A pregnant woman may have sacrificed and buried in one of two Lambayeque tombs uncovered at the Chotuna Chornancap archaeological site in Lima, Peru. The jawbone of a fetus was found among one woman’s skeleton, three other sacrificed women, and several llamas. “The concept of fertility was well respected, so this could represent a sacrifice for a very important religious event,” commented archaeologist Walter Alva, who did not participate in this excavation.

Among the 900 graves investigated at the Macedonian site of Pella were the burials of 20 warriors and 11 women from the Archaic period. Some of the men’s eyes, mouths, and chests were covered in gold foil, and they were wearing bronze helmets. The women wore gold and bronze necklaces, earrings, and broaches.   Photographs of a bronze helmet and hammered gold face plate and jewelry and other artifacts from Pella are available from the United Kingdom’s Daily Mail.  

A temple dedicated to Athena was discovered in Bodrum, Turkey.  

An international team converged on the sixteenth-century shipwreck thought to be a Portuguese trading vessel discovered off the coast of Namibia during diamond mining earlier this year. The ship had been carrying gold coins, bronze cannons, elephant tusks, and copper when it sank.  

Modern humans may have reproduced more quickly and easily than Neanderthals, giving them a competitive edge. This article from National Geographic News offers more information on Neanderthal birth, growth, and development from the recent study of the skulls of two Neanderthal toddlers and a newborn infant.   Discovery News offers a wrap-up of current Neanderthal research.   

For all of you hard-core fans, Action Figure Insider has reviewed the Ultimate Quarter Scale Raiders of the Lost Ark Indiana Jones from Diamond Select Toys. (Golden idol included.)

This entry was posted by Jessica E. Saraceni on Thursday, September 11, 2008. Discussion of this blog entry is now closed.

Comments posted here do not represent the views or policies of the Archaeological Institute of America.