We here at ArchaeoBlog are committed to exploring every facet of a story, no matter how mundane or trivial. Especially if it has something to do with naked, writhing, sweaty. . .errrrr, never mind. What we mean is, especially if it has something to do with the first glimmers of self-awareness in our Neolithic forebears. Consequently, our far-flung staff has searched the digital archives and brought to you these important images of the recent discovery of. . .'ancient human sexuality' figurines we reported on yesterday. These are, apparently, the male part of the series.
Of course, now that we've got the word 'porn' on the site we'll no doubt be getting Google hits for people searching for the kinds of things we've heard about, but of course, never actually seen, on the Web since, you know, we are totally committed to all things archaeological.
Come to think of it, that might increase our hit rate dramatically. . . .hmmmmmmm. . . .no.
HT to CalGal at ThePerfectWorld.
And in other, far less titillating news. . . .
Ancient stone stele discovered in Beijing
A 300-year-old, 40-ton stone stele, which is a flat stone with carvings on it, has been discovered in Beijing.
The stone was carved with two articles written by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty in both the Chinese and Manchurian languages.
All the characters and decorations on the stele are well preserved.
Fragments of ancient empire
The archaeological season has begun at the Roman site of Vindolanda, bringing in volunteers from all over the world.
Pressed down in the clay, almost completely covered by the dirt, lies an object. Could be a piece of Roman pottery, perhaps some glass. To the untrained eye it could just be a piece of ordinary rubble.
"It is ordinary rubble," says archaeologist Andrew Birley, loading it into a wheelbarrow, which will then be dumped by the side. Unlike me Andrew does have a trained eye. Indeed he has two.
Ruins offer window on Roman culture
Helmut Ziegert returned to the coast of Libya last year to follow up on a tantalizing discovery.
In September 2000, his colleague Marliese Wendowski was excavating what she thought was a large farmhouse when, 12 feet deep in the sandy soil, she came across a floor covered with a stunning glass-and-stone mosaic of an exhausted gladiator staring at a slain opponent.
The discovery had come too late in that expedition to pursue further, so the University of Hamburg archaeologists reburied the mosaic.
Experts Find 41 Saltworks Used by Mayans
Underwater archaeologists have discovered 41 new seaside salt production works used by the ancient Mayans in Central America.
The discovery at Punta Ycacos Lagoon in what is now Belize provides evidence of extensive salt production to serve the large Mayan cities on the interior of the Yucatan Peninsula, reports researcher Heather McKillop of Louisiana State University.
Her findings are reported in Tuesday's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Four salt works had previously been known in that area. The discovery of 41 new works, along with the remains of wooden buildings from the era of A.D. 600 to 900, indicates salt was mass-produced and stored before shipment upriver, she reported.
Ceramic pottery was used for boiling water to produce the salt, she wrote, and a canoe paddle was also found, indicating that the salt was transported inland by canoe.
The research was supported by a grant from Louisiana State University.
That's the whole thing.