This month: why a Roman horse became a donkey; how part of Pompeii recently collapsed; how a Roman village survived underneath London; and what obesity meant to the Romans. Plus, in Backyard Arhaeology Tom Birch explores how the Northern Irish 'peace lines' are archaeology.
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We make our way to some of the least accessible bits of heritage this month: Naked Scientist Laura Soul treks to Machu Picchu and we hear about the fenced-off Palestinian heritage in Israel. Also this month: tracking down The Plague's bacterial DNA, sanding down a Norwegian Pompeii and a DIY archaeological survey!
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This month we explore the dramatic burial of an El Zotz Maya king; he was seemingly interred with the remains of six sacrificed children. Also under the spotlight is the abandoment of the site if Kiuic, a mysterious Maya city which was deserted in the midst of construction. Plus, in Backyard Archaeology Tom Birch investigates a huge Roman mining settlement in Austria.
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What did the Romans eat at their feasts? What came out the other end afterwards? This month we explore the toilets of Pompeii and the kinds of food eaten by its inhabitants. In the news this month: the oldest house in the UK; the HMS Investigator; and some very early human tool use. Plus, in Backyard Archaeology we find out how to put up buildings the Icelandic way.
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Human remains are our main topic of interest in this month's Naked Archaeology. Diana and Duncan explore the nature of Bronze Age cremations, the repatriation of Yagan's head and how one might go about reconstructing the remains of King Tutankhamun. Plus, how the first settlers in the Americas may have been more numerous than previously thought, as another nine founding mothers have now been identified.
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17th Jun 2010
- Southeast Asia: Hobbits and Niah Caves
The diminutive, one-time inhabitants of Flores are probably the most famous early humans from this area of the world but where does H. floresiensis fit into our family tree? We discuss the gladiatorial burials recently unearthed in York, some Neanderthal-esque tools from Dartford and the Niah Caves: a spectacular system in Malaysia which has yielded some clues as to how humans make use of difficult environments. Plus, in Backyard Archaeology we bring out the lasers to analyse some Scottish beads.
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17th May 2010
- Australian Archaeology and Rabbit Warrens
This month on Naked Archaeology: when and how did the first humans make it to Australia? We unearth the evidence from archaeology and genetics. Also this month we discover that Neanderthals could be relations of ours, after all. Plus, in Back Yard Archaeology Diana ventures into her own back yard to find out what was so special about rabbit warrens.
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17th Apr 2010
- Changing sea levels and thin sections
This month on Naked Archaeology: the discovery of a possible link between genus Homo and Australopithecus - Aus. sediba; we find out how people first made it to Cyprus; which is the oldest building still in use and if Icelandic eruptions are a good thing. Plus, in Backyard Archaeology Tom and Duncan look through some wafer-thin slices of pot and meet Aegina's finest jug-maker!
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17th Mar 2010
- First cities and first writing: Mesopotamia
How is it that the first farms, cities and writing all originated in Mesopotamia, now Iraq? We explore the so-called 'fertile crescent' and fanatical record-keeping in the ancient Near East. We find out how DNA from the body of Tutankhamun hints at his numerous illnesses and we also look at who paddled across the Mediterranean first. Plus, in Backyard Archaeology Tom Birch smelts his own iron!
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17th Feb 2010
- Illicit Antiquities: Repatriation and Curating
This month we divest the darker world of black market archaeology. We find out how illicit antiquities can be tracked down after being lost for decades and how they can be returned to their country of origin. We explore the problems faced by curators in spotting artefacts with dubious histories. Plus, in Backyard Archaeology we visit a graveyard for a bit of typologising!
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17th Jan 2010
- Make-up, Cleopatra and Temples
Neanderthals wore make-up too! We explore the cosmetics worn by early humans and Egyptians. Naked Archaeology this month also explores the discovery of Cleopatra's unfinished mausoleum and the curious orientation of Sicilian temples. Plus, in Backyard Archaeology we discover how medieval kings were also into their pre-history.
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