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explorator 20.13 July 23, 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,
Richard Campbell, Wilfried Zankl, Wilfried Zankl, Barbara Saylor Rodgers,
Bob Heuman, 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
===============================================================
= Early hominids pretty much ate anything:

http://www.wtsp.com/news/nation-now/real-paleo-diet-early-hominids-ate-just-
about-everything/458522081

Concern for hominin footprints in the shadow of a volcano in Tanzania:

http://www.archaeology.org/news/5748-170720-tanzania-volcano-footprints

Nice feature on Neanderthal evidence from Gibraltar:

http://www.gibraltarolivepress.com/2017/07/22/exciting-archaeological-breakt
hrough-helping-researchers-understand-ancient-relatives/

On the mitochondrial side of interbreeding:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jul/18/did-human-women-contribut
e-to-neanderthal-genomes-over-200000-years-ago

More of a DNA story, but trace evidence from saliva of some ‘ghost species’
of human as a result of interbreeding or some such thing:

https://phys.org/news/2017-07-saliva-clues-ghost-species-ancient.html
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-07/uab-isc072117.php
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170721113415.htm
https://www.sciencealert.com/sign-of-a-mysterious-human-ancestor-has-been-
found-in-our-spit

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= AFRICA
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= Kingdom of Kerma era tombs from the Sudan:

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1056993.shtml

I think we mentioned this Egyptian-style goldsmith’s burial from the Sudan:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170721090109.htm

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= ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
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= Plenty of coverage of the possible discovery of the tomb of Tut’s wife:

http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/12657/Archaeologists-claim-discovery-of-
Tutankhamun-s-wife-lost-tomb
https://www.livescience.com/59840-king-tut-wife-tomb-possibly-found.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/king-tuts-wife-possibly-buried-new-tomb/
http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/archaeology/king-tutankhamuns-
wife-might-be-hidden-in-newly-discovered-tomb-filled-with-3300yearold-secret
s/news-story/a271484eecb06e04be6ce79507e0a2a8?from=rss-basic
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11893023
http://www.ibtimes.com/tomb-king-tutankhamuns-wifes-discovered-ankhesena
mun-lies-next-her-second-husband-2567662
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2017/07/19/tomb-king-tuts-wife-discovered-e
xperts-excited-by-find-in-egypt.html
https://www.yahoo.com/news/tomb-king-tutankhamun-wife-likely-125653687.ht
ml
http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/nations/egypt/2017/07/20/
archeology-tomb-of-tutankhamuns-wife-possibly-discovered_6811f305-fefc-40
72-ab78-174fcb8806c7.html

Medieval graffiti from a cave in Upper Egypt (we may have mentioned this
last week):

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/43/273873/Heritage/Islamic/
Medievalera-graffiti-discovered-in-cave-in-Upper-E.aspx
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/no-god-except-allah-medieval-grafitti-by-ancient-pilgri
ms-discovered-egyptian-cave-1631342
http://www.archaeology.org/news/5750-170720-egypt-medieval-graffiti

There’s a Cairo Pass now to help get you to assorted sites:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/273767/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/
Cairo-Pass-available-for-foreigners-to-visit-all-a.aspx
http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/12653/Egypt-launches-new-pass-for-Giza-
an-Cairo-archaeological-sites

Antiquities stolen from an Egyptian mosque were recovered:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/43/274040/Heritage/Islamic/
Antiquities-stolen-from-Egypts-Jani-Bek-AlAshrafi-.aspx

Feature on the Rosetta Stone:

https://www.livescience.com/59858-rosetta-stone-turns-218.html

Egypt is ‘taking stock’ of its neglected antiquities:

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/07/egypt-antiquities-campaign
-prevent-theft.html

More on the AUC handing over a pile of items to Egypt:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/273713/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/
AUC-hands-over-to-Egypt-,-artifacts-from-past-arch.aspx
https://dailynewsegypt.com/2017/07/19/national-museum-egyptian-civilisation
-receives-453-artefacts/

Study suggesting the Philistines weren’t ‘Aegean pirates’:

http://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/1.802928

10 000 years bp burials near Dargecit possibly suggest a belief in the
afterlife:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/excavations-in-turkeys-southeast-reveal-10
000-year-old-belief-in-afterlife.aspx?pageID=238&nid=115695&NewsCatID=37
5

Plenty of interest for the find of the ‘oldest emoji/smiley’ on a pot at a site
near Gazian Tepe:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/worlds-oldest-smiley-emoji-found-in-turkey.
aspx?pageID=238&nid=115642&NewsCatID=375
https://www.dailysabah.com/history/2017/07/17/worlds-first-smiley-discovere
d-on-4000-year-old-pot-in-turkey
https://www.livescience.com/59895-oldest-known-smiley-face-emoji.html
https://hyperallergic.com/391472/was-the-oldest-smiley-found-on-a-3700-year-
old-jug/
http://www.timesofisrael.com/historys-oldest-smile-found-on-4000-year-old-pot
-in-turkey/
http://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/worlds-oldest-emoji-discovered-on-3-700-year-old
-pottery-1728207
5000 years bp pottery from Cadir Hoyuk:

https://www.dailysabah.com/history/2017/07/20/archaeologists-delicately-exc
avate-5000-year-old-pottery

10 pre-First Temple pots from Shiloh are causing a stir:

http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=43843
http://www.jns.org/news-briefs/2017/7/14/10-ancient-jugs-predating-first-templ
e-unearthed-at-shiloh-site

… and they’re looking for the Ark of the Covenant there too:

http://forward.com/fast-forward/377171/watch-archaeologists-hunt-for-ark-of-th
e-covenant-in-israel/
http://www.timesofisrael.com/with-bibles-and-shovels-a-search-for-the-biblical-
tabernacle-gathers-pace-at-shiloh/

A 2700 years bp reservoir from Rosh Ha’ayin:

http://www.antiquities.org.il/Article_eng.aspx?sec_id=25&subj_id=240&id=429
9 http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/IsraelExperience/History/Pages/High-school-students-di
scover-ancient-Assyrian-period-water-system-20-July-2017.aspx
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Rare-2700-year-old-Assyrian-era-reservoir-u
nearthed-in-central-Israel-500236
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/232744
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/impressive-2700-year-old-water-syst
em-discovered-near-rosh-haayin/2017/07/20/
http://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/1.802466
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-high-schoolers-excavate-2700-year-old-w
ater-system/
http://www.jns.org/news-briefs/2017/7/20/israeli-students-help-to-uncover-270
0-year-old-assyrian-era-water-reservoir
http://www.aina.org/ata/20170720121416.htm
https://www.algemeiner.com/2017/07/21/israeli-students-help-uncover-2700-y
ear-old-assyrian-era-water-reservoir/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/5749-170720-israel-water-reservoir

More on the evidence for destruction at Gezer:

http://www.timesofisrael.com/biblical-account-of-gezers-destruction-gains-gro
und-with-torched-skeleton-finds/

The Tel Es-Safi/Gath blog is up and running again:

https://gath.wordpress.com/

On the multidisciplinary approach to archaeology in Jordan:

http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/multidisciplinary-approach-archaeolog
y-improves-research-findings-%E2%80%94-jordanian-expert
http://www.menafn.com/1095628577/Multidisciplinary-approach-to-archaeolog
y-improves-research-findings-%E2%80%94-Jordanian-expert

Latest in the Temple Mount saga:

http://www.timesofisrael.com/pa-minister-accuses-israel-of-exploiting-attack-to
-dig-under-temple-mount/

More on the dig at Karkamis:

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

Politics and archaeology clash in Israel once again:

https://mosaicmagazine.com/picks/2017/07/the-worlds-oldest-archaeological-j
ournal-cancels-a-conference-in-order-to-boycott-israel/

Somewhat strange feature on how ISIL chooses what cities to take:

http://www.aina.org/news/20170720120507.htm

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= ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
===============================================================
= A Roman sarcophagus find from Southwark was getting plenty of attention:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-40641846
https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/extremely-rare-roman-sarcophagus-fo
und-borough-dig/
http://www.andoveradvertiser.co.uk/uk_national_news/15417908.Ancient_Ro
man_sarcophagus_found_next_to_baby_bones_near_Borough_Market/
http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/national/15417908.Ancient_Roman_sa
rcophagus_found_next_to_baby_bones_near_Borough_Market/
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/ancient-roman-sarcophagus-found-
next-to-baby-bones-near-borough-market-35942779.html
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15417924.Ancient_Roman_sarcophagus
_found_next_to_baby_bones_near_Borough_Market/
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/roman-sarcophagus-unearthed-at-building-s
ite-near-borough-market-southwark-c7nblh3pb
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/archaeologists-lift-the-lid-of-an-
ancient-roman-sarcophagus-news-photo/817569336
http://www.archaeology.org/news/5743-170718-london-roman-sarcophagus