannibalism
_at_ancient_site/index.html?source=r_science
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2009/12/07/eat-or
-be-eaten-cannibalism-in-neolithic-germany.aspx
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=21074
http://www.physorg.com/news179393799.html

More on the 'French' bringing farming to Britain:

http://www.physorg.com/news179515605.html

================================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
================================================================
An item about burials in Vanuatu ... I think we've seen much of this
before:

http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=64334&CultureCode=en

Feature on Banteay Chhmar:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/12/09/cambodia.temple/index.html?se
ction=cnn_latest
================================================================
NORTH AMERICA
================================================================

A fire along the highway near Roseburg (Oregon) in has revealed an
archaeological site:

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/24254274-4
6/site-artifacts-creek-neill-umpqua.csp

A Native American burial beneath a house in Utah:

http://www.projo.com/news/content/warwick_skeleton_12-11-09_BAGOIUO_v13.3
8ad08a.html

A University of Washington student found a point while doing
landscaping work on campus:

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/archives/187490.asp
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=11643548

Arguing over ownership of an Adena artifact:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/12/07/LOW_TA
BLET.ART0_ART_12-07-09_B3_6FFTSFC.html?sid=101

On the impact of the diffusion of maize in the southwestern US:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-12/wuis-tio120809.php
http://www.physorg.com/news179511725.html
http://news-info.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/15214.html

Not sure if we mentioned this Spanish fort find before or not:

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20091209/BLACKMOUNTAINNEWS01/9120903
08/1119

On the last hanging in New York City:

http://fort-greene.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/the-hangmans-final-bow/

OpEd on Roosevelt:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/opinion/06bradley.html

Review of John Cooper Jr., *Woodrow Wilson*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/books/review/Gage-t.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/books/excerpt-woodrow-wilson.html

Review of Woody Holton, *Abigail Adams*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/books/review/Anderson-t.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/books/excerpt-abigail-adams.html

Review of Louis Begley, *Why the Dreyfus Affair Matters*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/books/review/Scurr-t.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/books/excerpt-why-the-dreyfus-affair-ma
tters.html

Review of *Baseball Americana*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/books/review/Taylor-t.html

Review of Gordon Wood, *Empire of Liberty*:

http://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/content/view/2414/31/
================================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
================================================================
Four ceremonial fountains have been found at Machu Picchu:

http://enperublog.com/2009/12/07/four-ceremonial-fountains-discovered-at-
machu-picchu/

Analysis of bones from Copan suggests its first king grew up in
the central Maya lowlands:

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/50614/title/Ancient_Maya_king_
shows_his_foreign_roots

Challenging recent claims about the cause of the collapse of the Maya:

http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/pa/display.aspx?pkey=2144
http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report_ancient-mayans-were-nature-lovers-
not-destroyers_1322922
http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-9836.html

They've uncovered the Great Base of Cacaxtla:

http://dti.inah.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=3
9&Itemid=150

Evidence of a 'previously unknown' civilization are emerging in a
deforested area of the Amazon on the Brazil/Bolivia border:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20427383.800-ancient-amazon-civilis
ation-laid-bare-by-felled-forest.html

Remains of a Dutch ship off the coast of Brazil:

http://english.mti.hu/default.asp?menu=1&theme=2&cat=25&newsid=266078

Feature on "Peruvian Civilization":

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/12/135_57062.html

More on Peruvian stress:

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1797188/ancient_peruvian_hair_answer
s_questions_about_stress/index.html?source=r_science
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091209114150.htm
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20091210/Historical-study-reveals-stress
-was-a-apart-of-ancient-Peruvians-daily-lives.aspx
http://www.physorg.com/news179583199.html
================================================================
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
================================================================
The so-called Archaic Mark ain't so archaic:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091211203717.htm
http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-9813.html
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/559484/?sc=rsln

cf:

http://www.hypotyposeis.org/weblog/2005/04/ms-2427-archaic-mark-online.ht
ml

Trying to figure out what caused Caravaggio's death ... but first
they have to figure out which body is his:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=34869

Interesting item on the depicitons of Mary as a reader:

http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2009_11/arts_object_lesson064.ht
ml

Feature on H.P. Lovecraft:

http://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/content/view/2392/32/

Celebrating the Royal Society's 350th:

http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/royal-societys-online-birt
hday-party/

Feature on Charles Babbage and his Difference Engine:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121206408

On the topography of hell:

http://www.forward.com/articles/120547/

Feature on H.W. Fowler of 'usage' fame:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/books/review/Holt-t.html

NG is first off the mark with its list of top ten archaeological
finds of 2009:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/12/091207-top-ten-archaeolog
y-finds-2009.html

An interview with Martha Nussbaum:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/magazine/13FOB-Q4-t.html

Linguistically-fingerprinting authors:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/science/nature/8404025.stm

On the history of Darwinian medicine:

http://www.physorg.com/news179686563.html

On a medieval philosophy don's fight at Cambridge:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/higher/how-a-medieval-philoso
phy-don-won-her-battle-against-cambridge-for-failing-to-promote-her-18370
47.html

Some items out of our purview, but possibly of interest:

They've done some figuring out in regards to the Zanclean flood:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8404363.stm

... and there's an absence of evidence for a meteorite impact
some 13 000 years b.p.:

http://www.physorg.com/news179489405.html
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-12/uoha-aoe120709.php

... monkey language:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/science/08monkey.html

... a reviewish sort of thing of Assassin's Creed II:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/arts/television/08assassin.html

... the Russians are insisting that that female skull is Hitler's
(maybe he was like Goebbels after all?):

http://www.physorg.com/news179429948.html

... and speaking of Hitler, his military service records are now
online:

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/12/08/technology/tech-us-genealogy-hi
tler-website.html

Review of Michael Goldfarb, *Emancipation*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/books/review/Tracy-t.html

Review of Erica E. Hirshler, *Sargent's Daughters*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/books/review/Marshall-t.html

Review of *History of Paris in Painting*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/books/review/WeberParis-t.html

Review of Umberto Eco, *The Infinity of Lists*:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/dec/12/umberto-eco-lists-book-review
================================================================
BLOGS AND PODCASTS
================================================================
Archaeology Briefs:

http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/

Naked Archaeology Podcast:

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

Taygete Atlantis excavations blogs aggregator:

http://planet.atlantides.org/taygete/
================================================================
TOURISTY THINGS
================================================================
America's Stonehenge:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/travel/escapes/11stonehenge.html
================================================================
CRIME BEAT
================================================================
Another major antiquities bust for the Italian polics:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=34893
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/12/12/DD3M1B2TGC.DT
L
http://www.journalnet.com/news/entertainment/other/article_ab5e9c5f-a6b9-
5e1b-9933-2558d414abc8.html
http://www.suntimes.com/news/world/1935602,CST-NWS-italy12.article
http://www.thekansan.com/news/x1903563167/Italian-police-recover-hoard-of
-artifacts
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2009/12/11/12125906-ap.html?cid=rssnews
world

Miami police returned some stolen artifacts to Peru (I think we had
this story already):

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-beat/Miami-Customs-Cops-Return-Stolen-
Artifacts-to-Peru-79127397.html

Antiquities justice seems to move slowly in New Delhi:

http://www.ptinews.com/news/420993_Trial-to-start-even-28-years-after-the
ft-of-idol
http://www.ndtv.com/news/cities/28_years_no_trial_yet_in_goddess_theft.ph
p

Some vandals hit Sequoia National Park:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/nation/story/80200.html

I think we've mentioned this France-returning-items-to-Egypt
thing already:

http://www.france24.com/en/node/4945397
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/12/11/apworld/20091211203
559&sec=apworld
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091211/stage_nm/us_finearts_murals_1
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gWMr5Lg1zB_O86C7DL89BM
7D51PA
================================================================
NUMISMATICA
================================================================
An amateur archaeologist poking around a medieval rubbish dump
has found a 14th century coin:

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/4791413.14th_century_coin_unearthed_at_Hu
ngate_dig_at_York/?ref=rss

================================================================
EXHIBITIONS, AUCTIONS, AND MUSEUM-RELATED
================================================================
Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/notes-from-leonardos-musical
-dreams/
(neat video)

Eros: From Hesiod's Theogony to Late Antiquity:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=34826
http://www.ana-mpa.gr/anaweb/user/showplain?maindoc=8230512&maindocimg=82
23482&service=102
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/dec/09/museums-greece
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10614739
&ref=rss
http://www.news24.com/Content/Entertainment/International/1044/5a137fbb49
464ef7a040f55ddb1aab1a/09-12-2009-02-40/Museum_bares_ancient_sex
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5B828Z20091209?feedType=RSS&feedNam
e=lifestyleMolt
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hXF7imOg_GFy2tMQ-CZ1fHs
UJWJwD9CFUGAO1
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/09/artifacts-reveal-ancient_n_38545
8.html
http://www.scientificamerican.com/video.cfm?id=55575302001
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2009/dec/10/sex-eros-exhib
ition-athens
(photos)

cf: http://eros.fabulous.gr/

Celtic Psalter:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8403526.stm

Hermitage enamels:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/arts/10iht-acajherm.html

Treasures from Colchis:

http://www.messenger.com.ge/issues/1997_december_7_2009/1997_kolkheti.htm
l

The oldest toy santa:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/11/prweb3247724.htm

Museums are struggling in the post-boom era:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/12/arts/design/12build.html

Museums in France are open again:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/arts/design/07arts-FRENCHMUSEUM_BRF.htm
l

Nice price for a sarcophagus relief (which Zola once owned) at
Sotheby's:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=34864
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i3WOTFwHAwPw7u48lsuk4v
fuHeag
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Lifestyle/Story/STIStory_465304.
html

... and for a Van Dyck:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/record-price-for-van-dyck-at
-auction/

Coverage of assorted auctions:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/12/arts/12iht-melik12.html

On Christie's Old Masters sale:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/arts/10iht-melik10.html

Record price for a Rembrandt portrait:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/arts/design/10arts-ARECORDFORRE_BRF.htm
l

Stephen Gray is selling off a pile of Arts and Crafts items:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/arts/design/11antiques.html
================================================================
PERFORMANCES AND THEATRE-RELATED
================================================================
Romeo and Juliet (quickly):

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/romeo-and-juliet-in-15-minut
es-dario-dambrosi-must-be-on-hand/

Love's Labours Lost:

http://theater.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/theater/reviews/11loves.html

Cymbeline:

http://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/content/view/2398/28/

Faure's Penelope:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/arts/music/11faure.html
================================================================
OBITUARIES
================================================================
Thomas Hoving:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/arts/design/11hoving.html
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/thomas-hoving-78-longtime-di
rector-of-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/11/AR2009121
104153.html
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-me-thomas-hoving11-2009
dec11,0,3495403.story
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/art-obituar
ies/6790157/Tom-Hoving.html
http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=34868

... and some appraisals of his life/work:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/12/arts/design/12hoving.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121330925
http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1947094,00.html

Hugh Lloyd-Jones:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/professor-sir-hugh-lloydjone
s-classics-scholar-whose-colourful-style-made-him-one-of-the-leading-hell
enis
ts-of-his-time-1837948.html

Stephen Toulmin:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/education/11toulmin.html

Yochanan Muffs:

http://www.forward.com/articles/120565/

Yosef Yerushalmi:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/nyregion/11yerushalmi.html
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