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explorator 20.39 January 21, 2018
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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, David Critchley, Bob Heuman, Bill Kennedy, 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
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Challenging the dating of the arrival of humans in Europe:

https://phys.org/news/2018-01-refutes-theory-dispersal-humans-europe.html

The Montmaurin-Laniche Neanderthal mandible is rather interesting:

https://phys.org/news/2018-01-montmaurin-la-niche-mandible-reveals-complexity.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180116151452.htm
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AFRICA
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Evidence of pre-European arrival glassmaking in West Africa:

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-01/ru-rff011818.php
https://phys.org/news/2018-01-evidence-sub-saharan-africa-glassmaking.html
http://www.ibtimes.com/africans-made-their-own-glass-didnt-need-europeans-archaeologists-say-2643290

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ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
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A Rameses II stele from

http://www.archaeology.org/news/6282-180117-egypt-ramses-ii-stele

Zahi Hawass announced plans for digs in the Valley of the Monkey:

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/40627/New-excavation-works-led-by-Zahi-Hawas-take-place-in
http://www.egyptindependent.com/hawass-mission-kicks-off-uncover-pharaonic-tomb-luxor/

.... among which appears to be the search for the tomb of Tut's wife Ankhsenamun, which was getting much hype:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/288380/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/Searching-for-the-tomb-of-Tutankhamuns-wife-Ankhes.aspx
https://www.livescience.com/61441-search-for-king-tut-wife.html
http://www.newsweek.com/egyptian-archaeologists-begin-search-tutankhamuns-wife-valley-kings-784472
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/might-found-resting-place-tutankhamuns-missing-wife-144739324.html
https://www.dailysabah.com/history/2018/01/18/archaeologists-discover-tomb-that-may-belong-to-king-tuts-wife
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ancient-egypt-archaeologists-now-searching-tomb-king-tutankhamuns-wife-ankhesenamun-1655540
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-could-close-tomb-king-tuts-wife-180967858/

1st/2nd century tombs from Al Alamein:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/43/288299/Heritage/Islamic/st-century-tomb-discovered-in-northern-Egypts-AlAl.aspx
https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/40362/Egyptian-archaeological-mission-discovers-tomb-in-Alamein
https://www.archaeology.org/news/6286-180118-egypt-al-alamein-tombs

Feature on Hetepheres I:

http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/40167/Hetepheres-I-King-Sneferu%E2%80%99s-wife-and-King-Khufu%E2%80%99s-mother

Feature on Neithhotep:

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/40455/Ancient-Egyptian-Queen-Neithhotep-Narmer%E2%80%99s-wife

Feature on Narmer/Menes:

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/40388/Top-facts-about-man-who-unified-Egypt

It was Archaeologist's Day in Egypt:

http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/40348/Ministry-of-Antiquities-celebrates-Archeologists%E2%80%99-Day

Feature on Egyptian music:

http://asorblog.org/2018/01/16/earliest-music-ancient-egypt/

Plans for Kom El Shoqafa:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/41/288258/Heritage/GrecoRoman/Egypt-to-develop-Alexandrias-Kom-ElShoqafa-archaeo.aspx
https://dailynewsegypt.com/2018/01/15/ministry-antiquities-restore-kom-el-shoqafa-archaeological-area/

Plans to open the Giza Plateau earlier to get more tourists in:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/288194/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/Giza-Plateau-to-open-earlier-to-accommodate-more-t.aspx

We've mentioned this 'climate change and the pharaohs' thing before:

https://yalealumnimagazine.com/articles/4627-climate-change-and-the-pharaohs

Researcher have 'deciphered' one of the last two 'undeciphered' Qumran scrolls:

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/University-of-Haifa-researchers-decipher-mysterious-Dead-Sea-Scroll-539357
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium-israeli-researchers-decipher-one-of-last-undecoded-dead-sea-scrolls-1.5748695
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/one-of-last-two-qumran-scrolls-reconstructed-deciphered-throwing-light-on-alternative-jewish-
calendar/2018/01/21/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/409040

Questionable claim of some Apulian ware depicting a scene from the Parthenon found at one of sites claimed to be Bethsaida:

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium.MAGAZINE-pottery-with-parthenon-scene-found-in-biblical-village-1.5731050
http://www.newsweek.com/israel-ancient-vase-greek-gods-biblical-kingdom-jesus-miracles-783838

cf: https://rogueclassicism.com/2018/01/18/parthenon-pediment-image-from-bethsaida-yeah-about-that/

Rethinking the dating of some sites in Israel:

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium.MAGAZINE-archaeologists-drop-bible-pick-up-science-to-solve-jerusalem-puzzles-1.5746304

I think we've mentioned these Umm al Nar era sites in Oman:

http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/Oman/Five-archaeological-sites-tracing-back-to-2500-2000-BC-unearthed-in-Saham-oldest-finds-in-northern-Oman-
569j

Feature on the location of Sodom:

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/where-is-sodom/

Feature on Isfahan as crossroads:

http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/420447/Isfahan-a-crossroads-for-ancient-civilizations-traders-survey

Hasankeyf will soon be flooded:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ancient-town-of-hasankeyf-one-step-closer-to-destruction-after-top-courts-decision-125872

What James Roberts is up to:

http://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/story/5173018/meet-the-24-year-old-who-spent-months-studying-bones-in-the-arabian-desert/

PETA has issues at Petra:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42692743
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ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
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Very interesting Cycladic Bronze Age finds from Dhaskalio:

https://phys.org/news/2018-01-unusually-sophisticated-prehistoric-monuments-technology.html
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/18/complex-engineering-and-metal-work-discovered-beneath-ancient-greek-pyramid
http://www.tornosnews.gr/en/greek-news/culture/29502-cambridge-university-archaeologists-make-new-discoveries-on-greek-island-of-keros.html
http://www.ekathimerini.com/225004/article/ekathimerini/life/cambridge-university-archaeologists-making-exciting-discoveries-on-keros
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/01/archaeologists-uncover-advanced-greek-plumbing-metalwork-keros-spd/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/6283-180118-greece-dhaskalio-island

Evidence of Bronze Age beer brewing from Archontiko:

http://greece.greekreporter.com/2018/01/19/thirsty-greeks-brewed-beer-in-bronze-age/
https://www.archaeology.org/news/6287-180119-greece-beer-brewing

Selinunte was being hailed as having a 'mini Pompeii' beneath it ...

http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/generalnews/2018/01/17/mini-pompeii-may-be-hiding-under-modern-day-selinunte_227aaf1e-
a686-4fd9-8ac6-dec09a396e0e.html

.... and also as being the site of the oldest evidence of the Hekate cult:

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/lifestyle/arts/2018/01/16/oldest-ever-trace-of-hekate-cult-found-2_fadc3aa0-c134-4ccd-815f-16eb1895f54d.html

Byzantine mosaics found during mine-searching activities in Syria:

http://world.greekreporter.com/2018/01/17/greek-culture-unearthed-in-war-torn-syria/
http://www.tornosnews.gr/en/greek-news/culture/29501-ancient-greek-mosaic-floor-found-unearthed-in-war-torn-syrian-city-of-hama.html

Feature on the Iklaina dig:

http://www.tornosnews.gr/en/greek-news/culture/29430-pylos-excavations-make-greek-archaeologists-revised-beliefs-on-mycenaean-era.html

In case you haven't heard about this 'Britannia' series:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-42698138
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/jan/18/britannia-recap-series-one-episode-one
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/jan/18/britannia-review-jez-butterworths-epic-fantasy-rules-the-airwaves
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2018/01/18/britannia-episode-one-review-may-new-drama-game-thrones-fans/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/britannia-episode-three-recap-like-life-brian-added-eye-gouging/
http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/watch-the-first-trailer-for-amazons-britannia
https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/britannia-review-sky/
https://www.scotsman.com/news/britannia-set-to-become-the-next-game-of-thrones-1-4662245
http://theconversation.com/britannia-druids-and-the-surprisingly-modern-origins-of-myths-89979