Daily News

The worlds of archaeology and the Bible move fast. Check back regularly for the latest news.

Iraq’s National Museum Still Closed to the Public

Despite efforts to recover and restore ancient objects plundered and damaged in recent years in the wake of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the antiquities in the Iraq’s National Museum are still not accessible for viewing. Iraq’s antiquities and museums director, Amira Eidan, says that they are taking no chances with their national treasures after the rampant looting and damage that took place after the U.S. invasion of the country. “We cannot risk displaying the treasures we have unless we have guarantees that security is 100 percent stable in Baghdad and the area surrounding the museum,” Eidan told Reuters reporters. Another reason that the building is being kept closed is that its badly damaged and neglected exhibition halls are in need of repair and must be made suitable for the display of the museum’s priceless objects.

Among the most important parts of the museum’s collection is the jewelry of the Nimrud treasures, which were excavated in northern Iraq and are considered to be one of the most important finds of the 20th century. The collection also boasts the 5,000-year-old Sumerian “Mona Lisa,” or the “Lady of Warka,” a stone head of a woman that was looted from the museum and later found buried in the backyard of a Baghdad house. Rehabilitating the museum is an international effort, with several countries, including the U.S., helping to fund its restoration.

Reuters reports on the state of Iraq’s national museum.

One-of-a-Kind Iron Age Mausoleum Discovered in Armenia

Scientists at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia are surprised by the discovery of an Iron Age Mausoleum that is unlike any other so far discovered in the country. The structure was unearthed by archaeologists working in Gogaran, a village located in the Lori province. The mausoleum, which measures 14m in diameter, is believed belong to a local prince who lived sometime between the 9th and 7th centuries B.C. It differs from other mausoleums in both its style and the material with which it was built. It is surrounded by half-hewn stones as opposed to the brick that was the common building material of such structures. Geometric patterns decorate the stones.

Grave goods found at the site include ceramic vessels, a necklace, animal remains belonging to various species, and a dagger. Though the human remains have not yet been subjected to DNA testing, scientists are confident that ancient individual will prove to be a predecessor of modern Armenians.

Armenia Now reports on the one-of-a-kind mausoleum discovered in Armenia.

One-of-a-Kind Iron Age Mausoleum Discovered in Armenia

Scientists at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia are surprised by the discovery of an Iron Age Mausoleum that is unlike any other so far discovered in the country. The structure was unearthed by archaeologists working in Gogaran, a village located in the Lori province. The mausoleum, which measures 14m in diameter, is believed belong to a local prince who lived sometime between the 9th and 7th centuries B.C. It differs from other mausoleums in both its style and the material with which it was built. It is surrounded by half-hewn stones as opposed to the brick that was the common building material of such structures. Geometric patterns decorate the stones.

Grave goods found at the site include ceramic vessels, a necklace, animal remains belonging to various species, and a dagger. Though the human remains have not yet been subjected to DNA testing, scientists are confident that ancient individual will prove to be a predecessor of modern Armenians.

Armenia Now reports on the one-of-a-kind mausoleum discovered in Armenia.

Possible Earliest Known Reference to Christ Discovered in Alexandria’s Ancient Harbor

A group of scientists have announced that they have identified what may be the earliest known reference to Christ. A marine archaeology team working in the underwater ruins of Alexandria’s ancient harbor recovered a bowl that dates from the late 2nd century B.C. to the 1st century A.D. The bowl is inscribed with the Greek words “DIA CHRSTOU O GOISTAIS,” which some scholars have interpreted to mean “by Christ the magician” or “the magician by Christ.” Dr. Franck Goddio, co-founder of the Oxford Center of Maritime Archaeology and the leader of the scientific team responsible for the recovery and study of the bowl, believes that the object could have used by a “magus”—a magician—in the practice of fortune-telling rituals. “It could very well be a reference to Jesus Christ, in that he was once the primary exponent of white magic,” says Goddio.

MSNBC reports on the ancient bowl inscribed with what may be the earliest known reference to Christ.

Pompeii’s Roman Rival

The ancient city of Pompeii in southern Italy is one of the most visited archaeological sites in the world. However, it may find a new rival for visitors’ affections as the ancient port of Ostia Antica undergoes restorations that highlight life in the ancient world. Last week, extensive restorations on a group of insulae (multi-storied houses or apartment buildings) were revealed to the public boasting ancient decorations that rival the lavish panels uncovered in Pompeii. Angelo Pellegrino, the director of excavations at Ostia Antica, states that “over all, this is the most important ensemble of second-and third-century frescoes in the world.” Easily reached by a regularly-run local train from Rome, Ostia Antica may prove to be a more attractive option for visitors who want to get a picture of an ancient Roman community without making the two-hour trip south to Pompeii.

Located about 15 miles outside of Rome, Ostia Antica used to be Rome’s primary port until the middle of the 2nd century A.D. The wealth earned in trade and shipping was evident in the homes of wealthy Ostians, and it later became a place of retreat for wealthy Romans looking to escape the heat of the crowded capital city during the summer. It was abandoned by the 7th century as the population in Rome contracted. Though the city partially dismantled—the early 16th century fortress looming on the periphery of the ancient city was built by Pope Julius II using materials taken from the ancient port city—it was largely ignored until the beginning of the 20th century when excavations began.

The New York Times reports on the newly-restored frescoes in Ostia Antica.

Take a virtual tour of Ostia Antica.

Better Late Than Never: The U.S. Ratifies the 1954 Hague Convention

Fifty-four years after the drafting of The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, the U.S. Senate has voted to ratify the international treaty. In so doing, the U.S. has joined 121 other nations in supporting the world’s oldest international agreement dedicated exclusively to the protection of cultural sites. Though the U.S. did sign the agreement soon after its writing in 1954, it failed to ratify the treaty due to objections from the Pentagon during the escalation of the Cold War. American policy has been to follow the principals of the convention, but official ratification will raise the priority of protecting archaeological sites, monuments, museums, libraries and archives when planning military strategy.

The Hague Convention was originally modeled on instructions by General Eisenhower to aid in the preservation of Europe’s cultural heritage in the wake of widespread destruction and looting by the Nazis during World War II. Ratification was shelved by the Senate during the Cold War, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union the treaty was transmitted to the Senate by President Clinton in 1999. Interest in the treaty was revived due to the public attention given to the looting of the Iraq Museum in Baghdad and the looting of archaeological sites in southern Iraq in recent years.

Read more about the U.S. ratification of the 1954 Hague Convention.

New Online Database Catalogs Turkey’s Archaeological Sites

Almost 3500 archaeological sites have been documented and made available online in Turkey—the culmination of a 15-year project to catalog and record information about Turkey’s important historical heritage. The project coordinator of the Turkish Archaeological Accommodations (TAA), Oguz Tanindi, said that researchers traveled thousands of miles in order to locate, document and enter the sites into databases with the intention of making the information available on the internet. The TAA Geographic Data System was created, he says, “so that researchers, tourism business workers and official institutions can access the information in our databases easily.”

The database currently has 2907 sites and 565 caves, all of which can be viewed on a map of Turkey. It allows visitor to the website to get information on damage to the sites, which sites have been excavated and explored, as well as the registration information of every artifact. It also provides information on the various museums throughout the country as well as highways and railroad lines to aid the tourism industry in planning visits to the country’s archaeological sites.

The Turkish Daily News reports on the new TAA Geographic Data System.

Ancient Phoenician Port Identified in Sardinia, Italy

Archaeologists in Sardinia, a Mediterranean island of the coast of Italy, have announced this week that they have located a Phoenician port that many believe was second only to Carthage in importance. The ancient colony of Tharros sits on a peninsula overlooking the Bay of Oristano along the western coast of Sardina. The settlement site has long been the subject of archaeological excavations and research. However, despite almost 200 years of hunting, this is the first time that the port itself—the city’s crucial waterfront infrastructure—has been identified.

Archaeologists have discovered a sandstone wall over 100 meters in length and 4 meters in width, with a large basin carved into the rock—a structure very similar to the man-made, well-protected inner harbor of Carthage, which located in modern Tunisia. Researchers say that the port was over 225 meters wide with a 190 meter jetty, as well as a 50 meter canal that was used by ships for their approach to the harbor.

The Italian news service ANSA reports on the discovery of the port of Tharros.

Planned Commercial Center Near Mount of Olives Sparks Protest

The Mount of Olives in Jerusalem has become a flashpoint for tension between Jews and Arabs. A protest has been raised against plans to build an Arab commercial center near the Mount of Olives, a project that protesters says will impinge on the skyline of the sacred site and block the view of the Jewish cemetery. The local planning and building committee is expected to deliberate over the course of several meetings before deciding whether or not the construction project will be permitted to go forward.

The Mount of Olives holds an important place in ancient Jewish and Christian traditions. It is first mentioned in the Old Testament in connection with David’s flight from Absalom, and the Book of Zachariah refers to it as the place where the resurrection will begin in the days of the Messiah. Over 150,000 graves are located on the mount, some believed to date from Biblical times.

Arutz Sheva reports on the protest over plans to build a shopping complex near the Mount of Olives.

Iraq’s Ancient Marshlands Get a Second Life

An area of Iraq that some believe is the site of the legendary Garden of Eden described in the Old Testament is getting some much-needed international attention. The United Nations Environment Program and the Iraqi government are working together to restore Iraq’s marshlands, which has been a valuable ecosystem of flora and fauna since the time of the ancient Mesopotamian empire. Authorities say that about 60 percent of the lakes and water plants in the marshlands, which surround the meeting point of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, have been revived. They attribute the success to the introduction of a water purification method that involves reeds, a technique that has already produced good results in Lake Biwa.

About 90 percent of the marshlands were destroyed under the rule of Saddam Hussein in the 1990s. Hussein ordered that dams and embankments be built in order to rid the area of anti-regime guerillas that had based themselves in the ancient marshlands. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of December, at which point the Iraqi government and the U.N. are expected to seek the site’s inclusion on UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites.

Japanese publication Yomiuri reports on the marshland restoration project.

Can Ancient and Modern Culture Co-exist in Jerusalem?

A concert this week in the national park just outside of the Old City’s Jaffa gate is causing some stir, and not just among the music critics. The Israel Antiquities Authority, which is the state-run body charged with the supervision and preservation of archaeological sites in the country, approved and supervised the construction of seating and a podium for a concert to be held in the park this week. However, the performance and the construction required to hold it has ignited a debate about whether or not such events should be held in areas where archaeology and history are present in such abundance—and in such fragile states.

Dr. Shimon Gibson of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte is the archaeologist responsible for preparing the excavations at the concert site for publication. He argues that the remains are very fragile and that regular events such as this week’s concert would negatively impact the site. However, Jerusalem regional archaeologist of the Antiquities Authority, Yuval Baruch, claims that the construction in question was done with the utmost care and that no antiquities were affected. “We are happy that people are coming to Jerusalem,” he says, “and we are not going to block cultural activity in the city.”

The Jerusalem Post reports on the ongoing debate about modern events held in the ancient city.

Microscopic Discoveries in the Catacombs of Rome

The catacombs of Rome are home to hundreds of thousands of the ancient dead, but a research study has just been published revealing that they are also the place of new life: micro-biotic life, to be precise. Two new species of bacterial life have been discovered on the walls of the ancient tombs that lie in the depths of the Catacomb of St. Callixtus, located just outside of Rome. While these two new species can, like many other types of bacteria, contribute to the decay of monuments, they also have the potential to produce molecules that have beneficial properties, such as antibiotics and enzymes.

Dr. Clara Urzi of the University of Messina in Italy has published the study in the September issue of the Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. “The special conditions in the catacombs have allowed unique species to evolve,” she says, “In fact, the two different Kribbella species we discovered were taken from two sites very close to each other; this shows that even small changes in the micro-environment can lead bacteria to evolve separately.” The two new species have been named Kribbella catacumbae and Kribbella sancticallisti.

Science Daily reports on the new bacteria species found in the Roman catacombs.

Pink Granite Statue of Ramsses II Unearthed Near Cairo

Archaeologists have uncovered the head of a pink granite statue of one of Egypt’s most famous pharaohs: Ramesses II, who ruled for more than 60 years, from 1279 B.C. to 1213 B.C. The find was made in Tel Basta, the ancient Egyptian capital in the Nile Delta, about 50 miles north of Cairo. While the nose and the characteristic beard were missing, the statue is identical to the many others that have been discovered of the long-reigning Egyptian ruler. The statue head measures about 30 inches high, and archaeologists are hopeful of finding the remaining fragments during further excavations of the area.

The Telegraph reports on the discovery of a statue of Ramesses II.

Piece by Piece, the Parthenon Comes Home

In a gesture undoubtedly designed to inspire the British to do the same, Italian president Giorgio Napolitano presented Greek authorities on Tuesday with a small fragment of what has become known to the world as the Elgin Marbles. The sculptures in question are named for the Scottish diplomat, Lord Elgin, who removed large portions of the Parthenon frieze to decorate his manor home in the U.K. in the early 19th century. The majority of the sculptures are now permanently on display at the British Museum despite Greece’s repeated requests for their return. The piece returned to Greece on Tuesday by the Italians was a small fragment depicting the foot of the goddess Artemis, a piece that had been given by Elgin to a friend in Sicily on his way back to London and which has been on display in a museum in Palermo for the last 200 years.

The 2,500-year-old Parthenon, a temple dedicated to Athena that is the crowning glory of the Acropolis in Athens, has suffered serious damage in the last several hundred years. It was heavily damaged in 1687 in a siege of the Acropolis by the Venetian army during the Ottoman occupation of Greece. Today, the heavy pollution of Athens continues to negatively impact the ancient monument. Because of this, many argue that the Elgin Marbles are much safer in the protected environment of the British Museum, which so far shows no signs of being willing to return the sculptures. Germany gave a fragment back to Greece two years ago, and the Vatican is reportedly poised to follow suit with two fragments currently in its possession.

CBS News reports on the return of a fragment of the Parthenon’s frieze.