Ancient Civilizations News

March 30, 2016

Dental Calculus Helps Reconstruct Mitogenomes

Clues to Gods Worshipped by Etruscans

Ancestral Malaria Traced to Age of Dinosaurs

Penguin Brains Not Changed by Loss of Flight

Latest Headlines

updated 2:31am EDT

Metallic Ink Revealed in Herculaneum Papyri

Mar. 25, 2016 — Thanks to a novel, non-invasive X-ray imaging technique (3D phase contrast tomography), scientists were able to decipher words and reconstitute an almost complete Greek alphabet from inside the very ... read more

Archaeologists Create 3D Interactive Digital Reconstruction of King Richard III’s Grave Found Under a Car Park

Mar. 22, 2016 — The archaeologists who discovered and helped to identify the mortal remains of King Richard III have created a 3D ... read more

For the First Time in Excavations of Ancient Near Eastern Sites: Winery Found in Canaanite Palace

Mar. 3, 2016 — The Canaanite palace at Tel Kabri keeps on yielding surprises. The discovery two years ago of 40 jugs of wine was considered ... read more

Mystery on the Marsh: Newly Discovered Anglo-Saxon Island Is One of the Most Important Archaeological Finds in Decades

Mar. 2, 2016 — The remains of an Anglo-Saxon island have been uncovered in one of the most important archaeological finds ... read more

Identity Unearthed: How Excavations in Sudan Reveal the Transformation Egyptian, Nubian Culture

Mar. 1, 2016 — An anthropologist details how excavations in Sudan reveal the transformation Egyptian and Nubian culture. In a middle-class ... read more

Genetics Reveal 50,000 Years of Independent History of Aboriginal Australian People

Feb. 25, 2016 — The first complete sequences of the Y chromosomes of aboriginal Australian men have revealed a deep indigenous genetic history tracing all the way ... read more

3-D Technology Used to Safely Reveal the Diet of 'Chaucer's Children'

Feb. 25, 2016 — Biological anthropologists have discovered a new way of examining the fragile teeth of children who lived between the 11th and 15th centuries without damaging them. By using ... read more

Evidence of Early Medieval Muslim Graves Found in France

Feb. 24, 2016 — Archaeological and genetic analysis may indicate that three skeletons buried in medieval graves in France may have been Muslim, according to a ... read more

Japanese Earthenware Time Capsules Contain 4,300-Year-Old Cockroach Egg Case Impressions

Feb. 22, 2016 — Impressions of cockroach egg cases from 4,300-year-old Japanese potsherds (broken pottery fragments) have been found in ... read more

New Species Couldn't Hop, but Outlived Its Fanged Kangaroo Contemporaries

Feb. 22, 2016 — A newly found genus, and two new species of, extinct kangaroos which couldn't hop, but may have been ancestral to all kangaroos and wallabies living today. Researchers report ... read more

Scan of King Tuts Tomb Shows Hidden Rooms

Solar Eclipses Were Scarier When We Didn't Know How The Moon Worked

This 3,000-Year-Old Wheel Is One Of The Oldest Discovered In Britain

Lost Spanish Settlement Found in Fla Panhandle

Prehistoric Village Found in the Jordan Valley Links Old and New Stone Ages

Feb. 18, 2016 — Newly-excavated village in the Jordan Valley sheds light on the historical shift from foraging to agriculture, say ... read more

Detective Scientists Discover Ancient Clues in Mummy Portraits

Feb. 14, 2016 — Researchers have taken CSI to a new level: employing science to investigate details of the materials and methods used by Roman-Egyptian artists to paint mummy portraits more than 2,000 years ago. ... read more

New Appreciation for Human Microbiome Leads to Greater Understanding of Human Health

Feb. 14, 2016 — Anthropologists are studying the ancient and modern human microbiome and the role it plays in human health and disease. By applying genomic and proteomic sequencing technologies to ancient human ... read more

Clues About Human Migration to Imperial Rome Uncovered in 2,000-Year-Old Cemetery

Feb. 10, 2016 — Isotope analysis of 2,000-year-old skeletons buried in Imperial Rome reveal some were migrants from the Alps or North Africa, according to a new study ... read more

Light, Manganese to Discover the Source of Submerged Roman Marble

Feb. 10, 2016 — The Roman Emperors used to spend their summers in the city of Baia, near Naples. With the passage of time, however, the majority of their luxury villas became immersed under water. Italian and ... read more

Some 5,000 Years Ago, Silver Mining on the Shores of the Aegean Sea

Feb. 10, 2016 — At the foot of the Mycenaean Acropolis of Thorikos (Greece), a team of mining archaeologists has just discovered an inextricable network of galleries, shafts and chambers. About 5 kilometers of ... read more

Ancient Genomes Reveal That the English Are One-Third Anglo-Saxon

Jan. 19, 2016 — For the first time, researchers have been able to directly estimate the Anglo-Saxon ancestry of the British population, using ancient skeletons. Human remains excavated from burial sites near ... read more

Plague May Have Persisted in Europe During 300-Year Period, Including 'Black Death'

Jan. 13, 2016 — The bacteria that causes plague, Y. pestis, may have persisted long-term in Europe from the 14th to 17th century in an unknown reservoir, according to a new ... read more

Roman Toilets Gave No Clear Health Benefit, and Romanization Actually Spread Parasites

Jan. 8, 2016 — Intestinal parasites such as whipworm became increasingly common across Europe during the Roman Period, despite the apparent improvements the empire brought in sanitation technologies, archaeological ... read more

Archaeological Discovery Yields Surprising Revelations About Europe's Oldest City

Jan. 6, 2016 — An ancient Aegean city not only recovered but also flourished following the collapse of the Bronze Age, a new study shows. Recent fieldwork at the ancient city of Knossos on the Greek island of Crete ... read more

Scientists Sequence First Ancient Irish Human Genomes

Dec. 28, 2015 — Scientists have sequenced first ancient Irish human genomes, demonstrating that the genomes show unequivocal evidence for mass migrations into Ireland. These genetic influxes are likely to have ... read more

Religion and Politics Led to Social Tension and Conflict, Then and Now

Dec. 21, 2015 — Humans haven't learned much in more than 2,000 years when it comes to religion and politics. Religion has led to social tension and conflict, not just in today's society, but dating back to ... read more

Excavations Uncover Unique Hebrew Inscription Showing Existence of a Jewish Village at Kursi

Dec. 18, 2015 — This first evidence of a Jewish village on the site strengthens the hypothesis, that until now was no more than folklore, that this is the “Kursi” mentioned in the New Testament as one of the ... read more

Ancient Egyptians Described Algol's Eclipses

Dec. 17, 2015 — The Ancient Egyptian papyrus Cairo 86637 calendar is the oldest preserved historical document of naked eye observations of a variable star, the eclipsing binary Algol -- a manifestation of Horus, a ... read more

Archaeologists Unearth New Evidence of Roman, Medieval Leicester

Dec. 10, 2015 — Insights into Roman and medieval domestic life has been revealed by archaeologists whose project has taken place below a former city center bus ... read more

Ancient Trade Routes Between Bronze Age Iran and Mesopotamia Uncovered

Dec. 3, 2015 — Archaeologists have found evidence of raw materials trade between Bronze Age Iran and ... read more

Impression of King Hezekiah's Royal Seal Discovered in Excavations in Jerusalem

Dec. 2, 2015 — Excavations by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem at near the southern wall of the Temple Mount have unearthed an impression of the royal seal of King Hezekiah (727-698 BCE). This is the first seal ... read more

Early Farmers Exploited Beehive Products at Least 8,500 Years Ago

Nov. 11, 2015 — Humans have been exploiting bees as far back as the Stone Age, according to new ... read more

Twenty-Two Ancient Shipwrecks Discovered in Small Greek Archipelago

Nov. 10, 2015 — An archaeological expedition has recorded 22 shipwrecks over 13 days in what may be the ancient shipwreck capital of the ... read more

Breakthrough for Mining Research in the Bronze Age

Nov. 9, 2015 — Mining in the Alps dates back much further than previously thought – in the Austrian region of Montafon since the Bronze Age. Thanks to C14 dating, a group of researchers was able to detect in the ... read more

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Prehistoric village found in the Jordan Valley links old and new stone ages

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Ancient genomes reveal that the English are one-third Anglo-Saxon

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Plague may have persisted in Europe during 300-year period, including 'Black Death'

Friday, January 8, 2016

Roman toilets gave no clear health benefit, and Romanization actually spread parasites

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Archaeological discovery yields surprising revelations about Europe's oldest city

Monday, December 28, 2015

Scientists sequence first ancient Irish human genomes

Monday, December 21, 2015

Religion and politics led to social tension and conflict, then and now

Friday, December 18, 2015

Excavations uncover unique Hebrew inscription showing existence of a Jewish village at Kursi

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Ancient Egyptians described Algol's eclipses

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Archaeologists unearth new evidence of Roman, medieval Leicester

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Ancient trade routes between Bronze Age Iran and Mesopotamia uncovered

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Impression of King Hezekiah's royal seal discovered in excavations in Jerusalem

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Early farmers exploited beehive products at least 8,500 years ago

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Twenty-two ancient shipwrecks discovered in small Greek archipelago

Monday, November 9, 2015

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Snail trails lead to climate-driven cultural shift in ancient Morocco

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Monday, November 2, 2015

Invaluable ancient Syrian mosaic discovered

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Beyond the temples, ancient bones reveal the lives of the Mayan working class

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

3D models provide a credible stimulus to current archaeological thought, practice

Monday, October 26, 2015

Rare warrior tomb filled with Bronze Age wealth and weapons discovered

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Evidence of Ice Age ‘economic migrants’ in Europe to be unearthed

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Ancient genome from Africa sequenced for the first time

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Tiny ancient fossil from Spain shows birds flew over the heads of dinosaurs

Monday, September 21, 2015

Earliest evidence of ancient North American salmon fishing verified

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Archaeologists discover 'Roman Village' in Gernsheim

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Unlocking secrets of how fossils form

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Neolithic skeleton reveals early history of rickets

Monday, September 7, 2015

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Greedy kestrel provides first proof of bird breeding in ancient Egypt

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

3D printing revives bronze-age music

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Scientists reveal New Zealand's prehistoric wildlife sanctuaries

Friday, August 28, 2015

Philistines introduced sycamore, cumin and opium poppy into Israel during the Iron Age

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Unusual use of blue pigment found in ancient mummy portraits

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Meteorite impacts can create DNA building blocks

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Prehistoric carnivore dubbed 'scarface' discovered in Zambia

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Competition from cats drove extinction of many species of ancient dogs

Monday, August 3, 2015

Archaeologists uncover entrance gate, fortification of ancient city

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Genome analysis pins down arrival and spread of first Americans

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Volcanic rocks resembling Roman concrete explain record uplift in Italian caldera

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

South Africans used milk-based paint 49,000 years ago

Friday, June 26, 2015

Bronze Age humans' diet and arrival of new crops in Iberian Peninsula

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Kennewick Man closely related to Native Americans, geneticists say

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Data bank launched for global access to ancient DNA

Monday, June 15, 2015

Remote cave study reveals 3000 years of European climate variation

Friday, June 5, 2015

Archaeologists discover evidence of prehistoric gold trade route

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Ancient DNA sheds light on how past environments affected ancient populations

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Social media and archaeology: A match not made in heaven

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Our bond with dogs may go back more than 27,000 years

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Who left the dogs out? No trace of ancient colonizers' canines in Madagascar

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Size of domestic animals has increased over time

Monday, May 18, 2015

'Eternal flames' of ancient times could spark interest of modern geologists

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Ancient skeleton shows leprosy may have spread to Britain from Scandinavia

Friday, May 8, 2015

Traces of flowers placed on a Palaeolithic tomb

Monday, May 4, 2015

As the river rises: Cahokia's emergence and decline linked to Mississippi River flooding

Friday, May 1, 2015

Heritage destruction in conflict zones provides archaeological opportunities

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Monday, April 20, 2015

Ancient crucible steel weapon found in Eastern Europe

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Palaeolithic remains show cannibalistic habits of human ancestors

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Two ancient human fossils from Laos reveal early human diversity

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Ancient seashell coloration patterns revealed using ultraviolet light

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Study underscores complexity of geopolitics in the age of the Aztec empire

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Monday, March 16, 2015

The Largest Known Bronze Mask of Pan Uncovered

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

For 80 Years, Ancient Gold Treasure Rested Undisturbed

Friday, March 6, 2015

Ancient Mongol metallurgy an extreme polluter

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Excavation reveals ancient town and burial complex in Diros Bay, Greece

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

When age matters: precise dating of ancient charcoal found near skull is helping reveal unique period in prehistory

Monday, March 2, 2015

Archaeologists open mysterious lead coffin found buried just feet from the former grave of King Richard III

Friday, February 27, 2015

DNA evidence shows surprise cultural connections between Britain and Europe 8,000 years ago

Friday, February 20, 2015

Ancient and modern cities aren't so different

Sunday, February 15, 2015

An Italian cemetery may provide clues on cholera's evolution

Friday, February 13, 2015

Researchers use isotopic analysis to explore ancient Peruvian life

Thursday, February 12, 2015

First-of-Its-Kind Discovery of 1,500 Year-Old Grape Seeds May Answer the Question: Why Was the Wine of the Negev So Renowned in the Byzantine Empire

Monday, February 9, 2015

Archaeologists help protect cultural heritage of northern Iraq

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

The world's oldest known snake fossils: Rolling back the clock by nearly 70 million years

Friday, January 16, 2015

Antiquity of dairying on Emerald Isle revealed

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Study of ancient dogs in the Americas yields insights into human, dog migration

Monday, January 5, 2015

New research dishes the dirt on the demise of a civilization

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Widespread looting, damage to historical sites in Syria, analysis shows

Monday, December 15, 2014

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Affluence, not political complexity, explains rise of moralizing world religions

Monday, December 8, 2014

Major Viking hall identified in Sweden

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Dirt provides new insight into Roman burials

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Archaeologists reveal layout of medieval city at Old Sarum

Monday, December 1, 2014

Scientists find 240-million-year-old parasite that infected mammals' ancestor