Archaeology News: February 6, 2016

Ancient Digger brings you the latest archaeology news and headlines everyday of the week!

Roman Fresco Unearthed by London Archaeologists

© New Historian

Archaeologists conducting fieldwork ahead of the construction of a new office development have come across an ornate Roman-era fresco six meters below ground. Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) remarked in a recent press release that a team of its field archaeologists working at 21 Lime Street had made the discovery, which dates to the late first century CE and was likely created during the first few decades of London’s existence. MOLA note that the ornate fresco, which would have doubtlessly been part of a residence for an affluent Roman citizen at the time, is one of the earliest of its kind to survive from the time period.

Archaeologist to discuss cultural resources of Big Flat Area

MOAB — Colin Ferriman, an archaeologist with Cultural Resources Analysts, will present findings from a study of the archaeology and cultural landscape of the Big Flat area at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 19.

Archaeologists investigate land around Botetourt County slave houses

DALEVILLE Va. -Botetourt County is moving forward with the plan of relocating two slave houses on the former Greenfield Plantation.

Archaeologists discover one of Roman Britain's earliest surviving frescos beneath City of London street


An ornate Roman wall painting buried at the start of a huge city construction project nearly 2,000 years ago has been discovered by Museum of London Archaeology experts near the city’s historic Leadenhall Market.

The decorative fresco, buried in AD 100 by Roman builders flattening land to make way for London’s main civic centre, the second Forum Basilica, was found at 21 Lime Street. Small fragments of Roman wall plaster have previously been found in London, but complete collapsed wall paintings are extremely rare.

Discovery by archaeologists of bashed skull of Queen of Egypt sparks end-of-the world speculations
By Vittorio Her

Archaeologists who are investigating an apparent desecration of the burial site of an ancient Egyptian royal family are warning of the consequences on earth. Among the consequences they warned of are disasters, hinting of end-of-the-world scenarios.

One museum’s tribute to the murdered Syrian archaeologist, Khaled al-Asaad


The days that followed ISIS’s savage murder of the distinguished and widely admired archaeologist Khaled al-Asaad last August were filled with shock and outrage. At the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, which possesses a world-class collection of ancient art, including 10 funerary sculptures from Palmyra, a group of colleagues sat down to discuss ways we could respond to this horrific crime.

Ancient Egyptian Funeral Boat Unearthed by Archaeologists


Archaeologists from Charles University in Prague have begun to excavate a funerary boat that dates back to the Third or Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt, circa 2550 BC. The Abusir region, where the boat was found, is an extensive necropolis of ancient tombs amidst a large pyramid field that lies to the south of Cairo. The sand and lack of moisture have helped preserve a number of artifacts in the Abusir area, but the discovery of a complete funerary boat is extremely rare. A press release from Charles University states:

Archaeologists Find Pool of Siloam, Confirm Gospel of John Accurate


Like so many such finds, it was almost by accident. During construction work to repair a water pipe near the Temple Mount, Israeli archaeologists Ronny Reich and Eli Shukron found "two ancient stone steps." According to Biblical Archaeology Review, "Further excavation revealed that they were part of a monumental pool from the Second Temple period, the period in which Jesus lived." The pool was trapezoidal in shape and 225 feet long.