Top Archaeology News of July 2, 2012

Turn of the century artifacts found under a Visalia street may not be worth much money, but they do give a glimpse into behavior of residents in the late 18th and early 19th century, experts say.“We know that people in Visalia liked their beer or ginger beer in the late 18th century,” archaeologist Seth Rosenberg said, grinning, referring to a pint-sized stoneware bottle made in England.

The oldest known samples of pottery have been unearthed in southern China. The US archaeologists involved have determined that fragments from a large bowl found in Xianrendong Cave, Jiangxi Province, are 20,000 years old.

A reindeer engraved on the wall of a cave in south Wales has been confirmed as the oldest known rock art in Britain. The image in Cathole Cave on Gower, south Wales was created at least 14,000 years ago, said Bristol University.

A newly discovered Mayan text reveals the "end date" for the Mayan calendar, becoming only the second known document to do so. But unlike some modern people, ancient Maya did not expect the world to end on that date, researchers said.

Ancient treasure was found in Azerbaijan’s Aghsu region. Chief of Aghsu archeological expedition of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the Azerbaijani National Academy of Sciences Gafar Jabiyev told APA that a treasure consisting of gold coin examples were found during digging work on June 22. Total number of coins is 37. One of them was minted in 1781, one – in 1786, three – in 1787, one – in 1796, 31 – in 1800. All coins are in good condition.

Aboriginal groups want bones of the extinct Beothuk people to be removed from museum vaults and brought back to Newfoundland. A woman named Shanawdithit was the last known member of her people, with her 1829 death in St. John's marking the end of the Beothuk. Disease, persecution and the Beothuk's decision to withdraw from coastal communities have been cited as causes of wiping out the Beothuk.

Archaeologists in Greece's second-largest city have uncovered a 230-foot section of an ancient road built by the Romans that was the city's main travel artery nearly 2,000 years ago. The marble-paved road was unearthed during excavations for Thessaloniki's new subway system, which is due to be completed in four years. The road in the northern port city will be raised to be put on permanent display when the metro opens in 2016.

An archaeologist diver claims to have discovered the remains of a sunken Dutch merchant vessel containing RM500 million (S$199 million)worth of cultural relics, about three nautical miles off Pulau Besar here. The Kuala Lumpur-based archaeologist, who wanted to be known only as David so he could remain anonymous, believes the vessel could have escaped the roving eyes of underwater relic hunters as it was buried by undersea sand.

A new exhibit at the St. Augustine/St. Johns County Visitor Information Center lets viewers enjoy the fruits of an archaeology dig without enduring the dirt or the sweat of the real thing.“This is what people want to see when they come to St. Augustine,” said city department of heritage tourism facilities manager Sharon Langford, nodding toward cases containing 58 artifacts offering a look into the civilian, military and leisure life of St. Augustine residents in the 1700s.