#public archaeology
Ukrainian soldiers find ancient amphorae whilst digging defences
“The discovery was made whilst digging ditches and defences to protect Odesa, the third most populous city in Ukraine and a major seaport/transport hub on the Ukraine’s southern coast. The amphorae date from around the 3rd to 4th century AD, during which time Odesa was a Roman settlement known as Odessus that developed from a Greek colony.”
Archaeologists Unearth 3,000-Year-Old Giant Statues in Sardinian Necropolis
““The faces of the giants of Mont’e Prama have become so well-known and celebrated,” writes Mulas, ”that, for many, they have come to replace the nuraghi buildings themselves as the symbol of the island’s ancient past.””
“Terrace was established by Chinese railroad workers in 1869, when construction crews were racing to connect the eastward and westward tracks of the railroad 70 miles from here at Promontory Summit. Eventually, simple wood structures rose on both sides of Main Street, housing hotels, clothing stores, restaurants, railroad machine shops, even a 1,000-volume library specializing in science, history and travel literature. Because water was scarce, engineers constructed an aqueduct from hollowed-out timber, funneling water from mountain springs that were miles away. At its peak, the town was home to some 500 residents, and it welcomed hundreds more each year, mostly rail and wagon-train travelers.
In 1903, Terrace burned in a fire, and after the railroad was rerouted 50 miles south—straight across the Great Salt Lake—the following year, the town was abandoned. But researchers have returned, seeing the ghost town as an ideal site to learn not only about the workings of a remote railroad town but especially about the immigrant community that thrived here.”
*CW: Mentions of racially-motivated violence.
Mysterious giant stone jars found in India
“Similar jars, some of which span up to three metres high and two metres wide, have previously been uncovered in Laos and Indonesia.”
City of Boston Archaeology Program Goes Digital
“In order to make our collections accessible online, they needed to be in digital format. So what does it take to digitize an archaeological collection? We had to sort, rehouse, digitally catalog, and digitally photograph over 213,000 artifacts.”
Experiments show why early humans began adding handles to tools
“The work by the researchers entailed enlisting the assistance of 24 male and 16 female adult volunteers to conduct early human type activities using both hafted and unhafted tools—each was fitted with a suit holding sensors that measured motion, muscle contractions, oxygen consumption and the speed at which tools were moving through the air.”
App State archaeological research in Linville Gorge Wilderness area
“Gokee said the project is an “incredible opportunity for our students to cultivate key practical skills for archaeology,” citing field methods for discovering and documenting sites, methods for identifying and studying artifacts, and practical experience in working with partners in the U.S. Forest Service and in writing technical reports and grant proposals.”
First Baptist Church descendants opt to open 3 graves to find out more about those buried
“With the descendants’ approval, the foundation hopes to further understand the race, age and gender of those buried. The foundation’s archaeology team has found 33 human burials on the grounds, said Jack Gary, the foundation’s director of archaeology.”
Capturing the heritage of the International Space Station before it crashes into the ocean
“"This might be the beginning of different kinds of archaeology that we could see in the future,” Gorman said.“
