Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Euro currency change for Cadw sites
Tills will be ringing to the sound of the euro at historic sites around Wales from this week.
From Thursday, 1 April all 22 Cadw-run attractions will be accepting euro notes, as well as sterling.
This means that visitors to attractions from Conwy Castle in North Wales to Tintern Abbey in Monmouthshire will be able to pay for admission tickets, guidebooks and souveniers using the European Union’s mainstream currency.
National Assembley for Wales
# posted by David Beard @ 11:55 AM 
Bronze Age Doctors sought help from the stars.
Two studies of ancient monuments in southwest Europe reveal the influence the Sun and stars had on their builders according to Dr Michael Hoskin, a historian of astronomy at Cambridge University.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 11:50 AM
4 May 2004 - The Sarsen Trail Sponsored Walk or Half Marathon
The Sarsen Trail Walk and Neolithic Marathon, link the two World Heritage Sites of Avebury and Stonehenge, and take in a part of Salisbury Plain which is usually closed to the public.
For further information, please fill in the on-line form or contact Patrick Turner at:-
http://www.wiltshire-web.co.uk/wildlife/sarsen
Find further information on other events on the Archaeological Events Diary
# posted by David Beard @ 11:49 AM
Hidden depths to forest
A 12m high sculpture showing an artist's impression of what lies beneath the floor of Thetford Forest will be officially unveiled tomorrow. The idea sprang from visits to the Neolithic flint mines at Grimes Graves and talking to cyclists, walkers and other forest users.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 11:41 AM
St Paul's restored face revealed
The first renovated face of St Paul's Cathedral is being revealed to the public on Wednesday.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 11:40 AM
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Romans faced head-to-head battle
A new exhibition in Cumbria has revealed that Roman foot soldiers faced a battle of a different kind against a microscopic foe.
The Romans, sent to the northern front of the empire and Hadrian's Wall, came head to head with lice.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 6:54 PM
Ancient flints found on Cairngorms
Archaeologists are excited by a discovery which they say proves that early Scottish settlers travelled through the Cairngorms 7,000 years ago.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 10:39 AM
Ancient woods to shape future
A pioneering project has been launched to explore the historic landscape within Norfolk's ancient woodlands.
Norfolk Archaeological Services has already pushed ahead with a pilot project to survey a few sites, hoping the results could significantly add to county and national records. It aims to find, record and characterise the oldest woods and use that information to help manage the sites.
EDP 24 Hour News
# posted by David Beard @ 10:37 AM
ROMAN ROAD EXCAVATIONS
North East Hants Historical & Archaeological Society
Bank Holiday Weekends
30 April- 3 May 2004
28 - 31 May 2004
27 - 30 August 2004
The North East Hants Historical & Archaeological Society are holding several long weekend excavations on the Roman Road from Winchester towards London.
For details contact Dr Richard Whaley, Project Director on btl.pcil@ukonline.co.uk or 2 Rotherwick Court, Alexandra Road, Farnborough GU14 6DD (sae appreciated).
Find information about other projects on the Archaeological Events Diary
# posted by David Beard @ 10:22 AM
Monday, March 29, 2004
Alarm sounded for British shipwrecks
Hundreds of wrecks littering Britain's coastal waters are being needlessly lost to future generations, marine archaeologists have warned.
They say valuable historic ships are being lost to the shifting sands, fishing, pipelines and dredging, and that the piecemeal legislation designed to save the undersea heritage is failing.
Cronaca
# posted by David Beard @ 7:40 AM
Ancient statue found on Chios
Archaeologists on the island of Chios have discovered a rare life-sized marble statue of a youth dating to the mid-sixth century BC, the Ministry of Culture said yesterday.
The statue, of a type known as the kouros, was found during a rescue excavation at Emborio — on the island’s southern tip — without its head, while the legs from the knee down were missing. Archaeologists said the naked statue had only been half-finished, but it was unclear whether that would indicate the presence of a sculptor’s workshop at Emborio. It was tentatively dated to 550 BC.
Kathimerini
# posted by David Beard @ 7:39 AM
Sunday, March 28, 2004
Honour at stake in Bannockburn rematch
A SECOND Battle of Bannockburn is raging but this time, rather than the massed ranks of English and Scots, the combatants are two television archaeologists and a museum curator.
The ‘rematch’ of this most celebrated victory of Scottish brains over English brawn is over three sharp wooden stakes that have long been regarded as the only known artefacts recovered from the battlefield.
The Scotsman
# posted by David Beard @ 10:42 PM
Re-writing ancient history of the Upper Tweed Valley
THE archaeological survey of the Upper Tweed Valley has finally been completed by the Biggar Museum Trust. The archaeologists have been checking out every nook and cranny of the landscape in the search for previously unrecorded sites and monuments. The work has taken over three years, interupted in 2001 by the foot and mouth epidemic.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 7:38 PM
Cambridgeshire site reveals 6,000-year-old relics
Relics dating back 6,000 years to the Neolithic age are being uncovered by archaeologists working on the site of the Fordham bypass.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 7:38 PM
Monumental study aims at future
The state of Northern Ireland's historical monuments are to come under the spotlight in a new survey. The two-year study by archaeologists from Queen's University's Centre for Archaeological Fieldwork is the first of it's kind to be carried out in Northern Ireland and will begin next month.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 7:37 PM
Cave art to go on show
The only known Ice Age cave art in Britain is to be revealed to the public for the first time. But the tours, to be held for just two weeks next month, will be the only chance to see the 12,000-year-old carvings at Creswell Crags (Nottinghamshire, England) for some years.
Archaeologists announced their unique discovery at the Crags last summer. The images carved by nomadic Ice Age hunters who sheltered in the caves were the first to be found in Britain. Before then only small carved objects from the period had been found in the UK. Ice Age cave art has previously been found in France and Spain. The Creswell pictures, of animals such as the ibex (a type of goat), wild ox and birds, were found carved into the walls of Church Hole Cave at the heritage site at Welbeck, near Worksop. But they have been kept from public view while they have been studied, and to protect them.
Stone Pages
# posted by David Beard @ 7:35 PM
Re-writing ancient history of the Upper Tweed Valley
The archaeological survey of the Upper Tweed Valley (Scotland) has finally been completed by the Biggar Museum Trust. Over three years, the archaeologists have been checking out every nook and cranny of the landscape in the search for previously unrecorded sites and monuments.
Tam Ward of the museum said: "This has been the largest survey we have undertaken and we have found hundreds of sites of which nothing was known. The final outcome of this project will be to re-write the ancient history of the Upper Tweed, and what a story that will be. A great deal of the past has been lost to us, but using our detective skills, it is possible to salvage much of the story by putting these sites back on the map."
Stone Pages
# posted by David Beard @ 7:34 PM
Ancient statue found on Chios
Archaeologists on the island of Chios (Greece) have discovered a rare life-sized marble statue of a youth dating to the mid-sixth century BCE. The statue, of a type known as the kouros, was found during a rescue excavation at Emborio — on the island’s southern tip — without its head, while the legs from the knee down were missing.
Stone Pages
# posted by David Beard @ 7:33 PM
8,500-year-old axe found in Portsmouth
Jamie Stevenson was walking with his dog along Portsmouth beach (Hampshire, England) when he stumbled across an axe head dating back to the stone age. The discoverer said: "My dog Woody likes chasing stones when I skim them on the water, and so I just happened to pick it up. It felt different and looked different. It moulded nicely into my hands. When I looked at it more closely I saw that the edges were cut to be sharp."
Stone Pages
# posted by David Beard @ 7:32 PM
Scientists to look for lost mass grave at development site
Scientists are set to use ground-penetrating radar to search for the lost mass grave of more than 60 passengers of a doomed steamship that sank in 1880 in the waves of a powerful hurricane.
Herald Tribune
# posted by David Beard @ 7:30 PM
Hundreds of historic shipwrecks threatened
Hundreds of wrecks littering Britain's coastal waters are being needlessly lost to future generations, marine archaeologists have warned.
They say valuable historic ships are being lost to the shifting sands, fishing, pipelines and dredging, and that the piecemeal legislation designed to save the undersea heritage is failing.
Telegraph
# posted by David Beard @ 7:29 PM
Nelson's great love found at the bottom of the ocean
ADMIRAL Horatio Nelson’s favourite ship, on which he is said to have seduced Lady Hamilton and lost an eye in battle, has been found off the coast of Uruguay.
International treasure-divers said yesterday that they had found HMS Agamemnon, a 64-gun vessel which was the pride of Britain’s naval fleet when it went down in 1809.
The Scotsman
# posted by David Beard @ 7:28 PM
Districts split Saxon cross to settle 150-year feud
After a feud lasting 150 years, involving theft, vandalism and municipal threats of legal action, two districts in Yorkshire reached an unusual settlement yesterday over a 1,000-year-old Saxon cross.
Independent
# posted by David Beard @ 7:17 PM
RSS Feed for the Archaeology in Europe weblog
We have been experiencing problems with the RSS news feeds for this weblog. The original RSS feed was created using cavedoni.com, but this produced problems. A new feed was then created using Feedster. Again, there have been a number of problems and attempts to resolve them have been unsuccessful. The following quotation is from the help staff at Feedster:
I honestly think that the best thing for you to do is rely on the atom feed that Blogger is already creating for you. Just go to:
http://archaeology.eu.com/weblog/atom.xml
This feed is even being indexed by Feedster:
feedster.com/drill.php?inrss=http://archaeology.eu.com/weblog/atom.xml
Given that you have this atom feed, there really isn't any need to fuss with the feed we can generate.
We have decided to follow this advice and will shortly be closing the RSS feed. Our apologies to those of you using RSS, but it does seem to cause insurmountable problems with Blogger!
The ATOM newsfeed is generated within Blogger and does not cause any problems. You can find the ATOM Feed at:
http://archaeology.eu.com/weblog/atom.xml
A list of newsreaders that support ATOM can be found at:
http://www.atomenabled.org/
# posted by David Beard @ 7:11 PM
Friday, March 26, 2004
Medieval altar cross reassembled
A newly-restored altar cross is going on display at the British Museum for the first time in 100 years. The medieval cross and the enamel plaque which used to be at its centre have only recently been reunited.
Cronaca
# posted by David Beard @ 8:25 AM
Lost "castle" found in bakery
Excited archaeologists in Newry have been given a grant to bring Bagenal Castle back to its former glory. The 12th Century building was hidden under a former bakery in the County Down city. The former Cistercian Abbey was converted into a castle in the 16th Century during the Plantation. . .
Cronaca
# posted by David Beard @ 8:23 AM
The truth about an epic tale of love, war and greed
The legend of Troy has an enduring grip on the imagination. Aidan Laverty talks to the scientists who say they have proved that a siege really took place
It's one of the greatest stories ever; the tale of a war fought over the love of Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world.
Telegraph
# posted by David Beard @ 8:22 AM
Kist unearthed while ploughing in Orkney
An Orcadian farmer has unearthed on his land at Howe Farm in Harray (Orkney, Scotland) what is believed to be a Bronze Age burial kist. Despite kists being quite common in Orkney, Historic Scotland called in AOC Archaeology from Edinburgh to carry out the excavation at the end of last week.
AOC project officer Ronan Toolis said: "The machinery went over the kist and broke through the top slab. It was reported to Historic Scotland and they called us in." Ronan and project supervisor Martin Cook travelled to Orkney on Friday and found a stone kist grave, in effect a stone box. "It is actually very well constructed and inside was a small deposit of cremated bone. We would expect it to be human, although it is still to be analysed," Ronan said. He continued: "The bone was in a small pile, it may have originally been in a bag that has since rotted away."
Stone Pages
# posted by David Beard @ 8:19 AM
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Tudor dress hook found
A DRESS hook found in a field near Stratford is believed to be more than 400 years old.
The silver gilt lozenge-shaped hook was found by Mark Armstrong of Chapelfields, Coventry, when he was using his metal detector in Billesley in November 2002.
This is Stratford
# posted by David Beard @ 1:55 PM
Prince is new Cathedral patron
HIS Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has accepted an invitation to become Patron of Hereford Cathedral Perpetual Trust.
The Royal `yes' is regarded as a coup for the Cathedral authorities, hoping his influence will lead to the success of ambitious projects in the pipeline.
This is Herefordshire
# posted by David Beard @ 1:52 PM
Mixed human and animal ashes give insights into Bronze Age
The 4000-year-old cremated remains of a young man have provided fresh insights into the superstitious bonds between farmers and their animals in Bronze Age society. A burial urn discovered by a birdwatcher in a boulder shelter at Glennan, Kilmartin, Argyll (Scotland) contained the ashes of a 25 to 40 year old male who had been ritually burned alongside a goat or sheep. The ashes were then deliberately mixed for burial. Experts believe that the mixing is evidence of a perceived bond that may have been thought to transcend death.
Stone Pages
# posted by David Beard @ 1:49 PM
Cathedral could close to visitors
Managers of Truro Cathedral say it may have to close its doors to visitors within 18 months unless it can make more money.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 1:48 PM
The Truth of Troy
The legend of Helen of Troy has enchanted audiences for three thousand years, but historians have never been able to prove that the Trojan War actually happened.
Horizon investigates new clues that may solve some of the mysteries of this ancient city.
Thursday 25 March, 9pm, BBC Two.
BBC
# posted by David Beard @ 1:08 PM
ALBERT RECKITT ARCHAEOLOGICAL LECTURE
27 April 2004
Archaeology in Mesopotamia: Digging Deeper at Tell Brak
Dr Joan Oates, The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research
Chair: Professor M G Fulford, FBA
Further Information
# posted by David Beard @ 12:59 PM
Avebury group fears 'knock-on'
Decisions taken about the Stonehenge tunnel could have a knock-on effect at Avebury, the inquiry heard last week. Following on from archaeologists' concerns, expressed to the inquiry last week, that the proposed 2.1km tunnel, costing £200m, would be inadequate, representatives of the Avebury Society believe the existing scheme also overlooks a significant portion of the World Heritage site.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 12:15 PM
Help us to save Silbury Hill before it's Silbury Down!
Almost 5000 years old and in desperate need of repair. Internal collapses could be happening RIGHT NOW! Silbury Hill in Wiltshire is Europe's greatest prehistoric mound and one of the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage sites.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 11:53 AM
Want to dig in Summer 2004?
Gray Hill Landscape Archaeology Project 2004, Llanfair Discoed, Monmouthshire. CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS 17th May - 25th June 2004. Gray Hill or Mynydd Llwyd is a distinctive hill in south-east Monmouthshire just north-east of Caerwent, overlooking the Severn estuary. Known archaeology includes a stone circle and standing stones, prehistoric cairns, prehistoric field boundaries and enclosures, and medieval and post-medieval buildings and boundaries. There is also a large, D-shaped scarp-edge enclosure that may be Neolithic or Bronze Age in date.
Further Information
# posted by David Beard @ 11:23 AM
New municipality to incorporate mediaeval findings
AUTHORITIES have finally reached agreement on the site of the old municipality in Nicosia. The new Nicosia municipality will be built on the site where archaeological findings were uncovered, incorporating them into its structure.
Work on the construction of the town hall ground to a halt last summer, when bulldozers breaking ground for the project’s underground car park stumbled on the remains of a mediaeval church.
Cyprus Mail
# posted by David Beard @ 8:06 AM
Move to restore city's 'lost castle'
Work is getting under way to restore a "lost castle" in Northern Ireland.
Excited archaeologists in Newry have been given a grant to bring Bagenal Castle back to its former glory.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 8:01 AM
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
New Newsfeed for the Archaeology in Europe Weblog
Owing to recent trouble with the RSS feed on the Archaeology in Europe Weblog, a new feed has been created.
The URL for this feed is: http://subscribe.feedster.com/RSSfeed1
or you can link with the button at the bottom of the sidebar
# posted by David Beard @ 3:17 PM
Antonine Wall World Heritage Site
European heritage experts have met in Scotland to mark the start of a bid to win World Heritage Site status for the Antonine Wal, the most northerly boundary of the Roman Empire.
Scottish Executive
# posted by David Beard @ 2:40 PM
EXPERTS GET TO THE BOTTOM OF ANCIENT BOG BUTTER MYSTERY
Chemical experts have examined examples of 2,000-year-old bog butter from the Museum of Scotland to see what our ancestors really used to bury in their peat.
24 Hour Museum News
# posted by David Beard @ 2:38 PM
Major new article on Knowth's archaeology & astronomy
A major new article examines the archaeology and astronomy of the huge megalithic site at Knowth, in the Boyne Valley in Ireland. There was activity at Knowth up to 6,000 years ago, and the site contains a wealth of archaeology, including a quarter of all known megalithic art in western Europe.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 2:36 PM
Museum of Iniquity
Spanish authorities have uncovered an illegal archeological museum featuring more than 5,000 priceless artifacts looted from Phoenician, Iberian, Roman and Islamic sites in the southern region of Andalusia, the civil guard announced yesterday.
Phluzein
# posted by David Beard @ 2:34 PM
History and archaeology of Peterculter
Aberdeen City Council archaeologists and historians, along with Peterculter Heritage Trust, are offering locals the opportunity to find out more about the archaeology and history of the Peterculter area. Staff from the Archaeological Unit will be at the St Peter's Heritage Centre this weekend and members of the public are invited to bring along any interesting or unusual objects from the past.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 1:16 PM
Archaeological Research in Progress Conference 2004
Saturday May 29th 2004, 9.30-5.00. ARP 2004: North East Scotland. Organised by the Council for Scottish Archaeology, and staged jointly with the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, this day long conference in Aberdeen will focus on the many exciting projects that are currently taking place in the north east of Scotland.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 12:27 PM
Spain recovers 5,000 looted artefacts
Spanish authorities have uncovered an illegal archaeological museum featuring more than 5,000 priceless artefacts looted from Phoenician, Iberian, Roman and Islamic sites in the southern region of Andalusia, the civil guard announced on Monday.
ABC News
# posted by David Beard @ 12:19 PM
Delving into past of Roman village sites
ARCHAEOLOGISTS who have unearthed six former Roman villa estates in the west of the county will unveil their latest findings at the end of the month.
Northampton Today
# posted by David Beard @ 12:18 PM
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
New life for old Elgin Marbles?
One of the greatest artworks of all time is scattered in fragments across Europe. But there is now a way to view the surviving Parthenon sculptures together for the first time - a virtual reconstruction.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 2:06 PM
New life for old Elgin Marbles?
One of the greatest artworks of all time is scattered in fragments across Europe. But there is now a way to view the surviving Parthenon sculptures together for the first time - a virtual reconstruction.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 2:03 PM
Spring equinox at Loughcrew - Ireland
New photos on the Knowth.com website
Knowth.com
# posted by David Beard @ 10:42 AM
Ice Age Riddle Solved?
The breakup of ancient land masses plunged the Earth into a freezing white hell that lasted millions of years, U.S. and French researchers suggest.
This created "snowball Earth," where ice sheets covered continents and seas froze almost down to the equator, an event that occurred at least twice between 800 and 550 million years ago.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 10:37 AM
750 ARTEFACTS RECOVERED IN NAPLES, 17 PEOPLE CHARGED
A 15-month-long investigation has allowed police in Naples to recover 750 stolen archaeological finds and to charge 17 people with receiving stolen property. Among the people charged are highly considered freelance professionals. Investigations were carried out in the Naples area and in the surroundings of ancient Cales, now Calvi Risorta, near Caserta. Among the items that were seized from the homes of the 17 people are 22 high-quality marble and terracotta artefacts from the 1st and 2nd centuries a.C., probably belonging to patrician families from Pozzuoli and Baia who lived in the Roman Empire era. "These finds have an incredible value - says Paolo Caputo, head of the police archaeology department for Naples and Caserta - We are seeking to determine where they were originally found".
AGI On-line
# posted by David Beard @ 10:30 AM
Lindow Man 'was a simple murder victim'
Lindow Man, whose 2,000-year-old body was found in a peat bog in Cheshire, was the victim of a simple murder and not a ritual sacrifice, according to two academics. They say that the British Museum should remove the preserved body from its galleries and erase him from the history books.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 10:29 AM
Archaeoastronomy at Stonehenge Using Computer Methods
by Charles Webster
Presentation made at SEAC 2003, "The Future of Archaeoastronomy"
Further Details
# posted by David Beard @ 10:27 AM
Monday, March 22, 2004
The Digger
The March Issue of the Digger is now online.. dealing with Pay Bargaining, Council Closures and Iraq.
The Digger
# posted by David Beard @ 2:06 PM
Delving into past of Roman village sites
ARCHAEOLOGISTS who have unearthed six former Roman villa estates in the west of the county will unveil their latest findings at the end of the month.
Northampton Today
# posted by David Beard @ 2:01 PM
Save Nine Ladies Anti Quarry Solidarity Ramble
Thursday 25th March 10am
Meet at Nine Ladies Protest Camp (Stanton Lees)
Join us on a 7 mile ramble to the offices of Stancliffe Stone (the company
planning to quarry the site), to demonstrate our opposition to their plans
to despoil our natural heritage. Bring good shoes/boots, packed lunch,
banners, whistles, drums and your friends. This will be a peaceful and
family friendly event.
The protest site is on the road between Stanton-in-the-peak and Stanton
Lees.
See WWW.nineladies.uklinux.net for directions.
Phone 07969 548891 for info.
# posted by David Beard @ 1:58 PM
Mixed ashes of man and animal give insight into Bronze Age
A BIRDWATCHER who unearthed the 4000-year-old cremated remains of a young man has given archaeologists fresh insight into the close, superstitious bonds between humans and animals in prehistoric society.
The Herald
# posted by David Beard @ 10:54 AM
Saxon ring find may be worth thousands
A METAL detecting enthusiast is celebrating his most precious discovery - part of a Saxon ring believed to be worth several thousand pounds.
John Hunt discovered the gold bezel while using his new metal detector for the first time on farmland at Cotton, near Stowmarket.
East Anglian Daily Times
# posted by David Beard @ 10:52 AM
Mysteries of bog butter uncovered
Wax found in Celtic bogs is the remains of ancient meat and milk.
Chemical detectives have traced deposits of fat in Scottish peat bogs to foodstuffs buried by people hundreds of years ago. The 'bog butter' is the remains of both dairy products and meat encased in the peat, say Richard Evershed of the University of Bristol and colleagues.
Nature
# posted by David Beard @ 10:49 AM
Experts hail rare find of medieval logboat
Well-preserved remains may reveal secrets of ancient environment
A thousand years ago it split asunder and could no longer be used to work the marshy waterways of East Yorkshire.
But rather than let it go to waste forever, workers built part of the medieval logboat into the side of the trackway over the soft ground – and there it remained until a few days ago.
Archaeologists discovered the stern of a boat, made out of a single hollowed oak trunk, while construction work was being carried out at Welham Bridge on the A614, between Holme upon Spalding Moor and Howden.
Yorkshire Post
# posted by David Beard @ 10:47 AM
Antiquities from the air
A photographer who got her start at the Daily News exhibits her work at Edison Community College Gallery of Fine Art in Fort Myers.
Naples Daily News
# posted by David Beard @ 10:46 AM
What next for 20,000 Roman coins?
A glint of gold on the blade of his spade started an adventure which could net a Bristol man real treasure.
When Ken Allen from Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, dug up 20,000 Roman coins it marked the start of a long and painstaking task to determine both ownership and conserve them.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 10:43 AM
Archaeological researches on Skopje fortress began
Skopje, March 17 (MIA) - Teams of Museum of Macedonia and Museum of the City of Skopje, in co-ordination of the Skopje Bureau for Protection of Cultural Monuments, began the archaeological researches on site Gradishte hill at Skopje Fortress, where new US Embassy building should be built according to the contract with the Macedonian Government.
Idividi
# posted by David Beard @ 10:41 AM
FORUM 04 - Aktuelle Grabungen und Forschungen aus dem Trierer Land
28 March 2004 to 9 January 2005
Exhibition at the Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier
Further Information
# posted by David Beard @ 10:39 AM
Teeth unravel Anglo-Saxon legacy
New scientific research adds to growing evidence that the Anglo-Saxons did not replace the native population in England as history books suggest.
The data indicates at least some areas of eastern England absorbed very few Anglo-Saxon invaders, contrary to the view in many historical accounts.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 10:30 AM
Archaeologists: the tunnel under Stonehenge is inadequate
Archaeologists have branded the government's £200m plans for a 2.1km tunnel under Stonehenge "inadequate", claiming it would bring "irreversible damage to the World Heritage site". The National Trust has objected to the proposed road tunnel scheme and highlighted that several key modifications - including lengthening the tunnel by 800m - would appear to offer significant advantages over the existing scheme. While applauding the government for its desire to pursue a scheme that would rescue Stonehenge from its present predicament, the Trust does not believe that the current scheme proposed by the Highways Agency is the right solution for Stonehenge or delivers the objectives of the Stonehenge Management Plan.
Stone Pages
# posted by David Beard @ 10:28 AM
Ever-decreasing circles
The Stonehenge Inquiry, into the proposed scheme to tunnel the A303 for a mile and bit under the site of the stone circle, opened on February 17, after decades of discussion, and will probably continue until the end of April. Stonehenge's present plight has been described by many, including a parliamentary committee, as a "national disgrace". That is an understatement.
Telegraph
# posted by David Beard @ 10:27 AM
Cavers Find Prehistoric Remains Beneath Pub Car Park
A group of cavers who became bored during the foot-and-mouth crisis today told how they discovered a hidden network of caverns under a pub car park.
With the countryside off limits, members of the Bristol Exploration Club agreed to help to clear out a drain in the car park of the Hunters Lodge Inn at Priddy in the Mendip Hills in Somerset.
Scotsman
# posted by David Beard @ 10:20 AM
Friday, March 19, 2004
Study: Humans, Neanderthals Did Not Mate
The verdict is in: humans and Neanderthals did not date — much.
Genetic evidence from Neanderthal and early human bones indicates that if there was any intermixing of the two species, it was so little that it left no genetic trace. The discovery was published in the current edition of PloS Biology.
Discovery Channel
# posted by David Beard @ 9:56 AM
STONE ME. . . . IT'S A BRONZE AGE GRINDER
JUST a few months after neolithic round houses were found on the site of a housing development on the outskirts of Forres, a man living on the other side of town has unearthed more evidence of the area's historic past.
Forres Gazette
# posted by David Beard @ 9:50 AM
Bronze Age grinder identified after 9 years
Just a few months after neolithic round houses were found on the site of a housing development on the outskirts of Forres (Moray, Scotland), a man living has unearthed more evidence of the area's historic past.
Retired farmer Alec Mackenzie with his wife, Margaret was trying to remove a large tree root from his garden when he struck a big rock. "When I finally managed to get it, I found a large flat stone and a smaller rock buried together, " he said. The large stone was shaped like a saddle with an indention in the middle, and Mr Mackenzie left it in his garden, using it as an ornamental birdbath, where it has been for the past nine years, alongside the other smaller stone. When he finally did bring the object into the Falconer Museum in Forres, museums officer Anne Bennet said she was extremely excited about what she saw.
Stone Pages
# posted by David Beard @ 9:48 AM
Archaeological Study Tour to Berry - Limousin
29 May - 4 June 2004
Further details, including a detailed itinerary, cost and contact details can be obtained from Archaeology in Europe
# posted by David Beard @ 9:46 AM
Stone Me....It's a Bronze Age Grinder
Just a few months after neolithic round houses were found on the site of a housing development on the outskirts of Forres, a man living on the other side of town has unearthed more evidence of the area's historic past. Retired farmer Alec Mackenzie (76), who lives at Karora, Mill of Grange, with his wife, Margaret, was trying to remove a large tree root from his garden when he struck a big rock.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 9:45 AM
Thursday, March 18, 2004
'Archaeological requirements for works on churches and churchyards'
The Association of Diocesan and Cathedral Archaeologists is consulting on its guidance document: 'Archaeological requirements for works on churches and churchyards'. This can be found as a .pdf file on the ADCA website at:
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/adca/documents/ADCAWorksConsDrMar04.pdf
Comments are sought by 31 May 2004.
# posted by David Beard @ 5:33 PM
Perfect place for Roman around?
A VISION for how a Worcester eyesore could be transformed to reflect the city's Roman roots has been drawn up by an enthusiastic resident.
David Palmer wants the Cornmarket car park turned into a boulevard and meeting place.
This is Worcester
# posted by David Beard @ 5:15 PM
Roman past unearthed
ARCHAEOLOGY fans will be glued to their TVs on Sunday, March 28 when the popular Time Team series broadcasts a dig at Cranborne Chase.
This is the second time this year the TV archaeologists have been to Dorset, following their recent dig at Green Island in Poole Harbour.
This is Dorset
# posted by David Beard @ 5:14 PM
Colchester's Roman Wall
A new website that draws attention to the very bad state of so much of Colchester's Roman Wall.
http://www.camulos.com/townwall.htm
# posted by David Beard @ 3:47 PM
Awards for the Presentation of Heritage Research 2004
Sponsored by the Royal Archaeological Institute, English Heritage, Cadw and Historic Scotland
Tell people about your research - and win a prize!
Too much fascinating research into our heritage is buried in specialist journals which the people we do it for don't read. It is vital for the heritage's future that we do more to present and explain our work to the wider public, to increase their understanding and enjoyment and the value they place on the heritage.
Further information
# posted by David Beard @ 12:32 PM
A RARE CHANCE TO SEE CRUSADE ARTEFACTS
A new exhibition opened this week at Bede's World brings together for the first time the town's two most significant moments in history under one roof. The Jarrow Crusade exhibition is running at the museum throughout the spring and summer and places on display some of the iconic but rarely seen artefacts of the 1936 march to London.
Further information
# posted by David Beard @ 12:20 PM
Roman coin sparks quest
A CHANCE find in a Monxton field has prompted Robert Crick to delve into the story behind a fourth century Roman coin.
This is Andover
# posted by David Beard @ 12:06 PM
Town bones up on past
An 11th century skeleton discovered in a stream at Marshfield has gone on display at the Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre.
This is Wiltshire
# posted by David Beard @ 12:04 PM
ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNLOCK HIDDEN PAST OF DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE
An archaeological survey into the wild landscape around Dunstanburgh Castle has uncovered its wartime secrets and new evidence of its medieval past.
24 Hour Museum News
# posted by David Beard @ 12:01 PM
Castle for sale on internet site
A castle complete with 250 acres of land and its own baronet's title is up for sale on the internet auction site eBay with a price tag of £4m.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 12:00 PM
Runic inscriptions from Bryggen in Bergen
This site, hosted by the National Library of Norway, provides a database and catalogue of the runic inscriptions found during excavations at Bryggen, the medieval wharf of Bergen. The intention of the project is to develop a schema for rune graphology. Each entry in the database is accompanied by an image of the item inscribed and a both a literal and normalised transcription while the catalogue is divided by inscription type.
http://www.nb.no/baser/runer/eindex.html
# posted by David Beard @ 11:59 AM
Neolithic carvings found in Sicily
Italian archaeologists have found a series of huge human and animal figures carved on a rocky wall at Petralia Sottana, above the Vecchiuzzo cave, one of the most important Neolithic sites in Sicily. The archaeologist Emilia Sakharova said that "The finding confirms in a way the ancient legend of 'giants' among the inhabitants of the Madonie, a mountainous region near Palermo."
Stone Pages
# posted by David Beard @ 11:49 AM
Archaeologists blast Antiquities Department
THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS’ Association yesterday launched a scathing attack against the Antiquities Department, accusing them of being unorganised, after recently discovered finds in Paphos were dug up and left exposed.
In a news conference yesterday, the chairman of the Association of Cypriot Archaeologists, Andreas Demetriou, said the area had been dug up without the presence of an archaeologist, disturbing the finds’ original location and leaving them in heaps next to the holes
Cyprus Mail
# posted by David Beard @ 11:46 AM
Teeth unravel Anglo-Saxon legacy
New scientific research adds to growing evidence that the Anglo-Saxons did not replace the native population in England as history books suggest.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 7:56 AM
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
Landmark is saved... praise English Heritage
A PRECIOUS landmark has been saved - thanks to a £353,000 grant from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
St Mary's Church, a grade two listed building, needs to carry out urgent structural repairs to its crumbling bell tower.
Thisd is Cheshire
# posted by David Beard @ 11:20 AM
Archaeological society symposium will examine ancient east Mediterranean civilization
The Brock University Archaeological Society will host a symposium at the University entitled States of Complexity: Perspectives on Sociopolitical Development in the Ancient Eastern Mediterranean on Saturday, March 20, 2004.
Brock University
# posted by David Beard @ 11:18 AM
Megalith Meeting,
I know it's only a week away, but a group of us are meeting at the New Beehive pub, Westgate, Bradford (at the top of town, past Morrisons), on the evening of Tuesday, March 23, at 7.30pm, to discuss & evaluate the nature & condition of megalithic enquiries in Yorkshire & Lancashire. The intention is to create a working group of individuals who regularly meet & discuss latest finds, along with field outings to explore known sites & discover unknown ones.
Megalithic Portal
# posted by David Beard @ 11:15 AM
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
WORK has finally begun on a £500,000 programme to preserve and enhance Odiham’s 800-year-old castle.
Workers moved onto the historic site last week to reinstate the castle’s moat.
They have been busy clearing trees from the overgrown site and will continue to do so this week.
Fleet News & Mail
# posted by David Beard @ 10:58 PM
Lake treasures go on display
Rare artefacts from the 9th Century discovered on an island at a Brecon Beacons lake are going on display for the first time.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 10:55 PM
Early human marks are 'symbols'
A series of parallel lines engraved in an animal bone between 1.4 and 1.2 million years ago may be the earliest example of human symbolic behaviour.
University of Bordeaux experts say no practical process, such as butchering a carcass, can explain the markings.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 4:41 PM
Southend: Saxon king home to take 5 years?
Southend residents face waiting up to five years for a full-time home for the Saxon king's treasure.
The popular exhibition at the town's central museum in Victoria Avenue, closes on March 20 when the priceless artefacts return to London
This is Essex
# posted by David Beard @ 10:44 AM
Spell shoe is discovered in roof
Planners in charge of preserving Jersey's historic buildings are asking people to get in touch if they have found footwear built into properties.
Workmen stripping the roof of a 16th Century cottage found a shoe that had been built into one of the walls.
BBC News
# posted by David Beard @ 10:41 AM
Excavations at Olloy-sur-Viroin (Belgium)
July, 2004. ArcheoStage. Excavations at a late Bronze Age fort near Viroinval, Belgium. Three sessions.
About.com
# posted by David Beard @ 10:38 AM
UK MUSEUMS LAUNCH MANIFESTO TO BACK UP £115M FUNDING PLEA
The UK's museums yesterday joined forces to issue a plea for £115million extra funding to maintain current levels of access and service.
24 Hour Museum News
# posted by David Beard @ 10:37 AM
Find an ax, go to jail
A Fife man who discovered a rare Neolithic axe head while out walking near his home is facing prosecution for refusing to hand it over.
Under Scots Law such finds are Crown property but until now it is not thought anyone has faced court action.
Cronaca
# posted by David Beard @ 10:36 AM
Monday, March 15, 2004
Excavation Index for England
English Heritage and ADS / AHDS Archaeology are pleased to announce an extension to the Excavation Index for England. http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/collections/blurbs/304.cfm
The Excavation Index is a guide to the archaeological excavations and interventions carried out in England since the earliest days of scientific archaeology, and an index to the location of the excavation archives and finds. It is routinely updated to include recent fieldwork. This latest update adds some 5715 records for the year 2000.
# posted by David Beard @ 1:28 PM
Museum may get new home
CRICKLADE Museum may be given a new home to attract more visitors.
Town councillors will consider relocating the collection from the former chapel in Calcutt Street to alternative premises.
It currently houses a collection of items relating to the town from Roman to modern times, including a large number of maps, photographs and archives.
This is Wiltshire
# posted by David Beard @ 1:25 PM
Asking questions on heritage and history
A three-month consultation on the revised criteria and guidance for defining national importance for ancient monuments was luanched today as part of a wider review of the process of scheduling ancient monuments.
Culture Minister Frank McAveety said:
"Much of what we recognise today as Scotland's cultural heritage is embodied in our rich and varied resource of ancient monuments. Scotland’s 7,700 scheduled monuments range from 6,000 year old settlements to WWII pill-boxes and provide us with a tangible connection to a very human element of our past.
Scottish Executive
# posted by David Beard @ 1:22 PM
Archaeological Investigations Project
The AIP website has reduced the file sizes for the online Gazetteers 2000 and 2001 of Archaeological Investigations in England. They should now prove easier to load
http://csweb.bournemouth.ac.uk/consci/text_aip/aipintro.htm
# posted by David Beard @ 1:17 PM
Ancient 'Miracle' Icon to Be Returned to Russia
An ancient Russian Orthodox icon purportedly painted by St. Luke will be returned to Russia after it was spirited to the United States for safekeeping during the communist era of the Soviet Union.
Beliefnet
# posted by David Beard @ 7:51 AM
Burrowing badgers lay siege to castle
BURROWING badgers are destroying priceless pieces of the country's archaeological heritage, including earthworks at a medieval castle which played a vital role in William Wallace's war against the English.
The Herald
# posted by David Beard @ 7:48 AM
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Ides of March Marked Murder of Julius Caesar