explorator 26.25

david meadows

2023-10-08 16:54:46 UTC

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explorator 26.25 October 8, 2023
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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, Ian Tompkins,
Don Buck, mata kimasitayo, and Ross W. Sargent for headses upses this week
(as always hoping I have left no one out).

... still have a bit of catching up to do (mostly North and South America)
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EARLY HOMINIDS
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Another route for 'out of Africa', across the Sinai though Jordan, some 80 000 years bp:

https://phys.org/news/2023-10-early-human-migrants-lush-corridor-route.html
https://phys.org/news/2023-10-path-early-human-migrations-once-lush.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231004150515.htm

cf.: https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.adi6838

On the use of shells for personal ornamentation at Blombos cave 70 000 years bp:

https://phys.org/news/2023-10-early-creation-modern-human-identities.html

Pondering a 1.45 million years bp tibia that possibly shows signs of cannibalism:

https://gizmodo.com.au/2023/10/this-may-be-the-earliest-evidence-of-hominin-cannibalism/

Feature on homo soloensis (actually homo erectus):

https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/who-was-homo-soloensis-the-solo-man

More on that 476 000 years bp wooden structure (apparently) in Zambia:

https://theconversation.com/discovery-of-half-a-million-year-old-wooden-structure-shows-were-wrong-to-underestimate-our-ancient-relatives-214732
https://digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/data/1465/reader/reader.html?#!preferred/0/package/1465/pub/1465/page/41/article/NaN
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AFRICA
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Petroglyphs of animal footprints at the Doro Nawas mountains of Namibia are detailed enough to determine what animals they represent:

https://www.sciencealert.com/prehistoric-carvings-are-so-accurate-animals-sex-age-and-species-can-be-determined

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ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
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5000 years bp sealed ceramic wine jars from the tomb of Merit-Neith in Abydos:

https://www.egyptindependent.com/archaeologists-uncover-5000-year-old-wine-in-sohag/
https://greekreporter.com/2023/10/03/5000-year-old-wine-egypt/
https://www.newsweek.com/sealed-5000-year-old-wine-jars-ancient-egypt-unearthed-1831382
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/10/archaeological-mission-finds-hundreds-of-sealed-jars-in-tomb-of-merit-neith/148768
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2023/10/02/excavation-in-egyptian-1st-dynasty-queens-tomb-yields-sealed-wine-jars/

Brief mention of a 'burial well' full of mummies at Saqqara (date?):

https://egyptindependent.com/photos-huge-trove-of-mummies-discovered-in-saqqara/

Restoration works at the Esna Temple have revealed new heavenly decorations:

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/509590.aspx
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/10/restoration-works-of-esna-temple-reveals-new-celestial-imagery/148779
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2023/10/06/esna-temples-true-colors-revealed-during-restoration-project/

Overview of the recents finds underwater at Thonis-Heracleion:

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/sunken-temple-of-treasures-discovered-off-coast-of-egypt-2369782
https://archaeonewsnet.com/temple-of-aphrodite-revealed-in-thonis-heraklion/

More on new rooms being found in the pyramid of Sahura:

https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-761577
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/egyptologists-chambers-pyramid-2369026
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68428

Trying to figure out what was going on at the Kale-Kub site (Iran) some 6000 years bp:

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/489637/Clues-about-people-lived-6-000-years-ago-puzzle-archaeologists

Remains of a Sassanid-era fire temple from northern Iran:

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/489850/Archaeological-dig-uncovers-ruins-of-Sassanid-temple-in-northern

Excavations are under way at the Sepahbod-Khorshid cave (vague description):

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/489746/Archaeologists-shed-new-light-on-massive-cave-in-northern-Iran

Another item on using AI to translate 5000 years bp cuneiform tablets:

https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/ai-translates-cuneiform-tablets/

An Urartian horse burial from the Cavustepe Castle site:

https://arkeonews.net/the-discovery-of-great-importance-for-urartian-archeology-in-cavustepe-castle-discovered-a-horse-skeleton-with-a-bronze-curb-bit-in-its-jaw/

Monumental statues of a boar and a man from Gobeklitepe and Karahantepe (8000 years bp?):

https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/1st-painted-lifelike-human-sculpture-found-in-turkiyes-gobeklitepe-karahantepe/news
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/gobeklitepe-discoveries-never-end-says-head-of-excavations-186715
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12589389/Unusual-statue-featuring-frontal-depiction-man-holding-phallus-hands-discovered-near-Mesolithic-temple-Turkey.html
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/10/new-monumental-statues-discovered-at-gobeklitepe-and-karahantepe/148763
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2023/10/04/new-findings-have-come-to-light-in-gobeklitepe-and-karahantepe/
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11782-231005-turkey-goebekli-tepe-boar

A trio of 7700 years bp human figurines from the Ulucak Mound excavations in Izmir:

https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/7-700-year-old-figurines-unearthed-in-izmir-186838
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/culture/figurines-dating-back-over-8-000-years-representing-man-woman-and-child-unearthed-in-aegean-turkiye/3008834
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231005-figurines-over-8000-years-old-representing-man-woman-and-child-unearthed-in-aegean-turkiye/
https://www.trtworld.com/turkiye/excavations-in-turkiyes-izmir-unearth-figurines-dating-back-to-5700-bc-15270220
https://arkeonews.net/unique-7700-year-old-figurines-were-discovered-in-ulucak-mound-one-of-the-oldest-settlements-in-western-anatolia/

A section of the 16th century Ab-i Hamravat water channel was revealed in the Amida Mound excavations in Diyarbakir:

https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/sultan-suleiman-era-water-channel-unearthed-in-turkiyes-diyarbakir/news

Overview on what is being found on the Kumluca Middle Bronze Age shipwreck:

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/culture/turkiyes-kumluca-middle-bronze-age-shipwreck-reveals-ancient-treasures/3010442

Still arguing about the origin of the Bronze Age tin on the Uluburun shipwreck:

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-refutes-involving-bronze-age-tin.html
https://arkeonews.net/who-will-solve-the-puzzle-of-bronze-age-tin-origin-of-tin-ingots-from-uluburun-shipwreck-disputed-the-metal-may-have-come-from-cornwall/

More on Gordion being given World Heritage status:

https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/10/05/ancient-phrygian-unesco-site/

A Roman era (probably) marble head of Alexander from Amasra:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/2nd-century-alexander-the-great-statue-with-lions-mane-hairstyle-unearthed-in-turkey
https://greekherald.com.au/culture/statue-of-alexander-the-great-discovered-in-northern-turkey/
https://greekreporter.com/2023/09/22/marble-head-alexander-the-great-uncovered-turkey/
https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/10/06/ancient-statue-of-alexander-the-great-with-lions-mane-hairstyle-discovered-in-turkey/
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68449
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/10/marble-head-of-alexander-the-great-uncovered-at-prusias-ad-hypium/148809
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11784-231006-turkey-alexander-sculpture

2000 years bp cosmetics and jewelry from the Temple of Zeus site in Anatolia:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12575621/archeologists-unearth-makeup-ancient-roman-city-turkey.html

A 1700 years bp iron trident from Assos:

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/culture/archeologists-discover-1-700-year-old-trident-in-assos-ancient-city-in-turkiye/3008442
https://www.azernews.az/region/215719.html
https://www.trtworld.com/turkiye/archaeologists-unearth-1700-year-old-trident-in-turkiyes-ancient-city-of-assos-15264853
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68449

Remains of a Byzantine-era abbey confirmed in Ordu:

https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/archeologists-discover-byzantine-abbey-in-ordu-186812

A hoard of Byzantine coins from the Golan Heights:

https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/10/08/archaeologists-uncover-hidden-stash-of-byzantine-gold-coins-in-israels-golan-heights/

Ongoing concerns for Hagia Sophia (collapse?):

https://greekreporter.com/2023/10/03/hagia-sofia-danger-collapse-turkish-expert-warns/

A jawbone from a large cat species (date uncertain) from Apemeia:

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/culture/jawbone-fragment-belonging-to-big-cat-species-found-in-ancient-city-of-apemeia/3006719

An overview of archaeology finds in Turkiye in September:

https://turkisharchaeonews.net/article/september-2023-turkish-archaeology-0

Remains of a Roman-era aqueduct at Giv'at Hamatos in Jerusalem:

https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-761571
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/10/300-metre-long-ancient-aqueduct-found-at-givat-hamatos/148773
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2023/10/04/300-metre-long-ancient-aqueduct-at-givat-hamatos/

A Byzantine-era Psalm inscription (in Greek) from excavations at a monastery site in Hyrcania:

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-unearthing-ancient-faith-byzantine-greek.html
https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/10/06/erroneous-ancient-prayer-of-david-text-unearthed-in-west-bank-monastery/
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/byzantine-psalm-uncovered-at-hyrcania/?mqsc=E4155362&dk=ZE33O0ZF0
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11777-231003-hyrcania-monastery-inscription

More on that purported 'Hellenistic courtesan burial' from Israel:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/2300-year-old-grave-in-israel-contains-remains-of-greek-courtesan-who-may-have-accompanied-alexander-the-greats-army
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2023-09-27/ty-article/israeli-archaeologists-may-have-found-first-ever-grave-of-ancient-greek-hetaira/0000018a-d615-d971-afbb-df37fc1f0000
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12596881/Is-Alexander-Greats-escort-Tomb-courtesan-seduced-Macedonian-king-discovered-2-300-years.html
https://neoskosmos.com/en/2023/10/06/news/world/2300-year-old-tomb-found-in-israel-with-potential-link-to-alexander-the-great/
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/a-greek-hetaira-in-hellenistic-jerusalem/

More on the Roman-era burials in Gaza:

https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/hkvmo99x6

Feature on Hamoudi Khalaily's adventures in archaeology:

https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/syya07dk6

Feature on a 1900 years bp child's garment found in the Cave of Letters back in the 1960s:

https://arkeonews.net/1900-year-old-childs-nightgown-with-intriguing-knots-found-in-the-cave-of-letters-in-the-judean-desert/

The Codex Sassoon is back in Israel:

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-761846
https://www.timesofisrael.com/codex-sassoon-oldest-near-complete-hebrew-bible-in-israel-for-permanent-display/

Neolithic herders in Saudi Arabia used heavy rock tools to grind animal bones, plants, and pigments:

https://theconversation.com/stone-age-herders-transported-heavy-rock-tools-to-grind-animal-bones-plants-and-pigment-214838
https://phys.org/news/2023-10-stone-age-herders-heavy-tools.html
https://phys.org/news/2023-10-analysis-tools-reveals-pigment-bone.html
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2023/10/05/plant-pigment-and-bone-processing-in-neolithic-northern-saudi-arabia/

cf: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0291085

I think we've mentioned these life-size Neolithic camel petroglyphs from Saudi Arabia before:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/mysterious-and-beautifully-carved-life-size-camel-carvings-discovered-in-saudi-arabian-desert
https://phys.org/news/2023-10-life-size-images-extinct-camel-species.html
https://arkeonews.net/mysterious-and-life-size-camel-carvings-have-been-found-in-saudi-arabian-desert/

cf: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352226723000557

-----
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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An early Minoan burial of a woman with assorted grave goods from Sisi (Crete):

https://greekreporter.com/2023/09/25/minoan-era-skeleton-crete/

Bones (Bronze Age?) found during sewer work in Limassol:

https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/local/ancient-bones-excavated-at-limassols-tziamouda-area-photosvideo/

A 5th century BCE Scythian bone 'scepter' from Bulgaria:

https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/533159-2-500-year-old-scythian-sceptre-found-near-provadia
https://arkeonews.net/a-unique-bone-scythian-scepter-from-the-5th-century-bc-was-discovered-in-northeast-bulgaria/
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68400

A 4th century intact painted tomb from Pontecagnano:

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68440
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68456
https://www.stilearte.it/lavori-alla-rete-idrica-a-giugliano-scoperta-tomba-romana-con-due-sepolture-e-splendidi-affreschi-i-corredi-sono-intatti/
https://napoli.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/23_ottobre_06/tomba-alessandrina-scoperta-in-campania-durante-uno-scavo-per-la-rete-idrica-6c9e3ed0-bde9-445a-99a5-753b16d6bxlk.shtml

A 2000 years bp life-sized statue of a woman dubbed the 'nymph of Tusculum':

https://www.newsweek.com/archaeologists-discover-exceptional-2000-year-old-marble-statue-1831004
https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/10/05/exceptional-discovery-unveils-ancient-statue-of-a-nymph-in-frascati/
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68418
https://www.zmescience.com/science/archaeology/the-nymph-of-tusculum-beautiful-statue-linked-to-ancient-god-of-wine-discovered-in-rome/
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68395

A 2000 years bp burial of a woman wearing a bronze bracelet from Ivry-sur-Seine:

https://www.newsweek.com/archeologists-2000-tomb-woman-bronze-bracelet-1828492

1st century CE Gallic burials from near Nauheim:

https://arkeonews.net/roman-era-total-of-46-early-settler-burials-discovered-in-germany/

Electoral graffiti inside a villa being excavated on the Via di Nola in Pompeii:

https://english.elpais.com/culture/2023-09-29/electoral-inscriptions-discovered-in-pompeii-reveal-clientelism-and-political-corruption-in-ancient-rome.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12584519/Pompeiis-Parliament-Archaeologists-discover-electoral-inscriptions-ancient-house-caught-Mount-Vesuvius-devastating-eruption.html
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68418

An 1800 years bp Roman sarcophagus of an elite woman from necropolis in northern France:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/romans/exceptional-1800-year-old-sarcophagus-unearthed-in-france-held-woman-of-special-status
https://greekreporter.com/2023/10/05/1800-year-old-sarcophagus-unearthed-france/
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11783-231005-france-roman-sarcoophagus

A pair of 1800 years bp 'cavalry swords' found by a metal detectorist in North Cotswolds:

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/remarkable-roman-weapon-haul-discovered-27736452
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/roman-swords-found-in-cotswolds-2364778
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-1800-year-old-roman-cavalry-swords-unearthed-in-england-180982970/

A 'battered' Roman-era skull with possible evidence of a brain tumour from a site in Spain:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/romans/battered-roman-era-skull-with-signs-of-violent-trauma-and-a-possible-brain-tumor-unearthed-in-spain

Roman kilns from Colchester:

https://www.colchester.gov.uk/info/cbc-article/?id=KA-04492
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-66995231
https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/23830455.roman-kilns-found-cymbeline-meadows-site-colchester/

Finds from various periods, but mostly Roman-era, from a necropolis in Alba Iulia:

https://www.stiripesurse.ro/unique-artifacts-for-roman-dacia-discovered-in-expansion-area-of-municipal-cemetery-in-alba-iulia_3082034.html

Overview of excavations at a Roman-era site in Finiq (Albania):

https://www.voxnews.al/english/aktualitet/germimet-ne-finiqin-antik-arkeologet-hedhin-drite-mbi-historine-ilire-i49414

Evidence of camelids in Cordoba during the Roman era:

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-presence-camelids-cordoba-roman-al-andalus.html

Metal detectorists found a Roman key by Greenwood Lake:

https://www.warwickadvertiser.com/home/metal-detectorist-discovers-unusual-artifact-at-greenwood-lake-MX2743068

Work on a bypass in Melton Mowbray has revealed the presence of a large Roman farm site:

https://www.meltontimes.co.uk/news/people/large-roman-farm-unearthed-on-route-of-new-melton-relief-road-4348344

Reviews of Emily Wilson's translation of the Iliad:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/classic-books/review-iliad-emily-wilson-luttwak/
https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/preserving-homers-magic
https://www.phillyvoice.com/the-iliad-new-tanslation-emily-wilson-penn-professor-homer/
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/11/emily-wilson-iliad-translation-homer/675444/
https://www.deseret.com/2023/10/2/23900378/emily-wilson-iliad-translation-reviews
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20231004-the-iliad-the-ultimate-story-about-war
https://inews.co.uk/culture/books/the-iliad-translated-emily-wilson-review-dazzling-clarity-perfect-modern-readers-2657793
https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/the-assignment/episodes/36292c0e-0713-4b56-9f28-b08a014c84e6
https://www.themarysue.com/writer-who-made-history-with-her-translation-of-the-odyssey-moving-on-to-another-epic-tale/

... and a related comic:

https://xkcd.com/2837/

Review of Natalie Haynes, *Divine Might*:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/divine-might-by-natalie-haynes-review-ln77dr7bn

Review of Mary Beard, *Emperor of Rome*:

https://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/23828975.mary-beards-emperor-rome-review/
https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture/the-glitz-and-gore-of-ancient-rome-20231003-p5e9fj
https://thecritic.co.uk/issues/october-2023/the-layers-of-ancient-rome/

Review of a biography of Edith Hamilton:

https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/american-classicist-review-edith-hamiltons-mt-olympus-dc7452b8

Review of Sarah Ruden, *Vergil: The Poet's Life*:

https://www.spectator.com.au/2023/10/gentle-genius/

Review of Adrian Goldsworthy, *Rome and Persia* and Tom Holland, *Pax*:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/21/books/review/rome-and-persia-adrian-goldsworthy-pax-tom-holland.html

Review of a pair of books on the Parthenon:

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/09/29/contested-prospect-two-new-books-see-the-parthenon-through-the-eyes-of-a-legal-expert-and-a-lifelong-scholar-of-greek-history

Feature on children books in Latin and Greek:

https://currentpub.com/2023/10/04/childrens-classics-find-a-new-life-in-classical-languages/

Pondering the resurgence of Greco-Roman studies:

https://neoskosmos.com/en/2023/10/05/dialogue/ancient-greece/the-resurgence-of-greco-roman-studies-propaganda-or-learning/

Features on John Gilbert:

https://www.postnewsgroup.com/unearthing-history-the-remarkable-journey-of-john-wesley-gilbert/
https://greekreporter.com/2023/09/22/john-wesley-gilbert-first-african-american-archaeologist-athens/

Feature on the Royal Kurgan of Kerch tomb in Crimea:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/09/30/tomb-crimea-ancient-greek-architecture/

Feature on Carthage and war elephants:

https://english.elpais.com/culture/2023-10-02/war-elephants-how-carthage-used-a-psychological-weapon-the-romans-failed-to-master.html

Feature on Theopetra Cave:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/09/17/theopetra-cave-greece-oldest-human-construction/

Feature on the Carranque Villa:

https://english.elpais.com/culture/2023-10-07/forty-years-after-a-roman-villa-was-found-in-spain-its-owner-remains-unknown.html

Feature on the Naked Lady of Saliagos sculpture:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/09/18/oldest-cycladic-sculpture-lady-saliagos/

Feature on Herostratus:

https://bigthink.com/the-past/temple-artemis-herostratus-destroyed-ancient-world-wonder/

Feature on the Dispilio Tablet:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/09/25/dispilio-tablet-earliest-written-text-greece/

Feature on Minoan spice use/trade:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/10/04/minoans-imported-spices-asia/

OpEd on the Parthenon sculptures as 'shared cultural legacy':

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/this-culture-is-your-culture/

OpEd on the need to continue negotiations for the sculptures:

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/09/26/after-shock-how-should-the-parthenon-marbles-negotiations-continue

Latest Pasts Imperfect newsletter:

https://pastsimperfect.substack.com/p/pasts-imperfect-10523
-----
Roman Archaeology Blog:

http://romanarc.blogspot.com/

Rogueclassicism:

http://rogueclassicism.com/
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EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
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A 24 000 years bp cave art site from the Cova Dones site in Spain:

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/cave-paintings-found-in-massive-cova-dones-spain-2365066
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/10/05/archaeologists-discover-24000-year-old-palaeolithic-art-site-in-eastern-spain

Evidence of human occupation in the coldest and driest upland areas of Spain during Paleolithic times:

https://phys.org/news/2023-10-prehistoric-people-occupied-upland-regions.html
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11786-231006-iberia-ice-age

15 000 years bp evidence of funerary cannibalism from sites across northwest Europe:

https://phys.org/news/2023-10-oldest-evidence-human-cannibalism-funerary.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/europeans-cannibal-dead-loved-ones-b2425207.html
https://arkeonews.net/the-oldest-evidence-of-human-cannibalism-as-a-funerary-practice-in-europe/

9500 years bp evidence of basketry and 6200 years bp grass shoes from the Cueva de los Murcielagos in Spain:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/9500-year-old-baskets-and-6200-year-old-shoes-discovered-in-spanish-bat-cave
https://hyperallergic.com/848917/archaeologists-say-theyve-uncovered-europes-oldest-basketry/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-9500-year-old-woven-baskets-and-europes-oldest-sandals-180983001/

A study of ritual use of human remains during the Neolithic:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/09/230921105725.htm

Overview of the ongoing dig at the 5000 years bp Carn Glas site:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3gr38e61qlo

A 3000 years bp decorated stela from the funerary site of Las Capellanias:

https://english.elpais.com/culture/2023-09-22/a-large-4000-year-old-necropolis-in-southern-spain-reveals-the-true-purpose-of-stelae.html
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/10/decorated-stela-found-in-the-3000-year-old-funerary-complex-of-las-capellanias/148785

2900 years bp steel tools from Portugal:

https://www.zmescience.com/science/archaeology/2900-year-old-steel-tools-portugal/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440323000201?via%3Dihub
https://arkeonews.net/analyses-of-a-2900-year-old-iron-chisel-from-portugal-revealed-surprisingly-high-quality-steel/

An intact Bronze Age pot from a dig near Ely:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-66822204

A major megalith complex site in Spain's Huelva province:

https://www.zmescience.com/science/megalithic-complex-spain/

Evidence of an Iron Age port on the Baltic island of Gotska Sandon:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/09/iron-age-port-discovered-on-baltic-sea-island-of-gotska-sandon/148614

Iron Age evidence of iron working from Nesscliffe Hill:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-shropshire-66890049

2000 years bp cremation burials from near Frondenberg:

https://www.newsweek.com/archaeologists-discover-2000-year-old-graves-burnt-human-remains-1827341

A metal detectorist in Norway came across a gold hoard of various items dating to 500 CE:

https://menafn.com/1107173083/A-Norwegian-Man-Stumbled-Upon-A-Trove-Of-Gold-Dating-To-The-Early-Middle-Ages-Including-A-Rare-Pendant-Depicting-The-Norse-God-Odin

The site where Otto I 'The Great' died has possibly been located:

https://arkeonews.net/archaeologists-may-have-discovered-the-site-where-otto-the-great-founder-of-the-holy-roman-empire-died/

Anglo Saxon burials with gender questions:

https://theconversation.com/the-burials-that-could-challenge-historians-ideas-about-anglo-saxon-gender-209163
https://phys.org/news/2023-10-burials-historians-ideas-anglo-saxon-gender.html

A Frankish warrior burial from near Ingelheim:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/early-medieval-warrior-found-buried-with-his-weapons-in-germany

Remains of a 10th century church from Erwitte (Germany):

https://arkeonews.net/an-unknown-church-with-a-special-floor-plan-discovered-in-erwitte-northwestern-germany/

A Viking-era horse bridle from melting Norwegian ice:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/exceedingly-rare-horse-bridle-discovered-in-melting-ice-in-norway-could-date-to-viking-age

Evidence the VIkings had glass windows:

https://apnews.com/article/viking-windows-glass-norsemen-danish-researchers-72b53296dd3c0786340f5ac59c240dfc

Evidence of a Viking-era settlement and later human remains from Viru-Nigula (Estonia):

https://www.newsweek.com/archaeologists-discover-viking-era-settlement-human-skeletons-1831504

Probable Viking-era bronze ornaments found by a Norwegian family using a metal detector to find a lost earring:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/vikings/norwegian-family-finds-1200-year-old-viking-treasure-while-searching-for-a-lost-earring-in-their-yard
https://arkeonews.net/family-looking-for-lost-gold-earring-finds-viking-age-artifacts-in-their-garden-on-the-island-of-jomfruland/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/family-in-norway-finds-viking-artifacts-with-metal-detector-180983024/

An early medieval carved stone figure dubbed the 'Govan Warrior' from a church site in Scotland:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/09/early-medieval-carved-stone-of-a-warrior-figure-found-in-glasgow/148620

A possible 'long lost' medieval palace site from Mantle Walls (Scotland):

https://www.newsweek.com/experts-excavate-high-status-medieval-building-lost-palace-1827475

A metal detectorist came across a large silver medieval brooch in Somerset (and it's on display):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-66962615
https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/23829562.early-medieval-cheddar-brooch-display-taunton/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/giant-brooch-somerset-metal-detector-b2424713.html
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/oct/03/rare-medieval-cheddar-brooch-display-somerset
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68435

A 700 years bp coin depicting a Serbian king on one side and Jesus on the other from Bulgaria:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/700-year-old-coin-depicting-jesus-and-medieval-king-discovered-in-bulgaria

A 650 years bp shipboard cannon found off the coast of Sweden:

https://digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/data/1465/reader/reader.html?#!preferred/0/package/1465/pub/1465/page/41/article/NaN

A Norfolk theatre believes it has found timber floorboards which might have been trodden by Shakespeare:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67007980
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/05/world/europe/william-shakespeare-stage-uk.html
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/oct/05/boards-trodden-by-shakespeare-found-under-floor-of-norfolk-guildhall
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23834797.kings-lynn-shakespeares-stage-found-ancient-guildhall/

Overview of excavations at Bannockburn's Wilson Mills:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-66993846

More on the different origin of the Stonehenge Altar Stone:

https://phys.org/news/2023-10-stonehenge-upends-year-old-theory-discoveries.html
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/100-year-old-origin-theory-of-stonehenges-iconic-altar-stone-could-be-wrong-scientists-say
https://www.vice.com/en/article/jg5bvb/a-new-discovery-just-upended-what-we-know-about-stonehenges-mysterious-origin

More on 1400 years bp gold foil figures from a pagan temple site in Norway:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/1400-year-old-gold-figures-depicting-norse-gods-unearthed-at-former-pagan-temple
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gold-treasures-depicting-norse-gods-unearthed-norway-pagan-temple/

More on the identity of who carved the Jelling Stone Runes:

https://arkeonews.net/using-3d-scanners-archaeologists-have-identified-the-person-who-carved-jelling-stone-runes/

More on medieval murder maps of England:

https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2023/10/05/university-of-cambridge-medieval-murder-maps/

A survey is underway at the site where the Le Catillon II coin hoard was found back in 2012:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-jersey-67019927

Collapse concerns for Piercefield House:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/16/welsh-mansion-that-inspired-wordsworth-and-coleridge-on-the-verge-of-collapse

Feature on things found during HS2 construction over the past while:

https://www.zmescience.com/feature-post/pieces/amazing-archaeology-britain-hs2/

Evidence that Lucerne is 2400 years older than previously thought:

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/sci-tech/lucerne-is-2-400-years-older-than-previously-thought/48842254
----------
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
============================================================
100 Kofun-era bronze mirrors from a burial mound in Sakurai:

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15005040
https://arkeonews.net/more-than-100-bronze-mirrors-found-at-sakurai-chausuyama-burial-mound-in-japan/

A major (possibly) 'pre urban' mass cemetery (5300 years bp or so) in Gujarat:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-66562257
https://www.dawn.com/news/1779749/discovery-of-massive-indus-valley-burial-site-in-gujarat-puzzles-scientists

============================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
============================================================
Remains of a Maya palace (400 BCE) at Kabah:

https://www.newsweek.com/archaeologists-discover-1500-year-old-palace-ancient-maya-city-1826679

A Lima culture tomb on the Great Pyramid at Huaca Pucllana:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/09/tomb-found-on-great-pyramid-at-huaca-pucllana/148524

A Middle Preclassic Maya painted vault lid from Ek Balam:

https://www.inah.gob.mx/boletines/descubren-una-tapa-de-boveda-pintada-clave-para-descifrar-la-historia-de-la-acropolis-de-ek-balam
https://www.newsweek.com/archaeologists-find-lid-ancient-vault-snake-symbol-maya-palace-1827482
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/09/painted-vault-lid-found-depicting-a-serpent-and-the-underworld/148540
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11743-230914-maya-vault-stone

A Late Classic Maya nose ring made from human bone from Palenque:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/08/nose-ring-made-from-human-bone-found-by-archaeologists-at-palenque/148417

A Maya burial from Ocampo:

https://www.newsweek.com/discover-mayan-tomb-body-man-mexico-1827066

Pre-Inca burials and finds of various types found during gas work in Lima:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/8-pre-inca-mummies-and-artifacts-unearthed-just-beneath-the-streets-of-lima-peru
https://phys.org/news/2023-09-workers-uncover-mummies-pre-inca-gas.html
https://apnews.com/article/peru-preinca-burial-site-9245dd878d8763893e79fddd5c39e47b

A 1000 years bp Ychsma mummy with a full head of hair from Lima:

https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/eye-news/article/3234771/archaeologists-find-1000-year-old-mummy-story-tell-about-perus-past
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-ancient-peruvian-mummy-with-a-full-head-of-hair-180982878/

Preservation concerns for Chinchorro mummies:

https://www.npr.org/2023/10/04/1198908188/the-worlds-oldest-mummies-are-decomposing-after-7-000-years-heres-why

Evidence that Aztecs in pre-Columbian Mexico were 'ruthless exploiters':

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-economic-relationships-pre-columbian-mexico-aztec.html
-----
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
============================================================
Marking the 400th anniversary of Versailles:

https://apnews.com/article/france-versailles-king-charles-mirrors-visit-6d33c47fc21b09a0683fd9c94fe08daa
============================================================
CURRENT EVENTS:
============================================================
In case you missed the coverage of the cutting down of the Sycamore Gap tree it apparently did some damage to Hadrian's wall coming down:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-67015699
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12595079/Vandals-felled-Sycamore-Gap-tree-damaged-Hadrians-Wall-investigators-say.html
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/oct/05/felling-of-sycamore-gap-tree-damaged-hadrians-wall-inspection-reveals

... and they're thinking of what to do with the site now:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-67041427
============================================================
ANIMAL AND PLANT DOMESTICATIONS
============================================================
Feature on dogs in Iron Age contexts in the Levant:

https://www.asor.org/anetoday/2023/10/dogs-social-fabric

============================================================
MUSEUM MATTERS
============================================================
The Muddy Hoard:

https://www.huntspost.co.uk/news/23826699.roman-coins-found-huntingdon-display-st-ives/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-66827194

Pharaoh:

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/09/20/ancient-egyptian-treasures-head-to-melbourne-for-biggest-ever-british-museum-loan-show

Fauvism:

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20230912-how-female-fauvists-were-some-of-historys-most-audacious-painters

cf:
https://www.metmuseum.org/press/exhibitions/2023/vertigo-of-color
https://ucca.org.cn/en/exhibition/matisse-by-matisse/
https://kunstmuseumbasel.ch/en/exhibitions/2023/matisse-derain-and-friends

Triumphs of Caesar:

https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/about-us/press-and-media/press-releases/the-triumphs-of-caesar

Susanna and the Elders:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-berkshire-66905737

Shakespeare's First Folio:

https://news.yale.edu/2023/09/27/teasing-apart-meaning-shakespeares-first-folio

Abe Lincoln Photo:

https://apnews.com/article/lincoln-douglas-senate-debates-ambrotype-photo-c0c733818c75e0dfdd825c42a059caf7

Sanxingdui:

http://en.people.cn/n3/2023/0927/c90000-20077880.html

Bodies in Crisis:

https://www.spurlock.illinois.edu/exhibits/online/bodies-in-crisis/
https://www.spurlock.illinois.edu/blog/p/bodies-in-crisis/439

Rubens and Women:

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/sep/27/rubens-and-women-review-dulwich-picture-gallery-breasts

cf: https://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/2023/september/rubens-women/

American Society of Marine Artists:

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/len-tantillo-nicolas-fox-works-display-albany-18375093.php

cf: https://www.albanyinstitute.org/exhibition/reflective-impressions-the-19th-national-exhibition-of-the-american-society-of-marine-artists

Degas and Manet:

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/oct/02/manet-degas-exhibit-metropolitan-museum-art-new-york

A curator at the Museum of Fine Arts in St Petersburg was fired over provenance issues:

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/09/20/museum-fine-arts-st-petersburg-michael-bennett-greek-antiquities
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/17/arts/curator-fired-provenance.html
https://stpetecatalyst.com/mfa-mystery-whose-provenance-is-it-anyway/
https://www.thenationalherald.com/a-dubious-greek-antiquities-exhibit-brings-florida-curators-dismissal/
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/antiquities-provenance-controversy-curator-dismissal-florida-2365124

Feature on the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia:

https://cyprus-mail.com/2023/09/21/cyprus-national-treasure-trove/

Emory's museum is dealing with some questionably-sourced items:

https://decaturish.com/2023/09/the-little-museums-big-score-emory-university-wanted-finest-antiquities-but-didnt-ask-a-lot-of-questions/

The Penn Museum is renovating its Egyptian and Nubian galleries:

https://www.phillyvoice.com/penn-museum-renovations-ancient-egyptian-nubian-galleries/

More on the items stolen from the British Museum:

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-british-museum-historic-crisis-custodianship.html
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/british-museum-changed-tune-illicit-items-thefts-b1107121.html
https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2023/09/14/british-museum-ignored-requests-for-details-of-illicit-items-expert-says/
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/british-museum-launches-website-to-help-find-stolen-artefacts-2c992qz7r
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/articles/stop-thief-british-museum-failed-protect-its-collection-decolonization-can-help-1234837960/

... and they've set up a webpage to try and get things back:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66921621
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/09/26/exclusive-british-museum-launches-webpage-to-recover-stolen-objectsand-announces-return-of-60-items
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/george-osborne-rome-london-roman-greek-b2418745.html
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/26/british-museum-reveals-types-stolen-artefacts-online-appeal/
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/british-museum-reveals-1-640-items-still-missing/
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/sep/26/british-museum-releases-images-in-bid-to-recover-missing-items
https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/please-return-if-found-british-museum-seeks-help-recover-missing-treasures-2023-09-26/
https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/news/2023/09/british-museum-announces-operation-to-recover-missing-objects/#
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12563263/Have-seen-artefacts-British-Museum-urges-public-help-track-missing-items-2-000-precious-items-stolen-serial-thief-YEARS.html
https://hyperallergic.com/846900/british-museum-wants-your-help-finding-stolen-artifacts/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/british-museum-asks-public-help-recover-stolen-gems-jewelry/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/british-museum-missing-treasure-artefacts-london-rcna117795
https://abcnews.go.com/International/british-museum-seeks-public-finding-stolen-artefacts/story?id=103520717
https://www.cnn.com/style/british-museum-public-hotline-stolen-treasures-intl/index.html
https://www.ekathimerini.com/multimedia/images/1220986/british-museum-seeks-help-recovering-missing-treasures/
https://neoskosmos.com/en/2023/09/27/news/greece/british-museum-seeks-help-to-recover-missing-treasures/
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/british-museum-recovery-website-2368060
https://hyperallergic.com/846900/british-museum-wants-your-help-finding-stolen-artifacts/

... and a 'panel of experts':

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/26/british-museum-stolen-artefacts-panel-working-from-home/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/08/un-expert-examine-british-museum-looted-artefacts/

... and we learn the British Museum purchased an Egyptian artifact from a convicted smuggler:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/27/british-museum-egyptian-artefact-antiques-dealer-smuggler/
https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2023/09/25/british-museum-bought-ancient-egyptian-artefact-from-convicted-antiquities-smuggler/

... and folks are wondering what the BM's trustees were doing while all this was going on:

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/09/27/questions-raised-about-role-of-british-museum-trustees-as-thefts-crisis-progresses

OpEds on the future of museums after the British Museum debacle:

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2023/09/encyclopedic-museums-purpose-british-museum-scandal/675358/
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/16/opinion/museum-artifacts-looting.html
https://www.cleveland.com/opinion/2023/09/how-should-the-cleveland-museum-of-art-other-museums-handle-possibly-ill-gotten-artworks-editorial-board-roundtable.html

... while the Cleveland MoA seems determined to buy things with clean provenances:

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/09/newly-purchased-greek-vase-shows-cleveland-museum-of-art-still-committed-to-buying-antiquities-with-clear-provenance.html

UNESCO is planning a virtual museum of stolen cultural items:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/06/unesco-planning-virtual-museum-of-stolen-cultural-artefacts
============================================================
AUCTIONS AND SALES RELATED
============================================================
Photos associated with the Franklin Expedition are coming to auction:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2023/aug/29/lost-photographs-doomed-arctic-explorers-auctioned-sir-john-franklin-erebus-terror-sothebys-in-pictures

An NC Wyeth painting was coming to auction last month:

https://www.cnn.com/style/nc-wyeth-ramona-thrift-store-tan/index.html
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/08/29/nc-wyeth-painting-four-dollars-thrift-store-bonhams-skinner

... as did a 'misidentified' Anglo-Saxon bowl:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-66679766

... and a coin depicting a hitherto unknown Iron Age ruler:

https://www.altonherald.com/news/name-of-new-iron-age-ruler-or-king-discovered-on-coin-in-hampshire-field-640558
https://www.nationalworld.com/retro/coin-depicting-undiscovered-iron-age-ruler-set-to-fetch-thousands-at-auction-after-being-discovered-in-a-field-4288894

... and a sketch by John Constable:

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/sep/13/constable-sketch-found-in-suitcase-auction

Items from the Rothschild collection are coming to auction:

https://www.cnn.com/style/rothschild-family-collection-treasures-auction-tan/index.html

A Depression-era $10 000 dollar bill fetched a nice price:

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/great-depression-era-bill-auction-intl-scli/index.html

... as did a ticket from Ford's Theatre from the night Lincoln was assassinated:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fords-theatre-ticket-night-lincolns-assassination-sells-262500-rcna117294
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66923246

A letter of Columbus announcing his 'discovery' of America is coming to auction:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/30/original-letter-from-columbus-announcing-discovery-of-america-goes-on-sale-for-first-time?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

HIgh expectations for a recently-identified Rembrandt:

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/rembrandt-auction-millions-sothebys-gbr-scli-intl/index.html

============================================================
THE TECHY SIDE
============================================================
Feature on LiDAR use at various South American sites:

https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/from-ruins-to-ancient-farming-lidar-technology-helps-reveal-ancient

More on the use of LiDAR at the site of the Battle of the Bulge:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/09/archaeologists-use-lidar-to-identify-features-from-the-battle-of-the-bulge/148546

Latest facial reconstruction is of a medieval man with dwarfism:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/see-the-stunning-facial-approximation-of-a-medieval-man-with-dwarfism

... and a 4200 years bp woman dubbed 'the Upper Largie Woman':

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/see-the-amazing-facial-reconstruction-of-a-bronze-age-woman-discovered-crouching-in-a-4200-year-old-grave
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-remarkable-reconstruction-of-a-4000-year-old-bronze-age-woman-180982978/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11769-230927-upper-largie-woman

============================================================
TOURISTY THINGS
============================================================
Egypt:

https://www.cnn.com/travel/cairo-pyramids-quest-world-of-wonder/index.html

Rome:

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20230921-there-are-few-cities-better-for-exploring-the-legacy-of-the-roman-empire

Bavaria:

https://www.dw.com/en/10-reasons-to-love-bavaria/g-18176626

Tourists behaving badly I: a tourist in Brussels climbed on a statue and broke it:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-66808450

Tourists behaving badly II: a Romanian woman was caught trying to take marbles from the Acropolis site:

https://en.protothema.gr/romanian-woman-tried-to-steal-marbles-from-the-acropolis-site/
https://nypost.com/2023/09/20/romanian-tourist-arrested-after-trying-to-steal-chunks-of-marble-from-acropolis/

Tourists behaving badly III: a Belgian couple was caught trying to 'smuggle' artifacts:

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-belgian-couple-arrested-accused-of-smuggling-artefacts

Tourists behaving badly IV: A US tourists toppled some 'blasphemous' statues in the Israel Museum:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67027881
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-761884
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-tourist-arrested-for-smashing-roman-era-statues-at-israel-museum/
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1jloohxa
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/tourist-smashes-statues-israel-scli-intl/index.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12601103/US-tourist-40-arrested-Israel-smashing-ancient-Roman-statues-considered-blasphemous-against-Torah-wrecking-rampage-Jerusalem-museum.html
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/american-tourist-arrested-smashing-ancient-roman-statues-museum-103777343
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/10/06/israel-museum-roman-statues-damaged-tourist-arrested/f4866630-6430-11ee-b406-3ea724995806_story.html
https://www.newsweek.com/american-tourist-arrested-smashing-1800-year-old-roman-statues-1832685
https://hyperallergic.com/849394/american-tourist-smashes-roman-sculptures-at-israel-museum/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/roman-statues-american-tourist-destroyed-b2425433.html

============================================================
CRIME BEAT
============================================================
A guilty plea in that false provenance EID MAR coin case:

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/richard-beale-coin-provenance-court-2360975

Chinese porcelain stolen from a German museum:

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202309/1298236.shtml
https://arkeonews.net/ancient-chinese-porcelain-worth-1-million-euros-was-stolen-from-the-german-museum-sparking-anger/

Arrests in Sohag for illegal excavations:

https://see.news/4-arrested-in-sohag-for-for-illegal-excavation-of-antiquities

A Roman coin and documentation was stolen from somewhere in St Martin's:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw036g922zwo

A man in Rhodope was arrested for possession of looted antiquities:

https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1220147/man-arrested-in-rhodope-for-possession-of-looted-antiquities/

A number of antiquities were seized from a 'criminal gang' in Athens:

https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1220383/police-seize-31-antiquities-from-criminal-gang/
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68329

A German museum employee was caught switching original paintings for copies:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/28/world/europe/paintings-stolen-forgeries-substituted.html
https://www.cnn.com/style/german-munich-museum-stolen-paintings-sold/index.html
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/former-worker-deutsches-museum-sentenced-prison-stealing-four-paintings-1234680845/
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/german-museum-employee-swapped-paintings-fakes-2367937

Latest in the Hobby Lobby v Dirk Obbink case:

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/column-hobby-lobby-sued-ex-oxford-prof-over-stolen-papyri-ny-now-its-moving-case-2023-09-26/

Vandalism at a First Nations pictograph site in Bon Echo Provincial Park:

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-ancient-pictograph-vandalism-bon-echo.html

----------
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
============================================================
The family of George Lindemann has returned 33 looted antiquities to Cambodia:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/us-attorney-announces-return-significant-collection-antiquities-cambodia
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/12/arts/design/lindemann-cambodia-khmer-statues-looting.html
https://www.reuters.com/world/family-late-us-billionaire-agrees-return-looted-cambodian-artefacts-2023-09-13/
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/famed-us-collector-family-return-artefacts-cambodia
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/lindemann-returns-looted-cambodian-antiquities-2361896
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/09/13/cambodian-antiquities-george-lindemann-repatriation
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/george-lindemann-family-returns-antiquities-cambodia-1234679585/
https://www.cnn.com/style/us-billionaire-family-agree-return-looted-artifacts-to-cambodia/index.html
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/09/13/cambodia-artworks-stolen-justice-department/70837883007/
https://hyperallergic.com/844585/lindemann-family-returns-20m-worth-of-looted-cambodian-artifacts/

... while the family of Douglas Latchford return at 7th century statue to Viet Nam:

https://en.vietnamplus.vn/stolen-7thcentury-statue-handed-over-to-vietnam/267932.vnp
https://vietnamnews.vn/life-style/1593842/looted-artifact-to-return-to-viet-nam.html
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/stolen-7th-century-statue-handed-over-to-vietnam-4653149.html
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11750-230919-vietnam-bronze-repatriation

The US returned a dozen antiquities to Lebanon:

https://manhattanda.org/d-a-bragg-announces-return-of-12-antiquities-to-the-people-of-lebanon/
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/07/arts/a-dozen-looted-artifacts-are-returned-to-lebanon.html
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2023/09/12/us-returns-12-antiquities-to-the-people-of-lebanon/
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11735-230911-lebanon-artifacts-repatriation

... and some items seized at a Florida airport were returned to Costa Rica:

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/cbp-returns-historical-indigenous-artifacts-costa-rica
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2023/09/19/cbp-returns-historical-indigenous-artifacts-to-costa-rica/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11746-230918-costa-rica-repatriation

The Manhattan DA has also seized the 'Portrait of a Lady' from the Worcester Museum:

https://www.apollo-magazine.com/art-news-bronze-bust-seized-worcester-art-museum/
https://www.natlawreview.com/article/busted-manhattan-prosecutors-seize-ancient-roman-bust-worcester-art-museum

The ANU museum is returning a 2500 years bp vase to Italy:

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/sep/14/anu-to-return-2500-year-old-vase-to-italy-after-link-to-art-trade-exposed
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-15/act-anu-classics-museum-discover-ancient-artifacts-stolen-italy/102857092
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230915-italian-police-find-stolen-treasures-at-australian-museum
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/stolen-treasures-australian-national-university-one-likely-smuggled-italy-pasta/
https://neoskosmos.com/en/2023/09/15/news/australia/illegal-links-prompt-uni-to-return-artefacts-depicting-zeus-hercules-and-other-warriors-to-italy/

A lock of hair from Ethiopian prince Alemayehu was returned:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-66887597
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/15/prince-alemayehu-lock-hair-will-be-returned-ethiopia/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/prince-alemayehu-1.6972478

That Nisga'a totem pole was returned from a Scotland museum:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66932129
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-reconciliation-and-reckoning-as-nisgaa-totem-pole-returns-from/

The V&A will holed on to some Yemen stones found in a London shop for a while:

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/sep/12/v-and-a-ancient-yemen-stones-stelae-london-museum
https://arkeonews.net/ancient-funerary-stones-looted-from-yemen-will-be-exhibited-at-the-victoria-albert-museum/

... similarly, the Met is returning a pair of antiquities to Yemen, but is holding on to them for a while:

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230919-met-returns-two-antiquities-to-yemen-retains-possession-for-now
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/met-returns-two-antiquities-to-yemen-retains-possession-for-now-186429

The US retuned 3500+ Achaemenid tablets to Iran:

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/489266/Presidential-souvenir-3-506-Achaemenid-clay-tablets-retuned
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230922-iran-says-thousands-of-ancient-clay-tablets-returned-from-us

A stolen Van Gogh was recovered:

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/sep/12/indiana-jones-of-art-world-recovers-stolen-van-gogh-painting
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/stolen-vincent-van-gogh-painting-recovered-groninger-museum-ikea-bag-1234679475/
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/article-over-three-years-after-it-was-stolen-a-van-gogh-painting-is-recovered/
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68271
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dutch-art-detective-recovers-a-van-gogh-stolen-in-2020-180982896/

Pondering delays in returning some Nazi-looted art in Germany:

https://www.dw.com/en/nazi-looted-art-is-germany-delaying-restitution/a-66843536

... while the Manhattan DA returned seven items of Nazi-looted art to a Holocaust victim's relatives:

https://manhattanda.org/d-a-bragg-seven-pieces-of-nazi-looted-art-returned-to-relatives-of-holocaust-victim/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66860515

Turkiye is seeking items back from UK museums:

https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/turkiye-on-mission-to-get-back-anatolian-artifacts-from-british-museums/news

... and items from Troy:

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/culture/turkiye-determined-to-get-trojan-treasures-back/2993973
https://www.trtworld.com/turkiye/turkiye-vigorously-pursues-repatriation-of-stolen-trojan-artefacts-15003289

Tanzania wants Berlin to return some colonial-era skulls:

https://www.dw.com/en/tanzanians-demand-return-of-ancestral-skulls/a-66897172

The British Museum is being targeted for some sacred Ethiopian Tabots:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/12/british-museum-must-return-sacred-ethiopian-tabots/

The UK is being accused of dragging its feet over return of 'looted' columns from Leptis Magna:

https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2023/09/09/uk-accused-of-unacceptable-delays-over-return-of-looted-leptis-manga-treasure-to-libya/

Christos Tsirogiannis is calling out the Manhattan DA's office for not giving him credit in repatriation cases:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/sep/26/antiquities-trafficking-unit-archaeologist-christos-tsirogiannis
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/archaeologist-christos-tsirogiannis-manhattan-district-attorney-office-intellectual-property-1234680554/
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/antiquities-manhattan-repatriation-2369055

Feature on Edoardo Almagia's smuggling activities:

https://paw.princeton.edu/article/edoardo-almagia-looted-art-antiquities-manhattan-district-attorney

OpEd on assorted museums with repatriation issues:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/16/opinion/museum-artifacts-looting.html

The head of the Met is pledging to return trafficked art:

https://www.rfi.fr/en/health-and-lifestyle/20230928-head-of-new-york-s-met-museum-pledges-to-return-trafficked-art
============================================================
NUMISMATICA
============================================================
Feature on coins from the 'fall of Rome':

https://coinweek.com/shadow-emperors-coins-of-the-fall-of-rome/

Feature on some medieval coins from the ruins of a German monastery:

https://www.numismaticnews.net/world-coins/coins-reminder-of-unsuccessful-revolt

Feature on coins of some Persian satraps:

https://coinweek.com/satraps-ancient-coins-of-the-persian-governors/

Feature on goats on ancient coins:

https://coinweek.com/oh-you-kid-goats-on-ancient-coins/

A few weeks' worth of E-Sylum newsletters:

https://www.coinbooks.org/v26/club_nbs_esylum_v26n37.html
https://www.coinbooks.org/v26/club_nbs_esylum_v26n38.html
https://www.coinbooks.org/v26/club_nbs_esylum_v26n39.html
https://www.coinbooks.org/v26/club_nbs_esylum_v26n40.html

------------------------

Coin Week:

http://www.coinweek.com/

============================================================
OBITUARIES
============================================================
Irene Philippaki-Warburton:

https://www.reading.ac.uk/news/2023/University-News/Staff/Irene-Philippaki-Warburton-obituary

Janet Martin:

https://classics.princeton.edu/department/news/princeton-classics-mourns-loss-janet-martin

Robert Kraft:

https://www.inquirer.com/obituaries/robert-kraft-obituary-religious-studies-philadelphia-pennsylvania-computer-20231004.html

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

https://www.archaeologychannel.org/audio-guide/audio-news/3316-audio-news-from-archaeologica-september-24th-through-the-30th-2023
============================================================
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/
============================================================
EXPLORATOR is a free weekly newsletter bringing you the latest
news of archaeological finds, historical research and the like.
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the 'ancient world' (broadly construed: practically anything relating
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