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News:
Archaeology/Anthropology

December 2003

December 21

Oldest sculptures unearthed.
A set of ivory figurines found in southwestern Germany add to a growing cache of the oldest art known. The 30,000-year-old carvings underline the remarkable creativity of our earliest European ancestors.

A Big Inca Discovery, or Not?
There's no need for Indiana Jones with stories like the rediscovery of Llactapata near Machu Picchu.

Bookish Math: Statistical tests are unraveling knotty literary mysteries.
Statistical tests and computation can help solve literary mysteries surrounding the authorship of well-known works.

Who Built the Pyramids?

Archaeology-related TV shows

December 14

German "Stonehenge" Is Oldest Observatory
A vast, shadowy circle sits in a flat wheat field near Goseck, Germany. No, it is not a pattern made by tipsy graduate students. The circle represents the remains of the world's oldest observatory, dating back 7,000 years. Coupled with an etched disk recovered last year, the observatory suggests that Neolithic and Bronze Age people measured the heavens far earlier and more accurately than scientistshad imagined.

Early farmers warmed Earth's climate
Our tampering with climate did not begin just a few centuries ago, but 8000 years before with the birth of agriculture, suggests a new study.

'Lost' sacred language of the Maya is rediscovered.
A living Rosetta Stone for Maya hieroglyphs? Ch'orti, spoken by a small group of Guatemalans, has been identified as the descendant of the ancient Maya elite's language.

Telephone's Real Inventor in Doubt. Dec. 9, 2003
Documents marked "confidential" that recently were found buried in the archives of the Science Museum in London suggest British telephone executives covered up the fact that a German science teacher invented a working telephone 13 years before Alexander Graham Bell created a somewhat similar device. In 2001, the U.S. Congress issued a resolution that suggested Bell gained his 1876 patent by use of "fraud and misrepresentation." The resolution gives credit to yet another inventor, an Italian-American named Antonio Meucci, who worked in Bell's laboratory. Meucci, according to the resolution, did not have sufficient funds to patent his own telephone invention, which the resolution indicates Bell may have copied.

December 7

Ink Analysis Smudges Case for Forgery of Vinland Map
To some, the Vinland map offers proof that Norse explorers discovered North America before Columbus did; to others, it is simply a well-crafted forgery. Last year, the publication of two studies that supported opposite conclusions fueled debate over the map's origins. One research group determined that the parchment indeed dates
back to 1434, but a second group countered that the map's ink was distinctly modern. Smithsonian Institution scientist Jacqueline S. Olin, who worked with the team that dated the map's paper, now suggests an alternative to the ink explanation.

Chemistry Could Save Chinese Terracotta Army
In 1974, archaeologists came across a vast army numbering in the thousands in Lintong, China. The soldiers were made of terracotta and they were part of the mausoleum of the first Chinese emperor, Qin Shihuangdi. So far, more than 1,500 life-size warriors have been excavated. But once the figures are removed from the pits, their pigment fades--a problem that established methods of stabilization have failed to address. Chemists recently developed a technique that may help the soldiers retain their color.

Discovering Dante's Damsel in Distress. Dec. 1, 2003
A 14th century jug unearthed in a Tuscan castle might shed new light on one of the most touching and mysterious female figures in Dante's Divine Comedy, according to Italian archaeologists.

West Nile Virus may have felled Alexander the Great
Dying ravens provide clue to conqueror's swift demise. Nature, November 28, 2003.

November 2003

November 30

Scholars say Jesus box may be genuine
A purported first-century inscription naming Jesus may or may not be the real thing, but Israel's labeling of the find as a fake is premature, scientists and scholars said at a panel discussion. (Associated Press)

James ossuary opens a Pandora's box of suspected fakes.
Since "the James ossuary shows that Jesus sells," archaeologists and other experts are on the lookout for other possible forgeries of Bible-era artifacts.

Dig unearths Bronze Age sun disc.
An ancient gold disc which was used as an item of adornment at a burial 4,000 years ago has been discovered in Ceredigion. Experts say the priceless sun disc is the first one of its kind to be found in Wales and only the third known piece of gold from the Bronze Age uncovered here.

Should Cheeseburgers Be Kosher?
Jack M. Sasson - Jewish dietary law says no milk with meat, and since ancient times observant Jews have refrained from mixing the two at meals. But has the biblical passage that serves as basis for the law, “Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk,” been misinterpreted?

How the Bible Became the Kynge’s Owne English
Leonard J. Greenspoon - Exactly four hundred years ago, King James I of England commissioned a new translation of the Complete Bible. The beautifully poetic result wasn’t the first English Bible, but it’s still the favorite.

Roots of English, Latin could go back 9,000 years
The family of Indo-European languages that gave rise to English, Latin and Sanskrit first emerged 8,000 to 9,000 years ago and spread into Europe from the Anatolian region of Turkey, according to a controversial new analysis. (By Usha Lee McFarling, Los Angeles Times, 11/30/2003 03:01 AM EST)

November 23

Scholars Discover Parts of New Testament Verse on Facade of Israeli Funeral Monument.
An inscription referring to "Simeon who was a very just man," thought to be the Simon of Luke 2:25, has been identified on the fourth-century Absalom's Tomb in Jerusalem.

November 16

Ancient Maya Stone Altar Recovered In Guatemala; Unparalleled Investigation Leads To Looters’ Haven And Arrests.
An unprecedented collaboration of archeologists, Maya villagers and Guatemalan authorities has resulted in the recovery of a magnificent Maya altar stone that was carved in 796 AD and sheds new light on the collapse of the classic Maya civilization.

City of the Hawk
From ancient breweries to the earliest mummies, excavations at Hierakonpolis are rewriting the origins of Egyptian civilization. by Renée Friedman.

Ancient Play to Be Shown After Text Found in Mummy. NICOSIA (Reuters)
A ancient play is to be staged for the first time in more than 2,050 years after fragments of the text were found stuffed in an Egyptian mummy.

Mystery veils Laos' Stonehenge.
Plain of Jars relics are 2,000-year-old archeological wonder.

Saving a Fabled Sanctuary
Conservators struggle to restore Justinian's Great Church in Istanbul by Sengül Aydlngün and Mark Rose.

November 9

Etruscan Demons, Monsters Unearthed. Nov. 5, 2003
Etruscan art, made of strange demons and monsters, is emerging in a Tuscan village, in what could be one of the most important discoveries of recent times, according to scholars who have seen the paintings. Lurking on the left wall of a 4th century B.C. tomb, the exceptionally preserved monsters have been unearthed during the ongoing excavation of the Pianacce necropolis in Sarteano, a village 50 miles from Siena, Italy.

Researchers dig up earliest 'butcher shop' TORONTO
Anthropologists working in Ethiopia say they've found the earliest direct evidence of a stone tool "kitchen," dating back 2.6 million years.

Geochemists Trace the Iceman's Travels
They say dead men tell no tales. If that was ever true, it is certainly not so now in our scientific era. Case in point: Ötzi, the 5,000-year-old "Iceman" mummy discovered in 1991 by two hikers high in the Alps along the Austrian-Italian border. Affectionately nicknamed for the Ötzal region in which he was found, Ötzi has been subjected to waves of scientific tests in an attempt to reconstruct his life and death. Now researchers have amassed evidence suggesting that Ötzi, believed to be in his mid-40s when he died, may have spent his whole life in what is now Italy, within about 60 kilometers of where his body turned up.

November 2

Archaeology's great hoax
In a storeroom of the Michigan Historical Museum, state archaeologist John Halsey examined the newly acquired artifacts purported to be the remnants of an ancient Middle Eastern civilization that settled in Michigan thousands of years ago (The Grand Rapids Press, Mich.).

Theme park investigates mysteries of the world.
Best-selling author Erich von Däniken has opened a theme park in Interlaken, enabling mere mortals to have close encounters with his fantastic theories.

Human Ancestors: Out of Asia? Oct. 28, 2003
An extinct, ape-like animal that researchers believe was a distant cousin of humans probably evolved in Asia, instead of Africa, according to a recent study. The finding suggests that anthropoid primates — a suborder including apes, monkeys and humans — evolved in Asia before radiating to Africa, where the earliest humans have been identified.

October 2003

October 26

The Battleground: Who Destroyed Megiddo? Was It David or Shishak?
Timothy P. Harrison - The answer depends on one key stratum, and our understanding of the United Monarchy hinges on whether it was the Israelite king or the Egyptian pharaoh.

Strata, King Hezekiah Did Build the Tunnel.
Scientific Tests Substantiate Biblical Account.

Digging out the truth of Exodus
Trenches could be the first physical evidence for the Bible story of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt (U.S. News & World Report).

Did Thera's explosion doom Minoan Crete?
The eruption of the Thera in the Aegean 3,000 years ago may have been more violent than previously thought. If so, it might have attributed to the decline of Minoan Crete, a theory deemed far-fetched in the 1980s. Some scholars see this eruption as the cause of the plagues of Egypt and the Exodus.

Is this where Jesus bathed?
A shopkeeper running a small souvenir business in Nazareth has made a sensational discovery that could dramatically rewrite the history of Christianity (The Guardian, London).

Studies in Epigraphy, Iconography, History and Archaeology in Honor of Shlomo Moussaieff.
Edited by Robert Deutsch.

Secret of mummification revealed!
German scientists have tracked down a preservative used in ancient Egypt to an extract of cedar. Chemists from Tuebingen University and the Munich-based Doerner-Institut replicated an ancient treatment of cedar wood and found it contained a preservative chemical called guaiacol. The team then tested the chemicals found in the cedar derivative on fresh pig ribs. They found it had an extremely high anti-bacterial effect without damaging body tissue. The findings, published in the science journal Nature, will surprise Egyptologists who had thought the embalming oil was extracted from juniper rather than cedar. The team also tested juniper extracts but found they did not contain the guaiacol preservatives. Weser said that, despite ancient mentions of "cedar-juice," scholars believed juniper to be the source because of similar Greek names and some mummies being found clutching juniper berries. The team extracted the cedar oil using a method mentioned in a work by Pliny the Elder, a Roman encyclopaedist who wrote of an embalming ointment called "cedrium."

Stunning Fossils Reveal First Humans to Leave Africa
In an age of spacecraft and deep-sea submersibles, we take it for granted that humans are intrepid explorers. Yet from an evolutionary perspective, the propensity to colonize is one of the distinguishing characteristics of our kind: no other primate has ever ranged so far and wide. Stunning finds in the Republic of Georgia are upending long-standing ideas about the first hominids who journeyed out of Africa, marking the start of global colonization.

Archeological and anthropological contradictions in the Book of Mormon has been updated and rewritten. In addition to the new research, the page contains many graphics that depict the true nature of ancient cultures in the Americas. Archeological/Anthropological Problems in the Book of Mormon also DNA Evidence and Molecular Genetics Disprove the Book of Mormon by Rich Deem and Testing the Creation Model of the LDS Church.

Did Scandinavians Beat Columbus to America Twice?
Archeologists have already established that Viking explorers beat Christopher Columbus to America by about 500 years, but experts in Sweden now hope to determine whether another group of Scandinavians landed in the New World in 1362, 130 years before Columbus. A 200-pound rune stone, a block of stone featuring symbolic engravings common during the Viking era, has been sent from the United States to Sweden's Museum of National Antiquities to establish whether it really dates from 1362, as its markings claim, or is just a hoax. If confirmed as an authentic relic, the so-called Kensington stone would prove that another wave of explorers, more than 300 years after the Vikings, made it to the American continent before Columbus did in 1492.

Early Evidence Of Fire Found Oct. 17, 2003
Construction work to build a relief road for a British village has revealed one of the earliest evidences of fire in Europe, British archaeologists announced. Charcoal deposits that might date back between 250,000 and 300,000 years ago, were discovered in Harnham, a village one mile south of Salisbury on South Wiltshire's Chalklands, England.

October 19

Geneticists report finding Central Asian link to Levites
Researchers have traced the 'genetic signature' which occurs in more than half the Levites of Ashkenazi origin to Central Asia.

High-tech lasers have been used to unlock the secrets of Stonehenge.
The work at the ancient site in Wiltshire has already uncovered two carvings which are invisible to the naked eye.

October 12

Ancient Tombs Reveal Bronze Age Civilization. Oct. 6, 2003
Archaeologists could soon unveil the social structure of a mysterious Bronze Age civilization from northern Italy, according to ongoing anthropological and archaeological research. The study centers on a large necropolis discovered in the Casinalbo village near Modena. Dating between 1500 and 1200 B.C., it consisted of more than 2,000 tombs belonging to the people of the "terramare" — prehistoric flat-topped mounds left by a Bronze Age pile-dwelling settlement built on dry land.

Older Layers Of Pompeii Unearthed. Oct. 2, 2003
After three years of research, the Pompeii that Mount Vesuvius did not bury is coming to light, according to Italian archaeologists. Hidden in layers beneath the town overwhelmed by lava and ash by the most famous eruption in history, the ancient settlement dates back to the third century B.C.

Minoan Ship Replica To Sail Seas. Oct. 3, 2003
A Greek admiral is realizing a dream to build the world's only replica of the Minoan ships that some 3,500 years ago helped the ancient civilization win dominance over the seas and travel as far as Asia and Africa.

October 5

Date of the Exodus:
Recent research has identified Kadesh-Barnea with Tel Masos in the Northern Negev. This CONFIRMS the Exodus' Kadesh Barnea is a Late 13th or early 12th Century BCE settlement.

On The Antiquity Of Pots: New Method Developed For Dating Archaeological Pottery (September 30, 2003)
The contents of ancient pottery could help archaeologists resolve some longstanding disputes in the world of antiquities, thanks to scientists at Britain's University of Bristol. The researchers have developed the first direct method for dating pottery by examining animal fats preserved inside the ceramic walls.

Spy Tales
Rose Mary Sheldon
Meet the James Bonds of the biblical world, the secret agents who scouted out the Holy Land, sought breaches in Canannite defenses, and single-handedly brought down evil enemy empires.

Who Wrote Second Isaiah?
William H.C. Propp
Scholars have long suspected that two different authors, living 200 years apart, produced the Book of Isaiah. The first tells us his name is Isaiah. Might the second author have embedded his name in his his text, too?

The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls
by James C. VanderKam and Peter Flint review by Sidnie White Crawford.

National Geographic: Treasures of Egypt.

Early Andean Cultures Part Of Intensive Silver Industry; New Evidence Suggests Major Metallurgy Took Place Earlier Than Originally Believed (September 29, 2003)
The examination of sediments from the Bolivian Andes suggests that ores were actively smelted earlier than originally thought--providing evidence for a major pre-Incan silver industry, says a University of Alberta professor, part of a team which conducted the research.

September 2003

September 28

Bones of Contention
Why I still think the James bone box is likely to be authentic.
By Ben Witherington. I would strongly disagree with him. The box is genuine, but the writing on it is fake.

What Do the Stones Cry Out?
Beware of claims that archaeology disproves—or proves—the Bible is true.
By Christian M. M. Brady.

Top Ten New Testament Archaeological Finds of the Past 150 Years
How do shrouds, boats, inscriptions, and other artifacts better help us understand the Christ of the Ages? By Ben Witherington III. I strongly disagree with him about the Shroud of Turin which is clearly a fake.

Listening to the Fifth Gospel
The sun-baked ruins of the Holy Land have a story to tell.
By David Neff.

Why We Dig the Holy Land
If biblical archaeology is not reinvigorated, Scripture-illuminating evidence will remain buried in the Middle East. A Christianity Today Editorial by David Neff.

Faces of the Pyramid Builders.
They were not aliens or Adam.

Neanderthal hunters rivaled human skills
A new study challenges the theory that Neanderthals died out because they were greatly inferior hunters.

Earliest European Modern Humans Found (September 24, 2003)
A research team co-directed by Erik Trinkaus, professor of anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis, has dated a human jawbone from a Romanian bear hibernation cave to between 34,000 and 36,000 years ago. That makes it the earliest known modern human fossil in Europe.

Amazon was settled before Columbus' time
Excavations and maps confirm forest housed advanced society.

September 21

Biblical Archaeology's Dusty Little Secret
The James bone box controversy reveals the politics beneath the science. By Gordon Govier.

Unearthing the Bible
Dallas exhibit traces evolution of the holy book and displays parts of the Dead Sea Scrolls (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram).

Inside job
Below the high altar of St. Peter's, investigators have found sheep bones, ox bones, pig bones, and the complete skeleton of a mouse. Was Peter himself ever there? (Tom Mueller, The Atlantic).

Egyptian Quarries:
Investigations at the granite quarries of Aswan, Egypt, have revealed seven great quarried depressions where obelisks were cut out of the rock, painted scenes on a harbor wall (the god Bes, a group of ostriches, and swiming fish are depicted), and a hieroglyphic inscription that records an order from Tuthmosis III telling the headman of the quarry to cut two obelisks for the temple of Amun-Re at Karnak. The work was carried out as part of a project to make the quarry more accessible and informative to visitors.

The Greeks stole math from the Egyptians?
A new study suggests the ancient Greek counting system was actually a hand-me-down from Egypt.

Archaeological Find Provides Insight Into Northeast 9,000 Years Ago.
University of Vermont archaeologists have identified what is unequivocally the first Late Paleoindian site (10,000-9,000 B.P.) in the state--and one of very few known to exist in the eastern United States--near Sunderland Brook in Colchester. The site was discovered last week during an archaeological investigation of property that will be impacted by the construction of an off-ramp for the proposed Chittenden County Circumferential Highway.

September 14

Radiometric dating of the Siloam Tunnel, Jerusalem Nature (425) 9/11/03 p.169
Siloam Tunnel Inscription AMOS FRUMKIN, ARYEH SHIMRON & JEFF ROSENBAUM. The historical credibility of texts from the Bible is often debated when compared with Iron Age archaeological finds (refs . 1, 2 and references therein). Modern scientific methods may, in principle, be used to independently date structures that seem to be mentioned in the biblical text, to evaluate its historical authenticity. In reality, however, this approach is extremely difficult because of poor archaeological preservation, uncertainty in identification, scarcity of datable materials, and restricted scientific access into well-identified worship sites. Because of these problems, no well-identified Biblical structure has been radiometrically dated until now. Here we report radiocarbon and U–Th dating of the Siloam Tunnel, proving its Iron Age II date; we conclude that the Biblical text presents an accurate historic record of the Siloam Tunnel's construction. Being one of the longest ancient water tunnels lacking intermediate shafts, dating the Siloam Tunnel is a key to determining where and when this technological breakthrough took place. Siloam Tunnel dating also refutes a claim that the tunnel was constructed in the second century BC. See also http://www.latimes.com/la-sci-siloam11sep11,1,3847828.story, http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-09/huoj-dok090903.php, and http://www.msnbc.com/news/964464.asp

Derided tomb earns more reverential study
The site was thought to be the crypt of King David's son Absalom. Now some say it may be that of John the Baptist's father (Los Angeles Times).

Lion man takes pride of place as oldest statue
30,000-year-old carving might be work of Neanderthals or modern humans.

September 7

Israelites Found in Egypt
Manfred Bietak
A sharp-eyed excavator notes something striking on an old Egyptian dig report—a house plan long associated with the Israelites in Canaan. His “find” may require a major revision of the chronology of the Exodus.

Eyewitness Testimony
Baruch Halpern
A Bible scholar explains how to date Biblical texts—and shows that parts of the Exodus story were written within living memory of the event.

The Storm over the Bone Box
The Israel Antiquities Authority has declared the inscription on the James ossuary to be a fake. But many are far from convinced. An update on a fast-changing—and acrimonious—dispute.

The Old Testament wars: Is the Bible history or fiction?
New archaeology, revisionist interpretations confront traditional interpretations (The Baltimore Sun).

Tracking the first Americans
A new study of skulls from Mexico is encouraging us to reconsider our view of the ancestry of the first Americans.

Meat eating is an old human habit
A study of our ancestors' teeth suggests humans evolved beyond their vegetarian roots around 2.5 million years ago.

When Clothing First Appeared:
Two species of human lice have provided the first estimate of when fashion was born. According to the research, published in the latest issue of the journal Current Biology, humans might have first worn clothes around 42,000 to 72,000 years ago.

August 2003

August 31

Ancient stone circle found on remote island
An ancient stone circle which has lain buried for more than 3,000 years has been found on a remote Scottish island. The circle is the latest to have been discovered at a site widely considered as second in importance to Stonehenge.

August 24

Final Reports on the Yehoash Inscription and James Ossuary from the Israeli Antiquities Authority.

Faking Biblical History
What happens when you try to mobilize archaeology--at any cost--to prove the Bible "true"? by Neil Asher Silberman and Yuval Goren.

Cloak & Trowel
The romantic image of archaeologist as adventurer fuels much of the speculation linking archaeology with espionage. A look at the facts behind the fiction by David Price.

Quarry Excavations
Egyptian archaeologists have recently removed dust and debris from the famous granite quarry in Aswan in an effort to learn more about the massive obelisks of ancient Egypt. Their excavations have uncovered not only many obelisk-shaped pits where the monuments were cut from stone, but also the remains of a harbor at the quarry site, more evidence that the Nile was used to transport the enormous obelisks. Other discoveries include an inscription from the reign of the pharaoh Tuthmosis III that records his order for two obelisks to be delivered from the quarry to the temple of Karnak.

Field Museum Archaeologists Discover Tomb Under Zapotec Residential Complex In Oaxaca, Mexico
On a high hilltop terrace in Oaxaca, Mexico, a team of Field Museum archaeologists discovered a 1,500-year-old underground tomb while excavating a palace-like residence. Although it was near the end of their excavation season, they dared not leave the tomb unexplored. News of this find at El Palmillo was sure to get around, and looting would follow. As it was, workers had to guard the tomb every night until the tomb was excavated.

Lice & Clothes (18 Aug)
Adam and Eve may have put on fig leaves while still in the Garden of Eden but a study that looked at the most intimate of pests -- body lice -- suggests that humans started wearing clothes 70,000 years ago, scientists said on Monday.

Early Settlement Site in Pa. Debated
AVELLA, Pa. -- Evidence that humans inhabited western Pennsylvania some 16,000 years ago -- thousands of years earlier than most scholars believe -- is still dividing archaeologists, 30 years after blade tools and materials to make beads were found in a rock shelter.

August 17

Nefertiti Resurrected
Could this discarded, defaced mummy really be the most powerful woman in ancient Egypt? Take an interactive tour of the tomb and see what you think.
Don't Miss the Premiere on Discovery Channel Sunday, August 17
Who WAS Nefertiti?
The Video Gallery
Chasing Nefertiti: Joann Fletcher's Story
Make Your Own Mummy

Moses and the Exodus
Find out what scholars believe the real Moses was actually like. See http://tlc.discovery.com/convergence/moses/moses.html
Where's Moses? The Interactive Exodus
Moses Portrayed Through History
Test Your Faith
Moses As Seen by Jews, Muslims and Christians

Rare bell shrine found in Ireland "This is among the most important archaeological objects ever found in the course of an excavation in Ireland." (The Guardian, London). See http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1016714,00.html

Big beast extinction blamed on prehistoric fire starters (10 Aug) - Prehistoric fire starters may have unwittingly killed off the big beasts that once roamed Australia. Analysis of ancient eggshells suggests that the animals suddenly became extinct about 50,000 years ago because people burned up their habitat. See http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994028

Blood clues to iceman's death. The theory that Oetzi the Iceman died in a violent fight with others has received further support from scientists in Australia. "We analysed samples, scrapings from the knife, the axe and from his jacket and it indicates that the blood samples are actually from several different individuals," Dr Ian Findlay, of the Australian Genome Research Facility in Brisbane, said. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3146069.stm

August 10

Experts, dealer clash over James Ossuary's authenticity Tempers flared over the question at the showing of a documentary about the case and a new interview dismissing an Israeli finding that led to the arrest of an antiquities dealer on suspicion of forging sacred artifacts (The Globe and Mail, Toronto). See http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030727.wossu0727/BNStory/International/

Geologists: James Ossuary Patina Faked. Avner Ayalon, determined that the patina covering both the letters and surface of the Jehoash Inscription, as well as the inscription on the James Ossuary, "could not have formed under natural climactic conditions...that prevailed in the Judea Mountains during the last 2000 years." Furthermore, the patina contained in the inscription on the James Ossuary is "significantly different from the oxygen isotopic composition in the surface patina of [the ossuary] and of patina of authentic ossuaries stored in [Jerusalem's] Rockefeller Museum." An internal GSI committee reviewed and approved Dr. Ayalon's conclusions. See http://www.archaeology.org/magazine.php?page=online/news/patina

Ancient Roman Face Cream Found. July 29, 2003 — Archaeologists excavating a Roman temple on the south bank of the River Thames in London have discovered what might be the world's oldest cosmetic face cream, complete with the finger marks of the person who used it 2,000 years ago. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030728/makeup.html

Caligula: Historical accounts tell of the ancient Roman emperor Caligula's desire to be worshiped as a god and other megalomaniac claims so far out that modern historians have trouble believing them. Now archaeologists have uncovered foundations consistent with these accounts that show Caligula's palace connecting with the place of worship. One archaeologist stated, "We have the proof that the guy really was nuts." See http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1014329,00.html

Language - (7 Aug) - When did we start talking to each other and how long did it take us to become so good at it? In the absence of palaeo-cassette recorders or a time machine the problem might seem insoluble, but analysis of recent evidence suggests we may have started talking as early as 2.5m years ago. See http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/lastword/story/0,13228,1013222,00.html

New World Newcomers: Men's DNA supports recent settlement of the Americas. New data on genetic differences among the Y chromosomes of Asian and Native American men support the notion that people first reached the Americas less than 20,000 years ago. See http://www.sciencenews.org/20030809/fob4ref.asp

Archaeologists Unearth German Stonehenge. German experts on Thursday hailed Europe’s oldest astronomical observatory, discovered in Saxony-Anhalt last year, a “milestone in archaeological research” after the details of the sensational find were made public. The 3,600-year-old bronze Nebra disc is considered the oldest-known image of the cosmos. The 32-centimeter disc is decorated with gold leaf symbols that clearly represent the sun, moon and stars. A cluster of seven dots has been interpreted as the Pleiades constellation as it appeared 3,600 years ago. See http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1441_A_942824_1_A,00.html

August 3

Israel's "Aramaean" Origins (The Iron IA Archaeological Evidence For This). See http://www.bibleorigins.net/AramaeanIsrael.html

Archaeologists uncover 12,000-year-old settlement. Israeli archaeologists said today they had discovered a 12,000-year-old neolithic settlement west of Jerusalem which they believe is the largest of the period ever discovered in the Holy Land. See http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/01/1059480520876.html

July 2003

July 27

James Ossuary Owner Arrested on Fraud and Forgery Charges. Israeli police arrest owner of the James ossuary and Joash tablet. After a six-month investigation, Israeli police on Monday arrested antiques collector Oded Golan on charges of fraud, forgery, using forged documents, and perverting the course of justice. In recent days, investigators searched Golan's home and storerooms, including a workroom on his roof where they say he forged antiquities. "A number of other 'antiques' in various stages of production were uncovered," reports the Tel Aviv newspaper Ha'aretz. Also on Golan's Tel Aviv roof, "without any security or protection from the elements," was Golan's most famous possession—an ossuary that apparently once held the bones of "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus." Is this treatment of the ossuary another indication that the ossuary is a fraud, or that Golan is merely careless? After all, when he shipped the ossuary for display and testing at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, he packed it so poorly that it cracked—right in the middle of the inscription. Now even the ROM's Ed Keall, who has been one of the main scholars saying the ossuary is authentic, says Golan might have intentionally damaged the bone box to make testing harder. "I'm afraid at this stage I can't discount anything," he told The Ottawa Citizen. "The story's so bizarre." See http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/129/31.0.html

Jesus ossuary' promoters unfazed by forgery arrest | Jewish filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici, Gabi Barkai of Bar-Ilan University stand by the authenticity of the ossuary inscription (The Jerusalem Post). See http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1059022251164

DNA used in attempt to solve Christian mystery | Genetic fingerprinting might soon clear up an ancient Christian mystery—the origins of medieval parchments and even the Canterbury Gospels, thought to have arrived in Britain in 579AD (The Guardian, London). See http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1002142,00.html

Scientists prepare to excavate Black Sea | Scientists also are interested in the ruin, because it could finally clinch the Noah flood theory that has gained the most attention for the trip — and the most criticism (Associated Press). See http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=624&ncid=753&e=10&u=/ap/20030721/ap_on_sc/exp_black_sea_expedition

Scientists explain the burning bushes in the Bible | Norwegian geologists found burning layer of turf under soil in Mali (Nettavisen, Norway). See http://www.nettavisen.no/servlets/page?section=1706&item=277123

In the crossfire | Real-life archaeology is getting more dangerous than in the movies (ABCNews.com). See http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/Primetime/archaeology030720.html

Texas puts Gutenberg Bible on Internet | Ransom Center edition is not the first to go digital (Associated Press). See http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030723/ap_on_hi_te/digital_scripture_1

Human genetics (25 Jul) - Scientists studying the genetic signatures of Siberians and American Indians have found evidence that the first human migrations to the New World from Siberia probably occurred no earlier than 18,000 years ago. See http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/25/science/25HUMA.html

After the Ice: A global human history 20,000-5000 BC
By Steven Mithen. See a review at http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opbooks.jsp?id=ns24032

July 20

In search of Noah's Ark. He found the Titanic. Now Robert Ballard hunts the quarry of a lifetime (Newsweek International). See http://www.msnbc.com/news/938234.asp

Scientists hunt for evidence of Noah's flood, examine ancient ships in Black Sea (Associated Press). See http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/state/hc-16014146.apds.m0986.bc-ct--blacjul16,0,5082971.story?coll=hc-headlines-local-wire

Rediscovering the lost world of early Christian Europe A review of Peter Brown's The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200-1000 (Michael Dirda, The Washington Post. See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37845-2003Jul10.html

Fish fossils reveal Roman trade routes
Genetics shows ancient Turks imported Egyptian catfish.
14 July 2003. See http://www.nature.com/nsu/030714/030714-1.html

Ancient Egyptian Priest Compound Discovered. July 11, 2003 — Egyptian and German archaeologists have discovered a 2,000-year-old priest settlement in southern Egypt, the Supreme Council for Egyptian Antiquities announced. Buried in the desert sand in Tuna el-Gebel, some 200 kilometers (124 miles) south of Cairo, the elaborate dwellings belonged to the priests who worshipped the god Thoth in the form of ibis and baboons. God of wisdom and magic, Thoth — Hermes for the Greek — was credited with many inventions, including writing, geometry, and astronomy. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030707/priest.html

Inca Written Language Hidden in Code? July 1, 2003 — The Inca invented a seven-bit binary code to store information more than 500 years before the invention of the computer, according to the latest research into this still mysterious ancient population. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030630/inca.html

Extinct Language Reveals Celtic Origins. July 2, 2003 — Although the Roman conquest led to the extinction of the Gaulish language 2,000 years ago, a half dozen rare, surviving Gaulish/Latin bilingual inscriptions have enabled scholars to trace the origins of the Celtic language and many other European languages. According to the study, Celtic branched in two directions from an Indo-European mother language around 3200 B.C. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030630/celtic.html

Geologist Wanted. The Biblical Archaeology Society would like to locate experts who specialize in isotopic geology who will be in a position to evaluate, when it is released, the report of the Israel Antiquities Authority committee that declared the James ossuary inscription to be a forgery. See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswbbreakinggeologist.html

July 13

Satellites hunt for buried treasure
Radar sensing can allow satellites to peer through the ground to reveal ancient watercourses and archaeological wonders, suggests new research. See http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993923

Tomb references John the Baptist's father | The discovery was a stroke of luck: the light of the setting sun hit an ancient tomb at just the right angle and revealed hints of a worn inscription, unnoticed for centuries, commemorating the father of John the Baptist (Associated Press). See http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030706/ap_on_re_mi_ea/here_lies_zachariah_3

Gold Dust and James Bond
The Israel Antiquities Authority has declared the James ossuary and Jehoash inscription fake. See http://www.archaeology.org/magazine.php?page=online/features/ossuary/index

Nazareth construction crew finds cistern | Crusaders might have built it 1,000 years ago, archaeologists said (Associated Press). See http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030704/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_nazareth_1

Migration out of Africa (9 Jul) - How long ago did our ancestors begin to migrate from Africa? Evidence from a massive volcanic explosion 74,000 years ago in South-east Asia is giving researchers clues about these first colonists, says Stephen Oppenheimer. See http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_medical/story.jsp?story=423003

Stonehenge (8 Jul) - Stonehenge is a massive fertility symbol, according to Canadian researchers who believe they have finally cracked the mystery of the ancient monument in southern England. See http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=4&u=/nm/20030708/ts_nm/life_stonehenge_dc_1

New Technique Helps Solve Mystery Of Ancient Figurines
Thanks in part to new spectroscopic technology, researchers have solved a great mystery concerning some of North America's oldest pieces of sculpture. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/07/030707090954.htm

July 6

The true meaning of Jesus: a matter of faith, not of history | Scholarship questioning the Gospels' events amplify deeper meaning (Craig Eisendrath, The Baltimore Sun) See http://www.sunspot.net/features/booksmags/bal-bk.god29jun29,0,3597771.story?coll=bal-artslife-books

Lost, found treasures showcased in Baghdad
National Museum offers a peek at the Nimrud collection.
Priceless gold jewelry from 900 B.C. - including large bracelets, necklaces, and a crown inlaid with images of winged girls - went on display briefly yesterday as the Iraqi National Museum opened its doors for the first time since the war. See http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/6231382.htm

Raided Lost Ark returns home | A replica of the Biblical Ark of the covenant, or tabot, has been taken back to Ethiopia and an Irish doctor was responsible (BBC). See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3034860.stm

Pharaoh's chariots found in Red Sea? | 'Physical evidence' of ancient Exodus prompting new look at Old Testament (WorldNetDaily). See http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=33168 For problems in Ron Wyatt's discoveries see http://bibleandscience.com/wyatt.htm

Scholars defend authenticity of biblical-era artifact | "What you have here is a case of dueling scholars," says Ben Witherington III (United Methodist News Service) See http://www.umns.umc.org/03/jun/328.htm

Looking for a cross to bear? Check eBay | None of the nearly 95,000 of us who trooped to the Royal Ontario Museum and examined the box that had supposedly contained the bones of Jesus' brother James was surprised to hear it's been declared a fake (Slinger, The Toronto Star) See http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&col=968793972154

Vatican puts museum collection online | Site allows visitors to take a virtual reality tour of some of the dozen museums and galleries that make up the Vatican collection, zooming in on a frescoed panel in the Raphael Rooms or viewing Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel with a three-dimensional video (Associated Press). See http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030624/ap_on_en_ot/vatican_virtual_art http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html

Dead Sea Scrolls on Display Outside Israel. June 18, 2003 — Fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls, considered one of the greatest archeological discoveries of the 20th century, went on display in a Montreal museum Tuesday, the first time they have been out of Israel. See http://travel.discovery.com/news/afp/20030616/scrolls.html

Brother of Jesus Ossuary
New Tests Bolster Case for Authenticity Edward J. Keall
The “James, brother of Jesus” bone box cracked last fall on its way to its first public exhibit. But there was a silver lining: During restoration, the box underwent a series of scientific tests. Read the results in this BAR exclusive! See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswb_BAR/bswbba2904f2.html

Whatchamacallit
William G. Dever
You wouldn’t think that agreeing on a name for the intersection of Biblical studies and archaeology would be so difficult—but it is. A senior excavator describes the ideological battles that make finding a name so difficult. See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswb_BAR/bswbba2904f3.html

Literacy in the Time of Jesus
Alan Millard
Could the words of Jesus have been recorded in his lifetime? Based on how common writing was and on the variety of writing materials used, the answer is a surprisingly strong “Yes.” See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswb_BAR/bswbba2904f1.html

Archaeology(2 Jul) - A cavern resplendent with Aboriginal cave art encompassing 4000 years is being hailed in Australia as the most important find in half a century. The cave was discovered by a backpacker in a remote and almost inaccessible part of Wollemi National Park in New South Wales. See http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993901

June 2003

June 22

Experts Call Biblical Artifact a Fake Israeli Antiquities Authority Says Box Purported to Have Held the Bones of Jesus' Brother a Fake. The officials also declared the "Yoash inscription," another item tied to Golan, as a forgery on Wednesday. ee http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20030618_378.html and http://dsc.discovery.com/news/afp/20030616/jesusfake.html http://www.archaeology.org/magazine.php?page=online/features/ossuary/index

A committee of archaeological experts organized by Israel's Antiquities Authority has unanimously concluded that the inscription on the James Ossuary is a forgery. "The ossuary is real, but the inscription is fake," Shuka Dorfman, director of the Antiquities Authority, told Reuters after a Jerusalem press conference yesterday. "What this means is that somebody took a real box and forged the writing on it, probably to give it a religious significance." Gideon Avni, one of the archaeologists, told CBS News that he believes "this forgery was done sometime in the last decades, maybe in the last years." (A recent Jerusalem Post review runs down other ossuary problems.) Also the Antiquities Authority says that the tablet, known as the Joash Tablet, is a fake, too. Biblical language professor Avigdor Horowitz says the inscription's wording is anachronistic. "The person who wrote the inscription was a person who thinks in modern Hebrew," he told reporters. "A person thinking in biblical Hebrew would see it as ridiculous." See http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/124/31.0.html

Biblical Archaeology Review editor Hershel Shanks, and, more importantly, Asbury Seminary New Testament scholar Ben Witherington III. The two have been the biggest cheerleaders for the ossuary, recently publishing a book on it. They are not convinced it is a fake. See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswbbreakingVII.html

Ossuary Questions Remain
Israel Antiquities Authority says "brother of Jesus" inscription is a forgery, but supporters say its report may be flawed. By Gordon Govier. See http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/124/51.0.html

Miracle of the Dead Sea Scrolls | Some of the world's oldest biblical material is about to go on display in Canada for the first time and prove that tattered, 2,000-year-old fragments can still draw a crowd (The Globe & Mail, Toronto). See http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030616.wscroll/BNStory/Entertainment/

'Beyond Belief': Another gospel truth | The reward in Nag Hammadi, Elaine Pagels believes, may be a truer knowledge not only of Christianity, in whatever institutional form, but also of the other great religions (The New York Times). See http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/15/books/review/15KERMODT.html

'Asteroid impact could have prompted Constantine's conversion' | Scientists have discovered an impact crater dating from the fourth of fifth century in the Italian Apennine mountains. They believe the crater in the Sirente mountains, which is larger than a football field, could explain the legend of Constantine's conversion. It is said the emperor saw an amazing vision in the sky, converted to Christianity on the spot, and led his army to victory under the sign of the cross. (Ananova). See http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_791768.html

June 15

Support for authenticity of book of Matthew comes from an unlikely place | Buried in ancient texts of Jewish historical works are fragments of evidence that appear to show the first book of the New Testament actually was written by one of Jesus' apostles (Kansas City Star). See http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/6014126.htm

QUEEN NEFERTITI: Researchers may have found the long-lost mummy of Egypt's mysterious royal beauty. See http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030616-457370,00.html

The Spear of Christ? Is the ancient spear in the Imperial Treasury at Vienna's Hofburg Palace really the one that a Roman centurion used to pierce the side of the crucified Jesus Christ? Legend insists that it is, but science is doing its best to fact-check the story. Like the 51-cm relic itself — first mentioned in the Gospel of John — the tale of the Holy Lance, or Spear of Destiny, has been embellished over the ages. As one oft-quoted account has it: "Whomsoever claims this spear and solves its secrets holds the destiny of the world in his hands, for good or evil." British metallurgist Robert Feather has decoded some of its secrets. He addressed old beliefs with 21st century X-ray diffraction and fluorescence tests to reveal structure and composition, swab checks for organic material (like blood), and other noninvasive procedures — and found the main body of the spear to be medieval, dating to the 7th century at the earliest. Charlemagne may well have possessed the spear in 800 — and Hitler's Nazis took it from Vienna in 1938. See http://www.time.com/time/europe/html/030616/science.html

The Exodus and the miracle Quail: This article identifies POISONOUS quail as "the plague" that afflicted Israel at Kib`roth-hatta`avah (Nu 11:31-35). See http://www.bibleorigins.net/ExodusQuailmiracleKibrothhattaav.html

Ships collide in search for truth | Ex-ambassador says biblical expert misled her over Malta book about St. Paul's shipwreck on Malta (Rocky Mountain News, Denver). See http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_2018328,00.html

Shroud of Turin: Stephen Mattingly believes the Turin shroud was 'painted' by bacteria from a dying man's body. See http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/feature/story/0,13026,975225,00.html

British Museum celebrates 250th birthday
World's oldest national collection prepares to create virtual treasures.
See http://www.nature.com/nsu/030602/030602-13.html

Caveman: Discovery channel special on Sunday June 15, 2003 at 8 PM, EST. See http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/cavemen/interactive/interactive.html

June 8

The Turin Shroud, Fake or Genuine ? This article uses examples of burial shrouds from Early Christian Art and statements from the New Testament to show that the Turin Shroud cannot be Christ's burial shroud. See http://www.bibleorigins.net/TurinShroud.html

Dating the Pentateuch via Hebrew as a Language. This article points out the problems in dating the Pentateuch via the Hebrew Language. See http://www.bibleorigins.net/HebrewDatesPentateuch.html

Moses' Egyptian Name
Ogden Goelet
The Egyptian roots of the lawgiver's name indicate that the Egyptians and Israelites had more in common than the Book of Exodus might lead one to believe. See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswb_BR/bswbbr1903f1.html

The Harrowing of Hell
Heidi J. Hornik and Mikeal C. Parsons
A popular Christian creed tells us Jesus "descended into Hell." But just when did Jesus go there and why? And how did his mysterious descent, known as the Harrowing, become part of early church doctrine and art? See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswb_BR/bswbbr1903f2.html

The Search for Noah's Flood. By Ronald S. Hendel. Scientists Are Looking in the Wrong Place. See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswb_BR/bswbbr1903columnist.html

The Hebrew God: Portrait of an Ancient Deity
by Bernhard Lang. review by Michael M. Homan. See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswb_BR/bswbbr1903books.html

Christopher Columbus' Bones Get DNA Testing. June 4, 2003 — DNA technology might reveal the last voyage of Christopher Columbus' bones, according to Spanish scientists who exhumed the explorer's remains on Monday. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030602/columbus.html

June 1

Christian archaeologist digs into Bible meaning | Author, scholar Jim Fleming speaks at local church conference (The Huntsville Times, Ala.). As a Christian, Dr. Jim Fleming believes the Bible is the word of God. As an archaeologist, Fleming says modern interpretations of the Bible often differ from the original meaning. "The problem is that it (the Bible) is taken literally in our language and culture," said Fleming, who conducted a three-day biblical archaeological conference this week at Cove United Methodist Church. "I have a great respect for the Scriptures. I'm conservative in areas the Scriptures are conservative, and liberal in the areas the Scriptures tell us to be liberal." See http://www.al.com/religion/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/living/1053162904298050.xml

Rome Named After A Woman? By Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News. May 15, 2003 — A fragment of writing by Stesichorus, a Graeco-Sicilian poet who wrote not long after Rome's founding, suggests Rome was named after a Trojan woman called Roma. The fragment, rediscovered and embraced by growing numbers of Italians today, challenges the popular legend that Romulus was Rome's founder. Stesichorus (638-555 B.C.) described how Roma, with her Trojan fleet, fled the war-torn city of Troy. They arrived in a beautiful place where visitors were "enticed to dream while being caressed by the off-shore breeze." Roma and her entourage, captivated by the idyllic spot, did not desire to leave. She had all of her ships burned. The happily stranded group then named the place after Roma. Eleanor Leach, professor of classics at Indiana University, Bloomington, told Discovery News that the story is also recounted in a 5th century historical narrative entitled "Roman Antiquities" by the Greek writer Dionysius of Halicarnassus. He referred to the woman as Rhome, which means "power" in Greek. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030512/rome.html

Tiberias archaeological digs uncover the remains of 12th century Crusader fortress | Portions of the wall are also believed to have come from a public structure from the Roman era (Ha'aretz, Tel Aviv). See http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=297623&contrassID=2&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y

An untended treasure | Nineveh in Mosul today is largely an untended treasure, suffering from years of neglect, haphazard excavation and periodic looting and vandalism (The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.). See http://www.tribnet.com/news/story/3194446p-3218461c.html

Oldest sculpture' found in Morocco. A 400,000-year-old stone object unearthed in Morocco could be the world's oldest attempt at sculpture. That is the claim of a prehistoric art specialist who says the ancient rock bears clear signs of modification by humans. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3047383.stm

Pompeii Frescoes Explore Virtual Reality. May 28, 2003 — Pompeian frescoes show startling evidence of what may have been a primitive form of virtual reality, according to British researchers who have uncovered elaborate three-dimensional wall paintings depicting theater scenes. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030526/roman3d.html

Found: The Garden of Eden (TLC)
Use our interactive map to discover where experts believe the original paradise was located. See http://tlc.discovery.com/convergence/eden/eden.html also http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/05/0501_030501_arabmarshes.html
Meet Adam's Other Wife
Compare Genesis' TWO Creation Stories
See Eden Portrayed in Art
Explore Creation Myths of Different Cultures
What the Expert Says About Eden
Which Creation Story Do You Believe?

Grounds for disbelief: Archaeologist Israel Finkelstein and his colleagues are stirring controversy with contentions that many biblical stories never happened, but were written by what he calls `a creative copywriter' to advance an ideological agenda. By Aviva Lori. See http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=291264&contrassID=2&subContrassID=0&listSrc=Y

May 2003

May 18

Human DNA Neanderthal-Free. May 12, 2003 — Neanderthals did not contribute to the gene pool of modern humans, according to a recent study that compared the DNA of two ancient Cro-Magnons with that of four Neanderthals. While Neanderthals and early humans coexisted in Europe for a few thousand years 40,000 years ago, the findings suggest they did not interbreed, an action that would have made Neanderthals a direct ancestor of modern humans. The study also supports the "Out of Africa" theory. According to this view, modern humans evolved in East Africa and then spread into Europe and Asia through the Middle East. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030512/neanderthal.html

War On Germs Gets Cutting-Edge Weapon From Ancient World. Alexandria - May 14, 2003 - Ancient Egyptians used it to keep food supplies safe from fungus and mold. The Phoenicians used it to keep water from being spoiled by germs. Today silver is a key ingredient in new high-tech, powder coated finishes that hospitals and doctor's offices are using to protect walls, counters and other germ-gathering surfaces. Tomorrow those finishes may be used in home kitchens, bathrooms and on a wide variety of surfaces such as doorknobs, handles and push panels. See http://www.spacedaily.com/news/terrorwar-03f.html

May 11

Setting of Ancient Gilgamesh Legend Found? May 6, 2003 — The setting of the world's first great work of literature lies buried beneath the Iraqi desert, according to German archaeologists. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030505/gilgamesh.html

'Garden of Eden' devastated under Saddam | In the purported Garden of Eden, lifeless trees stand amid trash, patches of dry grass and salt-encrusted mud—the remnants of once-lush marshlands (Associated Press). See http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030429/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_eden_s_fall_2

Bone (box) of contention: The James Ossuary | Did this limestone box—the focus of heated controversy—once hold the bones of Jesus' brother? (Skeptical Inquirer). See http://www.csicop.org/si/2003-03/bonebox.html

Star-gazers pinpoint the hour Jesus died | Liviu Mircea and Tiberiu Oproiu from the Astronomic Observatory Institute in Cluj, Romania, said yesterday that research carried out using a computer program checked against Bible references showed that Christ died at 3pm on Friday, April 3, 33 AD, and rose again on Sunday, April 5 at 4 a.m. (The Herald, Glasgow). See http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/archive/9-5-19103-0-41-16.html also http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_778195.html

Preserving Samaritan speech | The Samaritans, arguably the people with the best press in the New Testament, have a big problem: not only have they shrunk to a miniscule community, but their language is threatened with extinction (UPI). See http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030508-033815-9741r

Egyptian Mummy's Life, Death Revealed. May 5, 2003 — High-tech analysis of a mummy, nicknamed "Cleo," is shedding light on the life and burial of the middle class woman inside the wrappings who lived 2,000 years ago in Egypt. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030505/mummy.html

Humans Did in the Mastodons. Megafauna died from big kill, not big chill. See http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2003/508/2?etoc

May 4

Scholars link Jesus to ancient burial box | The Brother of Jesus: The Dramatic Story & Meaning of the First Archaeological Link to Jesus & His Family delivers a fascinating scientific detective drama loaded with theological implications and provides the general reader an insider view of this esoteric process (The Denver Post). See http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~28~1348844,00.html

Egypt High Priests' Tombs Uncovered. April 27, 2003 — Archaeologists from the French Archaeological Institute in Cairo (IFAO) have unearthed an Egyptian necropolis filled with over 4,000-year-old rock-cut tombs, shedding new light over the quest for the missing pharaoh Userkare, according to a new documentary. Located at Tabbet al-Guesh, near the pyramids of Saqqara about 15 miles south of Cairo, the necropolis contains tombs of high-ranking officials from Egypt's Old Kingdom, which lasted from 2400 BC-2100 B.C. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030421/necropolis.html

Search for the Lost City of Nubia. Anderson has her sights set on a place and time about 2,000 years ago when a civilization known as Nubia flourished here, Dangeil, Sudan . A huge temple was surrounded by a thriving city at the juncture of trade routes; it was inhabited by strong warriors known by the Romans as "the pupil smiters." See http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/quest/projects/anderson.html

Exploring Lewis and Clark's legacy
Stories of Lewis and Clark usually start out west, where the explorers paddled up the Missouri River in 1804 to explore the Louisiana Purchase and find an easy water route to the Pacific Ocean. See http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/5772955.htm

April 2003

April 27

SEDUCTIONS OF PSEUDOARCHAEOLOGY: PSEUDOSCIENCE IN CYBERSPACE. Exposing the truth. See http://www.archaeology.org/magazine.php?page=0305/etc/web

Assessing the Jehoash Inscription
No sooner did an inscription purporting to describe repairs to the Jerusalem Temple come to light than scholars began to question its authenticity. Two such scholars explain why they have concluded the inscription is a fraud. http://www.bib-arch.org/bswb_BAR/bswbba2903f1.html

Jesus' Brother's "Bone Box" Closer to Being Authenticated. Questions raised about the authenticity of a 2,000-year-old ossuary thought to have once held the bones of James, the brother of Jesus, may be a step closer to resolution. See http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/04/0418_030418_jesusrelic.html

A judgment about Solomon
Evidence supports Hebrew kingdoms in biblical times. See http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/a/2003/04/11/MN24970.DTL#sections

Mounds of Mystery
Gabriel Barkay
For more than a century, archaeologists have been puzzled by a score of odd mounds to the west of ancient Jerusalem. But thanks to Biblical passages and similar structures in Cyprus, our author finally solves the mystery. See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswb_BAR/bswbba2903f2.html

'Earliest writing' found in China
By Paul Rincon. BBC Science.
Signs carved into 8,600-year-old tortoise shells found in China may be
the earliest written words, say archaeologists.
The research is published in the journal Antiquity.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2956925.stm
News in Brain and Behavioural Sciences - Issue 92 - 5th April, 2003
http://human-nature.com/nibbs/issue92.html

Archaeoastronomy Links Stone-Age Tomb Builders With Sun. Dublin - Apr 22, 2003 - Scientific research at the prehistoric Passage Tomb Cemetery at Loughcrew, one of Ireland's premier archaeological sites, is revealing new data on the astronomical orientations of the passage tombs and relationships in the way they are laid out. See http://www.spacedaily.com/news/archaeoastronomy-03a.html and http://www.spacedaily.com/news/archaeoastronomy-03b.html

Ancient Cave Dwellers Age Even More. New study suggests South African hominids lived 4 million years ago. See http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2003/425/1?etoc also http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2973083.stm

'Eve' Came From East Africa. April 24, 2003 — "African Eve," the female ancestor of all humans, likely hailed from East Africa, according to a recent study. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030421/eve.html

Doubt cast on age of oldest human art. If the rock art in the Chauvet cave is 30,000 years old, it is the most ancient example of human art in existence and the implications for the evolution of culture are immense. This date is accepted and celebrated by archaeologists. But could it be wrong? See http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993631

April 20

Looters of Iraqi antiquities looked organized, experts say
Some of the looters who ravaged Iraqi antiquities appeared highly organized and even had keys to museum vaults and were able to take pieces from safes, experts said yesterday at an international meeting. See http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/5660117.htm

Hellenistic finds uncovered in Ashkelon
The remains of a Hellenistic city have been uncovered in the Barne'a quarter
of Ashkelon. See
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=279541&sw=Ashkelon

Oldest evidence of Andean religion found
God carved on gourd points to cradle of Peruvian culture.
15 April 2003. See http://www.nature.com/nsu/030414/030414-4.html and http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0417/p02s02-woam.html also http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/04/030415084320.htm

April 13

In Baghdad, looters are descending on artifacts
Gold and silver from ancient royal tombs, a priceless harp from 2,600 B.C., a solid bronze bust of King Naram-Sin. These and countless other artifacts from the birthplace of civilization were left defenseless yesterday as Iraq descended into chaos. See http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/5615764.htm

Tel Rehov excavations near Beit She'an support biblical account of David and Solomon The findings, reached through carbon dating by scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, have particular significance to the running debate among archeologists about the authenticity of the biblical account of the two kings, and the period and extent of their reign (The Jerusalem Post). See http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/a/2003/04/11/MN24970.DTL and http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1049942359997

Collector's attorney blasts Antiquities Authority. Lior Bringer, an attorney for the antiquities collector who gave the state the "King Jehoash inscription" on Monday, launched a blistering attack on the Antiquities Authority and the police yesterday for their treatment of his client. See http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=274283&contrassID=2&subsID=0&listSrc=Y

Roman pipeline kept water flowing. Ancient aqueduct at Aspendos was a hydraulic masterpiece. See http://www.nature.com/nsu/030407/030407-3.html

Widespread Cannibalism May Have Caused Prehistoric Prion Disease Epidemics, Science Study Suggests
Human flesh may have been a fairly regular menu item for our prehistoric ancestors, according to researchers. They say it's the most likely explanation for their discovery that genes protecting against prion diseases -- which can be spread by eating contaminated flesh -- have long been widespread throughout the world. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/04/030411071024.htm

April 6

Biblical Archaeology Seminar on APRIL 12, 2003.
The seminar is located at Lancaster Bible College, 901 Eden Rd., Lancaster, PA.
There is NO COST for this seminar. You may register at the door or reply by e-mail to ask us to reserve your place. For more information, see our website: www.biblearchaeology.org

Oldest Swords Found in Turkey: March 25, 2003 — The most ancient swords ever found were forged 5,000 years ago in what is today Turkey, according to Italian archaeologists who announced the results of chemical analysis at a recent meeting in Florence. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030324/sword.html

Ancient Maya civilization goes online: Archaeologists could soon be making discoveries about the Maya from their computers. The first stage of a new online database is set to go live later this year, housing hundreds of thousands of documents on the excavation of Tikal, one of the most important settlements in ninth-century Mesoamerica. The Tikal Digital Access Project will enable everyone from schoolchildren to scholars to search the notes, photographs and sketches made by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology when they worked at the site between 1956 and 1970. See http://www.museum.upenn.edu/tdap/index.html

New dating trick for bricks
Old building materials show their age when you roast them.
3 April 2003. See http://www.nature.com/nsu/030331/030331-5.html

Oldest Mummy Discovered in Egypt: April 1, 2003 — Egyptian archaeologists have brought to light the oldest known evidence of human mummification after opening on Sunday a 5,000-year-old wooden coffin found at Sakkara near Cairo. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030331/mummy.html

Nimble-Fingered Neandertals: By any measure, the Neandertals have suffered a bad rap. Historically portrayed as dim-witted and brutish, it made perfect sense to scholars of yore that these ancient humans eventually disappeared from the European landscape, outcompeted by anatomically modern invaders. But recent research has revealed a more refined Neandertal--one that was a lot like us--making the demise of this group harder to explain. New findings further blur the distinction between Neandertals and moderns. See http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chan-45F7-1E82-85F7809EC588EEDF

March 2003

March 23

Ancient tablet breaks
But that may ease examiners' task.
An ancient stone tablet some experts believe may date to the ninth century B.C., providing rare confirmation of biblical narrative, broke in half while being moved to an Israeli police station, officials said yesterday. See http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/5416537.htm

Oldest Human Footprints Discovered: March 13, 2003 — Italian scientists have discovered the oldest human footprints, according to a report in this week's issue of Nature. Trodden in ash from the Roccamonfina volcano in Campania, southern Italy, at least 325,000 years ago, the prints were made by fully upright hominids who probably belonged to the species Homo heidelbergensis. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030310/footprint.html

Language (18 Mar) - Do some of today's languages still hold a whisper of the ancient mother tongue spoken by the first modern humans? Many linguists say language changes far too fast for that to be possible. But a new genetic study underlines the extreme antiquity of a special group of languages, raising the possibility that their distinctive feature was part of the ancestral human mother tongue. See http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/18/science/social/18CLIC.html

Petroglyphs in the Southwest: See http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/21/travel/21PETR.html

Remapping History
Did a 15th-century parchment help guide Columbus to the New World? See http://www.discover.com/science_news/features/gthere.html?article=feat_remap.html

Iraq War Threatens Ancient Treasures: See http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/03/0319_030319_iraqiantiquities.html

March 16

Grant Jeffrey in his book The Signature of God claims that there are Israelite writings of the Exodus in the Sinai Desert. Dr. John Eccles examines this claim in detail with pictures. See http://bibleandscience.com/signatureofgod.htm

Oldest human footprints found on volcano
Three primitive humans who scrambled down an Italian volcano more than 325,000 years ago left their mark. See http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993497

World's Oldest Wheel Found? March 10, 2003 — A 5,100- to 5,350-year-old wooden wheel recently was found in Slovenia buried within an ancient marsh. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030310/wheel.html

Dry Spells Doomed the Maya: New evidence suggests severe droughts collapsed civilization. See http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2003/313/2?etoc

Neanderthals (11 Mar) - Contact between modern humans and Neanderthals was fleeting at best, with no interbreeding. There has never been any conclusive evidence that the two species did interbreed, but it has always been a possibility. And just a few years ago, in 1999, scientists in Portugal found the 25,000-year-old skeleton of a boy who seemed to have been a hybrid, the offspring of Homo sapiens (modern humans) and Homo neanderthalensis. See http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/11/science/social/11ESSA.html

March 9

Israel's Antiquities Authority begins investigation of James ossuary, wants Joash tablet
A first-century limestone box that may have held the bones of James, the brother of Jesus and leader of the early church, is back in Israel after its display at the Royal Ontario Museum. The Antiquities Authority has created two separate commissions of archaeologists, geologists, and language experts to study the ossuary, the Associated Press reported yesterday. It's trying to authenticate the box and its inscription. Many scholars already accept their legitimacy, though there is some question about whether the inscription "James, the Brother of Jesus" must refer to the biblical men. See http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030305/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_jesus_inscription_2

Ancient Villa Rescued from Vesuvius' Mud: March 3, 2003 — The fabled Villa of the Papyri, Herculaneum's most famous building, opened its doors on Saturday for the first time since it was buried in Mount Vesuvius's lava and mud 2,000 years ago. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030303/papyri.html

What's Lost Is Found Again: 'Virtually' Rebuilding Native American Monuments
For five years now, a University of Cincinnati team has been piecing together the fragments of three little-known, prehistoric Native American cultures that left behind immense earthworks that rival Stonehenge in their astronomical accuracy. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/03/030307071415.htm

Ancient seals found at Hatab excavation site:VADODARA: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Vadodara circle, has unearthed 160 ancient seals, with the Brahmi script inscribed on them, from the Hatab excavation site, located some 20 km south of Bhavnagar. The seals are said to be 2000 years old and were probably used to stamp goods that were to be exported. See http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?artid=39605371

Neanderthals (6 Mar) - Scientists have been pondering the question posed by the Neandertals-who were they, and what happened to them-since the first fossil remains were found in Germany's Neander Valley in 1856. By combining what can be told by fossils and artifacts with what has been learned by geneticists, we're getting closer to answering those questions, said Richard Klein, a paleoanthropologist at Stanford University, California. See http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/03/0306_030306_neanderthal.html

March 2

Biblical Archaeology Seminars
Lancaster Bible College, April 12, 2003
If you live in driving distance of Lancaster, PA, join us on Saturday, April 12, 2003 for a day of seminars on Biblical Archaeology! All sessions are free, and attendees can register at the seminar. It will be held in the lecture hall in the Sebastian Academic Complex on the LBC campus. Artifacts will be on display, and books and videos related to archaeology will be available for purchase. Directions and further information can be obtained from the ABR office by phone (1-800-430-0008) or e-mail (abrofc@aol.com).

'Egyptian Lourdes' Found in Desert Sand: Feb. 20 — British archaeologists have discovered the "Egyptian Lourdes," a town dating back to 2,500 B.C. that was probably home to priests, builders working on the pyramids and people who would have earned a living by selling religious objects. Buried in the desert sand near the necropolis of Saqqara, 15 miles from Cairo, the town has been pinpointed through geophysical imaging. It is lying 20 feet down in the sand, and measures approximately one mile by three-quarters of a mile, an area probably inhabited by 4,000 people. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030217/lourdes.html

Seti Dies Again!
A pharaoh's tomb gets remodeled. See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswb_AO/bswbao0602fn.html#fn1

Ancient Records of Egypt
James Henry Breasted. Reprinted. See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswb_AO/bswbao0602review.html

Villages of Stone: Sardinia's Bronze Age Nuraghi
Robert H. Tykot
It’s a place with “no history, no date, no race, no offering.” That’s how D.H. Lawrence described Sardinia, though archaeological investigations in the last few decades show how wrong he was. As early as the second millennium B.C., the Sardinians were participating in elaborate water-temple cults, mining copper, casting striking bronzetti and conducting trade with the eastern Mediterranean. Most impressive of all, they built the biggest houses in the world: the huge stone nuraghi. See http://www.bib-arch.org/bswb_AO/bswbao0602f1.html

The dig begins for a long-hidden history
After the benediction, a team of shovel- and trowel-wielding archaeologists moved in - along with a large backhoe - and began scooping out tons of modern fill, bricks, concrete block and dirt. So began the effort to find some trace of James Dexter, a free African American and former slave who helped found the nation's first black human-rights group and the city's first black church more than 200 years ago. See http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/pennsylvania/cities_neighborhoods/philadelphia/5254939.htm

Archaeologists dig up surprising finds at site of ex-slave's home
Archaeologists excavating the North Fifth Street home site of James Dexter, an 18th-century black leader, said yesterday that the venerable ground was proving richer and more mysterious than anticipated.

Evidence Acquits Clovis People Of Ancient Killings, Archaeologists Say
Archaeologists have uncovered another piece of evidence that seems to exonerate some of the earliest humans in North America of charges of exterminating 35 genera of Pleistocene epoch mammals. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/02/030225070212.htm

February 2003

February 23

A rare look at Bible history | Dead Sea Scrolls display in Grand Rapids is unique (The Toledo Blade). See http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20030215&Category=NEWS10&ArtNo=102150106&Ref=AR

Joseph's Tomb destruction 'very serious,' says PM aide | Gissin gave no details as to how the tomb will be protected, but added that the desecration of holy sites cannot be taken lightly (The Jerusalem Post; must register).

The Columbus myth | What took Spain to the New World was unbridled political power claiming God's favor and approbation, supported by evangelical Christians, armed with overwhelming technological superiority, and driven by an insatiable need for oro (Chet Raymo, The Boston Globe). See http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/049/science/The_Columbus_myth+.shtml

February 16

Stonehenge, one of England's best-known prehistoric landmarks, may have been built by nobleman hailing from modern day Switzerland or Germany, according to a new analysis of a nearby burial site. The remains of a wealthy and powerful man were discovered five kilometers from the ancient stone circle in May 2002. Known as the Amesbury Archer, this man was buried with the oldest gold and copper artifacts ever discovered in Britain, dating from as far back as 2470 BC. See http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993374 Also http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2746505.stm

Chariots of Fire: Archaeologists in north-eastern Greece have discovered a remarkable Roman burial site with well-preserved remains of chariots and horses which were most probably used to take the dead to be cremated. See http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/14/1044927793848.html

February 9

Spy Photos Reveal Ancient Middle East Road Network
Mon January 27, 2003 03:54 PM ET
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Bronze Age inhabitants of what is now modern-day Iraq, Syria and Turkey traded and traveled more widely along a network of highways than previously thought, archeologists studying newly released U.S. spy photographs said on Monday. See http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=2118707

Discoveries could rank with biggest biblical finds Further analysis is needed on two artifacts in Israel (Associated Press). See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8808-2003Jan31.html

The Unluckiest Church: Archaeologist predicts the future is grim for the ancient church's site. By Ted Olsen. See http://ChristianityToday.com/ct/2003/002/29.18.html

Geologists investigate Trojan battlefield: Homer's description of the Trojan battlefield in his classic poem the Iliad is accurate, say scientists. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2736059.stm For online translation of the Iliad see http://barrysmylie.com/iliad/iliad000.htm

Human migration (Feb 3, 2003) - Early humans approximately 100,000 years ago traveled from Africa to Asia via a southern route that likely passed along the coasts of what are now Pakistan and India, according to researchers at Oxford University. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030203/andaman.html

February 2

Dan Bahat on Jerusalem Archaeology: One of Israel's leading archaeologists talks about the importance of the Temple Mount and key historical finds in the Holy Land. See http://ChristianityToday.com/ct/2003/104/22.0.html

Finding God in a Box: Have archaeological discoveries like the James ossuary served or obscured the quest to verify the Bible? By Steven Gertz. See http://ChristianityToday.com/ct/2003/104/52.0.html

Ancient Greek Wreck Found
In the Black Sea, researchers have discovered a 2,300-year-old shipwreck. From fish bones to olive pits, its everyday cargo is yielding clues—and raising questions. See http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/01/0110_030113_blacksea.html

Lewis and Clark Anniversary Supersite
Thomas Jefferson expected the explorers to see woolly mammoths and a mountain of salt. What they found was no less mind-boggling. Retrace their journey via journals, maps, and more. See http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/

Oldest Toothpaste Formula Used Iris: Jan. 23 — A Egyptian toothpaste formula dating to the fourth century A.D. recently was found in a collection of papyrus documents at the National Library in Vienna, Austria, making it the world's oldest-known recipe for toothpaste and also adding to the growing body of evidence that the medical system of ancient Egypt was one of the most advanced of its time. Ingredients for the recipe, revealed at a recent dental congress in Vienna, include one drachma of salt, two drachmas of mint, 20 grains of pepper and — perhaps the most active component — one drachma of dried iris flower, which since has been found to be effective against gum disease. The Egyptians tried various tooth remedies, including chewing myrrh-like gum to sweeten the breath, and application of honey, a natural antibiotic. Fillings were made from resin and malachite, a mineral with antibiotic properties. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030120/toothpaste.html

January 2003

January 25

Expert says 'First Temple' find a fake | A stone tablet inscribed with biblical passages in ancient Phoenician script that sparked an archeological controversy last week is a forgery, an internationally renowned expert said Sunday (The Jerusalem Post). "After being sworn to secrecy, [Joseph Naveh] was sent a photograph of the object. Already in doubt then, Naveh said that he asked to see the tablet in person. Naveh said Sunday that the tablet was likely made in the last century." (Cost for whole article) See http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/jpost/index.html?ts=1043513807

Archaeologists skeptical on authenticity of Temple tablet Cloudy origin of find casts doubt, as it did with James ossuary (Israel Insider). See http://web.israelinsider.com/bin/en.jsp?enPage=ArticlePage&enDisplay=view&enCulture&enVersion=0&

Of biblical dimensions: A newly found tablet that is either a hoax or pivotal corroboration of the existence of the First Temple is pitting geologists against archeologists (The Jerusalem Post). (Must register) See http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/ShowFull%26cid=1043295326303

Tablet could prove temple of Solomon really existed (The Daily Telegraph, London). See http://portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/01/18/wsolom/2003/01/18/ixworld.html and http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-546419,00.html also http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/science/01/14/israel.tablet.ap/

Ark of Covenant is in Jerusalem, and I will find it – archeologist | Israeli scholar tells Sackville audience hunt for relic is nothing like the movies (The Daily News, Halifax, N.S., Canada). See http://www.canada.com/halifax/dailynews/story.asp?id=709482EB-233B-4D06-DC99DDD1F22F

Does the 'James Ossuary' bring us closer to Jesus? Even if the provenance and historicity of the much celebrated James Ossuary could be confirmed as on some level being actually the bone box dedicated for the physical remains of James the brother of Jesus, the religious significance of such a finding has been rather precipitately assumed, than analytically engaged (Margaret M. Mitchell, Sightings). See http://divinity.uchicago.edu/sightings/archive_2003/0123.html

Treasures From Icy Tombs
Biologist Gerry Kuzyk was hiking with his wife in the remote reaches of the Yukon when he caught the putrid scent of caribou dung wafting through the chill air. Then he saw it — the biggest pile of animal droppings he had ever seen, 8 feet high and stretching over half a mile of mountainside. The mystery was solved by lab analysis: The dung, the product of innumerable migrating caribou herds, had been frozen for thousands of years and only recently exposed by melting ice. Along with the dung, the scientists soon discovered an arsenal of Stone Age darts, arrows and spears. The artifacts are just part of a trove of ancient artifacts, animal carcasses and human remains being disgorged by vanishing glaciers and ice patches across the globe as the planet's temperature gradually increases. Arctic lupine seeds frozen for 10,000 years, for example, grew into healthy plants once they were removed from Ice Age lemming burrows. The ice holds a zoo of perfectly mummified animals: fish, wapiti, sheep, mountain goats, moose, voles and birds. See http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-mummies3jan03.story

Archaeology (21 Jan) - The oldest image of a star pattern, that of the famous constellation of Orion, has been recognized on an ivory tablet some 32,500 years old. The tiny sliver of mammoth tusk contains a carving of a man-like figure with arms and legs outstretched in the same pose as the stars of Orion. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2679675.stm

Prehistoric NW Indians Hunted Fur Seals Of Sustainable Basis
Archaeological evidence from prehistoric hunters in Washington and Alaska adds new fuel to the ongoing debate over the belief that humans have a propensity to over-exploit their natural resources, and also indicates that early Indians' harvest of northern fur seals was sustainable. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/01/030122073052.htm

January 19

Tablet may contain a biblical passage: JERUSALEM - Israeli geologists said yesterday they have examined a stone tablet detailing repair plans for the Jewish Temple of King Solomon that, if authenticated, would be a rare piece of physical evidence confirming biblical narrative. The find is about the size of a legal pad....The sandstone tablet has a 15-line inscription in ancient Hebrew that resembles descriptions in Kings II, 12:1-6, 11-17, said Israel's Geological Survey, which examined the artifact. The words refer to King Joash, who ruled the area 2,800 years ago. In it, the king tells priests to take ''holy money ... to buy quarry stones and timber and copper and labor to carry out the duty with faith.'' If the work is completed well, ''the Lord will protect his people with blessing,'' reads the last sentence of the inscription. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2655781.stm http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=252958ID=1&ID=0&listSrc=Y http://www.msnbc.com/news/858803.asp?cp1=1 http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=//ap_wo_en_po/me_gen_israel_ancient_tablet

January 12

Archaeology Online: Armchair archaeologists can witness a dig at an ancient Egyptian temple from the comfort of their home computers. Throughout January, a Johns Hopkins team will chronicle its excavation with daily progress reports and photographs posted on the World Wide Web. The team's Web site, "Hopkins in Egypt Today," is expected to have daily updates starting about Jan. 2. See http://www.jhu.edu/~neareast/egypttoday.html

Anthropology: He did not know it yet, but in his hands he held the almost perfectly preserved skull of the most ancient human being ever found in Europe - 1.8 million years old. More extraordinary still, it was about to throw into question all accepted theories about the migration of our ancestors out of Africa. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2645183.stm

Excalibur, the rock that may mark a new dawn for man:
Paleontologists claim 350,000-year-old find in Spanish cave pushes back boundary of early human evolution. See http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,871235,00.html

Human genetics (9 Dec) - For centuries, explorers and anthropologists have wondered why the people of the Andaman Islands were so fierce and isolated. New genetic research gives a glimpse at how the Andamanese are different from other people, at least biologically. See http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,56756,00.html

Statue of Ramses's wife discovered near Cairo
A 100-ton statue of a wife of pharaoh Ramses II, was discovered near Cairo, Egypt's Culture Minister Faruq Hosni told reporters Thursday. The three-meter (ten-feet) rose granite statue "is believed to belong either to queen Merit Amen or queen Nefertary," both wives of Ramses II who reigned in Egypt from 1304 to 1237 BC, he said. "It is the biggest ever found in northern Egypt," he added. See http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030104/2003010430.html

Egypt's Forgotten Treasures
style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">An exclusive look at Cairo's Egyptian Museum's centennial exhibition includes stunning antiquities on display for the first time ever. See photos, a map, and more. See http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0301/feature4/?c=NGInside#n=Feature4&t=email

January 4

Associates for Biblical Research: There is an incomplete collection of back issues available on the ABR website, at http://www.biblearchaeology.org/#backissues, though Internet links from old articles may have expired.

Ancient Hebrew Research Center
This is a site dedicated to the Hebrew Language. See http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/index.html

History, Archaeology and Jesus - Paul L. Maier
Hard evidence from the ancient world dramatically supports the New Testament record on Jesus. See http://www.issuesetc.org/resource/archives/maier3.htm

Scientists Diagnose First Case of Tuberculosis in Iron Age Man: Independent (12/12/02). See http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_medical/story.jsp?story=360802

Scholar Develops New System For Overlooked Wares Of Ancient Greece: Up until now, a small minority of pottery from the earliest Mycenaean civilization has gotten nearly all of the attention. Work by University of Cincinnati doctoral candidate Jeffrey L. Kramer is changing that. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/01/030102223928.htm

Dutch archeologists excited over discovery of ruined Roman watchtowers along the old Rhine. See http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap//netherlands_watchtower_buzz_1

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