Andy Burnham's Blog, page 160

Cerrig Duon Compass stones

A collection of large boulders arranged such that the high points of the stones are aligned accurately to the cardinal points. The stones lie about 300 feet North West of Cerrig Duon stone circle, on a slight slope.

Parpalló Cave

Analysis shows the artists in the Parpalló Cave used natural pigments made from natural iron oxides such as haematite and goethite, more in the comments on our page. The Parpalló cave (Gandía, Spain) is one of the most important Palaeolithic sites in the Spanish Mediterranean region. It is characterized by portable art whose archaeological sequence covers a dilated period (26,000 to 11,000 BP) and includes plaquettes decorated with black and different shades of red and yellow pigments.

Serapeum at Sakkara

Apis Bull Temple and necropolis in Lower Egypt

Tomb of Thutmose III KV34

The so called "tomb" of Thutmose III. The site has been closed for restoration (building protective screens for the wall art) for over 20 years but I was able to get special access in 2020. The tomb and sarcophagus was found empty, and there is a well inside. (Why would a corpse need a well?)

Tomb of Thutmose II KV34

The so called "tomb" of Thutmose IV. The site has been closed for restoration (building protective screens for the wall art) for over 20 years but I was able to get special access in 2020. The tomb and sarcophagus was found empty, and there is a well inside. (Why would a corpse need a well?)

Keros

The excavations at Dhaskalio, directed by Colin Renfrew and Michael Boyd have completely transformed our understanding of what was previously seen as a Cycladic enigma. Watch The Enigma of Keros TV Documentary, linked from the comments on our page.. Island of broken figurines. Why were Bronze Age figurines smashed, transported and buried in shallow pits on the Aegean island of Keros? Recent research sheds light on a 4,500-year-old mystery.

Vorstengraf

The Vorstengraf (grave of the king) in Oss is one of the largest burial mounds in the Netherlands and Belgium. The hill was 3 metres high and had a diameter of 54 metres. The mound is now partly restored, and a portion of the circumference of the hill is marked with poles. It is visible on Google Street view via the link on our page.

Oberbipp Dolmen

Who lived on the Swiss Plateau around 3300 BC? Analyses of human skeletal remains from the dolmen of Oberbipp and other sites have now been published - more in the comments on our page.. A Neolithic burial chamber discovered in October 2011. Initially only a large granite slab was exposed but investigation by the Archaeological Service of Canton Bern uncovered a dolmen 2 x 3m wide and 1m high. The dolmen has now been reconstructed behind the village church.

Joya de Ceren

[image error]

An study of the acoustics of the replica temazcal (sweatbath) at the village site of Cerén in El Salvador, more in the comments on our page.. Sometimes called, "America's Pompeii," this Classic Mayan village was suddenly covered by volcanic ash in 595 AD. The village lay less than a kilometre from Loma Caldera volcano. Excavations have found several homes made from adobe brick with thatched roofs, complete with simple interior benches, pots, tools and the remains of food. Top photo: The Temazcal replica. It is located in the public access area of the archaeological park, so people can enter it and experience the acoustic phenomena.

Whit Stones

[image error]

These two sizeable stones, possibly barrow remnants, are situated on Exmoor a couple miles west of Porlock, and several miles east of Lynton. They are easily accessible. The northernmost stone is 1.2m (4 feet) tall, the southernmost about 1.75m (5 feet 9 inches) tall, and both with the typical adornments for stones: lichen and bird poo!