Exciting archaeological discoveries....

dhermann1 · May 15, 2008

Caesar in Arles

More fun stuff:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ind-bust-of-Julius-Caesar-in-Rhone-River.html

Feraud · May 15, 2008

dhermann1 said:
More fun stuff:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ind-bust-of-Julius-Caesar-in-Rhone-River.html

That is an interesting one. I was reading about it yesterday.

The culture ministry said that the life-sized bust is believed to be the oldest of the Roman emperor ever discovered.

It portrays the Roman ruler at an advanced age, with wrinkles and hollows in his face.

Divers from an archaeological team uncovered the bust and a collection of other finds in the Rhone near the town of Arles, which Caesar founded.

Among other items in the treasure trove of ancient objects is a 5.9 foot marble statue of Neptune, dated to the third century.

dhermann1 · May 15, 2008

Since Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, this bust would have been made during his lifetime. I don't know the techniques they used back then, but he may have sat for it, it might have been based on sketches, or I wonder if they took life masks of subjects and sculpted from them. Doran, did they make plaster life or death masks in those days? I've seen bronze busts of early American patriots (Jefferson, Adams, Lafayette), made in the 1820's, that were based on plaster life masks. They're in the Fennimore House Art Museum in Cooperstown. Amazing items. Anyhoo, this bust of JC sure looks life like.

Story · May 15, 2008

300 AD Fun-Plex

Marble consecrated slab stone from the Rome epoch was discovered in archaeological excavations by the director of the Archaeology Museum in Hisar town doctor Mitko Madjarov.
The precious found has sizes 50 to 50 cm and presents the three Rome nymphs - patronesses of the mineral springs.

Archaeolosists commented that the art is made by complete master.

There is a sign on the slab, which is still unread, but is expected to be devoted to the goddesses.

From paleographic point of view the letters are typical for the IIIrd century from the Rome epoch.

During this period the Emperor Diocletian founded the city of Diocletionopol - present Hisar (Central Southern Bulgaria).

This place was favorite spot for relaxation and amusement of the Rome aristocrats, doctor Madjarov tells.
http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/hissar/news/20080515/hissar.html

Maybe this will prove one of my theories that Hisar was sanctuaries of the nymphs, he added.

Story · May 15, 2008

Another one ripe for tales

http://www.cais-soas.com/News/2008/May2008/08-05-discovery.htm

LONDON, (CAIS) -- The first season of archaeological research at Parthian Qal'eh-ye Yazdegerd (Yazdegerd Fortress) has ended with unearthing six residential units dated to the late Arsacid (Parthian) dynastic era, reported Persian service of CHN on Monday.

Archaeologists after four decades of absence in the fortress of Yazdegerd began their first season of archaeological research in November 2007, with the aim of gaining a better understanding of late-Parthian dynastic period of Iranian history.

*
Also archaeological research have confirmed that the fortress itself was abandoned in the late Arsacid dynasty, however, the Sasanian constructions including the fire temple at the foothills of the fortress, currently situated in Bān-Gombad village, could be seen as confirmation that the fortress had belonged to Haftan Bokht ,as Ardeshir ordered its destruction:

"Ardashir commanded that the fortress should be razed to the ground and demolished, while on its site he ordered the city which they call Guzaran to be erected. In that quarter he caused the Atash-i-Vahram to be enthroned" (Karnamak-i Ardashir-i Papakan, Chapter VIII).

Ardashir sounds like he was channeling Thulsa Doom.

Story · May 16, 2008

Good article on the Clovis people

http://www.free-times.com/index.php?cat=1992912064227409&ShowArticle_ID=11011405084293699

It was the summer of 1998, and University of South Carolina archaeologist Al Goodyear had a problem on his hands.

Fourteen years of digging at an ancient chert quarry outside Allendale had begun to bear fruit: At a site called Big Pine Tree, Goodyear was well on his way to establishing that a substantial Clovis population lived here. If you’ll recall your history lessons from high school, the Clovis people — named such because the first evidence of them was found at a site near Clovis, N.M. — were believed to be the first Americans who came into the North American continent across the Bering Sea land bridge from Asia some 13,000 years ago.

Dr Doran · May 16, 2008

dhermann1 said:
Since Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, this bust would have been made during his lifetime. I don't know the techniques they used back then, but he may have sat for it, it might have been based on sketches, or I wonder if they took life masks of subjects and sculpted from them. Doran, did they make plaster life or death masks in those days? I've seen bronze busts of early American patriots (Jefferson, Adams, Lafayette), made in the 1820's, that were based on plaster life masks. They're in the Fennimore House Art Museum in Cooperstown. Amazing items. Anyhoo, this bust of JC sure looks life like.

Romans were big on death masks and also big on life masks. The exaggeration of facial lines, warts and such was a huge feature of Roman portraiture. It is now called "verism" and it contrasts most sharply with the idealization in portraiture and general human sculpture practiced by Greek sculptors in the Classical age. This practice in Greece shifted, however, in the Hellenistic period with more emphasis on deformed people, beaten up boxers, and the like. Some think the Romans got verism from this aspect of Hellenistic art. Some think the Roman face masks were indeed made from castings after death. I am sure there is a handy wiki article somewhere -- I am only writing this from memory. I know that my mentor Erich Gruen wrote an important article about this: he uses the word "ugly." The idea apparently was to show Roman patricians as dedicated, somewhat worn out by their duties to the state.

Dr Doran · May 16, 2008

Dr Doran · May 18, 2008

HARRISON FORD ELECTED TO ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA

Harrison Ford Elected to the Board of the Archaeological Institute of America

2008-05-16 15:04:57 -

- For the AIA Laura Goldberg,

After years of being identified on screen as the legendary
archaeologist "Indiana Jones," actor Harrison Ford has won election to
the Board of Directors of the Archaeological Institute of America.
With his Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull set to hit
U.S. movie theaters on May 22, the film star commented on his real
world dedication to archaeology, "Knowledge is power, and
understanding the past can only help us in dealing with the present
and the future."

The Archaeological Institute of America is North America's oldest and
largest non-profit organization devoted to archaeology. With more
nearly a quarter of a million members and subscribers and 105 local
chapters, it promotes archaeological excavation, research, education,
and preservation on a global basis. At the core of its mission is the
belief that an understanding of the past enhances our shared sense of
humanity and enriches our existence. As archaeological finds are a
non-renewable resource, the AIA's work benefits not only the current
generation, but also those yet to come in the future.

"Harrison Ford has played a significant role in stimulating the
public's interest in archaeological exploration," said Brian Rose,
President of the AIA. "We are all delighted that he has agreed to join
the AIA's Governing Board."

In addition, the current May/June issue of ARCHAEOLOGY magazine,
published by the AIA, features a cover story devoted to the mysteries
surrounding the alleged crystal skull archaeological finds that
inspired the new "Indiana Jones" film. For the complete article, go
to: www.archaeology.org/0805/etc/indy.html.

Story · May 29, 2008

Battered Fedora Alert!

Archaeologists discover statues of Cleopatra, Aphrodite

CAIRO - An alabaster head of Cleopatra and a mask thought to belong to her lover Mark Antony have been found near Egypt's Mediterranean city of Alexandria, antiquities chief Zahi Hawass said on Monday.

The two treasures, a bronze statue of Goddess Aphrodite and a headless royal statue from the Ptolemaic dynasty, which ruled Egypt between 323 and 30 BC, were discovered by a joint Egyptian-Dominican Republic team of archeologists in the Tapsiris Magna temple, Hawass said.

Some 20 bronze coins stamped with Cleopatra's face were found in underground tunnels 50 metres (164 feet) deep in the archeological site, Hawass said.

The teams had originally been searching for Cleopatra's tomb but Hawass "categorically denied" that they were any closer to finding the queen's burial place.

"We have found nothing that indicates the presence of the tomb," he said, adding that the search for the tombs will restart in November.

The discovery of Cleopatra's tomb would be the biggest archaeological discovery in Egypt since Britain's Howard Carter found the tomb of boy king Tutankhamen in 1922.

Cleopatra and Mark Anthony are one of the most famous couples in history. They committed suicide after their defeat at the battle of Actium, which consolidated Octavian's rule of Rome.

capt.cps.mnt17.260508213339.photo00.photo.default-512x356.jpg

Egypt's antiquities chief Zahi Hawass arrives to the Valley of the Kings close to Luxor, 500 kms south of Cairo. An alabaster head of Cleopatra and a mask thought to belong to her lover Mark Antony have been found near Egypt's Mediterranean city of Alexandria, Hawass said on Monday.

Story · May 30, 2008

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/stoneh...09990001?icid=100214839x1202985655x1200109929

WASHINGTON (May 29) - England's enigmatic Stonehenge served as a burial ground from its earliest beginnings and for several hundred years thereafter, new research indicates.

Dating of cremated remains shows burials took place as early as 3000 B.C., when the first ditches around the monument were being built, researchers said Thursday.

*
(FL period tie-in)
In the 1920s an additional 49 cremation burials were dug up at Stonehenge, but all were reburied because they were thought to be of no scientific value, the researchers said.

Dr Doran · Jun 29, 2008

I'm not too sure about this one ... Story, what do you think? Hermann?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

June 24, 2008
Homecoming of Odysseus May Have Been in Eclipse
By JOHN NOBLE WILFORD

That Odysseus took his time, 19 years, getting home to Ithaca from the
Trojan War is the story Homer engraved in the "Odyssey." But exactly
when did he rejoin his Penelope, who had been patient beyond belief?

Plutarch thought a crucial passage in the 20th book of the "Odyssey"
to be a poetic description of a total solar eclipse at the time of
Odysseus' return. A century ago, astronomers calculated that such an
eclipse occurred over the Greek islands on April 16, 1178 B.C., the
only one in the region around the estimated date of the sack of Troy.
But nearly all classics scholars are highly skeptical of any
connection.

An analysis of astronomical references in the epic has led two
scientists to conclude that the homecoming of Odysseus, usually
considered a fictional character set in the context of a real
historical event, possibly coincided with the 1178 solar eclipse. If,
that is, Homer indeed had in mind an eclipse when he wrote of a seer
prophesying the death of Penelope's waiting suitors and their entrance
into Hades.

The new interpretation of the eclipse hypothesis is reported in this
week's issue of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by
Constantino Baikouzis and Marcelo O. Magnasco, scientists at the
Laboratory of Mathematical Physics at Rockefeller University in New
York and at the Astronomical Observatory of La Plata, in Argentina.

They concede that scholars of Homer are still not likely to give much
credence to the idea. But it makes for an intriguing story, one that
the blind bard, a mystery himself, would have appreciated.

Although an eclipse is not mentioned anywhere in the story, there are
omens and what Plutarch inferred was a poetic description of a total
solar eclipse. Odysseus has arrived home, disguised in beggar's rags
and in hiding before revealing himself. It happens that, when
Penelope's persistent suitors sit down for a noontime meal, they start
laughing uncontrollably and see their food spattered with blood.

At this strange moment, the seer Theoclymenus foretells their death,
ending with the sentence, "The Sun has been obliterated from the sky,
and an unlucky darkness invades the world."

There are reasons to think that the darkness of a total eclipse had
just fallen on Ithaca. It was close to noon when the 1178 eclipse
occurred over the Ionian Sea. It was, as mentioned several times in
the story, at the time of a new moon, which the scientists point out
is "a necessary condition for a solar eclipse." And what better
atmospherics to accompany a prophecy of doom than a total eclipse,
which was considered an ill omen?

Experts on Homer have previously discounted such conjecture. For one
thing, the earliest verified eclipse records are in the eighth century
B.C., about the time Homer was writing but long after the action in
what is known as the Trojan War, around the early 12th century B.C.
Scholars say there is no evidence supporting a view at the time,
widely quoted, that "a solar eclipse may mark the return of Odysseus."

In their report, Dr. Baikouzis and Dr. Magnasco acknowledged the
speculative nature of their study, several times throwing in their own
caveats. "The notion that the passage could refer not just to an
allegorical eclipse used by the poet for literary effect but actually
to a specific historical one," they agreed, "seems unlikely because it
would entail the transmission through oral tradition of information
about an eclipse occurring maybe five centuries before the poem was
cast in the form we know today."

The two scientists derived a possible chronology from astronomical
references in the story, including the stars by which Odysseus
navigated, the sighting of Venus just before dawn as he arrives at
Ithaca, and the new moon on the night before the massacre of the
suitors and the presumed eclipse.

On the basis of their analysis, the scientists said, these three
"references 'cohere,' in the sense that the astronomical phenomena
pinpoint the date of 16 April 1178 B.C.," adding, "The odds that
purely fictional references to these phenomena (so hard to satisfy
simultaneously) would coincide by accident with the only eclipse of
the century are minute."

Herr Hitman · Jul 1, 2008

Doran said:
I know many of you like Homer or archaeology or both. This is not "vintage" 1930s/1940s but it's vintage 1200 BC or so and I don't think it's too fluffy to post here (feel free to correct me Hemingway) so here it goes ....

From <http://www.charlotte.com/world/story/523098.html>:
=====================================================

Posted on Wed, Mar. 05, 2008
Ancient tomb found on Greek island
By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS

Road construction on the western Greek island of Lefkada has uncovered
and partially destroyed an important tomb with artifacts dating back
more than 3,000 years, officials said on Wednesday.

The find is a miniature version of the large, opulent tombs built by
the rulers of Greece during the Mycenaean era, which ended around 1100
B.C. Although dozens have been found in the mainland and on Crete, the
underground, beehive-shaped monuments are very rare in the western
Ionian Sea islands, and previously unknown on Lefkada.

The discovery could fuel debate on a major prehistoric puzzle - where
the homeland of Homer's legendary hero Odysseus was located.

"This is a very important find for the area, because until now we had
next to no evidence on Mycenaean presence on Lefkada," excavator Maria
Stavropoulou-Gatsi told The Associated Press.

Stavropoulou-Gatsi said the tomb was unearthed about a month ago by a
bulldozer, during road construction work.

"Unfortunately, the driver caused significant damage," she said.

She said the tomb contained several human skeletons, as well as
smashed pottery, two seal stones, beads made of semiprecious stones,
copper implements and clay loom weights. It appeared to have been
plundered during antiquity.

With a nine-foot diameter, the tomb is very small compared to others,
such as the Tomb of Atreus in Mycenae, which was more than 46 feet
across and built of stones weighing up to 120 tons.

But it could revive scholarly debate on the location of Odysseus'
Ithaca mentioned in Homer's poems - which are believed to be loosely
based on Mycenaean-era events. While the nearby island of Ithaki is
generally identified as the hero's kingdom, other theories have
proposed Lefkada or neighboring Kefallonia.

Stavropoulou-Gatsi said the discovery might cause excitement on
Lefkada but it was too soon for any speculation on Odysseus.

"I think it is much too early to engage in such discussion. The
location of Homer's Ithaca is a very complex issue," she said.

Im a big fan of vintage, say.... 400-1500 ad.

Dr Doran · Jul 2, 2008

Herr Hitman said:
Im a big fan of vintage, say.... 400-1500 ad.

AD is too late for me. Except when we're talking 1900-1945 AD.

Herr Hitman · Jul 6, 2008

Doran said:
AD is too late for me. Except when we're talking 1900-1945 AD.

I am also a fan of 1912-1959 ad.

Dr Doran · Jul 11, 2008

New C3-C2 (BC) Aphrodite

> From <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25626087/>: [Go there for picture]
>=======================================
>
>Modestly nude marble love goddess found
>'Shy Goddess Venus' found in Roman bath is hailed as ancient masterpiece
>The Associated Press
>updated 1:40 p.m. CT, Thurs., July. 10, 2008
>
Photo: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25626087/

>SKOPJE, Macedonia - Macedonian archaeologists say they have discovered
>a well-preserved statue of the goddess of love in the ruins of an
>ancient Roman city near Skopje.
>
>Archaeologist Marina Oncevska said Thursday that the 5.6-foot-tall
>marble Venus is a masterpiece of ancient art executed in the late
>classical Greek tradition.
>
>It dates to the second or third century.
>
>Oncevska said archaeologists found the statue Tuesday in the ruins of
>Scupi on the northwest outskirts of Macedonia's capital.
>
>"The smoothness of the marble and the beauty of the statue give us the
>clue that this masterpiece came from one of the best artistic schools
>in the Mediterranean," she said.
>
>The goddess is depicted coyly covering her groin and breasts with her
>hands and has a dolphin attached to her left leg.
>
>(c) 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
>not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.C4

HungaryTom · Jul 12, 2008

Maybe the first major archeological discovery of the 21st?

Doran said:
> From <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25626087/>: [Go there for picture]
>=======================================
>
>Modestly nude marble love goddess found
>'Shy Goddess Venus' found in Roman bath is hailed as ancient masterpiece
>The Associated Press
>updated 1:40 p.m. CT, Thurs., July. 10, 2008
>
Photo: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25626087/

>SKOPJE, Macedonia - Macedonian archaeologists say they have discovered
>a well-preserved statue of the goddess of love in the ruins of an
>ancient Roman city near Skopje.
>
>Archaeologist Marina Oncevska said Thursday that the 5.6-foot-tall
>marble Venus is a masterpiece of ancient art executed in the late
>classical Greek tradition.
>
>It dates to the second or third century.
>
>Oncevska said archaeologists found the statue Tuesday in the ruins of
>Scupi on the northwest outskirts of Macedonia's capital.
>
>"The smoothness of the marble and the beauty of the statue give us the
>clue that this masterpiece came from one of the best artistic schools
>in the Mediterranean," she said.
>
>The goddess is depicted coyly covering her groin and breasts with her
>hands and has a dolphin attached to her left leg.
>
>(c) 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
>not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.C4

Now the Macedonians have the peer of these artworks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrodite_of_Knidos
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Venus_de_Milo_Louvre_Ma399_n4.jpg
IMHO they have deserved it after so many years of perpetual war and the consequent economic misery.
After all it is the cradle of Alexander the Great and Hellenism or isn't?

Doran, in your expert opinion is this one major discovery in terms of archeology?

For those archaeologists this will be the Tuesday of their life - I am pretty sure.

To me it seems it is a heavyweight find in art history. For Macedonia it will be definitely the find of this century and it will also boost their national pride in the context of Macedonia vs. Makedonia.

dhermann1 · Jul 21, 2008

Interesting news from Iraq

Iraq's archaeological treasures may not have been looted after all:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121607917797452675.html?mod=2_1580_topbox

Dr Doran · Sep 11, 2008

September 4, 2008
Arts, Briefly
Greece Welcomes Return of Antiquities
Compiled by JULIE BLOOM

On Wednesday Greece celebrated the return of two rare antiquities,
Reuters reported. The items, a bronze vase from the fourth-century
B.C. and the upper part of a marble tombstone, have been put on
display at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. They were
returned by Shelby White, the prominent American collector, in August.
The antiquities arrived in Greece a year after the country's culture
ministry began lobbying to get them back based on evidence that they
had been smuggled out of the country. The piece of the tombstone will
later be reunited with a lower fragment, which is housed at the Museum
of Vravrona, meaning the tombstone can be exhibited as a whole for the
first time. Archaeologists previously feared the pieces would never be
reunited. "Fortunately, the archaeologists' prediction was wrong,"
Michalis Liapis, the culture minister, told reporters at the museum.
"I feel privileged as the culture minister to share the scientists'
joy. I'm sure we will see such events more often in the future."

Dr Doran · Sep 11, 2008

HungaryTom said:
Now the Macedonians have the peer of these artworks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrodite_of_Knidos
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Venus_de_Milo_Louvre_Ma399_n4.jpg
IMHO they have deserved it after so many years of perpetual war and the consequent economic misery.
After all it is the cradle of Alexander the Great and Hellenism or isn't?

Doran, in your expert opinion is this one major discovery in terms of archeology?

For those archaeologists this will be the Tuesday of their life - I am pretty sure.

To me it seems it is a heavyweight find in art history. For Macedonia it will be definitely the find of this century and it will also boost their national pride in the context of Macedonia vs. Makedonia.

Sorry Hungary Tom, I didn't see that you posted this, although I saw the article a little while ago. Yes, this is a marvelous find! People are excited, although I don't know much about it.

It's funny -- a guy at a party said to me, "So, you're getting your PhD in ancient history? What else is there to do with ancient history nowadays?" I hadn't been asked that in a while, so I said, "Well, these days we are applying current models and theory in the social sciences, like political science and economics and sociology, to ancient material. For example, we are using the political "realist" school to analyze the rise to power of Rome" (The very very excellent book in question is by Arthur Eckstein, 2006, and is called something like Mediterranean Anarchy and the Rise of Rome) "and a very few of us are using evolutionary psychology and sociobiology too" (the also excellent book doing this is Jonathan Gottschall, 2008, The Rape of Troy: Violence, Evolution, and the World of Homer).

But even aside from that, in truth we are finding new things all the time. Statues. Inscriptions. Buildings. Sunken ships. All of which tell us a hell of a lot of new information.

I'd like personally to work on genetic testing to see the evidence for migrations. Ancient Jewish endogamy should have left a genetic mark on modern Jews, for example. Recent discoveries from genetic testing or people in Tuscany that the Etruscans were from Asia Minor. That sort of thing.

Exciting archaeological discoveries....

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