Time Sifters Archaeology Society Newsletter January 2018

JANUARY-2018 January Program January 17 - at 6:00 PM - Selby Library, 1331 First St., Sarasota 34236The Archaeology Year in Review Darwin “Smitty” Smith Vice President, Time SiftersDear Member:New Year's Day on the Julian calendar of pre-Christian Rome celebrated Janus, the god of gateways andbeginnings. The Julian's January 1st was carried over to the Gregorian calendar in 1582; as the Gregoriancalendar became the de-facto civil calendar in use by most countries around the world, New Year's Day iscelebrated world-wide. The turn of the clock at midnight, December 31st marks the ending of one year andthe beginning of another; fireworks celebrate the transition, toasts are made, and resolutions are formed. Mywishes for the new year are this: For our globe, I hope for peace. For our country, I hope that science andeducation reclaim their place of respect in our national discourse. For all of you, I wish this next year bringsyou good health, time spent with family and friends, and a few new adventures. Happy New Year.If your membership renewal date is January 2018 or earlier, please renew now. Tired of keeping track ofyour membership? For $200, you can become a lifetime member and never have to renew again. You canrenew by credit card online at www.Timesifters.org or with cash or check at the January meeting.Thanks for being part of Time Sifters! [email protected] Svekis, PresidentJanuary 17th, Selby Library:The Archeology Year in Review - Darwin “Smitty” SmithThis month we will highlight some the No. 3 Horse and Chariot pitof the discoveries and events from in China; the USS Indianapolis2017. It will include the discovery of and a 1932 MG J2 Roadster. Wea colossal statute in a Cairo slum; also highlight seven of the 18a prehistoric “Masterpiece” found new World Heritage Sites.in Greece; an Inca Citadel in Peru;

Notes from a Time SifterBone Shaping. By: Evelyn Mangie (Landesmuseum Württemberg)(Steve Evans)Archaeologists love to find bones of the 16th century BCE appear many, and they are so large, theirbecause they supply so much in- to have had it done (Nefertiti and discovery initiated lots of theoriesformation. Evidence for age, gen- Tutankhamun). They must have about their origin. (B. Foerste, Collectiveder, disease, nutrition and much thought it attractive because they Evolution). Some argued that thesemore can be learned from bones. emphasized the deformities in were “mutations unknown in anyOur basic bone structure is much their art. human, primate, or animal knownthe same worldwide, but the Cultural ideas of beauty seem to so far” (Ancient Origins, Holloway,shape of bones can be affected by be the main reason for skull elon- 2/5/14) and concluded that theyapplying some outside force during gation but it was also thought to must be the remains of ancient al-development and many past enhance mental ability, show nobility, iens. However, DNA tests showsocieties practiced bone shaping. or make warriors more aggressive that the skulls are indeed human,For example, some Iron Age Celts (Will Stewart for MailOnline 28 July elongated by head binding (E.stretched their necks (some people of 2017). However, there is no evidence Mitchell, answersingenesis.org.Myanmar still do) and the Chinese that skull shape does any of those 3/6/14), and so not extraterrestrialbegan binding the feet of young things and, in fact, studies show visitors. Nevertheless, thesegirls in the 10th century. that elongation does not change remarkable skulls, at the very least,Artificially reshaping the skull the cranial capacity, nor does it give evidence of just how extensivebegan even earlier and is probably the alter facial features (American bone manipulation was. Althoughmost common bone manipulation. Journal of Physical Anthropology, no longer practiced, it was commonIt has been popular in many societies 5/5/03). for thousands of years in virtuallyall over the world dating back to One of the most interesting every section of the world andthe prehistoric period. The first studies of skull elongation began continued well into the 20th centurywritten records come from the with the 1928 discovery near when it was still done in the Southancient Greeks, Hesiod ca. 750 Paracas in the Pisco Province of Pacific and the African Congo. ThatBCE, and Hippocrates, ca. 400 Peru where more than 300 gave historians and archaeologists aBCE. It can happen naturally elongated skulls were found chance to study the practice to helpwhen an infant lays flat on its dating from ca. 750 BCE to ca. in the understanding of the ancientback for long periods of time 100 CE. Because there are so cultures whose bones reveal their(positional plagiocephaly), but it is customs.not difficult to purposely do it. (Cult of Weird)There are literally thousands of Getty Imagesexamples of this practice, from the (Paul Schemm)flattened foreheads of aboriginal Aus- (Wellcome Images, London)tralians of nearly 14,000 years Peruvian elongated skullsago (BBC, 10/14/14), to the bonesof a first century CE Crimeantoddler. We are not sure why theAustralians did it, but historiansbelieve the deformation of theCrimean child was done to markhim as a future warrior. The Maya ofCentral America are believed tohave done it to identify with spe-cific groups, and the Mangbetu ofCentral Africa did it to fit theiridea of beauty. Egyptian royalty

Holiday PartyThe Time Sifters 2017 Holiday Party washeld at the home of board member GlennCooper (pictured top left). Glenn, Tessa,and their family were gracious hosts and agood time was had by allDid You Know? considerable problems for the something that he had done hired tutors and court servants wrong would increase the likeli-Whipping Boys. that might find the need to punish hood that the prince would not the young prince while the king make the same mistake again.Wikipedia is away. They were sometimes educated with The boy can be from virtually and given similar privileges to theThe purpose of a whipping boy any background. Occasionally prince. Whipping boy was anwas to receive the punishment the he was from high born, but established title at court duringthat was assigned to a young could have been an orphan or the Tudor reign. They were oftenprince for general misbehavior. foundling. In order to have the rewarded later in life by the princesWhipping boys were created to whipping boy be an effective tool they served. King Charles I ofsatisfy the idea of the Divine Right for disciplining the prince, the England appointed his, Williamof Kings, which states that God prince must form an emotional Murray, as the first Earl of Dysartappoints the monarchy and the bond with him. This connection in 1643 after he had been living inprince is an extension upon that between the two boys rests in the the palatial Ham House sincelineage, thus no one but the king idea that a prince seeing a friend 1626 under the request of Kingwould be worthy of punishing the being whipped or beaten for Charles I.prince. This idea would createOfficers: Board of Directors Copyright © 2018Sherry Svekis, President Time SiftersArchaeologySociety,Inc.,Darwin \"Smitty\" Smith, Vice Pres. Directors: Evelyn Mangie All rights reserved.Bernice Jones, Secretary Valerie Jackson Bell Sharon McConnell We send newsletters to peopleVolunteer Needed - Treasurer Robert Bopp Saretta Sparer who have attended or expressedKaren Jensen, Membership Glenn Cooper interestin our lecturesand given us their email address.

Membership Speakers & Events CalendarLifetime: $200 All to be held at 6:00 PMIndividual: $25 Selby Library, 1331 First St., Sarasota 34236Family: $35Sustaining: $50 January 18Student: $10 Archeology Year in Review Darwin “Smitty” Smith, Vice President, Time SiftersPay online at: February 21WWW.TimeSifters.org The Holocaust in Gargzdai, Lithuania — John JafferOr mail checks to: The Book of Esther: A Little Girl’s Journey to Freedom—Time Sifters, Inc. Dr. Bernice JonesPO Box 5283 March 21Sarasota, FL. 34277 Monumental Mound Complexes of Northwest Florida William M. Stanton, Archaeologist, Bureau of Natural and Cultural Resources, Florida Park Service Time Sifters Archaeology Society A Chapter of the Florida Anthropological Society http://timesifters.org/Time Sifters Archaeology SocietyP. O. Box 5283, Sarasota, FL 34277