From sexy murals emerging from the ashes to hidden cities revealed through light detection and ranging (LiDAR) scans, archaeologists continue to make discoveries that change our understanding of the past and how best to preserve it for the future. This year in particular has seen archaeologists stand up for their work, speaking out about threats to Lebanese cultural heritage, and a video of Israeli soldiers handling artifacts in Gaza, to name just a few examples of researchers refusing to become complacent in the face of authoritarian regimes. Just as we’ve covered everything from ancient dyes to the earliest evidence of tea from the past, we’ve also covered some archaeological stories and ancient discoveries that have come to light during some pretty dark years.
Armenia’s oldest church
In October, Rhea Nayyar reported on a team of German and Armenian archaeological researchers who excavated “said to be the oldest known Christian church in Armenia” in the ancient city of Artasata The remains of the project date back to the 4th century AD. Co-director Achim Lichtenberger called it “sensational evidence of early Christianity in Armenia.” Between this piece and a newly scanned early Christian silver amulet discovered in Germany, our understanding of early Christianity in the late Roman Empire and beyond is still evolving. The Artasata church was also discovered following reports of damage to Armenian cultural heritage in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) by Azerbaijani troops.
Türkiye’s 8,600-year-old bread
In March, Stephanie Huang and I reported on the bizarre claim that the earliest bread had been found at the ancient Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük in southern Turkey, which naturally led to a wealth of bread puns. Remains of unbaked yeast bread from around 6600 BC have been published, but we question the Turkish government’s claim that the remains constitute the “oldest bread in the world”, leaving Turkish archaeologists and bakers uneasy. As we wrote in 2018, “Researchers working in Jordan have found that bread may have been invented about 4,000 years earlier than agriculture.” This is due to the discovery of flatbread (unleavened bread made from wild grains) in the hunting and gathering lands of Natuf in Jordan. Shubaika in the Black Desert. Jordanians disputed Çatalhöyük’s unfounded first-place claim for bread. We also learned about the nature of the discoveries themselves: When a government-sponsored press release refers to an archaeological find as “the first” or “oldest,” there is often a hint of nationalism.
cat for victory
Museums and archaeologists will finally learn about the plight of cats in 2024, and we hope this trend continues into 2025. In July, Maya Pontone reported that China’s Shanghai Museum in People’s Square announced that owners could bring their cats to a series of events surrounding a new exhibition of Egyptian antiquities. Then, Cats: Natural enemies of pets Exhibit opens at Chicago Field Museum November. dental floss There was also an incredible article titled “A colony of feral cats numbering in the dozens.” [that] After the Second World War, serious damage was caused to the British Museum. “This Cat Disaster lives for free in the dustbin of my mind.
“Lion of Venice” originated in China
In another feline story published in September, I discussed a study into whether the famous “Venetian lion” actually came from China. The new study, led by academics from the University of Padua and the International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies, found that lead isotopes in the Winged Lion artwork showed that the main part of the statue was made from bronze from 8th-century China. The findings point to the global nature of medieval trade and the influence of art from China’s Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). But they also reveal the growing importance of isotope analysis in art history and archaeology.
Giza restoration project canceled
First, news of an ill-conceived “restoration” project in Giza was revealed in a Facebook video posted in January by Mostafa Waziry, then secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. Elaine Velie reported on this in early February. Before the end of the month, the project was halted due to outcry.
Black archaeologists transformed the ocean
I look forward to Lakshmi Rivera Amin’s must-read column each week to stay on top of the latest happenings, and loved her comment in August that “several black artists, archaeologists, and Divers are transforming the ocean, treating it as a graveyard, a human relic.” The Middle Passage, and a Possible Space for Healing,” link to a great story about a black diver atmosphere Author: Omnia Saeed.
Return and protect cultural heritage
Archeology, as a field that emerged from violent regimes, often casts scholars as agents of colonialism and erasure. This year, small but important steps were taken to pressure institutions to return cultural heritage, including remains held in museums. In September, Rhea Nayyar reported that “the National Park Service awarded just over $3 million in grants to 13 Native American tribes and 21 U.S. agencies to promote ongoing efforts across the country The return of ancestral remains and artifacts held in collections and archives everywhere.” Maya Pontone also reported on the return of 124 Aboriginal remains from the American Museum of Natural History in July. These returns are long overdue, in fact the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, Ohio’s only UNESCO site, will reopen on January 1 for the first time in nearly a century. In August, UNESCO also added a monastery in central Gaza to the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Psychedelic Cocktails from Ancient Egypt
Just this month, Rhea Nayyar reported that researchers found “psychoactive plant substances, human fluids, honey, wheat” in a vessel engraved with an image of Bes, the god of childbirth and music. , traces of yeast and licorice”. The ancient Egyptians seemed to have enjoyed some mind-bending travels. How could we forget that, in February, Elaine Velie reported that archaeologists had discovered evidence of a hallucinogenic poisonous plant in ancient Rome? The more researchers study the microscopic residues left on objects like ceramics, the more we find that people in the ancient world enjoyed using many psychoactive drugs.
Mayan ancient city in Mexico
Maya Pontone reported in October that a number of previously unknown Mayan cities were discovered using airborne lidar technology, initially “as part of a forest monitoring survey to measure carbon emissions.” The study recovered 6,674 “completely unstudied structures in the state of Campeche” in southern Mexico. The emergence of new archaeological techniques means a giant leap forward for the field, both on the ground and in space.
Pompeii is still beautiful
We cover PBS’s new documentary series Pompeii: New Excavationswhich covers everything from newly discovered tableware to stunning Egyptian blue rooms. Archaeologists also discovered an ancient Roman reed-weaving workshop that was covered in a volcanic eruption in AD 79. While it’s no secret that the people of Pompeii were passionate about erotica and ran numerous brothels, the discovery of satyrs mating with fairies did raise some eyebrows, as Isa Farfan wrote in October. Some things never change.
