Articles tagged with Experimental Archaeology
In medieval Kazakhstan, people living in Dzhankent city employed diverse herding practices to ensure milk and dairy products were available year-round. The study found they bred sheep throughout the year, with most births occurring in spring months, to keep them producing milk during winters.
New research reveals that Indigenous communities in southern Brazil hunted large whales 5,000 years ago, long before previously thought. The study provides strong evidence of active hunting and sheds light on the economies, technologies, and lifeways of postglacial societies along the Atlantic coast of South America.
The study reveals that pottery production was organized in specialized workshops near clay deposits, indicating a hierarchical organization of the El Argar society. The findings suggest a structured economy with regional and economic interactions, contradicting previous ideas about local production.
Researchers used 3D modeling, field experiments to confirm how Rapa Nui people moved iconic moai statues. The team found that the statues were likely walked in a zig-zag motion along carefully designed roads using rope, with a physics-backed explanation.
A recent study has uncovered new insights into Stone Age life and death, showing that women and children were as likely to be buried with stone tools as men. The discovery at Zvejnieki cemetery in northern Latvia suggests a shared ritual tradition across the eastern Baltic region.
New research shows that ancient Japanese rice farming did not necessarily lead to the abandonment of cultural practices, particularly culinary traditions. Millet, a sister crop of rice, was largely left behind in Japanese cuisine despite its popularity in Korean cooking.
Prehistoric people used slow cooking to carefully extract animal teeth, challenging the assumption that they were scavenged. The most effective methods were pit steaming and wet cooking, which also allowed for meat consumption and bone tool-making.
Researchers developed a new method for extracting and identifying proteins from ancient soft tissues, providing insights into past lives and diseases. The technique identified over 1,200 ancient proteins from 2.5mg of sample, offering a window on human history.
Researchers propose reawakening ancient native crops to address climate change, leveraging knowledge from Indigenous communities. The alternative approach combines food production and biodiversity protection, offering a low-input solution for adapting to changing climate conditions.
A study published in PLOS ONE investigates how early hominins selected rocks for toolmaking between 1.6-1.0 million years ago in the Ethiopian highlands. The research demonstrates that early humans made informed decisions based on factors like durability and efficiency, providing new insights into their technological behaviors.
A new study by Tel Aviv University reveals Rujm el-Hiri's original alignment does not match celestial observations, casting doubt on its use as an astronomical observatory. The site's current orientation differs from its original position due to thousands of years of geodynamic shifts.
Researchers analyzed ceramic fragments of husking trays to identify their use as specialized containers for baking cereal-based doughs. The study provides clear evidence regarding the uses of these artifacts and the nature of the foods processed in them.
Researchers at University of Göttingen studied Bronze Age spear combat using multi-stage experiments to understand fighting styles and mark formation on spearheads. The study provides insights into wear formation, trauma, and combat contexts, benefiting future research and museum curation.