ASSYRIAN CAPITAL IN DANGER OF FALLING INTO THE TIGRIS

An Iraqi antiquities official warned this week that the first capital of Assyria, the 4,500 year old city now known as Qalah Sharqat, is in danger of falling into the Tigris River.

"This season, the river washed away dozens of clay tablets and statues because there is no protective flood wall," said Mohammed al- Jabouri, who works for the antiquities department in Salah al-Din. He said that the river has also washed out 30 meters of Assur, Assyria's ancient religious capital. "The antiquities department in Salah al-Din province has repeatedly asked the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to protect [Qalah Sharqat] from the flood, but the ministry has done nothing so far, as if this is a matter of no concern," al-Jabouri said.

The site was partially excavated in the early 1900s, but was abandoned after World War I. No work has been done since then to complete the excavation.

[Full Story]

Share

PART OF NERO'S PALACE COLLAPSES IN ROME

A part of the ceiling of Rome’s infamous emperor Nero’s palace collapsed Tuesday as repair work was underway at the site. A section of the garden above the roof consequently fell into the palace. Officials reported no injuries.

Nero’s Golden Palace, or Domus Aurea, was built in the 1^st century AD. It was opened to the public in 1999 and was closed for a year in 2005 due to safety reasons cited by Italy’s culture ministry.

The portion that collapsed was constructed by Trajan as a bath area. Trajan’s gallery is not normally open to the public.

[Full Story]

Share

ARCHAEOLOGISTS RUSH TO EXCAVATE AND PRESERVE ASSYRIAN CITY BEFORE THE SITE IS FLOODED

Archaeologists in southeast Turkey are working diligently to excavate and preserve as much as they can of Tushan, an Assyrian city, before a hydroelectric dam floods the area. Tim Matney, who is leading a team of German, Turkish, and British archaeologists, are scheduled to return to Tushan in early April to continue their work. "This is a pragmatic, conservationist rescue dig," said Matney, who also noted that he now has a “slightly less cumbersome system to work with” in regards to the Turkish bureaucracy.

Matney’s team has uncovered a large mud brick building, several cuneiform tablets in the palace, and countless fragments of pottery, vessels, and animal bones. The construction of the dam has been delayed until 2013, but there is still much work to be done. Nothing remains above ground at the site. It is unclear how much of the area will be flooded, but Matney remains confident that the work will be done regardless.

[Full Story]

Share

NEW METHOD COULD REVOLUTIONIZE DATING OF ANCIENT TREASURES

Scientists on Tuesday announced the development of a new method to determine the age of ancient artifacts that does not require damaging the remains in any way. Previously “off-limits” artifacts may now potentially be dated using the new technique. "This technique stands to revolutionize radiocarbon dating," said Dr. Marvin Rowe, head of the research team. "It expands the possibility for analyzing extensive museum collections that have previously been off limits because of their rarity or intrinsic value and the destructive nature of the current method of radiocarbon dating.”

Carbon dating requires scientists to remove a small sample of the target object, which they then subject to treatment of acids and bases before finally burning the sample in order to analyze the C-14 in the carbon dioxide gas it emits.

[Full Story]

Share

POMPEII SNACK BAR REOPENS TO SERVE ANCIENT ROMAN CUISINE

A thermopolium in Pompeii, preserved under volcanic ash from Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD, is being reopened to the public after an extensive excavation and restoration project. A Roman thermopolium is comparable to a modern day fast food restaurant, in that it served ready-to-eat food to customers and was a popular hang-out spot for locals.

300 randomly-selected VIPs were chosen on Sunday to attend an advance opening of the ancient Pompeiian eatery. A snack bar at the thermopolium will be open to tourists to give a taste of Roman café life. The snack bar includes an L-shaped counter and a painting of Mercury and Bacchus facing its customers. The bar, which faces onto the Via dell’Abbondanza, would have been a popular lunch spot for many sections of society at Pompeii.

[Full Story]

Share

ANCIENT PETROGLYPHS AT ARIZONA'S "PICTURE ROCKS" VANDALIZED

Ancient petroglyphs at Picture Rocks, a Hohokam Indian site northwest of Tuscon, have been damaged by vandals over the last three years, the Arizona Star reports.

"People have been seen vandalizing petroglyphs. There has been some damage - defacing of the rocks," said the site’s assistant director, Peter Tran. The damages also include added graffiti and modern drawings meant to resemble the ancient pictures. “The recently added designs and graffiti can be seen from some distance away, which greatly detracts from the overall view and contextual integrity of the prehistoric rock symbols," Tran said. "Vandalism incidents at Picture Rocks and other petroglyph and pictograph sites also cause problems for native peoples, anthropologists and art historians who study rock art and its archaeological context."

Picture Rocks is currently open free to the public. Warning signs have been recently posted threatening prosecution for vandals.

[Full Story]

Share