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explorator 20.12 July 16, 2017
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If you're having problems getting 'the whole issue', read Explorator online at:

https://exploratornews.wordpress.com/

Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Edward Rockstein, Kurt Theis, John
McMahon, Barnea Selavan, Joseph Lauer, Mike Ruggeri, Hernan Astudillo,
Barbara Saylor Rodgers, Bob Heuman, David Critchley, Richard Campbell,
Frank MacKay, David Critchley, Rick Heli, David Emery, Richard C. Griffiths,
and Ross W. Sargent for headses upses this week (as always hoping I have
left no one out).

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= EARLY HOMINIDS
===============================================================
= A fourth Denisovan fossil (a tooth) has been identified:

https://phys.org/news/2017-07-fourth-denisovan-fossil.html
http://www.archaeology.org/news/5722-170710-denisovan-fossil-found

Teeth also figure in a study of homo naledi’s diet:

https://phys.org/news/2017-07-chipped-teeth-homo-naledi-unique.html

More on Otzi’s axe:

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/copper-otzi-icemans-ax-came-surprisingl
y-far-away

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= ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
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=

What Zahi Hawass is up to:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/273548/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/
Hawass-receives-honorary-doctorate-in-Peru,-promot.aspx

More on Egypt’s plans to renovate an ‘ancient’ synagogue:

https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4989011,00.html

A very interesting kiln find from Shkikin:

http://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium-1.801296

Hundreds of interesting tombs from Jebel Qurma (Jordan):

https://www.livescience.com/59785-hundreds-of-tombs-discovered-jordan-des
ert.html
https://www.livescience.com/59784-photo-jebel-qurma-stone-tombs.html
http://www.archaeology.org/news/5734-170713-jordan-jebel-qurma

Excavations at Karkamis have concluded:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/excavation-works-in-ancient-karkamis-end.a
spx?pageID=238&nid=115519&NewsCatID=375

Feature on the Tell Brak excavations:

http://gulfnews.com/culture/people/digging-up-syria-s-past-1.2057937

A report on some 16th century cannons found off Israel in the 1970s:

http://www.timesofisrael.com/cannons-found-off-israeli-coast-may-have-been-
used-to-fight-16th-century-pirates/

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= ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
===============================================================
= Plenty of coverage of the find of more writing tablets at Vindolanda:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jul/10/new-cache-of-roman-letters-
discovered-at-hadrians-wall
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/10/holiday-please-new-haul-roman-l
etters-reveals-army-life-near/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-40555474
https://www.livescience.com/59753-personal-roman-letters-unearthed-hadrian
s-wall.html
http://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2017-07-10/ancient-roman-writing-tablets-fo
und-at-northumberland-fort/
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/voices-distant-past-unear
thed-during-13309555
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cache-messages-found-roman-fo
rt-along-hadrians-wall-180964012/
https://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/features/roman-writing-tablets-found-at
-vindolanda.htm
http://www.archaeology.org/news/5721-170710-england-vindolanda-tablets

A Roman fleet diploma was found near Lanchester Roman fort:

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/incredible-fleet-diploma-d
etailing-naval-13313528

Roman finds from Swaledale:

http://www.cumbriacrack.com/2017/07/11/high-status-roman-artefacts-found-s
waledale/

Hellenistic-era buildings and a bridge from Alexandria:

http://world.greekreporter.com/2017/07/10/greek-archaeologist-discovers-anci
ent-buildings-in-alexandria-egypt/
http://www.tornosnews.gr/en/greek-news/culture/26253-greek-archaeologist-un
earths-ancient-buildings-and-bridge-in-alexandria-egypt.html

This Roman-era mosaic floor from Alexandria seems to be distinct from the
above find:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/41/273560/Heritage/GrecoRoman/
Mosaic-floor-from-Roman-period-uncovered-in-Alexan.aspx

Eight more shipwrecks have been located at Fourni:

https://www.livescience.com/59805-divers-find-8-more-shipwrecks-greece.htm
l http://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/1.801529
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2017/07/14/eight-new-shipwrecks-discovered-
during-underwater-exploration-near-fournoi/

Roman mosaics from a dig in Auch in the Gers:

https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Amazing-mosaics-found-in-rui
ns-of-Roman-domus

Greece and Italy are collaborating to preserve a sunken villa at Epidaurus:

http://greece.greekreporter.com/2017/07/11/greece-italy-collaborate-to-preserv
e-ancient-mansion-in-sea-bottom/

Feature on the dig at Vaiano-Gioiella:

http://www.depauw.edu/news-media/latest-news/details/33143/

A Roman cemetery from Irbid (Jordan):

http://www.menafn.com/1095620062/Jordan--Ancient-Cemetery-Found-in-Irbid

… and more, apparently:

http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/19-roman-ruins-found-irbid%E2%80%9
9s-beit-ras-town-%E2%80%94-antiquities-department

A 4th century BCE juvenile burial from the Crimea:

http://tass.com/society/956132

The excavations at Sagalassos have resumed:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/new-excavation-season-starts-in-ancient-sa
galassos.aspx?pageID=238&nID=115475&NewsCatID=375

A study suggests ancient Greek theatres had moveable stages (I think we
knew that, no?):

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-07/ku-agt071117.php
https://phys.org/news/2017-07-ancient-greek-theaters-moveable-stages.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170711092641.htm
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/dramatic-discovery-reveals-secrets-2000-year-old-lin
es-ground-ancient-greek-theatre-1630067
http://www.archaeology.org/news/5728-170712-greek-moveable-stages

… and the ‘pin drop’ test doesn’t always work as advertised:

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/pin-drop-test-pops-greek-amphitheater-ac
oustic-claims

The burials from Phaleron are in the news again (not sure there’s anything
new yet):

https://phys.org/news/2017-07-archaeologists-high-tech-year-old-greek-cold.ht
ml
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/archaeologists-high-tech-2-500-old-greek-cold-03
0929020.html
http://www.tornosnews.gr/en/greek-news/culture/26348-archaeologists-in-athe
ns-discover-2-500-year-old-greek-mystery.html

Fires on Vesuvius received a lot of press attention:

https://www.thelocal.it/20170711/blaze-at-vesuvius-fires-continue-southern-ita
ly-sicily-messina-enna
https://www.thelocal.it/20170712/in-pictures-fire-at-italys-mount-vesuvius-napl
es-campania
https://www.livescience.com/59798-mount-vesuvius-is-on-fire.html
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-07/12/c_136436285.htm
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/wildfires-rage-mount-vesuvius-121453578.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/mount-vesuvius-fire-latest-lo
cal-residents-evacuated-naples-toxic-smoke-volcano-eruption-italy-a7837096.
html
https://phys.org/news/2017-07-image-vesuvius.html

… while Pompeii’s corrupt past is being dealt with:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/drsarahbond/2017/07/10/pompeii-rises-from-the-
ashes-by-rejecting-its-history-of-crime-and-corruption/

… and a heatwave closed sites in Greece for a while:

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Greek-archaeological-sites-cha
nge-opening-hours-11282646.php
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2017/07/12/greek-archaeological-sites-to-shut
-down-midday-during-heatwave/

What Daniel Berman is up to:

https://news.temple.edu/news/2017-07-12/vice-provost-undergraduate-studies
-appointment

What Mike Tueller is up to:

https://asunow.asu.edu/20170713-asu-professor-helps-students-learn-lead-an
d-innovate

What Abigail Firey is up to:

https://uknow.uky.edu/research/digital-humanities-projects-medievalist-abigai
l-firey-reach-scholars-across-globe

Honours for Peter and Sara Howard (the url preserves a previous headline
howler):

http://www.troymessenger.com/2017/07/15/howards-honored-classical-music-
group-honors-troy-couple/

Feature on the Olympias;

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-07/14/c_136442197.htm

… while a Roman dugboat recreation is in the making:

https://english.sta.si/2409684/replica-of-roman-dugboat-in-the-making

Feature on Roman aqueducts:

http://www.theday.com/entertainment/20170714/exploring-aqueducts-role-in-a
ncient-rome

Hungary purchased the remaining half of the Sevso Treasure:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/hungary-buys-2nd-half-of-roma
n-era-silver-treasure/2017/07/12/a4674490-6715-11e7-94ab-5b1f0ff459df_stor
y.html
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/hungary-buys-2nd-half-roman-e
ra-silver-treasure-48589208
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2017-07-12/hungary-buys-2nd-h
alf-of-roman-era-silver-treasure
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-07/12/c_136439005.htm