|
Sent
free to subscribers to nzaawebsubscribers at yahoogroups.com
RSS link for this
news:
Explorator
Science
Daily - Archaeology
About
- archaeology
Stone
Pages Archaeo News
Google
News - archaeology
A
Blog About History
 Digital
Site Record Scheme
www.archsite.org.nz
The
New Zealand archaeological Wiki.
archaeopedia.com
Want to be an archaeologist? -
our page on Careers
in Archaeology will help.
More
Touring
New Zealand? - look at this page - Archaeological
Sites for the Cultural Tourist. More
|
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Experts doubt authenticity of China's pre-Columbus map
Experts have said the authenticity of a map that suggests that the Chinese discovered America before Christopher Columbus is in doubt, although the paper has been proved genuine.
Liu Gang, a lawyer, art collector and owner of the map, said at a press conference Thursday that a recent carbon dating test by a lab in the University of Waikato in New Zealand showed the paper of the map was made during the imperial Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
The map is said to date back to 1763 but is also clearly marked that it is a copy of a map from 1418.
However, experts still doubts its authenticity despite the support of Gavin Menzies, author of best-seller '1421: The Year China Discover The World.'
'The test can only prove that the paper is genuine, but it could be possible that someone forged the map with well preserved paper and Chinese ink,' said Prof. Hou Yangfang with the Historical Geography Research Center of elite Fudan University in Shanghai.
Counterfeit ancient painting and calligraphy were often made by forgers with paper and ink made at that time, Hou said.
Hou also said some place names on the map contradict each other. Hunan and Hubei, both provinces in central China, did not exist in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and were named as Huguang. "
Buses rule on Mt Eden
A celebration of Mt Eden as a heritage site planned for today has been called off because of bus tours.
Maungawhau Volunteers, who were hoping to keep the reserve free of all vehicles for the day, cancelled at the 11th hour after they were told operators were bound by contracts to take clients up the mountain on the same day.
'We're upset,' said group spokesman Kit Howden, who spent six weeks helping to organise the event, only to have talks with Auckland City Council and the Bus and Coach Association fall short of what was needed.
'The road is the main way to walk up and it's hazardous for walkers when large numbers of buses are present.'
Maungawhau Volunteers now plans to hold a small protest today, starting at 10am, over tourist buses not having contracts with the council to run tours.
Mr Howden said: "Public heritage space is being used with no return for the commercial impact."
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Archaeology in New Zealand
Vol 49(1) out now:
Notes and News
Fieldwork
Recent Reports
Omimi - Jill Hamel
Paekakariki middens - Tony Walton
Southern Hunters Project - Atholl Anderson
Reviews
Monday, March 20, 2006
International Water Conference 2006 - Auckland - New Zealand
1-4 August 2006 Auckland, New Zealand is the ideal venue to host Water2006, the international water conference focusing on research and scientific advancement. Water2006 will bring new and exciting initiatives to delegates during a full three-day programme featuring keynote addresses and technical presentations.
In association with the International Conference Fund (funded by the NZ Government and administered by the Royal Society of NZ) and featuring presentations from members of the International Water Association and American Water Works Association this conference will provide vital information highlighting key research and scientific achievement."
Thursday, March 16, 2006
New Zealand to host World Heritage Committee
New Zealand will host the 31st session of the World Heritage Committee in Christchurch in June 2007, Conservation Minister Chris Carter announced today.
The nine-day World Heritage Committee meeting will be attended by approximately 600 participants and observers from the 178 State Parties to the World Heritage Convention.
This is an enormously exciting opportunity for New Zealand to showcase our unique natural and cultural heritage, and that of Pacific Island nations, Mr Carter said. "
Bridge to Nowhere Gets a Facelift
The Whanganui National Park icon, the Bridge to Nowhere is in for a major facelift.
The Department of Conservation is planning significant remedial works on the bridge in the middle of March.
The work won?t affect visitor access to and across the bridge other than short delays of five or ten minutes. Work is expected to take a week to ten days.
Planned work includes cleaning the upper deck and handrails, patching small areas of loose concrete, replacing the expansion jointing at either end of the bridge deck and applying a weather-proofing sealant. "
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
New book: Papuan Pasts: Cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples
Andrew Pawley, Robert Attenborough, Jack Golson and Robin Hide (editors)
This book is an inter-disciplinary exploration of the history of humans in New Guinea , the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands , which make up the biogeographic and cultural region that is coming to be known as Near Oceania, with particular reference to the people who speak Papuan (non-Austronesian) languages. Discoveries over the past 50 years have given Near Oceania a prominence in world prehistory far beyond its demographic, economic and political importance. Archaeological research has established that by 40,000 years ago people had made the ocean crossings from South-east Asia to the Australia - New Guinea continent and had reached New Britain and New Ireland . By 30,000 years ago they had penetrated the high valleys of the central highlands of New Guinea . By 30,000 years ago they had penetrated the high valleys of the central highlands of New Guinea . There is evidence of cultivation of taro, yam and banana and associated forest clearance in some parts of the central highlands from 10,000 years ago and this takes on a more systematic, agricultural character after about 7,000 years ago.
2005 ISBN 0 85883 562 2 xxiii + 817 pp
Price: Australia AUD$148.50 (incl. GST)
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Late Colonization of Easter Island -- Hunt and Lipo
Terry L. Hunt 1 and Carl P. Lipo
(Science - abstract only free) Easter Island (Rapa Nui) provides a model of human-induced environmental degradation. A reliable chronology is central to understanding the cultural, ecological, and demographic processes involved. Radiocarbon dates for the earliest stratigraphic layers at Anakena, Easter Island, and analysis of previous radiocarbon dates imply that the island was colonized late, about 1200 AD. Significant ecological impacts and major cultural investments in monumental architecture and statuary thus began soon after initial settlement. "
Researchers: east Polynesia settled later
New archaeological discoveries are radically changing our understanding of how the eastern Polynesian islands were settled, pointing to dates that are much more recent than anyone suspected.
The research suggests Hawai'i was part of a kind of regional eastern Polynesian homeland connected by well-traveled voyaging canoe routes and trade patterns. Its members included Hawai'i, the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, the Society Islands, the Cook Islands, Aotearoa or New Zealand and other groups.
Two researchers say Hawai'i's initial settlement was probably between 800 A.D. and 1000 A.D."
What's inside Tonga's ancient tombs? Remote sensors probe Tu'i Tonga's grave
ARCHAEOLOGISTS who are working on a project to map Tonga's ancient terraced tombs this week began the first laser imaging and remote sensing work to be conducted in Tonga, and they aim produce a three dimensional graphic map of Lapaha as as it was during the reign of the Tu'i Tonga from the 13th century to 1885.
The map will be included in a complete history book of Lapaha, the capital of the Tu'i Tonga Maritime Empire, that is currently being put together by local historians, and overseas scholars from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and France."
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Kaitake Pa dig reveals war site
Part of a sophisticated 1860s Maori trench built during the second Taranaki land war has been uncovered near Oakura.
Archaeologist Ivan Bruce discovered the trench, built for a surprise attack on British troops, while excavating a British blockhouse near Kaitake Pa. "
|
Become
a Member of the N.Z. Archaeological Association
|
Members
get our quarterly magazine, Archaeology in New Zealand and discounts on publications
and events. |
|
|
This
message is intended to be compliant with New Zealand Law: The Unsolicited
Electronic Messages Act 2007. Please communicate with the webmaster on any
issues that may arise in this regard.
|
|
Opinions
in items linked in this column are not those of the Association.
An
archive of news posts can be accessed at http://www.nzarchaeology.org/blog/archive/
|
(You will get a confirmation email you need to respond to)
