Archaeology

Stonehenge Mystery: Enigmatic ‘Newall Boulder’ Wasn’t Moved by Glaciers After All—Its True Origins Are Even More Striking

Micah Hanks·July 23, 2025

A discovery from England’s famous Stonehenge has now been traced to a surprising source, which upends past thinking on its origins.

Shrouded in Mystery, Ancient Rock Carvings Offer New Insights into Egypt’s Enigmatic First Dynasty

Ryan Whalen·July 17, 2025

A piece of ancient Egyptian petroglyph dating back to the First Dynasty offers new insights into the origins of the state.

New DNA Evidence Suggests First Australians May Have Arrived Later Than Previously Thought

Tim McMillan·July 15, 2025

New study uses DNA evidence to challenge claims that humans arrived in Sahul 65,000 years ago, pointing to a later migration instead.

12,000 Years of Mongolian Rock Art Reveal Iconic Creature’s Puzzling Transformation into a Mythic Beast—Now We Understand Why

Tim McMillan·July 14, 2025

Ancient Mongolian rock art reveals how cultural symbolism evolved with climate and society over millennia.

“There is Something Very Different Going on Here”: Archaeologists Keep Finding Gigantic Shoes at This 2000-Year-Old Roman Site

Micah Hanks·July 13, 2025

Recent excavations at an ancient Roman site in England have unearthed gigantic shoes that may be among the largest ever found.

Discovery of Wooden Pleistocene Tools Demonstrates Earliest Recorded Complex Technology in East Asia

Ryan Whalen·July 4, 2025

Pleistocene tools uncovered from the Gantangqing site in China are the oldest complex wooden technology ever discovered in East Asia.

Researchers Have Cracked the 4,500-Year-Old Genome of a Mummy From Egypt’s First Pyramid Age

Ryan Whalen·July 2, 2025

An Egyptian genome has finally been unraveled, thanks to a sample from an at least 4,500 year-old mummy dating back to the pyramids.

Archaeologists Throw Cold Water on Media Claims of Neolithic Irish God-Kings

Ryan Whalen·June 27, 2025

Reports of Neolithic Irish god-kings are lacking in evidence, say researchers questioning earlier assertions.

Mysterious Stone Covered in Ancient Nordic Runes Unearthed in Northern Ontario Perplexes Archaeologists

Chrissy Newton·June 25, 2025

A mysterious stone slab engraved with Nordic runes has been discovered deep in the Canadian wilderness, puzzling archaeologists. 

Scientists Discover Ancient Temple From ‘Lost Civilization’ That Mysteriously Disappeared Over 1,000 Years Ago

Christopher Plain·June 25, 2025

Scientists have discovered the temple of a mysterious lost civilization in the Bolivian Andes that suddenly disappeared over 1,000 years ago.

Artifacts Discovered in 20,000-Year-Old Ice Age ‘Ice Cave’ Could Rewrite Human History

Christopher Plain·June 21, 2025

Artifacts found in a 20,000-year-old ice age 'ice cave' in Australia's remote Blue Mountains named Dargan Shelter could rewrite human history

Study Confirms Controversial 23,000-Year-Old Human Footprints, Challenging Past Views on Peopling of the Americas

Christopher Plain·June 18, 2025

New radiocarbon dating of ancient mud samples confirm the controversial dating of 23,000-year-old footprints in White Sands, New Mexico.

Researchers Reveal the Surprising Reason Ancient Humans May Have Engaged in Early Fire Use

Ryan Whalen·June 9, 2025

New findings suggest ancient humans in the Near East used fire to smoke meat, rather than cook it, preserving and protecting it from animals.

Scientists Using LIDAR to ‘See’ Through the Dense Forest Canopy Make a Surprising 1,000-Year-Old Discovery

Christopher Plain·June 7, 2025

Dartmouth scientists using LIDAR-equipped drones to peer through Michigan's dense forest canopy have made a shocking 1,000-year-old discovery.

Dead Sea Scrolls Could Be Older Than Expected, New AI Model Reveals

Ryan Whalen·June 5, 2025

A new AI model has revolutionized the dating of the Dead Sea Scrolls, revealing they may be older than previously thought.

5,000-Year-Old Missing Formula for ‘Egyptian Blue’ Reveals Unusual Optical, Magnetic, and Biological Properties

Christopher Plain·June 3, 2025

Scientists recreating the lost formula for 5,000-year-old Egyptian Blue affirm its unusual optical, magnetic, and biological properties.

Secrets of a Lost Empire’s Mysterious 200-Mile “Gobi Wall” Finally Revealed

Tim McMillan·May 28, 2025

New research reveals the Gobi Wall was more than a medieval defense—uncovering its role as a strategic tool of control for the Xi Xia Empire.

Scientists Are Decoding a Mysterious Form of Writing From the Ancient Inca Empire—Here’s What It Reveals

Micah Hanks·May 26, 2025

Researchers studying an ancient form of string-writing used in pre-Columbian South America have unraveled new clues to a longstanding mystery. 

Discovery of Ancient Lost Settlement on Scotland’s Isle of Skye Rewrites Early Human History

Tim McMillan·May 13, 2025

Archaeologists uncover ancient settlement on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, revealing early human survival and resilience in extreme environments.

Archaeologists Unearth 2000-Year-Old Evidence of Psychedelic Use by This Enigmatic Ancient Culture

Ryan Whalen·May 5, 2025

Hallucinogens proved to be one of the most powerful tools of Peru's ancient Chavín Phenomenon society for maintaining hierarchy.

2000-Year-Old Herculaneum Scrolls Scorched by Mount Vesuvius Are Being Digitally “Unrolled” with AI and X-Rays

Ryan Whalen·April 25, 2025

The ancient Herculaneum scrolls' long lost writings, charred and buried during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, are finally coming to light.

Is This the Tomb of Jesus? A 2000-Year-Old Site Beneath Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre Reveals Its Ancient Secrets

Micah Hanks·April 19, 2025

Archaeologists say new findings from one of Christianity’s holiest sites align with descriptions in the Gospels long associated with the tomb of Jesus.

Previously Unknown Ancient Human Lineage Discovered in Libyan Rock Shelter

Ryan Whalen·April 10, 2025

Homo sapiens migrated out of Africa roughly 50,000 years ago, but scientists have now discovered that some chose to remain behind.

Altar of the Storm God: Archaeologists Unearth New Evidence of an Ancient Mayan Tale of Conquest

Ryan Whalen·April 8, 2025

An ancient Mayan altar in Tikal, a 2,400-year-old city in Guatemala, evidences a quasi-imperial control system before the Spanish arrival.

Who Was Entombed in the Pyramids? Surprising New Burial Discoveries Challenge Past Narratives

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·March 24, 2025

Researchers have located laborers beneath a pyramid in Tombos, Sudan, revealing burial was more inclusive in ancient Egypt than expected..

8,000 Years Ago, Neolithic Europeans Crossed the Mediterranean to Settle in Africa According to New DNA Evidence

Ryan Whalen·March 18, 2025

European Neolithic hunter-gatherer groups traveled the sea to make their home in Africa, according to a new archaeological discovery.

Breakthrough Radiocarbon Analysis Sheds Light on Mysterious Human-Neanderthal Hybrid Remains

Christopher Plain·March 12, 2025

Scientists have successfully dated the remains of the Lapedo Child, which possesses a "mosaic" of Human and Neanderthal features.

Ancient Ritual Sacrifice? Archaeologists are Unraveling the Enigma of an Ancient Ecuadorian Burial

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·March 10, 2025

Researchers have discovered the remains of an ancient Ecuadorian woman who may have been involved in ritual sacrifice.

1.5-Million-Year-Old “Factory” for Bone Tool Production Reveals Unexpected Cognitive Leap in Early Humans

Ryan Whalen·March 5, 2025

A prehistoric "factory" discovered in Tanzania pushes human ancestor bone tool-making back by over a million years from earlier estimates. 

Study Yields New Evidence of Advanced Technology Use Over 40,000 Years Ago

Christopher Plain·March 4, 2025

An analysis of artifacts from the Islands of Southeast Asia has revealed the use of advanced technology millennia before previously believed.

2,700-Year-Old Meteorite Jewelry Unearthed in Poland Reveals Ancient Connection to the Cosmos

Chrissy Newton·March 3, 2025

New research has revealed artifacts recovered from ancient Polish burial sites included pieces forged from rare extraterrestrial iron.

Mind-Shattering Discovery Reveals How a Human Brain Turned to Glass in the Ancient Eruption of Mount Vesuvius

Ryan Whalen·February 27, 2025

An individual who perished in the Mount Vesuvius eruption of 79 CE had his brain turned to glass under a unique set of conditions. 

22,000-Year-Old Evidence of Transport Technology Reshapes Our Understanding of the Ancient Americas

Ryan Whalen·February 25, 2025

Archeologists say they have discovered evidence of 22,000-year-old transport technology used in the ancient Americas.

Lost for 3,500 Years, Archaeologists Unearth Long-Missing Tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose II

Ryan Whalen·February 24, 2025

A Pharaoh's tomb belonging to Thutmose II, lost in the depths of the Western Valleys of the Theban Necropolis, has been discovered.

“The Devils Money”: Archaeologists Uncover a Horde of Gold and Jewelry at Mysterious Early Medieval Cult Site

Tim McMillan·February 14, 2025

Archaeologists have uncovered an early medieval cult site in the Netherlands, that features hordes of gold and jewelry.

Haunting European Cave Discovery Suggests Ice Age Hunters Practiced “Violent” Warfare Cannibalism

Christopher Plain·February 13, 2025

Evidence from an 18,000-year-old cave in modern day Poland has revealed that Ice Age people may have practiced violent warfare cannibalism.

Bone Powder Unearthed in Ancient Vessels Reveals New Clues About a Mysterious Early Chinese Culture

Ryan Whalen·February 1, 2025

New research has revealed bone powder was a crucial substance as ancient China's Peiligang culture emerged from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle.

Romanian Fossil Discovery Pushes Earliest Known Hominin Presence in Europe Back to 1.95 Million Years

Tim McMillan·January 23, 2025

Scientists have uncovered evidence showing a hominin presence in Europe, half-a-million years earlier than previously thought.

Archaeologists Say New DNA Evidence Unveils an Iron Age Matriarchal Mystery

Chrissy Newton·January 20, 2025

New compelling DNA evidence suggests Iron Age Britain may have been more matriarchal than previously thought. 

1200-Year-Old Tattoo Discovery Sheds New Light on Mysterious Pre-Columbian Culture

Chrissy Newton·January 13, 2025

Scientists have revealed tattoo body art covering the 1,200-year-old mummified remains of an individual from Peru’s Chancay culture.

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.

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.