Skip to content
Home » Weekly Roundup of Archaeology, History and Historical Fiction Nov 19-25

Weekly Roundup of Archaeology, History and Historical Fiction Nov 19-25

Here are some posts from around the web that I enjoyed this week:

image of Domestic Turkey
Domestic Turkey

 

Some Thanksgiving archaeology: earliest evidence of turkey domestication found in Oaxaca, Mexico. A ritual offering to the gods of 5 intact turkey eggs and other evidence push the confirmed date back to 1,500 years ago. So when you roast your bird, you might want to thank the Zapotec people for getting this delicious tradition started. Saying thank you to divinities with turkey apparently goes way back. And you thought it was the Pilgrims… http://bit.ly/2fSzS9Q

 

It’s the season for stuffing, and what could be more fun than stuffing a mummy—with baby crocodiles. The Dutch National Museum of Antiquities decided to do some 3D CT scans of their impressively large crocodile mummy. It turned out no big croc was involved. For whatever reason (some interesting hypotheses offered), a big croc was formed out of lots of baby mummified crocs and some extra stuffing and bits of wood. Museum visitors are now able to do a virtual autopsy of their own using the scans. So, now my friends get to suggest reasons for this intriguing and not at all expected form of mummification, facetious and real suggestions entirely welcome. This is the season of stuffing, after all. Click here for Archaeology News Network “Egyptian giant crocodile mummy is full of surprises”  

Here’s a post about FB book launch parties by Lisa Hall. If you haven’t come across her, she’s very smart about FB overall. We’ve all seen virtual launches on FB that were fun and a lot that weren’t. Good ideas here, many out of my instant comfort zone in terms of putting together graphics etc, but all doable. Has anyone had or participated in a good virtual launch on FB that really worked and what made it work? Click here for Lisa Hall “Tips for Awesome Author Facebook Launch Party”

 

photo image of Vulci, Italy
Vulci, Italy

 

New Etruscan tomb discoveries at Vulci dating to late 8th century BC. Bronze bowls with organic residue of the funerary meal in them. Wonder what was on the menu? I do. Most intriguing is an anthropomorphic urn for containing cremated remains meant to represent the now burned body of the deceased. It is apparently a first of its kind to be found. Click here for “Intact Etruscan tomb with princely grave goods unearthed at Vulci” Archaeology News Network

2 thoughts on “Weekly Roundup of Archaeology, History and Historical Fiction Nov 19-25”

  1. Re: FB Launch Party
    Jan Moran did a fabulous one. I presume she selected her team from her reviewers. She (or her daughter) set up a beautiful page. We were teased with photos of the upcoming cover release. She sent us all an ARC. She also sent us – separately – gorgeous bookmarks. She kept up the anticipation. Then when we had read the ARC we posted photos on Facebook. A year later she still keeps us involved. She has given us ebooks of her novellas. She even asked our opinion on a book cover for an upcoming novella. Involvement was the key. Make us feel valuable – allow us to feel like we have ownership in the book.

Comments are closed.