2018 in archaeology explained

This page lists major archaeological events of 2018.

Excavations

• May 20 - June 16 - Excavation of Shiloh in Samaria.^[1]
• June - Excavation at site of 1969 Woodstock music festival in New York (state).^[2]
• August - Further excavation at site of Sheffield Castle in Yorkshire, England.^{[3] [4]}
• Foundations of original Wulfhall in Burbage, Wiltshire, England.
• Start of archaeological investigations along 150 mile route of High Speed 2 railway between London and Birmingham in England ahead of main construction work starting in 2019.^{[5] [6]}

Explorations

• Dives confirm the wreck of a submarine off Dartmouth, Devon (England) to be, the prototype British D-class submarine of 1909, expended and scuttled here in 1918.
• May - Investigation of hulk of 1852 diving support vessel at Newshot Island in the River Clyde, Scotland.^[7]

Finds

• January
  • A prehistoric site, dating back half a million years, between Jaljulia and Highway 6 in Israel.^[8]
  • A hoard of coins and other treasure from the time of Viking ruler Harald Bluetooth is found near Schaprode in Germany.^[9]
• January 1 - A 2,700 years old seal with the inscription "belonging to the governor of the city" is discovered in Jerusalem, supporting the Biblical claim that the city had governors at the time.^[10]
• January 21 - A bottle thrown into the sea in 1886 as part of a German oceanographic experiment is found on an Australian beach.^[11]
• February - Ancient Egyptian cemetery found in Minya, Egypt.^[12]
• February 3 - Announcement of discovery of the tomb of priestess Hetpet from the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt at Giza with well-preserved wall paintings.
• March 4 - Aircraft carrier USS Lexington, wrecked in 1942 off the north-eastern coast of Australia, discovered by American entrepreneur and explorer Paul Allen (dies October 15).^[13]
• March 17 - Light cruiser, wrecked in 1942 at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, discovered by Paul Allen.^[14]
• April - Nazi German submarine U-3523, sunk in 1945 in the Skagerrak, discovered by Sea War Museum Jutland.^[15]
• April 13 - The wreck of the slave ship Clotilda (scuttled 1860) is located in the Mobile River.^{[16] [17] [18]}
• April 22 - A bust of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius is unearthed in the Temple of Kom Ombo in the southern city of Aswan, Egypt.^[19]
• April 23 - The discovery of the shrine of god Osiris- Ptah Neb, dating back to the 25th dynasty in the Temple of Karnak in Luxor was announced.^[20]
• May - Gold Bronze Age Shropshire bulla found in England.^[21]
• June
  • Nazi German submarine U-966, sunk in 1943 off the coast of Galicia (Spain), discovered by Spanish divers.^[22]
  • A head carving, dating back over 2,800 years, is discovered at the ancient city of Abel-beth-maachah in northern Israel. The sculpture might depict either one of the rulers in the region: King Ahab of Israel, King Hazael of Aram-Damascus or King Ethbaal of Tyre.^[23]
• July
  • Russian cruiser Dmitrii Donskoi, scuttled in 1905 following the Battle of Tsushima, discovered by a South Korean treasure-hunting company.^[24]
  • An Egyptian sarcophagus of what is initially thought to be the tomb of Alexander the Great is found in groundwater in Alexandria. The sarcophagus is subsequently opened to reveal three skeletons along with some mysterious drawings^{[25] [26]} and a 3,000-year-old cheese.^[27]
  • The discovery of an extremely rare Egyptian gilded burial mask which probably dates to Saite-Persian period is announced by German-Egyptian researchers’ team in Saqqara^[28]
• August - Foundations of what is thought to be the oldest library in Germany discovered in Cologne; the building dates from 2 AD.^[29]
• August 16 - An English-led team announce the identification of embalming chemicals used in Ancient Egypt around 3500 BCE.^[30]
• Summer - Pre-Viking sword in Vidöstern lake, Jönköping County, Sweden.^[31]
• September - 400-year-old shipwreck off Cascais in Portugal found.^[32]
• September 12 - Discovery in Blombos Cave, South Africa, of a stone carrying an (abstract) drawing in ochre pigment about 73,000 years old  - the earliest known human drawing  - is announced.^[33]
• September 17 - A sphinx is discovered at the Temple of Kom Ombo near Aswan, the statue likely dates back to the Ptolemaic dynasty.^[34]
• September 25 - Pre-colonial remains are found in Iroungou burial cave, Gabon.^[35]
• September 29 - A cemetery of 1,000 layered burials dating back to the Iron Age and a Neolithic village are found near the town of Korçë in southeastern Albania, after 18 months of excavations.^[36]
• October 8 - Remains of a 1500-year-old Byzantine church are discovered in Sinanköy, Edirne Province in East Thrace.^[37]
• October 13 - A small shrine is discovered in Akrotiri, Greece, dating back to the Bronze Age.^[38]
• October 15 - A ship burial subsequently confirmed to contain a Viking ship is discovered by ground-penetrating radar at Gjellestad near Halden, Norway.^[39]
• October 18 - A Celtic settlement is found in the Canton of Lucerne, dating back to the first century BC.^[40]
• October 23 - Announcement of discovery of the substantially intact wreck of a Greek cargo vessel from around 400 BCE in the Black Sea by an Anglo-Bulgarian team.^[41]
• October 31 - A Byzantine mosaic is found in Kharayeb, Syria, which might be a church floor dating back to 412 AD.^[42]
• November 7 - Announcement of discovery of an early painting of an animal, a banteng from at least 40,000 years BP, in the Lubang Jeriji Saléh cave in Borneo located by an Australian-led team.^[43]
• November 11 - Seven ancient Egyptian tombs are located at the ancient necropolis of Saqqara, dating back to the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties.^[44]
• November 16 - A 4,000-year-old board game called 58 holes carved into the floor of a rock shelter in Azerbaijan.^[45]
• November 19 - Announcement of discovery of the oldest known Levallois stone tools in East Asia at Guanyindong Cave site, Guizhou, southwest China, dated to approximately 170,000–80,000 years ago.^[46]
• November 21 - Announcement of discovery of the ancient Greek city of Limnae on the Gallipoli peninsula, in modern Turkey.^[47]
• November 24 - Announcement of discovery of tomb probably from the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt with two perfectly preserved mummies in the Assasseef valley near Luxor by a French-led team working since March.^[48]
• December
  • Announcement of discovery of United States Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft 37789 crashed in English Channel in 1969.^[49]
  • Announcement of discovery of 15th century skeleton in thigh-high boots found beside the River Thames in south London.^[50]
  • German submarine UC-61, abandoned in 1917, emerges from sands of Wissant in the north of France.^[51]
• December 3 - A significant hoard of 24 gold coins and a gold earring is unearthed and tentatively dated to 1101 in Caesarea.^[52]
• December 15 - Announcement of discovery of an Egyptian high priest's tomb, dating back to 4,400 years ago, in Saqqara.^[53]
• December 21 - A Byzantine church is discovered in Akrotiri Peninsula, Cyprus, dating back to the reign of Emperor Heraclius.^[54]
• December 24 - Announcement of discovery of remains of a harnessed horse at the Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii.^[55]
• December 29 - Announcement of discovery of a 13th century stone ball probably fired from a trebuchet near Edinburgh Castle in Scotland.^[56]
• December 30 - Roman sarcophagi found at Tel Al-Deir near Damietta, Egypt.^[57]

Events

• August 2 - Reports of tests on 5,000-year-old burnt human bones of 25 people found at Stonehenge in England suggest that ten came from more than 160 km (100 mi) away in West Wales.^[58]
• August 15 - 2018 British Isles heat wave: Historic England announces that the dry summer has revealed many new archaeological sites through cropmarks in aerial photography.^[59]
• September 2 - National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro is engulfed by fire.^{[60] [61] [62]}
• October 10 - Troy Museum opens.
• November 21 - Report on the restitution of African cultural heritage published on behalf of the President of France.

Deaths

• January 31 - Elizabeth Hartley, American archaeologist and former Keeper of the Yorkshire Museum (b. 1947).^[63]
• July 1 - Gordon Hillman, British archaeobotanist (b. 1943)^[64]
• August 1 - Rotraut Wisskirchen, German biblical archaeologist and academic, Order of Merit (2011) (b. 1936)^[65]
• August 29 - Robin Birley, English archaeologist, excavator of Vindolanda (b. 1935)^[66]
• December 3 - Roger Mercer, British archaeologist (b. 1944)^[67]
• December 11 - Noël Duval, French archaeologist, (b. 1929)^[68]

See also

• List of years in archaeology

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Shiloh Excavations. 2018-01-08. 2017-06-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20170626212721/http://www.biblearchaeology.org/page/Volunteer-to-Dig-at-Shiloh.aspx. dead.
2. Web site: Archaeologists Investigate Woodstock Concert Site. Archaeology. Archaeological Institute of America. 2018-06-21. 2018-06-22.
3. News: Dig to uncover Mary Queen of Scots castle. 13 August 2018. BBC News. 19 August 2018.
4. Web site: Dig under way to reveal ruins of medieval castle in Sheffield. Halliday. Josh. 15 August 2018. The Guardian. London. 12 September 2018.
5. News: HS2 begins archaeology work exploring over 10,000 years of British history. 2018-11-10. GOV.UK. 2018-10-26.
6. News: Controversial HS2 burial site dig at London Euston begins. BBC News. 2018-10-26. 2018-12-04.
7. The Newshot Island Boat Graveyard: an assemblage of 19th-century vessels on the Clyde. Ellie. Graham. Tom. Dawson. Steve. Liscoe. 2019. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology. 48. 151–171. 10.1111/1095-9270.12332. 10023/21138. 166094005 . free.
8. News: Prehistoric site discovered between Jaljulia and Highway 6. Ynet news. 2018-01-07. 2018-01-08.
9. Web site: Germans find 'Harald Bluetooth' medieval treasure. BBC News. 2018-04-16. 2018-04-16.
10. Web site: Israeli archaeologists find 2,700-year-old 'governor of Jerusalem' seal impression. Reuters. 2018-01-01. 2019-01-20.
11. Web site: Oldest message in a bottle found on Western Australia beach. BBC News. 2018-03-06. 2018-03-06.
12. Web site: See Inside This Newly Discovered Ancient Egyptian Cemetery. https://web.archive.org/web/20180227031516/https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/02/ancient-egypt-necropolis-discovered-mummies-funerary-figurines-spd/. dead. February 27, 2018. National Geographic. 1 March 2018. 26 February 2018.
13. Web site: USS Lexington: Lost WW2 aircraft carrier found after 76 years. BBC News. 2018-03-06. 2018-03-06.
14. Web site: Sunken USS Juneau Famous for the Sullivan Brothers Discovered on St. Patrick's Day. 2018-03-19. Paul G. Allen. Vulcan Inc.. 2018-03-21. 2018-03-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20180320230926/https://www.paulallen.com/uss-juneau-wreck-located-famous-for-sullivan-brothers/. dead.
15. Web site: Daley . Jason . Wreck of Nazi Germany's Most Advanced U-Boat Discovered . Smithsonian . 25 August 2018 .
16. News: Koplowitz. Howard. Clotilda, the last American slave ship, found in Alabama, Historical Commission says. AL.com. 2019-05-22. 2019-05-22.
17. News: Officials: Last slave ship from Africa ID'd on Alabama coast. WALA-TV. 2019-05-22. 2019-05-22.
18. Web site: Alabama Historians Say The Last Known Slave Ship To U.S. Has Been Found. NPR. 2019-05-22. 2019-05-22. Ingber. Sasha.
19. Web site: Archaeologists find bust of Roman emperor in Egypt.
20. Web site: DPA. Daily Sabah with. 2018-04-22. Archeologists find Roman emperor bust, ancient shrine in Egypt. 2021-02-03. Daily Sabah. en.
21. Web site: Rare Bronze Age Gold Bulla declared as treasure . Shropshire.gov . 31 January 2019 . 21 January 2020.
22. Web site: German WW2 U-boat wreckage found off Galicia by Spanish divers. 2018-07-06. 2018-07-13. BBC News.
23. Web site: A Face from the Bible May Appear in This Tiny Sculpture. Live Science. 7 June 2018.
24. News: 'Treasure ship' claim raises eyebrows in South Korea. Josh. Smith. 2018-07-19. 2018-07-19. Reuters.
25. Web site: Egypt sarcophagus: Mystery black tomb opened in Alexandria. BBC. 20 July 2018.
26. Web site: That Massive Black Sarcophagus Contained 3 Inscriptions. Here's What They Mean. Live Science. 20 August 2018.
27. News: The world's oldest cheese has been found in a tomb in Egypt and it might be poisoned — but people want to eat it anyway. Susanna. Heller. 2018-08-17. 2018-12-30. Business Insider.
28. Web site: Starr. Michelle. Archaeologists Have Uncovered a Place Where The Ancient Egyptians Mummifed Their Dead. 2020-06-28. ScienceAlert. 16 July 2018 . en-gb.
29. Web site: 'Oldest library in Germany' unearthed. BBC News. 2018-08-03. 2018-08-02.
30. Web site: Ancient Egyptian mummification 'recipe' revealed. Victoria. Gill. BBC News. 2018-08-17. 2018-08-16.
31. Web site: Girl, 8, pulls a 1,500-year-old sword from a lake in Sweden. BBC News. 2018-10-04. 2018-10-05.
32. Web site: Portuguese 400 year old shipwreck found off Cascais. BBC News. 2018-09-25. 2018-09-24.
33. Web site: 'Oldest known drawing' found on tiny rock in South Africa. BBC News. 2018-09-12. 2018-09-13.
34. News: Archaeologists find sphinx at Egypt temple. 2018-09-17. BBC News. 2018-09-17.
35. Villotte . Sébastien . Kacki . Sacha . Mounier . Aurélien . Mora . Pascal . Espinasse . Loic . Dempano . Jules Zamke . Gerin . Christian . Meunier . Quentin . Oslisly . Richard . Mortuary behaviour and cultural practices in pre-colonial West Central Africa: new data from the Iroungou burial cave, Gabon . Antiquity . August 2021 . 95 . 382 . 10.15184/aqy.2021.80. 236639582 . free.
36. Web site: AP Photos: Ancient cemetery unearthed in Albania. The Associated Press. 29 September 2018.
37. Web site: Remains of 1500-year old Byzantine church found in Turkey's northwest. Hürriyet Daily News. 12 October 2018.
38. Web site: Santorini Excavation Brings to Light Impressive New Findings. Greek Reporter. 12 October 2018.
39. Web site: Viking ship burial discovered in Norway just 50cm underground. The Guardian. 15 October 2018.
40. Web site: Archaeologists uncover rare Celtic remains. Swiss Info. 16 October 2018.
41. Web site: Shipwreck found in Black Sea is 'world's oldest intact'. BBC News. 2018-10-23. 2018-10-23.
42. Web site: Mosaic painting dating back to fifth century AD discovered in Hama countryside. SANA. 31 October 2018.
43. Web site: Oldest cave painting of an animal discovered in Borneo. BBC News. 2018-11-07. 2018-11-07.
44. Web site: Ancient Egyptian tombs yield rare find of mummified scarab beetles. Reuters. 11 November 2018.
45. Web site: A Bronze Age game called 58 holes was found chiseled into stone in Azerbaijan . www.sciencenews.org . 16 November 2018 . 15 December 2018.
46. Hu. Yue. Marwick. Ben. Zhang. Jia-Fu. Rui. Xue. Hou. Ya-Mei. Yue. Jian-Ping. Chen. Wen-Rong. Huang. Wei-Wen. Li. Bo. Late Middle Pleistocene Levallois stone-tool technology in southwest China. Nature. 565. 7737. 82–85. 19 November 2018. 10.1038/s41586-018-0710-1. 30455423. 53873016.
47. News: Ancient city discovered in Çanakkale. Hurriyet Daily News. 21 November 2018.
48. Web site: Ancient Egyptian tomb unveiled. BBC News. 2018-11-24. 2018-11-25.
49. Web site: The mystery of the homesick mechanic who stole a plane. Emma Jane. Kirby. BBC News. 2018-04-18. 2018-12-03.
50. Web site: Medieval skeleton in thigh-high boots found by Thames. BBC News. 2018-12-04. 2018-12-04.
51. Web site: German WW1 submarine emerges off French coast. BBC News. 2019-01-12. 2019-01-12.
52. News: 2018-12-03. Rare gold coins found in Israeli city of Caesarea. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-05-18.
53. Web site: Egypt tomb: Saqqara 'one of a kind' discovery revealed. BBC News. 2018-12-15. 2018-12-15.
54. Web site: Important Christian Monument Discovered in Cyprus. Greek Reporter. 2018-12-21. 2018-12-21.
55. Web site: Pompeii horse found still wearing harness. BBC News. 2018-12-24. 2018-12-24.
56. Web site: Grassmarket finding could shed light on the capture of Edinburgh Castle. City of Edinburgh Council. 2018-12-29. 2018-12-30.
57. Web site: Roman-Period Sarcophagi Found in Egypt. Archaeology. 31 December 2018.
58. News: Bones found at Stonehenge belonged to people from Wales. The Guardian. London. Maev Kennedy. Maev. Kennedy. 2018-08-02. 2018-08-06.
59. Web site: Heatwave reveals England's lost prehistoric sites. BBC News. 2018-08-15. 2018-08-15.
60. Web site: Rio's 200-year old National Museum hit by massive fire. 2018-09-02. Reuters. https://web.archive.org/web/20180903003435/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-fire-museum/rios-200-year-old-national-museum-hit-by-massive-fire-idUSKCN1LJ00L. 2018-09-03. live. 2018-09-02.
61. Web site: Fire engulfs 200-year-old Brazil museum. 2018-09-02. BBC News. https://web.archive.org/web/20180903005443/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-45392668. 2018-09-03. live. 2018-09-03.
62. Web site: Incêndio atinge prédio do Museu Nacional, no Rio. 2018-09-02. UOL Notícias. pt. 2018-09-02.
63. Fellows Remembered: Elizabeth Hartley FSA . Henig, M. . 20 February 2018 . SALON: The Newsletter of the Society of Antiquaries of London . 401 . 20 February 2018.
64. News: Jones. Martin. Gordon Hillman obituary. The Guardian. 2018-08-03. London. 2018-08-23.
65. Web site: Christliche Archäologie. www.kath.ruhr-uni-bochum.de.
66. Web site: Robin Birley. https://web.archive.org/web/20180901182621/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2bc91da1e1. dead. September 1, 2018. British Film Institute. 2017-05-31.
67. News: Roger James Mercer. The Scotsman. 6 December 2018. 6 December 2018.
68. Web site: In memoriam Noël Duval (1929-2018). https://web.archive.org/web/20181217120319/https://www.huffpostmaghreb.com/entry/in-memoriam-noel-duval-1929-2018_mg_5c1765dfe4b009b8aea8d044. usurped. December 17, 2018.