Here are my favorite finds around the web this week: all pertaining to archaeology–which seems appropriate for this international celebration of a thriving discipline.
Meanwhile 100 kms away fr the mysterious tomb at Amphipolis in Greece that has held us all spellbound recently, bones in an old tomb find have been analyzed and confirmed as Philip II of Macedon, Alexander the Great’s father. What amazes me is the bones were cremated and yet the scientists were able to identify the wounds and resulting pathologies and thus match up these bones as definitively those of Philip II. Being a warrior king he had many famous injuries including being blinded in one eye by an arrow. Now someone just has to find Alexander’s tomb—one of the fabled mysteries of the ancient world. Adventure, anyone? Click here
The fatal attraction of lead thru history and its consequences. I didn’t realize how often lead was added to wines and ciders. Yikes. Click here
Not all archaeological “digs” are pursued for good causes. This post about the whereabouts and fate of Harold the king who lost to William the Conqueror in that most famous of battles—Hastings in 1066—is a gem. Helen Hollick waxes volcanic on the exploitation of alternate fates for King Harold and why no one should go digging for this man’s bones. Love this one! Click here
TaDa! Most impressive find yet from mysterious Amphipolis tomb! A mosaic of Hermes guiding a bearded man with a laurel wreath in a chariot pulled by white horses as reported by Archaeology Magazine. I don’t have the rights to the photo so you’ll have to click thru to see this beauty. Click here