Archaeology News and Headlines: June 7, 2011

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Pictures: Human Sacrifice Found in Maya City Sinkhole

The bones of six humans—including two children—jade beads, shells, and stone tools are among the Maya "treasures" recently found in a water-filled cave off a sinkhole at the famous archaeological site of Chichén Itzá (picture) in Mexico, archaeologists say.

Dew yew keep talking Norfolk dialect

Linguists at the British Library have collected a wordbank of thousands of rare words and phrases from regional dialects in a bid to preserve them. Around 4,000 regional words and phrases have been contributed including Norfolk ones like tittermatorter, dodderman, bishybarnabee and on-the-huh.

Bamburgh Castle archaeologist finds gold from 800AD

A student working at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, England, discovered a gold ornament dating to 800 A.D. “I think everyone was absolutely over the moon, the students were all very excited,” said Graeme Young, director of the project.

A State-of-the-Art System for Jordan’s Archaeological Sites

Jordan has updated its computerized system for cataloguing more than 9,000 archaeological sites and artifacts, with assistance from the Getty Conservation Institute and the World Monuments Fund. A similar program is under development for Iraq’s cultural heritage sites.

Archaeologists unearth statues and first Roman-era basilica in Egypt’s port city of Alexandria

Egyptian officials say archaeologists have unearthed the first basilica erected in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria. Antiquities authorities say the basilica is dated to the Roman era and was built on the ruins of a temple from the Ptolemaic reign that ended with the death of Cleopatra.

New 3D Images of Titanic Surface in Court Battle

Scientists showed some never-before-seen 3D images of the Titanic in a Virginia courtroom Thursday, unveiling dramatic three-dimensional views of the rusting hulk and the ghostly images of the sea floor where the ship sank almost a century ago.

Park to showcase Naperville’s first homestead

History made its way to the surface Wednesday in Naperville where the city’s founding settlers established their homestead. Mill Street and Jefferson Avenue, where Joe and Almeda Naper settled, is the future location of a historic interpretive site that will give visitors a feel for what the homestead looked like without re-creating its buildings. Funded by a $350,000 grant included in the state’s capital program, the interpretive site is scheduled to be complete by October.