Ancient History News Archive April 2012

The Sasanians of Iran have long played a historical "second fiddle" to their Romano-Byzantine, Indian, and Chinese neighbors. The last of the ancient Persian dynasties and perhaps the most culturally sophisticated of all Persian polities, the Sasanians were a dynamic and commanding force in the world of Late Antiquity. In this interview, James Wiener of... [continue reading]

For those of you interested in all that which is "Mesoamerican," please check out the Los Angeles Times' recent review of "Children of the Plumed Serpent: The Legacy of Quetzalcoatl in Ancient Mexico." This exhibition is currently on show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art until July 1, 2012 and showcases some of the rarest and finest works by ancient craftsmen... [continue reading]

MSNBC is reporting that ancient Peruvian tombs are revealing fascinating genetic and cultural secrets. Throughout the centuries, many Andean peoples in Peru buried their dead in vertical tombs called "chullpas." Researchers from the University of Warsaw have traced genomic sequences of dozens of individuals, buried in the chullpas, encountering some surprising discoveries... [continue reading]

Bulgarian journalists are reporting that an unusual erotic vase has been discovered in the city of Sozopol, which sits directly next to the Black Sea. Dating from the 6th or 7th century BCE, the vase appears to have been crafted in Greece and later traded to what is present-day Bulgaria sometime later. Please click here to read more from UPI.com.

There's a really interesting history podcast produced by Dan Carlin, called Hardcore History. He looks at various subjects in history, including several ancient subjects (such as the fall of the Roman Republic), in a very accessible, interesting, and captivating way. Fans of history and podcasting should definitely have a look at his site. Thanks to Felicia Day for the news tip.

Archaeologists working near the Peruvian city of Chiclayo have just uncovered the mysterious remains of a woman believed to be a priestess of the Sican or Lambayeque people. Dating from the thirteenth century CE, the remains might provide some much needed insight into the final centuries of the coastal Sican civilization. Please click here to read more about... [continue reading]

We are looking for your help with our next big project, which is best described as "Google Maps of the Ancient World". It's a very exciting and massive project. We need help with research on ancient cities and their placement on the map, with date ranges of their existence. As with the rest of the site, we cover the world from the beginning of civilization... [continue reading]

The Queensland Museum, located in Brisbane, Australia, is the newest venue of Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb. This unprecedented exhibition will be shown in Queensland from April 19 until August 19, 2012. With a mix of diverse artifacts and 3D technological presentations, Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb promises to be an unusual and captivating take on the splendors... [continue reading]

LiveScience is reporting that a statue displayed in the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, in Hamburg, Germany, might be that of a female gladiator. Topless and of unknown origins, the statue is nearly 2.000 years old but in very good condition. Contrary to popular belief, female gladiators did exist in the Roman Empire although they were quite rare. Emperor Septimius... [continue reading]

Scientists have used satellite images to locate previously-unkown human settlements in Syria. Harvard archeologist Jason Ur and MIT computer scientist Bjoern Menze have combined spy-satellite photos acquired during the 1960s with modern images of the Earth's surface, and thus have devised a new method of mapping patterns of human settlements at an unprecedented... [continue reading]

If you're interested in ancient art, be sure to check out the Google Art Project. With access to high-resolution images of works of art from over forty museums from around the world, this is a fantastic free resource. Recently, the Google Art Project has been incorporating works of ancient African art and sculpture to their online library: allAfrica.com reports... [continue reading]

At the Ancient History Encyclopedia, we like providing you with the latest information pertaining to exhibitions of interest to the scholar and enthusiast alike. Here are some new exhibitions to make note of: Mummies of the World: The Exhibition makes its Florida debut at the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI), in Tampa, Florida USA, on Friday, April... [continue reading]

Touching the Gods: physical interaction with cult statues in the Roman world By Polly Weddle PhD Dissertation, Durham University, 2010 Abstract: “Touching the Gods: physical interaction... [continue reading]

Emperor Qin in the Afterlife By Jennifer Wolff Deliberations (2007) Introduction: Of the many great archaeological finds in the 20th century, one of the grandest is the discovery of Emperor Qin Shihuangdi’s terracotta army. The... [continue reading]

“Sine legem fide”: clientage in ancient Rome from the Punic Wars to the Social War By Molly Ann Rosser Dauster PhD Dissertation, Texas Tech University, 2001 Abstract: Recent field... [continue reading]

A hoard of 33 rare Roman coins has been found in a field near Hebden. Colne man Mick Wilson, who had been metal detecting with his friend Colin Binns, of Skipton, made the startling discovery on May 29, 2011.  The hoard of rare Roman coins The... [continue reading]

The Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustan Peace), also called the "Ara Pacis," is a famous Roman monument housed in the Museo dell'Ara Pacis, in Rome, Italy. Built between 13-9 BCE, it is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful of all Roman monuments. Here, you can view high-resolution beautiful images and access 3-D models of what the Ara Pacis looked... [continue reading]

Plutarch on the Outbreak of the Roman Civil War By Christopher Pelling Ad fontes!: Festschrift für Gerhard Dobesch zum fünfundsechzigsten Geburtstag am 15. September 2004: dargebracht von Kollegen, Schülern und Freunden, edited... [continue reading]

Archaeological experts from Cambridge and the Banaras Hindu University have dug out relics, believed to be associated with the ancient Harappan civilisation, from a village in Haryana.  An Indo-UK team of archaeologists excavates a site at Khalsa Bohla village... [continue reading]

The Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association (CYSCA) is launching a fundraising effort to help support the ongoing research into 4th–2ndmillennium B.C. history and culture at the Shengavit archaeological site in Yerevan. Archaeologist Dr. Mitchell S. Rothman... [continue reading]

The Trefael Stone, a scheduled ancient monument in south-west Wales originally thought to be an ancient standing stone is actually the capstone of a 5,500-year-old tomb, according to new research from an archaeologist at the University of Bristol. ... [continue reading]

The Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site has received a £537,185 funding boost to help protect it for future generations.  A central section of the 2,000 year-old wall is at risk The money's being provided by the SITA Trust. After detailed surveys in May specialist... [continue reading]

A rock with carvings dating back at least 4,000 years has been uncovered in Pickering. The stone is originally from Ravenscar but became part of a barrow or burial mound on the North York Moors.  Alan Walker with the ancient carved stone During the... [continue reading]

We wanted to inform our contributors and visitors from the UK that an exciting exhibition has just opened at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth, UK.  2012 BC: Cornwall and the Sea in the Bronze Age is a special exhibition which traces Cornish mining, trading, and maritime exchange with Bronze Age Europe. Among the highlights are the lovely... [continue reading]

The BBC is reporting that a team of archaeologists have uncovered the ruins of several prehistoric structures on the remote Skmore Island off the coast of Pembrokeshire, Wales. Better known for its diverse flora and fauna, Skmore Island is now believed to have been inhabited around 5.000 years ago. Please click here to read the article in its entirety.

Greek Rhetoric In Situ: Sites of Rhetorical Performance in Ancient Greece Lecture by Christopher Johnstone, Associate Professor of Rhetoric in the Department of Communication, Arts, and Sciences at Penn State... [continue reading]

The Maya Origin of a Mexican God: The Iconographic Primacy of Tezcatlipoca at Chichén Itzá, Yucatan over Tula, Hidalgo... [continue reading]

Round temples in Roman architecture of the Republic through the late Imperial period By Naja Regina Armstrong D.Phil Thesis, University of Oxford, 2001 Abstract: Roman round temples... [continue reading]

The New York Times ran an article on the ancient Chinese ziqi today. The instrument is making something of a comeback in contemporary China and dates from the Waring States Period (c. 600 BCE). Please click here to learn more about its revival in relation to renewed interest in traditional Chinese culture.

The problems of Confucianism in the late warring states period and Xunzi’s reconstruction of Confucianism By Sun Wei PhD Dissertation, National University of Singapore... [continue reading]

Archaeologists working in Jerusalem claim that a discovery they made inside a burial tomb, dating back to the time of Jesus Christ, could shed new light on the origins of Christianity.  Biblical historian James Tabor and a team of archaeologists uncovered... [continue reading]

We often hear about how Jerusalem is holy to followers of the three major monotheistic religions. But what is less well-known is that the surrounding Judean hills were home to pagan ritual sites involving Greco-Roman gods. One such site, linked to the harvest goddess... [continue reading]

We often hear about how Jerusalem is holy to followers of the three major monotheistic religions. But what is less well-known is that the surrounding Judean hills were home to pagan ritual sites involving Greco-Roman gods. One such site, linked to the harvest goddess... [continue reading]

More than 200,000 years ago, humans migrated to Borneo where an early settlement was recorded in Lahad Datu.  State Tourism Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun (second from left) being briefed on the history of the Perak Man by USM... [continue reading]

Scientists studying 1,600-year-old cotton from the banks of the Nile have found what they believe is the first evidence that punctuated evolution has occurred in a major crop group within the relatively short history of plant domestication.... [continue reading]

Roman Agricultural Magic By Britta K. Ager PhD Dissertation, University of Michigan, 2010 Abstract: In this dissertation, I examine the magical practices of Roman farmers, primarily through the Latin farming manuals; topics include the magical... [continue reading]

At the Ancient History Encyclopedia, we like to introduce our users and contributors to other organizations and institutions which provide assistance in the study and preservation of the ancient past. One such organization is Archaeology Southwest. This is a private nonprofit which aims to increase public awareness in the rich past of the ancient cultures... [continue reading]

Teachers or instructors might be interested in accessing images of the ancient world from the New York Public Library's Picture Collection. With over 1.700 images covering a range of subjects from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and other cultures around the Mediterranean, this is a great resource for the classroom. All the images were rendered or conceived... [continue reading]

Criminal elements: the evolution of the outlaw in the ancient novel By Katherine Panagakos PhD Dissertation, Ohio State University, 2004 Abstract: In the first to fourth centuries A.D., a literary... [continue reading]

Sappho and the World of Lesbian Poetry By William Harris Published Online (2006) Introduction: When we speak of Sappho, the poet from the island of Lesbos, and her poetry, we are thinking of something very special, a transcendental... [continue reading]

Ancient North Arabian By M.C.A. Macdonald The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World’s Ancient Languages, edited by Roger D. Woodard (Cambridge University Press. 2004) Introduction: In the western two-thirds of the Arabian Peninsula... [continue reading]

Ancient Egyptian Humor By Amr Kamel Published Online Introduction: Humor is everywhere in the ancient world, not only in comedies proper, but in almost every type of art and literary genre as well. Laughter is often considered the response... [continue reading]

Ancient Blacksmiths, The Iron Age, Damascus Steels, And Modern Metallurgy By Oleg D. Sherby and Jeffrey Wadsworth Thermec 2000, International Conference on Processing and Manufacturing of Advanced Materials... [continue reading]

The building stones of ancient Egypt – a gift of its geology By Dietrich D. Klemm and Rosemarie Klemm African Earth Sciences, Vol. 33 (2001) Abstract: Building stones and clay-rich Nile... [continue reading]

The history of Jewish Christianity in the early Roman Empire (30-135 A.D.) By Douglas Lawson Master’s Thesis, McGill University, 1970 Introduction: The history of Jewish Christianity... [continue reading]

Archaeologists from the city-based Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute and the Gujarat State Department of Archaeology, recently excavated an entire settlement belonging to the late mature Harappan period, dating back to 4,000 years, at Kotada-Bhadli... [continue reading]

A vast urn-burial site has been found at Mandapam village, near Aarpakkam intersection, about 14 km from Kancheepuram.  Pottery and iron age megaliths identified from a structure at Aarpakkam village in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu The importance... [continue reading]

A team of archaeologists have found "hidden" remains of prehistoric buildings and fields on Skomer Island, off the Pembrokeshire coast.  Archaeologists carried out a geophysical survey of the island to find out what's beneath the surface Using new technology... [continue reading]

Just in time for Passover, Israeli archaeologists have found a rare Egyptian artifact in Jerusalem. An Egyptian scarab, dating back to the 13th century B.C.E. (the era when some scholars speculate the Exodus may have occurred) was uncovered on Thursday at an excavation... [continue reading]

For several decades, scholars and archaeologists have debated what caused the decline and collapse of the Classical Maya (c. 250-900 CE). Most content that it was a combination of agricultural mismanagement and environmental changes, which doomed the city-states of the formidable Maya. MSNBC published this article last month, which suggested that changes... [continue reading]

‘Persianisation’ in the Art and Architecture of Achaemenid Provincial Palaces, 550-330BC By Anthony Wright Ex Historia, Vol.4 (2012) Introduction: According to Margaret... [continue reading]

A new book just published reveals the true extent of the Roman Empire’s attempts to conquer Scotland – and explores the archaeological legacy left behind. Written by Dr Rebecca Jones, an RCAHMS archaeologist and expert on the Roman frontiers, Roman... [continue reading]

Forget about the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Christianity’s holiest site is not located within the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, as 2 billion Christians might have thought, but about two miles to the south in a cluster of box-shaped apartment buildings. ... [continue reading]

A 3,200-year-old mummy mask located in gallery 130 inside the St. Louis Art Museum isn’t going anywhere soon.  Mummy Mask of the Lady Ka-nefer-nefer U.S. District Court Judge Henry Autry made that decision earlier this week, according to court documents... [continue reading]

A group of Peruvian archaeologists found a 1,500-year-old altar for human sacrifices on the top of a hill in the northern region of La Libertad, the daily El Comercio reported Tuesday.  The structure is located 1,000 meters (3,250 feet) high on Campana... [continue reading]

Social status of elite women of the new kingdom of ancient Egypt: a comparison of artistic features Olivier, Anette Master of Arts in Near Eastern Studies, University of South Africa... [continue reading]

The Napoleonic Egyptian Scientific Expdition and the Ninetenth-Century Survey Museum Peters, Erin A. Master of Arts in Museum Professions, Seton Hall University, May (2009) Abstract... [continue reading]

The Destiny of The World: A Study on the End of The Universe in The Light of  Ancient Egyptian Texts ElSebaie, Sherine M. Master of Arts, Graduate Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University... [continue reading]

The Destiny of The World: A Study on the End of The Universe in The Light of  Ancient Egyptian Texts ElSebaie, Sherine M. Master of Arts, Graduate Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University... [continue reading]

The Lod mosaic has earned its place of honor outside the conservation laboratory of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The laboratory, in the courtyard of the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem, contains hundreds of mosaics collected over about a century of archaeological... [continue reading]

Hospitium and Political Friendship in the Late Republic By John Nicols Aspects of Friendship in the Graeco-Roman World: Proceedings of a conference held at the Seminar für Alte Geschichte, Heidelberg on 10-11 June, 2000... [continue reading]

Rock art is both ubiquitous and mysterious: it exists on every continent except Antarctica, yet remains largely enigmatic. With advances in neuroscience and with the aid of medical imaging technology, scholars are now beginning to unravel the mysterious of rock art design and purpose. What has been uncovered is likely to both shock and surprise you. Click... [continue reading]

Many are unaware that it was possible to sail from the Mediterranean Sea to Red Sea before the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 CE. Nile-to-Suez canals existed more than two thousand years ago, providing a steady flow of trade and traffic between East and West. In the March/April 2012 edition of Saudi Aramco World Magazine, John Cooper introduces us... [continue reading]

The İstanbul Archaeological Museum will be exhibiting casts of hundreds of footprints dating back 8,000 years that were discovered during ongoing archeological digs at Yenikapı, the site of work for a key transfer hub in İstanbul's metro system.  Archaeological... [continue reading]

The discovery of a well-preserved juvenile woolly mammoth suggests that ancient humans "stole" mammoths from hunting lions, scientists say.  Yuka was found with many bones missing and cuts that may have been made by ancient hunters Bernard Buigues... [continue reading]

A Matter of Life and Death: Gladiatorial Games, Sacrificial Ritual and Literary Allusion By Desiree E. Gerner Master’s Thesis, University of Oregon, 2010 Abstract: Roman gladiatorial... [continue reading]

The Economist magazine has posted this video review of "Nomads & Networks: The Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan" at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World in New York City. Please click here to access the video. We promise that you won't regret doing so! The objects are beautiful and most have never been seen by the public until now.

Channel News Asia is reporting that the remains of a Stone Age man has been unearthed off the southern Chinese coast in Fujian Province. Archaeologists from Taiwan believe that the 8.000 year old skeleton might be an ancestor to Taiwan's aboriginal peoples. The man was believed to be around thirty-five years of age around the time of his death and the bones... [continue reading]

Israel Antiquities Authority officials have seized two ancient Egyptian coffin covers found while inspecting a shop in Jerusalem’s Old City, the IAA revealed in a press release on Tuesday. It is suspected that the sarcophagus pieces were looted sometime during... [continue reading]

A massive gold ring and a gold leaf from a royal crown are the latest archaeological discoveries in the Bulgarian Black Sea town of Sozopol, site of the ancient town of Apollonia.  The site of archaeological excavations on Cape Skamniy in Sozopol... [continue reading]

Australia's greatest ancient Aboriginal rock art detailing kangaroos, turtles and humans on boulders in the remote Pilbara area will be studied under a US$1.1 million deal announced Monday.  Tens of thousands of the indigenous works, which are scattered... [continue reading]

Archaeologists have recently discovered the remains of a man that are believed to be between 7,500 and 7,900 years old, the oldest skeleton of the Neolithic era that has ever been discovered in Taiwan, one of the archaeologists said Monday.  Found... [continue reading]

An ambulance that would normally be speeding along Washington Avenue and into Washington Park was carefully maneuvering through downtown Albany at about 15 mph Saturday morning to avoid any potholes or bumps. The reason? Its passenger was a 2,000-year-old Egyptian mummy. ... [continue reading]

An international team led by the University of Toronto and Hebrew University has identified the earliest known evidence of the use of fire by human ancestors. Microscopic traces of wood ash, alongside animal bones and stone tools, were found in a layer dated... [continue reading]

Ancient and modern treatment of Alexander the Great By Joan Hill Master’s Thesis, University of South Africa, 2002 Abstract: This dissertation examines the different interpretations of the secondary sources for Alexander... [continue reading]

Here's a listing of more spring exhibitions which might of be of interest to many of you: The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), in Los Angeles, California USA, will be exhibiting Children of the Plumed Serpent: the Legacy of Quetzalcoatl in Ancient Mexico until July 1, 2012. With over 200 objects ranging from manuscripts and textiles to gilded plates... [continue reading]

The most western ancient Greek colony documented in the Mediterranean is revealing its secrets through the development of a Document Centre on Greek trade and presence in Iberia, according to the creators of the Iberia Graeca centre.  Aerial view of Empúries... [continue reading]

Today, the European Commission has approved funding from the European Regional Development Fund for a major project to restore the area of the UNESCO site of Pompeii, in Campania, Italy. The project 'preservation, maintenance and improvement of the archaeological site... [continue reading]

Petersfield Heath is set to become the focus of a high tech archaeological dig. The 21 Bronze Age burial barrows on the heath are “unique” say experts and should be painstakingly investigated. Once that is done, the next step could be a careful excavation of some. ... [continue reading]

Roman remains have been discovered in an archaeological excavation in Bathwick. A specialist firm is carrying out an excavation ahead of building work by Ashford Homes, at the corner of Bathwick Street and Henrietta Road in Bathwick.  Excavations in Bathwick... [continue reading]

The New York Times has just reviewed the Metropolitan Museum of Art's newest exhibition, "Byzantium and Islam: An Age of Transition." Please click here to read the favorable review.