We wanted to inform our contributors and visitors from the UK that an exciting exhibition has just opened at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth, UK.  2012 BC: Cornwall and the Sea in the Bronze Age is a special exhibition which traces Cornish mining, trading, and maritime exchange with Bronze Age Europe. Among the highlights are the lovely Nebra Sky Disc, one of the oldest representations of the cosmos ever found in Europe, and a reconstructed ancient ship. Please click here to read more about this exhibition from Culture24.

The BBC is reporting that a team of archaeologists have uncovered the ruins of several prehistoric structures on the remote Skmore Island off the coast of Pembrokeshire, Wales. Better known for its diverse flora and fauna, Skmore Island is now believed to have been inhabited around 5.000 years ago. Please click here to read the article in its entirety.

The New York Times ran an article on the ancient Chinese ziqi today. The instrument is making something of a comeback in contemporary China and dates from the Waring States Period (c. 600 BCE). Please click here to learn more about its revival in relation to renewed interest in traditional Chinese culture.

At the Ancient History Encyclopedia, we like to introduce our users and contributors to other organizations and institutions which provide assistance in the study and preservation of the ancient past. One such organization is Archaeology Southwest. This is a private nonprofit which aims to increase public awareness in the rich past of the ancient cultures of the American Southwest and Northeast Mexico. Based in the United States, Archaeology Southwest is committed to the creation of research initiatives designed to protect artifacts and heritage sites alike. Be sure to check out their homepage and beautiful magazine–Archaeology Southwest Magazine–too!

Teachers or instructors might be interested in accessing images of the ancient world from the New York Public Library’s Picture Collection. With over 1.700 images covering a range of subjects from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and other cultures around the Mediterranean, this is a great resource for the classroom. All the images were rendered or conceived by artists, scholars, and travelers from the early 18th century until the 20th century, and include rare periodical illustrations, lithographs, photographs, paintings, and engravings. Please click here to access the link and database.

For several decades, scholars and archaeologists have debated what caused the decline and collapse of the Classical Maya (c. 250-900 CE). Most content that it was a combination of agricultural mismanagement and environmental changes, which doomed the city-states of the formidable Maya. MSNBC published this article last month, which suggested that changes in religious rites also could have played a decisive role in the Maya’s decline. Please click here to access the article.

Rock art is both ubiquitous and mysterious: it exists on every continent except Antarctica, yet remains largely enigmatic. With advances in neuroscience and with the aid of medical imaging technology, scholars are now beginning to unravel the mysterious of rock art design and purpose. What has been uncovered is likely to both shock and surprise you. Click here to read this recently featured article, from Cosmos Magazine, in order to learn more.

Many are unaware that it was possible to sail from the Mediterranean Sea to Red Sea before the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 CE. Nile-to-Suez canals existed more than two thousand years ago, providing a steady flow of trade and traffic between East and West. In the March/April 2012 edition of Saudi Aramco World Magazine, John Cooper introduces us to the lost canals of ancient Egypt and the colorful personalities behind their construction, maintenance, and destruction. Please click here to read “Linking Med to Red.”

The Economist magazine has posted this video review of “Nomads & Networks: The Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan” at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World in New York City. Please click here to access the video. We promise that you won’t regret doing so! The objects are beautiful and most have never been seen by the public until now.

Channel News Asia is reporting that the remains of a Stone Age man has been unearthed off the southern Chinese coast in Fujian Province. Archaeologists from Taiwan believe that the 8.000 year old skeleton might be an ancestor to Taiwan’s aboriginal peoples. The man was believed to be around thirty-five years of age around the time of his death and the bones are in excellent condition. Please click here to read more.