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ANCIENT PAINTING IS A HIDDEN GEM

An ancient wall painting discovered in a church near Tewkesbury is being hailed as a find of national importance. The painting at Deerhurst Church is thought to have been created in the 10th century and has remained hidden 30ft up on the east wall of the nave until now.

The faint red image depicts a saint carrying a book in a veiled hand. Experts say it is the second surviving Anglo-Saxon wall painting in Britain.

This is Gloucestershire

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St George found in Welsh church

A medieval wall painting has been uncovered during renovation work at a south Wales church.

A life-size image of St George standing on a slain a dragon was uncovered at St Cadoc's church in Llangattock Lingoed, near Abergavenny.

BBC News

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Ancient jewellery reveals village site

RARE Iron Age jewellery has been found in the remains of an ancient Celtic settlement uncovered on a site earmarked for a motorcycle showroom in Yorkshire.
Dave Clarke

Among the finds unearthed at the Catesby business park at Balby Carr, near Doncaster, are the foundations of a round house and a rare black glass bangle that would have been worn by a Celtic woman over 2,000 years ago.

Yorkshire Post

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Neolithic hill to be protected

Walkers will not be given access to an ancient Wiltshire monument dating back nearly 5,000 years, it is reported.
The Countryside Agency wanted to classify Silbury Hill in Avebury as "unimproved chalk grassland", which would have opened up some access.

BBC News

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Fragments of Roman armlets found in dig

Fragments of two glass armlets, dating back to the Roman era, have been discovered during an archaeological dig at Knowes Farm near East Linton.

The remains of several circular Iron Age houses with stone-flagged floors, apparently belonging to the latest period of occupation, have also been uncovered.

East Lothian Courier

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Man unearths Bronze Age dagger in field

A METAL detecting enthusiast has unearthed a 3,600-year-old dagger from the depths of a South Lakeland field.

The finder, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear others will descend on the secret site, said he could not believe his luck when he stumbled across the Bronze Age relic.

This is the Lake District

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ARROWHEAD IS FOUND IN BATTLE DIG

ARCHAEOLOGISTS digging a trench near to the Bannockburn Visitor Centre have uncovered a souvenir from the 14th century.

The discovery of an armour-piercing arrowhead comes just as the famous battleground marks the 690th anniversary of the two-day fight between Scottish and English armies.National Trust for Scotland archaeologist Derek Alexander made the discovery, which has been described as hugely significant, during a recent trench dig.

I C Stirlingshire

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SEE A ROMAN VILLA - BEFORE IT IS BUILT ON

Archaeologists yesterday revealed they have unearthed a huge Roman villa and may have even identified who owned it. They believe the villa, in the heart of the Dorset countryside, was owned by a rich and important native Roman called Anicetus.

He was mentioned by Roman historian Tacitus who said that he possibly donated money to the Roman army.

Western Daily Press

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HAVE DERBY'S MUSEUM & UNIVERSITY FOUND MEDIEVAL TREASURE?

Following the discovery of an unusual plaque, Derby University has joined forces with Derby Museum to launch an exciting new partnership to help uncover more treasure in the region.

The university has specialist equipment, previously only available at the British Museum Research Laboratory, which can be used to identify the metal make up of archaeological finds.

24 Hour Museum News

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The arrow that pinpoints where Bannockburn was fought

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have found a rare medieval artefact which will solve a centuries-old mystery surrounding Scotland's most famous victory.

The 700-year-old armour-piercing arrowhead, the cruise missile of its day, will help experts pinpoint the location of the first day of the battle of Bannockburn on June 24, 1314, where Robert the Bruce defeated the forces of Edward II.

The Herald

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Bronze Age axe found in harbour

The artefact, recently found in Poole Harbour by diver Philip Butterworth, is believed to date back to 1000 to 800BC - the late Bronze Age.

The axe has now been declared to the Receiver of Wrecks, which acts for the Crown, as required by law.

BBC News

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ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER EVIDENCE OF PORTCHESTER CASTLE'S TRADING PAST

Archaeologists working at Portchester Castle believe they have discovered evidence that it was once a Roman trading port.

Topographic and geophysical surveys of the ancient site have revealed a number of previously uncharted structures dating from Roman, Saxon and medieval times.

24 Hours Museum News

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ROMAN COIN UNEARTHED IN AMPHITHEATRE DIG

INITIAL excavations at Chester´s Amphitheatre site have already unearthed some interesting finds.

Chester Standard

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Iron Age Discovery in Heybridge

A rare artefact from the Iron Age has been discovered at an archaeological site in Heybridge, Essex. Archaeologists believe the small copper alloy plaque, pictured above, discovered in an excavated Roman pit in Crescent Road, reveals the importance of the ancient settlement at Heybridge.

Megalithic Portal

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NEW DIG UNCOVERS ROMAN ARTEFACTS

SEVERAL exciting discoveries have been unearthed at Chester’s Amphitheatre site after just 10 days of new excavations.

Chester Now

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Long Man is not as old as he looks

The Long Man of Wilmington may be much younger than originally thought.

The familiar chalk figure of a man, drawn on a downland hillside near Eastbourne, has baffled generations of experts.

Investigators thought the figure might date from anywhere between 4,000 years ago, in the Bronze Age, and the first known drawing of it in 1710. The favoured guess was about 700AD.

However, a year-long examination of material unearthed at the bottom of the hill led researchers to conclude he is probably from the 16th or 17th Century.

This is Brighton & Hove

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Work sheds light on hidden priory

Part of a 'forgotten' 13th Century priory in Gloucester is to be restored as part of regeneration work.
The demolition of a garage will enable the original cloister at Blackfriars Priory, off Commercial Road, to be rebuilt, organisers say.

BBC News

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New CEO for Historic Scotland

John Graham was today announced as the new Chief Executive of Historic Scotland by the Permanent Secretary. Historic Scotland is the executive agency responsible for safeguarding the protection and presentation of the nation's built heritage.

Megalithic Portal

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WALL LOCALS SIRED BY AFRICANS SAYS EXPERT

AN ARCHAEOLOGIST wants DNA tests of Cumbrians to prove his theory that people from the Carlisle area are descended from Africans.

The academic says there is compelling evidence that a 500-strong unit of soldiers from modern-day Morocco manned the Aballava fort near Burgh by Sands – and would have mixed with the local ladies.

Richard Benjamin, from the University of Liverpool, says a fourth century inscription in Beaumont, two miles from Burgh, is a mark of Aurelian Moors, a unit of North African soldiers

Cumbria Online

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Early hominid ears primed for speech

Early humans evolved the anatomy needed to hear each other talk at least 350,000 years ago. This suggests rudimentary form of speech developed early on in our evolution.

The conclusion comes from studies of fossilised skulls discovered in the mountains of Spain. A team of Spanish and US researchers used CT scans to measure the bones and spaces in the outer and middle ears of five specimens, thought to belong to Homo heidelbergensis. This species is thought to be a relative of the ancestral line leading to neanderthals.

New Scientist

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Rare clues to Etruscan culture unmasked

THE Royal Museum of Scotland has released new images of the spectacular gold jewellery and rich tomb finds that form part of its major summer exhibition on the mysterious Etruscans.

Treasures from Tuscany: the Etruscan Legacy opens next month. It features nearly 500 Etruscan objects which have never been shown in the UK. They include finely-wrought jewellery of amber and gold, full-size sarcophagi, ash urns and bronze figurines.

The Scotsman

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Archdruid wants Stonehenge back

The archdruid of Wales has called for England's most famous landmark to be returned to Wales.
This week experts said remains found near Stonehenge were almost certainly among those who helped build it.

BBC News

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Gardai investigate destruction of prehistoric fort in Kerry

Gardaí in Dingle, Co Kerry, are investigating the destruction of a major part of a 3,000-year-old promontory fort on the Dingle Peninsula. The Dún Mór coastal promontory fort is "hugely important and, so far as is known, the biggest coastal promontory fort in the country", according to an archaeologist, Mr Michael Gibbons. It overlooks the Blasket Islands and the Skelligs.

Megalithic Portal

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How the monks made their dosh

The Stock Book, which dates back to the 15th century, documents how Fountains Abbey became the richest Cistercian abbey in England.
It contains detailed accounts of how the monks built up vast wealth from the sale of livestock and dairy products.

Entries show how just one small part of a network of estates produced more than 53 stones of cheese and 26 stones of butter in one year.
At the same time it reared a 50-strong herd of cattle.

Leeds Today

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Ancient hair gives up its DNA secrets

Analysing DNA from ancient strands of hair is a new tool for learning about the past, molecular archaeologists say, including whether hair samples belonged to Sir Isaac Newton.

Until now, scientists had thought analysing the hair shaft was of relatively little use as it contained so little DNA.

ABC Online

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Stonehenge: the Welsh connection

As thousands were on their way to celebrate the summer solstice, scientists announced that three of the seven occupants of an Early Bronze Age burial close to Stonehenge (England) were from West Wales, source of the monument's bluestones. Given the dating and proximity of the burial it would be a “phenomenal coincidence” if the origins of the three adult males and the Stonehenge bluestones were not linked, according to Dr. Andrew Fitzpatrick of Wessex Archaeology. The intriguing possibility is that the burials were related to the transportation of the bluestones and the megalithic construction phases of Stonehenge.

Stonepages

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Archaeology Gets a New Champion

Dr Mike Heyworth FSA MIFA MCMI has been appointed as the new Director of the Council for British Archaeology to succeed George Lambrick from 1 August 2004.

Dr Heyworth is currently Deputy Director of the CBA where he has worked for the last 14 years. A graduate of Sheffield University, his research background is in archaeological science. During his career at the CBA, Mike Heyworth has made a major contribution to British archaeology in the development of information systems for the whole historic environment sector. Amongst a very wide portfolio of responsibilities he is currently particularly involved with developing the CBA's role in encouraging public participation in archaeology.

Dr Heyworth will be only the fifth Director in the CBA's 60-year history.

Dr Francis Pryor, President of the CBA, said

"Archaeology has never been more popular in the UK and nobody knows the world of archaeology better than Mike. The CBA is in his blood and I know that he will be an effective campaigner for British Archaeology in the challenging years ahead."

Dr Heyworth said:

"I am delighted to have been appointed to this post. The CBA is a key independent voice for British archaeology and there are many exciting opportunities ahead.

"I look forward to continuing to work with all our key stakeholders and partners, particularly CBA's institutional and individual members, and building on our past successes."

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Cave in

Neanderthal man has been badly misunderstood

When in doubt, trust William Golding. The author was a campaigner against hogwash. When he came across an old novel about a group of supertalented British boys who got stranded on an island — and, amazingly, managed to create on it their own, perfectly organised mini-England — he was the first to cry nonsense. Taking a slightly more realistic approach to the subject, he wrote Lord of the Flies. Another of his books, The Inheritors, is similarly straightforward in telling how the peaceloving Neanderthals were defeated by an emerging human race. As it turns out, Mr and Mrs Neanderthal were not the grunting thugs you may have imagined.


The Times

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Neanderthal man was not so dumb after all

NEANDERTHAL man and his immediate ancestors were not the grunting cavemen they are commonly held to be but probably spoke and understood a rudimentary language.
Analysis of ear bones from fossilised skulls at least 350,000 years old has shown that their hearing was attuned to pick up the same frequencies as those used in modern human speech.

The Times

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Outrage over destruction of Celtic fort

Heritage experts today condemned the destruction of part of a 3,000-year-old Celtic fort in Co Kerry.

The 700 metres of earthen works that surrounded the ancient Dun Mor Fort on the Dingle Peninsula were levelled at the weekend by an excavating machine. An entrance and a standing stone with an ogham (Celtic writing) inscription were also removed.

Irish Examiner

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Archaeologists 'link Stonehenge to Wales'

STONEHENGE was built by a Welsh family, archaeologists now believe.

The discovery of an early Bronze Age grave, made by workmen laying pipes on Salisbury Plain, is further proof that England's ancient landmark is a Welsh export.

I C Wales

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Found: the men who delivered Stonehenge

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have discovered the remains of a “band of brothers” who, they believe, helped to transport giant bluestones from the Preseli mountains in West Wales to build Stonehenge more than 4,000 years ago.

They have been dubbed the Boscombe Bowmen after the location of their grave a few miles from Britain’s most famous prehistoric monument.

The Times

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WELSH BUILT STONEHENGE

Grave solves druid mystery.

THE 4500-year-old mystery of who built Stonehenge may have finally been solved.

After studying skeletons found in nearby graves, archaeologists are convinced the creators of the great stone circle were Welsh.


Daily Record

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Stonehenge 'builders' found

REMAINS found near Stonehenge are almost certainly of an ancient people who built the monument, archaeologists have revealed.

Researchers investigating the origins of the seven 4,500-year-old skeletons found buried on Salisbury Plain last year have run chemical tests to trace their origins and age.

The Scotsman

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Stonehenge creators' remains found

Remains found near Stonehenge are almost certainly of an ancient people who built the monument, excited archaeologists have revealed.

Researchers investigating the origins of the seven 4,500 year-old skeletons found buried on Salisbury Plain last year have run chemical tests to trace their origins and age.

Ananova

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COULD LATEST STONEHENGE SKELETONS BE ITS BRONZE AGE BUILDERS?

Archaeologists working near Stonehenge have unearthed a grave containing the remains of seven men who they believe might have helped to build Europe’s most famous prehistoric monument.

Discovered at Boscombe Down and dating back to the beginning of the Bronze Age - around 2,300 BC – the men appear to have been alive during the period when many of Stonehenge’s vast megaliths were brought from Wales.

24 Hour Museum News

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Welsh 'helped build' Stonehenge

Archaeologists say remains found near Stonehenge are almost certainly those of the ancient people who helped to build the monument.
Tests on teeth found in a 4,300-year-old grave at Boscombe Down suggest the prehistoric workmen were Welsh.

BBC News

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Historic chalk mine dig to begin

Residents of almost 300 homes are being asked to give the go-ahead to a major archaeological dig for old chalk mines.

BBC News

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Marbles expert: Greeks are like abusive parents

It is Europe's longest-running cultural heritage dispute, yet the row over the rightful home of the Elgin Marbles is still so hotly contested it will almost qualify as an Olympic sport in Athens this summer.

Observer

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End the exile

For 300 years we have had the Elgin Marbles, but the case for their return is now unanswerable.

Observer

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Unknotting a tangled tale of towels

Tests on a painting, called the Mandylion, revered as a miraculous imprinted image of Christ, have revealed it to have been made in the 13th century. There are several early versions of the image, but the one in Genoa is the first to have been subjected to a thorough scientific examination. The results are being presented at an exhibition (until 18 July) in the city’s Museo Diocesano as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations. Appropriately, the show is presented as a journey, both spiritual and scientific—since the venerated icon has links with Syria, Turkey, Sinai and Armenia.

The Art Newspaper

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Developers in north determined to bulldoze Bronze Age site for villas

THE COMPANY charged with the destruction of a grade one archaeological site in the village of Kazafani says it will do all it can to go ahead with its project to build luxury housing on the site of an early Bronze Age necropolis.

Reacting to an article that appeared in the Cyprus Mail one week ago, Sercem Construction Ltd boss Cemal Bulutoglulari said: “We have the necessary licences to build on the plot, we have done nothing illegal,” adding that his company had issued an appeal to the Turkish Cypriot antiques and monuments council to have the grade one status of the site at Vounos lifted.

Cyprus Mail

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Thousands gather at Stonehenge

Thousands of revellers are expected at Stonehenge in Wiltshire to mark the summer solstice.

The 5,000-year-old World Heritage site is again open to the public, following earlier years in which it was closed amid fears of damage to the stones.

BBC News

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Solstice crowd warning is issued

Police are warning commuters to steer clear of Stonehenge on Sunday and Monday morning because of the annual solstice celebrations.
Wiltshire Constabulary says roads around the ancient monument are likely to be busy as thousands celebrate the longest day of the year.

BBC News

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Thousands expected at Stonehenge for summer solstice

Around 30,000 people are expected to converge on Stonehenge in England from today for one of the highlights of the counter-culture calendar- the summer solstice celebrations.

Gatherings in recent years have been far more low-key than in previous troubled times but police in Wiltshire and Hampshire have said they will still not tolerate any illegal parties after the event.

They have also warned motorists to avoid the area if possible and have reminded drivers that illegally parked cars will be removed.

Breaking News

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Thousands head to Stonehenge for solstice

As many as 30,000 people are expected to converge on Stonehenge for one of the highlights of the counter-culture calendar - the summer solstice celebrations.

Gatherings in recent years have been far more low-key than in previous troubled times but police in Wiltshire and Hampshire have said they will still not tolerate any illegal parties after the event.

ITV.com

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1/8 - Bridge on the River Wye

Sunday, 20 June 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. Channel 4

The words "daredevil" and "archaeology" aren't usually heard in the same sentence, but it's absolutely the right description for this new series. Totally mad might be appropriate, too.

The idea is for Dr Mark Davies and his band of highly skilled, daring archaeologists to excavate Britain's most inaccessible historical sites, the ones that even the most enthusiastic Time Team type wouldn't touch with a 6ft trowel.

This week they investigate the remains of a Roman bridge they think may have been built over the fast-flowing River Wye in Chepstow.

Things get exciting when the equipment starts to malfunction...

Extreme Archaeology

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Thousands expected at Stonehenge for the Solstice

Today's Sunday newspapers are full of reports of thousands due at Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice. The Daily Star, ITV.com and Breakingnews.ie all print the same story...

Some 30,000 people are expected to converge on Stonehenge for one of the highlights of the counter-culture calendar- the summer solstice celebrations.

Megalithic Portal

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Mystery of stone anchors

Divers at Dunbar have turned archaeologists in a bid to unlock the past surrounding mystery stone anchors found off the local shore.

They are also hoping members of the public will help them in their quest to learn more about the maritime artefacts which they discovered six years ago while diving about a mile east of the town.

East Lothian Today

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Illegaler Handel mit archäologischen Fundstücken verhindert

Täter innerhalb von 24 Stunden ermittelt

Beamte des Landeskriminalamtes Sachsen durchsuchten am vergangenen Mittwoch, den 16. Juni 2004 die Wohnung eines 32-jährigen Leipzigers und stellten mehrere sehr wertvolle archäologische Fundstücke unversehrt sicher. Das Landesamt für Archäologie war durch eigene Recherchen in einem Internet-Auktionshaus auf den Leipziger Anbieter aufmerksam geworden, der mehrere archäologische Fundstücke dort zum Kauf anbot. Die schnelle, unkomplizierte und professionelle Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem Landesamt für Archäologie und den Strafverfolgungsbehörden führte innerhalb von 24 Stunden zur Ermittlung eines Tatverdächtigen. Durch die sächsische Landesarchäologin, Frau Dr. Judith Oexle, die bei der Durchsuchung mit vor Ort war, konnten die meisten Fundstücke sicher identifiziert und zugeordnet werden.


Archäologie

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Dig reveals Roman relics in town

Roman artefacts have been discovered in a new archaeological dig in the centre of Shepton Mallet.

Experts working on the largest project for 10 years in Somerset say they have found relics left behind by residents of the town nearly 2,000 years ago.

BBC News

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Etruscan road uncovered

A plain in Tuscany destined to become a dump has turned out to be an archaeologist's dream, revealing the biggest Etruscan road ever found.

Digging in Capannori, near Lucca, archaeologist Michelangelo Zecchini has uncovered startling evidence of an Etruscan "highway" which presumably linked Etruscan Pisa, on the Tyrrhenian coast, to the Adriatic port of Spina

Cronaca

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Medieval Necropolis Found in Northeastern France

"They're skeletons from the Middle Ages, so much the better!" recounts this relieved resident. "I wasn't sleeping at night the whole weekend, after my son discovered the first human teeth with the first dig of the shovel, and then we had to call the police when we found the bodies," she adds. On Thursday, the regional archeological authority estimated that the bones dated from the 10th to the 15th century. "They were buried in a traditional way, east to west, arms folded and without any funeral marker," said archeologist Jean-Pierre Legendre, underscoring the important of this discovery "for the archeological map" [of the region].

Ionarts

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Nécropole du Moyen-Age découverte dans un jardin

Des squelettes d'une nécropole du Moyen-Age, ont été découverts dans un jardin en Meurthe-et-Moselle

Une famille de Saint-Nicolas-de-Port voulant construire une terrasse dans son jardin a découvert stupéfaite des ossements humains, selon l'archéologue du service régional d'archéologie de Metz.



France 2

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Dig confirms existence of Brodgar Neolithic village

Last year's discovery of a structure half-way between the Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stenness (Orkney, Scotland) gave the first hint that old conceptions about the area were going to have to change. That discovery, together with a series of extensive geophysics scans, was beginning to indicate the sheer extent of prehistoric human activity wasn't entirely based around the ceremonial rings. But even the geophysics results couldn't prepare the archaeologists for what they found after digging a number of small exploratory trenches around the site of the "Brodgar New Hoose" - in particular that the area around Lochview could be still house an extremely well-preserved Neolithic village.

Stone Pages

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Irish Monuments Bill a backward step for protection

Speaking during the second stage debate on the National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004, Sinn Féin spokesperson on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Arthur Morgan TD slammed the anti-heritage ethos behind the Bill and questioned Minister Martin Cullen's suitability for holding responsibility for the Heritage portfolio.

Stone Pages

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Bronze Age findings in Donegal

Two 4,000-year-old Bronze Age burial bowls have been recovered intact from cist graves on a Donegal farm (Ireland). Also found on the site were the intact remains of a young man and the cremated remains of another person, probably a woman in her early 20s. The discovery was made on Mr David Patterson's farm in Liscooley, Castlefinn, Co Donegal when he was excavating the foundations for a shed. Mr Patterson contacted the archaeological section of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and the investigation was carried out by senior archaeologist Mr Victor Buckley.

Stone Pages

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REMAINS OF HUGE STONE AGE ELEPHANT FOUND IN KENT

Construction work for the Ebbsfleet station on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in north Kent has unearthed a 400,000 year old Early Stone Age site.

The major find is the skeleton of an elephant surrounded by flint tools lying undisturbed where they were originally discarded.

24 Hour Museum News

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Stonehenge: Built by Welshmen?

At least three of the builders of Stonehenge were from Wales, according to archaeologists who found the builders' grave close to the Stonehenge site, and have linked the remains to stones used in the construction of the Salisbury Plain monument.

Discovery.com

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ASTONISHING ROCK CARVINGS IN NORTHUMBERLAND BAFFLE ARCHAEOLOGISTS

A trio of extraordinary stone carvings found in Northumberland have got archaeologists and experts so baffled they've asked for help in deciphering them.

"We have enjoyed speculating about the meaning of these new and unusual markings," explained Dr Aron Mazel of Newcastle University’s School of Historical Studies, "but the truth is we really don’t know what they are."

24 Hour Museum News

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Ulster's ancient heritage explored

THE ancient and exotic will be unveiled on Archaeology Days across Northern Ireland later this week.

The DOE's Environment and Heritage Service has announced events which will explore topics such as what happens on an archaeological dig and at the rebuilding of a wedge tomb.

Belfast Telegraph

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"The Archaeology of the St Pancras Burial Ground"

Friday 18th June 7.00p.m.

Institute of Archaeology
Gordon Square
London W1

Lecture by Phil Emery and Kevin Wooldridge

For further details see the EMAS Events Page

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Do you dig archaeology? Well you can now

MORE than two dozen archaeological digs are looking for participants this summer, at sites ranging in date from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages.
Opportunities to join in exist in most parts of Britain, as well as in Ireland and on the Isle of Man.

The Times

Trouble logging in? Try Bug Me Not

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Ancient graves found on cliffs

A 1,250-year-old cliff-face cemetery has been found in Pembrokeshire revealing the county's early Christian past.

Two skeletons dating from the Dark Ages of around 750AD have been recovered and a stone with a carefully chiselled cross has also been found.

BBC News

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Roman ruin 'movie' wins accolade

A plan to boost tourism by recreating Roman life in a special effects-laden film, has itself won recognition.

The National Lottery has awarded a commemorative blue plaque in recognition of the project to boost tourism around Hadrian's Wall.

BBC News

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Huge Etruscan Road Brought to Light

A plain in Tuscany destined to become a dump has turned out to be an archaeologist's dream, revealing the biggest Etruscan road ever found.

Digging in Capannori, near Lucca, archaeologist Michelangelo Zecchini has uncovered startling evidence of an Etruscan "highway" which presumably linked Etruscan Pisa, on the Tyrrhenian coast, to the Adriatic port of Spina.

Discovery.com

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Pupils get digging to unearth the past

YOUNGSTERS took part in a dig to find a hidden ruin dubbed ‘The Palace’ and unearthed a series of finds.

Archaeologist Tony Rook, a former teacher at Sherrardswood School, previously unearthed a Roman villa in the grounds of the school and believes there are remains of another large, unexcavated building with mosaic floors underground.

Welwyn & Hatfield Times

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Archaeologists solve medieval mystery

An archaeologist has helped solve a medieval mystery about a thieving monk.

Gabor Thomas' work has finally laid to rest a centuries-old argument about where in Sussex the errant monk did his pilfering.

This is Brighton & Hove

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Remains of ancient farm excavated in Oestfold

The remains of a farm dating back to the Roman period is being excavated in a field in Raade in the county of Oestfold.

It is believed to be the largest find from the Roman period ever made in the Nordic countries, and seen as unique in this region, according to public broadcaster NRK.

Norway Post

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friends of the earth malta stop waste dump damaging neolithic ruins

Victories for environmental campaigners are few and far between in Malta. The outlook had seemed to be getting worse when the Maltese government put forward plans to create two potentially hazardous and certainly polluting waste dump sites only 300 metres away from the world's largest free-standing Neolithic temples, Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, relics of a matriarchal society that existed some 4,000 years ago.

Friends of the Earth

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Ship wreck site to train divers

A boat is lying at the bottom of the sea on Teesside after a careful operation to sink it.
The Kittiwake is in a corner of the West Dock in Hartlepool where it will be used for divers and marine archaeologists to explore.

BBC News

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Borders folk may be descended from Africans

Families who have lived in the English-Scottish Borders for generations could be descended from African soldiers who patrolled Hadrian's Wall nearly 2,000 years ago.

Archaeologists say there is compelling evidence that a 500-strong unit of Moors manned a fort near Carlisle in the third century AD.

Telegraph

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Jowell to cut 'wasteful' heritage bodies

The Government is to slash the plethora of bodies safeguarding the national heritage to crack down on waste, Tessa Jowell, the Secretary of State for Culture, has warned. Following reorganisations in art and sport, which cut numbers of staff and funding schemes, heritage is the next sector to be targeted.

Megalithic Portal

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Bronze Age necropolis on Cyprus is being bulldozed

A fierce row has broken out between the Turkish Cypriot Department of Antiquities and Museums and a construction company over what the department claims is the “illegal destruction of a grade one archaeological site” at Vounos, near Kazafani, to make way for luxury homes.

Antiquities Department head Ilkay Feridun said she had filed legal proceedings against the company following last-minute moves to declare the Bronze Age necropolis at Vounos a grade one site. "Our archaeologists did a detailed study of the site and found it had been damaged, and we have informed the Attorney-general of the situation," she said. She added that bulldozers had “completely flattened” the Vounos site, damaging the hundred or so tombs located there.

Stone Pages

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Archaeologists find ancient fort

Part of an artillery fort built in 1627 has been discovered near to the docks in Hull.

The South Battery once formed part of the city's defences but it has not been seen since it was demolished around 1855.

BBC News

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Historic henges new warning

A QUARRY firm has been warned it has a fight on its hands over plans to extend its operations next to an ancient site of national importance.

Campaigners this week pledged to step up their fight to protect the unique triple henge complex at Thornborough, near Bedale, after it was revealed that quarry operators had submitted a planning application to extract more sand and gravel nearby.

Nidderdale Today

Visit the Friends of Thornborough's Web site at

http://www.friendsofthornborough.org.uk/

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Castle sold to mystery buyer

A west Wales castle with links to Dylan Thomas has been sold to a Welshman for an undisclosed sum.
Laugharne Castle, along with a nine-bedroom Georgian house, was put up for sale at an auction on Saturday.

BBC News

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Going to see the stones

With the Summer Solstice just a few days away the papers are coming up with ideas on how to spend it in 2004 (why not tells us in our latest poll).

Megalithic Portal

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STONEMASONS UNCOVER MEDIAEVAL MYSTERY

Mediaeval pots dating from the 14th to 16th centuries have been discovered in one of Aberdeen's most historic buildings.

They were found by masons repointing the west wall of one of Aberdeen University's oldest buildings. The four broken pottery jugs were carefully placed behind stones which, in two cases, had been trimmed away at the rear to accommodate them.

This is North Scotland

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INTERACTIVE ONLINE MAP OFFERS UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS TO STONEHENGE

English Heritage is now offering unprecedented access to the Stonehenge World Heritage Site in the form of a new micro-website, launched on June 11.

For the first time, visitors can explore the entire archaeological landscape that surrounds the world famous stone circle from the comfort of their desktops.

24 Hour Museum News

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Viking ‘town’ is Ireland’s equivalent of Pompeii

IT’S likely to be some weeks yet before Minister for the Environment Martin Cullen announces recommendations for dealing with and possibly preserving what historians are now describing as Ireland’s first town.

The discovery of the Viking settlement, at Woodstown, five miles from the city, which is believed to date back to the mid-9th century, was made as preparatory work got underway on the city’s €300m by-pass.

Waterford News and Star

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Satellite images 'show Atlantis' in Spain

The fabled lost city of Atlantis might lie in a salt marsh region off Spain's southern coast, according to research reported online by the archaeology journal Antiquity. The study, not yet peer-reviewed by archaeologists, is based on satellite images showing ancient ruins that appear to match descriptions made by the Greek scholar Plato. Resembling two rectangular buildings, the structures are hidden in a muddy region known as Marisma de Hinojos near the port of Cadiz.

Stonepages

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Ancient remains found at bypass site

VITAL clues into how we lived thousands of years ago have been unearthed on a bypass site.

Among the items uncovered along the A142 between Newmarket and Fordham include skeletons from the Bronze Age and Iron Age, along with a body from Roman times.

Flints and pottery, buried since the Neolithic period around 4,500 years ago, have also been discovered, and will now be cleaned and carefully examined to help experts learn more about the history of East Anglia's ancestors.

East Anglian Daily Times

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Pergamon Altar's Restored Frieze Unveiled

BERLIN - After a decade of painstaking cleaning, Berlin's Pergamon Museum has unveiled the restored marble frieze of the Pergamon Altar, the second century B.C. centerpiece of its collection.

The 371 foot-long frieze decorated the outside walls of the altar, which was built between 197 and 156 B.C. in the present-day Turkish town of Bergama. A German engineer discovered fragments of the frieze, which had been taken apart and incorporated into the walls of a fortress, in 1864.

Yahoo! News

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Oxford ArchDigital Provides Stonehenge Mapping Site

When English Heritage and Wiltshire County Council wanted to create a virtual tour of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site, they chose Oxford ArchDigital for their expertise in map based websites.

Funded by the New Opportunities Fund (NOF), the new microsite goes live on 11 June as part of the English Heritage website,
www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge.

Managing Information

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CAVEMAN STIRS BREWING ROW ON WITCH'S BONES

A Witch has cast her spell to stir up a row between two tourist attractions. Former circus owner Gerry Cottle bought Wookey Hole a year ago and said the bones of the famous witch should be restored to her original home in the caves, but a museum curator has other ideas.

Archaeologist Herbert Balch found the bones around 100 years ago. They were lying alongside a comb, a crystalline ball and the bones of two goats tethered to a stake.

Western Gazette

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Orpheus Grave Mystery Unveiled in Bulgaria

An archaeological expedition led by prominent Bulgarian Professor Nikolay Ovcharov unveiled the mystery of the excellently preserved Thracian temple in the region of Tatul village.

Though most of the archaeologists in the expedition assume that the Thracian temple was dedicated to the mythical Orpheus, there are still some suggestions that that it might have been built in honour of a Thracian king.

Novinite.com

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ELGIN DIG DELIGHT OVER 14TH-CENTURY DISCOVERY

Archaeologists working at a construction site in Elgin have uncovered a perfectly-preserved 14th-century oak-built well.

The find has been described as "phenomenal", and is being hailed as a rare glimpse into life in mediaeval Elgin and Scotland.

This is North Scotland

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Photos from the Berry - Limousin Study Tour

Photos from the recent Berry - Limousin archaeological study tour are now on the web and can be viewed at:

http://www.archaeology.eu.com/tours/previous/2004_lim/index.html

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Archaeology Days in Northern Ireland, 21 June 2004

This Northern Ireland contribution to National Archaeology Days, taking place in England and Wales in July, is timed around the 21st June, the summer solstice. There is a wide variety of events, hosted by many different organisations, taking place on Saturday 19th June, which will stimulate the imagination and be an enjoyable experience for everyone.

Megalithic Portal

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Roman 'industrial estate' found

Experts who unearthed the best preserved example in Wales of a medieval track, have now found what they believe is the equivalent of a Roman 'industrial estate.'

BBC News

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New research may uncover Byblos' Bronze Age port

If archaeologist Ibrahim Noureddine is right, sunbathers at Byblos' beaches (Lebanon) may one day find themselves next to a Phoenician port. The underwater archaeologist is currently working on ancient ports, trying to figure out whether people in the Bronze Age built their harbors or used the natural foundation. It is not an easy task, as Noureddine does not even know for sure yet where to dig for the old harbors.

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