29 AOUT 2018: Bratislava - Banbury - Alexandrie - Co Meath - Tappeh Anuj - Loches - Veliko Tarnovo - Fayd -
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SLOVAQUIE – 
Bratislava - Ground plans of settlement structures from the Bronze era, Roman era and the modern history as well as pieces of ceramic vessels and animal skeletons: these are the current findings within archeological research in the Rusovce compound in Bratislava. “I was very enthused that in the space of former fountain in front of manor house we found foundations of former manor house that stood there in 16th and 17th century,” archaeologist Erik Hrnčiarik said, as cited by the TASR newswire. As he added, they knew about the existence of the former manor house, but they were able to locate it only now. The cellars of former manor house have been preserved until today. “I was also glad about the finding from the Roman era – the remains of settlements, pieces of luxury ceramic Terra Sigillata and cartridge for a catapult with which Roman soldiers fought against barbarians,” Hrnčiarik noted, as quoted by TASR.
ROYAUME UNI – 
Banbury - Metal detectorist has teamed up with archaeologists from Oxford Archaeology to uncover a Roman villa dating to around A.D. 99, which measures 278 feet square, and may have been as large as Buckingham Palace, Metro reports. The team believes the site may reveal one of the grandest Roman villas ever discovered in Britain. They have identified the building's bath complex, including tile from a hypocaust used to pipe in hot water, as well as evidence of a domed roof, a dining room, and kitchen areas. Artifacts unearthed include a coin depicting the mythological twins Romulus and Remus. Detectorist Keith Westcott says he was inspired to look for villa foundations in the area after learning that a local farmer had accidently plowed into the burial of a high-status woman, who is believed to have died in the third or fourth century A.D. Plans for comprehensive investigations at the site, possibly involving English Heritage and nearby universities, are under consideration.
EGYPTE – 
Alexandrie - Egypt’s Antiquities Ministry announced that an Egyptian archaeological mission on Sunday has uncovered a Ptolemaic dynasty cemetery west of Alexandria. Speaking to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Waziri said that the cemetery dates back to the third century BC, around 2,270 years ago. Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector Ayman Ashmawy said that the mass graves carved in the rock were uncovered by the mission during excavation work. These graves are separate architectural units, each consisting of stairs leading to a small hall that may have been used as a rest for visitors, which leads into an open yard surrounded by the burial holes. He added that it was likely that the tombs were belonged to poor people of the time, as the cemetery features layers of simple mortar with no fanciful decorations giving away high status. According to Ashmaway, preliminary examinations revealed that architectural plans for some tombs were modified later, with certain burial holes being closed up, confirming that multiple generations used the cemetery. Tableware used by the families of the dead during their visits was found alongside decorated lamps, Ashmaway said. Glass and pottery were also found, which were offerings for the deceased.
https://www.egyptindependent.com/archaeological-team-uncovers-ptolemaic-cemetery-west-of-alexandria/
IRLANDE – 
Co Meath - One of the richest tapestries of archaeology in Ireland, the Boyne Valley is the gift that just kept giving this summer, with three separate discoveries to send experts worldwide into an excited tizzy. Thousands will flock to see a significant Neolithic passage tomb cemetery, unearthed during works at Dowth Hall in Co Meath and revealed to the world in July. A kerbstone at the site is heavily decorated with Neolithic carvings and represents one of the most impressive discoveries of megalithic art in Ireland in decades. Meanwhile, we have the sun to thank for revealing crop marks which showed an apparent henge that dates back to 2,900 BC. And as all this was going on, the first archaeology dig at Newgrange in 30 years uncovered an ancient processional way to the site. The discovery at Dowth is still attracting international attention with requests from camera crews and media for interviews arriving daily. The archaeological gem was found during an excavation undertaken by Devenish in partnership with University College Dublin (UCD) School of Archaeology, as part of the restoration and redevelopment of Dowth Hall. To date, a large passage tomb about 40m in diameter with two burial chambers in its western part, as well as a further two possible satellite tombs, have been discovered, The six kerbstones that have been identified so far would have formed part of a ring of stones that followed the perimeter of the large passage tomb. One kerbstone is heavily decorated with Neolithic carvings and represents one of the most impressive discoveries of megalithic art in Ireland for decades. Clíodhna Ní Lionáin, who described the tomb as ‘the find of a lifetime,’ is Devenish’s project archaeologist for Dowth Hall.
https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/5500-year-old-tomb-in-meath-the-find-of-a-lifetime-864747.html
IRAN - Tappeh Anuj - The Public Relations Office of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (RICHT) quoted Ismail Hemmati Azandaryani, head of the salvation operations on Tappeh Anuj in Malayer, as saying on Sunday that the ancient Anuj Hill (also known as Qala Bolandeh), with a height of 21 meters from the surface, is located in a village of the same name in the city of Malayer. He said in the stratigraphy operations valuable results were achieved such as layers dating back to the prehistoric era, Copper and Stone period, the Old, Middle and the New Bronze Age (Yaniq culture and Godin III), iron III (probably Medes), the Parthian and different Islamic periods. Hemmati stated that with regard to the location of Anuj area in the southern part of Hamedan Province and in the vicinity of the linking corridor towards Boroujerd and Silakhor plain, as well as the connection with the plain leading to the mountain ranges of Green (Nahavand and Kangavar) in view of the archeological studies the site is regarded as being very important.
http://www.irna.ir/en/News/83013626
FRANCE – 
Loches - Aux yeux des archéologues qui travaillent chaque été dans le parc du Logis royal tant elle apparaissait hors norme. Pourtant, il n’a fallu que quelques jours de fouilles pour qu’elle se confirme. Au cœur du palais comtal bâti peu après l’an mil qu’ils mettent peu à peu au jour depuis 2016, la grande salle seigneuriale frisait en réalité les 500 m2 de superficie. Immense. Foulques Nerra, également à l’origine de la construction du donjon de Loches, avait vu les choses en grand. En très grand. « C’était l’hypothèse maximaliste. Qu’elle se vérifie est un peu une surprise », confie le responsable des fouilles, Pierre Papin, archéologue au conseil départemental. L’un de ses grands objectifs, cet été, était d’établir la taille réelle du palais comtal. A partir du pan du bâtiment découvert en 2016, son équipe a d’abord cherché à cibler la zone où fouiller, à l’aide d’un pénétromètre (1). Avant de se mettre à creuser. Et mardi, l’angle de la grande salle tant recherché a surgi. Plus vraiment de doute possible : la grande salle mesurait bien 34 mètres de long sur 15 mètres de large avec les murs, soit environ 490 m2 de surface utile. Bien sûr, comme toujours en archéologie, il faut accumuler un maximum de confirmations. « On va aller chercher toutes les preuves scientifiques [qu’il s’agit bien de la limite de la salle, NDLR]. On va chercher les niveaux de sol correspondants, et avec le mobilier qu’on y trouvera, dater avec certitude » cet angle de mur, poursuit Pierre Papin. D’ores et déjà, tout indique que la grande salle du palais lochois de Foulques Nerra était aussi grande que celle qu’il avait à Angers, le cœur de son fief. « Elle avait la capacité d’accueillir toute la cour de Foulques Nerra, souligne l’archéologue. Cela veut dire qu’il avait la possibilité, depuis Loches, d’administrer tout son comté. Qu’il n’était pas que de passage lorsqu’il était ici. Il a quasiment fait de Loches sa deuxième capitale. » A quelques pas de leur découverte, les archéologues fouillent un autre carré. « A cet endroit, espère Pierre Papin, on devrait trouver l’estrade comtale. » Tout simplement l’endroit où trônait Foulques Nerra.
https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/loches/les-archeologues-font-surgir-un-palais-taille-grand-patron
BULGARIE - Veliko Tarnovo - A burial site with the body in foetal position from the Early Iron Age and two medieval graves from the 13th century have been found during archaeological excavations at the Rahovets fortress, team leader Ilian Petrakiev said, quoted by Focus Radio. For a second year in a row, the team came across graves from that period. “Interestingly, the graves found this year are located outside the fortress wall, proving that the wall was not a defence fortification. We will try to do DNA analysis as we did the previous season with the first uncovered skeleton,” Petrakiev explained. In the first year of excavations, the team found layers from the Early Iron Age, from 1,200 to 600 BC. For the first time, the archaeologists have come across a home of that period. “The great surprise was a burial site with the body in foetal position, a child’s skeleton, next to the fortress on the outside. We hope to make AMS dating for that individual to compare with the archaeological data for ceramics of early iron and a furnace dated between 1,360 and 1,120 BC. Our idea is to comprehensively analyse that layer from the Early Iron Age,” Petrakiev added.
Arabie Saoudite – 
Fayd - Archaeologists have discovered underground aqueducts dating back to early Islamic period. They were found during an excavation in the historic city of Fayd, in Hail, along with bakery ovens, wash basins and a large number of architectural sites. The breakthrough discoveries were made outside the fort in Hail, with a second site uncovered in the area between the two walls of the southern side of the fort. A third site was found at Al-Qalqah citadel. The sites included an ancient mosque dating back to the early Islamic era, in addition to architectural units with several rooms, and architectural details buried between the exterior and interior walls of the fort. The archaeological action plan included detecting, preparing and cleaning old wells in the traditional city. The wells are connected to the underground aqueducts, Alshadeed said. A service site for the ancient fort was also uncovered, with bakery ovens and wash basins found in channels that pass through the last underground square. Pottery utensils, and glass, stone and metal pieces were also retrieved. The city of Fayd is a major archaeological and historical site, located 120 kilometers east of the city of Hail. It is the third city of the old pilgrimage route “Darb Zubaidah” — after Kufa and Basra — and the largest station on the pilgrimage route used by millions of pilgrims for their once-in-a-lifetime Hajj journey to the holy city of Makkah. Foundations located in the northern part of the fort were built in regular forms using volcanic stones commonly found in the city. Some architectural forms and objects such as basins were also carved from volcanic rock.