Archaeologists are arguing that fishhooks, a microlithic tool technology, have been used by humans as early as 42,000 years ago. Archaeologists working in East Timor, within the island chain of Indonesia, have produced evidence that humans were using fish hook technology for deep sea fishing much earlier than thought.
To learn more about the findings, see the article on MSNBC.
Pilgram Burials from the First Winter.
A wonderful assessment of the tragedy suffered by the Mayflower Pilgrims and their first winter in America. If you have not yet read “Bones Don’t Lie,” a great blog on osteology, archaeology, and anthropology, it’s a must! Even those with the most lay knowledge will gain a greater appreciation of mortuary analysis.
The particular article looks at the burial practices of those living in Plymouth during the tragic winter of 1620-1621. Check it out: “Pilgrim Burials from the First Winter.”
A Section of the Copiale Cipher
A team of linguists and computer scientists from America and Sweden have cracked one of the oldest, undeciphered codes in history: the Copiale Cipher. The hand-written work is more than 100 pages in length and is a combination of symbols and letters.
The linguists and computer scientists used a code-breaking technique to ‘crack’ the language – essentially viewing translation as decipherment. While the “breaking” of this linguistic code is a huge breakthrough for linguistics, it still does not solve the issues of translation of older, still-undeciphered languages.
“There are these books and ancient languages of real historical value that contain historical information that we just can’t get out yet, and that’s of interest to a lot of people,” – Dr. Knight
To learn more about this recent discover, see the article in the New York Times.
Jennifer Barber, a Masters student at the University of Dundee, is reconstructing the face of a young boy that lived in Norway more than 500 years ago. Using forensic arts, she is reconstructing the soft tissue and features of the boy’s face based on the original skeletal features using a series of skull x-rays.
“People are drawn to faces. The Viste Boy will probably attract attention in a future exhibition at the museum, bringing the story of Vistehola, the Viste Boy and the other people who lived there more alive for visitors.”
To learn more about this project, see the article in Science Daily.
This week, PBS is airing a five part series entitled: “Women, War & Peace” highlighting the unique struggles of women during war time. Women, who in many countries are denied the rights of voting or serving in the military, often suffer disproportionately during warfare – the victims of domestic attacks and gender based torture methods (such as rape). PBS is highlighting the story of women during war in places such as Bosnia, Somalia, and Darfur.
To learn more about the series, see the website, which includes behind the scenes stories, analysis, and greater detail than covered in the television series. An important look at how warfare affects the home front and those who have the least power in starting or stopping it.
Recently, Florida Governor Rick Scott lodged an attack on liberal arts education, specifically setting his crosshairs on the study of Anthropology.
“If I’m going to take money from a citizen to put into education, then I’m going to take that money to create jobs,” Mr. Scott told the paper. “So I want that money to go to degrees where people can get jobs in this state. Is it a vital interest of the state to have more anthropologists? I don’t think so.”
The good governor clearly overlooked the reports that demonstrate that liberal arts majors can and do have jobs in a wide myriad of fields or go on to graduate degrees in Law, Education, and even the ‘hard sciences’ like medicine. A broad, liberal arts education prepares individuals for the critical analysis required in many fields, from marketing to ‘hard science.’ Broad studies indicate that it’s not the field of study that ultimately matters, but the exercise of earning the degree.
The American Anthropological Association has issued a formal rebuttal to the governor here:
Archaeologists from the University of Colorado Boulder have uncovered a nearly pristine Mayan road in El Salvador. The remains were covered by volcanic ash during an eruption in 600 CE.
The road was a surprise find for archaeologists, who stated: ”Until our discovery, these roads were only known from the Yucatan area in Mexico and all were built with stone linings, which generally preserved well.”
To learn more about the find, see the article on Science Daily News.
Archaeologists have recently uncovered two royal burials at Nakum, a Mayan archaeological site in Guatemala. The tombs date to 1,300 and 2,000 BP and filled with various luxuries (such as gold, jade, and elite pottery).
These are the first royal burials discovered at Nakum, once a large and densely populated Mayan site. The full details of the burials are described in the September Issue of Antiquity.
You can read more about the burials and see the amazing photographs in this article of National Geographic.
This month, National Geographic highlights what we already know about teenagers: they make poor decisions, are experiencing severe shifts in hormones, struggle with self-control, and struggle through the growing pains of becoming an adult. At least, this is what I have heard from others – I personally never made poor decisions as a teenager or suffered with self-image and esteem.
While most researchers have asserted that very little brain development occurs in teenage years (as the brain does not tend to get much larger and the hardened skull develops). However, new research suggests that during adolescence and until 25 years of age, the human brain experiences massive reorganization and development – a process not dependent (entirely) on size. The process of development can cause some instability, primarily manifest during adolescence.
These studies help explain why teens behave with such vexing inconsistency: beguiling at breakfast, disgusting at dinner; masterful on Monday, sleepwalking on Saturday. Along with lacking experience generally, they’re still learning to use their brain’s new networks. Stress, fatigue, or challenges can cause a misfire.
To read more about this study, see the article in National Geographic.
Archaeologists believe that they have uncovered and identified a large shipyard near the city of Rome. Originally thought to be a simple warehouse, re-examination of the building suggests that it was used to maintain ships.
If it in fact it is a shipyard, it is a significant find that could provide new insight into Roman shipping and trade.
“Few Roman Imperial shipyards have been discovered and, if our identification is correct, this would be the largest of its kind in Italy or the Mediterranean.”
To learn more about this find, see the article at Science Daily.
