Researchers analyze fossil teeth from Timor and Alor islands to study ecological adaptations of earliest Homo sapiens. The study shows that humans relied on coastal resources initially, but then adapted to tropical forest environments around 20,000 years ago.
A study has tracked the shift from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to early farming in prehistoric Europe. Dairy products were found in 80% of pottery fragments from the Atlantic coast of Britain and Ireland.
Researchers discovered the walls and artifacts of Fort San Antón de Carlos, a Spanish fort built in 1566 on present-day Mound Key. The fort is an early example of tabby architecture and confirms the location of the Calusa capital.
Researchers analyzed ancient pottery fragments from 61 sites in the Baltic region, revealing distinct food preferences and culinary practices among different groups. The study found evidence of dairy products in some vessels, suggesting cultural fusion with early farmers.
Researchers in Papua New Guinea have found evidence of early agriculture and trade routes dating back to 5050-4200 years ago. This discovery challenges previous assumptions of the Neolithic period and sheds light on the development of cultural diversity in the region.
Researchers discovered evidence of milk processing in ancient pottery from east Africa, confirming the story that bones have been telling us about pastoralist societies' way of life. The findings suggest that herders who specialized in cattle were drinking milk and survived better due to lactase persistence.
A six-millimetre-long cord fragment discovered in Abri du Maras, France, dates back to between 41,000-52,000 years ago and features a three-ply cord made from natural fibres. The discovery suggests that Neanderthals may have possessed advanced cognitive abilities, including mathematical concepts and basic numeracy skills.
Researchers discovered evidence of cord making on a flint fragment from Abri du Maras in France, dating back 40,000 years. The remains showed twisted fibres made of cellulose, likely from coniferous trees, highlighting the cognitive abilities and knowledge of Neanderthals.
A new method of dating pottery allows archaeologists to date prehistoric finds with remarkable accuracy. The method, developed by the University of Bristol team, dates pots directly using fatty acids left behind from food preparation.
Researchers have uncovered surprising complexity behind ancient ostrich egg production, tracing origins to specific climatic zones and routes. The study also suggests eggs were taken from wild birds' nests despite evidence of captivity, adding luxury value due to risk and storage requirements.
The Calusa kingdom relied primarily on fishing due to the watercourts, which were built around A.D. 1300 and served as short-term holding pens for fish before consumption or preservation. The structure's design required an understanding of daily and seasonal tides, hydrology, and the biology of various fish species.
A Cornell University study re-dates Native American sites in the Mohawk Valley, revealing a more accurate historical timeline based on maize dating and statistical modeling. The findings challenge previous assumptions about trade practices and European contact.
A long-running ARC-funded project explores the recruitment and impact of Aboriginal men as native mounted police in Queensland, revealing ongoing psychological impacts of historical dispossession and frontier violence. The study argues that inter-generational trauma persists among Indigenous Australians.
A new study refines radiocarbon dating to better understand Mediterranean history, including the tomb of Tutankhamen and a volcanic eruption on Santorini. Regional variations in cosmic radiation lead to small but critical periods of variation in radiocarbon levels.
A study led by University of Arizona researchers challenges the long-held view of the Plaza Tree of Pueblo Bonito as a living tree in an otherwise treeless landscape. Dendroprovenance analysis revealed that the tree did not grow where it was found, suggesting it may have come from distant mountain ranges.
A unique rock carving with six limbs has been identified as a part man, part mantis, suggesting humans have linked mantids to the supernatural since ancient times. The petroglyph was discovered in Iran's Teymareh site and is believed to be between 40,000-4,000 years old.
A noblewoman from the Tang Dynasty was buried with her donkeys, indicating she wanted to continue playing her favorite sport, Lvju, after death. Researchers found donkey bones in Cui Shi's tomb, providing the first physical evidence of donkey polo in Imperial China.
A recent study published in PLOS ONE reveals that the people of La Bastida employed an intensive agricultural strategy, combining crops with animal husbandry to boost their food production and economic prosperity. This approach allowed them to feed a large population, increasing their productivity compared to other nearby communities.
A University of Michigan study reveals that ostrich eggshell beads were exchanged over long distances for at least 30,000 years, facilitating relationships between hunter-gatherer groups. The findings provide evidence of a complex exchange network used to share information on resources and landscapes.
A new study finds that domestication of plants fostered cooperation among people, but also saw the rise of organized intergroup violence. As farming developed, groups aggregated and lived cooperatively in high-quality locations, but this led to a spike in trophy-taking violence.
Researchers analyzed ancient teeth and rib bones to reveal significant dietary diversification at the onset of Mongolia's earliest empires. Millet-based foods increased in consumption, suggesting imperial support for agricultural efforts.
Researchers using big data analytics have identified over three quarters of Spanish-founded colonial settlements in the former Inca Empire, providing new insights into social life and population history. The use of high-resolution satellite imagery also raises concerns about individual privacy and national security.
Researchers used lidar technology to study the ancient Maya road, revealing over 8,000 tree-shrouded structures along its 100-kilometer length. The road connected two cities, Cobá and Yaxuná, and was built to incorporate preexisting settlements, suggesting a geo-political motivation.
A team of researchers combined genealogical information with genetic data from modern Quebecers to access the genetic profile of Quebec's historical population. The study successfully identified approximately 1.7 million individuals, but limitations in genetic coverage hindered full identification, leaving around 88% of men married bef...
Archaeologists have discovered a Canaanite temple in National Park Tel Lachish, featuring extensive ruins dating to the 12th century BCE. The excavation has yielded gold artifacts and cultic figurines, including the oldest known etching of the Hebrew letter 'Samech'.
Researchers have uncovered the articulated Neanderthal skeleton of Shanidar Z, which offers unparalleled opportunities to investigate mortuary practices using modern technologies. The find suggests that Neanderthals conducted funerary rites with flowers, challenging previous assumptions about their cultural sophistication.
A team of archaeologists has discovered the oldest known Australian example of a communal type of Irish settlement, uncovering a large and vibrant clachan settlement hidden beneath an empty farm paddock. The discovery highlights the sustainable way of life maintained by over 500 Irish migrants who created a community in marginal land.
Researchers, including University of Arkansas archeologists Emily Beahm and Carl Drexler, aim to create safer and more inclusive field learning environments. Their project provides recommendations to prevent sexual harassment during undergraduate field-based courses.
A compact neutron resonance transmission analysis device can detect nuclear material in just one minute, reducing the need for kilometer-scale neutron beams. Researchers have optimized its design to minimize background interference, allowing for accurate detection of isotopes in various materials.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed a game-based virtual archaeology field school to make the archaeological experience accessible to more students. Students learn archaeological techniques, dig in virtual caves, and conduct laboratory analyses using realistic tools and simulations.
Human consumption and transportation drove Bahamian hutia population growth and distribution, shaping its diversity over 1,000 years. The species' unique genetic similarities between isolated populations suggest intentional human relocation.
Researchers found that Chagyrskaya Cave Neanderthals used tools similar to those made by Eastern European Neanderthals, suggesting a connection between the two populations. The discovery indicates at least two separate dispersals of Neanderthals into southern Siberia.
A Tel Aviv University study finds two writers composed 31 of 100 inscriptions from 8th-century BCE Samaria, providing insights into the logistical infrastructure of the kingdom of Israel and limited literacy rates in the early eighth century BCE.
Dr. Larry Mayer, a renowned expert in physical oceanography and ocean acoustics, has been selected as the first recipient of the Walter Munk Medal. His groundbreaking research and technologies have transformed various fields of ocean science.
A team of researchers from Binghamton University and Emerson College analyzed data from 14,000 years ago and found that Native Americans did not make large-scale changes to the environment. The study suggests that ancient native people thrived under changing forest conditions by adapting to them, rather than intensively managing the land.
Researchers analyzed skulls to uncover relationships between people groups, upending longstanding hypotheses about the Caribbean's colonization. The study reveals the presence of Caribs in Jamaica, Hispaniola, and the Bahamas, supporting Columbus' accounts of fierce raiders.
Researchers at the University of Kent and UCL found that early Stone Age populations selected raw materials for different tool types based on sharpness, durability, and efficiency. They made optimized tools by choosing materials suited to specific functional needs, maximizing performance and 'ease-of-use'.
Researchers suggest that Norse hunters over-exploited walrus populations for their tusks, leading to a decline in the animal's population and making it harder for the communities to survive. This finding sheds new light on the mysterious disappearance of Greenland's Norse colonies in the 15th century.
Researchers analyzed animal bones from Navan Fort to discover that communities in Iron Age Ireland were highly mobile and engaged in large-scale feasting events. The study found evidence of pigs, cattle, and sheep being brought from across Ireland, including as far as Galway, Donegal, and Antrim.
New research from Washington University in St. Louis reveals that two annual plants, goosefoot and erect knotweed, can produce yields comparable to those of maize when grown together with other lost crops. The study's findings challenge the assumption that maize was adopted as a staple crop due to its high productivity.
Researchers uncover the oldest known coastal defence system built by ancient settlers to protect against rising oceans. The ancient Tel Hreiz seawall in Israel was a temporary reprieve from sea level rise, abandoned and inundated over time.
Researchers found identical structures in horseshoe crab and ancient sea scorpion eyes, suggesting contrast enhancement evolved over 400 million years. The findings shed light on the evolution of compound eyes in arthropods.
A team of scientists used data from NASA's Kepler telescope to calculate that the thick disc of the Milky Way is about 10 billion years old. This finding resolves a long-standing question about the age distribution of stars in the disc.
The study challenges scholarly consensus on the Justinianic Plague's effects, finding no detectable decrease in economic vitality or demographic decline. Historical texts exaggerate plague mortality, and burial customs remained unchanged despite the outbreak.
A recent study by researchers at SESYNC found no concrete evidence to attribute the effects of the Justinianic Plague to the pandemic. The team examined diverse datasets, including written sources, inscriptions, and pollen samples, but found that trends continued without change before and after the plague outbreak.
A new study suggests people have been eating only oysters in months with the letter 'r' - September to April - for at least 4,000 years. Researchers analyzed snail parasites on discarded shells to determine the seasonal pattern of oyster harvesting.
Researchers from Spain and Portugal have identified the careo irrigation channels of Sierra Nevada as the oldest underground aquifer recharge system in Europe. The study, published in Journal of Hydrology, reveals that this ancient technique was used to channel water for centuries, with evidence dating back to the 11th Century.
A Yale professor and his team discovered an abrupt 60-year megadrought that led to the collapse of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. The drought weakened the empire's agricultural base, allowing neighboring forces like the Babylonians to conquer Nineveh in three months.
Birch bark tar was the world's oldest glue, used in the Palaeolithic Period and up to late antiquity, according to recent research. Archaeological artefacts suggest it was procured despite birch scarcity, highlighting the strength of traditional practices among the Gauls.
Researchers used ground-penetrating radar to resolve 96% of human tracks at White Sands National Monument, gaining insights into biomechanics and extinct fauna. The technique may unlock behavioral and biomechanical archives of Pleistocene animals.
Researchers found city homes to have a higher diversity of chemicals and fungi, while jungle huts had fresher air and natural materials that promote human health. Exposure to outdoor germs and natural materials may benefit the human microbiome.
The Flinders University team created a highly realistic virtual experience of the wreck, including a digital reconstruction of how it sank. The three-minute dive is available on YouTube and offers insights into Iceland's forgotten history during the 17th century.
An international research team has found evidence of human activity on the island of Naxos at least 200,000 years ago, forcing a reevaluation of human movement in the region. The discovery pushes back the known settlement timeline by tens of thousands of years and suggests that early humans were capable of adapting to new environments.
A recent survey reveals rich patterns in anthropologists' views on sensitive controversies, with disciplinary subfield, gender, and politics identified as key predictors. The study draws on social intuitionism to interpret the results, suggesting that shared moral intuitions may aid scholars in coming to consensus.
Archaeological analysis of Bronze Age cemeteries in southern Germany reveals that nuclear families lived with foreign women and individuals from lower social classes. The study, published in Science, suggests a complex social structure where wealth was correlated with biological kinship or foreign origin.
Scientists have found evidence of prehistoric humans storing and consuming animal bone marrow at Qesem Cave, dating back to around 400,000 years ago. The discovery suggests that early Paleolithic people had a sophisticated understanding of food preservation, allowing them to store bone marrow for up to nine weeks before feasting on it.
A recent study published in Open Archaeology reveals that Tholos A at Apesokari, a Bronze Age circular tomb on Crete, was deliberately placed to control parcels of land and increase visibility from a specific path. The article's use of GIS analysis sheds new light on the role of burial sites and mortuary practices in Prepalatial Crete.
Astronomers have uncovered two historic events in the Andromeda Galaxy, with evidence suggesting major changes to its structure occurred a few billion years ago and much earlier. The findings provide insights into the evolution and formation of both the Andromeda Galaxy and our own Milky Way.
A team of researchers has developed a method to screen bone samples for collagen using near-infrared spectrometry, reducing the need to destroy valuable remains. This breakthrough could enable scientists to analyze ancient DNA and gain insights into human history.
Researchers uncover traditional fish preparation techniques employed by fisherfolk in Panama and Egypt, revealing patterns of modifications to fish skeletons comparable to those found in archaeological sites. The study provides a powerful model for identifying fish butchering and preservation methods at archaeological sites worldwide.