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explorator 20.42-43 February 18, 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, Bob Heuman, Frank MacKay, Laurel Carey, David Critchley,
Richard Miller, Rick Heli, Barbara Saylor Rodgers, 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
================================================================
Pondering the 'artistic gap' between Neanderthals and 'modern' humans:

https://phys.org/news/2018-02-homo-sapiens-ability-techniques.html
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-02/uoc--nlo020818.php
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180209100727.htm

Neanderthals may have used fire to make tools:

https://phys.org/news/2018-02-site-tuscany-reveals-neanderthals-tools.ht
ml
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/02/neanderthals-used-fire-to-make-t
ools/
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/02/could-these-be-oldest-neandertal-
tools-made-fire
http://www.newsweek.com/neanderthal-tools-discovered-italy-charred-fire-
stunning-condition-800238
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/MAGAZINE-neanderthals-used-fire-to-p
erfect-hardwood-tools-170-000-years-ago-1.5789781
https://www.archaeology.org/6328-180106-neanderthal-wooden-tool

A find of some partially-digested teeth suggest a Neanderthal may have
been consumed by a hyena of some sort:

https://www.livescience.com/61664-neanderthal-teeth-digested-by-hyenas.h
tml
https://www.archaeology.org/news/6329-180206-neanderthal-teeth-hyena

What some 700 000 years bp child footprints from Ethiopia are
revealing:

https://phys.org/news/2018-02-ancient-footprints-child-prehistoric.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/ancient-footprints-children-li
festyle-700000-years-ago-a8212721.html
http://www.archaeology.org/news/6386-180216-ethiopia-melka-kunture

General features on human evolution:

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/feb/12/tracing-the-tangled-tracks-
of-humankinds-evolutionary-journey
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-01807-7

This piece sort of complements/relates to the previous:

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-02/vu-iay021318.php
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180213120434.htm

Marking Mary Leakey's 105th birthday:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kionasmith/2018/02/06/archaeologist-mary-le
akey-would-be-105-today/#10ccc3eb58cb

More on those tools in India:

http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/twist-in-out-of-africa-theory
-who-made-3-lakh-year-old-tools-found-near-chennai-5051482/
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/sharp-stones-found-india-signal-surp
risingly-early-toolmaking-advances
================================================================
AFRICA
================================================================

================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
Latest theory on that 'screaming mummy':

http://www.egyptindependent.com/screaming-mummy-attracts-20000-visitors-
to-egyptian-museum/
https://www.livescience.com/61749-screaming-mummy-backstory.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/screaming-mummy-mystery-solved
-ancient-egypt-prince-hanged-plot-kill-pharaoh-father-archaeologists-a82
08401.html
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/screaming-mummy-are-ancient-remains-those-ramse
s-iiis-murderous-son-prince-pentewere-1660384
http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/archaeology/archaeologists-dis
cover-the-answers-behind-the-screaming-mummy/news-story/c8cff7cb29138bd4
7857d1dd06f8fff4

Feature on the Oriental Institute's finds near Tell Edfu:

https://phys.org/news/2018-02-newly-reveal-clues-ancient-egyptian.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/egypt-beer-making-
ancient-brewery-archaeologists-a8201471.html
http://www.archaeology.org/news/6335-180208-egypt-tel-edfu

Something about a hole found (or not) near Tut's tomb:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/290670/Heritage/Ancient-Egy
pt/Supreme-Council-of-Antiquities-denies-claims-of-ne.aspx
http://allafrica.com/stories/201802090682.html

More on the renewed search for hidden chambers in Tut's tomb:

http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/archaeology/new-search-for-hid
den-chambers-in-king-tuts-tomb-underway/news-story/de33d7180bdd5fcd49439
3dbefd24c28

More on that fifth dynasty priestess tomb found in Giza's western
cemetery:

http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/42009/3-facts-to-know-about-the-exca
vated-ancient-Egyptian-tomb
https://phys.org/news/2018-02-egypt-year-old-tomb-cairo.html
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Old-Kingdom-style-tomb-for-woman-discov
ered-in-Egypts-Giza-540641
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/04/583099705/egyptian-ar
chaeologists-unearth-a-4-400-year-old-tomb
http://nhpr.org/post/egyptian-archaeologists-unearth-4400-year-old-tomb
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/discovery-of-hetpet-s-tomb-in-giza-co
uld-answer-egypt-s-prayers-for-a-tourism-revival-tzhr9mknp
https://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Egypt-says-4-400-year-old-to
mb-discovered-outside-12548620.php
http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/generalnews/2018/02/05/
archaeology-4400-year-old-tomb-discovered-in-egypt_6d3efb42-5944-4bed-b6
53-f6ba5de4ee87.html
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tomb-5th-dynasty-priestess-fou
nd-egypt-180968036/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/history/see-inside-the-tomb-of-a-hi
gh-powered-egyptian-woman.aspx
https://www.archaeology.org/news/6326-180205-egypt-priestess-tomb

More on that 2nd century Roman temple find in Aswan:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/290966/Heritage/Ancient-Egy
pt/nd-century-Roman-temple-uncovered-in-Aswan.aspx
https://www.archaeology.org/news/6378-180214-egypt-aswan-temple

Studying some Neo-Assyrian cuneiform medical texts:

https://phys.org/news/2018-02-clay-tablets-cradle-civilisation-insight.h
tml
http://www.archaeology.org/news/6341-180212-assyrian-medical-tablets

Some 2000 years bp camel sculptures from Saudi Arabia are getting press
attention:

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-02/c-ral020918.php
https://phys.org/news/2018-02-life-sized-sculptures-dromedaries-saudi-ar
abia.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/15/science/camels-sculptures-desert-saud
i-arabia.html
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/ancient-artists-left-camels-carved
-in-saudi-desert-s-stone/article_82ce877a-38b4-549c-aa21-009612646986.ht
ml
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/MAGAZINE-2-000-year-old-life-size-ca
mel-art-found-in-heart-of-saudi-arabian-des-1.5812024
https://www.yahoo.com/news/ancient-rock-carvings-discovered-saudi-163342
930.html
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/life-size-camel-carvings-found
-saudi-desert-180968169/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/6374-180213-saudi-arabia-camels

A Crusader-era altar in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/crusader-era-high-altar-resurface
s-jerusalems-holy-sepulcher-180968192/

Concerns for sites in Netiv Ha'avot:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/241655
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/archaeology-news/idf-machinery-destroys-
ancient-artifacts-graves-at-netiv-haavot/2018/02/07/

A Czech team is heading to dig in Oman:

http://praguemonitor.com/2018/02/05/first-czech-archaeological-expeditio
n-heading-oman

Another feature on sites being flooded by the Ilisu dam:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/feb/07/archaeologists-discovere
d-an-ancient-assyrian-city-only-to-lose-it-again

Concerns for a temple in Yemen:

https://phys.org/news/2018-02-ancient-temple-left-neglected-yemen.html
https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2018/0208/Yemen-s-ancient-mo
numents-at-risk-as-war-rages-on
https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/science/article/Ancient-temple-left-neg
lected-as-Yemen-war-12560606.php

Reviving the Hebrew language:

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/The-Israeli-academy-continuing-
the-unprecedented-revival-of-the-Hebrew-language-542822

We're still hearing about ISIL damaging and stealing from sites in
Iraq:

http://www.aina.org/news/20180206125447.htm
https://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2689210&language=en
================================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
================================================================
Ancient tombs (various periods, it seems) from Nicosia:

http://cyprus-mail.com/2018/02/09/ancient-tombs-discovered-nicosia-roadw
orks/

A possible Roman villa found during school construction in Warwick:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-42989351
http://www.stratford-herald.com/81889-rare-roman-find-unearthed-new-scho
ol-building-site.html
http://www.archaeology.org/news/6333-180207-england-roman-villa