The Hohokam ruins of Mesa Grande, located near Mesa, Arizona, will be reopened to the public in the fall of 2012 according to Arizona’s East Valley Tribune. The Hohokam were one of the four major prehistoric peoples living in what is today the American Southwest, flourishing in the  Sonoran Desert from c. 1-1450 CE. Well-known for their beautiful ceramics and jewelry, the Hohokam were also skilled engineers who created some of the most advanced and sophisticated irrigation canals in the Americas. Please click here to read the article in its entirety.

For those of you interested in all that which is “Mesoamerican,” please check out the Los Angeles Times‘ recent review of “Children of the Plumed Serpent: The Legacy of Quetzalcoatl in Ancient Mexico.” This exhibition is currently on show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art until July 1, 2012 and showcases some of the rarest and finest works by ancient craftsmen from across what is present-day Mexico. Please click here to read the review.

MSNBC is reporting that ancient Peruvian tombs are revealing fascinating genetic and cultural secrets. Throughout the centuries, many Andean peoples in Peru buried their dead in vertical tombs called “chullpas.” Researchers from the University of Warsaw have traced genomic sequences of dozens of individuals, buried in the chullpas, encountering some surprising discoveries. Please click here to read the article in full.

Bulgarian journalists are reporting that an unusual erotic vase has been discovered in the city of Sozopol, which sits directly next to the Black Sea. Dating from the 6th or 7th century BCE, the vase appears to have been crafted in Greece and later traded to what is present-day Bulgaria sometime later. Please click here to read more from UPI.com.

Archaeologists working near the Peruvian city of Chiclayo have just uncovered the mysterious remains of a woman believed to be a priestess of the Sican or Lambayeque people. Dating from the thirteenth century CE, the remains might provide some much needed insight into the final centuries of the coastal Sican civilization. Please click here to read more about this unique discovery from Hispanically Speaking News.

The Queensland Museum, located in Brisbane, Australia, is the newest venue of Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb. This unprecedented exhibition will be shown in Queensland from April 19 until August 19, 2012. With a mix of diverse artifacts and 3D technological presentations, Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb promises to be an unusual and captivating take on the splendors of ancient Egypt. To learn more about the show, please read this review from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation by clicking here.

LiveScience is reporting that a statue displayed in the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, in Hamburg, Germany, might be that of a female gladiator. Topless and of unknown origins, the statue is nearly 2.000 years old but in very good condition. Contrary to popular belief, female gladiators did exist in the Roman Empire although they were quite rare. Emperor Septimius Severus banned them outright in 200 CE. Please click here to read more about this unusual statue and its possible origins.

If you’re interested in ancient art, be sure to check out the Google Art Project. With access to high-resolution images of works of art from over forty museums from around the world, this is a fantastic free resource. Recently, the Google Art Project has been incorporating works of ancient African art and sculpture to their online library: allAfrica.com reports that Google has agreed to work with the Rock Art Research Institute in Johannesburg, South Africa and with the South African National Gallery in Cape Town, South Africa. Please click here for more information.