Remains of a temple at Tel Al-Amarna
1. Skeletons of Great Plague Victims Removed at Liverpool Street
Archaeologists have begun excavating up to 3000 skeletons, including bodies belonging to victims of the Black Death, from the Bedlam burial site. The site was used from 1569 to at least 1738, and will serve the cross-London Crossrail line. “This excavation presents a unique opportunity to understand the lives and deaths of 16th and 17th century Londoners.” Read more at BBC.
2. Treasure Hunters Wreck Ancient Artefacts in Sri Lanka
The reclining Buddha statue in Danagirigala, Sri Lanka now only has one eye and his stone pillow has a hole in it. Destructive treasure hunting that is “based only on folklore about great riches” is a major problem in the island country. Read more at The Nation.
Watch Secrets of the Dead: Bones of the Buddha that uncovers the mystery surrounding one of Archeology’s most amazing finds.
3. Oldest Pretzel Uncovered
During excavations in the Bavarian city of Regensburg, German archaeologists have uncovered a 250-year-old snack. “I can guarantee that this is the oldest pretzel ever found,” said an official. Read more at DPA International.
4. The Layout of Al-Amarna Revealed
A Belgium archeological mission working at Tel Al-Amarna area in Al-Minya governorate, 300 km south of Cairo, has revealed through satellite imagery how the ancient Egyptians built the city of Al-Amarna. Tel Al-Amarna was the capital built by the henotheistic 18th dynasty Pharaoh Akhenaten. The city was deserted shortly after Akhenaten’s death in 1332 BCE. Read more at Ahram Online.
5. Saving Chilean Mummies from Climate Change
At least 2000 years before the Egyptians began mummifying their pharaohs, a hunter-gatherer people called Chinchorro living along the coast of modern-day Chile and Peru developed elaborate methods to mummify not just elites but all types of community members. Radiocarbon dating as far back as 5050 BC makes them the world’s oldest human-made mummies. During the past decade, many of the Chinchorro mummies have begun to rapidly degrade due to rising humidity levels. Read more at Science Daily.
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