Egypt on Saturday opened two ancient pyramids south of the capital Cairo and unveiled a collection of newly found sarcophagi, some containing well-preserved mummies. Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani told reporters the Bent Pyramid of King Sneferu, the first pharaoh of Egypt’s 4th dynasty, and a nearby pyramid would be reopened to visitors for the first time since 1965. He also said a team of archaeologists had uncovered sarcophagi and the remains of an ancient wall dating back to the Middle Kingdom some 4,000 years ago. The finds were made during excavation work in the royal necropolis of Dahshur on the west bank of the Nile River, in an area home to some of Egypt’s oldest pyramids.

“Several stone, clay and wooden sarcophagi were found and some contain mummies in good condition,” the antiquities ministry said in a statement. The ancient wall stretches some 60 metres and is situated south of the pyramid of 12th dynasty pharaoh King Amenemhat II,

A 210,000-year-old skull has been identified as the earliest modern human remains found outside Africa, putting the clock back on mankind’s arrival in Europe by more than 150,000 years, researchers said Wednesday. In a startling discovery that changes our understanding of how modern man populated Eurasia, the findings support the idea that Homo sapiens made several, sometimes unsuccessful migrations from Africa over tens of thousands of years. Southeast Europe has long been considered a major transport corridor for modern humans from Africa. But until now the earliest evidence of Homo sapiens on the continent dated back only around 50,000 years. There has however been a number of discoveries indicating the ancient presence of Neanderthals — an early human cousin — across the continent. Two fossilised but badly damaged skulls unearthed in a Greek cave in the 1970s were identified as Neanderthal at the time. In findings presented in the journal Nature, an

The time has come: On Saturday, 13 July 2019, the James-Simon-Galerie will open its doors with a big opening celebration. Covering 10,900 m², the central entrance building and reception area, based on plans by David Chipperfeld Architects, will provide visitors with useful information and services, and improve the overall experience of the Museumsinsel Berlin. Along with a space for special exhibitions and an auditorium, a large area for ticket sales and cloakrooms, as well as a shop, a café and a restaurant, the James-Simon-Galerie will provide direct access to the Pergamonmuseum and to the Neues Museum via the Archaeological Promenade. It is named after the great patron of arts James Simon (1851–1932). Hermann Parzinger, President of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz: “The James-Simon-Galerie is more than just a gateway to the Museumsinsel, and much more than just an urgently needed service building. David Chipper

Researchers in Israel said Monday they believe they have pinpointed the site of an ancient Philistine town mentioned in the biblical tale of David seeking refuge from the Israelite king Saul. Ziklag was a town under the rule of a Philistine king in nearby Gath after the ancient “sea peoples” began arriving in the region in the 12th century BC, the researchers say. A biblical tale says the town became the unlikely seat of David before his anointment as king in Hebron following Saul’s death. “It is not 100 percent sure, but I think it’s 90 percent that this was biblical Ziklag,” said Yosef Garfinkel, head of the institute of archaeology at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University. The excavation began in 2015 and the researchers plan to continue with further digs. “I hope it will be enough to clarify all the important aspects of the site,” Garfinkel said at the site on a hilltop near the city of Qiryat Gat in central Israel.

A new art exhibition featuring the works of world-renowned graphic artist Maurits Cornelis Escher, M.C. Escher: Infinite Variations, is on view at the World Chess Hall of Fame. The 100+ piece exhibit showcases Escher’s extreme variety of groundbreaking techniques and subjects. The new exhibit displays works from throughout his career—starting with his early Italian landscape sketches, self-portraits and book illustrations to his most iconic images of impossible spaces, tessellations, infinity and his metamorphosis series. The extensive Escher collection occupies 3000 square feet at the WCHOF, while an extension of the show is also on display at the Saint Louis University Museum of Art (SLUMA). “As the lender of these M.C. Escher masterpieces, it gives me great joy to see them on display in Saint Louis for the first time ever,” said