Journal of Eurasian Studies - EPA

April‐June 2010 JOURNAL OF EURASIAN STUDIES Volume II., Issue 2.
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AFFGHANIISSTTAN
Resources The United States has discovered
nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in
Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known
reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the
Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war
itself, according to senior American government
officials. The previously unknown deposits —
including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold
and critical industrial metals like lithium — are
so big and include so many minerals that are
essential to modern industry that Afghanistan
could eventually be transformed into one of the
most important mining centers in the world, the
United States officials believe.
The New York Times (Jun. 13, 2010)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/world/asia/14minerals
.html?pagewanted=1&no_interstitial
BBANGLLADEESSH
Archaeology In Wari‐Bateshwar of Narsingdi,
archaeologists have recently excavated a 1,400‐
year‐old Lotus Temple, the first proof of
flourishing of Buddhism in the region. The brick‐
built temple constructed around seventh or
eighth century‐‐as evidenced by its structure and
the size and shapes of the bricks and other finds
excavated at Mandirvita at Dhupirtek of Shibpur
in the district‐‐suggests existence of a Buddha
Vihara there, they said.
The Daily Star (Mar. 21, 2010)
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news‐
details.php?nid=130929
Archaeology Archaeologists of Jahan‐girnagar
University in Dhaka have recently dug out the
first Hindu temple from the early Pala period in
Bengal at Chandipur village in Birampur upazila
of Dinajpur tentatively dating back to the 8th
century. No other Hindu temple of any kind
dates from Pala period (eighth eleventh century)
in Bengal, according to experts.
The Daily Star (Mar. 29, 2010)
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news‐
details.php?nid=132025
CAMBBODIIA
Archaeology Decades of drought, interspersed
with intense monsoon rains, may have helped
bring about the fall of Cambodiaʹs ancient Khmer
civilization at Angkor nearly 600 years ago,
according to an analysis of tree rings,
archeological remains and other evidence. The
study, published this week in the journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, may also shed light on what drives—
and disrupts—the rainy season across much of
Asia, which waters crops for nearly half the
worldʹs population.
EurekAlert! (Mar. 29, 2010)
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010‐03/teia‐
dci032910.php
CHIINA
Archaeology Ancient texts can contain
inaccuracies favorable to a strong rulerʹs legacy.
Thatʹs why two Field Museum scientists and
their Chinese collaborator have integrated
textual information with archaeological research
in order to further understand the impact of
Shihauangdiʹs reign. Gary Feinman and Linda
Nicholas compared ancient written records to
archaeological evidence and the result of their
work is a more holistic view of Chinaʹs first
emperor and his influence on the eastern
province of Shandong.
EurekAlert! (Mar. 01, 2010)
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010‐03/fm‐
fma021710.php
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