Italy Archives - Page 6 of 35

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

“Researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) and Ariel University have developed an artificial intelligence model that can automatically translate Akkadian text written in cuneiform into English.”

A 2nd-century AD statue of Buddha discovered in the Egyptian port city of Berenike is helping scholars to understand ancient trade routes between India and Rome.

“Anemia was found to be common amongst children in ancient Egypt, following analyzation of child mummies found in different museums in Europe.”

The Greek Reporter has an update on excavations at Smyrna (Izmir).

Turkish Archaeological News has a roundup of stories for the month of April.

“Crete is showcasing its rich ancient history with three new archeological museums at Messara, Agios Nikolaos and Archanes.”

“An ancient Greek settlement dating back 2,500 years was discovered beneath Naples, Italy by using cosmic rays and lasers.”

“A meticulously reconstructed Pompeii bridal chariot that eluded the ancient city’s modern-day looters is a star of an ambitious new exhibition in Rome.”

“The Colosseum [in Rome] was built to commemorate the sacking and destruction of Jerusalem, and was funded by loot stolen from the ancient Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.”

Tourists will soon be able to travel to Pompeii via a high-speed train from Rome.

“In the Roman world, although the rule of the sea was a complicated matter, and the sea itself appeared as an uncivilised, untamed wilderness, Roman law was able to provide practical solutions to deal with real-life sea problems.”

In response to controversy over Netflix’s upcoming documentary series on Cleopatra, Egypt’s leading media production company is planning to create its own documentary.

New release: The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: Science, Engineering and Technology, by Michael Denis Higgins (Oxford Academic, 360 pages, $35; Amazon)

New release: Ancient Persia and the Book of Esther: Achaemenid Court Culture in the Hebrew Bible, by Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (Bloomsbury, 280 pages, $31; Amazon)

New exhibit at The British Museum: “Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece.” May 4 to August 13.

I’ll be traveling for the coming weeks, so there will not be another roundup until June. I hope to be able to post a book review or other update in the meantime.

HT: Ted Weis, Explorator, Arne Halbakken, Keith Keyser, Explorator

Tagged Discoveries, Egypt, Italy, Mediterranean Islands, New Exhibits, Technology, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

“Archaeologists in Southern Italy uncovered a trove of historical treasures in a temple in the ancient city of Paestum. The treasures include a statue of the Greek god of love Eros, Terracotta bull heads and dolphin statues.”

Art & Object reports on excavation work around the Colosseum.

“A team of marine archaeologists working off the coast of Italy has identified a submerged Nabatean temple dating to the early first century CE.”

“Ancient Babylonian treasures, painstakingly unearthed, are slowly disappearing again under wind-blown sand in a land parched by rising heat and prolonged droughts.”

Eckart Frahm is guest on The Ancients podcast to discuss the “Rise of the Assyrians.”

David Moster found a Babylonian Kudurru at Goodwill and made a video about it.

Tom Davis discusses Pauline archaeology on the latest episode of Biblical World.

New release: Ramesses II, Egypt’s Ultimate Pharaoh, by Peter Brand (Lockwood Press, 575 pages, $40)

New from Eisenbrauns: The Royal Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal (668–631 BC), Aššur-etel-ilāni (630–627 BC), and Sîn-šarra-iškun (626–612 BC), Kings of Assyria, Part 2, by Joshua Jeffers and Jamie Novotny. Price reduced to $91 with code NR23.

The latest BAS OnSite video tours Petra, with BAR editor Glenn Corbett as guide.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Keith Keyser, Alexander Schick, Explorator

Tagged Discoveries, Egypt, Italy, Jordan, Mediterranean Islands, Mesopotamia, Resources, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

Archaeologists have discovered the oldest pearling town on an island in the Persian Gulf.

Writing for Christianity Today, Mark Wilson recounts the history of Antioch on the Orontes, including its significant place in the early church and the numerous earthquakes it has suffered.

Jason Borges provides some essential information for visiting Antalya, a beautiful city on the southern coast of Turkey. I would add a day-trip recommendation for Termessos.

This 10-minute video explains the ancient craft of parchment-making, in the city which gave its name to parchment (Pergamum).

“The coveted metal copper and a sheltered location turned the Cypriot village of Hala Sultan Tekke into one of the most important trade hubs of the Late Bronze Age.”

“The exhibition ‘The colours of the Romans. Mosaics from the Capitoline Collections,’ on show in Rome’s Montemartini Museum, has been expanded to include a new section presenting 16 newly restored works dating from the late Roman period and never before shown in public.”

Entrance to the Pantheon in Rome will no longer be free.

The most expensive coin ever sold at auction was sold using false provenance and the owner of the auction house has been arrested.

“Governments, law enforcement officials and researchers have linked a mounting number of the Met’s relics to looters and traffickers.”

New release: The Public Lives of Ancient Women (500 BCE-650 CE), edited by Lucinda Dirven, Martijn Icks, and Sofie Remijsen (Brill, $143).

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Explorator

Tagged Antiquities Trade, Italy, Mediterranean Islands, New Exhibits, Persia, Resources, Tourism, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

The Gaziantep Castle, first built in the Roman period and expanded in the Byzantine period, was severely damaged in Turkey’s earthquake (before and after). The citadel of Aleppo also sustained significant damage. The epicenter appears to have been on the northern end of the Syro-African Rift (that includes the Sea of Galilee and Dead Sea).

Antioch on the Orontes, modern Antakya, was devastated. This article has many photos. The Turkish authorities announced that “the earthquakes did not cause any damage to the Kahramanmaraş, Elbistan, Adıyaman, and Malatya museums, but that a part of the Hatay Archeology Museum [in Antakya] was damaged.” The Antioch Seminar on Paul and Peter will be postponed until 2024.

Sarah Kaplan investigates possible causes for the collapse of the Hittite empire.

Turkish Archaeological News has a roundup of archaeological stories in the month of January.

“An amateur archaeologist in Romania has discovered a unique ancient Roman parade mask.”

The ancient stadium at Nemea has reopened to visitors.

On the ASOR Blog, Robin Derricourt writes about “Absences, Archaeology, and the Early History of Monotheistic Religions in the Near East.”

New from Oxford University Press: Ancient Greek Athletics: Primary Sources in Translation, by Charles H. Stocking and Susan A. Stephens. Reviewed here.

“Ancient Roman ruins at Pompeii have been fitted with invisible solar panels, in a move that will contribute to the archaeological site’s sustainability efforts and cut costs.” CNN has photos of the solar panels that look like terracotta tiles.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Explorator

Tagged Discoveries, Italy, Resources, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Bryan Windle highlights the top three reports in biblical archaeology in January 2023.

Expedition Bible’s latest video considers whether the archaeological evidence supports the authenticity of the traditional tomb of Lazarus in Bethany.

Carl Rasmussen shares some musings from his recent tour of Israel.

In preparing a map for the Bible Mapper Blog, David Barrett identified the hill of Ammah in the pool of Gibeon story (2 Sam 2) with el-Qubeiba, which has also been identified as the Emmaus of Luke 24.

Antiquities police caught a couple of thieves at the bottom of a pit, after they had already caused irreversible damage to a 1st-century winepress in western Galilee.

Antiquities thieves who had discovered an ancient sarcophagus at the site of Samaria were caught by authorities.

Aren Maeir has collected a number of videos where he discusses the Philistines and his excavations of the city of Gath.

The Israel Antiquities Authority has begun moving into its new home at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of the Land of Israel in Jerusalem.

The Great Isaiah Scroll arrived at what is now known as the Albright Institute on February 19, 1948. To celebrate the 75th anniversary, Marcello Fidanzio will be lecturing on Qumran Cave 1 and the Great Isaiah Scroll on February 21 at the Israel Museum.

“The Tel Shimron Experience is a 5-day, 6-night archaeological excursion in Israel where you will have the opportunity to participate in a real archaeological dig.” The price is similar to a 3-week half-season, so you are effectively paying for the privilege of a shorter commitment.

A heygo tour of “The Colosseum Inside” is planned for tomorrow morning.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Explorator

Tagged Antiquities Trade, Discoveries, Excavations, Galilee, Italy, Jerusalem, Lectures, Philistines, Samaria, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

Archaeologists working in Egypt found the body of a child buried together with 142 dogs, most of them puppies who apparently died in a flood.

A copy of the Book of the Dead was recently discovered in Egypt.

“Archaeologists have uncovered a 4,300-year-old mummy wrapped entirely in gold near the Step Pyramids – and it could be the oldest ever found.”

“A 2,300-year-old mummy that was originally found in 1916 but left unexamined, recently underwent CT scans whereby scientists found him wearing 49 ritually-significant amulets and sandals.”

“Egyptian archaeologists announced Wednesday the discovery of the first burial site in the city of Luxor that dates back to the ancient Egyptian 13th Dynasty.” They also discovered a Roman city located near the Luxor Temple.

“Egypt has completed the restoration of 37 columns as part of the Karnak Temples’ Great Hypostyle Hall restoration project.”

Egyptian archaeologists are now engaged in 50 archaeological excavations around the country. This is a shift from previous reliance on foreign expeditions.

Egyptian archaeologist and filmmaker Ramy Romany discusses his fascinating life in an interview with Jordan Harbinger.

The Glyptotek Museum in Copenhagen is showing a special exhibition entitled “Amarna – City of the Sun God” from January 26 to June 18.

An 11-minute video explains why Tyrian purple dye is so hard to make and so expensive.

Valerie Abrahamsen looks at how the worship of the Egyptian god Isis influenced the veneration of Mary in the early Christian eras.

Catherine E. Pratt considers the centrality of oil and wine to the people of Greece through the ages.

Efforts to uncover the so-called “first mile” of the Appian Way in Rome have been thwarted by a powerful flow of groundwater. The entire length of the Appian Way is a candidate to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“A sword in Chicago’s Field Museum that was previously thought to be a replica has been revealed to be an actual Bronze Age sword from between 1080 and 900 B.C.”

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis, Explorator

Tagged Discoveries, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Museums, New Exhibits, Technology, Weekend Roundup