Archaeology

Searching for an article

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:02:44 GMT

Hi! I'm new here, and I'm majoring in Classical Studies.
I'm wondering if someone could help me.
I'm desperate to find this article: "The Phaistos Disk: A 100-Year-Old Hoax?" written by Jerome M. Eisenberg, in the current issue of Minerva, The International Review of Ancient Art and Archaelogy. (Volume 19, no. 4).
If you got it, or if you know a place where I can get it, it would be very kind of you to share it with me.

Thanks a lot!!!

(Cross-posted)

Feds Refuse to Share Info on Mysterious 'Escalante Man'

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:10:40 GMT

An aging American Indian with rotting teeth and arthritic joints sat down and died in the Utah desert outside Escalante with a musket, ammunition and a bucket. Blowing sand covered his corpse for more than a century before a hiker stumbled across it last year.

This is the likely scenario of how a nearly complete skeleton, dubbed "Escalante Man" in BLM documents, came to be buried a few hundred paces off Highway 12 in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. What remains a mystery is why a dozen FBI agents excluded archaeologists from its April 16 excavation, treating the site as a crime scene rather than the historic site many believe it clearly was. "It's an ongoing investigation. Our policy is we cannot comment on it," FBI spokesman Juan Becerra said. Agents stress they had legitimate reasons for excluding the monument's own archaeologist from the dig, even though they invited a TV news crew to document it, and the U.S. Attorney's Office signed off on the investigation. While the BLM and FBI acted in partnership on the dig, the episode has attracted criticism from state officials charged with protecting cultural resources and triggered dissension within the BLM.

"It seems the FBI is running roughshod over the BLM, scientific procedures and legal requirements in their unexplained zeal to excavate an historic site," Matt Zweifel, the BLM's excluded Kanab-based archaeologist, wrote in a four-page memo documenting a litany of concerns two days before the agents descended on the site with shovels and screens.

"I have seen other burials 'excavated' by law enforcement personnel with disastrous results as far as archaeology is concerned," he wrote. "I don't doubt that the FBI forensics personnel are the best in their field, but they are not trained archaeologists."

read more at source:

Article/research request and inquiry

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:05:38 GMT

Crossposted to archaeostudents

I'm wondering if anyone here knows of any books, articles, documentaries, etc. dealing with anything concentrating on a combination of archaeology/prehistoric agricultural systems and modern sustainable, organic, or small-scale agriculture. Connection to large-scale agriculture is also welcome.

Also, I've been hunting for professors with similar interests, so if you know of any who are doing similar applied archaeology studies or who just have an interest in modern and prehistoric agriculture, please let me know!

Stone Tablet Might Indicate an Earlier Messianic Story

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:24:45 GMT

An ancient stone tablet dating before the birth of Jesus contains smudged text interpreted by some to tell the story of a messiah who died and was resurrected after three days. This has led some to speculate that Jesus' disciples, after his death, based the story of his resurrection on the already-known tale.

Obviously, interpretations as well as tempers abound.

[article]

all you crm typres

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:31:54 GMT

I've had some questions rolling around in my head about cultural resource management for a while. Any of you who are doing it, or have done it and maintain any kind of interest in it, could I interest you in taking a quick and dirty online survey about current CRM? It's anonymous - I just want to explore the lay of the land. I've never used surveymonkey.com before but it was easy to set up - here's hoping it works, somewhat.

Here's the survey (it's short) : Click Here to take survey

Thanks for helping!

*Cross-posted in a few commmunities and on my own LJ

a little problem in Italy

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:29:28 GMT

Good evening. If you have time can you please read this? http://www.giuseppetucci.isiao.it/

An hundred years old organization for the study of the Eastern and African culture and archaeology is going to be shut down without reason. There is a petition on for stopping this, already signed buy many scholars from around the world, but one more can only help. If you click on the link I left, you can read the open letter where all is better explained.

It's important. Thank you.
(Oh, I'm so angry right now!)

NH field school

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:24:15 GMT

Since I am not blogging my dig, as such, if you would like to get regular (somewhat) Tales of Life in The Woods and Test-pits, please email me at channelflakeATTTgmailDOTTcom.

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:08:11 GMT

The Gender Public Advocacy Coalition is pleased to announce the release of its 2008 GENIUS Survey in partnership with Ernst & Young. GenderPAC works to ensure that classrooms, communities and workplaces are safe for everyone to learn, grow and succeed.

The Gender Equality National Index for Universities & Schools (GENIUS), GenderPAC’s most recent effort to end discrimination and promote awareness, encourages colleges and universities to recognize the benefits of a GenderSAFE^tm campus - supportive equitable and protective for all students. Choosing to participate in GENUIS sends a strong public statement that bullying or discriminating based on the race, sex or gender of a student, faculty, or staff member is not tolerated at your institution

Fill out the survey at: www.gpac.org/GENIUS2008survey, and make sure that we have data for as many schools as possible. Your voice will help us continue to work towards a safe and welcoming environment for every student.

*While we greatly appreciate the interest taken in GENIUS by students, staff, and faculty at academic institutions outside of the United States, at this time GENIUS is only able to track schools based in the U.S.

I don't know if this is the place to post these types of things but I'm going to give it a try

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:12:58 GMT

So my cousin and I were walking in the back of my woods and we came across this abandoned house, we don't know how old it is and its basically just in the middle of the woods, we saw signs of there being a driveway but we found an old shoe that looked like it was from atleast the early 1900s. I was wondering if someone could tell us how old this house might be. Also if anyone knew the brand of the shoe and how old it might be that would be awesome.
here are the pictures we took, thank you so much =)

thats the house next door. gueshouse or laundry room?

the top of the shoe, as you can see the back of it has moss growing on it.

thanks again!

Archaeology Blogs?

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:34:58 GMT

Hi all! I've got a bit of a self-pimp and a request, I hope no-one minds either.

My boyfriend is a Computer Science student, and I'm always jealous of all the manifold blogs about game-design and all that he's got to read, while there are almost no Archaeology blogs that I can find. So I did the obvious thing and made one myself. It's got a few entries now, so I thought I'd throw out a link: http://arch.therandomplanet.com

Besides now having an archaeological blog to write, I still haven't got a lot of stuff to read. Anyone got any recs? Or do one yourself? Have I just been looking in the wrong place or is the common Archaeologist as technologically incapable as everyone at my university? :P

Cross-posted to archaeostudents

Roman figures with wings

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:09:30 GMT

I'm not a real student nor a teacher but very passionate about history and I often asked myself:
In ancient Roman mosaics you often see people depicted with wings (like angels)?

What do those wings represent?
Thanks

Historic sites under her skin.

Tue, 27 May 2008 22:19:07 GMT

<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/world/americas/27mexico.html?ex=1212552000&en=b2d98bc789793cb0&ei=5070>
An article from the New York Times about what constitutes tas2teful advertising of a national heritage. I want to make some profound remark but I can't help thinking in N@ew Hampshire she would either freeze or be exsanguinated by blackflies.

Mon, 26 May 2008 17:42:43 GMT

Apologies if this isn't allowed.

I'm looking for a brief overview (preferably not a book - rather, an article) of the pre-conquistador era in El Salvador.

A brief search through Google and JSTOR tells me that the area had links with the Mayans. Unfortunately, pre-European central American civilisations are a large blank spot in my knowledge, so reading the word "Mayan" doesn't trigger off any proper background for me.

It doesn't really matter whether the overview is from an academic source or not (I don't need this for an essay), as long as the information is definitely accurate. Something on the internet would be best, as my library isn't guaranteed to have a particular journal/book.

Thanks so much if you can help! :)

more space archaeologists....

Sun, 25 May 2008 06:25:11 GMT

Slightly off topic, but just as a response to some of the replies in the last post regarding space archaeology and doctor who etc....

Just to let those of you interested know, in the New Adventure range of doctor who books (those up until the new who), one of the companions of the 7th doctor is an archaeologist called Bernice summerfield, and new adventures did a spin off of just her going off and doing archaeology and stuff in space/other planets. Definitley worth a read though they have been discontinued - I have most of them and I've been struggling for years to complete the collection. But I highly recommend them. There are some ongoing story arcs, especially towards the end of the books, but you can read them out of order as stand alone stories for the most part.

There were further spin offs of shorts stories and plays which I think are still going but I haven't ventured into them yet....

:)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernice_Summerfield

Space Archaeology!

Sat, 24 May 2008 23:58:50 GMT

Popular Science has a neat article about the use of satellite photography in the field of archaeology...

The Space Archaeologists

What does the past look like from 200 miles up? A new generation of archaeologists has found that the history of civilization may look far clearer from the top of the atmosphere than it does from the bottom of a dig

Enjoy!

Just thought some of y'all might like to read this.

Mon, 19 May 2008 13:40:38 GMT

The Creolization of Roman Gaul: Examples from Divodurum Mediomatricorum.

Abstract: The political and cultural inclusion of provinces within the Roman Empire has
traditionally been described as Romanization, a form of acculturation. However, while
Romanization may have applicability in investigating the processes in which elites adopt
Roman norms, the concept is flawed when applied to the non-elite population. To address
and overcome these flaws, the concept of creolization—the merging of two cultures to
create a third culture—is used to explore the process through which the Gallic population
of Divodurum Mediomatricorum participated in the creation of a new Gallo-Roman
identity.

http://www.jasonstanford.com/davewitt/index.html

It is completed and turned in, so there won't be any changes, but if anyone has any constructive comments please share them. :-)

Speaking of Indy

Fri, 16 May 2008 22:38:24 GMT

I found this article on Fark!

Indiana star joins archaeology team

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hPkbZSrMU8j_RSqCIWr26IkKO9Yw

Because I know someone will understand

Thu, 15 May 2008 17:01:08 GMT

Hannah Marie Wormington

Hannah Marie Wormington was an American archaeologist known for her study of Paleo-Indians in the Southwest. She contributed greatly to the body of research of prehistoric cultures, among those were the Fremont of Utah, and the Uncompahgre of Colorado. She is still well regarded for her monographs that synthesize large and complex bodies of data.

--------------------------------------------------------------

It's been over two years since I've worked in the field. I was sick for a while and had to have surgery this January to fix things. I've moved, gotten married to a software engineer, made a ton of life changes. I found I like working in the lab more than being in the field. I like being able to see EVERYTHING from a dig, not just from my pit.

So last night I was going through a box and pulled out my "dig kit". It was bestowed upon me by my father when I started field work. It was his for 30+ years and he never used it after field school.

Marie had given it to him when he was doing field school. His work was done at Point of Pines. She was teaching at Arizona State when they met and were friends until she passed.

When he gave me the kit, the only thing I remembered of who she was was a little old lady who would visit the house when I was growing up. I knew she was an archaeologist, but I was surrounded by them, so she wasn't anything special to me at the time. Later, I looked her up and realized the sentimental significance of what I have.

Anyway, I pulled the small wood box out, beat up and slightly battered with some weird leather covering on it. Inside, three brushes and an old Marshalltown trowel, and showed my husband.

To him it was just a couple paint brushes and a trowel.

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:16:13 GMT

Is anyone excited about the new Indy movie coming out in a couple weeks. I should hate to admit this but my fangirl is going SQUEEEEE!

Because watching me dig centimeters of dirt isn't as entertaining

Thu, 15 May 2008 05:20:13 GMT

`Jones': Real archaeologists don't have whips

I can't wait for the movie!!!!

Peru trip help.

Wed, 14 May 2008 17:34:04 GMT

I hope this is allowed!

I am looking to go to Peru within the next year or so with my boyfriend. I managed to go to Mexico, Belize and Guatemala when i was in college (all the trips were prearranged-i just had to pay and show up)but i graduated so i'm at a loss on how to plan a trip like this.

can anyone recommend websites to help get me started? I'm looking for more of an adventure/archaeology based trip but i'll settle for touristy if i have to. I am looking to spend $5,000or less/per person for about a week and 1/2 but it's flexible.

thanks everyone!

(x-posted all over)

Paging Dr. Jones: Crystal skull stolen

Tue, 13 May 2008 01:47:35 GMT

I thought you guys would enjoy this article:

Someone stole a 500 year old crystal skull from a new-age store in California. The article starts out with: "Indiana Jones better get his alibi ready."

[article]

Ecuador field work

Mon, 12 May 2008 23:31:23 GMT

Yes, I realize it's late notice, but there may be SOMEONE out there sitting at the computer wondering to themselves, "Hm, I wonder how I could get to Ecuador to do some archaeology this summer?"

Well, I have the answer right here! Through the Pambamarca Archaeological Project, of course!

The Pambamarca Archaeological Project consists of an international team of researchers investigating ancient, historic and living landscapes in Pambamarca, Ecuador. The project area of Pambamarca is located at an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet in the Andean sierra, where snowcapped peaks dominate the horizon. As past participants can attest, working on the project is exhilarating as multiple teams perform a variety of tasks everyday like settlement survey, site mapping, remote sensing, excavations and laboratory work. This year the project will continue to study the massive Pre-Columbian fortresses that were built on the peaks of the Pambamarca mountains by Inka and Ecuadorian societies.

The Pambamarca fortresses pose a number of interesting research problems concerning their origins and use. The late kings of the Inka Empire were enchanted with Ecuador, and moved their armies as far north as Quito with relative ease. Naturally, as they looked further north beyond Quito, the Inka armies expected little resistance from the indigenous societies located in and around what is now known as Pambamarca. As they moved out from Quito, however, the Inkas encountered fiercely resistant societies that were prepared to fight at great lengths for their independence. In fact, during the next 17 years these Ecuadorians managed to turn back the Inka until finally their fortresses fell in the early 1500s. The historical documents describe a subsequent period of Inka rule in which the Inkas constructed and occupied a set of fortifications in the area.

Today the provinces north of Quito are rife with the remains of prehispanic fortresses, with the greatest concentration lying in the mountain range of Pambamarca. Empirically, this project seeks archaeological and historical data relating to the construction and occupation of the Pambamarca fortresses, as these data will effectively evaluate a number of hypotheses about the imperial and colonial realities of the Inka period in Ecuador. Topically, the project is interested in the nature of resistance and domination along the northern frontier of the Inka Empire, as such knowledge will contribute greatly to our understanding of imperial and colonial processes in the ancient world.

The efforts of the Pambamarca Archaeological Project are valuable on other levels as well. First, in cooperation with professors and archaeologists from the host country, the project provides Ecuadorian university students with the opportunity to learn and train with foreign archaeologists. Second, the results of this research will be included in the pending application of the Instituto Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural del Ecuador to move the Pambamarca Pre-Columbian Fortress Complex from the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites to the Permanent List. Currently, Ecuador has four Permanent World Heritage Sites: The Islas Galápagos, the Parque Nacional Sangay, Ciudad de Quito, and the Centro histórico de Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca. Pambamarca would be the first entry from Ecuador to highlight in particular the country’s important PreColumbian cultural heritage.

The project runs from July 6 through August 10, 2008, and if I remember correctly, the application deadline isn't until June 29-- at least, that's what the web site said a couple of months ago when a prospective student asked me. So, procrastinators are welcome!

Field school opportunities are through Foothill College, where the students will stay in a colonial-era hacienda, or UCLA, where students will stay in the small pueblo of Cangahua and conduct an independent research project of their own design.

If you don't want credit, e-mail director Sam Connell [e-mail address at the site listed above] for volunteer opportunities.

If you have any further questions, you can contact me personally: mismith35[at]gmail[dot]com.

[cross-posted to anthropologist]

Scientists Create Neanderthal Genome

Wed, 07 May 2008 23:17:05 GMT

Scientists are splicing together fragments of the Neanderthal genome found in remains from various archaeological digs.

The results are revealing some amazing facts about the Neanderthals.

[article]

Four Stone Hearth

Wed, 07 May 2008 16:32:53 GMT

The new Four Stone Hearth (anthropology blog carnival) is now up at Remote Central