Archaeology News: December 26, 2011

Spend the Night at the Field Museum! Sue the T. rex is having a sleepover! Join us for a night of family workshops, self-guided tours and fun activities; then spread your sleeping bag amidst some of the most popular exhibitions.

The Department of Archaeology of Pune’s Deccan College and Gujarat’s archaeology department, discovered a new Harappan archaeological site at the Kotada Bhadali village area in Nakhatrana taluka of Kutch district, which dates back to 3000 BC. A detailed excavation is planned in January to investigate further.

Officials from the archaeology department and the Hyderabad Collectorate along with the police demolished the encroachments around Badshahi Ashoorkhana at Patherghati in old city early Saturday morning.

A rare clay seal found under Jerusalem's Old City appears to be linked to religious rituals practiced at the Jewish Temple 2,000 years ago, Israeli archaeologists said Sunday. The coin-sized seal found near the Jewish holy site at the Western Wall bears two Aramaic words meaning "pure for God."

Seize the day. Less than 52 weeks are left before Dec. 21, 2012, when some believe the Maya predicted the end of the world. Unlike enthusiasts of other doomsday theories who suggest putting together survival kits, southeastern Mexico, the heart of Maya territory, plans a yearlong celebration.

Ministry of Education, Culture and Science received and encouraged citizens on December 23 to deliver rare findings to the National Museum of Mongolia and Institute of Archaeology of Mongolian Academy of Sciences. The following is an interview with S.Altantsetseg, B.Badmaanyambuu who delivered the skull of Homo erectus, which was living three million years ago, a skull of boreal fox from Ice age, and three bronze cauldrons.

If you're visiting the Smithsonian this year, don't miss Jefferson’s "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth," which was recently conserved, together with two English editions of the New Testament that Jefferson used to clip passages and a copy of the 1904 U.S. Government Printing Office edition of the book. Visitors can explore each page of the bible at a special web kiosk and view short videos about the bible’s history and conservation.

In a memorandum to the Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, the Forum, including renowned archaeologist, Dr Pradip Sarma, noticed that the visiting archaeology team at Umananda 'Peacock' Island  has damaged several archaeological artifacts, which are found lying scattered there. By their irresponsible and improper acts, the team has clearly violated the provisions of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act.