CAMPUS AND AREA
University Daily Kansan, January 12, 1984
Page 7
Statues, skeletons found in Jordan
By STEPHANIE HEARN Staff Reporter
Human-like statues and decapitated skeletons that may represent a Stone Age/ death cult were uncovered in Jordan last summer during an archaeologist dig, the director of the KU Office of Archaeological Research said yesterday.
Alan Simmons, the director and KU assistant professor of anthropology, was co director of the dig along with Dr. Jeffrey M. Holliday of psychology at Jordan's Yarmuk University.
Their team, which included American, German, British, Canadian, and Australian students and professors, uncovered the statues and skeletons with layers of plaster floors believed have been built as far back as 7000 B.C.
THE SITE OF THE floors, now named "Ain Ghazal," was discovered in 1974 when workers were tearing up the land to build a highway. But the site was exposed by the cutting by the cutting for the highway, began to erode and on the highway.
The rows of 15 by 15 foot floors, which cover about 27 acres, indicate that this was a village, Simmons said. There are as many as nine floor levels in some areas, as far down as 20 feet underground.
The team found 10 3-foot statues, 15 to 20 smaller bust-like statues, 30 decapitated skeletons, and four skulls (5) found in a cave. Also found tools: animal bones, and seeds.
Commonly explained that the arrangement of the statues, lying perpendicular and parallel to each other with the busters forming an arc at their feet, led him to infer that this was part of some type of religious ceremony.
THE CLAY FIGURES were made by modeling plaster on a base of reeds, twigs, and grasses wrapped tightly together. The statues had a variety of facial expressions, which led Simmons to think that they were made to
represent someone in the community.
The statues all had detached beards. The women were dressed in customs of the people, Simmons said.
Simmons and his group concluded from what they found that this society dug holes through the floor of their homes to bury their dead. After the body had time to decay, they dug up the skeletons and cut off their skulls. Simmons had not determined what was done with the skulls because 30 skeletons were found and only four skulls.
The four skulls were found buried together in a seperate pit under the floor of a house that also had skeletons buried in another location.
ALMOST ALL THE burials under the houses were three feet south of the fireplace. However, the team found skeletons of women and some children buried outside the homes in trash pits. The team also found burials with skulls
"Why were only some decapitated?
piops in special status, "
piops wondered
These same bursal patterns were
taken in Jericho, another arche-
plastic site.
Simmons said that this was a sophisticated village for the time period, and that the people's efficiency could be seen from the way they moved parts of abandoned houses and used them to build new ones.
Simmons said that last summer they only explored one percent of Ain Ghazal. He said he wanted to go back this summer and take five to eight students for field work if funding were available.
Last summer, the dig was funded by National Geographic, a grant from KU, the Jordanian Government's Desert Antiquities, and Yarnauk University.
Some of the statues found last summer are being kept in Jordan and some were sent to the Institute of Archaeology in London.
ABOVE: Alan Simmons, director of the KU office of archaeological research in the Museum of Anthropology, talks about the excavation in Jordan. Simmons was the co-director of the dig, which uncovered several ancient artifacts. LEFT: One of the clay bushes thought to be at least 9,000 years old. BELOW: The excavation site in Jordan was discovered in 1974, but was not explored until 1982.
Community effort keeps Warm Hearts fund alive
By MARY SEXTON
Staff Reporter
More than 600 Douglas County residents received help with their heating bills in December and many others will continue to receive help because of a community effort that will fund more than $34,000 for the Warm Hearts fund.
The Warm Hearts program, which was established in 1982, was originally intended to be a unique fund that would not be recoated in subsequent years.
but despite available government funds, the Warm Hearts Program was brought back this year because many thought the program was still needed.
WARREN RHODES, Warm Hearts treasurer, said, "It shows that the community sees a need for this kind of program."
"We knew this winter was predicted to be a cold one, and we knew the need was still there," said Programs Chairman and State Rep. Jesse Branson.
Warm Hearts is a private, non-profit organization that was established to
provide financial assistance for people who cannot receive other kinds of help to navy heating bills.
Another program, the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, or LIEAP, through the Kansas Social and Education Studies enables the majority of requests for help.
"We knew there were people on fixed low incomes who could simply not afford the high price of natural gas," Byers said. "What do you do, let your fellow citizens suffer or be miserable in the cold, or perhaps freeze?"
EARLIER THIS FALL, the Natural Gas Task Force recommended that the Lawrence City Commission use $25,000 to start an energy relief assistance fund. The city commission rejected the idea. As a result, the Warm Hearts program was re-established.
LIEAP approved 659 applications and paid out more than $47,000 during December, said Bonnie Byers, admin-
tor of the school. She and graduate student in social welfare.
Rhodes said that during the December Warm Hearts fund drive, the program received donations from
Last year the drive generated more than $70,000 and aided 507 households. Rhodes said. Although this year's goal is to keep the drive on hold, it pleased with the results of the drive.
private citizens and industries
"We hope this will be ample funds to get us through," he said. "If not, we will make another appeal if we run short."
THE MONEY WILL be distributed by the Red Cross, Rhodes said. Applications will be taken at five sites and will be sent directly to the utility companies.
More than 1,800 separate donors responded to the fund drive, he said. Businesses, churches, social organizations and other nonprofits also donated 736 gas rebate checks.
The five agencies designated to Warm Hearts applications are: the
Ballard Community Center Inc., 708
Elm St.; Penn House, 1035 Pennsylvania St.
The Salvation Army, 946 New
Hampshire St.; the Lawrence Indian
Center, 2326 Louisiana St.; and the
center on Aging, 745 Vermont St.
After a 72-hour verification process, the applications are sent to the Red Cross, which then makes out the checks to the utility companies.
"People who donate money want to make sure it is distributed properly," said Grady Tarbutton, information and action coordinator for the Council on Aging.
Suneetta Bailey, administrative assistant at Ballard Community Center Inc., said that individuals qualified for Warm Hearts money after they had exhausted all other forms of aid, including aid offered through the state.
READING FOR COMPREHENSION AND SPEED
7-9 p.m.
(Six hours of instruction.)
January 17,24,and 31 (Tuesdays)
Register and pay $15 materials fee at the Student Assistance Center, 121 Strong Hall.
Class Size Limited.
SCHOOL OF ALLIED HEALTH PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISING
Respiratory Therapy: M—10 AM-12PM
Physical Therapy: W—9AM-4PM
SAH(All Programs):
2nd/4th Wed/mo
Contact the Office of Undergraduate Advising (864-3504) for an appointment.
SNA FILMS
SUA Films Presents:
Tonight $1.50
Beat the Devil
Humphrey Bogart Jennifer Jones Peter Lorre Gina Lollobrigida
4 = 2.5
7:00
Friday & Saturday $1.50
3:30, 7:00 & 9:30
MIDNIGHT MOVIE $2.00
12:00 Friday & Saturday
the ultimate trip
Sunday, January 15 $1.50
Ridley Scott's The Duellists
2:00
All films are shown in Woodruff Auditorium 5th floor, Kansas Union