[continued from previous message]

medium=social

... and Santa's diet:

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/12/22/459382720/how-did-santa-get-hooked-on-
cookies-and-milk

... and letters that didn't make it to him:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/22/nyregion/a-chimneys-poignant-surprise-letters-santa
-missed-long-ago.html http://news.yale.edu/2015/12/18/palace-st-nicholas-santa-s-correspondence-beinecke-lib
rary

... and what he really looked like:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2015/12/17/bones-of-saint-nicholas-reveal-
what-santa-claus-really-looked-like/

... his reindeer:

http://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/12/reindeer_names_origins.html

... etc.:

http://theconversation.com/schnapps-whipping-and-sacks-how-christmas-traditions-evolv
ed-around-the-world-52441 http://theconversation.com/thou-hadst-better-avoid-getting-teary-and-king-leary-this-christ
mas-52215 https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/how-christmas-in-the-us-has-evolved-fro
m-its-german-roots/2015/12/16/c904f84e-a2b6-11e5-9c4e-be37f66848bb_story.html http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/5-creepy-christmas-traditions-world-article-1.
2470215 http://theconversation.com/bah-humbug-the-misery-of-christmas-in-classic-literature-507
71
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-34988154

There were also the usual Solstice-related items:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-35158234 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151221-winter-solstice-explained-pagans/

... and the beginnings of the 'top finds of 2015' lists:

http://mashable.com/2015/12/19/archaeological-finds-2015/ http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/archaeology/the-top-archaeological-discove
ries-of-2015/news-story/4cb9fe635057e8549d35bbc90e9b7967 http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/coolest-archaeological-discoveries-of-20
15-151216.htm


Here's your bizarre-'find'-of-2015 story (from Israel):

http://www.antiquities.org.il/Article_heb.aspx?sec_id=25&subj_id=240&id=4166 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/12066615/Facebook-helps
-solve-Israels-Antiquities-Authority-mystery.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/ancient-jewish-relic-found-in-jerus
alem-cemetery-turns-out-to-be-new-age-german-energy-beamer-sold-a6783916.html http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/History-mystery-Gold-tool-discovered-in-cemetery-stru
cture-leaves-archaeologists-stumped-438035 http://news.yahoo.com/stumped-archeologists-ask-facebook-help-identify-mysterious-obj
ect-214947944.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3370859/Facebook-users-crack-6-month-Is
rael-antiquities-mystery.html http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/205324 http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/archaeology/.premium-1.693209

Feature on the relevance of Jane Austen:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/27/books/review/what-do-jane-austens-novels-have-to-t
ell-us-about-love-and-life-today.html

Something about Mark Twain:

http://www.signature-reads.com/2015/11/editor-ben-griffin-on-10-years-inside-the-mind-of-
mark-twain/

Suggestion that the beginning of the Anthropocene coincides with the development of
agriculture:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-scientists-peg-anthropocene-farmers.html http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmpr/?Page=news&&storyID=22035

Some photos of old eclipses:

http://www.livescience.com/53170-photo-gallery-lost-astronomy-plates.html

Slideshow of some old maps:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/18/design/historys-most-revealing-maps/index.html

I'll freely admit I don't get the concept of the 'archaeologist of the year':

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/14162347.Bradford_Professor_s_work_mar
ked_with_national_award_nomination/

Big bucks for a 16th century Talmud:

http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Rare-16th-century-Talmud-fetches-93-million-in-NY-auctio
n-438222

Interesting spin on Gertrude Bell/Lawrence of Arabia:

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/should-lawrence-arabia-known-male-1063636
9

More on the importance of millet in the transition from hunter-gatherer to farmer:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-millet-link-prehistoric-humans-transition.html http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/millet-the-missing-piece-in-the-puzzle-of-prehistoric-
humans-transition-from-hunter-gatherers-to http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-12/uoc-mtm121115.php http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/12/2015/millet-bridged-the-gap-betwe
en-hunter-gathering-and-farming http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/12/23/460559052/millet-how-a-trendy-ancient-gr
ain-turned-nomads-into-farmers

More on 'additional Mona Lisas':

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/french-scientist-says-mona-lisa-hiding-portr
ait-another-woman-180957485/


Archaeology Podcast Network:

http://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/archyfantasies/ ================================================================
MUSEUM MATTERS
================================================================
Roman War Technology:

http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article51686200.html

Agatha Christie:

http://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/books/daytripping-to-montreal-for-agatha-christie
http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=83941 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/new-montreal-exhibit-shows-agatha-christie-s-s
ecret-life-in-archaeology-1.3357656?cmp=rss

Poussin to Monet:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=83967

Power and Pathos:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/25/arts/design/power-and-pathos-hellenistic-bronzes-as
-realism-in-the-flesh.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/style/2015/12/17/a-bronze-age-for-the-national-gallery/
?tid=pm_entertainment_pop_b

Shakespeare:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/17/arts/design/for-a-shakespeare-anniversary-an-online
-re-creation-of-a-1796-show.html

Louis XIV tapestries:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomteicholz/2015/12/24/tapestries-of-louis-xiv-are-woven-gol
d/

Sunken Cities:

http://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/egypts-sunken-cities-rise-again

Hadrian:

http://www.timesofisrael.com/three-surviving-bronzes-of-hadrian-united-in-stunning-israe
l-museum-exhibit/
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/archaeology/.premium-1.693212

Gold from the Ground Up:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/all-gold-exhibition-180957489/

Feature on the googlization of the British Museum:

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20151224-explore-the-british-museum-and-3d-print-its-artifa
cts-all-from-the-comfort-of-home.html

... and its last acquisition under Neil MacGregor:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-lampedusa-cross-british-museum-
makes-last-acquisition-under-departing-director-neil-macgregor-a6777616.html


The Bardo is doing the culture exchange thing with some Italian museums:

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/bardo-museum-tunis-italian-exchange-396924

Kenya is planning an underwater museum:

http://allafrica.com/stories/201512170958.html

================================================================
THE TECHY SIDE
================================================================
A CT scan of a silver amulet found in Jordan a while back revealed an ancient Jewish
'spell':

http://sciencenordic.com/archaeologists-develop-new-technology-read-ancient-document
s http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3370173/Ancient-Jewish-spell-mysterious-
amulet-Scans-reveal-magical-symbols-inscribed-1-300-year-old-silver-scroll.html?ITO=1
490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

3d scanning peanuts and ham:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-professor-d-scans-world-oldest.html http://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2015/12/15/archaeologist-3d-scans-worlds-
oldest-preserved-ham-and-peanut/

A budget robot for underwater archaeology:

http://www.reuters.com/video/2015/12/20/budget-robot-for-underwater-archaeology?video
Id=366749747&feedType=VideoRSS&feedName=Technology&videoChannel=6

================================================================
ON THE DNA FRONT ================================================================
Latest dog DNA study:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-domestication-dogs-genetic.html http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/dec/15/dog-dna-study-reveals-the-extraordinar
y-journey-of-mans-best-friend http://www.scientificamerican.com/citizen-science/darwin-s-dogs/ http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/1216/How-did-Fido-come-to-be-man-s-best-friend
-A-dog-s-tale

Not sure if this is the result of or prior to DNA studies on the remains of the Romanovs:

http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/12/13/458014142/will-dna-tests-finally-settle-c
ontroversy-surrounding-russias-final-tsars

I think we've had this DNA and lice story before:

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/12/24/460029361/our-parasites-and-vermi
n-reveal-secrets-of-human-history

Dienekes' Anthropology Blog:

http://dienekes.blogspot.ca/ ================================================================
CLIMATE MATTERS ================================================================
Devil's Hole as 'climate archive':

https://scilog.fwf.ac.at/en/environment-and-technology/3380/a-climatological-treasure-fro
m-nevada

On whaling logs and climate:

http://phys.org/news/2015-12-climate-tool-1800s-whaling.html http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/12/19/old-weather-whaling-logs-could-r
eveal-our-future-climate/77495226/

================================================================
TOURISTY THINGS ================================================================
Orkneys:

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20151210-were-these-remote-wild-islands-the-centre-of-e
verything

Athens:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-3361128/Architecture-academia-birthplace-demo
cracy-Athens-grandest-open-air-university-world.html

Kafka's Prague:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/27/travel/franz-kafka-prague.html

Machu Picchu:

http://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2015/12/22/60-second-vacation-machu-picchu.cnn

Palermo:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/12/18/travel/what-to-do-in-36-hours-in-palermo-s
icily.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Ftravel

================================================================
CRIME BEAT
================================================================
Latest on the Kapoor investigation (with ROM fallout):

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/visualarts/2015/12/22/rom-artifacts-part-of-investig
ation-into-looted-antiquities.html http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/rom-kapoor-looted-antiquities-1.3375051

Authorities in Cyprus have seized the Odyssey Explorer, which is full of 18th century
relics, apparently:

http://cyprus-mail.com/2015/12/24/treasure-hunters-seized-in-limassol/ http://cyprus-mail.com/2015/12/24/antiquities-on-board-seized-vessel-not-unique-to-cypr
us/ http://famagusta-gazette.com/police-probe-as-antiquities-found-in-ship-docked-in-cyprus-
p31735-69.htm http://in-cyprus.com/archaeologists-in-custody-as-antiquities-probe-continues/ http://www.cna.org.cy/webnewsEN.asp?a=4209521491e94b188eb8c5811c2f3166

A major bust at an airport in Pakistan:

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/sindh/23-Dec-2015/customs-recovers-antiquities-worth-10
m

Followup to the charges (now dropped) against a former forestry official:

http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/education/article/Missouri-professor-Theft-accusatio
ns-were-6713276.php

... but a plea regarding Effigy Mounds:

http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/government/retired-effigy-mounds-official-will-pl
ead-guilty-to-removing-ancient-human-remains-20151216

... and a sentence for a Beverly Hills dealer:

http://theartnewspaper.com/news/museums/beverly-hills-antiquities-dealer-sentenced-to-
jail-for-smuggling-scheme/
http://savingantiquities.org/markell-charged/

Nice feature on the Amarna Princess forgery:

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/forger-shaun-g
reenhalgh-art-con-10624248

Latest Culture Crime News:

http://www.anonymousswisscollector.com/2015/12/culture-crime-news-7-13-december-20
15.html


conflict antiquities:

http://conflictantiquities.wordpress.com/

anonymous swiss collector:

http://www.anonymousswisscollector.com/

Portable Antiquity Collecting and Heritage Issues:

http://paul-barford.blogspot.ca/

Looting Matters:

http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/

Illicit Cultural Property:

http://illicit-cultural-property.blogspot.com/

SAFE:

http://www.savingantiquities.org/blog/

================================================================
REPATRIATION AND RECOVERY ================================================================
The Nez Perce people recovered some items:

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/dec/19/human-remains-artifacts-returned-to-nez
-perce-trib/ http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/19/human-remains-artifacts-returned-to-
nez-perce-trib/

The UK returned a stela to Egypt:

http://news.yahoo.com/smuggled-ancient-wall-carving-returned-egypt-140223811.html
http://www.livescience.com/53099-smuggled-carving-returned-to-egypt.html http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/173512/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/Stolen-reli
ef-of-Egyptian-King-Seti-I-recovered-fr.aspx http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/seti-i-mural-repatriated-britain

Some stolen Mameluk era lamps were returned to Egypt:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/43/173508/Heritage/Islamic/Three-stolen-Egy
ptian-Mamelukera-lamps-recovered-f.aspx

Issues getting stolen Dutch art from the Ukraine:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/15/arts/international/stolen-dutch-art-ukraine.html


================================================================
NUMISMATICA
================================================================
Latest on the Lenborough Anglo Saxon hoard:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-35123682

Feature on trihembiols:

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/your-leeds/nostalgia/leeds-nostalgia-ancie
nt-greek-coin-still-has-currency-1-7618355

A couple week's worth of e-Syla:

http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_v18n51.html http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_v18n52.html

... there will be another today, but I don't want to incorrectly anticipate the link.

------------------------
Ancient Coin Collecting:

http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins:

http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/

Coin Week:

http://www.coinweek.com/ ================================================================
PERFORMANCES AND THEATRE-RELATED ================================================================
Antigona:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/18/arts/dance/review-antigona-is-noche-flamencas-teem
ing-take-on-the-greek-tragedy.html

Singing Shakespeare:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/23/arts/international/singing-shakespeare-400-years-aft
er-his-death.html

Not sure where to put this mashup of Shakespeare and Star Wars:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/25/books/review-ian-doeschers-william-shakespeares-tr
agedy-of-the-siths-revenge.html

Les Liaisons Dangereuses:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/26/arts/international/review-les-liaisons-dangereuses-a
nd-linda.html

Handel's Messiah:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/18/arts/music/in-handels-messiah-the-trumpet-as-divine
-agent.html

On 'accidental notes':

http://www.npr.org/2015/12/20/460163750/how-accidental-notes-grab-our-attention

================================================================
OBITUARIES
================================================================
James Clupper:

http://www.keysnet.com/2015/12/26/506305/keys-archaeologist-historian-clupper.html

Hal Dalwood:

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/dec/15/hal-dalwood-obituary

Nancy Sandars:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/12052030/Nancy-Sandars-archaeologist-obit
uary.html

Lewis M. Dabney:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/27/arts/design/lewis-m-dabney-scholar-who-made-edmu
nd-wilson-focus-of-his-lifes-work-dies-at-83.html

Andrew Cayton:

http://earlyamericanists.com/2015/12/22/in-memoriam-andrew-cayton/


================================================================
AUDIO/VIDEO NEWS ================================================================
Audio News from Archaeologica:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org/audio-main-menu-cat/audio-news-list/2339-audio-new
s-from-archaeologica-13-dec-19-dec-2015 ================================================================
UPCOMING CONFERENCES ================================================================
(send in your notices!) ================================================================
GENERAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS BLOGS ================================================================
Archaeology Magazine News Page:

http://www.archaeology.org/news/

About.com Archaeology:

http://archaeology.about.com/

Ancient Digger:

http://www.ancientdigger.com/

Archaeology Briefs:

http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/

Past Horizons:

http://www.pasthorizons.com/

Stonepages:

http://www.stonepages.com/news/

Taygete Atlantis excavations blogs aggregator:

http://planet.atlantides.org/taygete/

Time Machine:

http://heatherpringle.wordpress.com/ ================================================================ PODCASTS/VODCASTS ================================================================
Archaeosoup:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Archaeos0up?feature=watch

The Book and the Spade:

http://www.radioscribe.com/bknspade.htm ================================================================
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