A famous Mycenaean suit of armor was not just ceremonial, but suitable for extended combat, according to a study published May 22 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Andreas Flouris of the University of Thessaly, Greece and colleagues. One of the oldest known suits of European armor is a 3,500-year-old suit found near the … Read more
Together with cooperation partners from the Museum of Vojvodina in Novi Sad (Serbia), the National Museum Zrenjanin and the National Museum Pančevo, a team from the ROOTS Cluster of Excellence has discovered a previously unknown Late Neolithic settlement near the Tamiš River in Northeast Serbia. “This discovery is of outstanding importance, as hardly any larger … Read more
Ancient genomes from the herpes virus that commonly causes lip sores—and currently infects some 3.7 billion people globally—have been uncovered and sequenced for the first time by an international team of scientists led by the University of Cambridge. Latest research suggests that the HSV-1 virus strain behind facial herpes as we know it today arose … Read more
A recent study published in the PNAS shows that western Central Asia has experienced a long-term drying trend over the past 7,800 years. This discovery, based on the analysis of a stalagmite from the Fergana Valley in Kyrgyzstan, adds a critical piece to the understanding of westerly-influenced hydroclimatic patterns in Central Asia. Central Asia is … Read more
Recent strides in interdisciplinary archaeological research in Arabia have unveiled new insights into the evolution and historical development of regional human populations, as well as the dynamic patterns of cultural change, migration, and adaptation to environmental fluctuations. Despite the challenges posed by limited preservation of archaeological assemblages and organic remains in arid environments, these discoveries … Read more
The Grauballe Man, one of the most famous bog bodies ever discovered, is an incredibly well-preserved Iron Age mummy found in a peat bog near the village of Grauballe in Jutland, Denmark. This ancient individual has captivated the imagination of archaeologists, historians, and the public alike, offering valuable insights into the lives, rituals, and beliefs … Read more
As part of the Silk Road and located at the geographical intersection of Eastern and Western cultures, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region has long served as a major crossroads for trans-Eurasian exchanges of people, cultures, agriculture, and languages. Since the late 1990s, the discovery of hundreds of naturally mummified human remains dating to circa 2,000 … 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
A remarkable archaeological discovery has recently emerged from the verdant forests near Jarosław in the Podkarpackie province—a copper dagger dating back over 4,000 years. This ancient artifact, the oldest of its kind found in the region, offers a captivating glimpse into the distant past of the area. Unearthed in November of the previous year by … Read more
The recent revelation regarding two Bronze Age artifacts from the Treasure of Villena in Spain, containing iron from a meteor that struck Earth approximately a million years ago, has captivated both archaeologists and scientists. Unearthed in the 1960s, the treasure trove in Villena has long fascinated experts with its breathtaking array of gold and silver … Read more
Prior to commencing a construction project in Heimberg, the Archaeological Service of the Canton of Bern undertook a rescue excavation in autumn 2023. While the anticipated Roman site did not yield much new information, the investigation unveiled remnants of a previously undiscovered settlement from the Bronze Age. Spanning over three months, the excavation at Schulgässli … Read more
For many years, researchers at MPI-EVA have been collecting and analyzing ancient DNA from humans who lived during the past tens of thousands of years. Analyzing these data has allowed the researchers to trace the movement and mixing of people, and even to uncover ancient pathogens that affected their lives. However, a systematic study of … Read more
Modern populations of fallow deer possess hidden cultural histories dating back to the Roman Empire, which should be factored into decisions around their management and conservation. New research, bringing together DNA analysis with archaeological insights, has revealed how fallow deer have been repeatedly moved to new territories by humans, often as a symbol of colonial … Read more
The 1 million-square-mile Tibetan Plateau—often called the “roof of the world”—is the highest landmass in the world, averaging 14,000 feet in altitude. Despite the extreme environment, humans have been permanent inhabitants there since prehistoric times. Farming and herding play major roles in the economy of the Tibetan Plateau today—as they have throughout history. To make … Read more
Poignant prehistoric burials containing the remains of an adult and child laid in a grave as though embracing in death have long fascinated archaeologists. Using early Bronze Age examples from Luxembourg and Britain, a new study led by researchers from the universities of Mainz and Ferrara and published in Scientific Reports, provides insights into family … Read more
In the realm of biological relationships, individuals who share common ancestry possess extended stretches of DNA known as “Identity by Descent” (IBD) segments. These almost identical genomic segments, inherited from a recent common ancestor, serve as a genetic fingerprint of relatedness. Personal genomics companies like 23andMe and Ancestry routinely leverage this phenomenon to identify biological … Read more
The discovery of ancient tools and artifacts has played a pivotal role in shaping our understanding of human origins, providing crucial insights into the technological, cognitive, and behavioral evolution of our ancestors. These material remains serve as tangible links to the past, offering a window into the ways early humans interacted with their environment, developed … Read more
In a study published on July 27, 2017, by Daniel Bradley, Rui Martiniano of Trinity College Dublin, and Ana Maria Silva of the University of Coimbra, Portugal, it was revealed that the genomes of individuals from the Bronze Age in the Iberian Peninsula showed minor genetic influence from Steppe invaders. This suggests that migrations from … Read more
In a multidisciplinary study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), an international team of researchers employed a combination of archaeological, genetic, and stable isotope data to unveil 4000 years of biomolecular prehistory in the Iberian Peninsula. The research team conducted a detailed analysis of human remains from 13 individuals spanning … Read more
Exploring the teeth of individuals from 2,500 years ago has provided a unique glimpse into life and gender inequality during the Bronze Age in China. A research team led by the University of Otago has utilized stable isotope analysis of dentin to uncover information about breastfeeding, weaning practices, evolving diets, and distinctions in the diets … Read more