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Archeology
Archeology
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35000 BC |
In 2008 archeologists unearthed tools dating back at least 35,000 years in a rock shelter in Australia's remote northwest, making it one of the oldest archaeological finds in that part of the country. Links: Australia, Anthropology, HistoryBC, Archeology 
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12000 BC |
In 2008 evidence from Monte Verde, Chile, indicated that a small band of people inhabited the area. Initial evidence was found in a peat bog there in 1977. Links: Chile, HistoryBC, Archeology
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3500 BC 3000 BC |
In 2008 a team of German and Peruvian archaeologists reported the discovery of a ceremonial plaza near Peru's north-central coast dating to this period. Links: Peru, Germany, HistoryBC, Archeology
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3000 BC |
In Britain timber temples were constructed about this time prior to stone circles. Remains of one was found in 1997 at Stanton Drew in Somerset that measured 443 feet on the outer diameter. Links: Britain, HistoryBC, Archeology
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3000 BC |
In 2009 archeologists identified a site named "Bluehenge," dating to about this time, about a mile (2km) away from Stonehenge. It was named after the color of the 27 Welsh stones that were laid to make up a path. The stones were gone but the path of holes remained. Links: Britain, HistoryBC, Archeology
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1000 BC 975 BC |
In 2008 Israeli archeologists found a Hebrew inscription in proto-Canaanite script on a pottery fragment at a site believed to the biblical city of Sha’arayim (Two Gates). The city was located on a hill above the Valley of Elah, where the bible says David slew Goliath. Links: Israel, Language, HistoryBC, Archeology
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900 BC 700 BC |
In 2008 archeologists found pottery in Tyre, Lebanon, that was used by Phoenicians during this period. Links: Lebanon, HistoryBC, Archeology, Phoenicians
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246 BC 222 BC |
Ptolemy III Euergeter served as Egypt’s 3rd ruler of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. In 2010 archeologists discovered a temple, thought to belong to Queen Berenice, wife of King Ptolemy III who ruled Egypt in the 3rd century B.C. Archeologists believed that the temple might have been dedicated to the ancient cat-goddess Bastet. Links: Egypt, Animal, HistoryBC, Archeology
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221 BC 220 |
A section of the Great Wall was built during the Qin (221-206 BC) and Han (206 BC to 220 AD) dynasties in northeastern Jilin province. In 2009 the Xinhua news agency reported the discovery of this section, 11km (6.7 miles) further east than what was previously thought to be the wall's terminus. Links: China, Architect, Archeology
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37 |
Some 20,000 pieces of jewelry and other objects were buried about this time with a warrior-prince and 5 women in northern Afghanistan. In 1978-79 a team led by Russian archeologist Viktor Sarianidi discovered their 6 sealed tombs at a site called Tillya Tepe (hill of gold). The findings became known as the “Golden Hoard of Bactria.” Links: Afghan, Archeology, Bactria
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1799 |
Pierre Bouchard [Boussart], an officer in Napoleon's army, discovered the Rosetta Stone in the city of Rosetta [Rashid], Egypt. The Rosetta Stone is a tablet with hieroglyphic translations into Greek. The stone is black basalt... and bears three texts: the uppermost is in early Egyptian hieroglyphic; the middle one in the Neo-Egyptian demotic script often used in writing papyri; and the lowermost text is Greek. Deciphering the stone, the work of English physicist Thomas Young and then French archaeologist Jean-Francois Champollion, led to an understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing. Champollion published memoirs on the decipherment in 1822. Links: France, Egypt, Language, Archeology
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1879 |
The Cyrus Cylinder was discovered by the Assyro-British archaeologist Hormuzd Rassam in the foundations of the Esagila, the main temple of Babylon, and was later placed in the British Museum in London. The cylinder was created following the Persian conquest of Babylon in 539 BC, when Cyrus overthrew the Babylonian king Nabonidus and replaced him as ruler, ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire. It was later considered as the world's first declaration of human rights. Links: Babylon, Britain, Iran, Persia, Archeology
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1881 |
Hamdi Bey (1842-1910), Ottoman statesman painter and archeologist, founded the Archeological Museum of Istanbul. It opened in 1891. Links: Artist, Turkey, Archeology
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1906 May 26 |
Pres. Theodore Roosevelt approved the US Congress chartered the Archaeological Institute of America. Links: USA, RooseveltT, Archeology
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1906 Jun 8 |
Pres. Theodore Roosevelt signed the American Antiquities Act, first proposed in 1882. It was used to set aside American resources by executive order. Roosevelt had urged the passage of the Antiquities Act to allow the president to designate areas of scientific, historic or archeological significance as national monuments without the approval of Congress. Links: USA, RooseveltT, Archeology
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1907 |
In Egypt a mummy known as KV55 was found. It was named after the number of the tomb where it was found in the Valley of the Kings. In 2010 DNA and CT scanning identified the mummy as that of Pharaoh Akhenaten (1350-1336BC). Links: Egypt, DNA, Archeology
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1916 |
George Reisner (1867-1942), American archeologist, began excavating pyramids at Meroe, Sudan. Links: USA, Sudan, Archeology
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1919 |
James Henry Breasted (1865-1935), archeologist, founded the Oriental Institute as part of the Univ. of Chicago. The collection was opened to the public in 1931. Links: USA, Chicago, Museum, Archeology
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1924 Mar 1 |
Emile Fradin (d.2010 at 103), French peasant, discovered an underground chamber containing ancient artifacts that were later dated anywhere from 300 BC to the 15th century. The field, called Duranthon, was later renamed the Champ des Morts (field of the Dead). Links: France, Archeology
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1928 |
In Egypt Pierre Montet, a French archeologist, began excavations at Tanis. He was convinced that the ruins there were of Pi-Rameses, capital of Rameses the Great. However it was later determined that many of the artifacts had been brought there from Qantir by the kings of Dynasties 21 and 22, as they built their new Delta capital. In the late 1930s and 1940s an entire complex of tombs was found intact at Tanis. Links: France, Egypt, Archeology
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1936 |
Agatha Christie authored her novel “Murder in Mesopotamia.” During the 1930s she accompanied her husband Max Mallowan, British archeologist, on excavations in southern Iraq and later wrote an account of their work titled “Come Tell Me How You Live” (1946). Links: Iraq, Britain, Writer, Books, Archeology
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1939 Feb 27 |
In Egypt Pierre Montet, a French archeologist, found the tomb of King Osorkon II at Tanis. Links: France, Egypt, Archeology
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1939 Mar 21 |
In Egypt King Farouk arrived at Tanis for the opening of the coffin of the 21st Dynasty King Psusennes I, recently discovered by French archeologist Pierre Montet. It turned out that this coffin actually belonged to Sheshonq II of the 22nd Dynasty. Links: France, Egypt, Archeology
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1940 Feb 28 |
In Egypt King Farouk arrived at Tanis for the opening of the sarcophagus of the 21st Dynasty King Psusennes I, recently discovered by French archeologist Pierre Montet. Links: France, Egypt, Archeology
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1940 Apr 17 |
In Egypt King Farouk arrived at Tanis and ordered French archeologist Pierre Montet to open the tomb of King Amenemope, son of 21st Dynasty King Psusennes I. Links: France, Egypt, Archeology
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1946 |
French archeologist Pierre Montet (d.1966) resumed his excavations at Tanis, Egypt, and continued work there until 1951. In 1958 he published an account of his discoveries titled “La Necropole Royale de Tanis.” Links: France, Egypt, Archeology
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1952 |
In Egypt Mohammed Zakaria Ghoneim found the burial mask of noblewoman Ka Nefer Nefer at the Saqqara pyramids. It dated back to 1307BC-1196BC. In 1998 St. Louis bought the mask for half a million dollars from Phoenix ancient Art gallery in Geneva, which was owned by Lebanese brothers Hicham and Ali Aboutaam. In 2004 an Egyptian court sentenced Ali Aboutaam in absentia to 15 years in prison for smuggling artifacts from Egypt to Switzerland. Links: Switzerland, Egypt, Missouri, Lawsuit, Archeology
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1966 Jun 19 |
French archeologist Pierre Montet (b.1885), renowned for his excavations at Tanis, Egypt, died. In 1958 he published an account of his discoveries titled “La Necropole Royale de Tanis.” Links: France, Egypt, Archeology
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1969 |
Peter V. Glob (1911-1985), Danish archeologist, authored "The Bog People: Iron Age Man Preserved." Links: Denmark, Books, Archeology
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1971 |
John Evans (b.1925), English archeologist, published the comprehensive survey: "The Prehistoric Antiquities of the Maltese Islands." Links: Britain, Malta, Books, Archeology
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1972 Oct 1 |
Louis Leakey (b.1903), Kenyan archeologist and naturalist, died in London. He was flown home and interred at Limuru, Kenya, near the graves of his parents. Links: Britain, Kenya, Archeology
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1974 Nov 28 |
Konstantin Melnikov (b.1890), Russian architect, died. His Melnikov House in Moscow was built from 1927-1931 with fees from commissions. Links: Russia, USSR, Archeology
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1974 |
Amateur and professional archeologists met in New Mexico and created the American Rock Art Research Assoc. (ARARA) for the study and conservation of rock art. Links: USA, New Mexico, Archeology
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1975 Jul 11 |
Archaeologists unearthed an army of 8,000 life-size clay figures created more than 2,000 years ago for the Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi (Shihuangdi). [see 210BC] Villagers had uncovered the first of the figures in 1974. Links: China, Archeology
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1979 Oct 31 |
The US Archeological Resources Protection Act, on behalf of endangered antiquities, became law. Links: USA, Archeology
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1980 |
The US Archeological Conservancy was founded by a group of private citizens and archeologists. Links: USA, Archeology
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1980 |
A mummy titled the "Beauty of Kiruran," was found in the Taklimakan Desert in China. The Uighurs have been the majority population of this area for centuries and speak a Turkic language. Links: China, Archeology
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2001 |
Tom Malzbender, a computer scientist at HPs laboratory in Palo Alto, Ca., developed a lighting method that came to be known as polynomial texture mapping (PTM). It was later found useful in illuminating details on ancient objects. Links: USA, Technology, Archeology
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2008 Mar 22 |
Egyptian and European archeologists announced they had discovered a giant statue of Queen Tiy, the wife of 18th dynasty Pharaoh Amenhotep III, on the south Egypt site of the Colossi of Memnon. Links: Egypt, Archeology
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2008 Mar 31 |
Some of England's most sacred soil was disturbed for the first time in more than four decades as archaeologists worked to solve the enduring riddle of Stonehenge: When and why was the prehistoric monument built? Links: Britain, Archeology
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2008 Jun 5 |
Egyptian archaeologists unveiled a 4,000-year-old "missing pyramid" that they believed to have been discovered by an archaeologist almost 200 years ago and never seen again. The pyramid was thought to have been built by King Menkauhor, an obscure pharaoh who ruled for only eight years. The style of the pyramid indicates it was from the Fifth Dynasty, a period that began in 2,465 B.C. and ended in 2,325 B.C. Links: Egypt, Archeology
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2008 Sep 14 |
Archaeologist Georgi Kitov (b.1943), an expert on the treasure-rich Thracian culture of antiquity, died of a heart attack while excavating a temple in central Bulgaria. Links: Bulgaria, Archeology
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2009 Feb 11 |
In Egypt archeologist revealed the discovery of a burial chamber 36 feet below ground at the necropolis of Saqqara dating back to about 640BC. Links: Egypt, Archeology
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2010 Feb 1 |
Egypt’s Parliament amended an antiquities law to bring in stiffer punishments for the theft and smuggling of relics while granting patent rights to the country's antiquities council. Links: Egypt, Robbery, Archeology
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2010 Feb 28 |
The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities announced that archaeologists have unearthed the massive head of one Egypt's most famous pharaohs who ruled nearly 3,400 years ago. Amenhotep III, the grandfather of Tutankhamun, ruled from 1387-1348 B.C. at the height of Egypt's New Kingdom and presided over a vast empire stretching from Nubia in the south to Syria in the north. Links: Egypt, Archeology
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