Articles tagged with Material Culture
A study of Classic Maya homes in Belize reveals the commoners' method of recording their own history, not just family history, but also their place in the cosmos. The analysis found human remains, artifacts, and color symbolism used to signify important dates and the cyclical nature of life.
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg suspect climate change is behind the shipworm's emergence in the Baltic Sea, posing a threat to 100,000 well-preserved shipwrecks. The group aims to develop methods to protect these treasures, including covering them with geotextile and bottom sediment.
Archaeologists at Fernbank Museum of Natural History have discovered unprecedented evidence of De Soto's path in Georgia, including rare glass beads and metal artifacts. The findings suggest a probable stop near McRae, Ga., and provide a significant link to the infamous conquistador's journey through Native communities.
A UCLA archaeologist finds that eBay's online auction house has an unexpected chilling effect on looting of antiquities, diverting villages to producing fake artifacts instead. The proliferation of these copies reduces incentives to loot and depresses the market for real items.
Researchers discovered evidence of earliest known domestic horses in Kazakhstan, which were both ridden and milked. The findings suggest horse domestication began around 5,500 years ago, earlier than previously thought, and had a significant impact on society.
A team of Israeli and Palestinian archaeologists, guided by UCLA and USC experts, has reached the first-ever agreement on the disposition of the region's archaeological heritage. The 39-point document proposes repatriation of artifacts to their original state, protection of cultural sites, and equal access for scholars and the public.
A new study from Harvard University and colleagues challenges previous knowledge about the origins of urbanization, proposing that smaller groups made decisions leading to city growth. The research analyzed artifacts at Tell Brak in Mesopotamia over an 800-year period, revealing patterns of population growth and settlement clusters.
Researchers examined medieval and Renaissance manuals and art to understand gladiatorial combat tactics. They infer that battles typically had three critical moments: initial contact, wounding, and grappling before concluding without bloodshed.
The INEEL's Ecological and Cultural Resources Department developed a computer program to integrate historical, archaeological, and anthropological research data. The Data Management Tool (DMT) helps archaeologists navigate detailed information, draw interactive maps, and predict where new artifacts might be found.
A team of archaeologists from Boston University has uncovered the story of life among rural Maya in Belize's Sibun River Valley during the Late Classic Period. The research reveals a community that practiced sustainable agriculture and maintained dense vegetation to support their trade product: cacao.
Researchers have uncovered three new rock art depictions of armored horses on the Purgatoire River in southeast Colorado, shedding light on the Comanche's use of horse armor. The finds are significant as they provide a unique window into Comanche history and culture, dating back to the 17th century.
A magnificent Maya altar stone carved in 796 AD has been recovered from a looters' hideout, providing crucial clues about the wealthiest Maya kingdoms. The altar's recovery illustrates the importance of working with indigenous peoples to restore ancient ruins.
Researchers from Cornell University and the University of Reading have given a new kind of precision to the timeline of the Bronze and Iron Ages in the Aegean and Near East. The study, published in Science, dates certain artifacts from around 740 B.C., placing an early appearance of the alphabet outside Phoenicia at this time.
Researchers at University of Illinois dispute extensive trade theory for prehistoric society Cahokia, citing new evidence that local red flint clay was used instead of catlinite. The study uses a new mineral analyzer technique to identify the stone's mineral composition and find no connection between catlinite and the culture.
A group of Puebloans from the Mesa Verde region is believed to have settled in three ruins on the west side of the Rio Grande River, exhibiting characteristics of the Mesa Verde culture. The site, Pinnacle Ruin, was inhabited by a large group who made a 250-mile journey south after Four Corners collapsed.
Researchers found that the artifacts at Cahokia were made from Missouri flint clay deposits, indicating a local production process. This new evidence suggests that the Cahokia society focused on a local rather than long-distance acquisition process for their ceremonial objects.
The University of Alaska Museum repatriates 386 ancestral remains to Siberian Yup'ik villages on St. Lawrence Island, following the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The return marks a significant partnership between the museum and Alaska Native communities.