Current Events Articles: November 2017

4000-Year-Old Tablets Used to Locate Bronze Age Cities posted by Bryan Windle

A team of researchers from Harvard University have analyzed the cuneiform inscriptions on tablets discovered in the ancient city of Kanesh (located in modern-day Turkey), and have built a model that they believe allows them to identify the location of Bronze Age cities in the region. Many of the 12,000 tablets discovered at Kanesh include contracts, shipment manifests and business letters detailing an intricate network of trade. By studying these, researchers discovered there were hundreds of trade interactions among 26 ancient cities from the Bronze Age, 11 of which still remain lost. They used a mathematical model, which they call a "structural gravity" model, to use information from the tablets, such as the price of goods in each city, the purpose and frequency of travel, and the distance between trading partners to estimate the location of the trade hubs. Their model accurately predicted the known location of some of the cities, while the coordinates of other cities lie hundreds of miles away from their suspected locations.

Off-site Links:

- https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.ca/2017/11/cuneiform-tablets-provide-clues-on.html
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/11/13/ancient-data-modern-math-and-the-hunt-for-11-lost-cities-of-the-bronze-age
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/clay-tablets-bronze-age-assyrian-merchants-show-location-lost-cities-4000-years-a8056921.html
- http://www.newsweek.com/archaeology-assyria-cuneiform-lost-cities-map-trade-routes-711129

Roman-Era Tombs Uncovered in Corinth posted by Bryan Windle

Greek archaeologists recently unearthed numerous Roman-era tombs near the ancient city of Corinth. Fourteen graves had been organized in a circular fashion, as was the Roman custom, and contained gold and silver coins, vases and lamps. Another group of tombs included five that appear to have belonged to wealthy inhabitants. Their bodies were discovered beside gilded bronze leaves, a gold ring, jewels, and bronze and gold coins. Elena Korka, from the Greek Ministry of Culture, described how "Roman-period builders also repurposed the limestone foundations of earlier, Hellenic structures to build the tombs for wealthy, Roman-era occupants."

Off-site Links:

- https://greekcitytimes.com/ancient-artifacts-discovered-2000-year-old-tombs-corinth/
- http://www.newsweek.com/ancient-greece-haul-jewels-and-golden-coins-uncovered-2000-year-old-tombs-698275
- https://www.archaeology.org/news/6064-171101-greece-tenea-tombs

Free Shipping Offer in the ABR Bookstore! posted by Henry B Smith Jr MA MAR

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The World’s Oldest Alphabet: Hebrew as the Language of the Proto-Consonantal Script

 

For 150 years, scholars have attempted to identify the language of the world's first alphabetic script, and to translate some of the inscriptions that use it. Until now, their attempts have accomplished little more than identifying most of the pictographic letters and translating a few of the Semitic words. With the publication of The World's Oldest Alphabet by ABR Associate Dr. Douglas Petrovich, a new day has dawned. The language has been identified conclusively as Hebrew, allowing for the translation of 16 inscriptions that date from 1842 to 1446 BC. These inscriptions expressly name three biblical figures (Asenath, Ahisamach, and Moses) and greatly illuminate the earliest Israelite history!

Order your copy of The World’s Oldest Alphabet directly from the publisher, today.

Note: This book is not presently for sale in the ABR bookstore and does not qualify for ABR's free shipping offer

 

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2000-Year-Old Galilean Caves Discovered Looted posted by Bryan Windle

A series of Roman-era caves was discovered beneath the modern Galilean village of Eilabun, which was a Jewish settlement 2000 years ago. The cave system, located 10 ft (3 m) below the current ground level, had been recently dug out and plundered. Archaeologists who were called in found a large, central cavern which was 13 x 20 ft (4 x 6 m) in size and 6.5 ft (2 m) in height, with several smaller chambers branching off of the main one. It is believed the caves once served as a stable and storage area in ancient times. The remains of a stone animal trough as well as fragments of various pots and other vessels were discovered; all other artifacts had since been removed, and presumably sold on the antiquities market. The IAA and local police worked together investigating the site, which led to the arrest of two village residents suspected of carrying out illegal excavations.

Off-site Links:

- https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/1.818044
- http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Roman-era-cave-system-in-Lower-Galilee-plundered-by-thieves-507750

Assyrian Cuneiform Tablets Discovered in Northern Iraq posted by Bryan Windle

Archaeologists excavating at the site of the ancient city of Bassetki in the Kurdistan region of Iraq recently unearthed 93 cuneiform tablets dating to the Middle Assyrian Empire (ca. 1250 BC). Sixty of the tablets were discovered hidden in a ceramic pot in a building which had been destroyed. Many of them are unbaked and worn, which will make the process of deciphering them difficult. While it's not yet certain whether the tablets record business, legal or religious records, one fragment that was translated makes reference to a temple of the goddess Gula, which suggests they may be religious in nature. Researchers are hoping the texts will provide details about the history and culture of northern Mesopotamia in the second millennium BC.

Off-site Links:
- http://www.sci-news.com/archaeology/cache-assyrian-cuneiform-iraq-05350.html
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171023180303.htm

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