If she delivers the rare Asian gaur growing inside her, she will herald a stunning new way to save endangered, or even recently extinct, animals. In the Middle East, an unbroken pot is an amazing and unusual find for an archaeologist. This lapis lazuli bead in the shape of the ibex was found on one of the women. So this summer when an archaeological team from Johns Hopkins University digging in Syria came across not only one complete pot, but many, they knew they were on the trail of something important. Unbroken pots means undisturbed sites.
Undisturbed sites means the possibility of unknown mysteries from the distant past.
As the Hopkins team continued working their hopes were realized. They came across an ancient undisturbed tomb. Archaeologists in a country rich in history but poor in cash are wondering who will pay for restoring the Bronze Age treasure. With the estimated cost equaling this year's total budget for maintaining historic monuments, the government cannot hope to come up with the funds. It is also impossible to escape the conclusion that many departments, offices, and officials, of the federal government, are, knowingly and unknowingly, parties to this fraud and victimization.