Archaeology Archives - The Debrief

Mystery of Ancient “Wheel of Ghosts” Endures as New Research Casts Doubt on Megalith’s Celestial Alignments

Ryan Whalen·January 8, 2025

The mystery of the "Wheel of Ghosts" reopens as new data demonstrating the site's shifting geodynamics undermine its suspected use as an astronomical tool.

Artifacts on Mars Could Help Track Humanity’s Expansion into Space Similar to Earthly Archaeology, Researchers Say

Christopher Plain·December 30, 2024

Scientists say artifacts on Mars left behind by humanity should be tracked and preserved for future study just like heritage sites on Earth.

7500-year-old figurine with reptilian features

Archaeologists Discover Mysterious 7,500-Year-Old Head with Reptilian Features

Christopher Plain·December 12, 2024

A team of Kuwaiti and Polish archaeologists have discovered a mysterious 7500-year-old figurine with reptilian features.

Archaeologists Discover “Smoking Gun” Evidence of Earliest Human Companionship with Canines in the Americas

Ryan Whalen·December 11, 2024

Alaskan archaeological sites reveal the origins of human-canid friendship in the Americas began 2,000 years earlier than once thought.

35,000 Years Ago, Ancient Humans Entered a Deep Cavern to Worship this Enigmatic ‘Reptilian God’

Christopher Plain·December 10, 2024

An excavation of Manot Cave in Galilee, Israel, has discovered a turtle god totem worshipped in a deep, dark cavern over 35,000 years ago.

7,000-Year-Old Weapon Shows “Unprecedented Degree” of Precision and Technical Mastery

Christopher Plain·December 5, 2024

Analysis of a 7,000-year-old weapon kit discovered in a European cave has revealed an unprecedented degree of precision and technical mastery.

Oldest Firearm Ever Found in the U.S. Offers New Insights in Native American’s Resistance Against Spanish Conquistadors

Tim McMillan·November 29, 2024

Archaeologists have uncovered the oldest firearm ever found in the U.S. at the site of a major Native American battle.

Scientists Uncover the Terrifying Psychological Impact of the Mysterious Aztec Death Whistle

Tim McMillan·November 21, 2024

New research reveals that the sounds from the mysterious Aztec death whistle has an "aversive" and "scary" impact on the brain.

Oldest Alphabet Discovered in Ancient Syrian Tomb Redefines History of Writing

Chrissy Newton·November 21, 2024

A research team at Johns Hopkins University has discovered evidence of the world's oldest alphabetic writing, carved onto finger-length clay cylinders, outdating other scripts by 500 years.

12,000-Year-Old Stones May Be Earliest Evidence of This Transformative Technology

Christopher Plain·November 14, 2024

A new analysis of 12,000-year-old stones from Israel shows that they may be the earliest evidence of this society-changing technology.

Ancient Interactions with an Enigmatic “Lost” Species Profoundly Shaped Early Human History, New Data Reveals

Micah Hanks·November 12, 2024

New data is revealing deeper insights into how early humans interbred with Denisovans in several distinct events that significantly shaped our early history.

5,000-Year-Old Symbols Predating Recorded History Could Hold the Key to Decoding Undecipherable Ancient Texts

Christopher Plain·November 5, 2024

Scientists have started to decode mysterious symbols found on 5,000-year-old cylinder seals to trace the invention of writing.

Lidar Imagery Reveals More Than 6,500 Unexplored Ancient Mayan Settlements, Including Pyramids

Christopher Plain·October 29, 2024

Lidar scanning technology has revealed over 6,500 ancient Mayan settlements, including pyramids hidden by dense jungle forests.

An Ancient Norse Saga Could Hold the Key to Identifying the “Well-Man”

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·October 25, 2024

New research offers clues to the identity of the "Well-man," an enigmatic set of human remains that are described in an ancient Norse saga.

Archeologists Spar with Ancient Spears to Uncover Lost Combat Knowledge

Ryan Whalen·October 11, 2024

A team of archaeologists recently explored prehistoric combat to shed light on how ancient warriors of the European Bronze Age fought.

Ancient Underwater Caves Reveal Tantalizing Clues about Early Human Expansion

Christopher Plain·October 10, 2024

Researchers studying ancient underwater caves on the coast of Sicily say they've found tantalizing clues about the area's first inhabitants.

Shocking New Evidence Suggests Norse Hunters Met Indigenous North Americans 500 Years Before Columbus

Christopher Plain·September 27, 2024

Shocking genetic evidence from walrus tusks suggest that Norse hunters may have met indigenous North Americans centuries before Columbus.

New Research into Horseback Riding Complicates a 5,000-Year-Old Human Skeletal Mystery

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·September 27, 2024

Can horseback riding change the very structure of your skeleton? New research seems to complicate our understanding of how horses impacted early human skeletons.

Look: Over 300 New ‘Nazca Lines’ Geoglyphs Have Been Revealed by AI

Christopher Plain·September 23, 2024

A team of archaeologists using advanced AI software have identified over 300 previously identified Nazca Lines geoglyphs.

New Insights Challenge Idea of Violent Conflict in Iberia During Transition from Copper to Bronze Age

Ryan Whalen·September 20, 2024

New findings propose a less violent explanation for the rapid demographic changes in southern Spain between the Copper and Bronze Ages than previously thought.

Easter Island Mystery Debunked: New Study Disputes “Ecocide” Theory and Island’s Supposed Dark Past

Tim McMillan·September 17, 2024

New genetic research helps debunk a popular theory about Easter Island and the mysterious decline of its indigenous population.

New Research Reveals Fear’s Hidden Role in Shaping Early Civilizations

Ryan Whalen·August 30, 2024

Fear may have more significantly influenced the development of early civilizations than previously known, new research shows.

4,000 Years before Euclid, Neolithic Builders Likely Understood Geometry and other “Early Science” Concepts

Christopher Plain·August 24, 2024

A new analysis of the ancient Neolithic site Menga reveals its builders likely understood early science concepts like geometry.

Mystery of Göbekli Tepe Deepens as Scientists Search for Clues to Ancient Site’s Strange Symbols

Micah Hanks·August 23, 2024

A controversial new paper says Göbekli Tepe may be the world's oldest calendar, reigniting debate over the 11,500-year-old megalithic site.

50,000-Year-Old Tree Resin Revealing ‘Sophisticated Technological Processes’ Could Rewrite History of Ancient Human Expansion

Christopher Plain·August 21, 2024

A 50-thousand-year-old tree resin sample reveals ancient humans colonized the Pacific Ocean thousands of years earlier than previously shown.

5,000 Years Ago, ‘Advanced Transport Methods’ Were Used to Move Massive Altar Stone at the Center of Stonehenge

Christopher Plain·August 14, 2024

New research suggests that the Altar Stone at the Center of the Stonehenge monument likely came from hundreds of kilometers away.

Compelling Theory Suggests Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Builders Used This Technology to Lift Massive Stones

Christopher Plain·August 7, 2024

Ancient Egyptian pyramid builders may have used hydraulic technology to move the massive stones used in the monuments' construction.

42,000 Years Ago, Ancient Humans Used ‘Advanced Technology’ to Traverse Oceans and Colonize Remote Islands

Christopher Plain·August 5, 2024

New discoveries on the remote Tanimbar Islands reveal ancient seafaring humans used advanced maritime technologies over 42,000 years ago.

New Clues to 3,500-Year-Old “Screaming Woman” Mummy Mystery Unearthed by Scientists

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·August 5, 2024

Scientists are searching for answers to what caused the mysterious death of an Egyptian mummy known as the "Screaming Woman" nearly 3,500 years ago.

Scientists Have Located ‘Hidden Elements’ Recovered from Early Astronomer Tycho Brahe’s Alchemy Laboratory

Ryan Whalen·July 27, 2024

Recent discoveries are shedding light on the ingredients used by early astronomer and alchemist Tycho Brahe in his experiments.

51,200-Year-Old Cave Art, Likely the World’s Oldest, May Not Have Been Made by Modern Humans

Micah Hanks·July 27, 2024

New evidence suggests cave art on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, believed to be the world’s oldest, dates to an astonishing 51,200 years ago.

Evidence of Ancient Human Interactions with Intelligent “Lost” Species Offers Clues to Their Mysterious Disappearance

Micah Hanks·July 15, 2024

New research is revealing insights into the genetics of modern humans, while offering clues to the mysterious disappearance of the Neanderthals.

A collage of the Lithouva grape fossil, the oldest grape species in the western hemisphere.

These Ancient Fossils Are Revealing New Clues to Post-Dinosaur Plant Evolution

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·July 5, 2024

New research is revealing how the extinction of the dinosaurs helped shaped the evolution of ancient grape species.

Secrets of 2000-Year-Old Analog Computer Revealed with Help from Gravitational Wave Technology

Micah Hanks·June 28, 2024

New insights into function of the famous Antikythera mechanism have been made with help from technology developed for the study of gravitational waves.

2,000-Year-Old Wine Unearthed in Ancient Tomb Sheds Light on Mysterious Roman Burial Rituals

Tim McMillan·June 25, 2024

World's oldest wine discovered in a 2,000-year-old Roman tomb in Carmona, Spain, revealing Rome's funerary practices and wine culture.

2,500-Year-Old Graffiti Points to Existence of a Lost Ancient Greek Temple

MJ Banias·June 20, 2024

Researchers have uncovered unique graffiti that may indicate there once stood a massive Greek temple since been lost to history.

600,000 Years Ago, A Transfer of Ancient Knowledge Kicked Off a Sudden and Rapid Advance in Technology

Christopher Plain·June 19, 2024

An analysis of artifacts from over 57 sites around the world reveals a sudden and rapid advance in technology 600,000 years ago.

The Language On This 1,000 Year Old Stone is a “Glyph Breaker’s Nightmare.” Scientists Want to Use AI to Crack It.

MJ Banias·June 14, 2024

The Singapore Stone has stood as one of Southeast Asia's most enigmatic artifacts. Now, researchers want to use AI to decode its mysterious symbols.

Missing Wreckage of Explorer Ernest Shackleton’s Final Ship Has Been Located

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·June 14, 2024

Explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship Quest, which he used to make his last voyage, has now been discovered off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

Analysis of 4,000-Year-Old Egyptian Skull Reveals Something ‘Extraordinary’ That Leaves Researchers ‘Stunned’

Christopher Plain·May 30, 2024

Scientists studying a 4,000-year-old Egyptian skull say they were left 'stunned' when they found something 'extraordinary.'

7000-Year-Old Evidence of a Mysterious Cosmic Event is Helping Reveal the Secrets of an Ancient European Settlement

Micah Hanks·May 22, 2024

Data from an ancient cosmic event has helped researchers accurately date a prehistoric settlement in northern Greece.

This Long Lost Waterway May Hold the Secrets to How the Pyramids Were Built

MJ Banias·May 16, 2024

New research sheds light as to how the pyramids were built, but also why they rest in the middle of a barren desert.

Archaeologists Unearth New Clues That Could Help Solve Centuries-Old “Lost Colony” Mystery

Micah Hanks·May 14, 2024

New evidence uncovered by archaeologists is bringing researchers closer than ever to revealing the fate of the famous Lost Colony of Roanoke.

1600-Year-Old Stone Inscribed in Mysterious Ancient Language Unearthed in Accidental Discovery

Micah Hanks·May 10, 2024

A peculiar stone inscribed with a mysterious ancient language is revealing new insights to the ancient history of the British Isles.

Deep Within These Ancient Lava Tube Caves, Archaeologists Have Made an Unprecedented Discovery

Micah Hanks·May 8, 2024

Archaeologists say remarkable archaeological discoveries are being unearthed deep within ancient lava tube caves in northern Saudi Arabia.

75,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Woman’s Facial Reconstruciton Sheds New Light on Our Archaic Human Ancestors

Chrissy Newton·May 3, 2024

Archaeologists from The University of Cambridge have unveiled the reconstructed face of a 75,000-year-old Neanderthal woman.

Mysterious Roman Dodecahedrons Have Baffled Researchers for Centuries. These Theories Could Help Solve the Mystery.

Micah Hanks·May 1, 2024

The mysterious Roman dodecahedrons have baffled researchers for centuries. Now, recent discoveries could be moving archaeologists closer to unraveling their mystery.