Researchers from Italy’s University of Lecce say they have found the army of Persian king Cambyses II, buried in Saharan sandstorm in 525 B.C. “We have found the first archaeological evidence of a story reported by the Greek historian Herodotus,” explained Dario Del Bufalo.

The 11,000-year-old bones of two young gomphotheres, distant Ice-Age relatives of elephants, have been found among stone tools near the U.S. Mexican border. “This is the first time we’ve found gomphotheres and humans together in North America,” said Vance Holliday of the University of Arizona. “I don’t think there’s enough evidence yet to show that people wiped out the animals. It’s a raging controversy, though,” he added.  

The mummy of a priestess has reportedly been unearthed at the Nasca ceremonial center of Cahuachi, Peru. She had been wrapped in fabric decorated with images of killer whales, bundled with jewelry and obsidian points, and covered with a layer of reeds.  

A report commissioned by University College London in 2005 concluded that 654 incantation bowls on loan to the school were looted from Babylon sometime after the 1991 Gulf War, and not found in Jordan, as believed by the putative owner, a Norwegian collector. The report recommended that the bowls be turned over to the police, but the report was suppressed in a legal settlement between the university and the collector instead.  

Colin Renfrew, former Disney Professor of Archaeology at Cambridge University, is also known as Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn. He gave a speech last month in the House of Lords about the sale of undocumented antiquities in British auction houses. “It is scandalous that this practice continues,” he said.  

Four people were arrested in Hubli, India, with a stolen statuette and four copper pots. Archaeologists are examining the artifacts.  

A developer is seeking damages in federal court, claiming that the state of Rhode Island has taken 25 acres of private land by holding up an already-permitted building project. Archaeologists discovered an entire seaside American Indian village and burial ground on the land during pre-construction investigations. “The state would like to control the property but instead of paying for it they’re just stopping the project,” said William R. Landry, a lawyer for the development company.  

Take a look inside the revamped Ashmolean Museum at Oxford University with this video from BBC News.  

Where was Genghis Khan buried? The search for his tomb continues in Mongolia.   

Learn about life in a castle in Wales through its archives, housed at Bangor University.

This entry was posted by Jessica E. Saraceni on Monday, November 9, 2009. Discussion of this blog entry is now closed.

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