Archeology News of November 2009

From the wonders of advanced technology to the discovery of vessels belonging to the past, November 2009 news headlines involve bringing back to life objects and events in history. Other news found in this article deals with an artifact uncovered in Windsor, Ontario.

Dutch East India Company Wreckage Found , Brazil

After more than three centuries after it plummeted to the depths of waters surrounding the Brazilian coast, a team of Hungarian marine archaeologists successfully located the wreckage of a Dutch cargo ship belonging to the Dutch East India Company. With a trip planned from Indonesia to the Netherlands, the shop was traveling along when they most likely became the victim of a bad storm. Aboard the Fluyt ship, the crew was transporting silk, spices, tea, porcelain (both Japanese and Chinese), and close to 180,000 pieces of Dutch golden ducats.

Old Projectile Point Found , Windsor, Ontario

As an archaeologist surveyed the site of a new arena in Windsor, Ontario, they came across a projectile point dating back 10,000 years. The buzz surrounding the projectile is positive, as it is 7,000 years older than any other artifacts discovered in the region. The stone weapon provides clues as to how the first humans protected themselves and hunted for food. One of the leading experts on Paleoindians in the United States added his two cents to the discovery.

Archeologist Christopher Ellis states that finding a settlement once inhabited by the nomadic hunters and fishermen who made their way to southern Ontario when glaciers started to retreat is very rare. Previous excavations in the U.S. show that Paleoindians hunted mastodons and may have eaten caribou and Arctic fox as part of their diet , according to some of the bones found at one Paleoindian site. In the springtime, more excavating will take place within a space measuring 15 X 10 meters , where the artifact was found.

Reconstruction of Ancient Teenager , Korea

Modern technology has truly become a blessing for researchers trying to piece together the past. For instance, forensic scientists have been able to reconstruct the facial features and body of a 16-year-old girl whose body was found in a 1,500-year-old tomb in Korea. The reconstruction reveals that she possessed a wide, flat Asian face, long neck and a slim build. The model of the girls profile was unveiled at the National Palace Museum of Korea. It is assessed that she lived during the Gaya confederacy era (42-562).

The process to rebuild the features of the teen was no small feat. It took two years to complete the profile with procedures that combined the efforts of expects in the following fields: archaeology, forensic medicine, anatomy, genetics, and chemistry. The project illustrates the advancements that Korean archaeology has made over the years.