Archaeology(Page 3)

The latest digs, ideas, and discoveries about our past, from ancient cities to our prehistoric ancestors.

Latest in Archaeology

An illustration of the Bronze Age stilt settlement uncovered at Must Farm in eastern England. Five circular dwellings stand above a boggy wetland.

Bronze Age village was ‘pretty cozy’—until Britain’s Pompeii Bronze Age village was ‘pretty cozy’—until Britain’s Pompeii

By Laura Baisas

human remains uncovered in Sweden.

Kissing and eating during the Stone Age ‘could be lethal’ Kissing and eating during the Stone Age ‘could be lethal’

By Laura Baisas

Ancient Greece’s biggest port is older than we thought

Ancient Greece’s biggest port is older than we thought Ancient Greece’s biggest port is older than we thought

By J. Besl/Hakai Magazine

Sun rises over tall sand dunes. The Erg Chebbi region of the Sahara desert in Morocco. The region is home to the 984 foot tall Lala Lallia star dune.

The mysterious ‘star dune’ in the Sahara is on the move The mysterious ‘star dune’ in the Sahara is on the move

By Laura Baisas

Shelled and unshelled hazlenuts on a wooden table.

Humans have been eating hazelnuts for at least 6,000 years Humans have been eating hazelnuts for at least 6,000 years

By Laura Baisas

The stone tool was glued into a handle with an adhesive that is made of liquid bitumen, with the addition of 55 percent ochre. It is no longer sticky and can be handled easily.

Neanderthals likely used glue to make tools Neanderthals likely used glue to make tools

By Laura Baisas

The skeletal remains of a frog and a human were uncovered at Seminario Vescovile in Verona, Italy.

Iron Age humans found mysteriously buried with dogs and horses Iron Age humans found mysteriously buried with dogs and horses

By Laura Baisas

A 3D model of a section of the Blinkerwall next to a large boulder at the western end of the wall.

Europe’s oldest human-made megastructure may be at the bottom of the Baltic Sea Europe’s oldest human-made megastructure may be at the bottom of the Baltic Sea

By Laura Baisas

The wheel of the Arlington, about 600 feet underwater.

Shipwreck hunters find WWII-era ship in Lake Superior Shipwreck hunters find WWII-era ship in Lake Superior

By Laura Baisas

2,000 new characters from burnt-up ancient Greek scroll deciphered with AI

2,000 new characters from burnt-up ancient Greek scroll deciphered with AI 2,000 new characters from burnt-up ancient Greek scroll deciphered with AI

Two long stone tools from the Lincombian–Ranisian–Jerzmanowician (LRJ) culture uncovered at Ranis. Item 1 is a partial bifacial blade point characteristic of the LRJ. Item 2 also contains finely made bifacial leaf points.

Neanderthals and modern humans intermingled in Europe 45,000 years ago Neanderthals and modern humans intermingled in Europe 45,000 years ago

By Laura Baisas

A visual collage of skin fossils described in the new study. The mummified skin specimen is shown sliced into two pieces in the center-left of the image. The surrounding specimen scans are of fossilized skin impressions.

Oldest known fossilized reptile skin was dug up in an Oklahoma quarry Oldest known fossilized reptile skin was dug up in an Oklahoma quarry

By Lauren Leffer

The skull of a Swedish Viking dating back to the 10th through 12th Century CE undergoes a dental examination.

Vikings filed their teeth to cope with pain Vikings filed their teeth to cope with pain

By Laura Baisas

A sample of baboon skulls dating back 2,500 to 2,800 years in southern Egypt.

Ancient Egyptians likely kept baboons in captivity—and mummified them Ancient Egyptians likely kept baboons in captivity—and mummified them

By Laura Baisas

The bones of sacrificed horses found in the courtyard of Casas del Turuñuelo site in Badajoz, Spain.

Over 6,000 sacrificed animal bones tell a story of Iron Age Spain Over 6,000 sacrificed animal bones tell a story of Iron Age Spain

By Laura Baisas

A louse on human hair under a microscope. Humans and lice have coevolved for thousands of years. The oldest human louse known to scientists is a 10,000 year-old specimen from Brazil.

What head lice can tell us about human migration What head lice can tell us about human migration

By Laura Baisas

Close-up of Roman follis coins found off Italian coast

Divers recovered a treasure trove of more than 30,000 ancient, bronze coins off the Italian coast Divers recovered a treasure trove of more than 30,000 ancient, bronze coins off the Italian coast

Ancient rock carvings that reappeared in the region of the Lajes Archaeological Site due to the severe drought affecting the region's rivers on the banks of the Negro River in Manaus, Brazil, on October 21, 2023. The carvings feature depictions of human faces.

Drought reveals ancient rock carvings of human faces in Brazil Drought reveals ancient rock carvings of human faces in Brazil

By Laura Baisas

An ancient brown skull with a metal arrowhead protruding from its side.

Why societies experience cycles of violence and peace Why societies experience cycles of violence and peace

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

Coral Beach on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, dotted with various types of seaweed.

Europeans ate a lot more seaweed 8,000 years ago Europeans ate a lot more seaweed 8,000 years ago

By Laura Baisas

Charred scroll from Herculaneum undergoing laser scan

AI revealed the colorful first word of an ancient scroll torched by Mount Vesuvius AI revealed the colorful first word of an ancient scroll torched by Mount Vesuvius

The cave lion remains from Siegsdorf, Germany are displayed alongside a reproduction of a wooden spear similar to those used by Neanderthals.

Neanderthals may have hunted mighty cave lions Neanderthals may have hunted mighty cave lions

By Laura Baisas

Sweet potato, brown eggs, and corn in a husk on a stove. Traces of sweet potato, peanut, chili peppers, papaya, and more were found in coprolite samples from Puerto Rico.

Mummified poop reveals a diverse ancient Caribbean diet Mummified poop reveals a diverse ancient Caribbean diet

By Laura Baisas

Human hand bones during an archaeological dig.

Sensitive to pain? It could be your Neanderthal gene variants. Sensitive to pain? It could be your Neanderthal gene variants.

By Laura Baisas

White Sands NPS staff excavating fossilized human footprints from lakebed

Do the ancient human footprints at White Sands date back to the last ice age? Do the ancient human footprints at White Sands date back to the last ice age?

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

A map of Britain in the late 13th century.

Grisly medieval murders detailed in new interactive maps Grisly medieval murders detailed in new interactive maps

By Laura Baisas

Otzi the Iceman remains laid out on a stretcher

‘Dark’ archaeologists scour melting ice for ancient artifacts ‘Dark’ archaeologists scour melting ice for ancient artifacts

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

A hyenea shows its jaws. Giant hyenas went extinct about 500,000 years ago, but were roughly 240 pounds and skilled scavengers like their modern counterparts.

How many ancient humans does it take to fight off a giant hyena? How many ancient humans does it take to fight off a giant hyena?

By Laura Baisas

Yellow pollen spring out from a coniferous tree. The pollen that makes us sneeze every spring, may have helped lay the groundwork for the migration of our very distant ancestors into Eurasia.

Pollen could hold clues to mysteries of early human migration Pollen could hold clues to mysteries of early human migration

By Laura Baisas

A view of the Cueva de los Marmoles entrance from the inside. Skeletal remains from at least 12 prehistoric individuals have been found inside.

Early humans carved old skeletal remains from burial caves into tools Early humans carved old skeletal remains from burial caves into tools

By Laura Baisas

An archeologist wearing gloves holes a wedge shaped piece of wood dating back to the Early Stone Age.

World’s oldest known wooden structure pre-dates our species World’s oldest known wooden structure pre-dates our species

By Laura Baisas

Stone Age animal engravings in Namibian caves guided Indigenous trackers over time

Stone Age animal engravings in Namibian caves guided Indigenous trackers over time Stone Age animal engravings in Namibian caves guided Indigenous trackers over time

By Laura Baisas

A worker uncovers a mummy belonging to the pre-Inca Ychsma culture buried in a shallow funeral chamber on an ancient sanctuary during an excavation in the Huaca Pucllana, in the heart of a residential area in the district of Miraflores in Lima, on September 5, 2023.

1,000-year-old mummy with full head of hair and intact jaw found in Peru 1,000-year-old mummy with full head of hair and intact jaw found in Peru

By Laura Baisas

Four skulls of human ancestors A. africanus, A. afarensis, H. erectus, H. neanderthalensis, and one modern human skull.

An ‘ancestral bottleneck’ took out nearly 99 percent of the human population 800,000 years ago An ‘ancestral bottleneck’ took out nearly 99 percent of the human population 800,000 years ago

By Laura Baisas

A stone jar against a yellow and orange desert background.

Ancient Egyptian mummy balm probably smelled delicious Ancient Egyptian mummy balm probably smelled delicious

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

A Late Bronze Age urn from Austria in roughly 1400-1300 BCE, containing cremated human remains. The urn is open on a table, with dusty pieces spilling out of it.

Cremated remains still hold clues to life and death in the Bronze Age Cremated remains still hold clues to life and death in the Bronze Age

By Laura Baisas

Part of the exposed Roman walls with the room layout already recognizable. The remains of the floor construction are still preserved in the foreground of the picture.

Remnants of an ancient Roman society found buried in the Alps Remnants of an ancient Roman society found buried in the Alps

By Laura Baisas

This Gua Sireh Cave art was drawn with charcoal on limestone save walls and is dated between 1670 to 1830 CE. Two geometric figures, with one prominently wielding a weapon are featured.

Newly dated cave art tells a dark story in Borneo’s history Newly dated cave art tells a dark story in Borneo’s history

By Laura Baisas

Plaster casts of the remains of Pompeii's victims. In the Nineteenth Century, archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli developed a technique using plaster to study the remains of the victims of Mount Vesuvius’ furious eruption.

Pompeii’s archaeological puzzles can be solved with a little help from chemistry Pompeii’s archaeological puzzles can be solved with a little help from chemistry

By Laura Baisas

The remains of a Bronze Age cauldron and an artistic reconstruction of what it may have looked like thousands of years ago.

Bronze Age cauldrons show we’ve always loved meat, dairy, and fancy cookware Bronze Age cauldrons show we’ve always loved meat, dairy, and fancy cookware

By Laura Baisas

Three human skulls sitting on a shelf. Cranial modification has been used for millennia to reshape the human skull.

Japan’s Hirota people intentionally reshaped their skulls more than 1,000 years ago Japan’s Hirota people intentionally reshaped their skulls more than 1,000 years ago

By Laura Baisas

Men pose outside of Michigan State University’s first observatory, circa 1888. The observatory is located behind where Willis House now stands on MSU’s campus, just south of Grand River and north of West Circle Drive in North Neighborhood.

Michigan State students help unearth a 19th-century space observatory on campus Michigan State students help unearth a 19th-century space observatory on campus

By Laura Baisas

Closeup photo of water pipe segments fitted together in situ at Pingliangtai.

Ceramic pipes kept this town from flooding during monsoons 4,000 years ago Ceramic pipes kept this town from flooding during monsoons 4,000 years ago

By Laura Baisas

Archaeologists dig in the dirt with a brush and scraper.

Mysterious skull points to a possible new branch on human family tree Mysterious skull points to a possible new branch on human family tree

By Laura Baisas

Bronze Age arrow made of meteoric iron

This archaic arrowhead might be made from iron that fell from space This archaic arrowhead might be made from iron that fell from space

By Sara Kiley Watson

The physical reconstruction of the necklace found in the Neolithic village of Ba’ja in Jordan. It has about 16 strands of beads that meet together in a circle with a gemstone in it and three other strands on top.

Ancient child’s grave holds intricate necklace with more than 2,000 stones Ancient child’s grave holds intricate necklace with more than 2,000 stones

By Laura Baisas

Colorful gemstones nearly arranged. Iron content correlates to the signature purple hue in amethysts and elements including chromium, vanadium, and copper also impact a gem’s color.

Gemstones carry the tale of their geographic origins Gemstones carry the tale of their geographic origins

By Laura Baisas

NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin walking across Tranquility Base with equipment after the Apollo 11 moon landing. Black and white photo.

Space junk is a precious treasure trove to some archaeologists Space junk is a precious treasure trove to some archaeologists

A mountain rises above the buildings of Machu Picchu. The former Inca royal estate stands at the meeting point between the Peruvian Andes and the Amazon Basin and is made up of close to 200 structures.

Machu Picchu was home to ancient people from all over South America Machu Picchu was home to ancient people from all over South America

By Laura Baisas

An aerial view of Mont Saint-Michel in northern France. The Paris Basin region is known for prehistoric funerary sites archaeologists use to study early neolithic settlements.

Scientists build intricate Neolithic family tree from 7,000-year-old DNA Scientists build intricate Neolithic family tree from 7,000-year-old DNA

By Laura Baisas

A group of colorful spices on a wooden table with a mortar and pestle.

Leftovers of a 2,000-year-old curry discovered on stone cooking tools Leftovers of a 2,000-year-old curry discovered on stone cooking tools

By Laura Baisas

An artistic reconstruction showing how this 300,000 year-old stick would have been thrown on a hunt. Two men stand in a shallow body of water, with one aiming the stick towards three birds.

A javelin-like stick shows early humans may have been keen woodworkers A javelin-like stick shows early humans may have been keen woodworkers

By Laura Baisas

A recreation drawing of “The Ivory Lady.” Her remains date back to the Copper Age and her individual burial and the treasures in her tomb indicate that she possibly held the highest status in her society. She is seated above other members who are attentively listening to her. She is also adorned in a red top with a headdress.

Treasures from the ‘Ivory Lady’ tomb reveal a Copper Age woman’s extraordinary power Treasures from the ‘Ivory Lady’ tomb reveal a Copper Age woman’s extraordinary power

By Laura Baisas

A painting of a group of prehistoric residents of Tabon Cave in the Philippines, featuring four individuals of varying ages, using fiber technology at Tabon Cave, 39 to 33,000 years ago. It was painted by Carole Chwval for the exhibition "Trajectories and Movements of the Philippine Identity," curated by Hermine Xhauflair and Eunice Averion.

Damage on 39,000-year-old tools may reveal a prehistoric ‘Age of Bamboo’ Damage on 39,000-year-old tools may reveal a prehistoric ‘Age of Bamboo’

By Laura Baisas

A fresco painted on a wall in the ancient city of Pompeii that depicts a focaccia with fruit and possibly pesto sauce on it. It is served on a silver tray and has a wine chalice next to it.

A fresco discovered in Pompeii looks like ancient pizza—but it’s likely focaccia A fresco discovered in Pompeii looks like ancient pizza—but it’s likely focaccia

By Laura Baisas

Close-up photos of three fossil animal specimens from the same area and time horizon as the fossil hominin tibia studied by the research team. These fossils show similar cut marks to those found on the hominin tibia studied. The photos show (a) an antelope mandible, (b) an antelope radius (lower front leg bone) and (c) a large mammal scapula (shoulder blade).

Cut-up prehistoric bone raises questions about early human cannibalism Cut-up prehistoric bone raises questions about early human cannibalism

By Laura Baisas

An aerial view of the excavation site in Tiel, Netherlands. The excavation of the 4,000 year old sanctuary began in 2017.

Newly discovered ‘Stonehenge of the Netherlands’ is 4,000 years old Newly discovered ‘Stonehenge of the Netherlands’ is 4,000 years old

By Laura Baisas

Examples of engravings discovered in the Roche-Cotard cave (Indre et Loire - France). On the left, the "circular panel" (ogive-shaped tracings) and on the right the "wavy panel" (two contiguous tracings forming sinuous lines).

Neanderthals were likely creating art 57,000 years ago Neanderthals were likely creating art 57,000 years ago

By Laura Baisas

An archaeologist uncovers a skull and bones. The Trumpington Cross was found during the excavation of the burial in 2012.

This 7th-century teen was buried with serious bling—and we now know what she may have looked like This 7th-century teen was buried with serious bling—and we now know what she may have looked like

By Laura Baisas

This ancient Egyptian vessel once held a hallucinogenic brew

This ancient Egyptian vessel once held a hallucinogenic brew This ancient Egyptian vessel once held a hallucinogenic brew

By Sara Kiley Watson

Lucy, our ancient human ancestor, was super buff

Lucy, our ancient human ancestor, was super buff Lucy, our ancient human ancestor, was super buff

By Sara Kiley Watson

Humans ventured through Asia’s forests much earlier than we thought

Humans ventured through Asia’s forests much earlier than we thought Humans ventured through Asia’s forests much earlier than we thought

By Sara Kiley Watson

Scientists use AI to help uncover elusive Nazca lines

Scientists use AI to help uncover elusive Nazca lines Scientists use AI to help uncover elusive Nazca lines

By Sara Kiley Watson

An entrance to the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star Cave system, part of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site near Johannesburg, South Africa. Newly found grave sites and wall engravings have led a team of archeologists to reevaluate the meaning-making capacity of an early human ancestor, Homo naledi.

Extinct human cousins may have beaten us to inventing burial rituals Extinct human cousins may have beaten us to inventing burial rituals

By Laura Baisas