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explorator 20.01 April 30, 2017
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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, Bob Heuman, Bill Kennedy, Suzan Mazur,
David Critchley, Rick Heli, David Emery, Richard C. Griffiths,
and Ross W. Sargent for headses upses this week
(as always hoping I have left no one out).

Now in our 21st year! Thanks to all who passed along good wishes
on our anniversary!
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EARLY HOMINIDS
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Suggestion that homo naledi is much younger than previously thought:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-39710315
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2128834-homo-naledi-is-only-250000-years-old-heres-why-that-matters/

Feature on Australopithecus sediba:

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/04/famous-ancestor-may-be-ousted-human-family

http://www.archaeology.org/news/5508-170425-australopithecus-sediba-skull

Pondering whether Lucy had a ‘midwife’:

http://www.livescience.com/58844-did-human-ancestor-lucy-have-midwife.html

More on homo floresiensis and probably origins in Africa:

https://phys.org/news/2017-04-indonesian-hobbits-revealed.html
http://www.livescience.com/58855-hobbits-led-early-migration-out-of-africa.html

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/apr/21/hobbit-species-did-not-evolve-from-ancestor-of-modern-humans-research-finds?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

https://www.seeker.com/culture/history/origins-of-mysterious-indonesian-hobbits-revealed

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2128483-mystery-human-hobbit-ancestor-may-have-been-first-out-of-africa/

http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/37541/20170424/origins-of-indonesia-flores-man-hobbits-finally-unlocked.htm

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ancestors-of-flores-ldquo-hobbits-rdquo-may-have-been-pioneers-of-first-ldquo-human-rdquo-migration-out-of-africa/

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-04/23/c_136229301.htm
https://theconversation.com/ancestors-of-flores-hobbits-may-have-been-pioneers-of-first-human-migration-out-of-africa-76560

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hobbits-could-be-much-older-once-thought-180963012/

More on the latest about how Otzi died:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/26/world/europe/bolzano-italy-iceman-south-tyrol-museum-of-archaeology.html?emc=edit_th_20170327&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=27123570&_r=2

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/otzi-iceman-froze-death
http://www.archaeology.org/news/5510-170425-otzi-frozen-mummy

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AFRICA
================================================================
South African Mesolithic stone knapping innovations from Sibudu Cave:

https://phys.org/news/2017-04-early-evidence-middle-stone-age.html
http://www.livescience.com/58845-first-evidence-of-advanced-stone-weapons.html

http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2017/04/26/South-African-cave-yields-Middle-Stone-Age-projectiles/9791493235208/

https://theconversation.com/ancestors-of-flores-hobbits-may-have-been-pioneers-of-first-human-migration-out-of-africa-76560

http://www.archaeology.org/news/5514-170426-pressure-flaked-points

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ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
On the one hand, there are concerns for Egyptian tourism:

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/04/lonely-pyramids-giza-egyptian-tourism-falling-170418050241421.html

… while claims that recent discoveries are helping it:

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2017-04-25/new-archaeological-finds-helping-egypts-image-tourism-sector-minister

The Egyptian Parliament wants to begin an awareness campaign about illegal
excavations:

http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/4254/Parliament-calls-for-awareness-campaign-to-combat-illegal-archaeological-excavation

More on that major tomb find at Luxor:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/tomb-full-mummies-unearthed-luxor-155800770.html

In Our Time this week looked at the Egyptian Book of the Dead:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08n1y2v

Remember when those German ‘researchers’ managed to steal a piece of the
Pyramid of Khufu? The antiquities people who were supposed to prevent such
things now face trial:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/266496/Egypt/Politics-/Egyptian-ministry-staff-face-trial-over-theft-from.aspx

http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/antiquities-former-employees-referred-trial-over-great-pyramid-theft

http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/4267/12-Egypt-officials-guards-to-be-tried-over-German-sabotage

Another smuggled ‘Torah’ (and other items) bust in Turkey:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/smuggled-torah-artefacts-seized-in-turkeys-northwest.aspx?pageID=238&nid=112398

http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/1500-year-old-Torah-recovered-from-Turkish-smugglers-489027

Concerns about illegal excavations in Myndos:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/illegal-excavations-stir-reaction-in-myndos-.aspx?pageID=238&nid=112527&NewsCatID=375

Turkey is seeking to recover a recently-auctioned piece of Anatolian
sculpture (which we mentioned last week, I think):

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-seeks-return-of-5000-year-old-marble-figure-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=112555&NewsCatID=375

Cf:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/smuggled-anatolian-idol-sold-in-us-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=112576&NewsCatID=375

Recent finds (and a temple restoration) from Caesarea:

https://phys.org/news/2017-04-israel-uncovers-ancient-roman-history.html
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.785858
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/04/26/Ancient-tablet-unearthed-at-historic-Roman-excavation-site-in-Israel/6841493234436/

http://www.timesofisrael.com/unique-mother-of-pearl-menorah-etching-found-in-ancient-caesarea/

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-archaeology-idUSKBN17T1E1?feedType=RSS&feedName=lifestyleMolt

https://www.yahoo.com/news/israel-uncovers-ancient-roman-history-mediterranean-port-174931591.html

http://www.jns.org/news-briefs/2017/4/26/ancient-menorah-tablet-shows-clear-jewish-presence-in-caesarea
http://www.archaeology.org/news/5512-170426-caesarea-inscribed-menorah

… coinciding with an announcement of some major funding:

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Rothschild-Foundation-to-invest-NIS-100m-to-uncover-ancient-Caesarea-489049

https://www.algemeiner.com/2017/04/26/rothschild-foundation-investing-more-than-27-million-to-renovate-ancient-caesarea/
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/history/rothschild-foundation-investing-27-million-in-caesareas-hidden-treasures-past-and-present/2017/04/26/

… from the press conference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-lNV3Ckeww&feature=youtu.be
https://youtu.be/tbKkUaMMU9Q
https://youtu.be/SfRiG4SRtI0

A Second Temple antiquities bust in Samaria:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/228580
http://www.timesofisrael.com/police-uncover-antiquities-trove-in-west-bank-bust/

https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-defense/143571-170425-israel-announces-arrest-of-15-terror-suspects-in-overnight-west-bank-raids

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Stolen-antiquities-from-Second-Temple-period-recovered-from-West-Bank-home-489021

Interesting interview with Ian Hodder on assorted things relating to Catal
Huyuk:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/58fe2a64e4b0f02c3870ecf0

Remembering Louis Feldman:

http://www.thejewishstar.com/stories/a-sheloshim-tribute-to-prof-louis-feldman-ztl,13464

A 1500 years bp church find in Istanbul:

http://www.dailysabah.com/history/2017/04/26/1500-year-old-church-discovered-during-infrastructure-work-in-istanbuls-beylerbeyi

A ‘mystery’ Russian general (later identified as a captain) burial in
Turkey:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/skeleton-of-russian-general-found-inside-unearthed-coffin-in-turkeys-ardahan.aspx?pageID=238&nid=112457&NewsCatID=375

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/russian-soldier-found-inside-unearthed-coffin-in-turkeys-ardahan-was-captain-museum-director--.aspx?pageID=238&nid=112479&NewsCatID=341

Kurds are restoring ancient sites in Iraq:

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2017/0424/Iraq-s-Kurds-restore-ancient-sites-envision-a-tourist-friendly-future

Hatra has apparently been recovered from ISIL:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39726244
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/iraqi-forces-seized-hatra-antiquities-site-47027440

http://www.timesofisrael.com/iraqi-forces-seize-ancient-site-of-hatra-from-is/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2017/apr/27/ancient-city-of-hatra-recaptured-from-isis-iraqi-forces-say-video

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/the-times/iraqi-troops-recapture-ancient-city-of-hatra-from-islamic-state/news-story/10d1ae25b1e8a6351b2e4ffa4a0486ee

Another feature on ISIL financing terrorism with antiquities:

http://www.aina.org/news/20170429140410.htm