During the past three years, archaeologists in China’s northern Xi’an province have unearthed 110 warriors and 12 horses fashioned of terracotta, in addition to parts of chariots, weapons, and tools, from the area surrounding the tomb of China’s first emperor. “The most significant discovery this time around is that the relics that were found were well-preserved and colorfully painted,” said Shen Maosheng of the Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum.

Researchers have found a 21-page clinical report written by the first doctor to reach Abraham Lincoln after he was shot in the head at Ford’s Theater in April, 1865. Dr. Charles Leale, an Army surgeon, was only 23 years old at the time. His report was filed with the U.S. Surgeon General’s correspondence 147 years ago, and eventually stored at the National Archives, where it was forgotten. “When Dr. Leale got into the president’s box, Lincoln was technically dead. He was able to regain a pulse and get breathing started again. He basically saved Lincoln’s life, even though he didn’t survive the wound,” commented Dr. Blaine Houmes, a specialist in emergency medicine.

Students from Brigham Young University are excavating a Fremont Indian pit house, said to be the largest on record. The building is located at a site known as Wolf Village and was found with many artifacts on top of it. “From what we can tell it was used as a communal building for a fairly long time before it burned but then I think they kept using the space for communal purposes but without the building,” said excavation director Jim Allison.

An underwater archaeological survey near the Greek Island of Skiathos spotted the old port of Skiathos, the remains of a Venetian fortress, a jetty from the Byzantine era, two intact lamps, two complete jars, and many pottery fragments. A late Roman shipwreck and a shipwreck carrying roof tiles and jars from the Byzantine era were also found.

Scientists are debating the age and identification of the fossilized bones of 28 individuals discovered in La Sima de los Huesos, or the Pit of Bones, in Atapuerca, Spain. The bones had been dated to 600,000 years ago, based upon the age of cave structures, and identified as Homo heidelbergensis. But others disagree. “The problem is that many of the skeletons unearthed at La Sima clearly have Neanderthal features. In particular, their teeth and jaws are shaped very like those of Neanderthals. But all other evidence indicated Neanderthals did not appear on the scene for another 200,000 years. Dating these bones to such an early date completely distorts our picture of our evolution,” said Chris Stringer of London’s Natural History Museum.

This entry was posted by Jessica E. Saraceni on Monday, June 11, 2012. Discussion of this blog entry is now closed.

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