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While the history of civilization is being demolished by war and religious zealots in the rest of Iraq, in the Kurdistan Region archeologists are marveling at a stunning discovery: the remains of a long-lost temple from the biblical kingdom of Urartu, dating back to the 9th century BC. Kurdish archaeologist Dlshad Marf Zamua, who has studied the columns and other artifacts at the find, told Rudaw these were unearthed piecemeal over the past four decades by villagers going about their lives, digging for cultivation or construction. But only recently, after the discovery of life-size human statues and the unearthed columns,...

The Cochno Stone in West Dunbartonshire bears what is considered to be the finest example of Bronze Age “cup and ring” carvings in Europe. The stone, which measures 42ft by 26ft, was discovered by the Rev James Harvey in 1887 on farmland near what is now the Faifley housing estate on the edge of Clydebank. It is covered in about 90 carved indentations, or “cups”, and grooved spirals, along with a ringed cross and a pair of four-toed feet... In 1964, Glasgow University archaeologists recommended it should be buried under several feet of soil to protect the carvings from further...

I just shocked the MSM hasn't reported on this yet. After all, the way they writeheadlines to mislead people, it's a story just waiting for MSNBC to jump all over.

This year’s list of friendliest (and unfriendliest) cities in the U.S., as chosen by Condé Nast Traveler readers, boasted a lot of Southern hospitality and big-city chilliness, but what do you get when you widen the list to include the whole world? The results may surprise you.

...Investigators were dispatched to the airport about 11:30 p.m. after the plane landed, according to the Houston Police Department. Police said the person died of apparent natural causes and no foul play was suspected. No other information about the case was released....

Small wonder Congress has kept federal highway and transit programs teetering on the edge of insolvency for years, unable to find a politically acceptable long-term source of funds. The public can’t make up its mind on how to pay for them either. […] Among those who drive places multiple times per week, 62 percent say the benefits outweigh the costs. Among those who drive less than once a week or not at all, 55 percent say the costs of road improvement are worthwhile. Yet a majority of all Americans—58 percent—oppose raising federal gasoline taxes to fund transportation projects such as...

One of the world’s most unique festivals, the Festival of Arts boasts not only the stunning Pageant of the Masters production, but also an expansive art show, seminars, workshops, food demonstrations, live entertainment, and fine dining. Explore the Festival of Arts. ... The ninety minute show is a recreation of classical and contemporary artworks; real people pose live on stage to look like their painting and sculpture counterparts as you enjoy the show in a beautiful outdoor amphitheater. Live professional orchestra, original score, narration, stunning set pieces, and perfect lighting make the experience incredibly immersive. Tickets are required for each...

The first email in Germany was sent 30 years ago on Friday and today 62 percent of people in Germany receive at least 20 emails a day. But rules over receiving and sending emails outside of work hours in Germany are still not clear-cut. A quarter of Germans get more than 50 emails a day, while a tenth receive more than 100 a day, according to a YouGov poll. The constant stream of emails makes it hard to switch off, but short of returning to your Nokia 3210 and cutting yourself off from all the benefits of a smartphone, what...

An entrepreneur has gambled his home on building a toll road after becoming frustrated at council delays in clearing a commuter route blocked by a landslip. Mike Watts is charging motorists £2 per journey to use his bypass made from rolled chippings and avoid the closed section of the A431 between Bath and Bristol. A landslip in February forced the closure of Kelston Road and, while Bath and North East Somerset Council said it has begun repairs costing £1.5 million, the road is not due to reopen until Christmas. Mr. Watts, aged 62 years, said his road, which runs through...

A team of archaeologists working on a site at Saint-Aubin-des-Champs in France have discovered the remains of a Merovingian necropolis dating to the 5th -7th centuries AD... The graves were found at a variety of depths with some up to 1.50 m deep. Each burial contained the deceased once contained within a wooden coffin, now completely rotted away. An examination of the contents of these burials allowed them to be split into three main groups or periods of inhumation. Fewer grave goods are in evidence after 5th century AD as the population has become Christian. 7th century AD burials are...

The longest sea bridge in the world at 20.2 miles long is the Donghai bridge that links Shanghai to Yangshan in China. A bridge from either Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland would have to be even longer than that. In 2007, a 21-mile rail bridge was proposed between Galloway, Scotland, to Belfast, Northern Ireland. The idea would have trains running from Dublin, through Belfast, over the sea to Scotland, and then down railways into London... "Four main routes have been proposed. Two run from Scotland to Northern Ireland - Campbeltown to County Antrim, or Stranraer to Belfast. Two...

A massive research project, 15 years in the making, has revealed that beneath Dublin’s modern streets lies a trove of buried Viking warriors and artifacts. Archaeologists say the number of Viking warrior burials in Dublin is astounding. A project cataloguing these burials was began in 1999. Now nearing its conclusion, the project will result in the publication of an 800-page tome titled ‘Viking Graves and Grave Goods in Ireland.’ ...the National Museum of Ireland... houses a Viking exhibition, which includes a ninth century Viking skeleton with sword and spearhead, found in the War Memorial Park, Islandbridge in 1934. Between the...

Archaeologists undertaking investigations in the Peruvian region of Arequipa discovered a large geoglyph last December. According to Peru21, the geoglyph is approximately 60 meters by 40 meters and is located in the province of Caylloma. Peru21 reports that the initial archaeological investigations were performed at the request of the Consorcio Angostura – Siguas, an agroindustrial company that is executing an irrigation project in the area. Consorcio Angostura – Siguas would have ordered the investigation in order to receive a certificate from the Ministry of Culture stating that there were no archaeological sites in the area, allowing them to continue with...

By comparing the residues found in the walls of cooking pots from two separate eras and cultures, dating to circa 3900 BC to 3300 BC and circa 2500 BC, the more recent pottery fragments showed evidence of milk fats. This coincided with the transition from a culture of hunting and fishing – relying mainly on marine foods – to the arrival of ‘Corded Ware’ settlements which we now know saw the introduction of animal domestication. Lead author Dr Lucy Cramp, from the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at Bristol University, said: “This is remarkable evidence which proves that four and...

Buried secrets of life in medieval Leith have been uncovered after the results of a five-year project to analyse bodies discovered during an archaeological dig were unveiled... the remains of almost 400 men, women and children were discovered on the Constitution Street site – previously a section of the South Leith Parish Church’s graveyard – during preparation work for the trams in 2009... bones which have been dated between the 14th and 17th centuries. One skeleton, of a woman aged between 25 and 35 who died anywhere between 1360 and 1435, was found to be 4ft 11in, 1.5 inches shorter...

They're older and live in one of Jupiter's most beautiful spots — Suni Sands. The community is 80 years old. Other parts of Jupiter are younger, and have been recognized by the Jupiter Town Council. But Suni Sands' 80-year-anniversary wasn't celebrated by anyone but those who live in this community of about 110 homes. RESIDENTS AWARE The residents of Suni Sands know that Charles Modica has purchased this mobile home community, the land under their mobile homes, and that their rent between $600 and $900 a month could end if and when Modica decides to develop the property. What they...

Nigerian air travellers have commended the decision of the nation's major carrier, Arik Air and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to ban operations to the Ebola endemic countries in West Africa. Arik Air last Sunday announced it has stopped operations to Liberia and Sierra Leone, two countries where the dreaded disease is endemic and in a swift reaction last Monday, NCAA stopped the operations of Asky Airlines to Nigeria, the airline that brought the first victim of the disease into the country. Explaining why Asky had to be stopped, the acting Director-General of NCAA, Benedict Adeyileka, said the regulatory...

Nigeria has begun the screening of passengers entering the country through the airports. The World Health organisation (WHO) announced yesterday that the death toll from Ebola has topped 700 worldwide. In Anambra State, there was uproar following fears that a body brought in from Liberia is believed to be of a person who died from the virus. The mortuary where the body was deposited has been sealed by the state government Twenty-five patients and the staff of the hospital have been quarantined while a specialist team from the Federal Ministry of Health were being awaited. Apart from Anambra, Edo, Bayelsa...

In just over a week, nearly two million YouTube viewers have taken a virtual ride on the Sky Tower at Aarhus's Tivoli Friheden. If you’re scared of heights, you might want to stop reading now. Or at least skip the video below. But the rest of you may appreciate the fact that a video of the Sky Tower attraction at Aarhus amusement park Tivoli Friheden has caught the attention of thrill seekers worldwide. The people behind the popular website Theme Park Review posted a video of their experience at the Sky Tower, calling it “one of the most CRAZY rides...

HILDALE — Continental breakfasts are now being served at a bed and breakfast that has opened on the site of a sprawling, mostly unoccupied compound in southern Utah that was built for the leader of a polygamous sect. America’s Most Wanted Suites and Bed and Breakfast takes its name from Warren Jeff’s time on the list of the FBI’s 10 most wanted fugitives. Accommodations in the Hildale bed and breakfast run from $85 to $200 a night. Hildale and neighboring Colorado City, Arizona, are both home to members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Former Jeffs...