Rising to power in the wake of the Classic Maya collapse, Chichén Itzá was among the largest and most influential cities of the ancient Maya, but much about its political connections and ritual life remain poorly understood. In a study in Nature, researchers discover a practice of ritual child sacrifice focused exclusively on males. Close … Read more
A new study from Tel Aviv University identified the earliest appearance worldwide of special stone tools, used 400,000 years ago to process fallow deer. The tools, called Quina scrapers (after the site in France where they were first discovered), were unearthed at the prehistoric sites of Jaljulia and Qesem Cave. They are characterized by a … Read more
50,000 years ago, North America was ruled by megafauna. Lumbering mammoths roamed the tundra, while forests were home to towering mastodons, fierce saber-toothed tigers and enormous wolves. Bison and extraordinarily tall camels moved in herds across the continent, while giant beavers plied its lakes and ponds. Immense ground sloths weighing over 1,000 kg were found … Read more
Thousands of years ago, early hunter-gatherers returned regularly to Tagua Tagua Lake in Chile to hunt ancient elephants and take advantage of other local resources, according to a study published May 22 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Rafael Labarca of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and colleagues. Multiple archaeological sites are known … Read more
Human evolution is the process by which Homo sapiens, the modern human species, emerged and diversified from earlier hominin ancestors over millions of years. It is a complex and fascinating journey that spans millions of years and involves numerous species, environmental changes, adaptations, and migrations. Understanding human evolution requires interdisciplinary approaches, drawing insights from paleontology, … Read more
Soft tissue preservation in the geological record is relatively rare, and except where deliberate intervention halts the process of decay (like embalming or freezing), the survival of entire organs is particularly unusual. The spontaneous preservation of the brain in the absence of any other soft tissues—that is, the brain’s survival among otherwise skeletonized remains—has historically … Read more
The archeology team at the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (Iphan) in Tocantins recently concluded the identification and cataloging of another 16 archaeological sites in the Jalapão region, situated to the east of Tocantins. These newly discovered sites enrich the area with panels adorned with pre-colonial rock art, believed to have been created by … Read more
The Saltmen of Iran, also known as the Salt Men of Zanjan, are a remarkable archaeological discovery that sheds light on ancient mining practices, human preservation techniques, and the cultural history of Iran. These well-preserved human remains were unearthed in the Chehrabad salt mines, located near the city of Zanjan in northwestern Iran. The discovery … Read more
The Chinchorro mummies are one of the most fascinating and ancient forms of mummification in human history. These mummies, dating back over 7,000 years, represent some of the earliest examples of intentional mummification practiced by prehistoric societies along the coast of what is now Chile and Peru. The Chinchorro mummies provide valuable insights into the … Read more
A rough site plan for the Roman-era village of Silchester in south-central England, now a ruin, has existed since antiquarians excavated it in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Though extensive, these efforts used techniques that are now outdated and, modern researchers note, represent only the most well-preserved structures. Accordingly, the popular estimates of … Read more
When did populations of Homo sapiens first arrive in China and what happened when they encountered the Denisovans or Neanderthals who lived there? A new study in Nature by an international team of researchers opens a window into hunter-gatherer lifestyles 40,000 years ago. Archaeological excavations at the site of Xiamabei in the Nihewan Basin of … Read more
Researchers and six eager students from the University of South Florida have unearthed a time capsule from antiquity during a riveting excavation in Malta, a Mediterranean gem steeped in history. Guided by the seasoned expertise of Davide Tanasi, a distinguished professor at USF’s Institute for Digital Exploration (IDEx), the team embarked on the Melite Civitas … Read more
A new study based on 297 ancient Scandinavian genomes analysed together with the genomic data of 16,638 present day Scandinavians resolve the complex relations between geography, ancestry, and gene flow in Scandinavia — encompassing the Roman Age, the Viking Age and later periods. A surprising increase of variation during the Viking period indicates that gene … Read more
More than forty archaeological sites in Cyprus dating potentially as far back as the Bronze Age that were thought lost to history have been relocated by University of Leicester scientists working for the Ministry of Defence. A small team of archaeologists from University of Leicester Archaeological Services, undertook a ‘walkover survey’—a systematic surveying and recording … Read more
The discovery of an 8,600-year-old piece of bread at Catalhoyuk in south-central Turkey unveils fascinating insights into the ancient culinary practices and lifestyles of early urban settlers during the Neolithic period. Catalhoyuk stands as one of the earliest known urban settlements globally, offering a window into the lives of its approximately 8,000 inhabitants and their … Read more
Archaeologists differentiate between different periods of human prehistory through a combination of chronological dating methods, material culture analysis, stratigraphy, and interdisciplinary research. Human prehistory encompasses vast spans of time, ranging from the emergence of our earliest ancestors millions of years ago to the advent of written records around 5,000 years ago. During this long and … Read more
Carbon dating, also known as radiocarbon dating, is a revolutionary scientific technique that has transformed the field of archaeology by providing researchers with a powerful tool for dating organic materials and determining the chronology of archaeological sites and artifacts. Since its development in the 1940s by Willard Libby and his colleagues, carbon dating has become … Read more
Bioarchaeology is a fascinating interdisciplinary field that combines principles from archaeology, anthropology, biology, and other related disciplines to study human remains from archaeological contexts. By analyzing skeletal remains, bioarchaeologists gain insights into past human populations, their lifeways, health, diet, migration patterns, social structures, and cultural practices. Through a meticulous examination of bones, teeth, and other … Read more
In the backdrop of a Mesolithic landscape, one would encounter a panorama teeming with natural wonders and ecological diversity. Picture rolling hills adorned with lush forests, interspersed with pristine lakes and meandering rivers. The air would be filled with the symphony of wildlife—birds chirping melodiously, the rustle of leaves as small mammals scurry through the … Read more
Thousands of historic and archaeological sites in Georgia are at risk from tropical storm surges, and that number will increase with climate change, according to a study published in PLOS ONE by Matthew D. Howland and Victor D. Thompson of Wichita State University and the University of Georgia. Anthropogenic climate change poses a major risk … Read more