‘Tis the season for Top Ten of the Year lists. Here’s Archaeology Magazine’s list of the ten “most compelling” discoveries of 2013:
- Richard III’s remains
- homo erectus fossils at Dmanisi, Georgia suggest that the number of hominin species may be much smaller than previously thought
- the oldest known Roman monumental architecture in Gabii, Italy
- evidence for a matriarchy among the Wari people of ancient Peru
- the oldest “bog body” (4,000 years) in Ireland
- North America’s oldest petroglyphs (15,000!?) in Winnemucca, NV
- airborne laser sensing revises views of Angkor region
- evidence of cannibalism at colonial Jamestown
- world’s oldest port (4,500 years) discovered in Egypt
- badgers’, moles’, and dolphins’ work result in archaeological finds
To be honest I’m surprised that the discovery of Denisovan DNA in fossils uncovered in Spain didn’t make it onto their list. Not only was that an enormous technical feat (not to mention a vision of things to come) but it revises our notions of the human family tree in pretty drastic ways.
The Denisovan DNA had to have been too late. It strike me as more important than any of those listed. Looks like the find was published December 4th, and the magazine went out December 10th.
BTW/ I didn’t realize that evidence of cannibalism at Jamestown had just been discovered. I thought that was pretty much taken as a fact. I wonder if nobody desired to look for it before.
. . . because manual typesetting takes time.
. . . and key votes from certain members of the Royal Geographical Society needed to be carried by hand by Sudanese long-distance runners to Cairo to be dropped in the mailbox.
As I’ve tried to suggest, I think the Denisovan discovery in Spain is the most significant find of the year and possibly of the decade both for technological and scientific reasons. The Angkor discovery is important because its technology points the way to the future (plus the interesting suggestion that the city declined due to urban sprawl).
However, the Dmanisi find is pretty darned important, too. Dozens if not hundreds of textbooks may need to be re-written.
And here I thought it would be the MSM’s discovery that no, you can’t keep your health insurance plan if you like it………….
I’m weak….couldn’t resist