Tuesday, August 03, 2004

Sorry about the lateness of blogging. But you know, better late than never. Much more tomorrow though.

Slave archaeology update Archaeologist Embarks On Hi-Tech Search for Slave Ship

THE latest technology, the testimony of elderly residents and archived documents are being used by a maritime archaeologist to locate the wreck of a Dutch ship believed to have run aground in a river mouth in Struisbaai, off the Cape south coast, in 1766.

Jaco Boshoff, a maritime archaeologist for Cape Town's Iziko museums, and his team are searching for the wreck of Die Meermin, which sank while on a voyage back to the Cape, after collecting 140 slaves from Madagascar's west coast.


Amateur archaeologists flock to Indian village's trash

From as far away as Georgia and Arizona, amateur archaeologists have gathered in the woods of Page County for the thrill of unearthing a piece of pottery or a carved deer bone.

Under the guidance of professionals with the U.S. Forest Service, the group is scraping aside dirt at a 16th-century American Indian settlement, searching for remnants of the civilization.

Researchers think the site could be one of the most important in the state, partly because it bears clues about the first Indian contact with Europeans.


"This. . . .is BNN Bulgarian Archaeologists Find 3,000 Year-old Pictograms, Say May Be Thracian Script

Archaeologists exploring remains of a Bronze Age fortress in southern Bulgaria said Tuesday they found traces of primitive scripture supposed to have been used by Thracian tribes that once lived in that area.

The pictograms, painted on 3, 000 year-old ceramic utensils, were found near the ancient Perperikon fortress, some 300 kilometers (186 miles) southeast of Sofia, archaeological team leader Nikolay Ovcharov told state TV.

He said the discovery could back a still unconfirmed hypothesis that the Thracians, had a script of their own.

The Thracians lived in the Balkans between 4000 B.C. and the seventh century A.D. before being absorbed by invading Slavs.


THat's the whole thing. Kind of interesting though we're at a loss to describe the total significance of it. Apart from having a new scropt, of course.

We admit we never heard of him before Calvin professor known as global scholar, archaeologist

Whether hiding from a hail of bullets, being evacuated from civil wars or having a precious cargo of research sink into the Atlantic Ocean, Bastiaan Van Elderen gladly faced the risks of digging into the biblical past.

The longtime Calvin Theological Seminary professor conducted archaeological digs amid strife in the Middle East, and conveyed his love of biblical scholarship to generations of seminarians.

"He had such a passion for teaching," said Anita Eerdmans, Mr. Van Elderen's daughter. "Anytime he had the opportunity to share what he knew with other people, it made him really happy."

Mr. Van Elderen died suddenly at his Grand Rapids home Sunday. Mr. Van Elderen, 79, suffered a heart attack after a lengthy battle with cancer.


All those bullets and stuff make our field stories of having the occasional intestinal bug a bit bland. On the other hand, we've never lost tons of notes either.

The arrowhead is obviously the coolest ARCHAEOLOGISTS DIG UP MEDIEVAL ARROW HEAD AT BATTLE ABBEY

Archaeologists working at Battle Abbey in East Sussex have made a series of discoveries that shed new light on the history of the ancient building and its grounds.

The works, taking place ahead of an extension of Battle Abbey School’s classroom facilities, have revealed the remains of a medieval monastery, a Victorian fountain and a medieval arrowhead.

Discovered by experts from Archaeology South East, the finds have now been recorded and analysed and are already extending our knowledge of a well-known site.

"We are delighted to have discovered more of the abbey’s history during the course of this project," said Paul Roberts, English Heritage Inspector of Ancient Monuments. "It makes one wonder how much more awaits discovery."