Chinese beer update A mature, 9 000-year-old brew
The alcoholic brew is said to be gold in colour with a white head, similar to champagne bubbles, and with a "very intriguing" taste and aroma.
They made and sold a batch of Tut beer several years ago. Perhaps we'll be seeing this right next to the old Budweiser soon. . . .
Also from IOL Acropolis to be unveiled after huge face-lift
A major face-lifting project which kept ancient monuments on the Acropolis hill shrouded in scaffolding for years - to the dismay of camera-toting tourists - will be finished by the end of 2006, Greek culture ministry officials have said.
Work on the Parthenon and Athena Nike temples, as well as the massive Propylaea gate - all built in the mid-5th century BC at the height of ancient Athenian glory - is part of a massive restoration and conservation project first launched 30 years ago.
Such extensive work would no doubt have to be done (and maintained) before the British Museum would even think of giving back the Elgins.
Archaeology survey of Goss Moor
The Highways Agency has highlighted a new road in Cornwall as an example of its commitment to Archaeology Week.
The agency said although work has started to ease the bottleneck on the A30 at Goss Moor, it is to survey aspects of an ancient settlement.
The site includes a rare 'fossilised' landscape, with walls, banks and hedges untouched since medieval times.
Researching old Iceland
Icelandic State Radio RÚV reports that over 30 archaeological research projects are taking place around Iceland.
The Archaeological Heritage Agency of Iceland, established in 2001, is the central authority for protection and management of archaeological monuments and sites in Iceland. According to its website the mission of the agency is to "safeguard the Icelandic cultural heritage and render it intact to future generations. To achieve this, the main focus of the agency is on in-situ preservation of archaeological monuments and sites, to increase public awareness and access to the cultural heritage, and on promoting research."
The website appears to be here but it's all in Icelandic.
This seems like a good idea Little archaeologists in Çatalhöyük
A one-month summer workshop that will have a total of 800 children assisting in excavations at Çatalhöyük in Konya's Çumra district -- one of the oldest settlements in the history of mankind � was launched on July 10 with the initial participation of 32 children from a primary school in the district.
Gülay Sert, coordinator and archaeologist at the site, said this is the first project involving children at the excavation, which has been under way for 12 years, adding that two international corporations are supplying sponsorship for the educational project.
Free registration required, or use archaeoblog|archaeoblog. Get 'em started early. . .
6,000-Year-Old Graves
During preliminary work for a desalination plant on the coast at Palmachim south of Tel Aviv, construction workers discovered a number of well-preserved round and rectangular structures ranging from 5 to 10 feet (1.5 to 3 meter) in size.
Protected over millennia by sand dunes, they turned out to be graves dating to the Chalcolithic period (4000 BC). Up till now, this type of burial place was unknown on Israel’s coast. Archaeologists also discovered two-foot-long (60 cm.) ossuaries (burial boxes), beautifully trimmed and finished. With more than 50 burial places uncovered, archaeologists are planning further excavations before the site is opened to the public.
That's the whole thing.
Sell long to avoid excessive taxes Don't sell the Bible short
The Israel Museum turned 40 this year. A glossy 54-page celebratory advertising supplement arrived with my Friday Jerusalem Post on July 8. I don't usually read advertising supplements. This one I did. I was saddened by it because of what was missing and what was suggested for the future.
My sadness comes from finding the Bible mentioned only three times in the booklet (one in an antiquity dealer's ad).
This is an opinion piece on the apparent removal of Biblical references from many (all?) museum pieces. We find ourselves in certain agreement with the author on this, primarily from the perspective of this quote: "Biblical associations, the story can be told that Israel has deep physical and spiritual roots in this land, that the Bible and archaeology can – but not easily or always – illuminate each other." While it is often dangerous to rely too heavily on textual and other epigraphic information in forming ideas about the past, ancient literature remains an important source of data and when used wisely and with appropriate skepticism. People relate far better to the written word -- which, let's face it, in this case also makes up a large portion of the cultures associated with three of the world's major religions -- and this probably makes disparate collections of objects far more understandable to the public at large.
Archaeology on the move Roadside archaeology traveling display at museum
More than 50 years of roadside archeology are on display in Carlsbad.
A traveling exhibit from the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and the Laboratory of Anthropology at the Museum of New Mexico, entitled “Roads to the Past: Fifty Years of New Mexico Highway Archeology,” will be on display at the Carlsbad Museum and Art Center through Aug. 27.
We'll post the weekly EEF news tomorrow.