Some posts I enjoyed around the web this week:
Hatshepsut went to Wales. Well, a fragment of her did. While students at the Egypt Centre of Swansea University were participating in a “object handling session” a professor realized that a limestone fragment was carved with an image of Hatshepsut, hieroglyphic and all. Interestingly, someone had cut off part of the image and turned it around and made a new, fake carving to finish off part of her missing face—apparently to improve the price on the antiquities market, but the piece had already been restored to its original orientation and position. There is no record of the fragment’s provenance, but the professor is fairly certain it must have been cut from Hatshepsut’s memorial temple at Deir el-Bahri during the late nineteenth century. More research into its origins will be carried out. Now she’s a featured item in their centre instead of a lost and forgotten bit of stone in back storage. Hatshepsut’s reign is an impressive example of what can happen under female leadership, so I’m glad this stolen piece of her is getting some respect. What museum piece influenced your view of the world? Click here for Archaeology News Network “Mysterious head of female pharaoh discovered at university storage facility”
Oh geeze. Did you not know that all of history and archaeology is just a giant conspiracy to keep the truth from the non-elite public? This goofy show produced by Megan Fox (is it only me that hears the irony of the Fox name in this?) called “Mysteries and Myths with Megan Fox” will show you how silly you’ve been to pay attention to archaeologists. After all, those pyramids were built by aliens, folks. And she’s got something about Troy, the real story, except she rejects all the last couple decades of archaeology substantiating our understanding of Troy, because that’s all part of the conspiracy. I’m so tired of this notion that facts, reality, documentation, evidence, etc. are all so irrelevant and must at all costs be contradicted with mindless, deceptive, intolerant drivel. It doesn’t work in government and it doesn’t work in history. Your thoughts? Click here for Inverse “Megan Fox’s ‘Alternative History’ Show Has Archaeologists Rightfully Pissed”
An ancient horse burial, dating to 1050-728 B.C.E., was excavated in modern day Sudan. Iron cheekpiece, fragments of fabric burial shroud, scarab and other signs of high respect for the burial show a value on horses among Nubian Kushites and New Kingdom Egypt that was previously unknown. Wear on the bones and the bridle indicate the horse pulled a chariot. Click here for Archaeology News Network “Ancient horse burial in Nile River Valley connected to Kushite state formation”