AZ: Plundering archaeological site in Cornville

From The Bugle: Plundering archaeological site in Cornville

 
 The Steward found at least two fresh holes, a dirt strainer, digging tools and a bucket nearby. There was also damage to two archaeological pottery pots.

 CORNVILLE -- Yavapai County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a reported trespassing incident at a designated archeological site near Lower Oak Creek Estates in Cornville. The site, located near the intersection of Sugarloaf Road and Loy Road, is owned by the Archeology Conservancy.

Deputies spoke with the State Parks Site Steward who reported that someone had entered the site and damaged some of the dig area. The land surrounding the site is fenced, gated and marked "No Trespassing," although there is an open trail into the site.

The Steward found at least two fresh holes, a dirt strainer, digging tools and a bucket nearby. There was also damage to two archaeological pottery pots. The Steward was not sure if anything had been removed, but the empty holes indicated a likely theft of possible relics. The Sheriff's Office says the timeline of the theft has been narrowed down to a seven-day period between Nov. 13-20. There are some area residents who watch over the site, but, so far, no one has reported any unusual activity.

Anyone with information about people trespassing on this site, are asked to contact YCSO at 928-771-3260 and refer to case number 12-038430.



 

Plymouth divers are probing mystery of wreck site off the Mewstone

From This is Plymouth:  Plymouth divers are probing mystery of wreck site off the Mewstone

PLYMOUTH divers are investigating the mystery of a wreck site off the Mewstone dating back hundreds of years.
The Mewstone Cannon site, thought to date back to the 18th century, was discovered just off the coast of Wembury in 1968.

1. ​
   The wreck site has cannons, anchors and fragments of olive oil jars

Now it has been adopted by Plymouth Diving Centre, based at Queen Anne's Battery, through the Nautical Archaeology Society's Adopt-A-Wreck scheme.
The wreck site covers a large area between five and 18 metres deep, with cannons nearly two metres long scattered across the sea bed alongside anchors and fragments of olive oil jars which originally stood over a metre tall.
The site was discovered by visiting divers and was surveyed and finds noted, but no further work was done until last year, when non-profit marine research organisation ProMare took up the investigation.
As part of its SHIPS – Shipwrecks and History In Plymouth Sound – programme, it carried out a geophysical survey with Plymouth University to map accurate locations for the cannons before handing its findings over to Plymouth Diving Centre.
Diving centre manager Lisa McLernon said: "This project will test our divers' investigative skills, as the cannons are in the same area as a couple of other wrecks.
"There are various theories about how the site came about.
"It could be a shipwreck destroyed in a storm in the 1700s, with the wood eaten away by marine organisms over time.
"It could be that the cannons were thrown overboard in bad weather in an attempt to save the ship.
"It's exciting that we'll be finding out what really happened all those years ago."
The team will also be creating a diver trail with an easy-to-follow map.

 

Bronze Age arrowhead found in Oxford

From Cherwell.org: Bronze Age arrowhead found in Oxford

An excavation at Minchery Paddock, near the Kassam Stadium, which ended last weekend after over a month of digging, has uncovered a Bronze Age arrowhead, estimated to be around 4,000 years old, among other findings of important archeological interest.
The excavation constitutes a major collaboration between the Oxford University Department of Continuing Education and Archeox, the Archeology of East Oxford Community Project.
The original aim of the dig was to explore the area where Littlemore Priory once stood, a nunnery established around AD1110 which was closed in 1525 under Cardinal Thomas Wolsey during the Reformation. A large amount of medieval pottery as well as decorated glazed floor tiles were discovered, while various stone walls, floors and hearths were also found by the archeologists, suggesting that the nunnery was much larger than previously thought.
Project Director Dr David Griffiths commented that “we expected to find traces of the medieval priory, but perhaps not such well-preserved walls or with so much pottery, animal bone and other finds.”
However, according to Dr Griffiths the “real surprise” came with the discovery of a number of prehistoric flints, including a Bronze Age arrowhead as old as 4,000 years old, which could hint to prehistoric settlements in the area. In addition, Roman pottery and tile finds point to the likelihood of Roman presence in the past.
Dr Griffiths wished to highlight the role of volunteers in the excavation, over 500 of whom were involved in the project, pointing to the fact that “volunteers are part of the whole research process - doing more or less everything on site from digging to recording.' Volunteers include anyone from members of the local community to Oxford University undergraduate and postgraduate students. Moreover, Dr Griffiths stressed the work of the University in “engaging with the community” through this and other projects in conjunction with the Department of Continuing Education.
Oxford University Vice-Chancellor Andrew Hamilton, who visited the site last Friday, agreed, saying that “it is so important that the University and the local community maintain an active and close relationship, and the fascinating discoveries of the excavation are testament to what can happen when town and gown work together.”
Archeox and their volunteers will now prepare a research report of their findings to be released later in the year, and future excavations at the same site have not been ruled out in the coming years.

1870s baptistry unearthed at Provo temple site

From Times Union.com:  1870s baptistry unearthed at Provo temple site

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Mormon church historians are hailing the unearthing of a 19th century baptistry at the site of the old Provo Tabernacle as a significant discovery.
The baptistry, with its 5-by-9-foot font, was built around 1875, said Benjamin Pykles, a curator of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints history department.
A team from Brigham Young University's Office of Public Archaeology led by Rich Talbot found a portion of the walls of the baptistry and font as well as a water pipe and the foundation of a stove that heated the building and water.
The team also found the font's floor, which includes three layers of wood laid in crisscross fashion and held together with nails and screws. The floor was solid enough to hold water.
"The floor is in very fragile condition, with most of the wood deteriorated. One third is intact and our conservators at the Church History Library are working on saving it," Pykles said. "There is nothing else like it in the church."
Talbot said the baptistry provided privacy and a more comfortable, year-round setting for baptisms to take place.
"This was hallowed ground to them. It was the first place the saints could be baptized in a real font rather than in a cold river or lake," he said. "It's very exciting and a rare opportunity to see a baptismal font in its original condition. It's thrilling for us."
Historians say it was the earliest known LDS baptistry in Utah County and the first outside Salt Lake City with the exception of one in St. George. The Provo baptistry was used until at least 1907, according to church records.
The excavation of the baptistry started in late October and was recently completed.
The old Provo Tabernacle was gutted by a December 2010 fire, and the church is in the process of converting the site into a Mormon temple.


Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/1870s-baptistry-unearthed-at-Provo-temple-site-4046534.php#ixzz2CatGkcKV

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Mormon church historians are hailing the unearthing of a 19th century baptistry at the site of the old Provo Tabernacle as a significant discovery.

The baptistry, with its 5-by-9-foot font, was built around 1875, said Benjamin Pykles, a curator of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints history department.

A team from Brigham Young University's Office of Public Archaeology led by Rich Talbot found a portion of the walls of the baptistry and font as well as a water pipe and the foundation of a stove that heated the building and water.

The team also found the font's floor, which includes three layers of wood laid in crisscross fashion and held together with nails and screws. The floor was solid enough to hold water.

"The floor is in very fragile condition, with most of the wood deteriorated. One third is intact and our conservators at the Church History Library are working on saving it," Pykles said. "There is nothing else like it in the church."

Talbot said the baptistry provided privacy and a more comfortable, year-round setting for baptisms to take place.

"This was hallowed ground to them. It was the first place the saints could be baptized in a real font rather than in a cold river or lake," he said. "It's very exciting and a rare opportunity to see a baptismal font in its original condition. It's thrilling for us."

Historians say it was the earliest known LDS baptistry in Utah County and the first outside Salt Lake City with the exception of one in St. George. The Provo baptistry was used until at least 1907, according to church records.

The excavation of the baptistry started in late October and was recently completed.

The old Provo Tabernacle was gutted by a December 2010 fire, and the church is in the process of converting the site into a Mormon temple.

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Mormon church historians are hailing the unearthing of a 19th century baptistry at the site of the old Provo Tabernacle as a significant discovery.
The baptistry, with its 5-by-9-foot font, was built around 1875, said Benjamin Pykles, a curator of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints history department.
A team from Brigham Young University's Office of Public Archaeology led by Rich Talbot found a portion of the walls of the baptistry and font as well as a water pipe and the foundation of a stove that heated the building and water.
The team also found the font's floor, which includes three layers of wood laid in crisscross fashion and held together with nails and screws. The floor was solid enough to hold water.
"The floor is in very fragile condition, with most of the wood deteriorated. One third is intact and our conservators at the Church History Library are working on saving it," Pykles said. "There is nothing else like it in the church."
Talbot said the baptistry provided privacy and a more comfortable, year-round setting for baptisms to take place.
"This was hallowed ground to them. It was the first place the saints could be baptized in a real font rather than in a cold river or lake," he said. "It's very exciting and a rare opportunity to see a baptismal font in its original condition. It's thrilling for us."
Historians say it was the earliest known LDS baptistry in Utah County and the first outside Salt Lake City with the exception of one in St. George. The Provo baptistry was used until at least 1907, according to church records.
The excavation of the baptistry started in late October and was recently completed.
The old Provo Tabernacle was gutted by a December 2010 fire, and the church is in the process of converting the site into a Mormon temple.


Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/1870s-baptistry-unearthed-at-Provo-temple-site-4046534.php#ixzz2CatGkcKV

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Mormon church historians are hailing the unearthing of a 19th century baptistry at the site of the old Provo Tabernacle as a significant discovery.
The baptistry, with its 5-by-9-foot font, was built around 1875, said Benjamin Pykles, a curator of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints history department.
A team from Brigham Young University's Office of Public Archaeology led by Rich Talbot found a portion of the walls of the baptistry and font as well as a water pipe and the foundation of a stove that heated the building and water.
The team also found the font's floor, which includes three layers of wood laid in crisscross fashion and held together with nails and screws. The floor was solid enough to hold water.
"The floor is in very fragile condition, with most of the wood deteriorated. One third is intact and our conservators at the Church History Library are working on saving it," Pykles said. "There is nothing else like it in the church."
Talbot said the baptistry provided privacy and a more comfortable, year-round setting for baptisms to take place.
"This was hallowed ground to them. It was the first place the saints could be baptized in a real font rather than in a cold river or lake," he said. "It's very exciting and a rare opportunity to see a baptismal font in its original condition. It's thrilling for us."
Historians say it was the earliest known LDS baptistry in Utah County and the first outside Salt Lake City with the exception of one in St. George. The Provo baptistry was used until at least 1907, according to church records.
The excavation of the baptistry started in late October and was recently completed.
The old Provo Tabernacle was gutted by a December 2010 fire, and the church is in the process of converting the site into a Mormon temple.


Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/1870s-baptistry-unearthed-at-Provo-temple-site-4046534.php#ixzz2CatGkcKV

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Mormon church historians are hailing the unearthing of a 19th century baptistry at the site of the old Provo Tabernacle as a significant discovery.
The baptistry, with its 5-by-9-foot font, was built around 1875, said Benjamin Pykles, a curator of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints history department.
A team from Brigham Young University's Office of Public Archaeology led by Rich Talbot found a portion of the walls of the baptistry and font as well as a water pipe and the foundation of a stove that heated the building and water.
The team also found the font's floor, which includes three layers of wood laid in crisscross fashion and held together with nails and screws. The floor was solid enough to hold water.
"The floor is in very fragile condition, with most of the wood deteriorated. One third is intact and our conservators at the Church History Library are working on saving it," Pykles said. "There is nothing else like it in the church."
Talbot said the baptistry provided privacy and a more comfortable, year-round setting for baptisms to take place.
"This was hallowed ground to them. It was the first place the saints could be baptized in a real font rather than in a cold river or lake," he said. "It's very exciting and a rare opportunity to see a baptismal font in its original condition. It's thrilling for us."
Historians say it was the earliest known LDS baptistry in Utah County and the first outside Salt Lake City with the exception of one in St. George. The Provo baptistry was used until at least 1907, according to church records.
The excavation of the baptistry started in late October and was recently completed.
The old Provo Tabernacle was gutted by a December 2010 fire, and the church is in the process of converting the site into a Mormon temple.


Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/1870s-baptistry-unearthed-at-Provo-temple-site-4046534.php#ixzz2CatGkcKV

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Mormon church historians are hailing the unearthing of a 19th century baptistry at the site of the old Provo Tabernacle as a significant discovery.
The baptistry, with its 5-by-9-foot font, was built around 1875, said Benjamin Pykles, a curator of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints history department.
A team from Brigham Young University's Office of Public Archaeology led by Rich Talbot found a portion of the walls of the baptistry and font as well as a water pipe and the foundation of a stove that heated the building and water.
The team also found the font's floor, which includes three layers of wood laid in crisscross fashion and held together with nails and screws. The floor was solid enough to hold water.
"The floor is in very fragile condition, with most of the wood deteriorated. One third is intact and our conservators at the Church History Library are working on saving it," Pykles said. "There is nothing else like it in the church."
Talbot said the baptistry provided privacy and a more comfortable, year-round setting for baptisms to take place.
"This was hallowed ground to them. It was the first place the saints could be baptized in a real font rather than in a cold river or lake," he said. "It's very exciting and a rare opportunity to see a baptismal font in its original condition. It's thrilling for us."
Historians say it was the earliest known LDS baptistry in Utah County and the first outside Salt Lake City with the exception of one in St. George. The Provo baptistry was used until at least 1907, according to church records.
The excavation of the baptistry started in late October and was recently completed.
The old Provo Tabernacle was gutted by a December 2010 fire, and the church is in the process of converting the site into a Mormon temple.


Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/1870s-baptistry-unearthed-at-Provo-temple-site-4046534.php#ixzz2CatGkcKV

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Mormon church historians are hailing the unearthing of a 19th century baptistry at the site of the old Provo Tabernacle as a significant discovery.
The baptistry, with its 5-by-9-foot font, was built around 1875, said Benjamin Pykles, a curator of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints history department.
A team from Brigham Young University's Office of Public Archaeology led by Rich Talbot found a portion of the walls of the baptistry and font as well as a water pipe and the foundation of a stove that heated the building and water.
The team also found the font's floor, which includes three layers of wood laid in crisscross fashion and held together with nails and screws. The floor was solid enough to hold water.
"The floor is in very fragile condition, with most of the wood deteriorated. One third is intact and our conservators at the Church History Library are working on saving it," Pykles said. "There is nothing else like it in the church."
Talbot said the baptistry provided privacy and a more comfortable, year-round setting for baptisms to take place.
"This was hallowed ground to them. It was the first place the saints could be baptized in a real font rather than in a cold river or lake," he said. "It's very exciting and a rare opportunity to see a baptismal font in its original condition. It's thrilling for us."
Historians say it was the earliest known LDS baptistry in Utah County and the first outside Salt Lake City with the exception of one in St. George. The Provo baptistry was used until at least 1907, according to church records.
The excavation of the baptistry started in late October and was recently completed.
The old Provo Tabernacle was gutted by a December 2010 fire, and the church is in the process of converting the site into a Mormon temple.


Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/1870s-baptistry-unearthed-at-Provo-temple-site-4046534.php#ixzz2CatGkcKV

 

Boryana Mateva: Leaving Thracian treasure in Isperih is not just a matter of prestige to the town

FocusEn.net Boryana Mateva: Leaving Thracian treasure in Isperih is not just a matter of prestige to the town

 

Boryana Mateva, Director of Museum of History in the municipality of Isperih, in an interview with FOCUS – Shumen Radio


FOCUS: Ms. Mateva, residents of the town of Isperih want the recently unearthed gold treasure to remain in their town. Is it possible to keep it in the Museum of History in Isperih?
Boryana Mateva: The gold treasure trove is in Sofia, on display in the Institute of Archeology. Local people want it back to the region where it was unearthed, i.e. our region. At a meeting with the mayor of the municipality we discussed the issue and the security of Sboryanovo reserve. The municipality has committed to financing the security of the reserve until the spring in order to avoid raids by treasure hunters. We have also discussed the legal possibility to return the treasure to the town of Isperih. In accordance with the Cultural Heritage Act the finds are handed to the state or municipal museum that has been studying the site or to the museum that offers storage conditions and is closest to the site where the finds have been unearthed. The museum that offers storage conditions and is nearest to the site where the gold Thracian treasure has been discovered is ours. At the time when the treasure was unearthed, a commission was checking our papers and stocks and it established that our stocks are in a very good condition and we offer conditions for storing anything. The treasure has been handed to the National Museum of Archeology, this is possible as well, i.e. it is not illegal, but it is a bit unfair towards the region, museum and municipality. Residents of the town of Isperih consider launching a petition to return the objects here. This is their civil right. The mayor of the municipality Mr. Basri and I discussed the security of the site where the treasure was unearthed and the possibility to make the area more accessible, but the place where the treasure was found is very unattractive and the treasure itself is not there and the idea is almost unfeasible. The treasure was discovered in the profile of a tumulus and if it is not there, there is nothing to visit. But there are a lot of other sites and places across the reserve that should be displayed. At the beginning of December a commission with the Department for Immovable Monuments at Inspectorate for Cultural Heritage Preservation in the Culture Ministry is expected to assess the condition of the sites in the reserve which have been and are being studied, the possibility to display them and the future work at these sites. As early as in the summer the museum in Isperih asked for an overall check of its work and as far as papers, stocks and movable cultural heritage is concerned, the check is over. We do not have the final results, but are anticipating the recommendations. At the beginning of the next month we expect a check into the immovable heritage. It is necessary to verify the condition of the sites in the reserve, complete the excavations soon and make the sites accessible. It is very hard to guard about nine incomplete sites which have been studied for 20, 15, 10 or 5 years. It is impossible to make them all accessible. That’s why we asked for a commission.

FOCUS: Do you have conditions to store the treasure?
Boryana Mateva: This is a very precious object. We have enough conditions to store any find, but such a national treasure requires further measures. It is difficult and expensive to preserve such valuable objects. But take the storage of the Gold Pegasus in the town of Razgrad. I think we can also do it properly. According to the law the treasure could remain with us, or with another state or municipal museum. The law provides for a few options, but it is quite normal for local people to insist on having the treasure in Isperih. This is a huge treasure. If it is here, more people will visit both the reserve and municipality. The economic effect will be big. To local people it is not just a matter of prestige.

FOCUS: What type of security has been provided for Sboryanovo reserve and for the site where the treasures was unearthed?
Boryana Mateva: There are police at the site where the treasure was unearthed. In principle, the police observe the whole reserve. Demir Baba Teke and Sveshtari Tumulus are constantly guarded. So are large sections of the reserve which are close to these sites. The security guards at Sveshtari Tumulus can directly see the tumulus where the treasure was discovered.
Ivelina IVANOVA

11th-century temple uncovered near Jerusalem

From Fox News:  11th-century temple uncovered near Jerusalem

At a biblical border city outside of Jerusalem, archaeologists have uncovered a temple from the 11th century B.C. that they say bears evidence of conflict among the ancient Israelites, Canaanites and Philistines.
Spread across what would have been the floor at the complex at Tel Beth-Shemesh, an ancient village about 12 miles west of Jerusalem, excavators found shards of painted chalices and goblets — not the type of containers that would have been used for daily household activities.
They also found animal bones surrounding a flat stone inside the building and discovered two more flat stones seemingly designed to direct liquids. Lacking the typical traces of domestic use, the excavators believe the building served as a place of worship that was possibly connected to an Israelite cult.
But the complex didn't stay holy for long. The archaeologists found evidence that the temple was destroyed. What's more, an analysis of dirt at the site turned up microscopic remains of plants commonly eaten by livestock as well as the remnants of poop from grass-eating animals, suggesting the site was appropriated as a livestock pen.
The excavators believe the animal takeover of the temple might represent a deliberate desecration by the Philistines, who lived alongside, though hardly peacefully, with the Israelites and Canaanites. The ancient village of Beth-Shemesh, located at the crossroads of the three groups, frequently changed hands between the Philistines and the Canaanite and Israelite populations that resisted them. The researchers say the Philistines likely gained temporary control of Beth-Shemesh and then brought in livestock to reside on what they knew had been a holy place for their enemies.
But further evidence suggests the ancestors of the worshippers may have eventually returned. The archaeologists found several round clay ovens known as "tabuns" in the layer of soil excavated above the temple's ruins. These food-prepping features are usually found near ancient living quarters, not sacred sites, but the researchers may have an explanation for the ovens.
"We believe that ancestors of those who had built the original complex came back to rebuild the site," archaeologist Zvi Lederman, of Tel Aviv University, said in a statement, adding that the ovens may have been used to cook feasts to honor the memory of the old temple after the Philistines pulled out of the area.
The researchers are planning further excavations at the site and their findings will be presented this month at the annual meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research in Chicago.

 

Australia: Fish trap a piece of coast life history

From thewest.com.au:  Fish trap a piece of coast life history

Archaeologists uncover the fish trap. Picture: David Guilfoyle

Archaeologists have found an ancient fish trap near Esperance, the first to be recorded in the area, which is believed to have been used up to 1000 years ago.
The trap is made up of a series of rocks placed across a tidal creek east of the south coast town and would have been supported by wooden stakes and covered in netting to catch passing fish.
A research team uncovered the fish trap while surveying the area.
Doc Reynolds, a traditional owner of the area and chairman of the Gabbie Kylie Foundation which organised the expedition, said the site was well known among indigenous people.
"The old fellas had a very complex understanding of the seasons, tides and animal behaviour and were able to harvest a catch with great skill and efficiency," he said.
Archaeologist David Guilfoyle said the rock structure harnessed the natural tidal cycles of the estuary by trapping fish as they moved in and out with the tides.
"It is difficult to determine how long these traps have been used, but we guess at least over the last 500 to 1000 years," he said.
Similar rock structures have recently been found elsewhere in the South West, including Albany.

Lubbock, TX: Professor to lecture on archeology project

From Lubbock Online.com:  Professor to lecture on archeology project

Texas Tech University assistant professor of classical archeology Hannah Friedman will present “The Roman Faynan: Local Resources vs. Imperial Will,” at 5:35 p.m. Thursday in the College of Media & Communication Building, Room 83. The building is located at 15th Street and Flint Avenue.
Friedman will share her ongoing work on Roman and Byzantine Faynan, an imperial copper mining district in southern Jordan. Her lecture will focus on issues of empire and exploitation. Using the principles of landscape archaeology, her research concentrates on the landscape of the Faynan, and how the natural environment and human settlement were changed to meet the industrial needs of the Roman administration.

 

Bulgaria claims to find Europe's oldest town

From NBC News: Bulgaria claims to find Europe's oldest town 

SOFIA, Bulgaria — A prehistoric town unearthed in eastern Bulgaria is the oldest urban settlement found to date in Europe, a Bulgarian archaeologist said Thursday. 

Vasil Nikolov, a professor from Bulgaria's National Institute of Archaeology, said the stone walls excavated by his team near the town of Provadia are estimated to date between 4700 and 4200 B.C. He said the walls, which are 6 feet (3 meters) high and 4.5 feet (2 meters) thick, are believed to be the earliest and most massive fortifications from Europe's prehistory.

"We started excavation work in 2005, but only after this archaeological season did we gather enough evidence to back up this claim," Nikolov told The Associated Press.

The team has so far unearthed remains of a settlement of two-story houses with a diameter of about 300 feet (100 meters), encircled by a fortified wall.

Excavations have also uncovered a series of pits used for rituals as well as parts of a gate. Nikolov said carbon analysis has dated them to the Chalcolithic age — more than a millennium before the start of the ancient Greek civilization.

"New samples of the excavations have been sent to the University of Cologne, Germany, for further evaluation," Nikolov said.

Bulgaria, a Balkan country of 7.3 million, hosts numerous Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age settlement mounds as well as significant remains of Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine urban centers.

 

Nikolov said the settlement near Provadia was home to about 350 people who probably produced salt from the nearby rock-salt deposits.

"They boiled brine from salt springs in kilns, baked it into bricks, which were then exchanged for other commodities with neighboring tribes," Nikolov said, citing as possible evidence the gold and copper jewelry and artifacts that have been unearthed in the region.

The most valuable is a collection of 3,000 gold pieces unearthed 40 years ago near the Black Sea city of Varna. It is believed to be the oldest gold treasure in the world.

"For millenniums, salt was one of the most valued commodities, salt was the money," Nikolov said adding that this explained the massive stone walls meant to keep the salt safe.

The two-story houses, as well as the copper needles and pottery found in graves at the site, suggest a community of wealthy people whose work was probably the once-lucrative production of salt.

Nikolov expects more finds next summer when his team returns, but he complained about inadequate government funding.

"We wouldn't be able to continue without private donations," Nikolov said, naming the New York-based Gipson Foundation, which provided most of the funds for this year's excavation.

Sri Lanka: Archeological sites battle with bad weather

From Nation on Sunday:  Archeological sites battle with bad weather

The Department of Archeology has requested the Ministry of National Heritage for immediate action to protect archeological sites from extreme weather conditions.
The call has been made to the Ministry following the lightning strike that damaged part of the Sigiriya Rock last week.
Dr. Senarath Dissanayake, Director General of the Archaeology Department, sent a team to the site for investigations and will submit a detailed report on the damages to the rock. He added the site would be reconstructed following investigations. Dr. Dissanayake also said preventive measures would be put in place to avoid further damages in future.
According to Chandana Weerasinge, Manager of the Central Cultural Fund, a part of a wall 8 feet by 6 feet, had been badly damaged, also the front area and one of the Lion’s paws.  Even though there were no major injuries to the visitors, sightseers have been warned against visiting the rock fortress in inclement weather conditions.

 

Historic organizations honor late Springfield Commissioner Doug Heller

From Montgomery Media:  Historic organizations honor late Springfield Commissioner Doug Heller

Two groups devoted to historical research and preservation are honoring Douglas Heller, the website designer and former Springfield Township Commissioner who died May 25.

The Philadelphia Archeological Forum established an award in Heller’s name this month to recognize individuals or organizations for significant contributions to archaeology in and around Philadelphia.

The first recipient of the Douglas Heller Award was Heller himself, whose widow, Nancy Parsons, accepted it Oct. 13 from Douglas Mooney, president of the archeological forum.

Closer to home, the Springfield Township Historical Society will bestow its annual Marie Kitto Award on Heller posthumously Nov. 8 during a program at the First Presbyterian Church in Springfield. The award recognizes Heller’s work on historic preservation in Springfield Township, most notably for the Black Horse Inn, the society said in a press release.

“He was instrumental to the Philadelphia Archeological Forum’s long-term goals to reach out to members of the public to let them know amazing things about what may still be preserved in the ground,” Mooney said Monday. “Doug very graciously volunteered his time.”

Heller developed the forum’s website, phillyarchaeology.org, and he volunteered as webmaster until this year. His contribution was especially appreciated, Mooney said, because most archeologists lack web skills.

Mooney became acquainted with Heller personally when they worked together on the archeological dig at President George Washington’s House on Independence Mall.

“I really got to know him during the president’s house work,” he said. “He was a great guy. He was sort of endlessly cheerful. Every time you met the guy, he just brought a smile to your face. He had boundless energy and enthusiasm about the history of the city.”

The actual, physical award consists of a redware plate of the sort that the city was famous for during the 18th century, with the name of the forum in white. It will be granted periodically as appropriate, though not necessarily annually, Mooney said.

Those involved in the archeology of Philadelphia belong to a small, close-knit community, he said.

News of the award took Parsons by surprise when a member of the forum called her about two weeks before the Oct. 13 ceremony and asked if she would “be OK with” it.

“I was so proud that he was being recognized for all his works,” Parsons said Monday. “This is the first year that they started the awards, and she said the thing that got them going was the fact that Doug passed away … It really got them into gear.”

The Nov. 8 meeting of the Springfield Township Historical Society at which the Kitto Award will be presented will include a program on the early European settlement of Springfield Township and Chestnut Hill. Speakers will be Jefferson M. Moak, senior archivist with the National Archives and Records Administration, and David Contosta, professor of history at Chestnut Hill College and co-author of “Metropolitan Paradise: The Struggle for Nature in the City: Philadelphia’s Wissahickon Valley, 1620-2020.”

The program, which will begin at 7:30 p.m., is free and open to the public. The First Presbyterian Church in Springfield is located at Bethlehem Pike and Mill Road, Flourtown. For information, call 215-233-4600 or visit springfieldhistory.org. 

 

Mystery of Angkor Wat's huge stones solved

CBS News:  Mystery of Angkor Wat's huge stones solved

Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap province some 314 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh

The massive sandstone bricks used to construct the 12th-century temple of Angkor Wat were brought to the site via a network of hundreds of canals, according to new research.
The findings shed light on how the site's 5 million to 10 million bricks, some weighing up to 3,300 pounds, made it to the temple from quarries at the base of a nearby mountain.
"We found many quarries of sandstone blocks used for the Angkor temples and also the transportation route of the sandstone blocks," wrote study co-author Estuo Uchida of Japan's Waseda University, in an email.
In the 12th century, King Suryavarman II of the Khmer Empire began work on a 500-acre temple in the capital city of Angkor, in what is now Cambodia. The complex was built to honor the Hindu god Vishnu, but 14th-century leaders converted the site into a Buddhist temple.
Archaeologist knew that the rock came from quarries at the base of a mountain nearby, but wondered how the sandstone bricks used to build Angkor Wat reached the site. Previously people thought the stones were ferried to Tonle Sap Lake via canal, and then rowed against the current through another river to the temples, Uchida told LiveScience.
To see whether this was the case, Uchida's team surveyed the area and found 50 quarries along an embankment at the base of Mt. Kulen. They also scoured satellite images of the area and found a network of hundreds of canalsand roads linking the quarries to the temple site. The distance between the quarries and the site along the route Uchida's team found was only 22 miles, compared with the 54 miles the river route would have taken.
The grid of canals suggests the ancient builders took a shortcut when constructing the temple, which may explain how the imposing complex was built in just a few decades.

 

England: Discovering mysteries of Great War shipwrecks

From the Daily Echo:  Discovering mysteries of Great War shipwrecks

NEW light could be shed on shipwrecks from the First World War along the Hampshire coast thanks to a funding boost.

The Hampshire & Wight Trust for Maritime Archeology, which aims to find out more about wrecks that lie off the south coast, has been given £44,800 by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Trust said the money would go towards a volunteer-focused bid to collect and understand information from wrecks.

There are an estimated 250 wrecks lying on the sea bed in this region and the trust also wish to promote their contribution to the war effort.

Following the grant, the project still has two years to submit its full proposal.