Monday, November 08, 2004

Fight! Fight! 'Flores man not a new species'

A leading Indonesian scientist on Saturday challenged the widely publicised theory that fossilised bones found on the eastern island of Flores were from a previously unknown species of human.

Professor Teuku Jacob, chief palaeontologist from the state Gajah Mada University, will carry out tests to prove the fossils are from a sub-species of homo sapiens - "an ordinary human being, just like us".

"It is not a new species. It is a sub-species of homo sapiens classified under the Austrolomelanesid race. If it's not a new species, why should it be given a new name?" the professor said.

Australian scientists last month made world headlines by announcing the discovery of a new twig in mankind's family tree, 'homo floriensis', a one-metre hominid with a grapefruit-sized skull.


Eh, this sounds a bit odd. Even if this is a "sub-species" of Home sapiens sapiens it's still extremely odd, being this small with that tiny of a brain. The business of the small skull being due to "mental defects" seems simiarly capricious.

More on stuff under a pub Medieval mystery under the Maltsters

AN 800-YEAR mystery surrounding medieval Carlisle has been solved after a major discovery under a city pub.

Archaeologists uncovered a 12th century bronze-working complex complete with workshop and furnaces under the former Maltsters Arms in John Street, Caldewgate.

And they suspect that the city’s medieval church is buried under a pay and display car park next-door.

Frank Giecco of North Pennine Archaeology said until now medieval Carlisle had been a blank and the discovery would re-write the archaeological map of the city.


4,000-year-old tombs found in Quang Ninh province

Eighteen ancient tombs, believed to belong to the Ha Long Culture, some 4,000 years ago, have been unearthed in Hon Hai-Co Tien archaeological site in Ha Long city, northern Quang Ninh province.

Archaeologists said some skulls have been discovered intact as well as stone axes, grinding pestles, short swords and caremic pieces.

The one-month excavation, jointly carried out by the Quang Ninh Museum and the Archaeological Institute, is of great significance in researching the Ha Long Culture.

Archaeologists also found many artefacts belonging to the Dong Son Culture around the Hai Hai-Co Tien area, including bronze axes, stone necklaces, ear-rings and ceramic pots.

The Chairman of Quang Ninh People's Committee has instructed the Quang Ninh Museum to devise a project to build an open-air museum at the site.-Enditem


That's the whole thing.

Bulgarian Archaeologists Discover 9,000 Year-old Human Skeleton

Bulgarian archaeologists have discovered a 9,000 year-old human skeleton that may change current notions about history of mankind, a report said Saturday.

The find means that pre-historic people began to till land 500 years earlier than they were supposed till now, the Sofia-based Nova TV said.

Expedition chief Georgi Ganetsovski said the skeleton was of a proto-Mediterranean type and was probably one of a young woman.

He said the find was "sensational" as it represented the first ever discovered lodging and funeral from that era.

The expedition found the skeleton near the village of Ohoden, some 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Sofia.

Archaeologists said they found also 9,000 year-old burnt grains of wheat at the site.


That's the whole thing, too.

Traces of an ancient settlement found on the dry bottom of the Aral

Kyzylorda. November 5. KAZINFORM. The scientists of the Institute of Archeology named after Alkey Margulan found some traces of an ancient town on the dry bottom of the Aral Sea. The area of the town amounts to about 6 ha and goes back to the 13-14 centuries, i.e. the epoch of the Golden Horde.
As a result of archeological researches there have also been found the relics of different workshops, windmills and storehouses for ceramic articles and the burial ground where the noble representatives of that period had been buried.
The excavations of the ancient town are planned to start next year.


As is that.

Vandals! Controversial archeological excavation site vandalized

An archeological excavation site on the Acre-Safed road was vandalized by unknown assailants on the night between Thursday and Friday.
The director of the excavation site, Yotam Tefer, said the vandals destroyed archeological findings and damaged digging equipment and bulldozers.

The excavations were initiated six months ago in order to salvage an ancient Roman cemetery unearthed in Acre's city center during works on a new two level underpass on the Acre-Safed road.

The diggings raised the fury of orthodox Jews who claimed that the cemetery contained Jewish graves, despite archeologists' contrary findings, and should thus remain untouched.


What's with the toilets? 16th century toilet uncovered under Eyre Square taxi-rank

Archaeologists monitoring the Eyre Square refurbishment works have discovered an almost unknown building in the north of the square along with the city's earliest public lavatory.

As part of the ongoing Eyre Square enhancement scheme a number of archaeological test excavations have been carried out by the Moore Group Environmental and Archaeological Consultants on behalf of the Galway City Council.

The focus of the excavations on the taxi rank have also uncovered a substantial stone building. It may date from the late 1600s to the early 1700s. However it does not appear on the famous 1651 pictorial map of Galway and so could be of a later date. It appears on an 1818 map of Galway but was gone by the mid 19th century.