===========================================================
explorator 26.19 August 27, 2023
===========================================================
You can read explorator online at:

https://exploratornews.wordpress.com/

Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Edward Rockstein, Kurt Theis,
John McMahon, Barnea Selavan, Joseph Lauer, Mike Ruggeri, Hernan Astudillo, Simon Stoddart ,
Richard Campbell, Barbara Saylor Rodgers, Bob Heuman, David Critchley, Andrew Szegedy-Maszak,
Richard Miller, Kris Curry, Rick Heli, Richard C. Griffiths, Frank MacKay, Alexis D'Hautcourt,
Don Buck, mata kimasitayo, and Ross W. Sargent for headses upses this week
(as always hoping I have left no one out).

nb: there will be no Explorator next week due to travel to uncertain internet-availability locales; big double issue for the week that follows!

============================================================
EARLY HOMINIDS
============================================================
Working though 86 000 years of human occupation of Inakaya Cave in Canakkale:

https://arkeonews.net/inkaya-cave-excavations-in-turkiyes-western-uncovers-86000-year-old-traces-of-human-life/

Evidence Neanderthals were on Naxos some 200 000 years bp (not sure this is news):

https://greekreporter.com/2023/08/21/neanderthals-early-humans-reached-greek-island-of-naxos-200000-years-ago/

Feature on Neanderthals:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/neanderthals-our-extinct-human-relatives

Feature on Pamela Akuku's work with early humans and animals:

https://www.snexplores.org/article/pamela-akuku-archeologist-profile
============================================================
AFRICA
============================================================
Feature on a 200 years bp Quran in Cape Town:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66221758

More on the 16th century plantation precursor on Sao Tome island:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12430259/First-slavery-plantation-discovered-Africa-Ruins-nearly-500-year-old-sugar-estate-located-tiny-island-west.html
============================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
============================================================
Zahi Hawass was (apparently) dropping hints about mummified remains of Nefertiti:

https://see.news/hawass-hints-at-imminent-unveiling-of-queen-nefertitis-mummy-at-bowers-museum

Feature on Egyptian 'within family' marriages:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/did-the-ancient-egyptians-really-marry-their-siblings-and-children

Middle Bronze Age and Iron Age burials from Isgam Dasht (Iran):

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/488135/Ancient-tombs-discovered-in-northern-Iran

Hyping an upcoming dig at the 9000 years bp site of Tepe Ozbaki:

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/488228/Eighth-excavation-season-to-throw-new-light-on-9-000-year-old

Interesting study of DNA extracted from a 2900 years bp clay brick from Nimrud:

https://phys.org/news/2023-08-ancient-dna-year-old-clay-brick.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230822111659.htm
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-66595058
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2023-08-24/ty-article/do-bricks-have-dna-this-one-from-ancient-mesopotamia-did/0000018a-280e-da97-a7cb-6ebe312e0000
https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/clay-brick-is-a-time-capsule-of-plants-from-over-2900-years-ago/
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68106
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/08/researchers-extract-ancient-dna-from-a-2900-year-old-clay-brick/148366
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11699-230823-iraq-brick-dna

cf: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-38191-w

Feature on recent finds and current work on the Mashki Gate in Mosul:

https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2023/08/21/mosul-archaeology-project-uncovers-spectacular-assyrian-relics/
http://www.aina.org/news/20230820222019.htm

Feature on efforts to save Mosul's last synagogue:

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/08/22/the-race-to-save-mosuls-last-synagogue/

An 8200 years bp water channel from the Yesilova Hoyuk excavations:

https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/8-200-year-old-water-channel-discovered-in-izmir-185763
https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/historys-one-of-oldest-water-channels-discovered-in-turkiyes-izmir/news
https://arkeonews.net/one-of-the-earliest-water-channels-in-history-dating-back-8200-years-was-discovered-in-western-turkiye/

A 2300 years bp figurine of Hekate from the ongoing excavations at Kelenderis:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/08/21/greek-goddess-hecate-figurine-ancient-kelenderis/
https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/08/20/unearthing-the-ancient-greek-city-of-kelenderis-a-glimpse-into-the-goddess-hecates-realm/
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/08/archaeologists-find-hecate-figurine-at-ancient-kelenderis/148333
https://www.archaeology.org/news/11702-230824-turkey-hecate-sculpture

.... and some background on Kelenderis:

https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/08/20/unearthing-the-ancient-greek-city-of-kelenderis-a-glimpse-into-the-goddess-hecates-realm/

A 2000 years bp Greek inscription from the Metropolis excavations in Izmir:

https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/ancient-inscription-honoring-roman-governor-found-in-izmir/news

Police performing practice dives off the coast of Yalova came across a 1700 years bp (maybe) shipwreck:

https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/marine-teams-discover-1-700-year-old-shipwreck-185715
https://arkeonews.net/on-the-eastern-shore-of-the-marmara-sea-off-the-coast-of-yalova-a-1700-year-old-shipwreck-was-discovered/

Latest work on Mount Zion is revealing evidence of Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians and the Romans:

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2023-08-21/ty-article-magazine/evidence-of-jerusalems-destruction-at-hands-of-romans-and-babylonians-found-on-mount-zion/0000018a-170b-d84b-adfe-579b67c60000

More on the corbelled vault from Tel Shimron:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-northern-israel-massive-3800-year-old-monument-stuns-and-stumps-archaeologists/
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/canaanite-corbelled-vault/?mqsc=E4154385&dk=ZE3380ZF0

More on the Roman military amphitheatre from near Tel Megiddo:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/blood-red-walls-of-roman-amphitheater-unearthed-near-armageddon-in-israel

Assorted finds from the seventh season of digging at the Al Abla site in Saudi Arabia (date?):

https://www.thenationalnews.com/gulf-news/saudi-arabia/2023/08/26/saudi-archaeologists-claim-significant-discoveries-at-al-abla-site/

Hyping 285 archaeological site along Saudi Arabia's northern border:

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2361536/saudi-arabia

Concerns for (looted(Yemeni items coming to auction in Tel Aviv:

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/08/21/709322/Yemen-looted-antiquities-sale-Israel
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230822-looted-yemen-antiquities-to-go-on-auction-in-israel/
-----
This Week in the Ancient Near East Podcast:

https://thisweekintheancientneareast.podbean.com/

============================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
============================================================
Archaic finds from the sanctuary of Poseidon dig at Helike:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article278490134.html
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/excavations-ancient-greek-city-helike-cult-center-1234677507/
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68082

Pondering that possible 1st century CE synagogue in Phanagoria:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/synagogue-unearthed-in-russia-may-be-one-of-the-oldest-outside-israel-but-not-everyone-is-convinced

A kouros sculpture and other finds from Despotiko:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/08/21/kouros-ancient-greek-sanctuary-despotiko/
https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/08/23/naked-kouros-statue-among-new-finds-at-despotiko/
https://www.thenationalherald.com/ancient-ruins-on-greek-island-show-2480-year-old-marble-statues/
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article278493769.html
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/08/naked-kouros-statue-among-new-finds-at-despotiko/148345

Two more rams were brought up from the site of the Battle of the Aegades:

https://storiearcheostorie.com/2023/08/23/archeologia-nuovi-ritrovamenti-dal-sito-della-battaglia-delle-egadi-dal-fondale-di-levanzo-riemergono-elmi-spade-monete-e-altri-due-rostri-foto/

Remains of a 1st century BCE (maybe) Capitolium temple structure from Sarsina:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article278543394.html
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/08/roman-capitolium-temple-discovered-in-sarsina/148371

2000 years bp remains of Roman structures probably associated with a known villa from Mazarron:

https://murciatoday.com/more_roman_ruins_discovered_on_the_mazarron_beachfront_in_el_alamillo_2222895-a.html

Using chicken bones to date the destruction of Scythopolis (not sure how new this is):

https://greekreporter.com/2023/08/26/destruction-ancient-greek-city-scythopolis/

Interesting vase inscription found during excavations on Belgium:

https://www.lesoir.be/532300/article/2023-08-21/des-archeologues-belges-font-une-decouverte-unique

Overview of the ongoing first year dig at Fort Magna:

https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/environment/unexpected-new-discoveries-made-at-vindolanda-charitable-trust-excavation-project-at-fort-of-magna-4269641