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explorator 26.11 July 2, 2023
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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,
Richard Campbell, Barbara Saylor Rodgers, Bob Heuman, David Critchley,
Richard Miller, Kris Curry, Rick Heli, Richard C. Griffiths, Frank MacKay, Christopher Kimberley,
Don Buck, mata kimasitayo, and Ross W. Sargent for headses upses this week
(as always hoping I have left no one out).

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EARLY HOMINIDS
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Possible 1.45 million years bp evidence of cannibalism among early hominins at a site in Kenya:

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/scientists-discover-what-could-be-the-oldest-evidence-of-cannibalism-among-ancient-human-relatives
https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2023-06-26/a-fossil-leg-bone-reveals-the-oldest-case-of-cannibalism-from-145-million-years-ago.html
http://www.cnn.com/2023/06/26/world/fossilized-bone-may-reveal-ancient-cannibalism-scn/index.html
https://digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/data/1380/reader/reader.html?#!preferred/0/package/1380/pub/1380/page/50/article/NaN
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230626163847.htm
https://www.sciencealert.com/mystery-human-relative-appears-to-have-been-butchered-and-eaten-1-45-million-years-ago
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/fossil-hominids-stone-age-cannibalism
https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/ancient-human-relatives-cannibalism/
https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/early-humans-carved-each-other-up-for-dinnertime
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/earliest-evidence-of-cannibalism-by-human-ancestors
https://archaeonewsnet.com/2023/06/humans-evolutionary-relatives-butchered-one-another-1-45-million-years-ago.html
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2023/06/27/humans-butchered-and-ate-each-other-1-45-million-years-ago/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/our-human-relatives-butchered-and-ate-each-other-145-million-years-ago-180982425/

cf: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-35702-7
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02082-x

Related feature on claims of cannibalism among hominids in the past:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/01/science/archaeology-hominids-cannibalism.html

A study of five grindstones suggest hominids were processing grains 39 000 - 43 000 years bp in northern Italy:

https://phys.org/news/2023-06-evidence-food-italy-neanderthal-to-homo-sapiens.html
https://archaeonewsnet.com/2023/06/humans-and-neanderthals-milled-flour-several-thousand-years-earlier-than-previously-thought.html

Studying the 'invisible' evidence of plant processing in the Philippines 39 000 years bp:

https://phys.org/news/2023-06-invisible-technology-prehistoric-philippines.html
https://archaeonewsnet.com/2023/06/evidence-for-basket-and-rope-making-in-prehistoric-philippines.html

More on possible evidence of cannibalism among Neanderthals at Coves del Toll de Mola:

https://www.newsweek.com/neanderthals-cannibalized-juveniles-archaeologists-discover-1808992
https://archaeonewsnet.com/2023/06/cannibalism-among-the-neanderthals-of-the-coves-del-toll-de-moia.html
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2023/06/26/cannibalism-among-the-neanderthals-of-the-coves-del-toll-de-moia/

More on the 57 000 years bp Neanderthal 'engravings' from La Roche-Cotard cave:

https://www.france24.com/en/video/20230628-57-000-year-old-neanderthal-engravings-found-in-french-cave
https://archaeonewsnet.com/2023/06/neanderthal-cave-engravings-identified-as-oldest-known-to-date.html

More on the claim that naldedi buried their dead:

https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/were-these-335-000-year-old-hominins-the-first-to-bury-their-dead

More on the 42 000 years bp 'phallic pendant' from Mongolia:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/phallic-pendant-mongolia-180982433/

More on the evidence that homo sapiens reached what is now Laos some 86 000 years bp:

https://journal.com.ph/pinoy-archaeologist-helps-rewrite-human-history-in-southeast-asia/
https://archaeonewsnet.com/2023/06/cave-excavation-pushes-back-the-clock-on-early-human-migration-to-laos.html

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ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
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More commentary arising from the Netflix Cleopatra:

https://www.ekathimerini.com/opinion/interviews/1214301/netflixs-queen-cleopatra-completely-rewrites-history/
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/afrocentrism-cleopatra-netflix-egypt-racist-appropriation/

Digging 'speculation trenches' at a pair of sites in southwest Iran to protect them from urban expansion:

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/486276/Archaeologists-to-redraw-boundaries-for-Sassanid-Il-Khalid-sites

A monument depicting Ishtar and other items from excavations at Nimrud:

https://anfenglish.com/ecology/goddess-ishtar-unearthed-in-the-ancient-assyrian-city-of-nimrud-68094
https://arkeonews.net/a-large-stone-monument-depicting-the-goddess-ishtar-has-been-unearthed-in-the-ancient-assyrian-city-of-nimrud/

On Iraq's desire to recover looted antiquities:

https://www.newsweek.com/can-iraqs-antiquities-bolster-national-unity-opinion-1810000

Feature on the Japanese digs at the Hittite site at Buklukale:

https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/japanese-archaeologist-unearths-hittite-remains-184319

Feature on the ongoing excavations at the Kultepe Kanis-Karum Mound:

https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/kultepe-excavations-should-carry-on-for-minimum-5-000-years-184343

A roundup of activity at sites in Turkiye in June:

https://turkisharchaeonews.net/article/june-2023-turkish-archaeology

Feature on underwater archaeology in Turkiye:

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/culture/turkiye-stands-as-global-hub-for-underwater-archaeology/2933130

More on the 1600 years bp mosaic with Trojan War scenes from Al-Rastan:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/06/26/ancient-mosaics-syria-greek-roman/

An overview of excavations in the Wisad Pools by the Eastern Badiyah Archaeological Project:

https://jordantimes.com/news/local/excavations-eastern-badiyah-archaeological-site-indicate%C2%A0links-yarmukian-culture

Dozens of burials (possibly all women) from a 2500 years bp tomb in the Negev:

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2023-06-27/ty-article/israeli-archaeologists-find-enigmatic-2-500-year-old-burials-in-the-desert/00000188-fc6a-dd5e-a1ac-fdff70fd0000

Dig diary of the first week of excavations at Tel Burna this season:

https://telburna.wordpress.com/2023/06/25/week-1-overview-2/

Controversial study suggests David was a major ruler and the Kingdom of Judah expanded earlier than previously thought:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/web-of-biblical-cities-depicts-king-david-as-major-ruler-says-israeli-archaeologist/
https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/kingdom-of-judah-expanded-earlier-than-thought-new-study-finds/

Feature on an ASOR tour of Israel and Palestinian territories:

https://www.asor.org/anetoday/2023/06/unexpected-histories-southern-levant

Feature on studying archaeology at TAU:

https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-748047

Another feature on the possible identification of Bethsaida:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/06/25/searching-lost-biblical-city-bethsaida/

More on Natufian bird bone flutes from Israel:

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/bird-bone-flutes-levant-2321942

Feature on concerns for archaeological sites in Yemen:

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/archaeology-today/cultural-heritage/sheba-on-the-front-lines/
-----
This Week in the Ancient Near East Podcast:

https://thisweekintheancientneareast.podbean.com/

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ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
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I think we mentioned these Bronze Age Minoan lead ingots found off Israel a while ago:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/06/29/bronze-age-minoan-ingots-cyprus/

A 1st century BCE (probably) Greek altar find from Segesta:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ancient-greek-altar-unearthed-archaeological-site-sicily-2023-06-30/
https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1214432/ancient-greek-altar-unearthed-at-archaeological-site-in-sicily/
https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/07/01/a-more-than-2000-year-old-ancient-greek-altar-was-found-in-the-archaeological-site-of-segesta-in-sicily/
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-748386

A newly-revealed fresco from Pompeii was early on said to depict an early form of pizza:

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/pizza-painting-found-ancient-roman-ruins-pompeii-2023-06-27/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2023/jun/27/pompeii-fresco-depicts-what-might-be-the-precursor-of-pizza-video
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/27/pompeii-fresco-find-possibly-depicts-2000-year-old-form-of-pizza
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66031341
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12237833/Pizza-painting-ancient-Roman-ruins-Pompeii.html
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/27/world-oldest-pizza-pompeii/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/pompeii-fresco-pizza-italy-roman-b2365260.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/italy-pompeii-archeology-pizza-painting-b2365783.html
https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/06/27/pompeii-pizza-painting-discovery-cprog-orig-aw.cnn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/06/27/pompeii-pizza-painting-discovery-cprog-orig-aw.cnn
https://www.ansa.it/english/news/2023/06/27/ancestor-of-pizza-found-in-still-life-at-pompeii_66d592a3-c314-4523-8106-4b5ee3538796.html
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230627-pompeii-fresco-shows-pizza-precursor-but-hold-the-cheese
https://www.euronews.com/culture/2023/06/27/mystic-pizza-pompeii-fresco-could-show-ancient-pizza-predecessor
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-747875
https://hypebeast.com/2023/6/ancient-pizza-uncovered-pompeii-fresco
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/pompeii-fresco-shows-pizza-precursor-184289
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/m7b7b3/pompeii-pizza
https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/06/27/pompeii-pizza-painting-discovery-cprog-orig-aw.cnn
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fresco-of-possible-pizza-ancestor-from-ancient-pompeii-found-at-dig-site/
https://www.nbcnews.com/video/newly-discovered-fresco-in-pompeii-looks-remarkably-like-a-pizza-185206341983
https://english.elpais.com/culture/2023-06-28/a-possible-precursor-of-modern-pizza-has-been-discovered-in-pompeii.html
https://greekreporter.com/2023/06/29/pompeii-pizza-painting/
https://www.dw.com/en/italy-pizza-fresco-found-in-ancient-ruins-of-pompeii/a-66045459
https://www.openculture.com/2023/06/a-newly-discovered-fresco-in-pompeii-reveals-a-precursor-to-pizza.html
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/06/28/pompeii-fresco-may-show-pizzas-2000-year-old-ancestor-archaeologist-says
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/67627
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2023/06/27/still-life-with-pizza-like-dish-uncovered-at-pompeii/
http://www.archaeology.org/news/11559-230628-italy-pompeii-fresco