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CWA 71

2 mins read

CWA71_Cover_smallThe spectacular untouched tomb of Prince Liang Zhuang, favourite brother of the Ming emperor Xuande, has been hailed as China’s greatest discovery for a century. Not only was the treasure found in the burial chamber among the richest ever recovered, but the dazzling jewels that adorn the artefacts are evidence of expeditions undertaken by one of the most famous explorers in history, Admiral Zheng He, whose epic voyages in the early 15th century reached as far west as the coast of Africa. The story of the tomb’s excavation is just as extraordinary.

The world has been rightly shocked by the catastrophic damage done to ancient sites in Syria and Iraq, and the deliberate destruction of irreplaceable artefacts carried out by Islamic State. Our Special Report brings us the latest news on the region.

What was life like for soldiers in occupied France during WWI? The discovery of a German camp is giving us a rare glimpse of the everyday life and few luxuries enjoyed by soldiers during brief periods of respite from the Front Line.

When the Roman emperor Diocletian designed and built his magnificent palace on the Dalmatian coast in what is modern-day Split, he did not envisage it as a retirement home. However, just as it was completed, ill-health forced him to resign as Tetrarch, and he spent the rest of his days here. As the town grew up in and around the palace, much of its architectural splendour was lost. Today, ongoing archaeological investigation is rediscovering the lost glories of this 4th-century grand design.

Finally, we look at how the humble fish helped build the economy of Ancient Egypt, and why fishing was fundamental to the wealth of the pharaohs.

We’ve also introduced a new competition page to your CWA, featuring a crossword puzzle and a photo challenge, both with an archaeological twist.

IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURES

CHINA: Treasures of Prince Liang Zhuang Revealing the dazzling riches of a Ming emperor’s favourite brother

FRANCE: Isles-sur-Suippe Looking at life in the trenches of occupied France during WWI

CROATIA: Diocletian’s Palace So much more than the Emperor’s vegetable patch

EGYPT: Fish and Pharaohs How the Ancient Egyptians relied on fish

NEWS

Earliest Roman fort

Maya melting pot

Bornholm brooch

Pharaoh dies in battle

Medieval mass grave in Paris

Egyptian Israel

Neanderthal news: eagle jewellery and oldest DNA

SPECIAL REPORT

Prophet and profit

NEWS FOCUS

Finding Miguel de Cervantes

CHARLES HIGHAM

Uncovering the Golden Man

TRAVEL

ITALY The Neolithic settlement of La Marmotta

QATAR Richard Hodges at Doha and Al Zubarah

TURKEY From Troy to Gallipoli

CULTURE

MUSEUM

A visit to Barcelona’s new Museum of World Cultures

REVIEWS

Andrew Robinson reviews The Greeks in Asia by John Boardman

plus reviews of:

Banteay Chhmar: Garrison-temple of the Khmer Empire by Peter D Sharrock

Celtic Art by Venceslas Kruta

Cuneiform by Irving Finkel and Jonathan Taylor

The Oxford Handbook of Roman Sculpture by Elise A Friedland, Melanie
Grunow Sobocinski, and Elaine K Gazda (eds)

The Neverending Feast: The Anthropology and Archaeology of Feasting by Kaori O’Connor

CHRIS CATLING

Car-park burials and famous remains

THINKING ALOUD

Neil Faulkner asks: Why do people dress up as animals? Part 3: fertility cult

OBJECT LESSON

The Nimrud lamassu