Exciting archaeological discoveries....

[Story]

Tucked away in Ans directorate of Dhamar governorate, a local stumbled across an ancient crypt within a known archaeological area, while digging a well for drinking water. According to preliminary examinations, the crypt extends anywhere between 150 and 180 meters in length and reaches over 9 meters in height.

http://www.yobserver.com/local-news/10018277.html

 

[dhermann1]

Yemen

It takes a while to figure out that this happened in Yemen. Verrrrry interesting country.

 

["Skeet" McD]

Dept. of Understatements, Middle-East Desk

Tucked away in Ans directorate of Dhamar governorate, a local stumbled across an ancient crypt within a known archaeological area, while digging a well for drinking water. According to preliminary examinations, the crypt extends anywhere between 150 and 180 meters in length and reaches over 9 meters in height.

http://www.yobserver.com/local-news/10018277.html

From article pointed to: “The construction methods and style of the crypt indicate that it is very old, perhaps between 2100 or 2200 years old, from the Himyarite Period. This would mean it predates the arrival of Islam within Yemen,” speculated Ali Daif Allah al-Sanabani, the Director of the General Authority for Antiquities in Dhamar governorate.”

Uh.....yeah: but just BARELY Either a REALLY bad translation, or a remarkably foreshortened view of history.... (danger: objects seen in rear-view mirror are closer than they seem)

"Skeet"

 

[dhermann1]

That sort of implies that the arrival of Islam there corresponds to the western hemispher's distinction of "pre-Columbian", the great watershed in our history.

 

[Story]

51 beheaded Viking skeletons in the UK
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/5057760.Ridgeway_Viking_grave__Weymouth_Relief_Road_discovery/

 

[LordBest]

Medieval Brain found preserved

http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/medieval-child-brain-preserved.html

Looks like one of my misshapen chocolate cakes. An astounding discovery, though.

 

[dhermann1]

40,000 year old tools in Tasmania

http://www.aolnews.com/world/articl...tools-at-tasmanian-construction-site/19391927

 

[Story]

For the Egyptology fashion fans : remember, doors work both ways.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100329/wl_africa_afp/egyptarchaeology

 

[Creeping Past]

Crete: 150,000 year old tools and evidence of seafaring

Link

 

[dhermann1]

Re: Crete: That's a really fascinating story, but I still would like to see more corroboration for this.

 

[Creeping Past]

As is often the way with these things, it's only news in the place where the scholar involved comes from. In this case, Providence.

The article also says: "Thomas Strasser has co-written an article on the discoveries for the peer-reviewed Hesperia."

A friendly academic should be able to get access to Hesperia.

 

[Story]

This can't be good...
http://io9.com/5504790/what-the-hell-is-buried-in-this-half+ton-coffin

 

[Yeps]

That looks fun, but it is probably not as interesting as my overactive imagination makes it.

 

[anon`]

That looks fun, but it is probably not as interesting as my overactive imagination makes it.

More interesting than the author's ideas?

So what exactly is in this mysterious half-ton pine - erm - lead box? Here are some totally implausible possibilities:

- Cthulhu Jr.
- Cthulhu Jr.'s lunch.
- Some poor sap who turned the frozen donkey wheel with a little too much gusto.
- The groaning dregs of the first Roman zombie outbreak.
- All the wickedness of the world (with a dollop of hope).
- Apparitions who get their rocks off melting Nazis' faces.
- A bored demon who has nothing better to do other than go to Washington D.C. and make little girls drop the F-bomb.
- Candy. Just a mind-blowing, s----ton of candy.

 

[Yeps]

I am a little partial to the Nazi melting. But the key to the gate of hell would be fun, especially packed in case of live snakes.

 

[dhermann1]

Pompeii's ruins being ruined

This is very upsetting.

http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/2010/04/ashes-to-ashes-the-latter-day-ruin-of-pompeii/

 

[LocktownDog]

Agreed. Upsetting, but somehow not surprising. The Italian government hasn't been the most attentive and efficient caretakers in recent years.

 

[dhermann1]

Colonnade Row, New York, rediscovered

This is a little more recent than Pompeii, but in its own way, a remarkabke archaeological find. Those familiar with lower Manhattan are aware of Colonnade Row, on Lafayette St., near the East Village. Several beautiful columned facades that date from the early 19th century. There were originally several more that were demolished 100 years ago. Their remains have turned up in New Jersey. This has nothing to do with being John Malkovich, but it seems like it should.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/realestate/08scapes.html?hp

 

[dhermann1]

Atlantis found? (No really, this time they mean it.)

This thread doesn't see much action, but for some of us it's a lot of fun. Anyhow, I just saw this in several news blogs. Basically there's a new and very convincing candidate for the true location of Atlantis. Seems there are remains of a ringed city north of Cadiz, Spain. This would place it in the west of the Pillars of Hercules, as described by Plato. It looks like a huge Tsunami washed the whole place away. Anyhow, the whole description and explanation seems very convincing to me. It's going to be in a Nat Geo show some time soon.
I went straight to Google Maps and found Dona Anna National Park, north of Cadiz, and actually saw what I suspect may be the circular formations they describe. Very cool.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110312135018.htm

 

[Dr Doran]

Moderately repulsive thing on Roman sewer full of human excrement and some moderately interesting other things. I recently saw an entire highly scientific book on coprolites and the archaeological usage of human excrement to understand things about the past; I cannot say that I would wish to specialize in this, but what the heck.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13781202