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Across
7 Iron Age site at Lake Neuchâtel, discovered in 1857 (2,4)
8 Huntress of Greek mythology (8)
10 Genre of ancient Greek drama that parodied myths (5,4)
11 Egyptian god of the desert and storms (4)
12 Epoch of the Palaeogene Period (6)
13 Confederation of Germanic tribes conquered by Clovis in AD 496 (8)
15 In Greek myth the lover of Hero, a priestess of Aphrodite (7)
17 Barbarian soldier elected Emperor of Rome in AD 476 (7)
20 ___ Man, a famous hoax fossil of the early 20th century (8)
22 Historical name describing a huge area of Eastern Europe and Asia (6)
23 Daughter of Cronus and wife of Zeus in Greek myth (4)
25 Australopithecus ___, hominin known mostly from fossil finds
in Ethiopia (9)
26 US state, location of the Renner Village archaeological site (8)
27 Asian country containing the ruined Drukgyel Dzong site (6)
Down
1 Neolithic chambered tomb in the Orkney Islands (8)
2 Site in Wiltshire of a Cotswold-Severn-style long barrow (4,6)
3 Flinders ___, English archaeologist and Egyptologist (6)
4 Stage of the North European Pleistocene (7)
5 US state containing the Nassawango Creek prehistoric site (8)
6 Kildare town with a recently discovered medieval tunnel system (4)
9 Any of the children of Uranus and Gaia in Greek myth (5)
14 Eastern Roman emperor who died c.AD 518 (10)
16 Roman name for York (8)
18 Extinct language of Italy (8)
19 Canadian state, location of the Serpent Mounds burial site (7)
21 Boudica’s tribe (5)
22 Xhosa-speaking people from eastern South Africa (6)
24 Recess in the wall of a Roman basilica (4)
For answers to #133, see next issue.
100 years ago…
The ‘Priest-King’ sculpture was discovered by archaeologist Kashinath Narayan Dikshit during excavations at Mohenjo-daro, Pakistan, between 1925 and 1926. The fired steatite object is 17.5cm tall and dates to 2000 1900 BC. It depicts a bearded man wearing an armband and a trefoil pattern cloak, while a band around his head may originally have been part of a more elaborate hairstyle or headdress. The identity of the figure is unknown; he was dubbed the ‘Priest-King’ shortly after the discovery was made, but there is little evidence to support this. In fact, Mohenjo-daro is notable for a complete absence of evidence for a powerful ruling class, despite the settlement’s complex social organisation. Although the true identity of the ‘Priest-King’ remains a mystery, this object has become one of the most famous sculptures from the Indus Valley Civilisation. Now in the collection of the National Museum of Pakistan, it is regarded as a national symbol.
Technology + archaeology
A twin of St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City has been created using photogrammetry, AI, and other digital preservation methods. The project – a collaboration between the Vatican, Iconem, and Microsoft – involved taking more than 400,000 high-resolution photographs of the Basilica using advanced photogrammetry techniques; in total, the team spent three weeks scanning every inch of the 400-year-old church using various devices including drones, cameras, and lasers. The data were then used to create an incredibly precise 3D model of the Basilica that can be explored by visitors from anywhere in the world. The model can be viewed here: https://virtual.basilicasanpietro.va/en.
Answers to Crossword #132
Across: 8 Oaxaca, 9 Eohippus, 10 Carthage, 11 Tiryns, 12 Wolstonian, 13 Ajax, 14 Oneida, 16 Kansas, 20 Sago, 22 Saturnalia, 24 Jauari, 25 Mandarin, 26 Silurian, 27 Manchu.
Down: 1 Karanovo, 2 Nantes, 3 Saladoid, 4 Nemesis, 5 Chiton, 6 Spartans, 7 Quinoa, 15 Eboracum, 17 Agronomy, 18 Stilicho, 19 Otomani, 21 Alaric, 22 Scipio, 23 Amarna.
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