Author: Kelly M
Archaeology News – 13th to 19th May 2013
Africa:
- Al Ruwaida site yields unique archaeological find (Gulf News)
- Alexandria plans for a new maritime museum (Al-Shorfa)
- Cemetery Reveals Baby-Making Season in Ancient Egypt (Live Science)
- Earliest Evidence of Hunting by Human Ancestors Found in Kenya (Sci-News)
- Skeleton of a Roman warrior unearthed in south Egypt (Ahram Online)
Asia:
- 15 antique items seized‚ one held (The Himalayan Times)
Unearthed: 17th May 2013
King Arthur’s Hall Update (The Heritage Trust)
Roy Goutté posts an update on the survey of the King Arthur's Hall site on King Arthur's Down on Bodmin Moor.
The Value of Unprovenanced Antiquities (A Year in Provenance)
The author discusses the value of unprovenanced artefacts and highlights the differences between archaeology and treasure hunting. (Author's comment: Please note that much of an object's academic value and context is lost when it is illegally removed from a site.
How to Teach yourself Ancient (and Modern) Languages
If, like me, you're thinking of teaching yourself how to read and understand an ancient (or modern) language, check out Jenni's tips on her blog!
Day of Archaeology 2013
Those of you on Twitter may have already heard about the Day of Archaeology. But for those of you who haven't heard of it before, the Day of Archaeology is a communal blogging project which aims to give the public a better insight into the daily lives of archaeologists and heritage workers around the world. Once a year, archaeologists and archaeology students are invited to write about their exploits in the field, workplace or classroom and show that there's more to archaeology than just digging and ancient tombs.
World Heritage Day
18th April is World Heritage Day or, as it's officially known, the International Day for Monuments and Sites. To celebrate it, I've compiled a list of all the UNESCO World Heritage sites that Lara has visited during her travels. I had originally planned to write a paragraph or two about each of these fascinating places but, due to time constraints, I've inserted links to their official…
Arte-Factual: Tomb Raider 2013: Ban Chiang Pottery
The last two editions of Arte-Factual dealt with the art and archaeology of the very first Tomb Raider game. In this latest edition, I'll be writing about one of the many collectable relics Lara comes across in the latest game: a Ban Chiang vase.
We don't really know how this ancient vase ended up on the island but Lara correctly identifies it as being from Thailand.
The Archaeology of Tomb Raider
Dear readers,
China Heritage Watch is currently on indefinite hiatus due to numerous other projects, including a recently-launched blog I’m working on, The Archaeology of Tomb Raider.
The Archaeology of Tomb Raider offers news and information about the sites, artefacts, and ancient cultures featured in the Tomb Raider game and film series. The key objectives of the blog are to a) show that there is a clear difference between archaeology as an academic discipline and treasure hunting, and b) use the Tomb Raider series as a platform for further study and inspire others to learn more about world history and archaeological sites.
In the latest Tomb Raider game, Lara Croft searches for the lost kingdom of Yamatai and ends up stranded on a remote & hostile island off the coast of Japan
If you’re a fan of the Tomb Raider games or simply want to learn more about world archaeology and heritage sites, feel free to check out the blog, visit its Facebook page, or follow me on Twitter (@TRArchaeology)
The fate of China Heritage Watch is yet to be determined. It has been a wonderful few months and I’m very appreciative of all the interest and support I’ve received from my readers. The blog will remain active for the time being so please feel free to read (or re-read) the published blog posts.
Kelly M.
Via Memoriae Classicae III - Tomb Raider
A Classics student shares his thoughts on what he considers an era-defining game: the original Tomb Raider (1996). In his article, he highlights some of the historical inaccuracies of the original game (yes, I was also wondering about that "Thor" room in St. Francis Folly when I first played the game many eons ago) and explains why he believes Lara and Indiana Jones are two different conceptions of the heroic "archaeologist" character made popular in the twentieth century.
The Snow Leopard Trust Needs Your Vote!
UPDATE: The Snow Leopard Trust won the grant! A massive thanks to those of you who voted for the Trust. The snow leopards of India now have a fighting chance of survival thanks to you and the efforts of the Trust and its local partners. If you wish, you can continue to support the Snow Leopard Trust by visiting their…
Article: Romancing the Stones: Archaeology in Popular Cinema
In his article Romancing the Stones: Archaeology in Popular Cinema, historian Mark A. Hall looks at how archaeology and archaeologists are depicted in popular cinema and considers how the recurring themes of cultural appropriation, cultural imperialism, and emphasis on "treasured objects" create a somewhat skewed and negative view of the profession. Among the films examined are the original Indiana Jones trilogy, the Mummy film series, and, of course, the two Tomb Raider films.
Question: Which Tomb Raider Location Would You Love to Explore in Real Life?
A question for my readers:
If you had the money and means to explore any of the locations featured in the Tomb Raider game or film series, where would you go?
Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a message below!
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China Heritage Watch Weekly News Digest – 4th to 10th March
Terracotta Warriors Cry Out for Clean Air (China Daily)
Researchers are currently developing an art curtain system that will protect national treasures, such as the Terracotta Warriors, from the damaging effects of pollution and humidity.
Grand Canal and Silk Road Set for World Heritage List (CNTV)
China has launched initiatives to boost the Grand Canal’s (大运河) and Silk Road’s (丝绸之路) chances of earning a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Chinese Grave Robbers Jailed for Selling Ghost Brides (Time)
Four men in Shanxi and Shaanxi are facing jail sentences for digging up and selling female corpses for “ghost marriages” (冥婚).
Cultural Strategy to Promote Gansu Development (China.Org.CN)
The State Council has approved plans to establish a Chinese Civilization Inheritance and Innovation Zone in Gansu Province in an attempt to boost the province’s cultural industry and economy.
History Unfolds (China Daily)
A 2,500-year-old dagger excavated in Suizhou (随州), Hubei Province, may prove that the Sui (随国) and Zeng (曾国) states were actually the same state.
Antiques Collector Sets Up Museum to Show Traditional Houses and Furniture (South China Morning Post)
An antiques collector has opened a private museum in Songjiang District (松江区), Shanghai, to showcase his impressive collection of antique furniture and houses.
Artifact Recovered for China’s Oldest Taoist Temple (Xinhua)
Authorities in Shanxi Province have successfully recovered a Tang Dynasty-era stone carving that had been stolen from the Guangrenwang Temple (广仁王庙) last year.
A stone warrior stands in a glass display case in the Terracotta Warriors museum, Xi’an (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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GoKunming: Interview with Dr. Anton Lustig
The community website GoKunming has published an interview with Dr. Anton Lustig, a Dutch linguist, Sinologist, and artist who is an expert on the Jingpo ethnic minority (景颇族) and is the only foreigner to have mastered Zaiwa (载瓦语), a Tibeto-Burman language spoken by some 100,000 people in Yunnan Province and neighbouring Myanmar.
The Prop Roots logo (Image credit: Prop Roots)
In his interview, Dr. Lustig talks about his academic background, Jingpo cultural identity, the impact Jingpo culture has had on his art and music, and the efforts he and others have taken to protect and promote Zaiwa within Jingpo communities across Yunnan Province. He also talks about the Prop Roots Program (榕树根), a non-profit, grassroots project with a mission to preserve Jingpo culture and empower Jingpo youth through education, ethno-linguistic research and intercultural exchange. You can read the full interview here.
Further reading & viewing:
- Dutchman Struggles to Help Chinese Minority (Radio Netherlands Worldwide)
- Minority Rapport (Global Times)
- My “Zaiwa Grammar & Dictionary” For Dummies (Gebu Gampang)
- On the Languages of the Jingpo Nationality (Dai Qingxia, Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area)
- Prop Roots in a Nutshell (Youtube)
- The Jingpo (Ethnic China)
- The Jingpo Ethnic Group (MSD China)
- The Prop Roots (榕树根) Facebook page
- You Bring Charm to China: Anton Lustig, Jingpo Language Interpreter (CNTV)
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Best of the Blogosphere – 25th February to 3rd March 2013
Author’s note: This edition of “Best of the Blogosphere” is a few days late due to family commitments. The next edition will be posted on Sunday 10th March 2013.
700-Year-Old Coin Pit Discovered in Hunan Province (Primal Trek)
Gary writes about the recent discovery of a money pit in Anren County (安仁县), Hunan Province, which contains a cache of Song and Yuan era coins.
Dem Bones (The World of Chinese)
Oriana looks at bones and their use and role in Chinese history and traditional culture.
Interview with Peter Anthony, Author and Collector of Chinese Coins (Chinaful)
Courtney interviews Peter Anthony, an expert on modern Chinese coins and author of The Gold and Silver Panda Coin Buyer’s Guide.
Leshan (The Vagablonde)
The author writes about her recent day trip to see the UNESCO-listed Leshan Giant Buddha (乐山大佛) in Sichuan Province.
The Misunderstood Dragon Empress (The World of Chinese)
Anna takes a look at the life of the infamous Empress Dowager Cixi (慈禧太后) and wonders whether the allegedly cruel “Dragon Lady” was simply misunderstood.
If you know of any China-related blogs that you feel should be added to the blogroll and/or featured in these weekly posts, please feel free to leave the URLs in the comments section below.
Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan Province (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Friday Video: Hemudu Relics
CCTV-9′s documentary, Hemudu Relics, is this week’s Friday Video. The documentary, which first aired in 2011, explores the rise and development of the Neolithic Hemudu culture (河姆渡文化) in Zhejiang Province through the examination of archaeological remains and relies heavily on dramatized re-enactments to bring this ancient culture to life.
The Hemudu ruins were first discovered near the city of Yuyao (余姚), Ningbo (宁波), in 1973 and similar settlements have since been discovered throughout the Zhoushan (舟山) archipelago. The Hemudu people lived in stilt houses designed to protect them from floods, which were common occurrences in the Yuyao region, and are thought to be one of the first Neolithic peoples to cultivate rice and domesticate pigs. Whilst many of the artefacts excavated at the Hemudu site were utilitarian objects such as bone tools and wooden utensils, the Hemudu people also produced rudimentary musical instruments (such as bone whistles), jade ornaments, lacquer ware, and pottery, which was typically made with charcoal powder and decorated with basic geometric and plant designs. Excavations conducted at the Hemudu site show that the site was continuously occupied for about 2,000 years until two major floods, one of which altered the course of the nearby Yaojiang (姚江) river, forced the Hemudu people to abandon the site approximately 5,000 years ago.
Further reading:
- Hemudu Culture (Cultural China)
- Explore Historical Treasures at Hemudu Culture Relics (What’s On Ningbo)
- Hemudu Culture Forced on Move by Flood (China.Org.CN)
- Tianluoshan, Early Neolithic Hemudu Culture Site (About.Com)
- Hemudu Site Museum (English version)
- Original Rice Paddy Cultivation at the Hemudu Site (Word Document)
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