Men Who Vandalized Egyptian Pyramid To Prove Theory Face Charges.

Two self-styled amateur archeologists from Germany, who filmed themselves scraping off pieces of Egypt's Great Pyramid in hopes of proving that the ancient wonder was built by people from the legendary city of Atlantis, are now facing possible criminal charges in their home country.

During a trip to Egypt in April 2013, Dominque Goerlitz and Stephan Erdmann, along with a German filmmaker, were granted access to parts of the Great Pyramid at Giza that are normally off-limits to the public. They smuggled their samples back to Germany with plans to produce a documentary.

Benjamin Radford, Live Science, says:

"The group reportedly took several items from the pyramids, including ... samples of a cartouche (identifying inscription) of the pharaoh Khufu, also known as Cheops. Goerlitz and Erdmann, who are not archaeologists but have instead been described as "hobbyists," allegedly smuggled the artifacts out of the country in violation of strict antiquities laws, according to news reports." 

The Art Newspaper says that in November "a self-posted trailer on YouTube for a documentary detailing and revealing their exploits, drew almost universal condemnation and angered Egyptian authorities. After the controversy broke, the German embassy in Cairo released a statement emphasising that neither Goerlitz nor Erdmann were associated with the embassy or the German Archaeological Institute."

In addition to the three Germans, six Egyptians are being held in connection with the case, including several guards and inspectors from the Egyptian Antiquities Ministry who allowed the men into the pyramid, Live Science says.

The Art Newspaper writes:

"Most scholars date this mark to the pyramid's construction in around 2500BC, while alternative theorists, including the two German researchers, have long claimed the cartouche to be a fake, painted by its discoverer, Colonel Howard Vyse in 1837 to help him secure further funding for his explorations. To prove their claims, Goerlitz and Erdmann allegedly smuggled the pigment samples from Egypt to Dresden University for further study; by proving the modernity of the pigment, they hoped to raise the possibility that the Great Pyramid was constructed by a civilization much older than the ancient Egyptians."

In December, Goerlitz and Erdmann apologize for the vandalism in a letter addressed to Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities, "offering to pay compensation for the damage and stressing that they did not mean harm to the pyramid. Egypt's head of antiquities, Mohamed Ibrahim, has so far rejected their apology."

As Radford points out:

"The conspiracy theories that Goerlitz and Erdmann endorse did not appear in a vacuum; instead, they have been widely promoted by best-selling authors such as Erich von [Daniken], who wroteChariots of the Gods? first published in 1968. Such authors claim the true builders of the pyramids were not ancient Egyptians but instead others, like extraterrestrials or residents of the legendary Atlantis."

Source: The Two Way

(VIDEO) 600 year old mystery manuscript decoded by University of Bedfordshire professor.

AN award-winning professor from the University has followed in the footsteps of Indiana Jones by cracking the code of a 600 year old manuscript, deemed as ‘the most mysterious’ document in the world.

Stephen Bax, Professor of Applied Linguistics, has just become the first professional linguist to crack the code of the Voynich manuscript using an analytical approach.

The world-renowned manuscript is full of illustrations of exotic plants, stars, and mysterious human figures, as well as many pages written in an unknown text.

Up until now the 15^th century cryptic work has baffled scholars, cryptographers and codebreakers who have failed to read a single letter of the script or any word of the text.

Over time it has attained an infamous reputation, even featuring in the latest hit computer game Assassin’s Creed, as well as in the Indiana Jones novels, when Indiana decoded the Voynich and used it to find the ‘Philosopher's Stone’.

However in reality no one has come close to revealing the Voynich’s true messages.

Many grand theories have been proposed. Some suggest it was the work of Leonardo da Vinci as a boy, or secret Cathars, or the lost tribe of Israel, or most recently Aztecs … some have even proclaimed it was done by aliens!

Professor Bax however has begun to unlock the mystery meanings of the Voynich manuscript using his wide knowledge of mediaeval manuscripts and his familiarity with Semitic languages such as Arabic. Using careful linguistic analysis he is working on the script letter by letter.

“I hit on the idea of identifying proper names in the text, following historic approaches which successfully deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphs and other mystery scripts, and I then used those names to work out part of the script,” explained Professor Bax, who is to give his inaugural lecture as a professor at the University later this month.

“The manuscript has a lot of illustrations of stars and plants. I was able to identify some of these, with their names, by looking at mediaeval herbal manuscripts in Arabic and other languages, and I then made a start on a decoding, with some exciting results.”

Among the words he has identified is the term for Taurus, alongside a picture of seven stars which seem to be the Pleiades, and also the word KANTAIRON alongside a picture of the plant Centaury, a known mediaeval herb, as well as a number of other plants.

Although Professor Bax’s decoding is still only partial, it has generated a lot of excitement in the world of codebreaking and linguistics because it could prove a crucial breakthrough for an eventual full decipherment.

“My aim in reporting on my findings at this stage is to encourage other linguists to work with me to decode the whole script using the same approach, though it still won’t be easy. That way we can finally understand what the mysterious authors were trying to tell us,” he added.

“But already my research shows conclusively that the manuscript is not a hoax, as some have claimed, and is probably a treatise on nature, perhaps in a Near Eastern or Asian language.” 

Find out more about his work at the University's Centre for Research in English Language Learning and Assessment (CRELLA) and also on his personal website www.stephenbax.net

2,300-year-old village discovered near ‘Burma Road’

 The remnants of a rural settlement that was occupied for approximately two centuries during the Second Temple Period have been uncovered.

The find was made during an Israel Antiquities Authority archaeological salvage excavation, before the start of work on a natural gas pipeline to Jerusalem as part of a national project directed by Israel Natural Gas Lines (INGL).

In June 2013, Israel Natural Gas Lines began construction of the 35km-long project, which runs from the coastal plain to the outskirts of Jerusalem. In light of the finds, the Israel Antiquities Authority and the INGL have agreed that engineering plans for the gas line are to be revised, bypassing the site and preserving it as an accessible archaeological site beside the Burma Road.

The excavations, which covered about 750 square meters, revealed a small rural settlement with a few stone houses and a network of narrow alleys. Each building, which probably housed a single nuclear family, consisted of several rooms and an open courtyard.

According to Irina Zilberbod, excavation director on behalf of the Antiquities Authority, “The rooms generally served as residential and storage rooms, while domestic tasks were carried out in the courtyards”.

The site, whose name has not survived, is nestled at the top of a spur 280 meters above sea level, with commanding views of the surrounding countryside. These large tracts of land were used  as they are today  to cultivate orchards and vineyards, which were the economic mainstay of the region’s early settlers.

  The excavations have shown that the site reached the height of its development in the Hellenistic period (during the third century BCE), when Judea was ruled by the Seleucid monarchy following Alexander the Great, and that it was abandoned at the end of the Hasmonean dynasty.

 It is not known why the site was abandoned, but it is probably related to economic problems and not to a violent incident.

As Jerusalem Regional Archaeologist Dr. Yuval Baruch explains, “The phenomenon of villages and farms being abandoned at the end of the Hasmonean dynasty or the beginning of Herod the Great’s succeeding rule is one that we are familiar with from many rural sites in Judea, and it may be related to Herod’s massive building projects in Jerusalem, particularly the construction of the Temple Mount, and the mass migration of villagers to the capital to work on these projects.”

The excavations yielded numerous and varied finds from all occupation periods, including basalt and limestone grinding and milling tools for domestic use, pottery cooking pots, jars for storing liquids (oil and wine,) pottery oil lamps for domestic use, and over sixty coins, including coins from the reigns of the Seleucid King Antiochus III and the Hasmonean King Alexander Jannaeus.

Source: HeritageDaily

Aztec dog burials puzzle archaeologists.

During salvage excavations in Azcapotzalco (Northwest Mexico City), archaeologists from the National Institute of anthropology and history (INAH) discovered the remains of 12 dogs. The dogs were placed there around 500 years ago, but unusually, without any apparent association to human burial – acting as a guide for the soul to the underworld, or as an offering dedicated to a temple or building.

Late Postclassic

The approximate date of their burial was ascertained from ceramic material recovered, known as Azteca III and manufactured during the late Postclassic period between the years 1350 to 1520 A.D., which was the height of Aztec rule in the area, said archaeologist Rocío Morales Sanchez.
“Burials of dogs have been found in archaeological contexts, but in this case, it is not associated with any construction or a human burial. Without a doubt this is a special find, by the number of individuals and we have not found a link with a building or a deceased person.”
He explained that they would be digging deeper to find out if any evidence exists underneath this deposit to aid interpretation. The dog skeletons will be analysed in the laboratory to ascertain the cause of death, whether they suffered from any disease or malformation.

The skeletons which are in good condition do not conform to any burial pattern. Their body shape seems to suggest a common type of dog, as special breeds such as the techichi are recognised by their short legs, while the xoloitzcuintli are identified by their loss of premolars in adulthood. The group of dogs are of medium size, of various ages and have most of their teeth, except for one which has severe dental wear.

Periphery of Azcapotzalco

The remains discovered represent the earthworks of what was the periphery of Azcapotzalco on its southern side and linked to the old quarter of the Concepción Huitznahuac. A few years ago another rescue excavation was conducted in the eastern part of the same land and at that time the archaeologists recovered and protected the remains of a household, where they also found human burials and traces of ancient canals. These finds are connected with the new discoveries of a large amount of domestic waste materials, mainly ceramics, bone needles and obsidian stone tools.

Human femur percussion instrument

INAH archaeologist Antonio Zamora said that they had also found an omichicahuaztli (percussion instrument) carved out of a human femur, as well as another musical instrument made of a dog humerus. In one clay layer they discovered the remains of an infant of about three years old from the Prehispanic era along with food waste consisting of the bones of dog and Turkey. Given the closeness of this area to the shoreline of Lake Texcoco, the archaeologists concluded that the waste was put there in order to raise the ground level to prevent flooding.

Source: PH

Gas masks, skulls and bullets: Haunting underwater World War II artefacts from ship graveyard in Chuuk Lagoon captured by British photographer.

For 70 years, they have sheltered at the bottom of a clear blue lagoon... which happens to mask the largest ship graveyard in the world. 

Now, a photographer has captured the World War Two artefacts that lie beneath the surface of Chuuk Lagoon in the Central Pacific. 

The preserved items include gas masks, human skulls and metal bullets - as well as personal photographs belonging to wartime victims.

The lagoon was Japan's main base during the war, but in 1944, U.S. forces launched a fatal attack - sinking more than 60 Japanese warships and 250 planes. 

The body of water, formally known as Truk Lagoon, is now considered to be one of the top wreck diving destinations in the world.

Photographer Super Jolly, from Wraysbury, Berkshire, described the shoot as 'one of the scariest' dives she has ever done.

'The atmosphere was really spooky,' she said. 'Seeing the piles of bones and medicine bottles on the operating table filled me with fear and provided me with some hard hitting images of the war and the importance of this memorial to all those who perished.'

The 32-year-old added: 'I wasn't expecting the ships and artefacts to be so well preserved after being underwater for almost 70 years.'

Preserved: A photographer has captured the World War Two artefacts - including a gas mask, above - that lie beneath the surface of Chuuk Lagoon in the Central Pacific

Haunting: The items include human skulls, unexploded bombs and metal bullets - as well as personal photographs belonging to wartime victims, such as the one above

In the deep: The lagoon, now formally known as Truk Lagoon, masks the largest ship graveyard in the world. Above, a set of engine controls is pictured on the seabed  

Creepy: The body of water was Japan's main base during World War Two, but in 1944, U.S. forces launched an attack. Above, an operating table lies beneath the water

Artillery: The attack on February 17 resulted in the sinking of more than 60 Japanese warships and 250 planes. Above, a collection of metal bullets rests on the seabed

Masking a secret: The clear blue lagoon is pictured as it looks today. Seventy years after the attack, the Japanese still pay their respects at the watery graves each year

Location: Chuuk lagoon is a body of water in the central Pacific. About 1800km north-east of New Guinea, it is part of Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia

Spooky: Chuuk Lagoon is now considered to be one of the top wreck diving destinations in the world. Above, several Saki bottles are pictured on the ocean floor

Wreckage: Photographer Super Jolly, from Wraysbury, Berkshire, described the incredible shoot as 'one of the scariest' dives she has ever done. Above, a telegraph

Eerie: 'The atmosphere was really spooky,' she said. 'Seeing piles of bones and medicine bottles on the operating table filled me with fear.' Above, a set of engine tubes

Operations: Ms Jolly, 32, said the deep-sea dive provided her with some 'hard hitting images' of the war - including this haunting photo of the ship's machine room

Artefacts: The 32-year-old added: 'I wasn't expecting the artefacts to be so well preserved.' Above, a medicine box (left) and a steering column (right) lie on the sea floor

 Risks: Ms Jolly said breathing in compressed air at depth can lead to 'narcotic effects' - impairing divers' judgement and sensory perception. Above, a sunken truck

Remains: She added: 'Another nitrogen related danger is decompression sickness, caused by the bodies tissues absorb nitrogen under pressure.' Above, another truck

Deadly: If the pressure underwater is rapidly reduced then bubbles can form - leading to painful joints, tissue damage, paralysis and even death. Above, a stock of bullets

Urinals: 'When exploring wrecks, there is always the danger of getting lost inside a wreck or getting tangled on something,' said Ms Jolly. Above, the officers' washroom

Put out: A lantern is pictured at the bottom of the lagoon, which is the world's largest ship graveyard. It joins an array of other artefacts from the World War Two attack

Yet to perish: Wartime items, including a Japanese newspaper (left) and dozens of undetonated bombs (right) are captured on the sea floor during the photography shoot

Deceased: Chuuk Lagoon is part of the larger Caroline Islands group, comprising eleven major islands. Above, human bones - including part of a skull - lie on the seabed

Worn: These damaged shoes are among hundreds of artefacts to have been discovered in ship wrecks following the U.S. deadly airstrike on February 17, 1944

Left behind: Small blue fish surround a a pair of spanners that are resting atop a container - believed to be a tool box - beneath the surface of the tropical lagoon
Source: DailyMail

The secret story of the Venus of Willendorf.

Microscopic investigations on the world famous statuette from the Gravettian period (30,000 to 22,000 years ago) carried out at the Natural History Museum in Vienna revealed three incredible insights, and when taken together tell a secret story of this Palaeolithic figurine and her creators.

• The limestone from which the 11cm high Venus had been carved, comes almost certainly from the region around the Moravian city of Brno 136km to the northeast of Willendorf.
• The source of the flint blades discovered with the figure was North Moravia, a further 150km to the north.
• The Venus had once been completely painted with red ochre, and given the ritualistic associations of this material meant that the figure was more than likely a cultic object.

The limestone of Stránská Skala in Brno

After an extensive programme of comparison of a large dataset of various limestone types, the proverbial needle was located in the haystack. The limestone rock from which the Venus of Willendorf could have been made​​, came from an unexpected location. The limestone is often called 0olite, and is composed of millimetre-sized calcoliths (skeletons of tiny sea creatures). Only on the Stránská Skala, a limestone massif in the city area of Brno (Brünn), can an identical rock type be found. This places the origin of the stone for the Venus at this precise location.

Nordic flint from the moraines region of Moravia

Analysis of the flint tools from the Ice Age camp of Willendorf, along with a detailed lithic provenancing examination showed that up to one third of the blades that are typical of the Gravettian culture were made from what is known as northern flint. This raw material was never available on the Danube, but must have been brought from the northern moraines region to Willendorf. The long narrow blades from this high-quality flint are exceptional, however, it is what is not present that opens up a window onto its origins and the movement of the people themselves. The Willendorf site contains no suitable cores to makes these blades, which can only suggest that they were already complete when they arrived at the Danube and the cores were left at the site of extraction and production far to the north.

These findings appear to represent evidence of long range seasonal migrations of the Ice Age Gravettian people moving from summer and winter camps between 30,000 - 27,000 years ago. The group would have spent the warmer seasons in the cool highlands, while in winter they would settle in the area of the Danube valley. This route would take them through the area where they could gather the material to carve the limestone figurine, and  collect the flint nodules in the moraine deposits of the Nordic Ice sheets from the northern flint glacial region of Moravia where they would make the tools, before carrying them all the way to the Danube during the harsher winder months.

Red painted figure

There is a great deal of evidence showing the entire surface was once painted with red ochre and analysis shows that the entire figure was originally painted red. The Venus of Willendorf was recorded to have been covered with a thick layer of red ochre when she was found in 1908, however, it seems that overzealous cleaning removed most of this covering. The small female figure was most likely cultic or religious in function, carried by the band of Gravettian and it is acknowledged that red ochre is often represented as a sacred colour and used in burial rites.  Many figurines were hidden in dwellings with some buried in small pits. It seems plausible that the nomadic Stone Age hunters carried these small and therefore portable  ‘idols’ with them as they moved from camp to camp.

Source: PH

900-Year-Old Viking Message Decoded, Reads 'Kiss Me'

The mystery of a 900-year-old Viking message has finally been solved. Cryptologists, put down your cipher devices, because the formerly incomprehensible code that's been haunting your dreams reads in part: "Kiss me."

The baffling Jötunvillur code, which dates back to as early as the 9th century, has popped up in over 80 different Norse inscriptions, puzzling runologists (those who study the Viking rune alphabets) for some time. That is, until Jonas Nordby, a runologist from the University of Oslo, valiantly broke the code, realizing a simple pattern amongst the writings.

"For the jötunvillur code, one would replace the original runic character with the last sound of the rune name," he explained in an interview with Forskning.no. "For example, the rune for 'f', pronounced 'fe,' would be turned into an 'e,' while the rune for 'k,' pronounced 'kaun,' became 'n.'"

Sounds easy, right? Nordby sifted through all the findings of rune codes in northern Europe, mainly Scandinavia and the British Isles, to settle on his conclusion. Cryptologists previously thought the code was used to communicate secret messages, but Nordby thinks the pattern might have been instrumental in the teaching of rune instead. For instance, a means of memorizing the order of the alphabets.

"We have little reason to believe that rune codes should hide sensitive messages," Nordby claims. "People often wrote short everyday messages."

Amongst them -- "Kiss me," shown in coded rune in the first image above. Perhaps Nordby has stumbled upon a nearly millennium-old love letter? Dare we say, a Valentine? Whatever the case, runic code researchers deserve a round of applause. There's nothing like the glee felt after solving a good ol' medieval mystery.

Source: HP