30 JANVIER 2011
- 30 JANVIER
- MAURICE –
Aapravasi Ghat - Les fouilles archéologiques, entamées il a plus d’un mois, sur le site de l’Aapravasi Ghat, touchent à leur fin. A partir des résultats de ces fouilles, un musée sera créé, permettant au site, classé Patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO, de dépasser la barre des 15 000 visiteurs annuels. Les archéologues ont entamé des fouilles, en vue d’interpréter les différentes facettes de la région, depuis la première transformation, faite par l’homme à Trou Fanfaron, lors du 18ème siècle, jusqu’aux activités modernes du 20ème siècle. Il a été démontré, à partir des recherches qu’une partie du vieux quai se trouvait juste en dessous de l’entrepôt, construit en 1866, où les fouilles ont eu lieu. De surcroit, des documents, datés du 19ème siècle ont été retrouvés, permettant aux archéologues d’en savoir davantage sur les différents aspects de la région, à cette époque.
- FRANCE - 
Conilhac - En 2005, un diagnostic archéologique effectué par l'INRA sur une parcelle devant être lotie, a permis de dégager les fondations d'un bâtiment de 15,48 m sur 6,80 m et un puits gallo-romain qui a vraisemblablement été en activité du Ier siècle avant J.-C. au 5e après. Il est actuellement recouvert par des bâtiments modernes. Dans la plaine de Lieurade, aux limites de la commune de Conilhac, ce site, notamment pour la partie nommée par J.Euzet les prés blanc, est alternativement situé sur celles de Ferrals et de Fontcouverte. Si l'on en croit les coordonnées fournies cet auteur, la partie explorée lors d'un labour, en 1960, semble nettement à placer dans celle de Conilhac-Corbières. La collection de la SSA conserve un ensemble de tessons provenant de ce site déposé par J. Euzet qui comprend notamment, de la céramique à vernis noir campanienne de type A et de la céramique grise gauloise (col de vase ovoïde, écuelle à bord cylindrique). Il s'y ajoutait des débris d'amphores du début du 1er siècle av. J.-C. On a recueilli depuis, dans le secteur de Lieurede, près de Fontcouverte, une fibule du type Nauhein, une monnaie à tête radiée et une autre d'époque constantinienne. Plus près de la ferme, sur la limite des trois communes P. Cabal avait recueilli un bronze de Caligula, un stylet en os et une pince à épiler, de nombreuses sigillées de la Graufesenque, dont une marque of.lucet, l'éventualité d'un déplacement de l'habitat au début de l'époque impériale est donc à retenir.
- ROYAUME-UNI –Puddletown - A Roman road has been unearthed in the depths of Puddletown Forest. Forestry workers discovered the 1,600-year-old remains of the road during clearance work. The 26-metre wide road is a combination of a central cobbled ‘street’, which would have been used for rapid troop movements, and outer ‘droving’ roads for livestock. It is thought the road is part of the Ackling Dyke Roman Road, built to link Old Sarum (Salisbury) with the Roman fort at Exeter. Pete Wilson, head of research policy (Roman archaeology) for English Heritage said: “Roman roads were built in support of the military and civilian administration of a newly conquered province. “The well-preserved length surviving in Puddletown Forest pays eloquent testimony to the power and determination of the Romans to consolidate their new territory. The scale and solidity of their work has allowed the road to survive the 1,600 years since the end of Roman Britain.” Previously a stretch of Roman road was uncovered running through Thorncombe Woods outside Dorchester.
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/8820585.Roman_road_found_in_Puddletown_Forest/
- INDE – Opa - Is part of the 12th century Saptakoteshwar temple at Opa originally a rock-cut cave dating back to the 7th century? Some archaeologists say it is one of the oldest temples in the state and its garb griha (sanctum sanctorum) is the original temple. This original part of the temple is scooped out from the laterite - The superstructure of the rest of the temple, including the sabha mandap (outer hall) and antaral (vestibule/ connecting passage) were laid later over and around the cave temple - Archaeologists find some evidence of the earlier period. The Shivlinga in the garb griha is mounted on a pedestal and its style is typical of the western Chalukya period. The style of the Shivling is of an earlier phase and differs from other Shivlings. Shree Saptakoteshwar was the family deity of the Kadamba dynasty. In fact, King Jaykeshi included Saptakoteshwar in his title. The famous 12th century Mahadeva temple at Tambdi Surla is considered the oldest existing living monument of the Kadambas. The garb griha and the rest of the superstructure blend so well that few notice the distinction. The different hue and texture of stones in both structures is distinctly visible near the arch of the garb griha. Another cave, Ishwar Bhat in Amona also has a similar Shivling belonging to the 7th century. The motifs on the granite door jambs at Opa are also characteristic of the art of the Chalukya period.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Is-part-of-Opa-monument-of-7th-century/articleshow/7387507.cms#ixzz1CamLVO00
- EGYPTE - Archaeologists expressed deep concern on Sunday that many of Egypt's historical treasures were threatened by looters in the wake of the nation's uprising, while Egypt's top antiquities official said that all 24 national museums were now under protection of the Army and that damage to the main Cairo museum that shelters thousands of priceless artifacts appeared limited. Officials in Egypt and American Egyptologists said they were worried, however, about reports of ongoing looting at Saqqara, a famous site south of Cairo that is home to Egypt's first stone pyramid and hundreds of tombs spanning three thousand years of the country's deep cultural history. While deep concern - or even panic - continues to sweep through the community Egyptologists in the United States, Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council on Antiquities, said Sunday that, "Nothing is stolen from the Cairo museum." He is now directing a team to assess the damage at Saqqara and other outlying sites where archaeological digs are ongoing. Speaking via cell phone from Cairo, Hawass said that a few items were broken - including a statue of King Tutankhamun riding a jaguar - after looters smashed windows on the roof of the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities and descended into the building with ropes Friday night. He added that all of the broken artifacts could be restored. However, he said it was unclear what was happening at the scores of outlying sites where archaeological digs are ongoing. He also described how close the main museum came to being overrun. On Friday, after protests erupted, the Cairo museum was not well guarded, Hawass said. About a thousand people hopped a wall and flooded into the museum's courtyard. Looters then broke into the museum's new gift shop and stole all of the jewelry. Hemmed in by a strict curfew, Hawass spent the night at home fretting about the fate of his country's treasures. When Hawass and his ad hoc "committee" arrived around noon on Saturday, they discovered the keys to the museum had been stolen. After an hour, Hawass was able to break in and quickly assess the damage. About 100 artifacts had been broken, but "none were really precious," he said. The looters, who Hawass believes were searching for gold, smashed 13 showcases on the museum's top floor, then entered the famous King Tutankhamun galleries, where they broke several more artifacts, including the jaguar statue.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/30/AR2011013003244.html
- INDE – Rajgad fort - The Rajgad fort, the first capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji, is all set to undergo a makeover, owing to the Rs 2-crore grant given by the Central government to the state directorate of archaeology and museums. The entire restoration and renovation activity would take about 18 months, leaving out the rainy season, he added. The project will consist of repairing the historical Pali Darwaja (the door facing the neighbouring village of Pali), cleaning and repairs of the water tanks, repairs of major watch towers (buruz) as well as building of residential quarters for tourists- Rajgad is about 40 km to the southwest of Pune in Velhe taluka and over 15 km west of Nasrapur in the Sahyadri range. Built on the hill called 'Murumb Devacha Dongar,' Rajgad was the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji for over 25 years before he moved it to Raigad in the Konkan- The fort can be divided into four different parts based on geographical terrain, namely the sub-plateau Padmavati Machee, Suvela Machee, Sanjeevani Machee and Ballekilla (small fort). While the Padmavati machee is to the north, the Suvela Machee is to the south-east, Sanjeevani to the south-west, Ballekilla is the highest part of the fort. It has an entrance door called Mahadarwaza. One can view the whole fort and the vast surrounding expanse. The diameter of the fort at the base is 40 km making it impregnable-
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/2-crore-makeover-for-Rajgad-on-cards/articleshow/7393264.cms#ixzz1CafNoWFl