In the November issue of Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy, researchers examining the Saudi Arabian desert have found around 400 unreported stone structures likely built by nomadic tribes thousands of years ago. Most of them are clustered in Harrat Khaybar, a region in west-central Saudi Arabia known for its now-extinct volcanic domes. Neurologist Abdullah Al-Saeed, who now leads… Continue Reading →
Applying Google Earth in paleontological and archaeological research
(GIS) are a critical aspect of modern day archaeological and paleoanthropological research. GIS systems expedite analyzing and managing large amounts of spatial data, and can really improve mapping locations where artifacts or fossils are found. Unfortunately, the price point and learning curve involved in using GIS applications, like ArchGIS make it an unapproachable technology. An… Continue Reading →
Another example of using Google Earth to survey for archaeological sites
I’d like to share news on how archaeology is growing to use non-traditional tools like Google Earth to find sites. See nearly one year ago, I passed on the news that an Italian man accidentally discovered the outline of an ancient Roman villa while looking at his house on Google Earth. Since then, UNC-Chapel Hill… Continue Reading →
Archaeology with Google
Using Google Earth to uncover secrets, Luca Mori, an Italian computer programmer stumbled across an ancient Roman ruin almost right in his own backyard. What is Google Earth you maybe asking? Well well well, according to Google this is what they say about their free product, “Google Earth puts a planet’s worth of imagery and… Continue Reading →
The Fate of Arabian Archaeology
I stumbled upon this news piece in The Times regarding archaeology in Saudia Arabia. I wanted to share it with you all because of last week’s discussion of handaxes from the neighboring UAE. The article describes how archaeologists have been using Google Earth to survey for sites and have identified possibly 2,000 or so potential… Continue Reading →
The Motivation Behind the Uncontacted Amazon Indians
Remember that sensational set of photos of the ‘uncontacted’ people from the Brazilian-Peruvian Border? Well a couple weeks ago, Simon from HENRY, shared link that I think some of you maybe interested in. The link I speak of is this news piece, “Secret of the ‘lost’ tribe that wasn’t.” In the news piece, Peter Beaumont,… Continue Reading →
Rice Domestication and the Origins of Agriculture
A new Nature study will report on the earliest known evidence of rice paddies in China. We’re talking almost 8,000 years ago. Cheng Zong of Durham University lead the excavation at the Kuahuqiao site in the Zhejiang province. After analyzing sediments of ancient swamp beds at the site the team found signs that the dirt… Continue Reading →
Uncovering more of Angkor Wat
So far National Geographic and the BBC News are running some amazing archaeological news coming out from Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. “…Jungle-penetrating radar has revealed traces of vast suburban sprawl surrounding the many temples and the walled central city of Angkor Thom. Extensive waterworks threaded through the low-density development, channeling the flow of three rivers through… Continue Reading →
Shedding light on the Nasca lines
Science has just put out a news piece updating us on new research about the Nasca lines, which are located in the Peruvian Desert. It is titled, “Digging Into a Desert Mystery.” I consider the Nasca, or Nazca, a mysterious culture, especially after a headless man was found and reported on in June. The Nasca… Continue Reading →
Ancient Egyptian cities are also being discovered from space
Many moons ago, I shared with you news on how new tools like Google Earth are being used in archaeology to not only to map known sites but also to survey for new ones. So when I was digging thru my RSS feeds and found a news article on how Sarah Parcak of the University… Continue Reading →