News for May 26

Only two articles so far today. Maybe there'll be more by this evening.

New articles as of 8:45 AM:

The Last Roman Londoner On Show At The Museum of London
24 Hour Museum
The archaeological site at St Martin-in-the-Fields, with the Last Roman Londoner. Radiocarbon dating shows he was born around AD300...
http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/exh_gfx_en/ART47613.html
This article, unlike some of the others over the past few days is filled with photos of the artifacts discovered.

An Impasse in Italian Talks Over Return of Artifacts
The New York Times
After months of intense discussions, negotiations between a New York antiquities collector and the Italian government have bogged down over a demand that she never be pursued by Italy again, several people close to the talks say...
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/26/arts/design/26coll.html?ref=design
Yet another individual in trouble over imported artifacts. The article also looks at a number of ongoing issues with various museums over artifacts which are wanted back by Italy or Greece, etc.

News stories for May 25

Getting an early start this morning. As a result, there's not much to find yet.

New articles as of 11:10 AM:

Roman Ring Returned
Londra Gazete
BRITISH officials have returned an ancient Roman ring to Turkey after finding it had been illegally exported...
http://www.londragazete.com/popup.php/cat/19/news/10462/PageName/English_News
The article is a bit more detailed than yesterday's BBC News one, but the photo in yesterday's article is much better.

News as of 6:30 AM:

Ancient Wine Presses Found on Greek Island
IOL
Greek archaeologists have discovered a complex of ancient farm houses and large wine presses on the northern Aegean island of Thassos dating from before the Roman period until late Byzantine times, the culture ministry said on Wednesday...
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=nw20070524105410671C448102

Abbey Plans New Home For Ancient Texts
Newbury Today
ANCIENT manuscripts dating back to the 11th Century could soon have a new £1m home if an appeal launched by Douai Abbey succeeds...
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article.aspx?articleID=4417

May 24th News articles

I suspect that the discovery in Greece yesterday is going to make up a large number of today's stories. However, its not the only story of the day.

New articles as of 8:00 PM:

Money Struggles Affecting Bosnia's Artifacts
The Brunei Times
ARCHAEOLOGIST Snjezana Vasilj was busy digging through piles of paper last year when a self-styled Bosnian explorer made global headlines after discovering "Europe's first pyramids"...
http://www.bruneitimes.com.bn/details.php?shape_ID=31107



New articles as of 5:25 PM:

Albania Wants its Stolen Antiquities Back
IOL
The Greek culture ministry will examine a demand by Albania for the restitution of two ancient marble statues stolen in 1997 that subsequently turned up in Greece, officials said on Thursday...
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=588&art_id=nw20070524221855678C124006

New articles since last night:
Archaeologists Uncover Fertility Shrine in Central Greece
Monsters and Critics
Archaeologists have uncovered thousands of miniature clay pots and statuettes in the ruins of an ancient fertility shrine in central Greece. Seen as one of the richest finds in recent years, research teams have discovered pottery offerings, dating from the early 5th century BC to the 3rd century BC, in a shrine to fertility deities...
http://science.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1308797.php/Archaeologists_uncover_fertility_shrine_in_central_Greece
Also at CTV.CA
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070524/greece_findings_070524/20070524?hub=SciTech

The Glitter of Old Gaza
Time
In the Gaza strip today, history is trauma. Decades of war, occupation and sectarian strife have turned it into a seething refugee camp, crippled by internecine conflict and poverty. But while Gaza's future seems as uncertain as its present, there is little disagreement about the splendor of its past...
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1624911,00.html

Ancient Wine-Presses Found on Greek Island
Middle-East Times
Greek archaeologists have discovered a complex of ancient farmhouses and large wine-presses on the northern Aegean island of Thassos dating from before the Roman period until late Byzantine times, the culture ministry said Wednesday...
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070524-042735-9562r
Also at iafrica.com:
http://cooltech.iafrica.com/science/895647.htm
This article discusses both the headline discovery and the discovery of the shrine which has been making news yesterday and today.

Artefacts Provide Vital Clues About Roman Britain
UKTV History
Artefacts on display at the Museum of London provide clues about life in London between the Romans and the Saxons...
http://uktv.co.uk/index.cfm/uktv/History.news/aid/588573

Ancient Roman Skeleton Sees Light of Day
IOL
A sarcophagus containing the headless skeleton of an ancient Roman will go on display for the first time on Thursday during an exhibition about a "hidden" period in London's history, curators said...
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=nw20070523192507978C953727

Rich Find In Central Greece
Kathimerini
In what is considered to be one of the richest finds in recent years, an archaeological team has found thousands of miniature clay pots and statuettes in the ruins of an ancient sanctuary near the town of Orchomenos in central Greece...
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100017_24/05/2007_83758
This is unfortunately a very short article.

Scientist Races To Save Ancient Egypt
YubaNet.com
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Egyptologist Sarah Parcak, Ph.D., is in a race against time. In Egypt, thousands of known and unknown archaeological sites are at risk of destruction from urban sprawl, expanding development and looting...
http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_57615.shtml
This article is a worrying one with the trends it highlights. Hopefully people will take notice of it's warnings and do something about them.

Ancient Monastery Complex Discovered in Kakheti
The Messenger
The Deputy Minister of Culture, Monument Protection and Sports Nika Vacheishvili along with scholars traveled to Kakheti on Tuesday to view a recently discovered ancient monastery complex, dating back to the 9th century...
http://www.messenger.com.ge/issues/1363_may_24_2007/n_1363_2.htm

Roman Ring Handed Back To Turkey
BBC News
An historic Roman ring which was illegally imported into the UK from Turkey has been returned...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/6680191.stm
There seems to have been a lot of articles on artifact smuggling and returning artifacts in recent days.

History-themed News for May 23

Lots of stories today. With a start like this, there might be lots more stories throughout the day. As of a quarter'to'seven, there's no 'might' about it. There are a lot of stories today, though many of them are elaborations on the news of the morning.

New articles as of 7:00 PM:

Piles of Ancient Pottery Unearthed in Greece
MSNBC
Archaeologists in central Greece have discovered thousands of miniature clay pots and statuettes in the ruins of an ancient sanctuary possibly dedicated to the Three Graces, officials said Wednesday. In volume, it is one of the richest finds in recent years...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18829648/
Forbes:
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/05/23/ap3752425.html

Police Raid Turns Up Ancient Coins, Jewelry
Today's Zaman
Two separate operations carried out in historic sections of İstanbul on Wednesday turned up 366 illegally held coins and artifacts from the Roman and Byzantine eras...
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=112109
This is certainly a different take on the issue of selling ancient artifacts.

Ancient Roman's Headless Skeleton in London Exhibit
Middle-East Times
A sarcophagus containing the headless skeleton of an ancient Roman will go on display for the first time Thursday during an exhibition about a "hidden" period in London's history, curators said...
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070523-023709-3685r
Interesting. The artifacts mentioned in this story are the same as the ones in the other stories on the topic. However, it seems to me that they were talking about the discovery of these artifacts, as though that had just happened, not their going on display? So, how long ago were they discovered?

New articles as of 10:40 AM:

Greek Archaeologists Discover Thousands of Miniature Clay Pots and Statuettes
Pravada.Ru
Archaeologists in central Greece have discovered thousands of miniature clay pots and statuettes in the ruins of an ancient sanctuary possibly dedicated to the Three Graces...
http://english.pravda.ru/news/science/23-05-2007/92032-Greek_pots-0

Articles as of 10:00 AM:

Gladiator Relief Discovered in Ancent Ephesus
Turkish Daily News
Restoration works are carried out in Marble Hall of the Yamaç Evler II (Hillside Houses II) while consolidation and excavation works continue in the southern part of the ancient theater...
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=73483

Archaeologists Dig For Truth In Biblical Debate
NewsMax.com
Two ancient stone boxes are revealed by filmmakers and researchers who say they may have once contained the bones of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, chipping away at the very cornerstone of Christianity: the Resurrection....
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/5/22/205817.shtml?s=lh

Story of Ancient Estate Can Be Traced Back to Prehistoric Times
Hemelhempstead Today Heritage

Shendish Manor in Kings Langley is steeped in thousands of years of history.
This week our heritage page takes a look at its fascinating past that has been researched and documented over the last six years by Alan Penwarden, a member of the Kings Langley Local History and Museum Society...

http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/heritage?articleid=2899691
This article serves very well as a reminder of how many layers of history there are in the U.K.

Dig Find Triggers New Theory On London's Past
Life Style Extra
Archaeologists have moved closer to bridging a 200 year gap in the ancient history of London...
http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=AV2337779R&news_headline=dig_find_triggers_new_theory_on_londons_past
As I commented for the previous article, this discovery also goes to show how interconnected the history of a long settled place such as London is. I hope to see more on these discoveries and theories.

MSPs Called To Support Roman Wall
BBC News
Roman soldiers descended on the Scottish Parliament to encourage MSPs to back an application for the Antonine Wall to gain World Heritage Status...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/6683339.stm

Greece: Archaeologists Find Thousands of Clay Offerings at Ancient Fertility Shrine
International Herald Tribune
Archaeologists in central Greece have discovered thousands of miniature clay pots and statuettes in the ruins of an ancient sanctuary possibly dedicated to the Three Graces, officials said on Wednesday...
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/23/europe/EU-GEN-Greece-Ancient-Shrine.php

Preserving Ancient History
Berkshire Eagle Online
Berkshire Museum visitors nervously watched Dena Çirpili take the ancient tatter of linen in between her fingers and gently pat it back against the mummy's body...
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/headlines/ci_5964051
It must have been something spectacular to be there to see what was being done. This article has a large number of photos of the process included, as well as a slide-show.

London Roman's Remains Go on Show
BBC News
The remains of what experts believe was one of the last Romans to have lived in London form the centre-piece of an exhibition which opens this week...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6684993.stm

Bronze Age Urn Discovered
Waterford Today
An exciting archaeological find dating to c.1700 B.C. was unearthed by licensed archaeologist, Orla Scully during test excavations on the Airport Road Realignment (R708) at Monamintra crossroads on Tuesday the 15th of May...
http://www.waterford-today.ie/index.php?id=21208&what=1&issue=353

News Articles for May 22

Well, it's a varying number of stories on different topics today.

New articles as of 8:45 PM:

Australian PM Supports Greek Calls For Britain To Return Parthenon Marbles
Herald Tribune
The prime ministers of Australia and Greece united Wednesday in calling for the British Museum to return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece...
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/23/asia/AS-GEN-Australia-Greece-Parthenon-Marbles.php

Archaeologists Unearth Cathedral's Past
EDP24
It is so often about the finds: remnants of ancient pots, long forgotten coins or even the odd skeleton or two grab the headlines...
http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED22%20May%202007%2022%3A15%3A32%3A313

New articles as of 7:00 PM:

Archaeological Digs in Hasankeyf Kick Off
Today's Zaman
This year's archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Hasankeyf, one of the richest archaeological sites in Turkey and under the threat of being submerged due to a major infrastructure project, will begin today...
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=111916&bolum=110

Important Roman British Burial Ground Under A2
UKTV History
Archaeologists have discovered an important Romano-British burial ground and artefacts during work on the A2 in Kent...
http://uktv.co.uk/index.cfm/uktv/History.news/aid/588440
Not the newest story perhaps, but this new article has some interesting details, for all that it is quite short.

Bulgarian Relics Spark An International Scuffle
Herald Tribune
A self-described Bulgarian looter has ignited an international controversy by admitting that he dug up an ancient treasure - a set of rare 12th-century silver dishes - and accusing Christie's of trying to resell one of the dishes in London for far more than he ever got for it...
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/22/europe/sofia.php
Interesting, to say the least. Lately all the articles on artifact smuggling have been from the perspective of the country or museum in question. This piece takes a different perspective.



New articles as of 10:50 AM:

Old Shoe - Even Older
Norway Post
An old leather shoe discovered in the Jotunheimen Mountains, and first estimated to be around 1000 years old, turns out to be more than 3,000 years old. The shoe was found in an old snowdrift in August last year...
http://www.norwaypost.no/cgi-bin/norwaypost/imaker?id=79953
Very short article, unfortunately, but interesting nonetheless.

The Surprising Truth Behind the Construction of The Great Pyramids
LiveScience
This is not my day job." So begins Michel Barsoum as he recounts his foray into the mysteries of the Great Pyramids of Egypt. As a well respected researcher in the field of ceramics, Barsoum never expected his career to take him down a path of history, archaeology, and "political" science, with materials research mixed in...
http://www.livescience.com/history/070518_bts_barsoum_pyramids.html
Long, and most likely to be very controversial. It should be interesting to see how this article is received. I found it via the headlines link of www.archaeology.org.

New articles as of 7:30 AM:

Australian Politician Backs Greek Battle for Friezes
Middle-East Times
A senior Australian politician Tuesday backed Greece in its battle to force Britain to return the Elgin Marbles, priceless ancient Greek friezes held by the British Museum...
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070522-062624-3833r

"Unusual" Tomb of Egyptian Courtier Found
Kazinform
Archaeologists got a royal surprise last week when they stumbled upon the tomb of a powerful official of the Egyptian court from 4,000 years ago...
http://www.inform.kz/showarticle.php?lang=eng&id=151762
This is a fascinating new discovery, although this particular article is rather short.

May 21 News

It's a mix of stories today, all of them ancient.

New articles as of 6:50 PM:

Sandbar Aided Alexander The Great
Discovery News
Alexander the Great had a little help from Mother Nature when he conquered the seemingly impenetrable island-fortress of Tyre in 332 B.C., according to new geological findings...
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/05/21/sandbar_arc.html?category=archaeology&guid=20070521100000

New articles as of 3:10 PM:

Rare Scroll Fragment To Be Unveiled
The Jerusalem Post
A rare Torah scroll fragment from the Book of Exodus dating back to the 7th century that includes the famous Song of the Sea will be unveiled Tuesday at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, the museum announced Monday...
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1178708654713&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

News articles as of 12:15 PM:

Ancient Wooden Anchor Discovered
EurekAlert
The world's oldest wooden anchor was discovered during excavations in the Turkish port city of Urla, the ancient site of Liman Tepe -- the Greek 1st Millennium BCE colony of Klazomenai, by researchers from the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies of the University of Haifa...
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-05/uoh-awa052107.php

Belgians Find Tomb of Ancient Egyptian Courtier
Yahoo News
Belgian archaeologists have discovered the intact tomb of an Egyptian courtier who lived about 4,000 years ago, Egypt's culture ministry said on Sunday...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070520/sc_nm/egypt_discovery_dc_2;_ylt=AmZztBzUC_4PUrCW3NIUhedFeQoB

Bosnia Archaeologists Fight Red Tape, Looters
IOL
Archaeologist Snjezana Vasilj was busy digging through piles of paper last year when a self-styled Bosnian explorer made global headlines after discovering "Europe's first pyramids"...
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=nw20070521111120229C173118

News For May 20th

It's a slow day today. Only two articles so far.

Articles as of 10:30 AM:


Glories of Greece and Rome Shine in Met's New Gallery
Los Angeles Times
WE'RE taught that the Greeks and Romans provided the pillars of our civilization, inspiring our government, architecture and more...
http://www.calendarlive.com/galleriesandmuseums/cl-ca-met20may20,0,352001.story?coll=cl-art-features

Bosnian Archaeologists 'Dig In' To Struggle With Looters
Middle-East Times
Bosnia-Hercegovina -- Archaeologist Snjezana Vasilj was busy digging through piles of paper last year when a self-styled Bosnian explorer made global headlines after discovering "Europe's first pyramids." ...
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070520-030543-3244r