FIDE Women's Grand Prix 2015-2016

Hola darlings!

FIDE has announced the nominees and schedule for the FIDE Women's Grand Prix 2015-2016, consisting of four events (only four - how low we have fallen).  Top finishers will -- if I understand this correctly -- qualify for the Women's World Chess Championship Match in 2017.  You can find all of the info here.

Essentials:

* 2-16 October 2015 in Monte Carlo, MONACO 
* February 2016 in Kish, IRAN 
* May 2016 in Tbilisi, GEORGIA 
* July 2016 in Chengdu, CHINA

In total 16 players will participate, 10 qualifiers as per regulations (listed below) plus 4 nominees from the organisers of each tournament (to be announced) plus 2 nominees of the FIDE President.

FIDE President has nominated Alexandra Kosteniuk and Antoaneta Stefanova, 

The 10 original qualifiers who have to confirm their participation by 20 August 2015 are: 

01. Muzychuk, Mariya (World Champion, Sochi 2015) 
02. Pogonina, Natalija (finalist world championship, Sochi 2015) 
03. Cramling, Pia (semi-finalist world championship, Sochi 2015) 
04. Harika, Dronavalli (semi-finalist world championship, Sochi 2015) 
05. Hou, Yifan (by rating, 12 std lists 8/14 to 7/15: average 2674.83 in 88 games) 
06. Koneru, Humpy (by rating, 12 std lists 8/14 to 7/15: average 2585.83 in 39 games) 
07. Dzagnidze, Nana (by rating, 12 std lists 8/14 to 7/15: average 2568.50 in 50 games) 
08. Ju, Wenjun (by rating, 12 std lists 8/14 to 7/15: average 2557.91 in 92 games) 
09. Muzychuk, Anna (by rating, 12 std lists 8/14 to 7/15: average 2548.41 in 63 games) 
10. Gunina, Valentina (by rating, 12 std lists 8/14 to 7/15: average 2532.91 in 83 games) 

The first reserve for any replacement needed is Kosteniuk, Alexandra (by rating 2532.00 in 69 games, average 12 std lists 8/2014 to 7/2015). 

The full regulations of the Women's Grand Prix 2015-2016 are published here.

Each player will participate in exactly three (3) out of the four tournaments. Players must rank their preference of tournaments but FIDE reserves the right to assign players to tournaments according to the organizational needs and the players for each tournament will be announced before the cycle begins.

Here is the prize structure:

7. Prize Money & Grand Prix Points. 

7.1. The prize money which will be offered by host city organisers for each tournament is 75,000 Euros (net amount, after all local taxes are deducted) and is split 60,000 Euros as direct prize money for the tournament and 15,000 Euros towards an accumulated prize fund for the players at the end of the series: 

PLACE PRIZE (Euros) GP POINTS 

1 st € 10,000 120 points + 40 bonus 

2 nd € 8,250 110 points + 20 bonus 

3 rd € 6,750 100 points + 10 bonus 

4 th € 5,750 90 points 

5 th € 5,000 80 points 

6 th € 4,500 70 points 

7 th € 4,250 60 points 

8 th € 4,000 50 points 

9 th € 3,250 40 points 

10th € 3,000 30 points 

11th € 2,750 20 points 

12th € 2,500 10 points Total 60,000 euros 850 points 

In the case of any tie in any tournament, the Grand Prix ranking points and prize money will be split equally. 

The overall winner of the Grand Prix will be the one who will score the most number of cumulative points. The cumulative score will be calculated from the best three results for each player. The winner of the Grand prix agrees to play a match against the World Champion as per FIDE regulations in 2017. 

7.2. Tie Break for Overall Winner: In the case of two or more players having equal cumulative points at the top of the GP standings, with the objective of determining a clear, single winner to play in the World Championship Match, the following criteria (in descending order) will be utilized to decide the overall GP top winner(s):

7.3. Accumulated Prize Fund. 9 prizes will be awarded from the minimum accumulated prize fund of €90,000 (Euros) as follows : 

Overall Place Accumulated Prize (Euros) 

1st 25,000 

2nd 20,000

3rd 15,000 

4th 10,000 

5th 7,500 

6th 5,500 

7th 4,000 

8th 3,000 €90,000 

In the case of any joint overall ranking, the respective accumulated prizes will also be split equally. 

Of course, FIDE, rather than CONTRIBUTING FUNDS toward women's prizes sucks more money out of the organizers and local chess organizations who are stupid enough sponsoring events:

7.4. FIDE Contributions. The organiser will pay FIDE an additional sum of 20% (15,000 Euros), over and above, the above total host city prize fund (75,000 Euros). 7.5. Global Chess Contribution. The organiser will pay Global Chess the sum of 15,000 euros for the assistance provided in the co-ordination and management of this event. This will include the cost of 4 people to cover organisation assistance and setup (2 persons), event reporting and commentary in Russian and English (2 persons). All travel expenses in economy class, and hotel accommodation on full board basis will be covered by organisers.   

I don't know about how you feel, but frankly, I'm a little tired of seeing the same players over and over and over again.  There have been no break-through female players since Hou Yifan when she was a pre-teen.  Where is the next Judit Polgar?  Will the world ever produce the like of her again?

Destruction of Ancient Palmyra Temple by ISIR Confirmed

THIS type of behavior is the only reason civilized societies need  to NOT repatriate precious ancient artifacts back to ANY country in the barbarian territories - or elsewhere, for that matter, because what seems stable today may be taken over by Christian Taliban, for example, tomorrow (like they are attempting to do in the USA).  Hey Saudis, where are you in this?  Hey, Iran, where are you in this (well, the government forces are still busy destroying their own monuments through massive looting, what was I thinking/??) Hey, Arab Emirates, where are you in this?

Guess these fellow barbarians and all of their sympathizers think they will be exempt from ISIR or ISIR-like forces.  Ha!  Think again, dudes.

Palmyra temple destruction confirmed by satellite images

By Maya Gebeily29 minutes ago

Beirut (AFP) - Satellite images show the main temple in Syria's Palmyra has been flattened, confirming the worst fears for the ancient ruins held by the Islamic State group.

The destruction of the Temple of Bel sparked outrage and international headlines, precisely the reaction the jihadist group may have been seeking, experts said.

Dozens of relics remain at risk in the ruins of Palmyra, which IS jihadists seized from regime forces in May as they pursued their campaign for territory in Syria and Iraq.

The extremist group's harsh philosophy condemns pre-Islamic religious sites and considers statues and grave markers to be idolatrous, but it has also been accused of destroying heritage to loot items for the black market and to gain publicity.

Satellite images taken before and after an explosion at Palmyra on Sunday "confirm the destruction of the main Temple of Bel as well as a row of columns in its immediate vicinity," UN training and research agency UNITAR said late Monday.

The 2,000-year-old temple was the centrepiece of Palmyra's famed ruins and one of the most important relics at the UNESCO-listed heritage site.  "The Temple of Bel was the most beautiful symbol of all of Syria. It was the most beautiful place to visit," Syrian antiquities director Maamoun Abdulkarim told AFP by telephone from Damascus.  "And we have lost it forever."

IS fighters seized Palmyra from Syrian regime forces on May 21, immediately sparking fears for the city's ruins and historic sites.  While antiquities staff evacuated most of the city's museum before IS arrived, the group destroyed an ornate lion statue outside the building and also mined Palmyra's ruins.

Last month the jihadists beheaded the 82-year old former antiquities chief in Palmyra and destroyed the ancient shrine of Baal Shamin.

- 'They have killed Palmyra' -

On Sunday, activists and a monitor reported a large explosion at the site had destroyed the Temple of Bel.  Abdulkarim said Palmyra's remaining ruins, which lie in the southwest of the city, include "dozens of the greatest grave markers, the amphitheatre, and the Temple of Nabu, which only has its foundations."

The city's grand Roman amphitheatre, which dates from between the second and third century, is not believed to have been damaged.  But it was the scene of a gruesome massacre shortly after IS seized Palmyra, with child members of the group executing 25 Syrian soldiers in the amphitheatre.

"They have killed Palmyra. Now, they will terrorise it," Abdulkarim said. "It's the last warning before the complete destruction of Palmyra." Cheikhmous Ali of the Association for the Protection of Syrian Archeology (APSA) described the razing of the ruins as "a way to pressure and torture the local population -- to suppress their history and their collective memory."

It was also an attempt to "remain in the headlines", he said, warning: "The more we give IS's savage actions media attention, the more they will repeat this."

- 'Symbolic power' in destruction -

Gruesome violence and the destruction of priceless artefacts have become hallmarks of IS as it expands its so-called "caliphate" across swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.  In addition to damaging sites in Syria, IS has destroyed statues, shrines, and manuscripts in the Iraqi city of Mosul, and demolished the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud further south.

Charlie Winter, an analyst with the London-based Quilliam Foundation, said the destruction of artefacts in Palmyra and elsewhere "makes sense with the jihadist worldview, because these temples are symbols of polytheism.  They are pre-Islamic and are considered by IS not to be worthy of existence," Winter said.

He agreed that IS may be seeking to reclaim headlines at a time when its gruesome killings no longer receive the same media attention as before.  The militants have used sophisticated media techniques to gain publicity and lure thousands of foreign fighters to join their ranks.

"The videos IS publishes of people being burned alive don't grab headlines anywhere near as much as headlines about Palmyra do," Winter said.

IS "has recognised the symbolic power of destroying these ruins.  If there's anything IS revels in, it's condemnation" of its actions, he said.

Regime forces have launched an offensive to retake the ancient city and as they edge closer the jihadist group may be looking to sow as much destruction as it can.

"The more likely it looks that IS will end up losing Palmyra, the more likely it will destroy what's left there," Winter said.

The Shigir Idol WAY Older Than Thought

Hola darlings!

The Shigir Idol

The Shigir Idol is covered in carvings, including what looks like code. It stands 9.2ft (2.8 metres) in height (shown left and right) but originally was 17.4ft (5.3 metres) tall - as high as a two storey house.

Story at The Daily Mail, along with a multitude of photos and graphics.

World's oldest wooden statue is TWICE as old as the pyramids: New analysis reveals Shigir Idol is more ancient than first thought

• Shigir Idol was discovered in a peat bog in Kirovgrad, Siberia in 1890
• Perfectly-preserved wooden statue was thought to be 9,500 years old
• Dating technology revealed its 1,500 years older than  previously thought
• Idol is covered in mysterious carvings which have yet to be deciphered, but could depict snakes, danger and even spirits in different worlds

By Will Stewart for MailOnline

Published: 07:47 EST, 27 August 2015 | Updated: 03:44 EST, 28 August 2015

A stunning wooden statue pulled from a Russian peat bog 125 years ago has been dated as being 11,000 years old after 'sensational' new analysis.

This means the remarkable Shigir Idol, which is covered in ‘encrypted code’ and may be a message from ancient man, is by far the oldest wooden sculpture in the world.

Previous dating attempts claimed it was made 9,500 years ago.  By comparison, Stonehenge dates back 4,614 years, while the haunting Russian wooden sculpture is also more than twice as old as the Egyptian pyramids.

But in fact, it is one and a half millennia older, according to the latest research by German scientists. 'We can say the results are sensational,' a source at Sverdlovsk Regional History Museum told The Siberian Times. The museum said the dating used the world's most sophisticated technology and was undertaken to remove doubts about the age of the idol.

Nazi Loot Found?

Posted August 20, 2015:

Men claim to find Nazi train loaded with treasure in Poland

AP
7 hours ago

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — According to Polish lore, a Nazi train loaded with gold, artworks and weapons vanished into a mountain at the end of World War II, as the Germans fled the Soviet advance. Now two men claim they know the location of the mystery train and are demanding 10 percent of its value in exchange for revealing its location.

Historians say the existence of the train has never been conclusively proven, but authorities are not passing up this chance at possibly recovering treasures that locals and the government have sought for 70 years.

"We believe that a train has been found. We are taking this information seriously," Marika Tokarska, an official in the southwestern Polish district of Walbrzych, told The Associated Press on Thursday.

She said her office received two letters this month from a law firm representing the men, a Pole and a German who have chosen to remain anonymous, saying they are seeking 10 percent of the value of the train's contents for revealing its location. The documents from the lawyers say the train is 150-meters (490-feet) long and loaded with guns, valuables and precious metals, but do not specify where it is. Authorities say they are willing to pay the reward if the information pans out.

A lawyer for the men, Jaroslaw Chmielewski, compared the find to the "wreck of the Titanic" in an interview on a local radio station.

Tokarska said that hiring a law firm gives a degree of credibility to the two men's claims, as do indications that they are familiar with the train's contents. But there are also reasons for caution: The first letter included some references to the area's topography that indicated they might not know the area very well.

Joanna Lamparska, an author who has written about the train and the region's history, says she believes it could be a scam.  "We have had a lot of stories like that in the last few years with people claiming they know where the train is," Lamparska told The AP. "But nothing was ever found."

Local stories say a German train left from the German city of Breslau (today the Polish city of Wroclaw) in April 1945 and headed westward toward Waldenburg (now Walbrzych.) At some point in the 60-kilometer (40-mile) journey it vanished.

During the war, Adolf Hitler had started creating a secret underground system in the area under the Owl Mountains, a project called "Riese," or "Giant." The region still belonged to Germany at the time and the project included seven separate tunnel systems. It was probably intended to be a military headquarters, though the project remains shrouded in mystery to this day.

Lamparska describes the area as one filled with meadows and mountains where the Nazis had secret rail lines and tunnels with camouflaged openings that went under the mountains.

The source of the train legend was a Polish miner who claimed he was told about it just after the war by German miners; he said they saw it being pushed into one of the tunnels. The miner has spent his life since trying to find the train, Lamparska said.

Already, the district governor has convened a meeting of firefighters, police, military and others to explore how they can safely handle the train if it is finally found. Not only could it be armed with explosives, but methane gas underground could add to the risk of an explosion.

The mystery is now compounded by questions about who the two men are.  "It could either be nonsense or they got the information directly from the Germans," local rescuer Krzysztof Szpalkowski told the private broadcaster TVN24. "Maybe one of these men is a descendant of people who took part in this action."

New Theory About the Location of Queen Nefertiti's Tomb

If there is any water to this, HOLY HATHOR!  I have deleted some of the more sensationalist information included in the article that was not on point, but could not resist keeping the information about Dorothy Eady, who believed she was a reincarnated Egyptian priestess, intact :)

Archaeologist believes he may have found remains of ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti — hidden in King Tut’s tomb 

Nefertiti — she’s an ancient Egyptian queen and the source of a fantastic mystery regarding the iconic remnants of long-lost royalty. For decades, archaeologists have speculated on the location of the queen’s remains, the last royal mummy missing from the dynasty of the famous King Tutankhamun, better known as King Tut.

But now, an archaeologist claims that he has found her secret tomb in the Valley of the Kings, hidden just beyond a wall near the resting place of the boy-pharaoh. Nicholas Reeves of the University of Arizona, theory is based on an analysis of detailed scans of Tutankhamun’s tomb. The scans reveal the texture of walls beneath their layers of paint, and Reeves believes he found a number of cracks indicating two previously concealed doors.

One of these doors would possibly lead to a storeroom, Reeves said. But the larger door on the north side of the burial chamber, he suggests, could lead to another room holding the remains of Nefertiti, believed by some to be the mother of Tutankhamun.

“I have been testing the evidence ever since, looking for indications that what I thought I was seeing was, in fact, not there,” Reeves told the BBC. “But the more I looked, the more information I found that I seemed to be looking at something pretty real.”

Archaeologists have expressed cautious excitement over Reeves’s conclusion, although they have yet to embrace it fully, as expected. The theory would take many more tests to confirm, although a radar scan could quickly reveal any hollows, an archaeologist told the Economist. “If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. But if I’m right this is potentially the biggest archaeological discovery ever made.”

To find Nefertiti would be a huge win for archaeologists, and may be able to solve some of the mysteries of King Tut’s tomb. The queen, famed for her beauty and her uniquely realistic bust at the Egyptian Museum of Berlin, served as co-regent to King Akhenaten, her husband, and may have been a pharaoh after his death. That means the contents of her tomb, if it exists, would be just as fantastic as Tutankhamum’s — perhaps even more fantastic.

Tutankhamun is believed to have only ruled for nine years, taking power only as a young boy. His remains show that he was a fragile child, with buck teeth and a pronounced overbite. Thanks to rounds of royal inbreeding, he had a club foot and could only walk with a cane.

His reign was overshadowed by much more prominent pharaohs who came before him, including Ramses II, Khufu and his father Akhenaten. Still, the magnificence of the treasures found in his tomb has made it one of the most celebrated archaeological finds in the world. His famous gold funeral mask — which mysteriously depicts him more femininely than other pharaohs — is considered one of the most recognized artifacts ever.

There’s also the bizarre story of Dorothy Louise Eady, who served as a researcher at the Department of Egyptian Antiquities. Eady, better known as Omm Sety, openly believed that she was an ancient Egyptian priestess in a past life who had been reincarnated in the modern age. Her beliefs, detailed in a number of biographies,were supposedly awakened in her after falling down stairs at 3 years old. She grew up dreaming about her experiences in ancient Egypt, and eventually moved to Egypt to become close friends with a number of prominent archaeologists. She made a number of Egyptological discoveries based on what she said were memories, not research.

At one point, she reportedly said she knew where the tomb of Nefertiti was located based on a conversation in another life with a pharaoh, according to a biography titled “Omm Sety’s Egypt.” It’s in the Valley of the Kings, and it’s quite near to the Tutankhamun tomb,” she said, according to the biography. “But it’s in a place where nobody would ever think of looking for it. And apparently it is still intact.”

Eady died in 1981 at the age of 77.

Nepalize Women Fear Loss of Rights Under Proposed Constitution

Fears grow over Nepal's 'anti-women' constitution

By Paavan Mathema 4 hours ago
August 3, 2015

Kathmandu (AFP) - Nepal's proposed new constitution has sparked fury from women who say their citizenship, property and other rights are being curtailed by the document designed to draw a line under centuries of inequality.

Lawmakers tabled a draft in parliament in June shortly after bickering political parties struck an historic deal on the long-awaited charter, spurred to negotiation by an earthquake in March that killed more than 8,800 people.

 

But a series of sometimes violent protests have since hit the impoverished, Himalayan nation, with activists saying the charter has failed to address a string of concerns.

 

Forty-year-old shop owner Rama Bista says the charter poses a major step back for women, in a country that has long favoured men.

 

Bista, who is married to an Indian man based in Nepal, has spent the last four years trying to secure citizenship for her two sons -- their legal right under the current constitution.  "I cannot even speak of some of the things I've been told. They tell me my children are not Nepali, that I should go to my husband's country," Bista told AFP.

 

But Bista's already tough struggle is set to become impossible under the new charter which bars single parents from passing on their citizenship to their children and additionally says both parents must be Nepalese. It will overturn a 2006 act that says children are eligible for citizenship as long as one parent is Nepalese.  Activists say the move could leave a million people stateless and will disproportionately affect women, who account for the vast majority of single parents in Nepal.

Bista says she is anxious about the future for her sons since citizenship is needed to get anything in Nepal from a driving license to a bank account.

The draft also makes it easier for a Nepalese man to confer citizenship on his foreign spouse, while a Nepalese woman needs to be married 15 years to her foreign husband before even being allowed to apply.

 

Campaigners fear provisions could also be used to prevent Nepalese wives or widows from inheriting property unless stipulated in the deceased's will.  Instead of specifying that daughters can inherit ancestral property, the draft vaguely says "all children". Activists are concerned this could be interpreted as sons and unmarried daughters only -- the wording used in the country's civil code.

The draft removes the explicit reference in the current constitution to "sons and daughters".

"The draft dismisses the identity of a woman and reflects our country's patriarchal mindset that seeks to maintain discriminatory practices," said Sapana Pradhan Malla who heads pressure group the Forum for Women, Law and Development.

- Right to abortion fears -

Campaigners are also concerned the draft will be misused to restrict a woman's right to abortion which was legalised in 2002 in the socially conservative country.

The charter bans sex-selective abortions, but activists say the provision is unnecessary since the practice is already illegal. They fear the charter will be used as a powerful tool to deny women abortions, by falsely accusing them of trying to abort girls in a country where boys are preferred.

"This issue should not be dealt with in the constitution," said Sonali Regmi, Asia regional manager for the Center for Reproductive Rights.  "We fear that the clause can be misused to limit a woman's right to safe abortion, a key reason for the decrease in Nepal's maternal mortality rates."

 

Parliament is expected to eventually vote on the long-awaited constitution which had promised to end years of political limbo in the impoverished nation.

Lawmakers were tasked with drafting the charter after a decade-long insurgency ignited by deep-rooted social, political and economic inequalities.

A committee is now set to draw up recommendations for changes to the draft, following a series of public consultations around the country.  In recent weeks, violence has marred the consultations, especially in the southern plains, home to the historically marginalised Madhesi community, many of whose members marry into families living across the border in India.

Lawmakers have brushed off the protests and campaigners' concerns, saying the draft is not intended to discriminate against anyone. "The constitution is not anti-women," said ruling coalition lawmaker Bhim Rawal, who helped draft the document.  "Every country has provisions to protect its nationality and sovereignty," Rawal told AFP.

But Bista and others remain fearful the charter will close the door on rights they had fought years to get.  "We call our country our motherland, and yet a mother's identity has no value," she said.

Water Wars: Coming to a Country Near You (Or Maybe Your Country)

China: As water demands grow sharply, supply is shrinking

China has 20 percent of the world's population, and 7 percent of its fresh water. As pressure mounts, officials are pushing conservation reforms such as reforestation and water taxes – and diverting water from the south to the north.

By Michael Holtz 1 hour ago

A 15-foot band of eroded red clay that surrounds Miyun Reservoir, one of Beijing’s largest sources of fresh water, serves as a stark reminder of the region’s severe water shortage.

Built 100 miles northeast of the capital in the 1960s, the reservoir has operated at less than a third of its capacity for years. A massive project now under way to divert water to Beijing from southern China will help alleviate demand, but protecting the reservoir from pollution remains a separate challenge.

China has 20 percent of the world’s population but only 7 percent of its fresh water – and it is quickly running out of the vital fluid.

Efforts to boost supply have provided temporary relief for major cities, but the central government is scrambling to preserve what water is left. Expanded conservation work, higher water prices, and new industrial regulations are on the table.

 

“The demand is growing but the supply is shrinking,” says Zhang Yan, program coordinator of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a global environmental organization in Beijing. “There is just less and less water.”

 

Environmentalists and local authorities have promoted forest restoration as a key tool for conserving water. Trees and shrubs now cover upward of 70 percent of the Miyun watershed, a dramatic uptick from a half century ago, when forests covered less than 10 percent of the region. The plants help stave off erosion and improve the reservoir’s water quality by filtering out pesticides, fertilizers, and other toxic chemicals.

 

Human Sacrifice Alive and Well in - Nepal

Holy Hathor!

Nepal arrests 11 in suspected case of human sacrifice

2 hours ago

Police have arrested 11 villagers on charges of murdering a 10-year-old boy in southwestern Nepal, an official said Sunday, in what villagers described as a case of human sacrifice.

 

Local media reports said the father of a sick teenager had last Tuesday lured away the 10-year-old, Jeevan Kohar, with a packet of biscuits and the promise of 50 rupees (50 cents).

 

The suspect then reportedly slit the child's throat on the advice of a shaman (traditional spiritual healer), who said his own son's health would improve if he committed the crime.

 

"We have arrested 11 people, including four women, for murdering a ten-year-old boy," said Nal Prasad Upadhyaya, police superintendent of Nawalparasi district where the incident took place.

 

"All the villagers say the boy was killed in a case of human sacrifice, because the suspects were superstitious and believed in witchcraft," Upadhyaya told AFP.

 

"But we cannot confirm anything until our investigations are completed," he said.

 

According to a report in The Himalayan Times, one of the suspects, who confessed to the crime, believed that his sick child was under the "spell of a ghost" who could only be "pacified with human flesh".

 

Shaman healers and mystics are a common presence in the Himalayan nation, especially in remote villages with poor access to healthcare.xxx

130,000 Year Old Neanderthal Eagle Talon Necklace

It just amazes me that this artefact gets a little blurb instead of the news-busting headlines it deserves. 

Source:  Archaeology Magazine

Neanderthal Necklace

By ZACH ZORICH

Thursday, June 04, 2015

 

More than 100 years ago, eight eagle talons were excavated from a famous Neanderthal site called Krapina, and subsequently left in a drawer at the Croatian Natural History Museum in Zagreb. Davorka Radovčic recently took over as curator, and she discovered the talons while reexamining the museum’s collections. She noticed several deep cut marks and evidence that the talons had been strung together as a necklace. The talons have been dated to about 130,000 years ago, predating the arrival of Homo sapiens in the area by about 50,000 years. The talon necklace is now thought to be the earliest known symbolic Neanderthal artifact.

 

Eagle talons from Neanderthal site, Krapina, Croatia

 

 

 

The Mystery of the Kitora Tomb

Source:  CNET

Mysterious ancient star chart shows foreign skies

The Kitora Tomb, located near the village of Asuka in Japan's Nara Prefecture, is known for gorgeous, colourful paintings at the four cardinal points of the compass. A black tortoise guards the north of the ancient tumulus, which has been standing since the seventh or eighth century. A red phoenix stands at the south, a white tiger at the west and a blue dragon at the east.

The ceiling of the tomb is decorated differently, with a map of the night sky, charting 68 constellations, with the stars picked out in gold leaf. Three concentric circles are drawn with vermilion, showing the movement of celestial objects, one of which is the sun.

According to Kazuhiko Miyajima, a professor at Doshisha University who studied the chart after the tomb was discovered in 1998, this makes it possibly the oldest astronomical chart of its kind in the world. It has designations for the horizon, equator and ecliptic circles, as well as recognisable patterns of stars.

While older depictions of the skies have been found in the west (the 17,300-year-old Lascaux cave painting, for example, shows Pleiades, Taurus, Orion and Aldebaran), most do not contain recognisable star patterns, or diagrams of astronomical phenomena.

One thing that has baffled researchers, however, is the area of sky the chart depicts.

Researchers Mitsuru Soma, an assistant professor of astronomy at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, and Tsuko Nakamura, a researcher of modern astronomy with Daito Bunka University's Institute of Oriental Studies, teamed up with Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs and Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties to calculate the location, reports the Ashanti Shimbun.

The two researchers worked separately, and determined that the sky as depicted in the Kitora Tomb chart was seen from China, from locations such as modern-day Xi'an and Luoyang.

The chart as annotated by University of Iowa research fellow Steve Renshaw.Steve Renshaw

They also determined that the chart showed the sky as it would have appeared several hundred years before the construction of the Kitora Tomb -- although they didn't agree on the number of years. Soma said that it shows the sky as it would have appeared between 240 and 520, while Nakamura said it would have appeared so between 120BC and 40BC.

Miyajima believes differently, extrapolating that the chart shows the sky as it would have appeared in 65BC, either from Pyongyang or Seoul, the capitals of North and South Korea respectively. In his 1999 lecture, he had said that the chart had probably come from Korea, but showed the sky in China.

*****************************************************************

 

So, sometime between 600 and 700 CE, while the Tang Dynasty was ascendant in China and cultural exchanges and trade flourished between China and many countries and kingdoms of the known world at the time, someone painted a depiction of an old astronomical chart on the Kitora Tomb.  Did the tomb's resident have strong ties to China?  Sadly, we can never know because the tomb was looted, evidently in ancient times, and not much was left behind.  Here is what Wikipedia says:

Fragments of a lacquered wooden coffin, torn apart when the tomb was robbed, lay 5 cm thick on the chamber floor, mixed with grave goods and human bone. A gilded bronze fitting and sword decorations were discovered, both executed with superbly inlaid patterns. Based upon analysis of the bone fragments and items found in the tomb, it is believed the interred was a middle-aged or older male of aristocratic background.

Drought Stricken Farmers Turn to Water Witchers

Fascinating article.  The comments by readers afterward are even more interesting.  Evidently, many of them tried a form of "dowsing" at one time and claim to have been successful, not claiming to have any special ability for the practice.

Source:  Yahoo News

Amid epic drought, California farmers turn to water witches

Rejected by scientists, dowsing is an ancient tradition that’s dying hard in the Central Valley’s parched fields

By Holly Bailey 6 hours ago Yahoo News 

 

LINDSAY, Calif. — Vern Tassey doesn’t advertise. He’s never even had a business card. But here in California’s Central Valley, word has gotten around that he’s a man with “the gift,” and Tassey, a plainspoken, 76-year-old grandfather, has never been busier.

 

Farmers call him day and night — some from as far away as the outskirts of San Francisco and even across the state line in Nevada. They ask, sometimes even beg, him to come to their land. “Name your price,” one told him. But Tassey has so far declined. What he does has never been about money, he says, and he prefers to work closer to home.

 

And that’s where he was on a recent Wednesday morning, quietly marching along the edge of a bushy orange grove here in the heart of California’s citrus belt, where he’s lived nearly his entire life. Dressed in faded Wranglers, dusty work boots and an old cap, Tassey held in his hands a slender metal rod, which he clutched close to his chest and positioned outward like a sword as he slowly walked along the trees. Suddenly, the rod began to bounce up and down, as if it were possessed, and he quickly paused and scratched a spot in the dirt with his foot before continuing on.

 

A few feet away stood the Wollenmans — Guy, his brother Jody and their cousin Tommy — third-generation citrus farmers whose family maintains some of the oldest orange groves in the region. Like so many Central Valley farmers, their legacy is in danger — put at risk by California’s worst drought in decades. The lack of rain and snow runoff from the nearby Sierra Nevada has caused many of their wells to go dry. To save their hundreds of acres of trees, they’ll need to find new, deeper sources of water — and that’s where Tassey comes in.

Ride, Ride, Ride, Hitching a Ride...

This is just about the coolest thing I've ever seen:

Bird photographer Phoo Chan was in the first place at the right time to capture the moment a crow took a ride
atop a bald eagle in flight. Photo: Phoo Chan/Media Drum World

I didn't believe it at first, figuring it must be some kind of Photoshop thing or computer wizardry used to create the image, but the photographer is legit.  Here's the article. 

Check out the entire series of photos in The Daily Mail June 30, 2015 article - incredible! 

Celtic Prince - or Princess? Fantastic Chariot Burial in France

Leave it to The Daily Mail to write about archaeological discoveries in a way that appeals to the unwashed masses, like moi :)

Is it Victor - or Victoria?  Or evidence of an ancient cross-dressing trans-gender person?  Photos and a video at the online article.

I posted the story a few months back.

Does France's 2,500-year-old royal tomb belong to a prince or princess? Stunning Celtic find complete with chariot and jewels leaves archaeologists baffled

• Lavish tomb filled with bronze, silver and gold found near Lavau in France 
• Archaeologists are split over whether the skeleton was a prince or princess
• An elaborate solid gold torque and bracelets were still on the skeleton
• The grave shows 'signs of masculinity' but the skeleton appears feminine
• 
  

By RICHARD GRAY FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 06:33 EST, 19 June 2015 | UPDATED: 10:10 EST, 19 June 2015

The remains of an ancient Celtic prince or princess found still wearing a solid gold torque and lavish bracelets in a grave filled with riches has left archaeologists baffled.

The 2,500 year old royal grave, which is thought to date to the fifth century BC, was discovered in Lavau, near Troyes, is thought to have belonged to a member of a Celtic royal family.  Lying at the centre of the tomb, the skeleton had been laid to rest inside an ornate two-wheeled chariot with a 580g (1.2lbs) golden torque decorated with elaborate winged monsters around its neck.

The Hallstatt Celts were a early Iron age culture that spread across most of northern Europe.

Pandyas - Roman Ancient Trade

Hola everyone!

This is a fascinating article.  I know nothing about this culture/empire - the Pandyas - so I checked out some information at Wikipedia, I always find Wiki helpful!  When I read the article and saw Tamil, I knew it was located on the east coast of India at the south of the continent.  Here is a map of Pandya territories c. 6th century BCE to 1345 CE, from Wikipedia:

So, I am assuming most of the trade was by sea, not across land.  It's a long way to Rome, wow!

Here's the article, from The Hindu online:

Uncovered: Pandyas-Romans trade link

• S. ANNAMALAI

Updated: June 18, 2015 09:15 IST  

An ongoing excavation of a Sangam period habitation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is poised to throw more light on the flourishing trade of the Pandyas with the west and their rich culture, which was the envy of the Romans.

The Bengaluru-based Excavation Branch VI of the ASI has taken up the excavation at Keezhadi village, 12 km south east of Madurai, in Sivaganga district.  Into the third month, the exercise has already thrown up very interesting antiquities – glass/pearl/terracotta beads; terracotta figurines; grooved roof tiles and early historic pottery.

“This is the ASI’s major excavation in Tamil Nadu after Adichanallur,” says K. Amarnath Ramakrishnan, Superintending Archaeologist and director of the current excavation.

It was found to possess archaeological wealth “that may provide crucial evidence to understand the missing links of Iron Age to early historic period and subsequent cultural developments.”

The excavation area, a mound, referred to as ‘Pallichandai Thidal,’ has a circumference of 3.5 km and spans 80 acres. It is contiguous to ancient settlements like Konthagai and Manalur. “We chose the mound raising about one to 2.5 metres above the ground level as it is relatively undisturbed,” says Mr. Amarnath. “We have found the finest variety of black and red ware bowls at the site,” says M. Rajesh, assistant archaeologist.

The most interesting findings in the 32 quadrants dug up so far are the damaged brick structures, including walls. The bricks are unique to early historic period and they measure 33 cm in length, 21 cm in breadth and five cm in height.

Noted epigraphist and domain expert for the excavation, V. Vedachalam, attributes the age of the remains to third century BCE to third CE. “The earthenware contains Tamil Brahmi script. The black and red pottery belongs to the Sangam period. The bricks belong to early historic period and similar ones were found in Kaviripoompattinam, Woriyur, Alagankulam and Korkai,” he says.

The Roman ware found at the site supplement the historical references to a flourishing trade between the Pandya kingdom and the Roman Empire. Historically, these settlements would have been part of Kuntidevi Chaturvedimangalam, named after a Pandya queen.

The first major excavation of a habitation undertaken by the ASI in south Tamil Nadu will go into 2016. “The Director (Exploration and Excavation), ASI, Syed Jamal Hasan, who visited the site on May 15, was impressed with the findings,” says Mr. Amarnath.

The ASI is likely to extend the period of excavation by a year. The final report will be released after corroborating the antiquities with existing evidence and conducting various scientific analyses.  Research scholars from the University of Madras and Government Arts College, Krishnagiri, assist the ASI team in the excavation.

Chess Camp in Sheboygan

Hola!

On June 11th was the first one-day chess camp sponsored by Goddesschess and hosted by the Sheboygan Area Chess Club and Glas Coffee House.  It was a resounding success!

Here are some photos posted by my chess buddy, Ellen Wanek, who worked tirelessly to put together, organize and generally honcho the chess camp.  Thanks and gratitude to Ellen, the Glas Coffee House for providing lovely space for the chess camp, the Ulriches, Richard Martin, and all who provided invaluable assistance, time and effort in making this great event come together!

We made a special effort to attract chess femmes.  Space was limited and actually filled to over-flowing with parents and observers as well as the chessplayers of both genders who attended the camp, which was taught by National Masters Rachel Ulrich and Richard Martin.

Well, I'm not sure why some of the photos are looking a little wonky.  Above, front row on the right, is NM Rachel Ulrich, next to her is Ellen Wanek, and most of the femmes who attended the chess camp are gathered around.  Thanks for the cool photos, Ellen!

NM Rachel Ulrich teaching one of the sessions.

NM Rachel Ulrich's simul.

NM Richard Martin's simul. 

We hope to have a 2016 chess camp, we're working on it, fingers crossed it comes together!

Mystery Group Forms to Track Down Looted Antiquities

Sounds like a Tom Clancy novel.  Where are Emily Thorne and Nolan Ross when we need them?

Mystery men hunt cultural past stolen by ISIL

Jonathan Gornall

May 28, 2015 Updated: May 28, 2015 01:51 PM

ISIL’s destruction of antiquities in Syria and Iraq has prompted a secretive organisation to track and restore looted artefacts, while another international group wants to virtually recreate heritage lost to theft and vandalism.

It has no headquarters, no website, and no spokespersons prepared to see their real names in print or online. Even the title of the secretive private organisation that has recently sprung up in response to the grave threat posed by ISIL to the cultural treasures of Syria and Iraq, has an anodyne feel to it.

But there is nothing dull about the self-imposed mission of the Committee for Shared Culture (CSC), a group of like-minded people who have come together to track down and recover the ancient artefacts that are – they fear – disappearing from archaeological sites throughout Iraq and Syria every day.

“We are a group of individuals who share a common interest in the ancient world,” says John Smith, a former classics student who spent some years working in the UAE and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“I have to consider the safety of my family,” he says.

It's Settled (For Now)! Modern Man Left Africa Through Egypt

When we are still in the infancy of genetic research, it continues to amaze me the conclusions scientists are so eager to assert!  As far as I'm concerned, based on the evidence the verdict is still undecided.

Article at Phys Org (summary below)
May 28, 2015

Humans migrated north, rather than south, in the main successful migration from Cradle of Humankind

New research suggests that European and Asian (Eurasian) peoples originated when early Africans moved north - through the region that is now Egypt - to expand into the rest of the world. The findings, published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, answer a long-standing question as to whether early humans emerged from Africa by a route via Egypt, or via Ethiopia.

 The extensive public catalogue of the genetic diversity in Ethiopian and Egyptian populations developed for the project also now provides a valuable, freely available, reference panel for future medical and anthropological studies in these areas.

 Two geographically plausible routes have been proposed for humans to emerge from Africa: through the current Egypt and Sinai (Northern Route), or through Ethiopia, the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Arabian Peninsula (Southern Route). Some lines of evidence have previously favoured one, some the other.

 "The most exciting consequence of our results is that we draw back the veil that has been hiding an episode in the history of all Eurasians, improving the understanding of billions of people of their evolutionary history," says Dr Luca Pagani, first author from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and University of Cambridge. "It is exciting that, in our genomic era, the DNA of living people allows us to explore and understand events as ancient as 60,000 years ago."

The team produced whole-genome sequences from 225 people from modern Egypt and Ethiopia. In previous studies, they and others have shown that these modern populations have been subject to gene flow from West Asian populations, so they excluded the Eurasian contribution to the genomes of the modern African people.

 The remaining masked genomic regions from Egyptian samples were more similar to non-African samples and present in higher frequencies outside Africa than the masked Ethiopian genomic regions, pointing to Egypt as the more likely gateway in the exodus to the rest of the world.

Similar:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3101197/The-Egyptian-modern-humans-spread-Africa-Europe-Asia-Sinai-peninsula.html 

http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/05/2015/genetic-study-points-to-northern-route-out-of-africa-through-egypt