22 - 24 OCTOBRE 2010

 - 24 0CTOBRE :

 - ROYAUME-UNI :    York - A rare glimpse into the world of Roman funeral rituals is on offer to visitors to DIG in York. Archaeologists from York Archaeological Trust, who are excavating the Hungate site, have unearthed a small Roman cemetery which has so far revealed 20 burials and six cremations. In two graves, which contained the remains of Roman citizens, was an assembly of rich grave goods. Among the grave goods on display in the Grave Matters exhibition at DIG now until February next year are intricate jet and shale jewellery, glass necklace beads, a glass perfume bottle and pottery vessels from Britain. The Hungate dig is York’s biggest excavation in more than 25 years and the exhibition will change four times a year to show the latest finds and new archaeological developments. To find out more about DIG and the new Grave Matters exhibition, visit digyork.com .

          http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8471701.Rites_stuff_at_York_dig_site/

 - ROYAUME-UNI : Abergwyngregyn - Archaeologists may have discovered one of the most iconic royal buildings of the 12th century. Up to 20 archaeologists are digging into the history of the area which has links to the medieval Prince Llewellyn. The dig has already unearthed a building which archaeologists say could be a royal court. Archaeologists have opened up quite a large trench in the field near the motte and the foundations of the medieval hall and other buildings which might date to the same period are looking really dramatic.

          http://www.northwalesweeklynews.co.uk/conwy-county-news/local-conwy-news/2010/10/21/archaelogists-may-have-discovered-12th-century-royal-court-in-aber-55243-27512832/

 - 22 OCTOBRE :

 - INDE :  Kandiyanallur - Seven idols, apparently panchaloha, and other pooja accessories were unearthed in Kandiyanallur village, Vandavasi taluk.  A resident was scooping soil at a site around an ancient dilapidated Siva temple in the village with the help of an earthmover when he stumbled upon an idol. As the news spread, villagers thronged the spot and dug up further to find a total of seven idols and 19 temple accessories. The idols were of Lord Siva, Parvathi, Vinayaka and Amman. Villagers took the idols and accessories to to a village temple for worship.

         http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article839987.ece

 - CANADA : Strasburg Creek -  A few hundred people lived in long houses, made pottery and grew corn in a medium-sized village on the banks of Strasburg Creek that was thriving 100 years before Samuel de Champlain set foot in Ontario. Archaeologists found the remains of at least 10 long houses, including one 90 metres long, ancient piles of garbage, pieces of pottery, pipes, spear tips and arrowheads. A short distance away from the main village, they found summer houses where corn was grown. It is a village site, which is kind of a rarity in archeological circles. The archeological heritage site is in the Huron Natural Area off Trillium Drive and will be protected by a city bylaw. First Nations in the Grand River watershed did not start living in villages until about 1,000 years ago. Some of the artifacts are about 500 years old. Others go back 4,500 years and the oldest is estimated at 9,000 years old. It’s a form of spear point that has an indentation at the base that was popular 8,500 to 9,000 years ago. The village was inhabited by Algonquian-speaking people 100 years before Champlain ever came to what is now Ontario in the early 1600s. That means the creekside village was bustling 100 years before their way of life was disrupted by the fur trade and the war between the English and French. The village was occupied by what is called the Neutral Tribe, which did not take sides in the war. English allies included the Iroquois of the Five Nations, which later became the Six Nations. French allies included the Huron. The descendants of the people from that site are now among the Six Nations today.

          http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/Local/article/708033

 - EGYPTE :     Serabit Al-Khaddim - Some few thousand years ago, ancient Egyptians made their way overland to the Sinai peninsula -- or travelled there across the Red Sea -- in search of minerals. Their chief targets were the turquoise and copper veins which had been mined in the Sinai mountains since time immemorial. Once they had achieved mastery over Sinai, the Egyptian overseers set up a large and systematic mining operation at Serabit Al-Khadim in South Sinai, where they carved out great quantities of turquoise which was so highly valued that it became an important part of ritual symbolism in their religious ceremonies. To mine the turquoise the Egyptians would hollow out large galleries in the mountains, carving at the entrance to each as a representation of the reigning Pharaoh who was the symbol of the authority of the Egyptian state over the mines. During the 12th Dynasty, when Serabit Al-Khadim was the centre of copper and turquoise mining and a flourishing trade was established, a temple dedicated to the goddess Hathor was built on top of a massive, rocky outcrop at an altitude of 1,100m above sea level. One of few Pharaonic monuments known in Sinai, the temple is unlike other temples of the period in that it contains a large number of bas-reliefs and carved stelae showing the dates of the various turquoise- mining expeditions carried out in antiquity, the number of team members; and the goal and duration of each mission. From dynasty to dynasty the temple was expanded and beautified, with the last known enlargement taking place during the 20th Dynasty. The Serabit Al-Khadim temple resembles a double series of stelae leading to an underground chapel dedicated to Hathor. Many of the temple's large number of sanctuaries and shrines were dedicated to this goddess who, among her many other attributes, was the patron goddess of copper and turquoise miners. Last year the whole site was subjected to restoration and documentation in order to make it more tourist-friendly and accessible to visitors. Every relief had been photographed, drawn and videotaped on all four sides and then returned to its original position. A site management project is now being carried out.

          http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2010/1020/he2.htm