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explorator 21.33 December 9, 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,
Richard Campbell, Barbara Saylor Rodgers, Bob Heuman, David Critchley,
Richard Miller, Laurel Carey, 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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A mammoth tusk headband/tiara from Denisova Cave:

https://siberiantimes.com/science/casestudy/news/50000-year-old-tiara-made-of-woolly-mammoth-ivory-found-in-world-famous-denisova-cave/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/7187-181206-denisovan-ivory-tiara

'Little Foot' (found several years ago) may be a new species of
Australopithecus:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2187639-exclusive-controversial-skeleton-may-be-a-new-species-of-early-human/

Studying 'rings' in Neanderthal teeth:

https://phys.org/news/2018-12-teeth-environment-neanderthals.html

Pondering those 'missing finger' petroglyphs:

https://phys.org/news/2018-12-ritual-finger-amputation-fingers-upper.html

Rethinking some 'ritual' hominin interments as something quite different:

https://www.inverse.com/article/51474-did-ancient-humans-bury-their-dead

Evidence that humans have been dealing with fruit flies for quite a while:

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/12/06/673271072/when-and-where-fruit-flies-first-bugged-humans

More on evidence of early humans in Algeria:

https://gizmodo.com/the-human-origin-story-has-changed-again-thanks-to-new-1830747304
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AFRICA
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A good response to the Ark of the Covenant in Ethiopia thing that's making
the rounds again:

https://www.livescience.com/64256-ark-of-the-covenant-location.html

Feature on the Queen of Sheba:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/africa/ethiopia/mysterious-queen-sheba-legend-church-archaeology/
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ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
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A trio of looted (maybe) Middle Kingdom tombs from the Fayoum:

http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/61557/Burial-well-dating-back-to-Middle-Kingdom-uncovered
http://www.archaeology.org/news/7189-181207-egypt-fayoum-chambers

There are 200 Italian archaeological missions at work in Egypt:

http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/61482/200-Italian-archaeological-missions-work-in-Egypt-Min

.... and the first Chinese mission working at Mont Temple:

http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/61499/1st-Chinese-archaeological-mission-works-in-Mont-Temple

Ramses II's statue will return to Luxor next year:

http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/61611/Ramesses-II-statue-to-return-to-Luxor-Temple-in-2019

Another case of folks taking inappropriate photos at the site of the
pyramids:

https://ww.egyptindependent.com/antiquities-ministry-investigates-pornographic-film-at-pyramids/
https://www.wral.com/egypt-investigating-danish-couple-pictured-nude-on-top-of-khufu-pyramid/18048189/
https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/08/africa/egypt-pyramid-nude-picture/index.html

Interesting feature on a recently translated Sumerian cylinder/pillar in
the British Museum:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pillar-first-evidence-neighbors-behaving-badly-180970969/

A cache of 11th century Crusader gold coins from Caesarea:

https://phys.org/news/2018-12-year-old-gold-coins-israel.html
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/archaeology-news/hanukah-gelt-cache-of-rare-gold-coins-discovered-at-caesarea-port/2018/12/03/
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Cache-of-gold-coins-and-900-year-old-gold-earring-found-in-Caesarea-573401
https://www.timesofisrael.com/trove-of-11th-century-gelt-discovered-in-ancient-caesarea/
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium.MAGAZINE-900-year-old-cache-of-gold-coins-found-in-ancient-israeli-city-of-caesarea-1.6705010
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/439534

A brief feature on the history of the Israel Antiquities Authority:

https://thejewishnews.com/2018/12/03/welcome-to-the-israel-antiquities-authority/

More on hopes for more DSS from some newly-discovered caves at Qumran:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/newly-discovered-caves-may-hold-more-dead-sea-scrolls/
https://www.livescience.com/64200-dead-sea-scrolls-caves-discovered.html
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ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
================================================================
A landslide revealed a late Roman sarcophagus in Bodrum:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/late-roman-tomb-found-after-landslide-in-turkeys-bodrum-139368

Interesting 3rd century BCE gold coin from a Celtic burial in Slovenia:

https://english.sta.si/2582339/archaeologists-hit-mother-lode-in-bela-krajina
http://www.archaeology.org/news/7186-181206-slovenia-gold-coin

Gladiator and animal holding cells from the Roman amphitheatre at
Cartagena:

https://murciatoday.com/gladiator-and-animal-%E2%80%9Cprisons%E2%80%9D-found-intact-at-the-roman-amphitheatre-of-cartagena_744221-a.html

Latest Roman remains from Colchester:

https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/17281044.you-could-get-an-exclusive-glimpse-at-some-roman-remains/

I think we mentioned this study of Roman pollution in a Swiss lake:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/dec/04/terrawatch-roman-records-show-lasting-effects-of-pollution
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/sci-tech/science-saturday_how-ancient-romans-also-polluted-the-land/44587378

Feature on some recent Roman extramural finds in Cumbria:

https://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/roman-fort-settlement-revealed-in-cumbria.htm

.... and a possible Vicus in Devon:

https://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/vicus-discovered-in-devon.htm

Plans to rebury a temple of Aphrodite in Thessaloniki:

http://www.ekathimerini.com/235427/article/ekathimerini/news/decision-made-to-bury-ruins-of-ancient-temple-in-thessaloniki

Feature on the finding of the treasure of Valsadornin back in the 1930s:

https://elpais.com/elpais/2018/12/05/inenglish/1544025909_505235.html

Feature on identifying an unusual Roman artifact (with some familiar
names!):

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2018/12/07/is-this-really-an-ancient-roman-nipple-cover-archaeologists-are-unsure/

Feature on feasting in ancient Greece:

https://daily.jstor.org/feasting-tips-from-ancient-greece/

Feature on that small feature of Greek male statues:

https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-12-06/when-small-was-big

Feature on the London Mithraeum:

https://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/london-mithraeum-reimagining-the-famous-roman-temple.htm

What Catherine Conybeare is up to:

https://www.brynmawr.edu/news/prof-catherine-conybeare-receives-visiting-fellowships-university-oxford

What Thomas Wayment is up to:

https://universe.byu.edu/2018/12/07/byu-professor-publishes-modern-translation-of-new-testament/

What Kathryn Schumaker is up to:

http://www.oudaily.com/news/ou-professor-releases-opinion-article-through-washington-post-over-controversial/article_f749c3ae-f8cd-11e8-83eb-83b05cf803e9.html

What David Quint is up to:

https://news.yale.edu/2018/12/07/yale-renaissance-scholar-takes-ancient-literary-works-21st-century

It's Dame Mary Beard now:

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-46485198

.... and she's offered Latin tutorials for William's children:

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2018/12/07/mary-beard-offers-latin-tutorials-for-williams-children-at-palace-ceremony/

Latest claim of a Roman find from Oak Island (nope):

https://www.bostonstandard.co.uk/whats-on/arts/lincolnshire-treasure-hunter-finds-roman-artefact-on-oak-island-which-could-rewrite-history-1-8729530
https://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/weapon-found-on-the-curse-of-oak-island-could-be-roman-pilum/

Feature on the VMFA's statue of Caligula:

https://www.richmond.com/opinion/our-opinion/editorial-caligula-really-was-a-colorful-fellow/article_137a14e1-283f-5976-ba19-68521f3dce68.html

Review of Adrienne Mayor, *Gods and Robots*:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/gods-and-robots-review-men-myths-and-machines-1544224942

Review of Edward Watts, *How Rome Fell into Tyranny*:

https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2018/12/08/lessons-from-the-fall-of-a-great-republic

This week's Parthenon/Elgin Marbles coverage:

http://www.ekathimerini.com/235284/article/ekathimerini/news/president-hails-growing-international-support-for-return-of-parthenon-marbles

.... including claims they were a 'gift':

https://eu.greekreporter.com/2018/12/04/elgin-descendant-claims-parthenon-marbles-were-a-gift/
https://www.iol.co.za/travel/world/europe/the-stolen-elgin-marbles-were-a-gift-18377353
https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/greek-news/culture/33630-elgin%E2%80%99s-descendant-claims-athens-acropolis-marbles-were-a-gift.html