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.
Archaeology
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.
Previously Unknown Ancient Human Lineage Discovered in Libyan Rock Shelter
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Scientists say artifacts on Mars left behind by humanity should be tracked and preserved for future study just like heritage sites on Earth.