24 JANVIER 2018: Shivamogga - Nawalparasi - Mobile - Tall el-Hammam - Zhengxing - Caen - Saint-Benoît -
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INDE – 
Shivamogga - These 13 gold coins dating back to the 7th century are sure to challenge the creativity of the new-age jewellers. The gold coins were found four years ago at a temple in Shivamogga district and were kept at the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) Bengaluru office for research. The gold coins, each weighing eight grams and featuring intricate carvings of elephants, were deciphered by the ASI’s Bengaluru chapter recently. The archaeologists have concluded that these gold coins go back to the early Ganga period and are one of the rarest finds in recent years. What makes these coins special is the fact that they have inscriptions with names of the rulers. Bengaluru has a strong connection with the Ganga dynasty. Numerous stone inscriptions and ‘hero stones’ found in and around the city throw up interesting historical facts about the hamlets and rulers during the Ganga period. Coins of Ganga rulers are rare and whatever we have found so far are coins of later Ganga rulers, that is, after 8th century. These 13 coins are of early Ganga period which is between fifth and seventh century. The ‘aane varaa (coins bearing elephant carvings) are spectacular,” says TM Keshava, the then deputy superintending archaeologist who had led the excavation with the technical team of Archaeological Survey of India, Bengaluru Circle. The coins were issued by the then rulers Durvinita, Srivikrama and Bhuvikrama and the coins bear their names. The carvings on the coins are in the local script of early Ganga rulers and, according to researchers, Durvinita ruled between 495 and 530 AD. One coin dates as far back as 5th century. Coin of Bhu Vikrama – dating back to 635 AD – is interesting. On the coin, legends having been written on the shoulder of the elephant and, while edging out of the extra gold at the periphery, they were damaged. The discovery of the coins at Talagunda has added a new dimension to the early medieval history of the place. “These 13 gold coins of Ganga period were found right over the brick structure in the temple compound in a stratified deposit giving a firm date of 635-679 AD. It adds to the known facts and buttresses the epigraphic data of Ganga supremacy over the Kadambas in their backyard during the rule of Avanita, Durvinita, Mushkara, Srivikrama and Bhuvikrama. The gold is in its purest form and the carvings are so intricate that they can easily challenge modern-day jewellers,” Keshava added.
NEPAL – Nawalparasi - Remains of an ancient pond and a Buddhist vihara have been found at the Ramgram Stupa in Nawalparasi district. The stupa houses the astadhatu (relics) of Lord Gautam Buddha. This is the only complete astadhatu out of eight such remains of the Buddha. The geophysics survey has been carried out at the Ramgram stupa area after a gap of 19 years. Remnants of the ancient pond measuring 40 metres long and 25 metres wide have been found some distance outside of the north-west corner of the stupa in the course of survey. Similarly, the remains of a 60-metre long and 30-metre wide monastery have also been traced in the vicinity, archaeologist at the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT), Krishna KC said.
https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/ancient-pond-and-buddhist-vihara-discovered-at-ramgram-stupa/
USA – Mobile - Relying on historical records and accounts from old timers, AL.com may have located the long-lost wreck of the Clotilda, the last slave ship to bring human cargo to the United States. What's left of the ship lies partially buried in mud alongside an island in the lower Mobile-Tensaw Delta, a few miles north of the city of Mobile. The hull is tipped to the port side, which appears almost completely buried in mud. The entire length of the starboard side, however, is almost fully exposed. The wreck, which is normally underwater, was exposed during extreme low tides brought on by the same weather system that brought the "Bomb Cyclone" to the Eastern Seaboard. Low tide around Mobile was about two and a half feet below normal thanks to north winds that blew for days
VIDEO = http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2018/01/alcom_reporter_may_have_found.html
JORDANIE - 
Tall el-Hammam - he Bible tells us that Sodom was a city full of vice and sin. Abraham famously appealed to God’s mercy in attempt to preserve the city by recognizing just 10 good men (Genesis 18:16-33). Later in history, however, after Lot worked to sway an angry mob away from their intent to defile his angelic visitors, the angels directly intervened (Gen 19), inflicting blindness on the crowd to prevent them from destroying Lot’s house. In the end the Lord “rained down burning sulfur” to wipe the city, and their sins from the face of the earth. Now, archaeologist Steven Collins believes he has found the remains of Sodom. Collins made the discovery after combining clues from biblical geography with new-found archaeological evidence from the site of Tall el-Hammam in Jordan, which he believes is the site where the wicked city once stood. Across Tall el-Hammam, archaeologists found widespread evidence of an intense conflagration that left the Middle Bronze Age city in ruins. They found scorched foundations and floors buried under nearly 3 feet of dark grey ash, as well as dozens of pottery sherds covered with a frothy, “melted” surface; the glassy appearance indicates that they were briefly exposed to temperatures well in excess of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the approximate heat of volcanic magma. Such evidence suggests the city and its environs were catastrophically destroyed in a sudden and extreme conflagration. While we may never know exactly how the city of Sodom was struck, between the evidence of volcanic temperatures, mixed with biblical reports of a rain of “burning sulfur,” it is possible that the city was struck by an asteroid, or through some sort of volcanic eruption due to an earthquake.
VIDEOS = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRBLCMAvqBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMQei3AWM4w
https://aleteia.org/2018/01/22/is-this-the-site-where-sodom-once-stood/
CHINE - Zhengxing - More than 200 cliff cave burial sites have been identified in Zhengxing Township in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, the local archeological institute announced Wednesday. The cave tomb cluster dating back to the Han Dynasty and Wei-Jin period (206 B.C.-420 A.D.) was found on high cliffs facing the Jinjiang River, which runs through the city. The discovery of the tomb cluster is rare given the large scale of the tombs, said Pan Shaochi from the Chengdu Cultural Relics and Archeology Research Institute, adding that some of the tombs have up to seven chambers with tunnels as long as 20 meters. Pan said about 1,000 gold, silver and bronze artifacts have been found despite some of the tombs showing signs of looting. "The discovery of the tomb cluster has provided rich materials for archeological research on the Han and Wei-Jin dynasties," said Pan.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-01/18/c_136905766.htm
FRANCE - 
Caen - En creusant les pelouses du château de Caen, des archéologues de l’Inrap ont sauvé de l’oubli une petite figurine représentant un cavalier datant du XIVe siècle. Son aspect n’est pas forcément très éloquent au premier coup d’œil. D’autant que quelques morceaux manquent à l’ensemble du puzzle. D’après Hélène Dupont, responsable du chantier de fouilles en cours depuis début décembre 2017 au pied du château de Caen pour les besoins du tram fer, il s’agit « d’une petite figurine représentant un cavalier moulé en terre cuite » L’originalité de cette trouvaille faite par les archéologues de l’Inrap (Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives), c’est que ce probable soldat date du XIVe siècle. Supposition d’Hélène Dupont : « Peut-être était-ce un élément d’un gros pot avec un cheval. » Même ressorti de terre, le passé conserve une part de mystère.
FRANCE – 
Saint-Benoît - Avant un large programme de construction, le champ du lieu-dit « La Chaume » – un espace de 5 ha situé face au magasin Grand Frais et en bordure de rocade sur la commune de Saint-Benoît – est actuellement aux mains d’une équipe de l’Inrap. « Lors d’un sondage fait en février dernier, on pensait tomber sur des vestiges préhistoriques car on imaginait que l’aqueduc du Cimeau (*) qui serpente sur 12 km depuis sa source jusqu’à Poitiers allait tout droit à cet endroit, explique l’archéologue Frédéric Gerber, ingénieur à l’Inrap. En fait l’aqueduc suit ici le fond d’un talweg que la mise en culture a beaucoup modelé depuis la période antique. » Une semaine de chantier a déjà permis de décaper la terre couvrant une large partie de l’ouvrage romain souvent intact qui serpente en suivant le fond de la vallée sèche, et les spécialistes ont pu réaliser de premières constatations. « Préciser les périodes de construction puis d’abandon font partie des objectifs grâce à la datation au carbone 14 de charbon de bois pris dans le béton romain ou encore à la découverte de tessons en fouillant les regards qui jalonnent l’aqueduc à peu près tous les dix mètres pour son entretien », précise Frédéric Gerber. La technique de construction ? « Au fond d’une tranchée très étroite, on coulait du béton dans lequel des bardages étaient installés avant qu’il ne sèche pour couler les parois. Puis des pierres et une dalle en calcaire étaient posées en encorbellement avant un dôme coulé en béton pour empêcher les eaux de pluie de polluer l’eau de source sélectionnée pour ses qualités. Ici le conduit fait 60 cm de profondeur pour 40 cm de large. Nous allons réaliser des coupes pour faire des relevés sur les concrétions qui apporteront des informations sur le débit. » Parmi les premières constatations intéressantes : « Au sortir d’une courbe, on a un déversoir sur un côté qui servait à la décantation et peut-être à contrôler un débit qu’on peut imaginer fort au printemps. Nous allons voir ce qu’il y a dans le prolongement. » Encore trois semaines de chantier vont permettre à l’équipe d’élargir les connaissances sur ces vestiges qui ne sont pas amenés à être conservés.
https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/actu/l-aqueduc-romain-du-cimeau-serpente-a-saint-benoit