===============================================================
explorator 20.49 April 1, 2018
===============================================================
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, Rick Heli, Frank
MacKay, 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
================================================================
Using some new technology to examine the La Ferrassie 1 Neanderthal
skeleton:

https://phys.org/news/2018-03-technology-reveals-secrets-famous-neandert
al.html
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-03/bu-ntr032718.php
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180327132025.htm

Studying hominin brains:

https://www.archaeology.org/6471-new-thoughts-on-ancient-hominin-brains

More on toys found in various archaeological contexts:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-31/old-toys-prehistoric-society-child
ren-archaeology-anthropology/9493204

More on 'cultural development' during the Mesolithic:

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=46291209&nid=148
================================================================
AFRICA
================================================================
More on concerns for archaeological sites in Europe:

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-03/25/c_137063032.htm

More on the 'lost city' found in South Africa:

https://nypost.com/2018/03/23/laser-technology-reveals-lost-city-in-sout
h-africa/

================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
A 2500 years bp sarcophagus at the University of Sydney was thought to
be empty for 150 years, but turned out to have a mummy inside:

https://phys.org/news/2018-03-archaeologists-ancient-egyptian-coffin-tho
ught.html
https://www.livescience.com/62142-mummy-unexpectedly-found-in-sarcophagu
s.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-43550496
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mummy-remains-found-in-sarcophagus-previous
ly-thought-to-be-empty/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/ancient-egypt-mummy-remains-discovered-120334
268.html
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/102682488/Sarcophagus-surprise-A
ncient-mummy-found-in-coffin-thought-to-be-empty
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-26/mummy-found-in-what-was-thought-to
-be-an-empty-coffin/9589110
https://www.theage.com.au/technology/mummy-in-2500-year-old-coffin-at-sy
dney-uni-may-be-egyptian-priestess-20180328-p4z6mf.html
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/secrets-of-2500year
old-egyptian-mummy-lay-in-storeroom-for-150-years/news-story/063cbc8b5da
6988c7bff7f75a38d08cf
http://www.dw.com/en/australia-mummy-found-in-empty-egyptian-coffin/
a-43148511
http://m.jpost.com/Middle-East/Once-overlooked-2500-year-old-coffin-may-
offer-clues-into-ancient-Egypt-547217
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-03/27/c_137069197.htm
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-find-human-remains
-inside-2500-year-old-empty-coffin-180968616/
https://www.archaeology.org/6468-180326-egypt-coffin-mummy

I think we mentioned this mummy artifact turning up in a Sheffield
charity shop:

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/ancient-miniature-mummy-artefact-fo
und-at-sheffield-charity-shop-1-9083669
https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-charity-shop-workers-discover-m
iniature-mummy-from-ancient-egypt-in-box-of-bric-a-brac-1-9083861

Folks were looking at Tut's armour:

https://www.livescience.com/62170-king-tut-boy-soldier-explained.html
http://www.ibtimes.com/was-king-tut-warrior-egyptian-pharaoh-had-battle-
damaged-armor-new-research-suggests-2666330
https://nypost.com/2018/03/26/secrets-revealed-in-king-tuts-armor/

.... and the brown spots on paintings in his tomb:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/26/arts/design/king-tut-getty-egypt-cons
ervation.html
https://www.livescience.com/62152-king-tut-tomb-mysterious-brown-spots.h
tml

.... and the 'makeover' of the tomb is apparently almost complete:

https://phys.org/news/2018-03-tomb-king-tutankhamen.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/decade-long-makeover-of-king-tut
s-tomb-nearly-completed/2018/03/27/c4f70004-31f1-11e8-b6bd-0084a1666987_
story.html
https://www.voanews.com/a/decade-long-makeover-of-king-tut-tomb-nealy-co
mpleted/4320239.html
http://www.columbian.com/news/2018/mar/28/decadelong-makeover-of-tomb-of
-king-tut-nearly-complete/
https://www.archaeology.org/6479-180329-tut-tomb-conservation

On Pharoahs' responses to drought:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/30/climate/egypt-climate-drought.html

Climate change-related concerns for Egypt:

https://www.chicagomaroon.com/article/2018/3/30/oriental-institute-direc
tor-talks-climate-threats/

More on that identification of an image of Hatshepsut:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-image-pharoah-found-unive
rsity-collection-180968587/

More on what's going on at Gobeklitepe:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/the-guard-of-gobeklitepe-humanitys-grou
nd-zero-129322

A small hoard of coins from the Jewish Revolt found in a cave near
Temple Mount:

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Coins-symbolically-discovered-from-grea
t-revolt-before-Passover-547128
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Coins-from-destruction-of-Second-Temple
-found-in-time-for-Passover-547144
https://www.thetrumpet.com/17069-rare-jewish-revolt-coins-discovered-in-
jerusalem-cave
https://www.thetrumpet.com/17070-another-great-archaeological-discovery-
by-dr-eilat-mazar
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/243632
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium-coins-showing-despair-of-je
wish-rebels-found-in-jerusalem-1.5955990
https://www.timesofisrael.com/rare-trove-of-bronze-jewish-revolt-coins-u
nearthed-near-temple-mount/
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/jerusalem/dozens-of-freedom-coins
-from-the-66-67-ce-jewish-revolt-discovered-in-temple-mount-cave/2018/
03/26/
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-03/26/c_137067094.htm

Latest from the Cairo Genizah Project:

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/religion/cairo-genizah-project-reveals-1
1th-century-passover-haggadah/2018/03/28/

Not sure if we've ever mentioned this 'first person' Genesis manuscript
from Qumran:

https://elpais.com/cultura/2018/03/26/actualidad/1522088525_381854.html

Feature on a visit to the Met's Egyptian wing during Passover:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/a-tour-group-leader-uncovers-passover-secr
ets-in-the-met-museums-egyptian-wing/

What Adelheid Otto is up to:

https://phys.org/news/2018-03-insights-early-urban-life.html

More on Byzantine pigeons in the Negev:

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/MAGAZINE-byzantine-secret-of-survivi
ng-in-the-negev-midget-pigeons-1.5957176
https://www.archaeology.org/6477-180329-israel-negev-doves

The UK is training female archaeologists in Iraq:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/01/uk-archaeologists-help-ira
qis-restore-their-isis-ravaged-heritage

More on Syrian accusations that Israel removed items from a Damascus
temple:

http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Syria-accuses-Israel-of-remov
ing-Jewish-artifacts-from-Damascus-temple-546896

More on Um Al Nar artifacts from the Kuwaiti coast:

http://menafn.com/1096649778/Rare-antiquities-found-along-eastern-Kuwait
i-coast

More on China-Saudi Arabia cooperation in excavation:

http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2018-03/26/content_50748227.htm

More on Mellaart:

https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/tales-of-the-past-renowned-british-a
rchaeologist-accused-of-fabricating-bronze-age-history/

================================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
================================================================
I think we've mentioned this Nero-era villa in Rome:

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/MAGAZINE-rare-art-unearthed-in-nero-
era-mansion-and-bath-by-rome-1.5956969

Roman remains beneath a St Albans primary school:

http://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/roman-artefacts-uncovered-at-st-michael-s-
school-in-verulamium-st-albans-1-5456103

A Roman 'distribution centre' near Cambridge (A14 related):

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-03/28/c_137070045.htm

A rubble-filled building in Bulgaria with Gothic invasion connections
(apparently):

https://www.archaeology.org/news/6481-180330-roman-bulgaria-goths

Feature on the Herculaneum Conservation Project:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-technology-unravel-the-secrets-sealed-b
y-mt-vesuvius-2000-years-ago-pompeii/

Rome through Josephus' eyes:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/28/travel/rome-through-the-eyes-of-flavi
us-josephus.html

On trying to revive Classics in Scotland:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16122809.Professor_Matthew_Fox__The_s
tories_of_the_Classical_world_are_compelling_for_primary_pupils/
https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/call-reverse-near-ext
inction-classics-scottish-schools