Archaeology

Archaeologists Unearth Remains of Largest Ancient Egyptian Fortified City in Northern Sinai

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 22:37:45 GMT

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Archaeologists have unearthed 3,000-year-old remains of the largest ancient Egyptian fortified city while exploring an old military road in Sinai that once connected Egypt to Palestine, the antiquities authority said Wednesday.
Zahi Hawass, chief of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that archaeologists unearthed a relief of King Thutmose II (1516-1504 B.C.), thought to be the first such royal monument found in Sinai. It indicates that Thutmose II may have built a fort in the area.

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Archaeologists unearth "mini-Stonehenge" in Greater Manchester

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 19:06:33 GMT

"London, April 10: Archaeologists have unearthed a "mini-Stonehenge" in Greater Manchester, England, which dates back to about 5,000 years.

Archaeologist Stuart Mendelsohn spotted two sites near the moors of Rochdale, believed to be ancient burial sites, during a walk on the hills in December.

He believes that the sites may soon become a major tourist attraction.

"I suppose you could describe it as Rochdale's version of Stonehenge. It would have been a sacred site and what we've found so far I feel will be the tip of the iceberg," Manchester Evening News quoted the 52-year-old archaeologist, who is based in Sweden but originally from Middleton, as saying.

He revealed that the sites boasted an oval made up of collapsed slabs, and a 30-metre circle of rounded stones.

"It was very unexpected and I didn't believe it at first. I just can't believe that it's been missed by everyone. The stones are not arranged randomly and it's quite clear to see," he siad.

"For our area and beyond, it's very significant. We've found two burial mounds. The stones may represent particular lunar events in the calendar. I think it would have been a focal point for the whole community," he added.

Peter Iles, a leading archaeological expert from Lancashire County Council, visited the two sites.

The sites have also been inspected by English Heritage, which described them as "fairly well preserved".

English Heritage claimed that both sites were "possible of Bronze age date", suggesting that they could date back to 3,000 BC.

However, unlike the famous monument at Stonehenge, local materials are believed to have been used at the newly discovered sites.

The first site, made up of fallen stones, is 10.2m in overall diameter. The second, which includes the circle, is on the western slope.

The entire site covers an acre, according to an English Heritage report.

"It's great news for Rochdale. Prehistoric flints have been found in Littleborough, but as far as I'm aware, this is the first significant discovery in the town," said Mendelsohn.

"I don't know why that site was chosen originally but it has fantastic views of Rochdale and was fairly close to where people lived. It's a great site and we really need to get it protected and preserved," he added.

Norman Redhead, the Greater Manchester county archaeologist, said that he was planning to visit the site in the next few weeks."

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Archaeologist Finds Ancient Nasca Iron Ore Mine in Peru

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 22:10:36 GMT

"A Purdue University archaeologist discovered an intact ancient iron ore mine in South America that shows how civilizations before the Inca Empire were mining this valuable ore."

"The researchers determined that the mine is a human-made cave that was first created around 2,000 years ago. An estimated 3,710 metric tons was extracted from the mine during more than 1,400 years of use. The mine, which is nearly 700 cubic meters, is in a cliffside facing a modern ochre mine."

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Worship at Zeus's "Birthplace" Predates the Greek God

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 22:06:53 GMT

Excavations at the mountain top birthplace of the Greek god Zeus reveal the mountaintop's conical ash altar was used for sacrifices long before the Greeks began to worship their most powerful god. What the altar was used for the thousand years before Zeus sacrifices began is the mystery archaeologists are trying to solve.

They are hoping excavations will lead them to the origins of the god Zeus and the original reason why the site was a sacred site for 1,000 years before the worship of Zeus was brought to Greece.

The researchers have theorized that the mountaintop weather which is prone to rain, thunder, lightning and storm clouds gave birth to the god Zeus who is associated the storm elements.

The two leading stories of the birth place of Zeus suggestedt both Crete and Mount Lykaion where the excavations of the altar are being conducted.

The most intriguing find at the altar site is a rock crystal seal with an image of a Minoan bull that was left by worshiper as a tribute to their god.

"Scholars say the artifact may indicate some kind of Crete-Arcadia connection related to early Zeus worship."

News Source: National Geographic

Video: Ruins Found Near Machu Picchu

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 21:48:46 GMT

Ruins Video

America’s Stonehenge, Miami Stone Circle, Hides 2,000-Year Old Secrets

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 19:57:07 GMT

"Miami Stone Circle was discovered in downtown Miami, Florida in 1998. It’s a series of 24 loaf-shaped holes or basins cut into the limestone bedrock on a coastal spit of land, surrounded by a large number of other ‘minor’ holes."
View Photos

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Ruins Discovered in Peru Could be Ancient "Lost City"

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 19:48:29 GMT

According to recent claims ruins found in Peru may be the legendary lost city of Paititi. The lost city has been described to be a stone settlement embellished with gold statues and has long been the holy grail to Peruvian explorers.

A common legend claims that the lost city of Paititi was built by an Incan hero Inkarri, the founder of the city of Cusco.

The site has been described as "an archaeological fortress" found in the district of Kimbiri. The ruins are described as a 430,000 square foot fortification near Lobo Tahuantinsuyo.

An Italian archaeologist discovered archival records in 2001 that reported a missionary seeing a "city of gold" in the region.

However the site was not found in the region where historical records have indicated Paititi should be found.

National Geographic News

Dino tracker finds trove of prints in D.C. suburb

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 16:35:03 GMT

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Ray Stanford pulls into the lot of a fast-food restaurant on a suburban commercial strip and parks at the back. Wearing high rubber boots and carrying a backpack, he makes his way through the brush and down to a stream bank littered with wrappers and cups.

He's come to track dinosaurs.

Stanford, a 69-year-old Texan, has been combing Maryland stream beds for evidence of dinosaurs for the past 13 years. The result is an unprecedented collection of footprints that were left behind 112 million years ago — found in an area where none had been reported before.

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Remains of Ancient Civilization Discovered on the Bottom of a Lake

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:55:35 GMT

MOSCOW. (Nikolai Lukashov for RIA Novosti) - An international archeological expedition to Lake Issyk Kul, high in the Kyrgyz mountains, proves the existence of an advanced civilization 25 centuries ago, equal in development to the Hellenic civilizations of the northern coast of the Pontus Euxinus (Black Sea) and the Mediterranean coast of Egypt.

The expedition resulted in sensational finds, including the discovery of major settlements, presently buried underwater. The data and artefacts obtained, which are currently under study, apply the finishing touches to the many years of exploration in the lake, made by seven previous expeditions. The addition of a previously unknown culture to the treasury of history extends the idea of the patterns and regularities of human development.

Kyrgyz historians, led by Vladimir Ploskikh, vice president of the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, worked side-by-side with Russian colleagues, lead by historian Svetlana Lukashova and myself. All the Russians involved were experienced skin-divers and members of the Russian Confederation of Underwater Sports. We were responsible for the work done under water. Scuba divers ventured into the lake many times to study its bottom.

Last year, we worked near the north coast at depths of 5-10 metres to discover formidable walls, some stretching for 500 meters-traces of a large city with an area of several square kilometers. In other words, it was a metropolis in its time. We also found Scythian burial mounds, eroded by waves over the centuries, and numerous well preserved artifacts-bronze battleaxes, arrowheads, self-sharpening daggers, objects discarded by smiths, casting molds, and a faceted gold bar, which was a monetary unit of the time.

Lake Issyk Kul has played a tremendous role since the inception of human history due to its geographic location at the crossing of Indo-Aryan and other nomadic routes. Archeologists found traces of many religions here-Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Somewhere in the vicinity was Chihu, the metropolitan city of a mighty state of Wusung nomads, which ancient Chinese chronicles mentioned on many occasions.

The Great Silk Road lay along the lake's coast until the 18th century. Even today, the descendants of caravan drivers recollect their ancestors' stories about travelling from Asia to Europe and back.

Tamerlane built a fortress on one of the lake islets to hold aristocratic captives and keep his treasures. The famous Asian expeditions of Russian explorers Dmitry Przhevalsky and Pyotr Semyonov-Tianshansky started from that spot.

The latter left us an enticing mystery. When he visited Venice in 1850, he looked at the Catalan Atlas of 1375 and came across a picture of a lakeside monastery with the caption: "The spot is named Isikol. Here is a monastery of Armenian brethren, which is rumored to possess the relics of St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist."

Semyonov-Tianshansky embarked on a relentless but vain search for the shrine. To all appearances, the monastery was engulfed by water. Hydrologists have not to this day sufficiently studied the unique lake with regular shifts in its water level. Some changes are gradual, others sudden and disastrous since they are caused by earthquakes and torrents of water rush from lakes higher up in the mountains. Floods recede sooner or later, and people come back to the shores-only to become the victims of other floods 500-700 years later.

Throughout the years of their partnership, Russian and Kyrgyz archeologists discovered and examined more than ten major flooded urban and rural settlements of varying ages. Their ample finds generously add to present-day ideas of everyday life in times long ago.

Some artifacts are stunning. A 2,500 year-old ritual bronze cauldron was found on the bottom of the lake. The subtlety of its craftsmanship is amazing. Such excellent quality of joining details together can be presently obtained by metalwork in an inert gas. How did ancient people achieve their high-tech perfection? Also of superb workmanship are bronze mirrors, festive horse harnesses and many other objects. Articles identified as the world's oldest extant coins were also found underwater-gold wire rings used as small change and a large hexahedral goldpiece.

Side by side with the settlements are remnants of ritual complexes of times immemorial, dwellings and household outbuildings. Later expeditions will study them.

The information collected there allows us to conjecture that local people had a socio-economic system hitherto unknown to historians. As a blending of nomadic and settled life, it either gradually evolved into something different or-more likely-was destroyed by one of the many local floods. Legends confirm the latter assumption.

Nikolai Lukashov, a member of the Russian Confederation of Underwater Sports, took part in the the Issyk Kul expedition.

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Unidentified Ancient City Found in China

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 18:38:09 GMT

According to Chongqing Evening News, a mysterious ancient city sits atop a mountain in the Shilongman Community of Shijia Village in Bei'e District. Built along the mountain, this ancient city looks ominous and steep, covering a 10-acre area. There is no record of the existence of this city, and even local heritage experts were not aware of its existence.

The city is comprised of inner and outer areas. The outer city walls, made mostly of windblown clay and stones, are about two meters high and were built along the mountain ridge surrounding nine hills. The inner city occupies about 10 acres of land and can only be accessed by three narrow roads.

Originally the inner city was accessed through eastern, western, and northern gates. Two of the gates have crumbled; the remaining gate is a well-preserved stone archway. Carved above the gate are the words, "Established in Emperor Guangxu year of 24 (1898)." The inner city walls were magnificent and also made of stones. The highest point was about five meters tall and one meter wide. Some portions have either collapsed or have been destroyed. Inside the city, there are no houses, pavilions, or gardens. However, towering trees, foundations of buildings, observation posts, and reservoirs were there making it look more like a military outpost than a residential setting.

The 57-year-old villager Xiong Zhongyuan mentioned this ancient city has been like this for as long as he can remember. No one knows its origin, not even the most elderly person in the village.

It is said that many years ago, several local teenagers explored the city out of curiosity. They went down the steep cliff through the north side and found a piece of a boulder with mysterious characters as big as an adult's fist inscribed on it. They did not recognize or understand the characters; however, they believe it may have stated the city's origin.

In order to find the mysterious text, Chongqing Municipality Mountaineering Association coach Li Saishuang and Wen Shichao went down the cliff. Because this precipice stretches several kilometers and the exact location where the local teenagers had found the boulder was not known, Li and Wen searched for five to six hours but were not able to find the inscribed rock.

According to Zhu Feifan, who has worked at the Cultural Heritage Division, Press and Publications Bureau of Bei'e District Culture for over 20 years, he has never heard of this ancient city and there is no record of it in the Bei'e historical records.

The fact that there are no records of such a large habitation in an ancient time is puzzling to the experts; the true identity of this city is yet to be determined.

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