archaeology

Scientists have uncovered a 2500-year-old network of pre-Hispanic urban centers in the Upper Amazon, featuring extensive platforms, plazas, and roads. This discovery, which parallels Maya urban systems, highlights the Amazon’s rich cultural and environmental legacy, urging a reevaluation of our understanding of Amazonian history.A team of researchers has unearthed what appears to be a lost valley of cities, a discovery that is nothing short of incredible.A new study has revealed the discovery of an extensive network of…

Stone tools from the LRJ at Ranis. 1) partial bifacial blade point characteristic of the LRJ; 2) at Ranis the LRJ also contains finely made bifacial leaf points. Credit: Josephine Schubert, Museum Burg RanisThe arrival of Homo sapiens in cold northern latitudes took place several thousand years before Neanderthals disappeared in southwest Europe.The three published studies describe the Homo sapiens fossils from Ilsenhöhle at Ranis and their associated context (Mylopotamitaki et al.), the diet and lifeways of these first…

The archaeological excavation in Tiarp in the summer of 2023 was carried out jointly by Gothenburg and Kiel Universities. From left: Julia Dietrich, Ann-Katrin Klein, Malou Blank and Karl-Göran Sjögren. Credit: Cecilia SjöbergArchaeologists in Sweden have uncovered a grave in Tiarp, dating back to 3500 BCE, notable for missing skulls and large bones. The grave contains remains from at least twelve individuals, and ongoing DNA research seeks to unravel their familial and health histories.The first analysis results now…

As sea levels rose, researchers believe the landscape changed from semi-arid to coastal and finally the present-day floodplain. Credit: Dr Jarrad Kowlessar, Flinders University.New research revealed that the selection of internationally significant rock art sites in Arnhem Land was not random. Instead, these sites were “chosen” for the crucial vantage points they offered.The Flinders University research team, working in collaboration with the Njanjma Rangers and Erre Traditional Owners, used aerial and drone surveys,…

During lower sea levels a vast archipelago formed on the Australian northwest continental shelf (top). A modern-day example of an archipelago on a submerged continental shelf is the Åland Islands near Finland (bottom). Credit: US Geological Survey, Geoscience AustraliaA team of archaeologists and earth scientists have recently unveiled insights into the ancient terrains of Sahul, the landmass that during the Ice Age included Australia and New Guinea. Their research, which was published in Quaternary Science Reviews,…

Excavated building with a semi-circular interior stone wall, speaker placed at the focal point of the curve. Credit: Pamela JordanExploring the movement of sound within archaeological sites can provide valuable clues about the structure and organization of ancient societies.Until recently, archaeologists depended primarily on visual observations at ancient ruin sites to uncover historical secrets. However, recent advancements have introduced novel techniques, enabling researchers to employ various senses for a more…

Researchers traced a woolly mammoth’s movements using isotope profiling, linking it to human settlements 14,000 years ago. The study revealed the mammoth’s extensive travel and interactions with early humans in Alaska, offering insights into ancient human-mammoth relationships and the broader impacts of climate change and human activity on large mammals. Credit: SciTechDaily.comAn international study used isotope profiling to connect a woolly mammoth’s movements to early human settlements, uncovering insights into…

The study has recently been published in the journal PNAS. The researchers closely examined the bones of elephants that are approximately 125,000 years old and that were discovered in Gröbern in Saxony-Anhalt and Taubach in Thuringia, Germany, decades ago. They were able to identify cut marks made by stone tools used by the Neanderthals that indicate that the animals must have been hunted before they were extensively butchered.The pelvic bone of a Palaeoloxodon antiquus found in Gröbern. Credit: Lutz Kindler, LEIZAIt was…

This LIDAR image provided by researchers in January 2024 shows complexes of rectangular platforms arranged around low squares and distributed along wide dug streets at the Kunguints site, Upano Valley in Ecuador. Archaeologists have uncovered a cluster of lost cities in the Amazon rainforest that was home to at least 10,000 farmers around 2,000 years ago, according to a paper published Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, in the journal Science. Credit: Antoine…

Israeli researchers have revolutionized archaeology with a new method for analyzing burnt materials, confirming the Biblical account of Gath’s destruction and providing new insights into ancient building technologies. This image shows one of the studied burnt mudbricks. Credit: Dr. Yoav VakninNew technology interprets archaeological findings from Biblical times.The new study scientifically corroborates an event described in the Second Book of Kings – the conquest of the Philistine city of Gath by Hazael King of Aram.The…