The Archaeologist.
Anthropology, Archaeology, History, Science, Skepticism & Wanderlust.
Flechada: Lovestruck: A Visit to the Most Isolated Island on Earth
We know most of the places we show you are full of a history and culture, but Chile’s Isla de Pascua, or Easter Island, is such a far reaching location it bewilders us that anyone could have found the island at all, let alone live there and build some of the world’s most mysterious human rtifacts. Famous for the hundreds of Moai statues found scattered throughout, travelers who are lucky enough to visit this island get to experience a truly mystical place made unique by its desolate location and sometimes questionable past.
The great faces of the Moai statues are its most popular feature. Found along the coastline, every Moai site is free to visit. It has been established that the first settlers to arrive to the island were of Polynesian decent, but how the statues got there remains unknown. The volcanic craters of Rano Kua and Rano Raraku offer spectacular sights and a glimpse into the origins of the Moai statues. Of course, an island like has at least a few amazing white sand beaches perfect for catching surf. Come join us on our Isla de Pascua adventure with our do’s and don’ts for visiting the most isolated island on earth!
Do: As with any trip, you should do your research and plan ahead. This special location calls for extra planning, budgeting and maybe even working on your bargaining skills.
Don’t: Go on vacation to Chile, then decide to hop on over to la isla on a whim. It’s no small detour.
Do: Take a plane to this super exotic location. As isolated as it is, LAN Airlinesin Chile can take you there most days of the week.
Don’t: Expect to take a cruise to get to the island. The surrounding waters prove to be a bit tumultuous for that kind of travel. But, if you’ve got your sea legs how does a 35-day trip on a ship sound?
Do: Be open to staying in a “guest house” as it’s a great way to get in touch with the culture of the island. Click here for more information and other accommodations.
Don’t: This little piece of heaven is also home to many inhabitants who live off of and respect their land. Don’t be “that tourist” who can’t tell when they’re overstepping their boundaries. And this can go for any trip!
Do: Tours offer great ways to travel through the island. You can connect the stories to the sites, get some insight into the places you visit, and get in touch with locals and other fellow travelers. Companies like Adventure Life, Globus Journeys and Abercrombie and Kent can hook you up with some awesome tours.
Don’t: We’re mixing this one up. Do rent a car. Many hosts of guesthouses also offer vehicles to borrow or rent. Don’t expect a luxury car—the roads can be bit rough, but a little off-roading is always fun!
Do: If you are going to Easter Island, then you probably already know about the Moai monolithic statues. This is a must-see main attraction of the island so you can’t miss it!
Don’t: Some Moai statues are built atop ceremonial platforms and burials called Ahu. Walking on the Ahu is an extremely disrespectful gesture so again, don’t be “that tourist.”
The TRUE Size Of Africa - An Erroneous Map Misled Us For 500 Years!
People are often not aware of how large Africa continent really is. The image below is an accurate look at Africa relative to some major countries:
Archaeologists Discover Lost City In Cambodian Jungle : NPR
The Australian researchers found a jungle-covered metropolis that predates the country’s famous Angkor Wat complex by some 350 years.
(Source: mountiefromhell)
Archaeological News: Likely Virginia site of complex Indian empire, Pocahontas’ rescue preserved under agreement
GLOUCESTER, Va. — A farm field overlooking the York River in Tidewater Virginia is believed to be where Pocahontas interceded with her powerful father Powhatan to rescue English Capt. John Smith from death.
That’s a fanciful footnote for many Virginia Indians, historians and archaeologists, who say the real story is that this land was the center of a complex, sprawling empire ruled by Powhatan long before the first permanent English settlement in American was founded in 1607. It was called Werowocomoco, which roughly translates to a “place of chiefs.”
“This is like our Washington,” said Kevin Brown, chief of the Pamunkey tribe. “History didn’t begin in 1607 and there are a lot of people who overlook that.”
Dig discovers ancient Britons were earliest North Europeans
Archaeologists have unearthed the earliest evidence of human occupation in Britain. Their findings demonstrate that ancient humans occupied Britain over 800,000 years ago, marking the first known settlement in northern Europe — far earlier than previously thought.
(Source: arkaimcity)
Archaeologists unearth 5,000-year-old 'third-gender' caveman
Caveman was buried like a woman, leading scientists to question his sexual orientation.
(Source: tinierpurplefishes)
Archaeologists unearth 5,000-year-old 'third-gender' caveman
Caveman was buried like a woman, leading scientists to question his sexual orientation.
(Source: tinierpurplefishes)
Airborne laser uncovers ancient city hidden under dense Cambodian forest near Angkor Wat
Airborne laser technology has uncovered a network of roadways and canals, illustrating a bustling ancient city linking Cambodia’s famed Angkor Wat temple complex.
The discovery was announced late Monday in a peer-reviewed paper released early by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The laser scanning revealed a previously undocumented formally planned urban landscape integrating the 1,200-year-old temples. The Angkor temple complex was constructed in the 12th century during the mighty Khmer empire.
“No one had ever mapped the city in any kind of detail before, and so it was a real revelation to see the city revealed in such clarity,” University of Sydney archaeologist Damian Evans, the study’s lead author, said by phone from Cambodia. “It’s really remarkable to see these traces of human activity still inscribed into the forest floor many, many centuries after the city ceased to function and was overgrown.” (Photo: Archaeology and Development Foundation - Phnom Kulen Program/Handout PNAS News)
![archaeology:
Archaeologists Unearth Roman Frontier Fort and Settlement in England
Located near the small coastal town of Maryport in northwestern England, remains of the ancient Roman fort of Alauna were first uncovered by amateur archaeologist Joseph Robinson in the late 19th century. Among the finds were an assemblage of no less that 22 stone altars, some bearing inscriptions, that tell a story of successive Roman commanders who commanded this, one of Imperial Rome’s northernmost outposts during the height of the Roman Empire’s expanse. The altars now grace the nearby Senhouse Museum, which serves as a popular tourist attraction.
Now a team of archaeologists and volunteers have returned to the site where the original stone altars were found to uncover more clues about the layout of the fort and its associated settlement, and about the lives of the military officers and soldiers who manned this remote garrison. Led by Newcastle University’s Professor Ian Haynes and site director Tony Wilmott, the archaeologists have been here before.
Says Haynes: ”The last two years’ excavations focused on the area in which the altars were discovered in 1870.
This year sees some further work at the 1870 site and the start of a three year project focusing on the place where, in 1880, local bank manager and amateur archaeologist Joseph Robinson uncovered further altars and two possible temples.
Photographs and other documents from the 1880s indicate that the antiquarian investigation only unearthed part of the site and it is clear that much remains to be discovered.” [1]
More here.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/f9d4129b66870746ed0e5dc1e2a21d5b/tumblr_molrl8ZKOq1qzn6kno1_500.jpg)
Archaeologists Unearth Roman Frontier Fort and Settlement in England
Located near the small coastal town of Maryport in northwestern England, remains of the ancient Roman fort of Alauna were first uncovered by amateur archaeologist Joseph Robinson in the late 19th century. Among the finds were an assemblage of no less that 22 stone altars, some bearing inscriptions, that tell a story of successive Roman commanders who commanded this, one of Imperial Rome’s northernmost outposts during the height of the Roman Empire’s expanse. The altars now grace the nearby Senhouse Museum, which serves as a popular tourist attraction.
Now a team of archaeologists and volunteers have returned to the site where the original stone altars were found to uncover more clues about the layout of the fort and its associated settlement, and about the lives of the military officers and soldiers who manned this remote garrison. Led by Newcastle University’s Professor Ian Haynes and site director Tony Wilmott, the archaeologists have been here before.
Says Haynes: ”The last two years’ excavations focused on the area in which the altars were discovered in 1870. This year sees some further work at the 1870 site and the start of a three year project focusing on the place where, in 1880, local bank manager and amateur archaeologist Joseph Robinson uncovered further altars and two possible temples. Photographs and other documents from the 1880s indicate that the antiquarian investigation only unearthed part of the site and it is clear that much remains to be discovered.” [1]
Dr. Monica Hanna, an Egyptian archaeologist, surveys the burial grounds in Abu Sir al Malaq. ‘You see dogs playing with human bones, children scavenging for pottery and painted sarcophagi. You also find very well mummified fragments. It is very macabre,’ Hanna says. Hanna is a leader in exposing the looting of Egyptian antiquities.
She’s my archaeological hero & she should be yours, too.Hanna, 30, is a leader in exposing the antiquity-looting that has exploded since Egypt’s 2011 revolution. She appears on Egyptian television debating government officials, takes reporters to looted sites, and encourages Egyptians to protect their heritage.
To Nigel Hetherington, an archaeologist and co-founder of Past Preservers, which connects academia and media on archaeological issues, she is “amazing … a revolutionary in the true sense of the word.”
“She is out to get the bad guys and harness the feeling the Egyptians have of their own heritage, and turn it into actual force for good,” he said.
What we are looking at is a paleolithic hand axe.
It’s about 1 million years old.
And she found it.
Sue Alcock is one of the superstar Mooc teachers. Seriously, she has found a one-million-year-old stone axe!!! How cooler can a teacher get!
Archaeology’s Dirty Little Secrets (Brown University) is running on coursera. It’s on its 3rd week!!!
One catch before signing up- a prerequisite; you must admit you wanted to be an archaeologist when you grew up :)
How People Are Fooled by Evidence
The ‘one at a time’ effect changes how facts are interpreted.
(Source: homnomnominid)
Anthropology demands the open-mindedness with which one must look and listen, record in astonishment and wonder that which one would not have been able to guess.
Margaret Mead