Most major archeological finds in Iceland in recent years have come as complete accidents, or during construction work. The discovery of a large Viking longhouse in downtown Reykjavík in the summer of 2015, a large burial site in North Iceland in the summer of 2017, and the discovery of a Viking sword by hunters in the summer of 2016 come to mind.

Read more: Archaeologists in N. Iceland discover Viking age chief buried in ship with his sword and dog

Read more: News report: The Viking Age settlement that is emerging in downtown Reykjavík

The same applies to the latest archeological find dating back to the Viking Age. Archeologists who were registering sites in Þjórsárdalur valley in South Iceland last week found four items which have not been dated yet, but which are most likely from the first centuries of the settlement of Iceland. The items were found in a previously unexplored and unknown farmstead. 

The site was discovered by a local who directed the archeologists to the location. During the registration the archeologists found four objects lying in the surface soil: A whet, an iron pick, a buckle and a small stone amulet in the shape of Thor’s Hammer.

The find is particularly important because this is the first Thor’s Hammer carved out of stone to be found in Iceland. The item, which is believed to have been an amulet, worn around the neck, is carved out of sandstone. The items will now be analyzed, hopefully shedding further information about their age and origins.

Follow up: Archaeological find in Þjórsárdalur: Viking Age farm destroyed by 1104 Hekla eruption

The appalling death of Jamal Khashoggi, the human rights activist and journalist from Saudi Arabia, has shocked the Western world. Khashoggi, through his death, has awakened the world’s business and political leaders by the reality of misfortunes of not only the Arab journalists but the sufferings of all journalist living under the dictatorships around the world.
“I have left my home, my family and my job, and I am raising my voice,” Khashoggi wrote in September 2017 (Washington Post, September 2017). “To do otherwise would betray those who languish in prison. I can speak when so many cannot. I want you to know that Saudi Arabia has not always been as it is now. We Saudis deserve better.” Khashoggi’s death has put a spotlight on one of his recent comments: “Arab governments have been given free rein to continue silencing the media at an increasing rate (Washington Post, October 2018)”.*

If Khashoggi had not perished by a criminal act in his country’s consulate, we could have had the gathering of all business and political leaders of the Western world in Saudi Arabia for the planned International Economic Conference (Davos in the Desert), sitting not far from the place where the prisoners of conscience have been imprisoned – prisoners for whom Jamal had abandoned his home and family on a self – imposed exile to speak in the free world for their silenced voices.
Now, although he is not able to witness what is happening, because of his horrible demise that has brought about such extensive world-wide reaction and condemnation of his death, which we now hope will bring about a new light of hope to the life of thousands of Arab, African, Afghan, Iraqi and Iranian journalists.

We, the Iranian journalists who have escaped our own homeland, share this new hope.
We left our home to write freely and be the voice of our suppressed people. Our world gets darker than ever before when we hear that our journalists, friends and colleagues are arrested everyday one by one for writing an article, a simple report, or uttering a rightful criticism and are doomed to wither the rest of their precious lives in prisons or share the same destiny that has taken Jamal from us.

These sufferings have no end for us, especially when no western government pays attention to these events and their financial relationships with these dictators continue without any concern for the human rights leaving us with our futile hopes for freedom, especially freedom of expression.
No freedom-seeker can feel such pain like the journalists. It is because our calling and indeed our duty is to not only report the news, but also those realities (and at times atrocities) that are forbidden to be published. This is the reality for many journalists across the world who live their lives in anxiety and their devotions to reporting the truth suffers an agonizing death.
I am not sure that the new push for “freedom of expression in dictatorships” would continue and would not wither away by passage of time and when the saga of Jamal becomes old, we will soon again see the old practices (of dictators) return.

I do not know the answer but I am sure that even if all the leaders of the world and owners of vast capitals and companies forget this recent crime and regress to their usual silence, we the journalists who have no weapons but our pens will endeavor to realize the hopes of all Jamals’ of the world. This is because not only the Arab world but our whole world needs freedom of expression above anything else.

It is fortunate that in the last few years the wealthy countries have been obliged to share (and therefore experience) the pains and sufferings of other nations of the world with the arrival of refugees and migrants escaping the dire situations in their own countries. And it is my hope that perhaps this one day will bring about change in those countries. Otherwise we (as the people of the world) are doomed to experience more refugees, more wars, more crimes, resulting in an ugly, inhabitable and horrific world.
October 19, 2018
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* An extract from Jamal’s last article in Washington Post titled as “What the Arab world needs most is free expression” which was published after his death. October 2018.

The site of Topdara near Charikar in Parwan province, was built around the 4th century AD. Since 2016 the Afghan Cultural Heritage Consulting Organization (ACHCO) has been restoring the sites massive stupa (a holy structure from the Buddhist era.) This stupa at Topdara has a diameter of 23 meters and would have originally been covered in white plaster. With support from the United States Embassy, ACHCO and the Archaeological Institute of Afghanistan will continue their valuable work to restore this important heritage site for Afghanistan and to continue archaeological excavations to better understand the site’s significance for Asia.

An ancient Egyptian tomb hidden away from public eyes for more than 80 years has opened near Giza, the home of the ancient pyramids. Archeologists believe that the 4,000-year-old Tomb of Mehu belonged to a high-ranking official. The team states that the colorful wall decorations shed light on how Egyptians lived more than a thousand years before the pyramids were constructed.

The tomb is one of the most beautiful in the Saqqara necropolis, an ancient burial ground south of Cairo, and in fact it was originally discovered back in 1940 by Egyptologist Zaki Saad, but was closed to the public until the recent completion of restoration work.

The tomb is the final resting place of Mehu, an offical who lived during the time of King Titi in the Sixth dynasty. The chambers also house Mery Re Ankh, Mehu’s son, and his grandson Hetep Kha II. Mehu’s tomb is notable for its colorful walls, adorned with vibrant drawings and inscriptions chronicling ancient Egyptian life. The Ministry of Antiquities notes the scenes include hunting, fishing, cooking and dancing. The tomb consists of long narrow corridor with six chambers.

The tomb is one of many ancient attractions in the Saqqara burial ground. The area has numerous other tombs and small pyramids, which Egyptian authorities are continuing to open up.

While Egypt’s tourism has suffered greatly over the last few years from the aftermath of the political upheaval and terrorism incidences, the latest UN’s Tourism Report in August 2018 highlighted Egypt as the fastest growing tourist destination in 2017, with a 55.1% growth in 2017 international arrivals.

Egypt archaeologists have discovered a “massive” ancient building in the town of Mit Rahina, 20 kilometers, or 12 miles, south of Cairo.

The Antiquities Ministry says Tuesday archaeologists also uncovered an attached building that includes a large Roman bath and a chamber likely for religious rituals.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, says the building is likely part of the residential block of the area, which was the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis.

Memphis, founded around 3,100 B.C., was home to Menes, the king who united Upper and Lower Egypt.

Egypt hopes such discoveries will spur tourism, partially driven by antiquities sightseeing, which was hit hard by political turmoil following the 2011 uprising.

Reporting by Muharrem Cin:Writing by Can Erozden

Turkish archeologists have found an eye cream jar in a 2,200-year-old tomb during their excavation works in an antique city of Aizanoi in country’s west.

Located in western Turkish province of Kutahya, the Aizanoi ancient city was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2012. The ancient city is also hosting the Temple of Zeus, the main sanctuary of Aizanoi.

Chief of the excavation works in Aizanoi, Prof. Dr. Elif Ozer told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday that they had important findings about funerary practices during their works in the ancient city’s “Necropolis” (cemetery).

Ozer said that they were digging the ancient city to find out the funerary practice of people living in Aizanoi during ancient times.

“We understood that people living in the second and first century Before Christ in Aizanoi were buried after getting cremated. These tombs are nearly 2,200 years old.”, she said.

Ozer stated that they found an eye cream jar named ‘lykion’ in a tomb. The eye cream was used for “Xerophthalmia” (eye dryness).

“We know this jar was used for keeping eye cream in Ancient Rome era,” she said, adding that the raw plant which was used for therapeutic purpose for eye dryness until the end of 18th century could be found in Lycia — in southern coast of Turkey — and India.

“When we read the texts of the writers from the ancient times, we can determine that this jar was used by soldiers,” Ozer said.

“Ancient sources say that Roman soldiers in Egypt used eye cream for eye dryness. We found this jar in a male’s tomb believed to be a soldier,” she added.

According to a belief in the ancient times, life continues after death, Ozer said and added that perhaps the relatives of this deceased put this jar into his grave considering he might need it after death.

She said the jar is now displayed in Kutahya Archaeology Museum.

A total of 55 people, including archaeology students, academics and workers are contributing in the excavation works, she added.

A stone cemetery was found roughly 300 meters northeast of the pyramid of King Senusert I, the Egyptian Antiquities Ministry announced on Wednesday.

It was discovered by an Egyptian archaeological excavation mission working in the Lisht, the site of the Middle Kingdom’s royal and elite burials.

Adel Okasha, director of the Central Department of Antiquities of Cairo and Giza, reported that the cemetery is carved on the rocky edge of a mountain, and consists of two areas.

The first is an open yard, leading to a vaulted corridor with some hieroglyphic inscriptions, and a cross-sectional hall. On its western side is a small compartment, decorated with traces of inscriptions.

The Department of Fine Restoration is now in the process of strengthening and repairing that part of the cemetery, according to Okasha.

The second area is a burial crypt, located in the open yard in front of the cemetery, with an area of 100 x 80 centimeters and at a depth of about 3 meters. Its western side has a passage leading to the first burial chamber.

According to Director of Dahshur and Lisht Antiquities Mohamed al-Daly, the southern side of the crypt contains an entrance which leads to chambers that will be uncovered in the mission’s next season of excavations.

The Antiquities Ministry states that the owner of the cemetery has not yet been identified, despite checks of inscriptions – but more work may enable the team to eventually name its owner.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Analyzing carbonate deposits from a second century AD Roman watermill site – thought to be one of the first industrial complexes in human history – has revealed characteristics of the mill, including its non-use for several months of the year. These findings suggest that the Barbegal mill site was not the Roman city of Arelate’s main flour supplier as hypothesized, but rather it was likely used to produce non-perishable “ship’s bread” for the many ancient ships that visited the major ports of Arles during certain times of the year. These findings shed light on the variable uses of ancient mills, as well as on their maintenance and on the destruction of the related sites, information that has otherwise been hard to decipher for these ancient formations. Over the past decades, the unearthing of Roman mill sites has offered proof of notable innovation during the Roman times, especially in the field of hydraulics. A key example of such a watermill is located at Barbegal, in southern France. However, since its discovery in 1937, little has been revealed about its unique history. Gül Sürmelihindi and colleagues sought to discern more about the mill’s use by analyzing 142 carbonate deposits from the complex. Formed on the now decayed wooden parts of the watermill that had been in contact with karst springs, these carbonates can preserve information of the environment of the complex. The fragment samples can be split into two groups: large carbonate slabs that formed in water channels that turned the wheel (millrun flumes) and deposits that had formed on the wooden part of the wheel. Stable isotope analyses of oxygen and carbon showed a distinct, cyclical pattern in the deposits, suggesting interruptions of the water flow during the late summer and autumn, a pattern of activity in accordance with Roman shipping activities, the authors say. Roman shipping usually halted in late autumn, meaning flour production to support shipping could have subsided then, too. Thus, they propose that the mill’s main use was not for widely consumed flour but specifically to produce non-perishable ship’s bread.

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