12 DECEMBRE 2020 NEWS
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ROYAUME UNI – 
Chedworth - The first-known fifth century mosaic in Britain has been found in Gloucestershire. Archaeologists discovered the artwork at Chedworth Roman Villa near Cirencester, which was the second-largest Romano-British town in England at the end of the fourth century. It was previously believed that all Roman towns and villas fell into decay after Britain ceased to be part of the Roman Empire. But radiocarbon dating shows the mosaic was made after that, which suggests sophisticated life continued inside the luxury estate decades after - into the Dark Ages. The mosaic was found in room 28 of the 35-room villa with an intricate design of circles, flowers and knots. According to experts from the National Trust, the wall beside it could not have been built until after 424 AD - with the mosaic added following that. Other mosaics have been found at the villa, but none of them were constructed as recently as the new discovery. The quality of this one is poorer, with several mistakes in the design, they added. Archaeological digs have been going on at the site since 2012 - but the radiocarbon dating process on the mosaic has only just been completed.
INDE – 
-An analysis of fat residues in ancient ceramic vessels from settlements of the Indus Civilisation in present-day Haryana and Uttar Pradesh suggests that the prehistoric people of the time consumed meat of animals like cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, and pigs as well as dairy products. The study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, involved the extraction and identification of fats and oils that have been absorbed into ancient ceramic vessels during their use in the past. Based on the analysis, the scientists, including those from the University of Cambridge in the UK, unravelled how these ancient vessels were used and what was being cooked in them. "It is possible that plant products or mixtures of plant and animal products were also used in vessels, creating ambiguous results," she added. Despite the high percentages of the remains of domestic ruminant animals found at these sites, the archaeologists said there is very limited direct evidence of the use of dairy products in the vessels. "The products used in vessels across rural and urban Indus sites in northwest India are similar during the Mature Harappan period (c.2600/2500-1900 BC)," said Cameron Petrie, senior author of the study from the University of Cambridge. "This suggests that even though urban and rural settlements were distinctive and people living in them used different types of material culture and pottery, they may have shared cooking practices and ways of preparing foodstuffs," Petrie said. The scientists believe the findings highlight the resilience of rural settlements in northwest India during the transformation of the Indus Civilisation, and during a period of increasing aridity. "There is also evidence that rural settlements in northwest India exhibited a continuity in the ways they cooked or prepared foodstuff from the urban (Mature Harappan) to post-urban (Late Harappan) periods," Petrie said. He said this was particularly during a phase of climatic instability after 2100 BC, suggesting that daily practices continued at small rural sites over cultural and climatic changes. "These results demonstrate that the use of lipid residues, combined with other techniques in bioarchaeology, have the potential to open exciting new avenues for understanding the relationship between the environment, foodstuffs, material culture, and ancient society in protohistoric South Asia," Suryanarayan concluded.
CHINE – 
Ningbo - A batch of wooden slips dating back some 2,000 years to the Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220) have been unearthed in east China's Zhejiang Province, local authorities said Thursday. The wooden slips, excavated from an archaeological site in the city of Ningbo in Zhejiang, are of immense significance to understanding the religious beliefs and culture in south and east China during the period, according to the Ningbo Research Institute of Cultural Heritage Management. A 22-cm-long wood chip that is believed to be part of the cover of the rolled slips was also discovered. The cover could be sealed by mud to ensure the confidentiality of the information on the slips. Wooden slips were used for writing before the widespread introduction of paper in ancient China. Besides, over 300 objects of pottery, porcelain, stone, bronze, wood and bone as well as remains of animals and plants were also unearthed, according to a spokesperson of the institute.
COREE DU SUD – Gyeongju - Archaeologists have discovered hundreds of grave goods in the tomb of a Silla Princess, buried in the city of Gyeongju, in the North Gyeongsang Province of South Korea. Silla was a kingdom founded by Bak (Park, Pak) Hyeokgeose of Silla, which emerged in 57 BC as one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea alongside Baekje and Goguryeo. The discovery was made during ongoing excavations by the Gyeongju division from the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH), of Tomb No. 44 in the coastal city of Gyeongju, the former capital of the Silla kingdom. Excavations first started in 2014, having identified the tomb within a medium sized burial mound containing a stone-piled wooden chamber (now absent of human remains having deteriorated away to dust), which archaeologists believe dates from the 5th century AD. The latest discoveries consist of a gilt-bronze crown, gold chest ornaments, gold earrings and pendants, gilt-bronze ornaments, gold and silver bracelets, an ornamental silver knife, and hundreds of stones from the strategy board game Baduk (also called Go). Also, among the grave goods were 50 pieces of mica, a mineral that was believed to be an ingredient for youth and longevity in Taoism. Alongside the burial were also various golden-edged jewelled beetles used to decorate the deceased. The beetles are normally only found in burials of the Silla royalty or elite, suggesting that the burial, along with the high-status grave goods was that of a Royal Silla Princess.
VIDEO = https://www.heritagedaily.com/2020/12/ornate-treasures-discovered-in-tomb-of-silla-princess/136429
INDE – 
Akaram - A rare sculpture of “Veera Vrataham” depicting ardent devotees of Lord Shiva (Veera Shaivulus) sacrificing their lives has been found by Archaeology Department officials at an ancient Surya Devalayam (Sun Temple) at Akaram village in Nalgonda district. The officials confirmed that the sculpture belonged to the 11th century. Veera Shaivulus used to sacrifice their lives for the god. In the sculpture found at Akaram temple, a Veera Shaivulu is seen sitting in Siddasana and chopping his head off. Veera Shaivulus sacrificed their lives in this manner when their king faced a defeat in a war or for some special occasions.
https://telanganatoday.com/ancient-sculpture-found-in-akaram-sun-temple
ROYAUME UNI – 
Conon Bridge - A previously unknown Pictish stone decorated with mythical beasts that was discovered by accident last year has gone on show for the first time. The 1,200 -year-old stone was found in a church graveyard in the Conon Bridge area by an amateur archaeologist when she brushed away some leaves from a grave. The stone, which had lain on the ground as a grave marker since at least the 1700s, currently measures 1.5 metres tall but it is thought it may have originally stood almost a metre taller. The stone is decorated with a number of Pictish designs, including several mythical beasts, an oxen, an animal-headed warrior with a sword and shield and a Christian cross. It is one of around 50 complete or near complete Pictish cross-slabs known in the world, and the first to be discovered on the Scottish mainland for many years.
The Spiš Museum in Spišská Nová Ves has presented a significant discovery – Celtic Bronze statue, found in the village of Jánovce, near Poprad. The research revealed more than 800 objects from various eras, from prehistoric times to modern history. Most objects belong to the Lathenian era, overlapping with the Roman era. These are mostly Celtic coins, Bronze clips and other parts of clothing, products from clay, ceramics, wharve and glass beads and bracelets. The most precious find is a Bronze statue that represents a naked man. It wears typical jewellery for that time – a neckerchief. The finding is unique with its realistic depiction and golden eyes.
SYRIE – 
Qanawat - The national archaeological mission of Sweida Antiquities Department has completed the archaeological excavations for the current season in the eastern part of the Temple of Zeus “Majestuous” in Qanawat village. In a statement to SANA reporter Head of Sweida Antiquities Department Nashat Kiwan, stated that, throughexcavations, architectural spaces that form small rooms were uncovered. The rubble was removed to show architectural types such as small doors leading to these rooms, Kiwan mentioned. Also, part of the temple lower base and the water channel that passed through those rooms and fed parts of the temple and leads to a water tank in front of the temple were discovered.The Temple of Zeus “Majestus” is one of the important archaeological landmarks in Qanawat in the countryside of Sweida which date back to the 1st century BC. It is located in the upper part of “The Acropolis“ city in Qanawat where it was representing a huge house for worship.
MEXIQUE – 
Tenochtitlan - Archaeologists have excavated more sections of an extraordinary Aztec tower of human skulls under the centre of Mexico City. Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) said a further 119 skulls had been uncovered. The tower was discovered in 2015 during the restoration of a building in the Mexican capital. It is believed to be part of a skull rack from the temple to the Aztec god of the sun, war and human sacrifice. Known as the Huey Tzompantli, the skull rack stood on the corner of the chapel of Huitzilopochtli, the patron of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan. Archaeologists have identified three construction phases of the tower, which dates back to between 1486 and 1502. The tower's original discovery surprised anthropologists, who had been expecting to find the skulls of young male warriors, but also unearthed the crania of women and children, raising questions about human sacrifice in the Aztec Empire.
VIDEO = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-55283313