Archaeology Weekly Roundup! 10-4-13

If you missed anything from the ASOR facebook or twitter pages this week, don’t worry. We’ve rounded up some of this week’s archaeology news into one convenient post. If we missed any major archaeological stories from this week, feel free to let us know in the comment section!

Robotic Snakes Slither Their Way Into Ancient Archaeology

Archaeologists say robotic snakes can provide enough info about sites to develop an excavation game plan before digging.

The world’s oldest Jewish prayer book? Hebrew text predates earliest known copy of the Torah by four CENTURIES

A 9th century Jewish prayer book may be a missing link between the Dead Sea Scrolls and medieval Judaism. The book predates the earliest Torah scrolls ever found by around 400 years.

Stonehenge: New Visitor Centre To Open In December

A new Stonehenge visitor centre is set to open in December. The new center will include things like a 360-degree virtual tour and archaeological finds on loan from Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum, the Wiltshire Museum, and the Duckworth Collection, University of Cambridge.

Ancient human remains in Palawan reveal rare ritual burial

Ancient human remains found in Palawan are only the second archaeological cremation burial in the country. Researchers say ritualistic burial is a rare practice in the Philippines, and they would “tread with caution” before inferring cannibalism.

Human Hair Confirmed in Prehistoric Hyena Feces

Human hair found in prehistoric hyena feces. Even today hyena’s eat people, so why is this important? Because it provides evidence of inland occupation by archaic Homo sapiens.

Ancient Greek site threatened amid celebration

Budget cuts may cause the ancient Greek site, Nemea, to close. It’s one of the four sites where Ancient Greek games were held, and where currently humbler games are (and hopefully will continue to be) open to the public.

Is This How Our Ancestors Sounded? Linguist Recreates Proto-Indo-European Language (AUDIO)

Is this how our ancestors sounded? Linguist, Andrew Byrd, has attempted to recreate what the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) language would have sounded like. Take a listen.

Ancient Kingdom Discovered Beneath Mound in Iraq

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient city in Iraq. Though, before wide-scale excavations can happen, an agreement must be made between the local government and the people of the village built over the city.

Ancient city of Iasos rises out of the ashes

An ancient city buried under ash by Mt. Thera’s eruption 3,600 years ago, has been unearthed by Italian archaeologists.

Anthropologists confirm link between cranial anatomy and two-legged walking

Anthropologists have confirmed the link between upright two-legged walking and the position of the foramen magnum, a controversial issue since its discovery in 1925.

Roman skulls washed down lost London river

Bones and artifacts found along one of London’s “lost” rivers may provide new insights into the lives of Roman people.

6,000-Year-Old Wine Found In Greece; Ancient Samples May Be Oldest Unearthed In Europe

6,000 year-old wine found in Greece, believed to be oldest found in Europe.

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