Archaeology News: May 30, 2013

History of Stonea Camp brought to life by archaeologist and storyteller

David Crawford-White, of Oxford Archaeology East, spoke about the history and archaeology of the site, which lies on what was once the border of the Iceni and the Coritani tribes.

Described as the lowest ‘hill’ fort in England, it has been occupied since the Bronze Age and is believed to be the site of a major battle between the conquering Romans and the Iceni tribe, whose queen was named Boudicca.

Archaeologist found after losing his way in Woods

It has been reported that the Vienna archaeologist is safe and sound after he lost his way in the woods. After the 82-year old man was lost in the enigmatic forests, a search party was deployed to find him.

Germans Return Stolen Antiquities to Greece

In the month of June, Greek stolen antiquities that are in Germany will be given back to Greece. About 8,000 pieces of vases dating to the Neolithic age were exported illegally to Germany by a group of foreign archaeologists under the guidance of Alfred Rosenberg, Hitler’s chief ideologist, after an illegal excavation conducted in a region next to the Greek town of Velestino in 1941.

Han Dynasty Tombs Discovered in China

Twenty tombs dating to the Han Dynasty have been found along the Yangtze River, near the Three Gorges Dam. Reports indicate that 430 artifacts, ranging from ceramics to objects made of iron and bronze, were recovered from the tombs by archaeologists from the Chongqing Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.

Enigmatic Structure in Sea of Galilee Puzzles Israeli Archaeologists

Israeli archaeologists are scratching their collective heads over the discovery of a behemoth-like conical and circular structure that is located at the bottom of the Sea of Galilee.

The monumental, man-made structure made of boulders and stones was discovered during a routine sonar scan in 2003.

Etowah Indian Mounds to highlight archaeological discoveries Saturday

Opting for modern surveying techniques over trowels and shovels, Adam King and his archaeological teams continue to provide insight into Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site’s illustrious past. Over the past eight years, King — the research associate professor with the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology — has detected significant elements in soil profiles, such as remnants of residential structures or fireplaces.

Rugged African terrain led humans to walk upright

Archaeologists have found that our upright gait may have begun in the rugged landscape of Africa, which was a terrain shaped by volcanoes and shifting tectonic plates.

A new study by University of York challenges evolutionary theories behind the development of our earliest ancestors from tree dwelling quadrupeds to upright bipeds capable of walking and scrambling.

Direct Evidence: Projectiles are at Least 90,000 Years Old

Archaeologist Corey O’Driscoll has developed a method of determining if wounds on bones were made by spears thrown from a distance. Indirect evidence from examining stone point, suggests that humans living in Africa began hurling weapons as early as 500,000 years ago, but this evidence is often disputed.