archaeology

Written by  C. David Kreger

Introduction

One of the most important erectus specimen is the Nariokotome Boy, KNM-WT 15000. This specimen was discovered by a team led by R. Leakey and A. Walker at Nariokotome, Kenya, in 1984. This is the most complete early human skeleton ever discovered.

    Throughout the early years of paleoanthropology, there were only two different species that were attributed to the genus Homo. These included the Neanderthals, and Homo erectus. In the early 1960s, this began to change, and human ancestry seemed to be populated by many different players. Accordingly, erectus is one of the better-known members of genus Homo, especially in terms of its well-established place in paleoanthropology. This has begun to change, however, and now some question its place in human evolution.

    Some (e.g., M. Wolpoff) claim that erectus is an invalid taxon, though few accept this interpretation at this point in time. Others believe that the material previously attributed to erectus should be split into several different taxons: Asian and later African material remaining as erectus (with erectus not contributing to modern humans), early African material as ergaster, and European material as heidelbergensis. In this description of the species, the material that has been attributed as ergaster and erectus in the above splitting scenario will be covered, with the heidelbergensis material discussed under the page dedicated to that species.

    A country’s cultural heritage includes all traces of human activity in the physical environment. These are irreplaceable sources of information on people’s lives and activities, and on the historical development of crafts, techniques and art. Because monuments and sites and cultural environments are non-renewable resources, their management must be based on a long-term perspective. Cultural monuments and sites are a source of emotional and aesthetic experiences for many people, and modern society can benefit from the preservation and active use of its cultural heritage.

Excavation of stone age dwellingsPhoto: NTNU Info/Rune Petter Ness

     The Directorate for Cultural Heritage is responsible for the management of all archaeological and architectural monuments and sites and cultural environments in accordance with the applicable legislation. The Directorate is under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment and plays a central role in public environmental management.

    Each county has a service responsible for cultural conservation in connection with the general administration of cultural affairs. The tasks of this service are to advise the county administration on cultural heritage management issues and to ensure that protected monuments and sites and cultural environments are taken into account in planning processes at the county and the municipal level. In the Sami areas, the Sámediggi (Sami Parliament) has the same tasks as the county cultural heritage service.

The Maritime Museums are responsible for monuments at the bottom of the sea. (more…)

by Gwen Herat

The Borobudur temple built in the 12th century. The sculptured walls extending to over six kilometeres is hailed as the most complete ensemble in Buddhism, in the world.

    Borobudur is located in anlidylie surrounding which is the heart of Java, landscaped by beautiful mountains. It is in south and southwest of Menorah Mountains and on the north and north-east of the volcanos Sumbing and Sendara.

    A delicate, peaceful atmosphere created by the rice fields in all nuances of green to gold, whispering bamboo trees, slender palm trees among the singing of birds with their arabesque colours when in flight. (more…)