70,000-Year-Old Crayons: New Evidence Shows Ancient Neanderthals Created Artistic Tools
70,000 years ago, Neanderthals living in Ukraine’s Crimea region deliberately shaped ochre into crayon-like tools for making marks and designs.
Archaeology
“Monster of the Earth”: Archaeologists Uncover Ceremonial Marker Revealing Royal Power at Maya Site
Archaeologists have made a discovery offering new insights into the political power and religious symbolism of the Maya Late Classic period.
4000-Year-Old Labyrinth Discovery, Dubbed “One of the Most Important Archaeological Finds” of the Century, Brings New Life to the “Myth of the Labyrinth”
A remarkable discovery in Crete has reinvigorated debate over the origins behind the ancient Greek myth of the labyrinth.
In Ancient Sumer, This Force of Nature May Have Propelled the First Urban Revolution, a Surprise Discovery Reveals
New research reveals Sumer’s cities may have risen with the tides, rewriting the origin story of the world’s first civilization.
Ancient Mayan Astronomers Perfected a 700-Year System for Eclipse Prediction, New Study Reveals
New research reveals how Mayan astronomers built a precise eclipse prediction system using complex lunar mathematics.
“This Marks a Paradigm Shift”: Study Finds ‘Technological Fingerprint’ Proving First Americans Arrived Over 20,000 Years Ago
New analysis of ancient artifacts reveal evidence that the First Americans arrived from East Asia by traveling along the coast more than 20,000 years ago.
The Rise and Mysterious Fall of Cahokia: Researchers Unearth New Secrets of America’s Greatest ‘Lost’ Ancient Megacity
Analysis of a massive wooden monument has uncovered new secrets of Cahokia, America’s greatest lost civilization.
Massive Lost Prehistoric Stone Megastructures Discovered in Europe’s Adriatic Hinterland
Archaeologists uncover prehistoric Megastructures in Slovenia’s Karst Plateau, revealing previously unknown ancient European ingenuity.
5,500-Year-Old Cult Shrine Unearthed in Jordan Reveals Evidence of Crisis, Social Collapse in the Bronze Age
Discoveries at an ancient cult shrine in Jordan have revealed new evidence of how ancient people responded to crisis during the Bronze Age.
Study Confirms Theory Easter Island’s Iconic Moai Statues ‘Walked’ Into Place
Real-world experiments and computer simulations support the controversial idea that the Moai statues on Rapa Nui were walked into place.
Ancient Inhabitants of Teotihuacan May Have Left Clues Explaining Their Mysterious Disappearance
Scientists believe signs of an ancient hidden language may explain the mysterious disappearance of the people who built Teotihuacan.
Archaeologists Say Karnak Temple’s Builders Modified the Nile Landscape for Religious Symbolism
An analysis of the ancient Egyptian temple of Karnak suggests the site was selected and its terrain altered to honor the creation mythology.
“These Large Engravings Are Not Just Rock Art”: Mysterious 12,000-Year-Old Pictographs Uncovered in the Arabian Desert
An international team of archaeologists has discovered several mysterious, 12,000-year-old rock art "road signs" in the Arabian desert.
5000-Year-Old Spanish Tomb Discovery Reveals the Surprisingly Connected World of Ancient Southwestern Europe
A 5,000-year-old Spanish tomb is offering researchers new insights into the lives of ancient people through the study of their death rituals.
3,000-Year-Old Discovery Reveals Surprising Clues to What May Have Accidentally Sparked the Dawn of the Iron Age
Ancient copper smelters in Georgia may have accidentally paved the way for the Iron Age, providing new insights into human innovation.
This Unusual 4000-Year-Old Statue is Challenging Our Ideas on Ancient Egyptian Traditions
Archaeologists have unearthed a 4,000-year-old limestone Egyptian statue that's unlike any previously discovered.
12,000-Year-Old Evidence Reveals Smoke-Drying Mummies Preceded Egypt’s Pyramids
A new study suggests that the people of ancient southern China and Southeast Asia practiced mummification by curing bodies over low, smoky fires.
Mysterious Figurines from Sardinia’s Bronze Age Reveal an Unexpected Discovery About the Ancient World
Mysterious Bronze Age figures produced by Sardinia’s Nuraghe culture have finally had their material origins revealed.
Armenia’s Mysterious “Dragon Stones” May Point to Evidence of an Ancient Water Cult, New Study Finds
The mysterious "dragon stones” of Armenia may finally be understood as monuments venerated by ancient water cults, according to new research.
Archaeologists Have Unearthed an Ancient Site in Turkey That May Predate the Famous Temple Site of Göbekli Tepe
Mendik Tepe, a Neolithic site recently unearthed by archaeologists in Turkey, could potentially predate the famous temple site of Göbekli Tepe.
Walking Across Water? New Evidence Reveals Ancient Humans Moved from Turkey to Europe on Foot
131 relics discovered between Turkey and Europe suggest ancient humans traversed a currently submerged land bridge during the last Ice Age.
Mystery of ‘Homo Naledi,’ an Ancient Human Species Who Buried Their Dead, Deepens with New Burial Discovery
Homo Naledi, an extinct species of small-bodied hominins, may have intentionally buried their dead over 240,000 years ago.
Ancient Medicine or Something Else? Archaeologists Discover 34,000 Year Old Indigo Dye on Paleolithic Tools
Archaeologists have uncovered a 34,000-year-old mystery that's rewriting our understanding of early human behavior, and our use of indigo.
Evidence of 9000-Year-Old “House of the Dead” Unearthed at Neolithic City of Çatalhöyük, Archaeologists Say
Archaeologists excavating a Neolithic site in central Turkey believe that they have uncovered a “House of the Dead” containing human remains.
Burial Pits in France Reveal Grisly Evidence of Brutality During Warfare and Captivity in Neolithic Europe
Archaeologists in France have uncovered Neolithic burial pits, offering rare evidence of early organized violence in Europe.
New Clues to the Mysterious Fall of the Mayan Civilization Have Been Unearthed Deep Within a Yucatán Cave
New insights into factors believed to have contributed to the collapse of the Mayan civilization have been unearthed in a Mexican cave.
“Their Identity Remains a Mystery”: Archaeologists Unearth Evidence of Mysterious Ancient Humans on “Hobbit’s” Neighbor Island
Archaeologists don't know who made one-million-year-old stone tools recently found on Sulawesi Island near the home of the "Hobbits."
Meet Aeneas, the AI Archaeologist That Can Date and Decode Ancient Latin Inscriptions—But Don’t Fire Historians Yet
A new AI model, Aeneas, can not only estimate origins and dates for ancient Latin texts, but accurately restore lost words say developers.
Stonehenge Mystery: Enigmatic ‘Newall Boulder’ Wasn’t Moved by Glaciers After All—Its True Origins Are Even More Striking
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Archaeologists say new findings from one of Christianity’s holiest sites align with descriptions in the Gospels long associated with the tomb of Jesus.