anthropology

Mississippi State University anthropologist Anna Osterholtz contributed to a study in Cell, providing key data from ancient Roman burial sites. The research, involving a multidisciplinary team, analyzed genomic data from the Balkan region, uncovering significant demographic shifts and the influx of Slavic-speaking populations during the Migration Period.A new study reveals major demographic changes in the Balkan region during the first millennium, including the migration of Slavic-speaking populations after the fall of…

Skull of an individual of East African ancestral origin found in Viminacium, with the oil lamp featuring an eagle found in his tomb. Credit: Miodrag (Mike) GrbicA study exploring the Balkans’ genomic history reveals profound Anatolian and Slavic demographic influences during the first millennium, reshaping our understanding of the region’s past through a blend of archaeogenetics and historical data.A multidisciplinary study has reconstructed the genomic history of the Balkan Peninsula during the first millennium of the…

Homo erectus – which this skull belonged to – was the first hominin species to leave Africa, around 2.1 million years ago. New research shows that when Homo erectus migrated from Africa the climate was wetter and more vegetated in the northeastern part of the continent than it is today. Climate cycles coincided to create a green corridor that our early ancestors probably took advantage of in their migration. Credit: Mizmareck / FlickrA green corridor through the Sahara emerged precisely during the period when our earliest…

Recent research has uncovered a link between Neanderthal genetics and the tendency for some modern humans to be early risers. This study traces back to the interbreeding of modern humans with Neanderthals in Eurasia, suggesting that genetic variants from Neanderthals have influenced the circadian rhythms of their modern human descendants. Credit: SciTechDaily.comA new paper in the journal Genome Biology and Evolution, published by Oxford University Press, finds that genetic material from Neanderthal ancestors may have…

An international research team has uncovered the complex genomic history of the Balkan Peninsula during the Roman era and beyond, revealing a mix of Anatolian and Slavic influences. The study, combining ancient DNA analysis with historical and archaeological data, shows how migrations and the Roman Empire’s policies have shaped the genetic makeup of modern Balkan populations. Credit: SciTechDaily.comA multidisciplinary study reveals the Balkan Peninsula’s genomic history, highlighting the profound impact of Anatolian and…

New research reveals that prehistoric women were not only involved in hunting but may have been physiologically better suited for it. This research, based on physiological studies and archaeological evidence, underscores the endurance capabilities of women and the lack of a strict division of labor in early societies. The study emphasizes the need to reevaluate long-standing biases about female capabilities.When Cara Ocobock was a young child, she often wondered at the images in movies, books, comics, and cartoons…

Static skull, mandible, and parietal orthographic. Credit: Tel Aviv UniversityThe Nesher Ramla Homo, an archaic hominin group found in Israel, reveals a complex intermingling of Eurasian and African hominins 140,000 years ago, altering perceptions of Neanderthal origins.Researchers have uncovered a previously unknown population of archaic hominins, named “Nesher Ramla Homo,” at a recently excavated site in Israel. Dating back approximately 140,000 to 120,000 years ago, this group appears to represent the last survivors of…

Portrait of Ramses II in Nakhtamun tomb, Chief of the Altar in the Ramesseum (tomb TT 341, possibly 20th Dynasty, circa 1100 B.C.). Credit: Martinez et al., CC-BY 4.0A groundbreaking study using portable chemical imaging has revealed hidden alterations in ancient Egyptian paintings, suggesting deeper historical and symbolic layers in these artworks.Portable chemical imaging technology can reveal hidden details in ancient Egyptian paintings, according to a study published recently in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by…

New findings suggest early humans arrived in North America earlier than 13,000 years ago, possibly using a “sea ice highway” along the Pacific Coast. This theory, supported by paleoclimate data, challenges traditional migration theories and underscores the adaptability of early humans. Credit: SciTechDaily.comNew research suggests some early Americans may have traveled on winter sea ice down the coast from Beringia as long as 24,000 years ago.One of the hottest debates in archeology is how and when humans first arrived in…

Maya vessel (c. 700-800 CE) from Guatemala depicting a king sitting on a throne wearing a water lily headdress. Water lilies (Nymphaea ampla) on reservoir surfaces indicated clean water and symbolized Classic Maya kingship (c. 250-900 CE). Credit: Courtesy the Boston Museum of Fine ArtsAccording to a new paper, ancient Maya reservoirs, which used aquatic plants to filter and clean the water, “can serve as archetypes for natural, sustainable water systems to address future water needs.”The Maya built and maintained…