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explorator 20.44 February 25, 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, Rick Heli, Robert White, Trevor
Ogden, Bob Heuman, Richard C. Griffiths, and Ross W. Sargent for
headses upses this week (as always hoping I have left no one out).

================================================================
EARLY HOMINIDS
================================================================
Homo erectus may have had sailing skills and may have been able to
speak:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/feb/20/homo-erectus-may-have-be
en-a-sailor-and-able-to-speak
https://www.independent.ie/world-news/earliest-humans-could-talk-and-sai
l-36622131.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/20/language-started-15m-years-ea
rlier-previously-thought-scientists/
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/early-humans-could-talk-scientist-cla
ims-dl2r6k8zt

A study is making connections between cave art and the development of
language:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180221122923.htm
https://phys.org/news/2018-02-paper-links-ancient-language.html
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/02/acoustic-caves-rock-art-lang
uage-origin-spd/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/6397-180223-cave-art-communication

And hot on the heels of that suggestion that Neanderthals' lack of
artistic ability contributed to their demise:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2018/02/18/did-neanderthals-poor-art-
ability-contribute-extinction/

.... comes major attention on redating of some cave art in Spain
suggesting Neanderthals were artists:

https://phys.org/news/2018-02-neanderthals-artistic-modern-humans.html
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-02/uos-nwa021618.php
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180222144943.htm
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/22/science/neanderthals-cave-paintings-e
urope.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-43115488
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/neanderthals-artists-cave-pain
tings-decorated-shells-ancient-humans-discovery-a8223341.html
https://www.wsj.com/articles/neanderthals-had-a-creative-side-1519326000
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/feb/22/neanderthals-not-humans-
were-first-artists-on-earth-experts-claim
http://www.dw.com/en/neanderthals-the-oldest-masters-of-cave-art/
a-42707939
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/02/23/oldest-kno
wn-cave-paintings-yield-big-surprise-neanderthals-may-have-been-first-ar
tists/?utm_term=.ca944ddfb97e
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-neanderthals-were-ar
tists-20180222-htmlstory.html
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/02/neanderthals-were-artists-and-th
ought-symbolically-new-studies-argue/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/earliest-cave-art-belonged-to-neanderthals
-not-humans-study-finds/
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/02/22/587662842/
cave-art-may-have-been-handiwork-of-neanderthals
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/were-neanderthals-earliest
-cave-artists-new-research-spain-points-possibility-180968236/
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/02/neanderthals-cave-art-humans
-evolution-science/
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2018/02/22/neanderthals-cave-p
aintings-spain/#.WpK55xMbM1I
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-02357-8
https://www.thelocal.es/20180223/ancient-spanish-cave-art-reveals-painte
rs-were-neanderthals
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ancient-cave-paintings-clinch
-case-for-neandertal-symbolism/
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/cave-art-suggests-neandertals-were-a
ncient-humans-mental-equals?tgt=nr
http://www.archaeology.org/news/6395-180222-neanderthal-cave-art

Giant handaxes suggest multiple human lineages in Europe some 200 000 -
300 000 years bp:

https://phys.org/news/2018-02-giant-handaxes-groups-early-humans.html

On the evolution of human brain size:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180220212021.htm

I think we mentioned these 700 000 years bp child footprints from
Gombore:

http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/childs-footprints-700000-years-ago

More on those stone tools from India and their implications:

http://www.newsweek.com/ancient-india-archaeology-stone-tools-818995

================================================================
AFRICA
================================================================
A statue of a ruler named Aspelta from a temple in the Sudan:

https://www.livescience.com/61801-ancient-statue-nubian-king.html
https://www.livescience.com/61806-egypt-statue-hieroglyphic-discovery-ph
otos.html
https://www.archaeology.org/news/6387-180220-sudan-statue-aspelta

================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
Plenty of coverage of the find of eight 26th Dynasty tombs with plenty
of burial goods at Tuna el-Gebel near Cairo:

http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/43713/8-new-tombs-discovered-in-Tuna
-el-Gebel-in-Minya
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/291590/Heritage/Ancient-Egy
pt/th-Dynasty-cemetery-uncovered-in-Egypts-Minya.aspx
http://www.egyptindependent.com/photos-egypt-announces-large-discovery-o
f-26th-dynasty-cemetery-in-minya/
https://egyptianstreets.com/2018/02/25/a-2000-year-old-cemetery-unearthe
d-in-egypts-minya-governorate/
https://phys.org/news/2018-02-archaeologists-ancient-necropolis-egypt.ht
ml
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/ancient-necropolis-egypt-
archeologists-mummy-tuna-al-gabal-a8226891.html
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-egypt-archaeology/egypt-uncovers-ancie
nt-necropolis-south-of-cairo-idUKKCN1G80QC
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/archaeologists-discover-burial-ground
-egyptian-high-priests-n850921
https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/43713/8-new-tombs-discovered-in-Tun
a-el-Gebel-in-Minya
http://www.dw.com/en/german-archaeologists-help-uncover-ancient-cemetery
-near-egyptian-city-of-minya/a-42726779
https://theweeklyobserver.com/ancient-necropolis-discovered-germans-egyp
tians/32226/
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-archaeology/egypt-uncovers-anci
ent-necropolis-south-of-cairo-idUSKCN1G80QI
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1185706/ancient-necropolis-found
-egypt%E2%80%99s-tuna-al-gabal
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ancient-necropolis-uncovered-egypt-containing-o
ver-1000-statues-1663624

Latest theory on how the pyramids at Giza were aligned:

https://www.livescience.com/61799-great-pyramid-near-perfect-alignment.h
tml
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/science/news/article.cfm?c_id=82&objectid=1199
8479
http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/archaeology/archaeologist-may-
have-finally-unravelled-the-mystery-of-the-great-pyramid-of-giza/
news-story/ba2b86e7eddbc5908cae5ff60a07cd08
https://news.sky.com/story/mystery-behind-the-giza-pyramids-near-perfect
-alignment-possibly-unravelled-11260435
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fall-equinox-secret-pyramids-n
ear-perfect-alignment-180968223/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/6391-180221-egypt-fall-equinox

On the sun alignment at Abu Simbel:

http://www.egyptindependent.com/3800-tourists-witness-sun-alignment-at-a
bu-simbel/

Review of Joyce Tyldesley, *Nefertiti's Face*:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/feb/23/nefertitis-face-by-joyce-t
yldesley-review-creation-egyption-icon

.... and a piece by Dr Tyldesley on how Nefertiti's bust ended up in
Germany:

http://www.afr.com/lifestyle/arts-and-entertainment/art/how-nefertitis-b
ust-ended-up-in-germany-20180220-h0wdyb

Inscriptions in looters' tunnels revealed after the destruction of the
tomb of Jonah in Nineveh:

https://www.livescience.com/61798-biblical-prophet-tomb-iraq.html
http://www.aina.org/ata/20180218183758.htm
http://dailycaller.com/2018/02/22/isis-jonah-kind-esarhaddon-christianit
y-assyrian/
http://www.newsweek.com/ancient-inscriptions-found-under-biblical-prophe
ts-tomb-describe-brutal-813777

Plenty of coverage of the a seal find purporting to be the prophet
Isaiah's 'signature':

https://phys.org/news/2018-02-clay-extra-biblical-prophet-isaiah.html
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-find-of-biblical-proportions-proof-of-p
rophet-isaiah-believed-unearthed/
http://www.jpost.com/jerusalem/Seal-of-the-prophet-Isaiah-may-have-been-
unearthed-in-Jerusalem-543366
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/MAGAZINE-prophet-isaiah-s-seal-mark-
may-have-been-found-in-jerusalem-1.5844352
http://www.newsweek.com/ancient-biblical-seal-prophet-isaiah-reveals-270
0-year-old-document-may-have-816049
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/242308
https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900011202/archaeologists-may-have-ju
st-found-prophet-isaiahs-signature-on-an-artifact.html
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/
people-in-the-bible/prophet-isaiah-signature-jerusalem/
https://www.jta.org/2018/02/22/news-opinion/israel-middle-east/
personal-seal-of-prophet-isaiah-believed-to-be-uncovered-in-jerusalem
https://www.livescience.com/61836-ancient-seal-prophet-isaiah.html
https://www.thedailybeast.com/did-archaeologists-just-prove-the-existenc
e-of-prophet-isaiah?source=articles_sum&via=rss
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/02/prophet-isaiah-jerusalem-sea
l-archaeology-bible/