June 21 News

Another relatively quiet day in the news today.

New stories as of 9:47 AM:

Ancient Greek Grave Found
ZeeNews
Athens, June 21: Greek authorities say subway construction work in the northern city of Thessaloniki has unearthed an ancient grave with a wealth of golden jewellery...
http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=450193&sid=ftp

Oldest Wheat Found In Çatalhöyük
Today's Zaman
A series of DNA analyses conducted on ancient wheat samples have led scientists to conclude that the oldest known wheat was grown in Çatalhöyük, a Neolithic settlement in southern Anatolia...
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=145271&bolum=101

Coils Of Ancient Egyptian Rope Found In Cave
Discovery News
June 20, 2008 -- The ancient Egyptian's secret to making the strongest of all rigging ropes lies in a tangle of cord coils in a cave at the Red Sea coast, according to preliminary study results presented at the recent congress of Egyptologists in Rhodes...
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/06/20/rope-cave-egyptian.html

Shipwreck Yields World's Oldest Salad Dressing
Discovery News
June 20, 2008 -- Olive oil infused with fragrant herbs has been identified in an ancient Greek ceramic transport jar known as an amphora, along with another container of what could be the world's oldest retsina-type wine, according to a recent Journal of Archaeological Science paper.
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/06/20/dna-salad-dressing.html
Somehow, I have the feeling that this is an older story being posted here. I'm sure I've seen it before. There may be new details however.

June 19th News

It's been pretty quiet newswise over the last few days. Today though, there are several stories.

New stories as of 10:21 AM:

Modern Argonauts Set Sail For Golden Fleece
CCTV China
A group of adventures is ready to setting sail in quest for the Golden Fleece. To recreate the voyage of Jason and the Argonauts, the group built a replica of Jason's ship "Argo" as exacting as can be created from the ancient Greek legend...
http://www.cctv.com/program/cultureexpress/20080619/102388.shtml

Ancient Jewelry Unearthed In Temple Of Sun Near Bulgaria's Sliven
Sofia News Agency
The archaeologist team of Bulgaria's Georgi Kitov has unearthed precious jewels, dating back from second or third century in Drumeva Mound near the Town of Sliven, the manager of the expedition himself announced...
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=94294

Archaeologists Locate Missing Pyramid
GameShout
Archaeologists in Egypt uncover a missing pyramid believed to be that of King Menkauhor, an obscure pharaoh who ruled for only eight years more than 4,000 years ago...
http://www.gameshout.com/egypt/archaeologists_locate_missing_pyramid/article2525.htm

Thracian Tomb Dated On 360 Year B.C. Found In Southern Tsarevo
News.bg
A Thracian tomb with semi cylinder arch was found by archaeologists in the territory of the south seaside Tserovo municipality...
http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_1663209777

Bulgarian Archaeologists Excavate Thracian Tomb
Sofia Echo
Bulgarian archaeologists had excavated a Thracian tomb in the south-eastern Bulgarian municipality of Tsarevo, Focus news agency said...
http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/bulgarian-archaeologists-excavated-thracian-tomb/id_30015/catid_70

Mapping Djoser's Step Pyramid
Al-Ahram
Sunrise at Saqqara, and all is well on the necropolis. It is, as usual, silent, peaceful and still out here in the desert. Last Tuesday, however, the serenity and divinity were broken by the arrival of an American-Japanese scientific mission to carry out a laser scanning survey of Djoser's Step Pyramid...
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2008/902/he2.htm

Ancient Christian "Holy Wine" Factory Found In Egypt
National Geographic News
Two wine presses found in Egypt were likely part of the area's earliest winery, producing holy wine for export to Christians abroad, archaeologists say...
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/06/081618-egypt-wine.html

June 16th News

A quiet Monday morning. Only two articles and they're about the same place.

New stories as of 8:34 AM:

Digging Into The Roman Legion
NewsWales
Archaeologists from Cardiff University today began excavating part of the remains of the 2,000 year old Roman Fortress in Caerleon, Newport...
http://www.newswales.co.uk/?section=Culture&F=1&id=14391

Team Excavates Roman 'Warehouse'
BBC News
Archaeologists hope to find out more about what could be a 2,000-year-old warehouse over the next few weeks...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7455657.stm

June 14th News

There's a wide variety of stories today. I think the one to keep an eye on for the upcoming weeks is the one about the recreation of the Greek legend of Jason and the Argonauts.

New stories as of 10:02 AM:

Sailors Recreate Argonaut Legend
BBC News
Modern adventurers have set sail from the Greek town of Volos to recreate the voyage of Jason and the Argonauts in a replica of the ship from the ancient legend...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7454781.stm
This article includes a large embedded video clip.

Europe And the Indo-European Languages
The Brussels Journal
This essay was first published at the Scandinavian blog Snaphanen, but since some of my readers may not have seen it I republish it here. It was inspired by the book Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction, by James Clackson...
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/3337

Mythical Ship Returns To Sea
UPI
ATHENS, Greece, June 13 (UPI) -- Organizers said the recreation of the mythical ship Argo, which legend says carried Jason and the Argonauts, will stop at 37 ports...
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2008/06/13/Mythical_ship_returns_to_sea/UPI-19381213399775/

Replica Of Jason's Mythical Ship Sets Sail On Saturday
AFP
ATHENS (AFP) — A replica of 'Argo', the mythical ship that bore Jason and the Argonauts on their heroic quest for the Golden Fleece sets sail again after six years of preparation, organisers said on Friday...
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ipXjyTLG_JbZ4As7UoEIzsbNTIOQ

Turkey's Iron Age City Plundered
Press TV
Smugglers in Turkey have plundered the ruins of an Iron Age city with their bulldozers and hired mineworkers to excavate the site...
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=59955&sectionid=3510212

Ancient Roman Ritual Recreated
The Press Association
History-loving Italians are to recreate an ancient Roman ritual in which women dressed as Vestal Virgins light a sacred flame at a villa in Tivoli, near Rome...
http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hXCYFE9ENmoLDst4F8qtkziq7pLQ

Soma's Ancient Treasures In Coma
Turkish Daily News
Smugglers use construction equipment and hire mine workers at cheap prices to use as labor force in excavations...
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=106383

"Oldest Church" Discovery "Ridiculous," Critics Say
National Geographic News
A Jordanian archaeologist's announcement this week that he had uncovered the world's first Christian church in an underground cave drew surprise and skepticism from experts in Jordan and beyond...
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/06/080613-old-church.html

Roman Horse Skeletons, Chariot Dug Up
Herald Sun
ARCHAEOLOGISTS have dug up the skeletons of 16 horses and a two-wheeled chariot in a grave dating back to the Roman Empire in north-east Greece, the culture ministry announced today...
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0%2C21985%2C23851106-23109%2C00.html

June 10th News

There's lots of news today, ranging from the discovery of the Roman necropolis to more details on the Cyprus shipwreck.

New stories as of 8:53 AM:

Roman Site A Window Into Ancient Working-Class Life
San Francisco Chronicle
First-century burial grounds near Rome's main airport are yielding a rare look into how ancient longshoremen and other manual workers did backbreaking jobs, archaeologists said Monday...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/09/DDQ91165FV.DTL
Also published at:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hKvgUclxefB2iLkkRP6K-nzmlSKQD916SSR80

Roman-Era Necropolis For The Poor Found Intact
The US Daily
ROME (Reuters) - Archaeologists have discovered a nearly 2,000-year-old, intact necropolis on the outskirts of Rome that gives a rare insight into the lives of poor laborers in the Roman era...
http://www.theusdaily.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=416728&type=Science
Also published at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSHER95435020080609

Archaeologists Discover Ancient Roman-Era Tombs
redOrbit
The recent discovery of a 2,000-year-old necropolis on the outskirts of Rome is giving researchers a glimpse of the lifestyles of poor workers during the Roman era...
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1423939/archaeologists_discover_ancient_romanera_tombs/

Ancient Necropolis Found In Rome
Press TV
Italian archeologists have found a 2,000-year-old necropolis near Rome, which provides information about the lives of Roman slaves...
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=59449&sectionid=3510212

Mystery Solved? Stonehenge A Burial Site
ThomasNet
The mystery of why Stonehenge was built has kept people guessing for centuries. New radiocarbon dating indicates one certainty: the monument stood as giant tombstones to the dead for centuries...
http://news.thomasnet.com/IMT/archives/2008/06/why-was-stonehenge-built-radiocarbon-dates-determine-elite-burial-site.html

Jordan Archaeologists Unearth 'World's First Church'
AFP
AMMAN (AFP) — Archaeologists in Jordan have unearthed what they claim is the world's first church, dating back almost 2,000 years, The Jordan Times reported on Tuesday...
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5giTliyK-fmjEFehwpUOYtvV_INBQ

2350-Year-Old Ancient Ship May Have Carried Most Expensive Greek Red Wine
Thaindian News
London, June 10 (ANI): Archaeologists working on a 2,350 year-old ancient shipwreck in Cyprus, have determined that the ship was carrying the renowned red wine of Chios, which is perhaps the most expensive Greek wine of the Classical period...
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/2350-year-old-ancient-ship-may-have-carried-most-expensive-greek-red-wine_10058596.html

World's First Christian Church Found In Jordan
RussiaToday
Archaeologists have unearthed what they believe to be the first Christian church ever built. It’s located in a cave underneath the Saint Georgeous Church in Rihab in northern Jordan – where it’s thought early Christians fled to escape persecution in Jerusalem...
http://www.russiatoday.ru/news/news/26023

Ancient Cave Found Under Church
MSNBC
AMMAN, Jordan - Archaeologists in Jordan said Monday they have discovered a cave underneath one of the world's oldest churches that may have once been an even more ancient site of Christian worship...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25061134/
Also published at:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364486,00.html

Ancient Ship Was Carrying The Finest Wine
Cyprus Mail
ARCHAEOLOGISTS working on recovering amphorae from the 2,350-year-old Mazotos shipwreck have completed their work for the moment and will resume in October, expedition leader Dr Stella Demesticha said yesterday...
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=39639&cat_id=1

'Cursus' Is Older Than Stonehenge: Archaeologists Step Closer To Solving Ancient Monument Riddle
ScienceDaily
A team led by University of Manchester archaeologist Professor Julian Thomas has dated the Greater Stonehenge Cursus at about 3,500 years BC – 500 years older than the circle itself...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080610095001.htm

June 9th News

It's a very quiet day in terms of history and archaeology themed news.

New stories as of 8:26 AM:

Digging Into Roman Past
Wigan Today
Inquisitive archaeologists are digging up a car park in Wigan's town centre to find more evidence of a Roman settlement...
http://www.wigantoday.net/wigannews/Digging-into-Roman-past.4165098.jp

June 7th News

There's a lot of news to browse through today. On the other hand, many of the stories are variations on the same story, such as the number of stories on the Cyprus shipwreck discovery.

New stories as of 9:14 AM:

Wine-Carrying Vases Salvaged From A 2,350 Year-Old Shipwreck Of Cyprus' South Coast
International Herald Tribune
NICOSIA, Cyprus: Marine archaeologists have salvaged ancient wine vases piled on the hull of a 2,350-year-old cargo ship lying on the seabed off Cyprus' southern shore, the Mediterranean island's Antiquities Department said Saturday...
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/07/europe/EU-GEN-Cyprus-Ancient-Shipwreck.php

Ancient Ship Was Carrying The Finest Wine
Cyprus Mail
ARCHAEOLOGISTS working on recovering amphorae from the 2,350-year-old Mazotos shipwreck have completed their work for the moment and will resume in October, expedition leader Dr Stella Demesticha said yesterday...
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=39639&cat_id=1

The 2,000-Year-Old 'Supertanker'
The Scotsman
TWO years ago, a Cypriot diver was stunned by a chance find: hundreds of ancient ceramic wine jars, rising from a featureless expanse of flat, desert-like seabed off Cyprus's southern coast...
http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/The-2000yearold-39supertanker39.4162421.jp

Cypriot Diver Chances Upon Supertanker Of The Ancient World
Times Online
Nicosia Two years ago a Cypriot diver chanced upon hundreds of ancient ceramic wine jars rising from the seabed off the southern coast of Cyprus. Together they formed the shape of a ship, still buried in the sand. It appears that what the diver discovered was a supertanker of its time. It is the biggest and probably oldest wreck found in the island’s waters...
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article4084002.ece

Ancient Greek Gravesite Uncovered During Subway Construction
TransWorldNews
Officials in Greece reported Friday that an ancient gravesite containing a wealth of gold jewelry was uncovered during subway construction work in the city of Thessaloniki...
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=49779&cat=11

Ancient Greek Grave Found During Subway Work
Associated Press
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities say subway construction work in the northern city of Thessaloniki has unearthed an ancient grave with a wealth of golden jewelry...
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iXsNLIuRTKsvjjFNQlcTTWSsxkXgD914PSC80

Artifacts Found In Egypt Date Back To Queen Cleopatras Era
Thaindian News
Cairo, June 7 (ANI): A team of archaeologists has stumbled upon several Ptolemaic artifacts in Egypt, which date back to the reign of the famous Queen Cleopatra...
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/south-asia/artifacts-found-in-egypt-date-back-to-queen-cleopatras-era_10057518.html

Vases Salvaged From Ancient Wreck
The Press Association
Marine archaeologists have salvaged ancient wine vases piled on the hull of a 2,350-year-old cargo ship lying on the seabed off Cyprus' southern shore, the island's Antiquities Department said...
http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hHW2d58eBb9p4uO3dHEqqgZJbQsw

London's Covent Garden District At Least 100 Years Older Than Thought
The Cheers
Washington, June 7 : London's Covent Garden district is at least 100 years older than previously thought, according to an analysis of skeletons and objects found in the region's oldest Anglo Saxon cemetery, which was recently discovered.
http://www.thecheers.org/news/Science/news_26697_Londons-Covent-Garden-district-at-least-100-years-older-than-thought.html

Church From Underwater City Found
BBC News
A medieval church which tumbled from an eroding cliff into the sea has been rediscovered by marine archaeologists...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7441759.stm

Archaeologists Find Cleopatra Artifacts
Malaysia Sun
A team of archaeologists has stumbled upon several Ptolemaic artifacts in Egypt, which date back to the reign of the famous Queen Cleopatra...
http://story.malaysiasun.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/b8de8e630faf3631/id/368230/cs/1/

Seahenge Museum's Official Opening
EDP24
Ten years after he first set eyes on it, one of Britain's foremost archaeologists was visibly moved when he saw Seahenge in its new home yesterday...
http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED06%20Jun%202008%2016%3A32%3A15%3A230

Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Identified At Last
redOrbit
Egypt’s top archaeologist reported Thursday the identification of a severely eroded pyramid south of the capital city of Cairo. The pyramid has been attributed to the Fifth Dynasty Pharaoh Menkauhor, who ruled Egypt in the 24th century BC...
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1420682/ancient_egyptian_pyramid_identified_at_last/

Gold Wreaths Unearthed By Metro
Athens News Agency
Four gold wreaths decorated with olive leaves, gold earrings and other Hellenistic-era artifacts have been discovered in one of the 700 tombs of an ancient graveyard unearthed during construction work for the Thessaloniki metro in the Sintrivani district, archaeologists announced on Friday...
http://www.ana.gr/anaweb/user/showplain?maindoc=6509777&maindocimg=6508632&service=96

Egypt Mummies Moved For DNA Tests; Pharaoh Among Them?
National Geographic News
Three mummies have been moved from the Valley of the Kings in Luxor to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo to begin extensive studies of their origins, Egyptian authorities recently announced...
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/06/080606-egypt-mummies.html

Suffolk Atlantis To Reveal Its Murky Secrets
Telegraph.co.uk
Dunwich, on the Suffolk coast, was a thriving metropolis before a series of storms and sea surges consigned the city to the North Sea five centuries ago...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2079542/Suffolk-Atlantis-to-reveal-its-murky-secrets.html

Earliest Londoners Arrived Earlier, Had Wealth
Discovery News
June 6, 2008 -- London's Covent Garden district, formerly the Anglo Saxon city of Lundenwic, is at least 100 years older than previously thought, based on analysis of skeletons and objects found in the region's oldest Anglo Saxon cemetery, which was recently discovered...
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/06/06/london-settlement.html