1,500-Year-Old 'Last Supper' Papyrus Could Be One Of Oldest Christian Charms : Science : Design & Trend

A 1,500-year-old fragment of Greek papyrus with writing that refers to the biblical Last Supper and 'manna from heaven' could be one of the oldest Christian amulets found yet, say researchers.

The fragment was likely folded up and worn inside a locket or pendant as a sort of protective charm, according to Roberta Mazza, who spotted the papyrus while looking through thousands of papyri kept in the library vault at the John Rylands Research Institute at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, writes Live Science.

'This is an important and unexpected discovery as it's one of the first recorded documents to use magic in the Christian context and the first charm ever found to refer to the Eucharist - the Last Supper - as the manna of the Old Testament,' Mazza said in a statement.

The fragment likely originated in a town in Egypt.

1,500-Year-Old 'Last Supper' Papyrus Could Be One Of Oldest Christian Charms : Science : Design & Trend

4,600-year-old step pyramid uncovered in Egypt | Fox News

4,600-year-old step pyramid uncovered in Egypt | Fox News: "In Photos: 'Alien' Skulls Reveal Odd, Ancient Tradition"

Archaeologists working near the ancient settlement of Edfu, in southern Egypt, have uncovered a step pyramid that dates back about 4,600 years, predating the Great Pyramid of Giza by at least a few decades.

The step pyramid, which once stood as high as 43 feet, is one of seven so-called "provincial" pyramids built by either the pharaoh Huni (reign ca. 2635-2610 B.C.) or Snefru (reign ca. 2610-2590 B.C.). Over time, the step pyramid's stone blocks were pillaged, and the monument was exposed to weathering, so today, it's only about 16 feet tall.

Scattered throughout central and southern Egypt, the provincial pyramids are located near major settlements, have no internal chambers and were not intended for burial. Six of the seven pyramids have almost identical dimensions, including the newly uncovered one at Edfu, which is about 60 × 61 feet. [See Photos of the Newly Uncovered Step Pyramid]

The purpose of these seven pyramids is a mystery. They may have been used as symbolic monuments dedicated to the royal cult that affirmed the power of the king in the southern provinces.

Earliest known iron artifacts came from meteorite, researchers say | The Space Reporter

Earliest known iron artifacts came from meteorite, researchers say | The Space Reporter

According to a news release from the University College London, researchers have demonstrated that ancient Egyptian iron beads kept at the UCL Petrie Museum were made from pieces of meteorites, as opposed to iron ore. The ancient Egyptian beads, which chart their inception to outer space, also precede the rise of iron smelting by 2,000 years.

Painstakingly crafted into thin sheets before being  shaped into tubes, the nine beads were initially joined together into a necklace along with other enticing minerals like gold and gemstones, showing the high value of this alluring material more than 5,000 years ago.

Cluster of 35 Ancient Pyramids and Graves Discovered in Sudan

About 2,000 years ago, a kingdom named Kush flourished in what is now known as Sudan. Sharing a border with Egypt, the people of Kush were highly influenced by the other civilization. The result was that they built pyramids: lots of them. At one particular site known as Sedeinga, pyramid building continued for centuries. Now archaeologists have unearthed at least 35 of these small pyramids along with graves.

Discovered between 2009 and 2012, the pyramids were densely packed. In one field season alone, researchers discovered 13 pyramids within 5,381 square feet--only slightly larger than an NBA basketball court. So why was the density of the pyramids so great? Researchers theorized that since this building continued over centuries, the people of Kush used whatever space was available at the site, packing in pyramids in between others to make better use of the space.

Links:
http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/4813/20130207/cluster-35-ancient-pyramids-graves-discovered-sudan.htm
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/02/07/35-ancient-pyramids-discovered-in-sudan/

Ideas from a class on Egypt

Ideas from a class on Egypt:

Tomb 55 in the valley of the Kings.
Osirison: maybe made by Seti I, maybe a much older monument.

Amature archaeologists in the early 1900s: anyone could do it, for all sorts of reasons.

Tomb of Amunhotep II, found by a Frenchmanm Victor Loret, in 1898 (the guy after Gaston Maspero).
That guy had a nervious breakdown after finding the tomb.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Loret
http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/sites/browse_tomb_849.html
http://www.narmer.pl/kv/kv35en.htm