Archaeological News

[Mike Steele]

 

I've seen this movie before...

 

 

A “gate to hell” has emerged from ruins in southwestern Turkey, Italian archaeologists have announced.

Known as Pluto's Gate -- Ploutonion in Greek, Plutonium in Latin -- the cave was celebrated as the portal to the underworld in Greco-Roman mythology and tradition.

 

http://science.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/01/17554605-plutos-gate-to-hell-uncovered-in-turkey?lite

 

I understand there's one in Cleveland too.

It Drains into the the Cuyahoga.

[X-Files]

Abraham's birthplace in Iraq

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/04/huge-ancient-complex-discovered-birthplace-abraham-iraq_n_3014947.html?icid=maing-grid7|aim|dl1|sec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D293918

[X-Files]

A giant "monumental" stone structure discovered beneath the waters of the Sea of Galilee in Israel has archaeologists puzzled as to its purpose and even how long ago it was built.

The mysterious structure is cone shaped, made of "unhewn basalt cobbles and boulders," and weighs an estimated 60,000 tons the researchers said. That makes it heavier than most modern-day warships.

Rising nearly 32 feet (10 meters) high, it has a diameter of about 230 feet (70 meters). To put that in perspective, the outer stone circle of Stonehenge has a diameter just half that with its tallest stones not reaching that height.

 

http://www.livescience.com/28567-ancient-structure-under-sea-of-galilee.html

[Max H]

Team reconstructs 'human ancestor'

The most complete view yet of a possible human ancestor uncovered in South Africa has revealed an intriguing mix of human and ape traits.

The two-million-year-old remains of several partial skeletons belonging to a previously unknown humanlike species were found in 2008 near Johannesburg.

The new analysis shows this species - Australopithecus sediba - had a human-like pelvis, hands and teeth, and a chimpanzee-like foot.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22108784

[X-Files]

Huts used as temporary homes by the workers who built Stonehenge are reconstructed 4,500 years later

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2310055/Huts-used-temporary-homes-workers-built-Stonehenge-reconstructed-4-500-years-later-probably-didnt-smelly-pig-farm-neighbours.html#ixzz2QiMA06Ga

[Mikel2]

WTF?

 

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/04/17/hamas-bulldozes-un-designated-historical-site-to-make-room-for-terrorist-training-camp/

[mnm]

You weren't expecting anything better, were you?

[Mike Steele]

 

 

Huts used as temporary homes by the workers who built Stonehenge are reconstructed 4,500 years later

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2310055/Huts-used-temporary-homes-workers-built-Stonehenge-reconstructed-4-500-years-later-probably-didnt-smelly-pig-farm-neighbours.html#ixzz2QiMA06Ga

I hope they include a dartboard and a calender from the Sun Newspaper.

[Yama]

Genetic archeology so I guess it belongs here!

 

Some times ago, some genetic studies from Russia were circled within the blogosphere with 'shocking headline' claiming that genetic studies show that Russians are really Finns! Real picture is somewhat more complicated as can be seen from this excellent article:

 

Genome-wide Analysis of Populations in European Russia

 

Genome-wide studies compare hundreds of thousands of different genetic markers, compared to much smaller sample present in for example mtDNA haplogroups. At present, they are thought to be best and most comprehensive available population genetics analysis tool.

 

That many Russian population subsets have Finnic ancestry (or more correctly, Uralic) should come as no surprise, of course. It is probably not much realized by general public, but even over much of the present "Russian heartlands", Russians are just as recent arrivals as Americans are in their own country. Most of the NW Russia was once Uralic. Even Moscow is likely a Finnic name. However, linguistics don't always follow genetics. Populations within Northeastern Europe are very varied.

 

 

 

 

Principal component analysis of the combined autosomal genotypic data of individuals from Russia and seven European countries (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany and Italia).

 

(Here is a map image linking the data points to geographical location.)

 

-Russians from the triangle Kursk-Murom-Tver (roughly centered within ancient Kiovan Rus) seem to be 'pure' Russians. They are very closely related to Czechs, Poles, Latvians and Germans.

-from this and previous studies, it's known that most Central and Western European peoples are very closely related to each other. Genetic variability between for example Swedes, English and Germans is very small, at least partly because of very frequent contacts and high degree of intermixing over the centuries.

-Estonians are pretty closely related to Latvians and Russians, however less closely related to Finns, despite very recent language contact and the prevailing view that Finnish language arrived to Finland from Estonia though some interlapping is present. The Balts are in fact not very different genetically from their continental neighbours, despite Baltic language presence being incredibly ancient.

-Northwestern Russians are only distantly related to other Russians. They are closer to surrounding Finnic peoples, but genetic distances are still great.

-Finns and the Komi (Finnic people near the Urals) show incredibly genetic variability for their small population. From previous studies it's known that Finns have at least two major subgroupings (some studies have as many as seven), Western Finns and Eastern Finns. They are not closely related to each other, difference is greater that that between Swedes and the Russians.

-Western Finns are related to Swedes and other 'mainstream' Europeans, genetic distance probably increased because of isolation. Eastern Finns are completely separate genetic group, not closely related to any other compared group, not even the close language relatives Veps! Unfortunately, most closest immediate neighbouring peoples - the Karelians and the Sami - are missing so far.

-Italians are clearly isolated from rest of the West Europeans, likely because of geographical obstacle which are the Alps.

 

So what does it tell us? Russians can rest easy, they aren't Finns, in fact it seems that Finns aren't really Finns either. However, population genetics within NE Europe are very varied and likely represent large amount of ancient groups which have not yet intermixed to same degree than in more compact, heavily populated Central Europe. Uralic languages seem to have absorbed many different ancient peoples, only to be again absorbed by Russians themselves: but genetics remain distinct.

 

[X-Files]

The lost English church where the body of King Richard III was discovered may still yield more treasures, researchers say. Archaeologists at the site in Leicester are preparing to expand their dig in the hopes of opening the grave of a possible medieval knight.

 

http://science.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/30/17989369-richard-iii-gravesite-may-include-medieval-knight?lite=

[Mr King]

[Colin]

I get a malware alert from that page

[Leo Niehorster]

Please excuse me for saying this, but it looks like a large lump of excrement.

[Leo Niehorster]

I will not sit back and allow the international Cthulhu conspiracy to sap and impurify all of my precious bodily fluids.

[X-Files]

The streets of 'Britain's Atlantis' seen for the first time in centuries: 3D scans reveal the 'drowned' medieval town of Dunwich

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2322087/The-streets-Britains-Atlantis-seen-time-3D-scans-reveal-lost-medieval-town-Dunwich.html#ixzz2SuVD0eSu

[Mike Steele]

Just for Sardukar

 

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130512/opinion/That-prehistoric-Marija-l-G-awdxija.469390

[Ivanhoe]

 

Just for Sardukar

 

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130512/opinion/That-prehistoric-Marija-l-G-awdxija.469390

 

I love this quote;

 

 

His argument is based on the fact that for more than 99 per cent of human evolutionary history, we have lived as hunter-gatherer communities surviving on our wits. Since the invention of agriculture and cities, however, natural selection on our intellect has effectively stopped.

 

[Sardaukar]

Just for Sardukar

 

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130512/opinion/That-prehistoric-Marija-l-G-awdxija.469390

 

Damn, she looks lot like my lawyer...

[Mike Steele]

 

Just for Sardukar

 

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130512/opinion/That-prehistoric-Marija-l-G-awdxija.469390

 

Damn, she looks lot like my lawyer...

So your lawyers hot then?

[Mikel2]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-16/mayan-pyramid-razed-for-road-fill/4692894

[X-Files]

Five copper coins and a nearly 70-year-old map with an ‘‘X’’ might lead to a discovery that could rewrite Australia’s history.

Australian scientist Ian McIntosh, currently Professor of Anthropology at Indiana University in the US, plans an expedition in July that has stirred up the archaeological community.

The scientist wants to revisit the location where five coins were found in the Northern Territory in 1944 that have proven to be 1000 years old, opening up the possibility that seafarers from distant countries might have landed in Australia much earlier than what is currently believed.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/ancient-discovery-set-to-rewrite-australian-history-20130519-2juck.html#ixzz2TpqnI65o

[X-Files]

Archaeologists have discovered a lost civilisation deep in the jungles of Central America.

The lost world resembles a "vast tended garden" and lies inland from the Mosquito Coast, an area known for swamps, poisonous plants and vipers that leap at their prey.

The area was last explored over 70 years ago by Theodore Morde. The American adventurer and spy emerged from the jungle in 1940, claiming to have found a "lost city of the monkey god" with giant primate sculptures.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/466952/20130512/lost-world-honduras-city-monkey-god-pyramid.htm

[TonyE]

The second War of the Roses continues....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22305069

 

The irony being he had to be buried in an anonymous grave for 600 years before becoming this popular. Nobody wanted anything to do with him in 1485.

 

No wonder, the lancastrians were the Murdochs of their day, visciously controlling all media and tainting good King Richards name and reputation!

[TonyE]

 

The streets of 'Britain's Atlantis' seen for the first time in centuries: 3D scans reveal the 'drowned' medieval town of Dunwich

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2322087/The-streets-Britains-Atlantis-seen-time-3D-scans-reveal-lost-medieval-town-Dunwich.html#ixzz2SuVD0eSu

 

Reclaimed! FTAGHN!

[X-Files]

I've seen this movie before. http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/submerged-structure-beneath-sea-of-galilee-stumps-archaeologists.php

TIBERIAS, Israel (AP) — The massive circular structure appears to be an archaeologists dream: a recently discovered antiquity that could reveal secrets of ancient life in the Middle East and is just waiting to be excavated.

It’s thousands of years old — a conical, manmade behemoth weighing hundreds of tons, practically begging to be explored.

The problem is — it’s at the bottom of the biblical Sea of Galilee. For now, at least, Israeli researchers are left stranded on dry land, wondering what finds lurk below.