Archaeologists in the Turkish Aegean town of Canakkale are celebrating the new discovery of a 2,200-year-old sarcophagus in the ancient city of Parion, one of the most important centers of the Hellenistic era. Golden earrings, rings and crown pieces have been found in the sarcophagus, which is believed to have belonged to a princess. An archaeological team headed by Prof. Cevat Basaran unearthed the sarcophagus three days ago during excavations conducted in the village of Kemer near Biga, northeast of Canakkale.
Oldest human settlement in Aegean unearthed on Limnos island
The ruins of the oldest human settlement in the Aegean found so far have been unearthed in archaeological excavations by a team of Greek, Italian and American archaeologists on the island of Limnos, headed by Thessaloniki Aristotle University (AUTH) professor of Prehistoric Archaeology Nikos Efstratiou. The excavation began in early June and the finds brought to light so far, mainly stone tools of a high quality, are from the Epipaleolithic Period approximately 14,000 years ago. The finds indicate a settlement of hunters, food-collectors and fishermen of the 12th millennium BC.
A big archaeological dig is taking place at the site in South Lanarkshire where the earliest evidence of human beings in Scotland was found. The Biggar Archaeology Group is beginning a major excavation of the area at Howburn Farm near Elsrickle. Last month it was revealed that flint artefacts unearthed there could date back 14,000 years to 12,000 BC.
Professor Ahmad Hasan Dani, one of the world's leading archaeologists, revealed fascinating details about the ruins at Moenjodaro, the 4500-year-old city settlement north of Karachi, Pakistan, proclaiming it "the first planned city in the world". Prof. Dani, a former history professor at Dhaka University, demonstrated that its Indus Valley civilisation was one of humanity's great foundational cultures, alongside Egypt, Mesopotamia and China.
New archaeological discoveries in Sharjah's Jebel Fayah showed that human settlements existed in the area over 85,000 years ago. Excavation work was carried out as part of a joint programme between the Directorate of Antiquities at the Culture and Information Department in Sharjah and the Institute of Prehistoric Studies and Research at the German University of Tubengin.
The Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae in Orkney is to be opened to the public for the first time in over 30 years this Saturday. Visitors to the 5,000-year-old village will, for the first time since the 1970s, be able to see inside three of the 10 mysterious homes, typically only viewed from surrounding pathways. The open day is part of World Heritage Day events and organisers hope that it will not only raise the profile of the site, but bring attention to conservation and preservation of our most ancient history.
A team of Iranian archaeologists began the second season of excavation at the northern mound of the 7500-year-old Sialk site near the central city of Kashan last week. The mound is the ruins of a village, which is considered to be Irans most ancient rural structure.
A team of archaeologists from the Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute is back from Haryana where they stumbled upon a record 70 Harappan graves at a site in Farmana, discovering the largest burial site of this civilisation in India so far. The excavation proved one of the biggest breakthroughs in South Asian history and is now listed for World Heritage status conferred by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). It is an extraordinary archaeological finding. A big housing complex that matured during the Harappan era was discovered by these archaeologists who have been working in this little known village for the past three years.
Work to strengthen the foundations of the sea wall near the famous Neolithic village of Skara Brae in Orkney is about to begin. Waves have affected a section of concrete on which the protective walling was built, which could lead to more damage. Historic Scotland has started a project which will involve digging down to insert new reinforcements.
An entire town dating back to the Copper Age might lie buried under mounds between the Betwa and Bes rivers near the world-renowned Buddhist destination Sanchi. Way back in 1964-65, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted a survey at ancient Besnagar -- near modern Vidisha district town and about 50 km from here -- even undertook excavation at some spots and unearthed burnt remains from different layers.