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, Bob Skiles,

Richard Miller, Kris Curry, Rick Heli, Richard C. Griffiths, Frank MacKay,

Don Buck, and Ross W. Sargent for headses upses this week (as always hoping I have left no one out).

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EARLY HOMINIDS

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

Marking the 90th anniversary of the discovery of Peking Man:

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-12/03/c_138600561.htm

More on inbreeding and other factors leading to the demise of the Neanderthals:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/nov/27/bad-luck-may-have-caused-neanderthals-extinction-study

http://www.archaeology.org/news/8273-191206-neanderthal-extinction-models

More on ‘out of Africa’ migration following monsoons:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191126091309.htm

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

AFRICA

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

Feature on some Berber kings active in Mauretania in Roman times:

https://en.yabiladi.com/articles/details/86257/baga-bocchus-juba-these-berber.html

On Ghana’s ‘slave trail’:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/ghana-slave-trail-year-of-return

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

ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT

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

Infrared imaging reveals tattoos on seven 3000 years bp mummies from Deir el-Medina:

https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/infrared-images-help-in-revealing-hidden-tattoos-on-egyptian-mummies-2412817.html

https://www.cairoscene.com/ArtsAndCulture/Tattooed-Mummies-Identified-at-Deir-el-Medina-Site

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/infrared-images-reveal-hidden-tattoos-egyptian-mummies

https://www.sciencealert.com/seven-ancient-egyptian-mummies-have-been-found-with-hidden-tattoos

https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/hightech-photography-reveals-hidden-tattoos-on-3000yearold-egyptian-mummies-/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/infrared-reveals-egyptian-mummies-hidden-tattoos-180973700/

Stones from a temple of Ptah found near the Giza pyramids:

http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2019-12/07/content_75487446.htm

Not sure if the above is related to blocks from New Kingdom royal colossi and a mud brick wall from Matariya:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContentP/9/357055/Heritage/Blocks-from-royal-colossi,-huge-New-Kingdom-mud-br.aspx

https://www.newsweek.com/site-ancient-egypts-sun-cult-reveals-royal-statues-mud-wall-block-king-ramses-ii-1475026

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1213262/ancient-egypt-news-archaeology-latest-north-africa-cairo-temples-cult

Kathleen Martinez appears to be ‘expanding’ her efforts to find Cleopatra at Taposiris Magna:

https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/discovery-of-tombs-revives-dream-of-finding-cleopatra/1679867

http://www.theweekendleader.com/Headlines/45102/discovery-of-tombs-revives-dream-of-finding-cleopatra.html

https://www.freepressjournal.in/world/discovery-of-tombs-revives-dream-of-finding-cleopatra

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/science-technology/discovery-of-tombs-revives-dream-of-finding-cleopatra-lover-antony/871898.html

Zahi Hawass sees himself as a ‘custodian’ of antiquities:

https://www.france24.com/en/20191205-egyptian-archaeologist-hawass-sees-role-as-custodian-of-antiquities

http://www.jordantimes.com/news/region/egyptian-archaeologist-hawass-sees-role-custodian-antiquities

https://news.yahoo.com/egyptian-archaeologist-hawass-sees-role-custodian-antiquities-021002001.html

https://www.hindustantimes.com/art-and-culture/egyptian-archaeologist-zahi-hawass-sees-role-as-custodian-of-antiquities/story-1PHSwGyek4Ja0x8182diNL.html

Feature on Zahi Hawass:

https://www.albawaba.com/editors-choice/who-egyptian-indiana-jones-1325786

300 foreign missions are currently operating in Egypt:

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/78382/Anani-300-foreign-missions-currently-work-in-Egypt

Hype for a conference in Germany next year on Ramesside military things:

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/78301/Germany-to-host-1st-conference-on-Egypt-s-Ramesside-Era

https://egyptindependent.com/germany-to-host-first-ever-conference-on-ancient-egyptian-military-history/

Documentary hype for a find in a ‘shaft’ related to Tut:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1212321/egypt-tutankhamun-valley-of-kings-kv64-kv63-luxor-dan-snow-channel-5-howard-carter-spt

… and an interesting feature on one of Tut’s gemstones:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidbressan/2019/12/04/gemstone-found-in-king-tuts-tomb-formed-when-a-celestial-body-collided-with-earth/#2d57798b47dd

A site in Mardin might be 1000 years older than Gobeklitepe:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ancient-site-older-than-gobeklitepe-unearthed-149494

https://www.dailysabah.com/history/2019/12/04/worlds-first-temple-ancient-site-older-than-gobeklitepe-may-have-been-unearthed-in-turkey

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/culture/ancient-site-older-than-gobeklitepe-unearthed-in-turkey/1664156

https://ahvalnews.com/archaeology/turkey-unearths-contender-worlds-oldest-temple

Iron Age burials with some Egyptian connections from Oman:

https://timesofoman.com/article/2333673/Oman/Archaeologists-discover-Iron-Age-artefacts-at-Dibba-in-Musandam-governorate-of-Oman

http://www.archaeology.org/news/8270-191206-oman-egypt-amulet

Funding to search for ‘lost cities’ in Oman:

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-11/guf-fai112919.php

Assyrian cylinder seals excavated in Iran:

http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/442590/Assyrian-cylinder-seals-unearthed-in-Iran

Evidence of lime plaster production from a burial near Ein Gev dating to 12 000 bp (!):

https://www.timesofisrael.com/12000-year-old-galilee-artifacts-reset-plaster-production-clock-by-2-millennia/

A Second Temple (maybe? Dates vary according to article) period synagogue with mosaics from Majdulia:

https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Rare-mosaic-fragments-uncovered-in-unique-Roman-period-Golan-synagogue-609619

https://www.jewishpress.com/news/archaeology-news/rare-mosaic-discovered-in-roman-period-golan-synagogue/2019/12/02/

https://www.timesofisrael.com/rare-3rd-century-golan-synagogue-mosaics-show-shift-in-jewish-life-post-temple/

https://hamodia.com/2019/12/02/colorful-mosaics-cause-rethink-ancient-golan/

https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/BJO611FGpr

Earliest evidence of Christianity in Bahrain:

http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_769743_en.html

https://www.miragenews.com/experts-find-first-archaeological-evidence-of-christianity-in-bahrain/

Somewhat vague hints that more Dead Sea Scrolls might be waiting to be found:

https://www.um.edu.mt/newspoint/news/features/2019/11/deadseajarlidfoundtoholddecomposedpapyrus

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/dead-sea-scrolls/decayed-papyrus-hints-that-more-dead-sea-scrolls-remain/

https://dqcaas.com/2019/11/24/dead-sea-jar-lid-found-to-hold-decomposed-papyrus/

I think we mentioned this ‘reading’ of a burnt fragment of Leviticus:

https://www.jerusalemonline.com/late-sixth-century-burnt-scroll-of-leviticus-deciphered/

Interesting conjectured recolorization of an Assyrian relief:

https://news.uchicago.edu/story/artist-reimagines-ancient-middle-eastern-artifact-vivid-color

Latest item on the impending flooding of Hasankeyf:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/a-turkish-dam-is-about-to-flood-one-of-the-oldest-continuously-settled-places-on-earth/2019/11/26/26d327f2-0d48-11ea-8054-289aef6e38a3_story.html

Interesting feature on the dispersal of assorted ANE items to assorted museums:

http://www.asor.org/anetoday/2019/12/Scattered-Finds

Protecting petroglyphs in Jordan:

https://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2019/1127/In-Jordan-s-desert-ancient-rock-art-finds-modern-defenders

Feature on Asherah and the Asherim:

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/asherah-and-the-asherim-goddess-or-cult-symbol/

Feature on Leiden’s cuneiform collection:

https://phys.org/news/2019-12-cuneiform-reveals-birthplace.html

Feature on Petra:

https://www.archaeology.org/issues/360-1911/letter-from/8076-jordan-petra-hinterland

More on that 1300 years bp chess piece from Jordan:

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium.MAGAZINE-world-s-oldest-surviving-chess-piece-unearthed-in-jordan-1.8201206

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chess-piece-unearthed-jordan-may-be-worlds-oldest-180973675/

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ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)

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

1700 years bp eggs (one intact!) from a Roman site in Aylesbury:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-50603415

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/roman-chicken-eggs-find-aylesbury-oxford-archaeology-a9236226.html

https://www.metro.news/shell-shocked-diggers-unearth-worlds-oldest-stinkbombs/1824772/

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/crack-archaeologists-find-four-roman-chicken-eggs-v0tv02f7l

Remains of a Roman villa excavated in Dorchester:

https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/18080221.amazing-discovery-roman-villa-unearthed-near-frampton/

https://www.gillingham-news.co.uk/news/roman-villa-re-discovered-on-dorset-nature-reserve/

https://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/18080058.ancient-roman-villa-unearthed-west-dorset/

A Roman villa being excavated in Rome turns out to have made use of timbers imported from France some 2000 years bp:

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0224077

https://phys.org/news/2019-12-long-distance-timber-underpinned-roman-empire.html

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-12/p-ltt112719.php

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/12/191204144859.htm

https://www.insidescience.org/news/muddy-find-shows-how-foreign-timber-helped-build-ancient-rome

https://www.newsweek.com/anceint-rome-villa-timber-trade-1475456

https://cosmosmagazine.com/archaeology/timber-travelled-in-roman-times

https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/ancient-romans-got-their-wood-from-as-far-away-as-france-study-finds

https://www.archaeology.org/news/8228-191205-rome-imported-wood

4th century (or later) armour remains from Deultum:

http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/2019/11/19/unknown-chainmail-armors-discovered-in-roman-colony-deultum-near-bulgarias-black-sea-coast/

http://www.archaeology.org/news/8216-191202-bulgaria-roman-armor

Mosaics from pompeii possibly shed light on the Gromatici:

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-12/pdm-tao120319.php

https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/floor-pavements-in-pompeii-illustrate-surveying-technology/

A musalla stone being used in a Turkish mosque turns out to be a Roman sarcophagus lid:

https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/2019/12/01/roman-era-sarcophagus-lid-used-in-mosque

https://www.mbs.news/2019/12/mosaic-stone-in-the-mosque-the-cover-of-the-sarcophagus-left-from-rome.html

Evidence of high blood levels of lead in Roman-era Londinium:

https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/londinium-romans-blood-lead-levels-so-high-they-may-have-lowered-birth-rates/4010808.article

https://www.archaeology.org/news/8272-191206-roman-lead-levels

Downplaying the impact of the Justinian-era plague:

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-12/nssc-jpn112719.php

https://phys.org/news/2019-12-justinianic-plague-landmark-pandemic.html

https://phys.org/news/2019-12-plague-reshape-bronze-age-europe.html

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/an-ancient-outbreak-of-bubonic-plague-may-have-been-exaggerated

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/02/world/plague-roman-empire-scn/index.html

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium-roman-empire-not-destroyed-by-plague-after-all-say-historians-1.8211047

https://www.wral.com/the-plague-probably-didnt-wipe-out-the-roman-empire-and-half-the-worlds-population-new-study-suggests/18807337/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/justinianic-plagues-devastating-impact-was-likely-exaggerated-180973680/

http://www.archaeology.org/news/8222-191204-impact-justinian-plague

An interesting ‘Amazon’ burial from Russia (not sure how recent this find is):

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7765141/Female-warrior-buried-legs-wide-apart-riding-position-2-400-years-ago.html

Feature on Roman villas:

https://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/excavating-the-ca-archive-roman-villas-2.htm

Feature on Neaera:

https://theconversation.com/hidden-women-of-history-neaera-the-athenian-child-slave-raised-to-be-a-courtesan-126840

Feature on the sound of ancient Greek music:

https://aeon.co/ideas/can-we-know-what-music-sounded-like-in-ancient-greece

Interesting feature on the TLL (not sure if I mentioned this last week):

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/30/arts/latin-dictionary.html

First Saturnalia feature of the season:

http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/mainlinesuburbanlife/opinion/brown-io-saturnalia-heralding-the-roman-festival-of-merriment-and/article_b9399e08-1515-11ea-83da-c7225da1a649.html

Classics is having some fun at Reed:

https://www.reed.edu/reed-magazine/articles/2019/latin-forum.html

Concerns for Classics at UVermont:

https://vtcynic.com/features/classics-struggles-to-not-fall-into-ruins/

… and Classics was ‘dissolved’ at UMiami:

https://www.miamistudent.net/article/2019/12/university-senate-votes-to-dissolve-department-of-classics-split-kinesiology-and-slam?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_latest

Nice feature on Princeton’s field school in Komotini:

https://www.princeton.edu/news/2019/12/02/no-stone-unturned-undergraduates-experience-archaeology-field

Feature on Greg Crane and the Perseus Library:

https://now.tufts.edu/articles/nothing-gets-lost-translation-perseus-digital-library

Classics influence in America is the focus of a new website:

http://classics.umd.edu/news/classical-influences-america

Controversy over a Classics professor at UT Austin:

https://www.statesman.com/news/20191204/austin-students-want-professor-fired-for-writings-on-age-of-consent-ut-says-its-protected-speech

https://www.thedailybeast.com/students-want-thomas-hubbard-fired-for-work-on-pederasty-but-university-of-texas-says-its-protected-speech

Christie Vogler was talking about her work in Roman archaeology:

https://now.uiowa.edu/2019/11/3mt-winner-highlights-contributions-women-made-medicine-ancient-roman-times

Peter Jones is pining for a modern day Tacitus:

https://www.spectator.co.uk/2019/12/we-could-certainly-do-with-a-tacitus-now/

More on Ruth Allen joining the Carlos Museum:

https://emorywheel.com/new-curator-of-greek-and-roman-art-joins-carlos-museum/

Review of Dunn, *The Shadow of Vesuvius* (paywalled):

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-shadow-of-vesuvius-review-two-lives-forever-entwined-11575646888

Review of Hughes, *Venus and Aphrodite* (paywalled):

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/venus-aphrodite-by-bettany-hughes-review-r23mdvsjj

Review of *Battle between frogs and mice* (paywalled):

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-battle-between-the-frogs-and-the-mice-review-the-lighter-side-of-homer-11575647027

Greek lawyers have set up a committee for the return of the Parthenon Marbles:

https://news.gtp.gr/2019/12/02/greek-lawyers-set-committee-return-parthenon-marbles/

… and in case you’re wondering how the Marbles ended up in London:

https://daily.jstor.org/wait-why-are-the-parthenon-marbles-in-london/

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-12-02-how-the-greeks-lost-their-marbles-britains-shameful-colonial-loot/

… and the latest opEd on whether they should be returned:

https://www.thenationalherald.com/272725/should-the-parthenon-marbles-be-returned-to-greece/

On Silicon Valley’s love of stoicism:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/what-is-stoicism-and-why-do-silicon-valley-types-love-it-q7tb05mpf

The statue of Ceres has return to the Missouri Capitol:

https://www.missourinet.com/tag/roman-goddess-of-agriculture/

https://www.ky3.com/content/news/Statue-of-Roman-goddess-Ceres-returns-to-Missouri-Capitol-565907461.html

More on that Greek necropolis find from Gela:

https://www.thelocal.it/20191128/ancient-necropolis-discovered-during-roadworks-in-sicily

https://eu.greekreporter.com/2019/12/03/utilities-workers-unearth-ancient-greek-necropolis-in-gela-sicily/

https://www.newsweek.com/ancient-greek-burial-ground-remains-newborn-baby-ceramic-jug-italy-1475020

https://www.archaeology.org/news/8218-191203-sicily-greek-burials

More on that 6th century CE shipwreck off Akrotiri:

https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/greek-news/culture/37895-ancient-roman-amphorae-confirm-6th-ad-shipwreck-off-akrotiri-dreamers-bay-in-cyprus.html

More on those Roman tweezers and ear swab things from a UK site:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/609737/roman-empire-tweezers-found-at-uk-archaeology-site

Boris Johnson apparently relaxes with Greek poetry:

https://eu.greekreporter.com/2019/12/04/british-pm-boris-johnson-reveals-he-reads-greek-poetry-to-relax-video/

https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/greek-news/culture/37954-uk-pm-boris-johnson-unveils-he-reads-greek-poetry-to-relax-video.html

—–

Latest reviews from BMCR:

http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/recent.html

Visit our blog:

http://rogueclassicism.com/

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

EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)

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

Bronze Age ‘figurines’ found during construction of an Orkney power station:

https://www.scotsman.com/heritage/amazing-set-of-bronze-age-figurines-found-in-orkney-at-site-of-new-power-station-1-5058477

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18086183.orkney-archaeological-find-may-ancient-figure-stones/

Studying plant use in prehistoric northern Europe:

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-12/uoh-nai120219.php

Plenty of coverage of the find of a 2000 years bp (or so) Celtic shield (and other items):

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/celtic-warrior-grave-important-find-uk-archaeology-shield-yorkshire-a9234571.html

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/entombed-warrior-shield-is-celtic-masterpiece-vgf8bz9pm

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/heritage/iron-age-shield-found-in-pocklington-is-one-of-most-important-ancient-finds-this-millennium-1-10137418

https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1214238/archeology-news-ancient-celtic-warrior-art-discovery-hailed-most-important-find-millennium

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-7759247/Yorkshire-Iron-Age-shield-hailed-important-British-Celtic-art-object-millennium.html

Archaeologists are investigating a Pictish site at Caithness:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-50670894

I think we mentioned this Viking ship (burial probably) found with GPR on a farm in Norway:

https://www.livescience.com/viking-ship-georadar-norway.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/12/04/archaeologists-use-radar-find-massive-viking-ship-buried-an-island-millennium/

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/viking-ship-found-georadar-norway-1722768

https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/archaeologists-find-a-viking-ship-buried-in-a-norwegian-field/

https://hyperallergic.com/531817/a-1000-year-old-viking-ship-burial-was-discovered-underneath-a-norwegian-farm/

… and this Catholic church find in Dublin:

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/catholic-church-discovered-in-dublin-archeology-dig-55199

Study suggests Vikings helped the Irish population to survive:

https://www.ibtimes.sg/archaeological-evidence-reveals-vikings-helped-irish-population-survive-35423

Plans to dive in the Fosse Dionne:

https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p07wsv3j/a-dangerous-dive-into-a-medieval-mystery

Searching for the remains of Cardinal Wolsey in Leicester:

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/wheres-wolsey-remains-henry-viiis-3610405

Mass 14th century burials found near the Sedlec Ossuary:

https://www.radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/over-1000-skeletons-discovered-during-renovation-of-kutna-hora-bone-church

https://news.expats.cz/weekly-czech-news/mass-graves-of-plague-and-famine-victims-found-at-kutna-horas-bone-church/

https://www.archaeology.org/news/8219-191203-sedlec-ossuary-graves

Feature on the history of York:

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/18069538.the-next-500-years-violent-york-history-without-vikings/

Feature on the Vasa:

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20191205-what-caused-this-great-warship-to-sink

More on that Viking warrior woman with battle wounds:

https://www.ibtimes.sg/scientists-reveal-first-evidence-viking-woman-battle-injury-35226

More on that Napoleonic-era field kitchen from Guernsey:

https://guernseypress.com/news/2019/11/26/bronze-age-burial-mound-in-fact-napoleonic-field-kitchen/

http://www.archaeology.org/news/8215-191202-guernsey-field-kitchen

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ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC

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

Paleolithic relics from a cave site in Shaanxi:

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-12/06/c_138610000.htm

http://www.ecns.cn/hd/2019-12-06/detail-ifzrnvym4352469.shtml

Study of some residue in an urn coffin dating to the Neolithic Yangshao Culture reveals 5000-7000 bp silk:

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-12/04/c_138605658.htm

http://www.ecns.cn/news/society/2019-12-05/detail-ifzrnvym4351671.shtml

http://www.archaeology.org/news/8226-191205-china-neolithic-silk

Foundations for some 4000 years bp granaries from China’s Henan province:

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-12/05/c_138608300.htm

Overviewish thing on finds from the Dajinshan Ruins dig in Jilin:

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-12/03/c_138602602.htm

73 ancient burials dating to 1400 years bp from Jiangxi:

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-12/07/c_138613928.htm

http://www.china.org.cn/china/2019-12/08/content_75490637.htm

A number of ‘early medieval’ (I think) Buddhist sculptures from Durgi:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/rare-sculptures-discovered-in-durgi/article30167437.ece

Feature on (failed) British colonization efforts at Port Essington (Australia):

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-03/port-essington-worlds-end-failed-british-colonial-settlement/11730570?sf225111821=1&fbclid=IwAR1BSAa96TtwzN1ZCKNh4cspsqq8npH1ul9Aeg9qCmtbOMR9AY3UA1HBzMw

Somewhat strange argument, Bollywood style, over the battle of Panipat:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-50634829

More on that intact puppy/wolf from Sibera:

https://www.livescience.com/mummified-ice-age-pup.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/02/science/frozen-puppy-found-russia.html

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2225348-ancient-puppy-found-in-permafrost-still-has-its-fur-and-whiskers/

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

NORTH AMERICA

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

I think we mentioned the use of snails to determine when Native Americans in Florida were harvesting oysters:

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/oysters-in-r-months-rule-4000-years-old/

http://www.archaeology.org/news/8217-191202-oyster-snail-clocks

Possible ‘prehistoric’ fish weirs from rivers in North Carolina:

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article238065044.html

Evidence of Civil War-era soldiers using hair dye from a Kentucky dig:

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/counties/jessamine-county/article237745444.html

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-find-hair-dye-bottles-used-self-conscious-civil-war-soldiers-posing-portraits-180973696/

http://www.archaeology.org/news/8224-191204-hair-dye-bottles

Hitherto unknown crypts/tunnels beneath a Catholic church in Norfolk:

https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/mycity/norfolk/centuries-old-discovery-made-in-norfolk-church/291-ead832ea-a76a-4bf3-80f7-bf1805f657d5

Plans to search for evidence of the Battle of Ruff’s Mill:

https://www.ajc.com/news/local/researchers-look-for-civil-war-battleground-near-cobb-covered-bridge/VesXCU7Hvrt1U3nGGG16gN/

Feature on Andrew Johnson as a Trump ‘precursor’:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/29/opinion/sunday/andrew-johnson-donald-trump.html

Feature on Alice Ballard and her homestead in the Santa Monica Mountains:

https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/alumni/csun-alum-uncovers-early-homestead-owned-by-african-american-woman-in-santa-monica-mountains/

Demolition work at Montclair State University revealed an early 20th century ‘message in a bottle’:

https://www.montclair.edu/magazine/fall-winter-2019/message-in-a-bottle/

http://www.archaeology.org/news/8214-191202-new-jersey-message

The search for more burials from that African American cemetery in Tampa continues:

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/search-for-forgotten-cemetery-extends-beneath-tampa-business/67-bcc91b5c-b730-4b78-b2f9-dbe8fd27aeb1

Feature on the Trudeau Sanatorium (NY):

https://apnews.com/3c05d20e238249cf8e49695bd5fc594b

More on Inuit sled dogs:

https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/ancient-inuit-brought-sled-dogs-from-siberia-that-helped-them-survive-study

More on that Montreal pipe kiln:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/montreal-clay-pipes-excavated

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/found-19th-century-kiln-fired-pipes-montreals-smokers-180973682/

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

CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA

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

Remains of a German WWI ship found off the Falkland Islands (!):

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-50670743

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/german-ship-famous-wwi-battle-found-falkland-islands-180973706/

http://www.archaeology.org/news/8271-191206-world-war-i-shipwreck

The longterm effects of ancient Mayan clearcutting:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-mayan-clearcutting-still-impacts-soil-carbon-today-180970089/

Rushing to document coastal heritage sites in Puerto Rico:

http://www.startribune.com/scientists-race-to-document-puerto-rico-s-coastal-heritage/565672292/

More on the most recently found Nazca geoglyphs:

https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/archaeologists-found-143-more-images-among-the-nazca-lines/

More on that 3000 years bp Water Temple site from Lambayeque:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-7685227/Archaeologists-3-000-year-old-megalithic-temple-Peru.html

https://www.livescience.com/ancient-megalithic-temple-discovered-peru.html

More on Puerto Rican cooking of clams:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191127161325.htm

—–

Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Americas Breaking News:

http://goo.gl/1VdeA

Ancient MesoAmerica News:

http://ancient-mesoamerica-news-updates.blogspot.com/

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

OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST

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

Feature on what archaeology is all about:

https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/blog/what-is-archaeology

In case you missed the news about Elizabeth I being identified as a translator of Tacitus:

https://www.uea.ac.uk/about/-/discovery-of-queen-s-16th-century-manuscript-paints-elizabeth-i-in-new-light

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/elizabeth-is-idiosyncratic-handwriting-identifies-her-author-long-overlooked-tacitus-translation-180973672/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/queen-elizabeth-manuscript-found

http://www.archaeology.org/news/8227-191205-elizabeth-i-translation

Attributing the ‘Habsburg Jaw’ to inbreeding:

https://www.livescience.com/habsburg-jaw-inbreeding.html

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/distinctive-habsburg-jaw-was-likely-result-royal-familys-inbreeding-180973688/

https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/12/01/ciencia/1575223818_870420.html

Feature on the influence of Protestantism on modern science:

https://aeon.co/essays/how-protestantism-influenced-the-making-of-modern-science

Putting Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’ in context:

https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-botticellis-birth-venus-challenged-depictions-nude-art

On the history of gin:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/12/09/the-intoxicating-history-of-gin

Feature on Agateware:

https://aeon.co/videos/how-do-you-bring-an-18th-century-ceramic-teapot-to-life-an-artist-puzzles-it-out

Feature on Beethoven’s Ninth:

https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2019/12/07/785098204/the-music-and-morality-of-beethovens-mighty-ninth

https://www.carnegiehall.org/en/Education/Young-Musicians/All-Together-A-Global-Ode-to-Joy

I think we mentioned this major medieval manuscript digitization project:

https://phys.org/news/2019-11-thousands-medieval-manuscripts-online-full.html

On the origin of apples:

http://www.archaeology.org/feed/365-issue/2001/features/top10/8239-kazakhstan-apple-domestication

On the history of money:

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191204-does-e-money-make-you-spend-more

Johns Hopkins has acquired a copy of ‘A Problem in Greek Ethics’:

https://hub.jhu.edu/2019/12/05/john-addington-symonds-greek-ethics-rare-book/

Hyping a documentary series on the slave trade:

https://www.brown.edu/news/2019-12-03/slavetrade

Interesting daguerreotype of enslaved individuals on a cotton plantation from 1850:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/may-be-earliest-known-image-slaves-cotton-180973705/

Feature on El Greco:

https://hyperallergic.com/531424/el-greco-modernist-hero/

Top ten discoveries of 2019:

http://www.archaeology.org/feed/364-issue/2001/features/8233-top-10-discoveries-of-2019

Top ten paintings:

https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/most-famous-paintings/index.html

On Montaigne’s remains:

https://elpais.com/cultura/2019/11/30/actualidad/1575081924_221954.html

The SAA is dealing with sexual harassment:

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/12/archaeology-society-votes-let-board-ban-sexual-harassers-meetings

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/society-for-american-archaeology-can-ban-harassers-from-meetings-66809

Interesting feature on urinals in Paris in WWII:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-paris-open-air-urinals-changed-cityand-helped-dismantle-nazi-regime-180973704/

The history of Santa Claus:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/06/world/santa-claus-story/index.html

… and Chanukah:

https://www.ledgertranscript.com/vpsirvint-ml-120319_-30968816

… and Saint Nicholas:

https://www.dw.com/en/saint-nicholas-one-man-one-mission/g-18874923

What Julie Andres is reading:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/05/books/review/julie-andrews-by-the-book-interview.html

Review of Fagan, *Brief History of Archaeology*:

https://elpais.com/cultura/2019/11/29/babelia/1575038864_845536.html

Feature on Irelands Virtual Record Treasury project:

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/retrieval-of-irish-archive-lost-in-1922-fire-astounding-historian-says-1.4104963?mode=amp

More on the demise of the Great Auk:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/04/science/great-auks-extinction.html

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

MUSEUM MATTERS

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

Saudi Arabian Masterpieces:

https://menafn.com/1099360936/Antiquities-of-the-Kingdom-of-Saudi-Arabias-Masterpieces-in-Rome

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/584213/SAUDI-ARABIA/Roads-of-Arabia-in-Rome-attracts-record-6500-visitors-in-one-day

Troy:

https://inews.co.uk/culture/arts/troy-myth-and-reality-british-museum-review-ticket-releases-classical-treasures-1331666

Balthazar:

http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/images-of-african-kingship-real-and-imagined/

East India Company artists:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/london-exhibit-celebrates-indian-artists-who-captured-natural-history-east-india-company-180973687/

Giulio Romano:

https://www.apollo-magazine.com/giulio-romano-palazzo-te-mantua/

Plans for an antiquities museum in Purana Quila:

https://indiaeducationdiary.in/a-new-museum-of-antiquities-proposed-to-be-opened-in-purana-quila-by-april-2020-prahlad-singh-patel/

The Prado is using museum art for climate change awareness:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50646625

The story of Hull’s Egyptian mummy:

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/history/mysterious-story-hulls-egyptian-mummy-3595561

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

AUCTIONS AND RELATED ACTIVITIES

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

The Wacks Collection of ancient coins is coming to auction:

https://coinweek.com/dealers-companies/goldbergs/wacks-collection-includes-rare-roman-related-judaean-coins/

The Melton Hoard fetched a nice price:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-50663468

https://www.meltontimes.co.uk/news/detectorist-s-hoard-including-1-000-year-old-melton-coin-fetches-90-000-at-auction-1-9166247

Egypt prevented the sale of an ‘important archaeological painting’:

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/78413/Egypt-stops-sale-of-archaeological-painting-in-NY

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

THE TECHY SIDE

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

#d printing is helping museums in repatriation and decolonization efforts:

http://theconversation.com/3d-printing-is-helping-museums-in-repatriation-and-decolonisation-efforts-126449

https://phys.org/news/2019-12-d-museums-repatriation-decolonization-efforts.html

GPR is revealing ancient footprints at White Sands National Monument:

https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/radar-reveals-ghostly-footprints-at-white-sands/

More on CT being used on ivory mannikins:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191127161228.htm

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

TOURISTY THINGS

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

Ranjankudi fort:

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/forgotten-17th-c-fort-a-reminder-of-religious-harmony/articleshow/72348849.cms

Greek Temples:

https://medium.com/in-medias-res/the-12-best-greek-temples-to-visit-6009d63d7107?source=rss—-be29a880a537—4

Saddam Hussein’s Babylon:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/babylon-iraq-saddam-hussein

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

PERFORMANCES

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

Antigone:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/canadas-oscar-contender-antigone-offers-modern-take-greek-tragedy-1251442

https://ca.style.yahoo.com/antigone-canadas-pick-best-international-212602785.html

Odyssey:

https://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/iowa-state-university-ames-anonymous-isu-theatre-production-immigrant-xenophobia-refugee-fisher-theater/article_0873080e-17ac-11ea-b1d4-9bf277001c78.html

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

CRIME BEAT

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

Over a million antiquities have been stolen from Yemen, apparently:

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191204-over-1-million-antiquities-stolen-from-yemen/

Nine people arrested for illegal digs in Sohag:

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/78332/Police-arrests-9-citizens-over-illegal-excavations-in-Sohag

On two recent robberies in Germany:

https://www.livescience.com/germany-jewels-spy-heists.html

More on the charges against Douglas Latchford:

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/666013/kingdom-supports-prosecution-of-alleged-artefact-smuggler/

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

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

Zahi Hawass is heading a repatriation campaign:

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/archaeologist-launches-private-restitution-bid

Another repatriation-related opEd:

https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/questions-still-linger-about-colonial-era-artefacts-1.946412

Saudi Arabia has recovered “thousands” of illegally-taken antiquities, apparently:

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1592496/saudi-arabia

https://www.albawaba.com/editors-choice/saudi-arabia-recovers-52000-illegally-stolen-priceless-artifacts-1324628

Renewed efforts to recover Aboriginal artifacts:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/postcolonial-blog/2019/dec/02/theres-a-new-push-for-the-return-of-looted-aboriginal-artefacts-in-the-name-of-truth-telling

Some Nazi looted books were returned to the Freemasons:

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-library-returns-books-stolen-by-nazis-to-freemasons/a-51533157

Another Gurlitt-related piece being returned:

https://www.dw.com/en/watercolor-stolen-by-nazis-returned-to-original-museum/a-51536104

More on the Penn Museum returning cuneiform tablets to Iraq:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/penn-museum-hands-over-fragments-of-387-ancient-clay-tablets-to-iraq

https://www.inquirer.com/arts/sumerian-tablets-penn-museum-repatriation-iraq-20191203.html

https://whyy.org/articles/after-long-term-extended-loan-penn-museum-sends-ancient-iraqi-artifacts-home/

https://www.inquirer.com/arts/sumerian-tablets-penn-museum-repatriation-iraq-20191203.html

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/ur-cuneiform-tablet-repatriation

https://www.archaeology.org/news/8221-191204-iraq-tablets-returned

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

NUMISMATICA

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

Someone put a Thracian coin from 44 BCE (or so) in a Salvation Army kettle:

https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/rare-coin-from-44-42-b-c-dropped-in-salvation-army-red-kettle-in-tampa/

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/anonymous-donor-drops-rare-gold-coin-valued-at-2000-into-salvation-army-kettle/67-20aadb71-4439-4389-bf15-014dba9295e0

Feature on Celtic coinage of Gaul:

https://coinweek.com/ancient-coins/coinweek-ancient-coin-series-the-celtic-coinage-of-gaul/

Feature on ancient coins and Christianity:

https://www.jacksonvilleprogress.com/opinion/mysteries-at-your-museum-antique-coins-and-christianity/article_7b089770-187f-11ea-b82b-97abbfb8c30f.html

Latest e-Sylum:

http://www.coinbooks.org/v22/club_nbs_esylum_v22n48.html

… and the one which should appear later today:

http://www.coinbooks.org/v22/club_nbs_esylum_v22n49.html

————————

Ancient Coin Collecting:

http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins:

http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/

Coin Week:

http://www.coinweek.com/

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

OBITUARIES

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

Alexander Cambitoglou:

https://greekcitytimes.com/2019/12/03/greek-australian-archaeologist-alexander-cambitoglou-passes-away-aged-97/

https://au.greekreporter.com/2019/12/03/alexander-cambitoglou-first-greek-university-professor-in-australia-dies-at-97/

https://neoskosmos.com/en/153176/alexander-cambitoglou-first-greek-university-professor-in-australia-passes-away-at-the-age-of-97/

Larry Hurtado:

http://evangelicaltextualcriticism.blogspot.com/2019/12/larry-w-hurtado-29-december-1943-25.html

Edward Courtney:

https://classicalstudies.org/scs-news/memoriam-edward-courtney

Lars Hartman:

http://evangelicaltextualcriticism.blogspot.com/2019/11/rip-lars-hartman-1930-2019.html

Robert K. Massie:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/robert-k-massie-award-winning-historian-of-czarist-russia-dies-at-90/2019/12/03/42a3b816-15d1-11ea-a659-7d69641c6ff7_story.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/02/books/robert-k-massie-dead.html

Stephen Garrett:

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/stephen-garrett-inaugural-director-of-the-getty-and-the-hammer-has-died-aged-96

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

AUDIO/VIDEO NEWS

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

Audio News from Archaeologica:

https://www.archaeologychannel.org/audio-guide/audio-news/2901-audio-news-from-archaeologica-november-24-through-november-30-2019

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

GENERAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS BLOGS

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

Archaeology Magazine News Page:

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

About.com Archaeology:

http://archaeology.about.com/

Ancient Digger:

http://www.ancientdigger.com/

Archaeology Briefs:

http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/

Past Horizons:

http://www.pasthorizons.com/

Stonepages:

http://www.stonepages.com/news/

Taygete Atlantis excavations blogs aggregator:

http://planet.atlantides.org/taygete/

Time Machine:

http://heatherpringle.wordpress.com/

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

PODCASTS/VODCASTS

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

Archaeosoup:

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

Archaeology Podcast Network:

http://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/

The Book and the Spade:

http://www.radioscribe.com/bknspade.htm

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

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