INSTITUT SUPERIEUR D'ANTHROPOLOGIE
INSTITUTE OF ANTHROPOLOGY
ONLINE COURSES / COURS A DISTANCE
FALL TERM : OCTOBER 2016
REGISTER NOW
RUSSIE – Phanagoria - An archeological expedition sponsored by the Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska has announced the discovery of a stele with a signature in the name of Persian King Darius I in the center of Phanagoria, the remains of an ancient Greek city near Crimea and the Black Sea. Vladimir Kuznetsov, the director of the Phanagoria expedition described it as a landmark find that “is without exaggeration a discovery of international significance”. Another discovery, of the ruins of ancient fortifications that researchers have preliminarily dated to “no later than” the end of the sixth century BC (destroyed earlier than the middle of the fifth century BC) “can become a phenomenon in classical archeology for the entire Mediterranean and Black Sea region”. The writing on the marble fragment is in ancient cuneiform used only by the Persian king, according to a press release issued by Deripaska’s Volnoe Delo Foundation. Researchers estimate that around 10%-15% of the message has survived and that “the deciphered parts of the inscription make it clear that it was made on behalf of the famous king Darius I,” who lived from 550-486 BC. Kuznetsov says that the inscription is “evidently devoted to the crushing of the Ionian revolt” and places Phanagoria “in the context of one of the most important events of ancient history, which had far-reaching consequences for the Greeks as well as the Persians, and makes is possible to trace the connections of this colony with other parts of the Greek world and analyze its significance in advancing Hellenistic civilization on the Black Sea coast.” A report on a separate Volnoe Delo-sponsored website devoted exclusively to Phanagoria says that one of the words in the inscription is “Miletus”, the name of the ancient Greek city in Ionia that was at the forefront of the revolt against Darius. Researchers surmise that Darius put up a marble stele to mark his victory and a fragment of it was later brought by ship to Phanagoria.
http://theartnewspaper.com/news/russian-archaeologists-uncover-ancient-persian-stele-inscribed-with-a-message-from-king-darius-i-/
USA – Alamo - Archaeologists digging at the Alamo may be close to locating the site of the historic compound’s main gate. Experts discovered stones beneath San Antonio’s Alamo Plaza last week that could be associated with the main gate of the 18th century Mision San Antonio de Valero, as the Alamo Mission was originally known. The stones are near the possible site of the Alamo’s south wall and gate, according to Nesta Anderson, the dig’s lead investigator and senior archaeologist at Pape-Dawson Engineers. "They are in the right place, so we're hopeful that that is associated with the gate," she said. "This would have been the entrance to the Alamo - all the traffic into the walled enclosure would have come through that gate, from the south."
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2016/08/08/are-archaeologists-close-to-finding-alamos-main-gate.html
ROYAUME UNI – Northampton - The discovery of a Victorian plunge pool has surprised archaeologists at a Grade II-listed 12th century Cluniac nunnery where Yorkists and Lancastrians fought the Battle of Northampton in 1460. Heritage experts were excavating to the north of the main building when they spotted the “unusual” pool – and they believe it could have been a bath used by health-conscious Victorian visitors.
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art559830-delapre-abbey-northampton-victorian-plunging-pool
ROYAUME UNI – Bradgate Park - The Bradgate Field School, run by the University's School of Archaeology and Ancient History, has focused attention on a 13th or 14th century stone building as part of a hands-on module for first and second year undergraduates. The latest dig has generated a wealth of historical evidence which reveals more about the county park's past. Four trenches and several test-pits were excavated, with one - the largest - revealing the stone foundations of a building within a moated platform, probably a park-keeper's lodgings or a hunting lodge. Other finds include a tiny lead-alloy figurine, possible a late-medieval pilgrim's badge. A significant number of late upper palaeolithic flints were also discovering, adding further insight into the area's ice-age hunter-gatherer history.
http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/bradgate-park-archaeologists-close-second-season-dig-with-new-clues-to-its/story-29597251-detail/story.html
TURQUIE – Soli Pompeiopolis - A 2,600-year-old temple has been unearthed during excavations in the ancient city of Soli Pompeiopolis in the southern province of Mersin. This season marks the 18th year of excavations at 3,000-year-old Soli Pompeiopolis, one of the most important coastal towns in the Roman era. The head of the excavations, 9 Eylül University Museum Department Prof. Remzi Yağcı, said they found a structure in the ancient city and estimated that it was a temple from 2,600 years ago. Stating that the ancient city was home to important treasures of Cilician history, Yağcı said, “Wherever you dig, you find rich artifacts from the Roman and Byzantine periods. Last year we found the stone pieces as well as rectangle structure [of the temple]. This year we brought this structure to light and we believe that it is an archaic temple that served in the 6th and 5th centuries B.C. Excavations also unearthed ceramic pieces, kitchen tools and pitchers from the Geometric period to the Byzantine period.”
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ancient-temple-found-in-turkeys-south.aspx?pageID=238&nID=102651&NewsCatID=375