Archaeologists and museum curators say they want to pitch in and help protect Egypt’s archaeological sites and artifacts from the international antiquities trade during the political demonstrations against President Hosni Mubarak.

Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s new Minister of Antiquities, spoke with Michele Norris of NPR about the looting and his new title.  

A 1,500-year-old Byzantine church uncovered southwest of Jerusalem will be reburied next week. Its mosaic floor is made up of images of lions, foxes, fish, and peacocks. “It is unique in its craftsmanship and level of preservation,” said Amir Ganor of the Israel Antiquities Authority. Some think its altar may have been the tomb of the Jewish prophet Zechariah.  There are more photographs at NPR.  

While sailing during the summer’s perpetual daylight in the far northern Atlantic, the Vikings navigated by the sun. So what did they do on cloudy days? One Icelandic saga mentions the use of a sunstone to look at the sky. Scientists are testing polarizing crystals to see if it could have been possible.  

A couple remodeling their Tudor home discovered a fifteenth-century mural of King Henry VIII beneath some wallpaper and mortar. The house was once the home of Thomas Cranmer, who helped create the Church of England. “Cranmer could have done it as a tribute to Henry and that would make it an object of great importance and significance. It is a unique image,” said Michael Liversidge of Bristol University.

This entry was posted by Jessica E. Saraceni on Wednesday, February 2, 2011. Discussion of this blog entry is now closed.

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