Proyecto Arqueológico 'Entorno Jamila' (Ciudad Real)

Proyecto Arqueológico 'Entorno Jamila' (Ciudad Real)

El Proyecto Arqueológico 'Entorno Jamila' en colaboración con el M.I. Ayuntamiento de Villanueva de los Infantes (Ciudad Real) pone en marcha una nueva campaña de excavación. En concreto, entre el 1 y el 22 de agosto de 2010 se intervendrá en el edificio columnado de Jamila con el fin de conocer las causas de la destrucción de esta estructura tan singular, así como se pretende poner en valor toda la columnata al dejarla, por primera vez, toda libre de derrumbes.
Jornadas teórico-practicas de Arqueología en el yacimiento de Jamila, un edificio columnado con fases prerromanas y medievales (ss. XIII-XIV).
Orientado especialmente a:
· Excavación arqueológica de los testigos de la zona columnada (relectura estratigráfica)
· Consolidación-Restauración de estructuras arqueológicas
· Dibujo Arqueológico
Durante la campaña se imparten nociones teóricas complementarias a la práctica arqueológica y acerca de los contextos relacionados con el yacimiento excavado.

Del 1 al 22 de agosto de 2010

Dirección: Pedro R. Moya Maleno (Universidad Complutense)

Restauración: Tina Velasco Rodríguez


Para más información: http://www.telefonica.net/web2/entornojamila/index.htm

Pasillo abierto hacia la tumba del faraón Seti I (Egipto)

Pasillo abierto hacia la tumba del faraón Seti I (Egipto)

Una misión de arqueólogos ha descubierto en el Valle de los Reyes, en la ciudad de Luxor, el último tramo de un pasillo subterráneo que conduce a la tumba del faraón Seti I, padre de Ramsés II y que reinó entre 1314 y 1304 antes de Cristo.
El Consejo Supremo de Antigüedades (CSA) anunció este miércoles en un comunicado que este hallazgo fue posible después de una búsqueda que se prolongó 200 años en esta zona de Luxor, a unos 600 kilómetros al sur de El Cairo.
Se trata de la primera vez en la que los arqueólogos consiguen descubrir totalmente un pasillo excavado en las rocas de hasta 174,5 metros de longitud y que lleva a una tumba de 98 metros de profundidad, según el secretario general del CSA, Zahi Hawas.
Dentro del pasillo, los arqueólogos encontraron piezas de cerámica que datan de la dinastía XVIII (1569-1315 a.C.), escaleras decoradas con inscripciones y la maqueta de un barco.
Durante las excavaciones, se localizó, además, otro pasillo de seis metros de longitud y cuya entrada lleva inscripciones que contienen las instrucciones que daba el arquitecto que lo diseñó a los obreros durante la construcción de este.
La construcción del primer pasillo principal fue suspendida con la muerte de Seti I, tras la cual Ramsés II, empezó a construir un túnel igual dentro de su propia tumba.
El pasillo que conduce a la tumba de Seti, ya descubierta, fue hallado en 1817 por el aventurero italiano Giovanni Belzoni, quien logró pasar por los primeros cien metros de este túnel.
Entre 1903 y 1908, el arqueólogo británico Howard Carter, quien descubrió la tumba de Tutankamón en 1922, restauró la entrada del pasillo, cuya excavación fue continuada a lo largo de los años hasta hoy.

Fuente: El Mundo: http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2010/06/30/cultura/1277891681.html

Dos yacimientos rupestres ubicados en Ávila, declarados Itinerario Cultural (Ávila)

Dos yacimientos rupestres ubicados en Ávila, declarados Itinerario Cultural (Ávila)

Los yacimientos rupestres del Risco de las Zorreras, en el anejo candeledano de El Raso, y la atalaya del Canto del Cuervo, en Muñopepe, ambos en la provincia de Ávila, han sido declarados Itinerario Cultural y Natural del Consejo de Europa e incluidos dentro de los Caminos de Arte Rupestre Prehistórico, según informó este martes la Delegación Territorial de la Junta de Castilla y León.
El proyecto se enmarca en la Asociación Internacional 'Caminos de Arte Rupestre Prehistórico', una entidad transnacional sin ánimo de lucro cuyo objetivo es promocionar y difundir los enclaves rupestres y dar a conocer las manifestaciones artísticas prehistóricas del ámbito meridional europeo.
Esta propuesta pretende conservar, conocer, difundir y facilitar la visita al legado cultural e histórico de los primeros pobladores prehistóricos del continente a través de una ruta supranacional.
Así, en el caso del Risco de las Zorreras, de El Raso, y la Atalaya del Canto del Cuervo, en Muñopepe, se reflejan pinturas rupestres de tipo esquemático cuya cronología estaría entre el IV y el II milenio antes de Cristo.
Estos dos enclaves han sido incluidos dentro de la ruta 'Caminos de Arte Rupestre Prehistórico', declarada Itinerario Cultural del Consejo de Europa, por la fácil accesibilidad y la inclusión dentro del yacimiento arqueológico más visitado de la provincia, el castro de El Freíllo, en el Raso, en el caso de Las Zorreras, y por la cercanía a un núcleo turístico importante como es Ávila, en el caso de la Atalaya del Canto del Cuervo.
Dentro de Castilla y León se han integrado en esta propuesta, que ayudará a intercambiar buenas prácticas en materia de valorización de la ruta, 14 elementos singulares con arte rupestre de diferentes etapas, que se suman a otros yacimientos del resto de España y de países como Francia, Portugal, Italia, Irlanda, Suecia y Noruega.
Con esta declaración, se reconoce que las primeras expresiones artísticas desarrolladas por el Homo Sapiens en cuevas, abrigos, afloramientos rocosos y estructuras megalíticas constituyen un referente de su pasado común.

Fuente: El Mundo: http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2010/06/29/castillayleon/1277829644.html

Rock Paintings at La Pintada Archaeological Zone Catalogued (Mexico)

Rock Paintings at La Pintada Archaeological Zone Catalogued (Mexico)

More than 2,000 rock paintings distributed in a natural canyon part of La Pintada Archaeological Zone, in Sonora, are being digitalized by experts from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). Designs reveal the world vision of ancient groups that dwelled this area 1,200 years ago, as well as at the colonization process.
It has been calculated that more than 2,500 graphics are found in the area, from which 70 per cent have already been registered, with the aim of creating an inventory of images for their study and for the preparation of a monitoring plan for their preservation.
Since 2007, a group of technicians headed by archaeological Manuel Graniel have been conducting the meticulous analysis and digital registration of the ancient manifestations distributed along 33 hectares.
“Research has revealed that La Pintada was an important space for diverse human groups, from 12th and 13th centuries’ hunter-gatherers to Seri, Yaqui, and Pima groups that used it as ritual space ritual between 17th and 18th centuries of the Common Era.
“The canyon represented an oasis because it stores rainwater, and it was used as a hide-out during evangelization, since it is a hard to reach place”.
Manuel Granier explained that for registration “we do a photographic panning on each surface with paintings and parting from a reticule system we unite the designs to get every detail, just as they are placed.
“This way, we are able to reproduce in large format the designs located in hard to reach places, for their analysis”.
Regarding images at rocks, the archaeologist part of Sonora INAH Center mentioned that those created 1,200 years ago represent local fauna such as deer, reptiles and birds; hunter-gatherers captured them with the intention of propitiating abundance.
During 17th and 18th centuries, facing hounding from colonizers, many natives took refugee in the canyon; they were also attacked by Spaniards, who were represented in paintings riding without the horse, in the belief that they would not attack natives, since they would loose power”.
One emblematic image at La Pintada is El Venado, one of the largest graphic representations, where a boy is riding a deer, scene of the Seri myth of the mighty boy.
Graniel detailed that analysis of paintings has allowed identifying 3 different styles at the Contact (with Europeans) Age; “by the limits of Seri, Yaqui and Pima settlements that came together at the canyon, and by descriptions made during the 17th century, we think they dwelled La Pintada 300 years ago.
“Styles were determined based on anthropomorphic images, since each group wanted to represent themselves differently”.
The archaeologist explained that different techniques confirm that not all paintings were created by a single group. Finally he commented that digital registration of rock paintings will be used to place large format pictures of designs placed in hard to reach places, for their exhibition.

Fuente: Art Daily: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=38957

Bitola, Macedonia: Archaeologists Stumble Upon Ancient Necropolises During Stadium Reconstruction (Macedonia)

Bitola, Macedonia: Archaeologists Stumble Upon Ancient Necropolises During Stadium Reconstruction (Macedonia)

During the reconstruction works of the Tumbe Kafe stadium and recreational zone in Macedonia’s south-western town of Bitola, archaeologists have found necropolises, most likely dating to the third century.
“All construction activities have been halted in order to examine the artefacts. The skeletons might belong to Christians, but the possibility of their being pagan is not ruled out either. It is believed that necropolises originate from the third century, because the deceased had been buried underground since,” archaeologist Gordana Filipovska-Lazarovska told national media today.
The archaeologists working at the site believe that the area might yield other archaeological findings. Therefore, they intend to ask for assistance and support at the national level, in order to continue their research.
Before construction activities were halted, the reconstruction of the Tumbe Kafe stadium and recreational zone was financed by the local self-government and international donations.
Tumbe Kafe Stadium is a multi-use stadium, which is currently used mostly for football matches. It is is the home stadium of FK Pelister and has a seating capacity of 6,100 people.
Read more about Macedonia BalkanTravellers.com
Use BalkanTravellers.com's tips to organize your trip to Macedonia

Fuente: Balkan Travellers: http://www.balkantravellers.com/en/read/article/2072

Archaeologists: Temple dating back to Hellenistic and Roman eras unearthed in Syria (Syria)

Archaeologists: Temple dating back to Hellenistic and Roman eras unearthed in Syria (Syria)

Syria (Damascus) - Archaeologists have unearthed an archaeological temple dating back to the Hellenistic and Roman eras /150 B.C/ in addition to a stone-made bridge dating back to the Roman era.
The findings were uncovered in the village of al-Bared River, 20 kms to the west north of Apamea, central Syrian Province of Hama.
Director of Hama Antiquities Department Jamal Ramadan said that the temple was built near a spring with a distinguished architectural style and a very huge size, adding that it was built of 210-centimeters long and 170-cenetimeters wide stones inscribed from their internal side.
The square-shaped temple includes a single hall. Studies showed that the temple was built over two different historical phases, the oldest of which is the Hellenistic Era as the temple was built according to the Hellenistic architectural style while the second stage is the Roman Era where many huge buildings were built.
The unearthed stone-made bridge dates back to the Roman Era. It consists of stone pieces. The rock bridge is 10-meter long and 3-meter wide. The bridge has three asymmetric arches.(SANA)

Fuente: Gobal Arab Network: http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/201006296398/Related-news-from-Syria/syria-archaeologists-unearthed-a-temple-dating-back-to-hellenistic-and-roman-eras.html

La entrada al MEH será gratuita el último domingo de cada mes (Burgos)

La entrada al MEH será gratuita el último domingo de cada mes (Burgos)

A escasas 14 jornadas para la esperada inauguración oficial, poco a poco se van conociendo los pormenores del plan que maneja la dirección del Museo de la Evolución Humana para promocionarlo y darlo a conocer entre el gran público en sus primeros meses de andadura. A falta de concretar más detalles del citado plan, sí es seguro que el acceso al Museo será gratuito los últimos domingos de cada mes, una medida que podría ampliarse a más días durante estos meses de verano, con el objetivo de acercar el máximo número posible de visitantes locales y foráneos al edificio principal del Complejo de la Evolución Humana y que el efectivo sistema del boca a boca empiece a funcionar y a animar la llegada de público.
Por el momento, aún no se han fijado oficialmente los precios de las entradas al MEH, aunque ya se trabaja con unos horarios determinados de apertura al público. Así, los días laborales se abrirá en jornada partida, de 10,30 horas a las 14,30 y desde las 16,30 a las 20,30 horas; mientras que los sábados, domingos y días festivos la jornada será continua y se prolongará desde las 10,00 horas hasta las 20,30.
Los responsables del MEH están poniendo especial cuidado para coordinar los horarios del Museo con los de las visitas guiadas a los yacimientos de la Sierra de Atapuerca, dado que el objetivo es que el visitante pueda conocer todo lo que rodea a estas investigaciones sobre la evolución humana en el lugar donde se vienen realizando desde hace más de 30 años y, a su vez, completar la visita con el paso por el MEH.

Espectáculo

Recordemos que la semana inaugural del MEH tendrá como aliciente los diferentes espectáculos previstos para colorear esta apertura. Al anochecer del día 13, horas después del acto oficial en el que estará presente la Reina Sofía, un montaje audiovisual bautizado con el nombre de ‘Millones de miradas’ y centrado en la evolución humana, Atapuerca y Burgos, envolverá el edificio.
El miércoles 14, el barrio de Gamonal acogerá una amena demostración de la industria lítica a cargo del especialista Mikel Aguirre.
Un día después, uno de los conciertos del festival de percusión Atapercu, organizado por la localidad que da nombre a los yacimientos, se traslada al MEH. Concretamente, será el grupo Neopercusión el encargado de la música.
El fin de semana del 16, 17 y 18, en la explanada del mirador exterior del Museo bailará el viernes Aida Gómez y el ballet contemporáneo de Alberto Estébanez. Esa misma noche escucharemos a Tonino Carotone y el sábado 17 habrá un gran concierto de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Burgos bajo el título de ‘Música Sapiens’.

Fuente: Diario de Burgos: http://www.diariodeburgos.es/noticia.cfm/Vivir/20100630/entrada/meh/sera/gratuita/ultimo/domingo/cada/mes/85A8DBFE-EFDD-AE1F-C2760DE50DFCE7D6

Record arrowhead discovered in western Kentucky creek (EEUU)

Record arrowhead discovered in western Kentucky creek (EEUU)

For Darrel Higgins, finding an ancient arrowhead in a creek isn't surprising, it's actually expected. Finding a record-setting artifact that dates back to an estimated 14,000 to 18,000 years? Definitely unexpected.
Higgins has been hunting creek beds for artifacts since he began finding them on farmland when he was a child. But nothing he had found compared to the 9 3/4 inch by 2 3/4 inch specimen he recently found in western Kentucky. The item, described as a clovis point made of buffalo river chert, was submerged in a creek bed when Higgins stumbled upon it.
“As soon as I picked it up, I knew what I had,” he said. “It's usually a long walk back to my truck. Not that day, I was walking on air.”
Higgins was reluctant to specify where he found the clovis, but said he immediately went to his long-time friend and artifact expert Tom Davis in eastern Kentucky to have the item authenticated. Davis dated the clovis back to the days of when prehistoric man roamed the earth and hunted large game. By measurement, it sets a North American record.
“There are some skeptics because of the size of it. But it's a record. There's one as long found in Washington state but it's not as wide,” Higgins said.
Higgins had it authenticated again during the Genuine Indian Relic Society show in Temple, Texas and was able to show it off to enthusiasts. He said he has had some buyer interest but is looking for the right price to take it off his hands. It currently is securely locked away.
“It's worth as much as someone is willing to pay and as much as I am willing to take,” he said.
The process of discovering an item that has been buried for so long is mainly fueled by rain and erosion. Higgins said that arrowheads, spearheads and other artifacts were left behind or lost at campsites and kill sites near creeks. A creek served as a source for water for early man as well as a place to find wild game to hunt for food.
Over time, the sites were covered up. As the creeks have changed paths and continued to cut through the earth, portions of the sites have become exposed, bringing the artifacts back to the surface.
“Erosion washes away the dirt, especially after deep rains. A deep freeze followed by a deep rain knocks chunks of dirt off and then a second or third rain exposes anything in the dirt,” Higgins said.
To find artifacts, Higgins walks up and down creek beds while keeping his eyes locked on the ground. He doesn't dig or excavate, but looks for what the rains and water have exposed. His eyes are trained to look for perfectly straight edges and sharp points among the rocks and pebbles.
“Creekwalking,” as Higgins calls it, now takes up most of his free time. A typical day of creekwalking could take anywhere from five to ten hours and empty a tank of gas as he travels around the region.
“I've hung up my (fishing) rods and guns a long time ago,” he said. “You don't always find stuff but you can't get discouraged.”
Higgins lives in Hickman County but said he has found items in the Lynn Grove area of Calloway County and knows people who have uncovered artifacts in the Clarks River. As he has collected items over the years, he has sold some and kept others, but is always looking for more.
“As soon as you spot one it's like a time warp. You wander back through time and think about when it was used and when it was lost,” Higgins said.

Fuente: Murray Ledger & Times: http://www.murrayledger.com/articles/2010/06/20/top_story/news01.txt

Archaeological excavations of the city of Tigranakert in Artsakh get under way (Armenia)

Archaeological excavations of the city of Tigranakert in Artsakh get under way (Armenia)

The archaeological excavations of the city of Tigranakert in Artsakh have got under way and will be due by August 25, the head of the Artsakh archaeological group of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography at National Academy of Sciences of Armenia Hamlet Petrosyan told Panorama.am. He said, Nagorno-Karabakh government has financed the 70-day excavations.
According to him, this year the group will be working in the acropolis, to open the northern wall, as well as they will carry out works in the Central district, the cemetery of early-Christian era.
In 2005 their group discovered the city of Tigranakert founded by the Armenian King Tigran the Great and in 2006-2009 they carried out archaeological excavations in this territory. This is the only residence named after Tigran to have been precisely discovered and undergoing archaeological observations.
HamletPetrosyan said the excavations revealed 100m of the walls of the city acropolis, the rock-carved bases of “Amratsvats” district, and the basilica of the Central district has been fully studied.
The castle dating back to early medieval times on the left bank of Khachenaget river has also been observed, he said.

Fuente: Panorama Armenia: http://www.panorama.am/en/society/2010/06/21/tigranakert/

Lasers used to map giant burial mounds in 3-D (Japan)

Lasers used to map giant burial mounds in 3-D (Japan)

KASHIHARA, Nara Prefecture (Kyodo) Nara-based archaeologists said they have succeeded in drawing three-dimensional maps of the surface of large burials mounds for the first time by flashing them with laser beams at a rate of more than 100,000 times a second from a helicopter.
The new method, revealed at an academic conference Saturday in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, is an important advance because archaeologists don't have free access to most of the large ancient mounds, which are managed by the Imperia Household Agency.
"With this epoch-making technology, we can precisely measure (the mounds) without entering the compounds. It will be very useful for our research," said a researcher from the Archaeological Institute of Kashihara.
The helicopter flew around the Konabe burial mound in Nara in December and the Gobyoyama mound in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, in February, at a speed of 70 kph and an altitude of 500 to 650 meters.
The 3-D patterns matched those based on measurements taken in the past by the Imperial Household Agency, the archaeologists said.
The mounds are covered with woods, but the laser beams penetrated the tree cover enough to reach the ground and create a detailed 3-D map of the surface, the researchers said.

Fuente: The Japan Times: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/rss/nn20100628a4.html

El Museo de Albacete se hace cargo del 'tesoro' musulmán de Liétor (Albacete)

El Museo de Albacete se hace cargo del 'tesoro' musulmán de Liétor (Albacete)

Ha ingresado en el Museo Provincial de Albacete una importante muestra de piezas del periodo musulmán, procedente de Liétor, y reunida gracias al párroco de la localidad, Francisco Navarro Pretel, quien, a lo largo de las últimas décadas, ha propiciado la recuperación de este importante patrimonio para su exhibición en el Museo Parroquial de Liétor y, a partir de ahora, en el Museo de Albacete. La colección está basada en el 'Ajuar de los Infiernos', un importante lote de piezas que fueron halladas en una cueva en el paraje que le da nombre. Está compuesta por más de un centenar de objetos, fechados entre los siglos X y XI, que por su variedad constituyen una importante muestra para conocer los útiles cotidianos del periodo musulmán, dedicados a actividades como la agricultura, la pesca, mobiliario y objetos de uso doméstico. Entre los objetos presentes en la colección, destacan una serie de piezas de factura excepcional, como un candil de bronce con el asa decorada en forma de cierva y un candelabro de hierro. La colección se completa con un gran número de piezas cerámicas, pertenecientes a diferentes periodos.

Fuente: La Verdad de Albacete: http://www.laverdad.es/albacete/v/20100629/provincia/museo-albacete-hace-cargo-20100629.html

Declaran como bien catalogado el poblado Cabezo de Asno (Lorca, Murcia)

Declaran como bien catalogado el poblado Cabezo de Asno (Lorca, Murcia)

El yacimiento arqueológico de Cabezo del Asno, perteneciente a la cultura de El Argar, localizado entre los municipios de Lorca y Mazarrón será protegido por la Administración regional, que ha incoado el expediente para declararlo bien catalogado por su relevancia cultural. El yacimiento se corresponde con un asentamiento de la Edad del Bronce, cuyos restos están fechados entre el año 2.200 y el 1.500 antes de nuestra era. Está situado en la cima de un cerro de 433 metros de altitud sobre el nivel del mar y en su momento fue un poblado fortificado. Los expertos han localizado muros de mampostería correspondientes a casas cuadrangulares, restos de un lienzo de muralla de 200 metros, así restos de dos torreones de planta rectangular, junto con cerámica, y paredes con superficies bruñidas.

Fuente: La Verdad de Murcia: http://www.laverdad.es/murcia/v/20100628/lorca/declaran-como-bien-catalogado-20100628.html

4,000-year-old necklace found in dumpster (Ireland)

4,000-year-old necklace found in dumpster (Ireland)

A 4,000 year old necklace is in The National Museum of Ireland after it was found in a dumpster.
Worn by early kings the necklace, called a lunala, and discs were worn by the early kings of Ireland. It is thought to day from between 2,300 and 1,800 BC.
In March 1945 it was found in Coggalbeg, County Roscommon by farmer Hubert Lannon. He found it in a bog while he was cutting turf and kept it in his home.
Two years later he passed the necklace on to a local chemist Patrick Sheehan, in Strokestown, who kept the priceless piece of history in his shops' safe. There it remained until February 2009 when two thieves grabbed the safe during a burglary.
In March this year two men pleaded guilty for the burglary and were given three year suspended sentences. Working with the police curators from the National Museum’s Irish Antiquities Division found out that the jewelry along with other documents and papers from the Sheehan’s safe had been left in a dumpster in Dublin.
By the time the police had received this information they literally had hours to locate the dumpster before the trash would be collected. The detectives who waded through a dumpster of trash to find the delicate jewelry, which weighs just 78 grams, were rewarded on the retrieval of the treasures.
The three pieces, the necklace and two discs, are thought to be one of the most important archaeological discoveries for many years. As the Museum director Pat Wallace said himself “There is a whole lot of conjoined freaks of good luck to make it possible.

Fuente: Irish Central: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/4000-Year-Old-necklace-found-in-dumpster-97144989.html

I CONGRESO INTERNACIONAL SOBRE ESTUDIOS CERÁMICOS (CÁDIZ)

I CONGRESO INTERNACIONAL SOBRE ESTUDIOS CERÁMICOS (CÁDIZ)

El I Congreso Internacional sobre Estudios Cerámicos. Homenaje a la Doctora Mercedes Vegas es una reunión de primer nivel científico. Este proyecto nace, por un lado, con el ánimo de rendir un merecido reconocimiento profesional a una de las mayores y más importantes investigadoras españolas en cerámicas protohistóricas y romanas, de prestigio internacional, la Dra. Mercedes Vegas; y, por otro, contribuir al desarrollo de las nuevas líneas de investigación sobre estudios cerámicos que están en boga dentro de la Comunidad Científica.
La Organización de este Congreso pretende, por vez primera, la celebración de una Comisión Científica de alto nivel entre los más grandes y consensuados especialistas en cerámica internacionalmente reconocidos de España, Reino Unido, Alemania, Italia, Francia, Portugal y Estados Unidos. Esta diversidad científica junto a los jóvenes investigadores pondrá a debate y acercará, no sólo, posturas generacionales, sino también, cuestiones metodológicas. Esto crea, por tanto, una oportunidad excelente de reunir, de forma excepcional, el conocimiento y la experiencia acumulados durante toda un vida dedicada a la investigación arqueológica y las iniciativas de jóvenes generaciones y, con ello, encontrar el beneplácito científico, a partir de un estudio crítico constructivo, de los grandes especialistas sobre algunos temas a debate como los que se plantearán en las sesiones temáticas.

Fecha: 1, 2, 3 y 4 de Noviembre
Lugar: Cádiz

Info@congresointernacionaldeestudiosceramicos.com
http://www.congresointernacionaldeestudiosceramicos.com/presentacion.htm