5th/6th Dynasty Saqqara Tomb

Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Dr. Zahi Hawass and his team uncovered the pyramid of a sixth dynasty queen at Saqqara (Egypt), thought to belong to queen Sesheshet on the association of a hair strengthening recipe at the site. The pyramid remains measure five meters in height today, with the base of each side measuring 22 meters and the slopping sides measured at an angle of 51 degrees, the original walls would have reached to fourteen meters in height. The tomb, around 4,300 years old, was originally covered in fine white limestone casing, taken from its source at Tura. Hawass places the architecture of the pyramid in fifth and sixth dynasties Egypt also supporting an association with Sesheshet, mother of King Tuti (first ruler of Dynasty 6).

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TOMB KV-63

Tomb KV-63, originally dissevered by archaeologist Dr. Otto Schadenin and his team, in the Valley of the Kings (Luxor, Egypt) was excavated in 2006 under Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Dr. Zahi Hawass and his Egyptian-American team in collaboration with an Egyptian conservationist team led by Nadia Lukma. Excavations uncovered seven deteriorated coffins containing embalming materials and 28 pottery jars as well as other embalming remains (linen, resin). Among the finds, coffin 6 held six pillows with previous ware although no mention in ancient Egyptian literature is made as to the use of pillows in the embalming rituals; they may have been used in daily life before being placed under the heads of the deceased.

Farouk Hosni, Egypt's Minister of Culture, completed the restoration of a mummification bed, the remains of which were discovered broken in pieces and inside a storage jar in tomb KV-63.

For more information on tomb KV-63, a video of Dr. Zahi Hawass on KV-63, and links to more press-releases on tomb KV-63 go to: http://www.drhawass.com/blog/video-riddle-kv-63

Gorguyeo Kingdom Drum Excavated

A rare Gorguyeo Kingdom drum has been excavated from a fortress site in Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province. The drum has been depicted in murals but until now no material examples had been found. The drum was found in 13 pieces, but once reconstructed researchers say it will have a diameter of 55 cm.

Rare Tools Uncovered in Delaware

A site near Frederica, Delaware, has lead to the discovery of Native American tools, most about 1,000 years-old but some as old as 4,000 years. The tools are a rare find as they were so valuable as almost always to be kept on the person.

UVa Students Excavate Morven Farms

UVa students are excavating a Native American site at Morven Farms, Virginia. The team is following a map drawn of the camp by Thomas Jefferson.

Oscar Meyer Banjo Donated

The banjo-ukulele used to write the jingle "Oh I wish I were an Oscar Meyer wiener..." has been donated to the Wisconsin Historical Museum.

Death of Second Man Charged with Antiquities Smuggling

Steven L. Shrader, 56, committed suicide after facing two felony charges for antiquities looting. He is the second of 26 recently charged in a federal sting operation to commit suicide.

Manioc Field Preserved by Loma Caldera

CU - Boulder professor of Anthropology Payson Sheets is leading a team to excavate a 1,400-year old manioc field in the former Mayan village of Ceren, present day El Salvador. The field, estimated at about 1/3 the size of a football field, was harvested just days before the eruption of the Loma Caldera, which buried the ground in seventeen feet of ash, perfectly preserving the site. The field represents the first example of manioc being planted in the New World, although researchers have known of its use years prior to this excavation from pollen samples. Manioc tubers can grow three feet in length and as thick as a man's arm; the crop is also highly drought resistent and can be dried and ground to make flour. For these reasons it may have been more important to the ancient Maya than previously thought.

Ottoman Aqueduct Uncovered in Jerusalem

An Ottoman-era aqueduct, which brought water to Sultan's Pool and Temple Mount, has been excavated in Jerusalem. The structure was discovered in a survey conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority prior to construction of the Montefiore Museum in Mishkenot Sha'ananim. The aqueduct stood three meters tall and the Jerusalem Foundation has made plans to incorporate the structure into the Montefiore Museum.

Controversial Study Finds New Purpose For Machu Picchu

A controversial new study finds that Machu Picchu is a scaled-down version of Incan mythic landscape and pilgrimage site, not an imperial estate as the conventional view holds (built by Pachacuti in AD 1460). According to this new study, Machu Picchu was built with the specific purpose of being a pilgrimage site for Inca populations.

6,000 year-old Ceremonial Complex Uncovered in Southern England

Crop symbols in southern England have led archaeologists to discover a very large pre-historic ceremonial complex. Although close to Stonehenge, this newly discovered ceremonial complex is 1,000 years older, dating to 6,000 years ago. The site was discovered by routine aerial surveying by English Heritage, siting that the crop circles are a result of underground structures interfering with plant growth.

Red Ochre Stone Age Technology

Researchers have concluded that people living in South Africa during the Stone Age added the pigment red ochre to the glue made from acacia trees in order to create a more durable and less brittle adhesive.