Friday, August 15
August 15, 2008
An underground complex of caves containing human bones and pottery in the Yucatan could be one of the paths to Xibalba, the Maya underworld, according to archaeologist Guillermo de Anda. “These sacred tunnels and caves were natural temples and annexes to temples on the surface,” he said.
Paleontologists looking for dinosaur skeletons discovered a Stone Age cemetery in the Sahara that was used by two different cultures separated by 1,000 years. Â
The two fetus mummies in King Tut’s tomb have been studied in the past. Discovery News offers information on those investigations, and the latest on the DNA testing. Â
Computer scientists at Princeton University have developed an automated system to assist archaeologists with reassembling excavated fresco or mosaic pieces. “We mimic the archaeologists’ methods as much as possible, so that they can really use our system as a tool,” said associate professor Szymon Rusinkiewicz. Â
The Canadian government will launch a search for the Erebus and Terror, two ships lost in the 1840s under the command of British Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin. Franklin and his crew of 129 men were lost when the ships were locked in heavy ice.
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Thursday, August 14
August 14, 2008
A colossal portrait head of Faustina, wife of Roman emperor Antoninus Pius, was unearthed by a team led by Marc Waelkens of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. The head was found in the baths at Sagalassos, where parts of a statue of Hadrian were discovered last year. Don’t miss Marc Waelkens’ report from the field at ARCHAEOLOGY.
Two Roman sarcophagi made of sandstone were discovered near the fort of Pons Aelius in Newcastle, England. Cremation urns, a road, wells, and the foundations of shops and homes have also been excavated. Â
The number of Thai and Cambodian troops at Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda, located near Preah Vihear temple, will be reduced “to the lowest number possible” before officials from the two countries meet to talk next week. Preah Vihear temple was named a UNESCO World Heritage site last month, renewing a dispute between the two countries over surrounding territory. Â
One of the 170 Americans evacuated from Georgia since Russian bombing began is Reid Ferring, who teaches archaeology and geology at the University of North Texas. Ferring works at a medieval site in Dmanisi, which is also well known for its hominid fossils. Â
In Calgary, Canada, two landfills from the early twentieth century have yielded ceramics, glass, and a Model T. Â
An anthropologist and a paleontologist are reportedly on the team of scientists who will examine a Bigfoot body from the northern woods of the state of Georgia. Â
Let’s hope this is a hoax as well-Deputy Mayor of Rome Mauro Cutrufo announced plans to build an ancient Rome theme park outside the city.
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