Western Antiquity

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October 2008
- Oldest Hebrew Text May Shed Light on Bible's David
  
  Reuters | Oct 30, 08 6:45 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Archeologists in Israel say they have dug up the oldest known example of Hebrew text, a find that could answer questions about the scope and power of the ancient kingdom of David, Reuters reports. Researchers found the 3,000-year-old pottery shards at an excavation site near where the Bible says David slew Goliath. The inscriptions appear to include words such as "judge" and "king," indicating an advanced society. More »
- Vikings Recast as Cultured Fashionistas
  
  Daily Telegraph (UK) | Oct 25, 08 3:09 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Vikings were just as interested in preening and handicrafts as they were in war and pillaging, the Telegraph reports. In a bid to educate youngsters who could well have Viking ancestry, British researchers are trying to change the popular view of the Norse explorers. "It seems that the Vikings may not have been as hairy and dirty as is commonly imagined," says a Cambridge University guide. More »
September 2008
- Romans Left Conquered Peoples More Prone to HIV
  
  BBC | Sep 4, 08 6:06 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The Roman conquest of Europe may explain why populations living in the former empire are more vulnerable to HIV, French researchers say. A genetic variant that protects against the AIDS-causing virus is less prevalent in former Roman colonies such as England, France, Greece, and Spain, though some argue that a larger event like the bubonic plague caused the variation, the BBC reports. More »
August 2008
- Archaeologists Unearth Ancient Gold Wreath
  
  Associated Press | Aug 30, 08 12:00 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - An ancient gold wreath buried with human bones in a copper vase has been discovered in the old stomping grounds of Alexander the Great in northern Greece, AP reports. It's rare to find such wreaths, which were generally buried with royalty. Diggers found it in the ruins of Aigai, the first capital of Macedonia and city where Alexander's father was assassinated. More »
July 2008
- Leonardo Lifted from Chinese, Historian Claims
  
  Reuters | Jul 29, 08 2:20 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Leonardo da Vinci’s renowned mechanical drawings were derived from Chinese originals brought to Europe decades before he was born, a British amateur historian contends in a new book. “This was the spark that really ignited the Renaissance,” Gavin Menzies tells Reuters, a claim that could force “agonizing reappraisal of the Eurocentric view of history”—though some remain unconvinced by his findings. More »
June 2008
- Astronomers Trace Homer's Wandering Hero
  
  New York Times | Jun 24, 08 9:39 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Homer's Odyssey is 2,700 years old, and the events it describes happened centuries earlier. But two scientists claim in a new paper that they've traced one line in the epic poem—a possible reference to an eclipse—to a real astronomical event. Classicists might take issue, writes the New York Times , but the astronomers say that Odysseus' return to Ithaca coincided with a solar eclipse on April 16, 1178 BC. More »
- Lazy Bosses Go Wayyyy Back
  
  CNNMoney | Jun 10, 08 6:54 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Think your boss is the first to delegate the duties and enjoy sunny days on the links? Such indulgences go way back, writes Stanley Bing in Fortune . Two thousand years ago, Cleopatra ruled Egypt by dazzling the male rulers of her time. More recently, America’s beloved Ben Franklin lived like a star while fans revered his brilliant oratory. The list goes on: More »
- Jordan Cave May Be World's First Church
  
  BBC | Jun 10, 08 5:04 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Archaeologists have found what might be the world’s oldest Christian church in Rihab, Jordan, the BBC reports. The cavern, located under the also-ancient church of St. Georgeous, dates to between 33 and 70 AD, and doubled as a home. More »
May 2008
- Damn Straight! Leaning Tower Stabilized
  
  Times (UK) | May 29, 08 3:06 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Italian engineers have stabilized the leaning Tower of Pisa, safeguarding it from toppling over for at least another 300 years, the Times of London reports. The famously off-kilter tower began tilting shortly after construction started in 1173, and was in danger of falling. Engineers didn't try to straighten it completely, as Benito Mussolini once dictated, but succeeded in getting it back to its 19th century angle. More »
- Oldest Caesar Bust Found in France
  
  The Australian | May 14, 08 6:05 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The oldest bust of Julius Caesar ever found is among an ancient treasure trove discovered at the bottom of the Rhone river near the southern French town of Arles, which was founded by Caesar in 46 BC. The life-size marble bust depicts Caesar as a balding man with wrinkles, reports the Australian. A statue of Neptune was also recovered among the stunning collection of artifacts. Scientists are trying to determine how they ended up in the river. More »
February 2008
- Why We Have Leap Year
  
  New York Times | Feb 29, 08 2:35 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - It's leap day, and scientist Chris Turner uses his extra time to muse in th e New York Times on its origins. Julius Caesar came up with a plan—pinning the calendar to the Earth's circling of the sun—in 46 BC as a way to synchronize months with the seasons. But one circuit takes 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes, creating the need for an extra day every 4 years. More »
December 2007
- Egypt to 'Copyright' Sphinx™
  
  BBC | Dec 26, 07 4:26 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - Egypt is set to pass a law that would "copyright" the pyramids and the Sphinx, the BBC reports. The law would apply to large-scale replicas anywhere in the world of any ancient Egyptian monument or museum piece. Egypt intends to collect royalties from the duplicates to protect its ancient sites. The law would not apply to artistic drawings. Copies of Egyptian monuments are popular in resorts across the world. More »
- eBay Halts Sale of Iraqi Treasure
  
  Guardian (UK) | Dec 18, 07 4:24 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - eBay called off the auction of a 4,000-year-old clay tablet last week just minutes before it closed because an expert suspected the artifact had been smuggled out of Iraq, the Guardian reports. A German archaeologist alerted authorities after spotting the tablet, a business-card-size object covered in distinctive cuneiform script, on Swiss eBay. More »
- Queen's Digs Found in Holy Land
  
  Associated Press | Dec 7, 07 7:05 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - Queen Helene of Adiabene, ruler of parts of Iraq, apparently had a pied-a-terre in the seedy part of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, according to an archaeological team that has unearthed the mansion. Now it’s prime real estate in the Arab quarter, forming the foundation of a parking lot until recently. More »
- Lion Sculpture Fetches Record Price at Auction
  
  BBC | Dec 6, 07 1:23 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - A limestone sculpture of a lioness

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Stories

Oldest Hebrew Text May Shed Light on Bible's David

Vikings Recast as Cultured Fashionistas

Romans Left Conquered Peoples More Prone to HIV

Archaeologists Unearth Ancient Gold Wreath

Leonardo Lifted from Chinese, Historian Claims

Astronomers Trace Homer's Wandering Hero

Lazy Bosses Go Wayyyy Back

Jordan Cave May Be World's First Church

Damn Straight! Leaning Tower Stabilized

Oldest Caesar Bust Found in France

Why We Have Leap Year

Egypt to 'Copyright' Sphinx™

eBay Halts Sale of Iraqi Treasure

Queen's Digs Found in Holy Land

Lion Sculpture Fetches Record Price at Auction