For many of us Egyptology enthusiasts we are often intrigued by the normalcies of architecture and pharaohs, and by normal I mean the most widely talked about subjects which make us love everything about ancient Egypt. However, there is life outside of Howard Carter and Zahi Hawass, even though we all have so much respect for both of these gentlemen. My knowledge of Egypt was very watered down prior to my Life and Death in Ancient Egypt class this past semester. I certainly have gained a mush greater respect for those men we rarely speak of, Gustave Jéquier being one of them.

Gustave Jéquier was born in 1868 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Jéquier began his career as an Egyptologist under the direction of Gaston Maspero and Jacques de Morgan. His primary focus was on the Predynastic Period, which runs from the earliest human occupation of Egypt to the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period of Egypt, starting with King Menes. Egyptian and temple architecture captivated Jéquier, therefore he focused his attention on the Old and Middle Kingdom pyramids. He later published several books on temple architecture.

Gustave Jéquier participated in major excavations sponsored by the Supreme Council of Antiquities including southern cemeteries of Saqqara, Aba, Dahshur, Lisht, and Mazghuna. In 1901, he joined Jacques de Morgan’s Susa expedition, which led to the discovery of the famous Code of Hammurabi. Hammurabi was the sixth king of Babylonia and he created 282 laws to regulate people’s actions and relationships including work, marriage, crime, land ownership, and sex. One of his most recognizable scaled punishments was “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”, which of course depended upon social status. In 1928, consequently, he discovered the Mastabat Faraoun of Shepseskaf.

Gustave Jéquier worked on the Pyramid Texts, which are dated to the Old Kingdom and believed to be the oldest evidence of religious works in the world. His work with the Texts provided scholars with a better understanding of religion at that time. Gustave Jéquier was also the first Egyptologist to excavate the pyramid complex of Pepi II between 1926 and 1936. Pepi II was pharaoh of the Sixth dynasty in Egypt’s Old Kingdom. Jéquier was also the first excavator who found remains from the tomb reliefs, and the first to publish a thorough excavation report on the complex.

Additionally, Jéquier found several food cases within the enclosure wall of Queen Oudjebten’s pyramid complex at South Saqqara, which he dated to the last third reign of Pepi II. This means the food cases were dated to the last year they were used.

Gustave Jéquier died in 1946, but not without leaving an incurable legacy of discoveries.

Photo

© Une mission en Perse, Paris 1997 p. 128.

Ancient Digger Archaeology

Imagine, my first video making experience in IMovie is centered around erotic art in Pompeii. I created the project for a Sex and Antiquity class and my goal was to share a side to Pompeii that many people mention in passing, but very few like to talk about the details openly.

This mini documentary is a culmination of sexual artifacts kept in the secret room in the Naples National Archaeological Museum, as well as an explanation of eros and ancient sexual practices.

Warning: This movie contains explicit sexual materials and artifacts.

Music

Mary Gunderson

Photos

Mary Harrsch
Wikipedia
The Golden Rule
The Naples Archaeological Museum
scruff monkey (flickr.com/photos/cathalm/)

Documentation

Sacred Texts
Colonel Fanin. The Secret Erotic Paintings: Pictures and Descriptions of Classical Erotic

Ancient Digger Archaeology

A massive block of limestone in France contains what scientists believe are the earliest known engravings of wall art dating back some 37,000 years, according to a study published Monday. The 1.5-metric-ton ceiling piece was first discovered in 2007 at Abri Castanet, a well known archaeological site in southwestern France that holds some of the earliest forms of artwork, beads and pierced shells.

Like a real life Indiana Jones, William Breece, the archaeology instructor at Orange Coast College, spends his time excavating prehistoric artifacts and teaching anthropology and archaeology. “Indiana Jones is no comparison to me,” Breece said. “But he has made archaeology popular.”

Archaeology and Museums Director Dr Shah Nazar Khan talked about the excavation and preservation work at various sites in the province, including Jinnah Wali Dheri, Hunad, Jamal Garhi, Aziz Dheri, Takht Bhai and Jehanabad Buddha statue and Amluk Darra stupa in Swat.

The Lost City Museum will host a free Kids Archaeology Day from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 19. Budding archeologists are invited to learn the process of archaeology by participating in a mock excavation and learning to analyze the artifacts they find. Students will learn about phases of an archaeological investigation from a professional archaeologist in a hands-on way, from the excavation to the analysis phase. Space is limited to 16 children ages 7 to 13, so early sign-up is suggested. For more information or to sign up, please call the museum at (702) 397-2193.

A few years ago scientists reported large quantities of sulphur and iron compounds in the salvaged 17th century warship Vasa, resulting in the development of sulphuric acid and acidic salt precipitates on the surface of the hull and loose wooden objects.

On the cliffs of Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains, Nancy Beavan of the University of Otago is investigating the burials of an unnamed culture. The burials consist of log coffins and jars of human bones dating to between 1395 and 1650 A.D. that were left on dangerous ledges. She thinks the bones were placed on the ledges using systems of ropes and bamboo baskets after the bodies had been exposed and the bones de-fleshed.

Ancient Digger Archaeology

This is not another metaphysically inspired adventure saga, based on The Lost Worlds of Ancient America. This book is meant to challenge your prior knowledge of the past; especially where academia based in faith is concerned. The author Frank Joseph urges readers to use their scientific mind to evaluate the information objectively, as this approach, as Joseph describes, is missing from Orthodox scholarship.

When I read books I always look for an angle, and needless to say, one always exists. This book is different. There’s a lesson to be learned, not just from the ancient artifacts that have turned up in the most unforeseen places, but in the presentation. It was Joseph’s intention and his hope that The Lost Worlds of the Ancient America would be…….

 “a catalyst for a new kind of research, free from the narrow-mindedness an academic mind-set that have so far hobbled the healthy growth of archaeology in our country.”

I’m not going to give you longwinded synopsis on the examinations of these ancient worlds, but I will wet your appetite a bit and tell you that you will be surprised. As many of you already know, I will be making my way to Tennessee this summer to teach. Imagine my surprise and delight to hear that the history we associate most with Tennessee, that being the Civil Rights movement is missing a few links. Imagine this movement being tied to a 1st century AD stone discovered in 1889. The Bat Creek Stone was discovered in an undisturbed grave mound and it was initially believed to contain Phoenician characters instead of Paleo-Indian. It gets even better. It is now believed that the characters carved in the stone were written in Hebrew.

At this point I was scratching my head. How did a 1st century stone, written in Hebrew, makes its way into the Americas, and who did it really belong to? Who wrote it and why? Archaeologists Mainfort and Kwas, who initially contested the Hebrew inscription, later conceded that is was Hebrew but the Freemasons carved the characters. For those of you Freemason and Knight’s Templar enthusiasts like myself you’ll agree that both “secret orders”, if you want to call them that, had a connection financially to the Jews. Mainfort and Kwas’ judgment is not without merit in my opinion. This is but one story from The Lost Worlds of the Ancient America and it certainly challenged everything I knew, and studied, about American Jews and when they arrived here.

No matter if you’re reading about a Minoan Pendant discovered in Ohio to Anasazi Chocolate, this book will present some of the most surprising and compelling evidence of ancient cultures and advanced technologies that rival even days most complicated of machinery. When I mention evidence I do not mean that the author is trying to sway your opinion in an entirely new direction. Frank Joseph is attempting to give you the tools to have a new perspective, as opposed to basing everything you know, and seem to believe, about a particular subject on the censored history books you’ve previously read in school.

The Lost Worlds of the Ancient America is an easy read, it’s descriptive, simple in its scientific terminology, and there is just the right amount of visuals to spark your interest. It was a pleasure learning something entirely new, and trust me, with my head buried in archaeology and anthropology books for the past couple of years, it’s a pleasant surprise to read about a subject, which has been presented in an entirely new light.

Ancient Digger Archaeology

Archaeologists have been able to reconstruct the daily lives of prehistoric societies using trade patterns and evidence of agricultural processes. Trading towns dating back to nearly 1400 B.C. have been discovered in the Mississippi region, close to the river. Similar settlements dating back to 700 B.C. have also been discovered in the Ohio region, highlighting the variation in lifestyle that people embraced at such a time.

United States prehistory
offers up a distinct perspective on complex societies and a diversity of traditions. Civilizations existed in all parts of the region, and adapted miraculously in all kinds of conditions. The cultures found in US prehistory, while overshadowed by many Old and New World cultures, certainly deserve more attention and research.  

Biography
Adam Canady owns apushistorynotes.org, a site which offers AP US history notes, timelines and study guides. To contact the site, visit www.apushistorynotes.org

Picture Source
© Greg Harlin. Sources: Bill Iseminger and Mark Esarey, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site; John Kelly, Washington University in St. Louis

Ancient Digger Archaeology

The Third Chinese Horse is located in the Axial Gallery on the right wall and is included with the Panel of Chinese Horses. The panel is located to the right of the Panel of the Falling Cow and The Red Panel. There are three Chinese Horses in total, one red cow facing left with the First Chinese Horse posterior to its rump, and another red cow appears to be upside down, located overhead the Third and Second Chinese Horses. Oddly, the Black Stag, which appears to be a reindeer, seems out of place with its curling antlers and coloration. There are also eleven dots below the finished stag, which are clearly some type of ideogram. There are twelve months in a year, but on the eleventh month, some type of ceremony or hunt must have taken place.

The Axial Gallery is inaccessible to individuals unless they know exactly where particular panels are located. The people who created the panel on the right wall must have realized this, which indicates that the scene was meant to represent a religious ceremony or a type of hunting magic. The horse is nestled behind another prehistoric equine and they are both facing the right direction. A red cow is facing left and appears to be in stride, as well as the Black Stag, that appears to be trotting. All the animals depicted in this panel have several characteristics in common. They are all quadrupeds, mammals with hooves, vegetarian, and they all require a certain amount of speed to escape predators, with the exception of the cow. The red cow is an interesting addition to this panel. Indians considered the red cow to be sacred and historically used its excrements for ritual purification. This is similar to the Hebrew Bible, which describes the ashes of a “red heifer” being used for purification (Hebrew Bible Num. 19:2). This animal may have been used in the same context during the Paleolithic.

The Third Chinese Horse does exhibit some remarkable contours as far as coloration and muscle exposure. There are thick yellow and black stripes, which reach from the back to the withers. There is also a dark coloration from the loins to the stifle and some spotting on the thighs, rump, and gaskin. This is not typical of the breed standard rumored to exist over 17,000 years ago, however DNA evidence is now suggesting otherwise. Several professors from the University of York have analyzed horse remains from several species originating in Europe and Asia. The gene that codes for the spotted horse was present over 35,000 years ago. Furthermore, the colors we see in Lascaux including the black and bay colors are clearly representative of the prehistoric species that existed during the completion of these paintings (Swift, 2011). The Third Chinese Horse is a realistic portrayal of the spotted equine during the Paleolithic period but there are some proportions on the spotted equine that are represented abstractly, or rather inaccurately, including the barrel. The barrel of a spotted horse tapers off near the elbow of the horse, and in the Lascaux cave depiction the barrel is tapered near the stifle. Every spotted horse is different of course, but anatomically this is how spotted horses appear today, and most likely appeared during the Paleolithic.

Moreover, the tail is decoratively braided high on the croup and there appears to be a tail bandage located posterior to the mid-thigh, leading me to believe this may have been an Arabian or Stallion. These horse breeds typically have tails, which reach higher on the croup, thus allowing for more flexibility in hairstyles and decorations, so the bandage makes sense in that aspect. The Romans, Greeks, and Native Americans applied tail bandages on long trips and during cavalry wars to prevent the tail from snagging on weapons. It also allowed the horse to stay cool on long marches during the hotter months.

The Third Chinese Horse is facing in the right direction. Its ears are pointed in one direction and its tail is down. This is extremely significant behavior. Horse’s ears always point in the direction in which they are paying attention to. It is not unusual for a horse to have one ear facing back and one facing forwards because their eyes allow them to look in two different locals. The Third Chinese Horse in looking forward and appears to be escaping an attack. There are two feathered arrows painted on the wall, only a few inches away from plunging into the animal. Consequently, it could represent a horse being used to trample another animal during a hunting party. We see this with Native Americans during Buffalo hunts, yet the horses do have riders, and they are more so used to coral the buffalo. The Chinese Horse is clearly a representation of power over another species using agility and intelligence.

The Upper Paleolithic peoples who painted in the Lascaux cave had a common ideology about hunting magic or religion. The culture was engrossed in ritual symbolism, and by creating some of these symbolic images, they believed that what they drew on the walls was the result of their endeavors, and not what they hoped would happen. It was a prediction in a sense, made true by writing it down and drawing it out. At Altamira in Spain, the bulls are strategically painted on the contours of the wall, making it seem like the bulls are alive. We see these parallels in artistic expression in The Great Hall of Bulls at Lascaux. The idea behind this, and the reason why only some Upper Paleolithic peoples painted on cave walls, is because there was a shared culture between them. This act of expression may not have permeated to other cultures, and if it did, their shared knowledge allowed them to produce artwork using different materials. This artwork may or may not have survived, which explains why we do not have archaeological evidence to prove geographical diffusion of particular styles of art.

It is clear to me, after viewing the cave art in Lascaux that people during the Upper Paleolithic moved about and spread out over the geographical landscape in caves, outside shelters, as well as open-air camps. The environment was exploited in various ways during the Upper Paleolithic because the amount of resources available to some cultures was vast. We find many examples of cave paintings in both France and Spain because the Upper Paleolithic people who made them chose to go underground, possibly to make them inaccessible to others. In China, Europe, and Africa, the paintings may have just disappeared, especially if they were susceptible to earth’s elements. Moreover, other cultures may have been invested more time in portable art, which has yet to be discovered.
 

Take a virtual tour of Lascaux cave

Ancient Digger Archaeology

I soon learnt the true history and purpose of Stonehenge. These ruins (which themselves are awe inspiring) are the remains of a circle of upright stones that was constructed anywhere from 3000 BC to 2000 BC. The stones were aligned almost perfectly with the sunrise on the summer solstice and it is almost certain that Stonehenge was built as a sacred place of worship. It is thought that the Neolithic people of Britain began this massive undertaking by using deer antlers as picks to dig a circular ditch. The diameter of the circle is 320 feet (97.5 meters) and the ditch itself is 20 feet (6m) wide and 7 feet (2.1m) deep. Even though Stonehenge has been the focus of archaeological investigations since the 17th century still more is being discovered about it even today. In 2011 using the latest geophysical imaging techniques two previously undiscovered pits were found which suggest that the site was already being used as an ancient place of ritual before Stonehenge was constructed which is more than 5,000 years ago.

For me Stonehenge symbolises so much about the human journey to find knowledge and self-understanding. A journey of championing ignorance and superstition through discovering the workings of our world and mastering our intellect. We have travelled so far and yet we are so fortunate to have such a rich archeological history to allow us to stay connected to our origins and the marvel of the natural world. I still remember driving away from Stonehenge and not taking my eyes off it until I could no longer see it. I remember that feeling of absolute awe and enchantment and even though as an adult I have a first principle understanding of what is god places like Stonehenge will always inspire that primal awe and wonder in children and adults alike – thank god!

Author Bio: Fran splits her time between work, travel and giving back to the internet through numerous article pages. She enjoys discovering our world and the ceaseless journey of ideas. Fran finds herself increasingly reading biologist Jeremy Griffith’s ideas presented at World Transformation which contains rational, biological explanations to the deeper questions.

Ancient Digger Archaeology

Devil’s Lair 

This single-chamber cave located in Western Australia is one of earliest sites of human occupation on the continent. This site is a large limestone cave first excavated by Charles Dortch in the 1970s. While there have been only a few artifacts actually recovered from the layers, the site has been an unusually rich source of information on prehistoric cultural and natural history in Western Australia. It is this site that has given archaeologists some of the biggest insights into the timing and character of the first human colonizers of Australia. Some artifacts uncovered from the site include three ground bone beads and a perforated stone object believed to be a pendant. These two items indicate early signs of human ornamentation. They are significant in demonstrating some of the earliest evidence of symbolic behavior in Australia and communicating the symbolic capacities of humans in general.

Lake Mungo Remains

The Lake Mungo remains consist of three separate sets of fossils found in the Willandra Lakes Region of New South Wales, Australia. These remains are referred to as Lake Mungo 1 (Mungo Lady), Lake Mungo 2 (LM2), and Lake Mungo 3 (Mungo Man). Discovered in 1969 by Jim Bowler, the Mungo Lady remains are not well preserved, but do hold special significance to the archaeological world. These early human inhabitant remains are some of the oldest anatomically modern human remains to be found in Australia and are the oldest evidence of ceremonial burial and cremation in ancient human societies in the world. The Mungo Lake remains are found in a vast, dry lake region, providing numerous sources of archaeological evidence for early human habitation. Excavating stone tools and objects dating back before the last ice age, this region is one of the most significant archaeological sites in the entire Australian continent.

Sunbury Earth Rings 

Located on hills near Sunbury, Victoria, the Sunbury Earth Rings are prehistoric aboriginal sites first investigated in the early 1970s. The site consists of five separate “rings” created by scraping off grass and topsoil and then piling it in a circular ridge around the outside of the rings. The rings very somewhat in size (from 10 to 25 meters diameter) and are all placed on gently sloping hills. The rings were first excavated in the early 1970s by archaeologist Dr. David Frankel. He excavated one of the rings to try to determine its origin, revealing the remains of two stone cairns and several sharp stone knives. Archaeologists believe that these rings represent aboriginal ceremonial sites where ritual scarification or circumcision ceremonies took place. Some evidence suggests that these sites are over 1000 years old. While the rings hold archaeological and historical significance to the early aboriginal inhabitants of Australia, modern development has encroached on the sites significantly.

Author Bio:
Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online colleges, online degrees etc. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

Ancient Digger Archaeology

Scientists studying 1,600-year-old cotton from the banks of the Nile have found what they believe is the first evidence that punctuated evolution has occurred in a major crop group within the relatively short history of plant domestication.

An international team led by the University of Toronto and Hebrew University has identified the earliest known evidence of the use of fire by human ancestors. Microscopic traces of wood ash, alongside animal bones and stone tools, were found in a layer dated to one million years ago at the Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa.

An ancient Greek statue confiscated last month from suspected smugglers and described as «priceless» is actually a fake, a culture ministry source said on Tuesday.

Two decorated covers of coffins that once contained mummies have been seized by Israeli authorities, authenticated and dated to thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt.

The fighting in northern Mali could damage the World Heritage Site of Timbuktu, the UN’s cultural agency Unesco has warned.

Further scientific investigation is needed to determine the age of a Neolithic skeleton recently found on Liang Island located some 200 miles west of Taiwan, according to the Council for Cultural Affairs April 2.

Tens of thousands of the indigenous Aboriginal rock art, which are scattered over the mineral-laden region, will be researched and catalogued under a six-year agreement between the University of Western Australia and miner Rio Tinto.

Ancient Digger Archaeology

Some of the most interesting archaeological sites I studied in Archaeology Theory and Method last semester was that of the Pueblos. The Pueblos constructed some of the most fascinating and complex building structures in history in my opinion.

The buildings were typically constructed out of stone walls and clay mortar with wooden support beams. Many pueblos were multi-level, forcing the residents to ladders to reach the roofs where they could then enter the rooms through the ceilings.

Allison Bard from Traveling Bard is lucky enough to have direct access to this ancient world of multilevel homes and outbuildings. She recently took a self guided tour within Wupatki National Monument – roughly 30 miles outside of the city – which allows you to visit five prehistoric pueblos that are some of the finest preserved in the world.

Enjoy Ride the Road to Ruins from our friend Allison Carlton

Ancient Digger Archaeology