Archaeology

The latest digs, ideas, and discoveries about our past, from ancient cities to our prehistoric ancestors.

Latest in Archaeology

Aerial photograph of the excavation area for the new fire station building on Lohagenweg in Hüllhorst. The tree cover marks the course of the source stream, which formed the basis for the construction of the former farmstead. Photo: LWL-AfW / A. Koch

2,500-year-old settlement found during fire station construction

An oil painting titled "The Pythia" by Camillo Miola, depicting the Oracle of Delphi in ancient Greece. The Pythia, a young woman in white and gold robes with a heavy gold necklace, is shown in a trance-like state, seated on a tall bronze tripod. Several priests in white tunics surround her, some holding olive branches and one taking notes on a tablet. In the foreground, two figures in ornate blue and gold robes kneel in prayer or supplication before a low stone altar. The scene is set against a deep red wall, with laurel leaves scattered across the floor and a large, dark omphalos stone visible on the left.

Ancient Greece’s most famous oracle was just high on gas fumes

By Andrew Coletti

Oval limestone with line etchings that likely represent a board game played in ancient Rome

Mystery stone is actually ancient Roman board game

an illustration of a woman wearing an ancient headdress made with antler bones, fur, and teeth

7,000-year-old deer antler headdress uncovered in Germany

By Margherita Bassi

a large goat with grey fur and large horns

Ireland’s native goats date back to Bronze Age

By Laura Baisas

Black and white photo of Iron Age mass grave bones in Serbia

One of Europe’s largest Iron Age mass graves contains mostly women and children

The Adorant figurine from Geißenklösterle Cave, approximately 38,000 years old, consists of a small ivory plate bearing an anthropomorphic figure and multiple sequences of notches and dots. The application of these marks suggests a notational system, most notably in the rows of dots on the back of the plate.

Earliest known writing dates back over 40,000 years

bones laid out in a grave

Stone Age burial ground reveals deep family trees

By Margherita Bassi

Clay footprint in Scottish beach sand

Dog walkers find 2,000-year-old footprints on beach in Scotland

a tunnel under roman ruins

Inside the Colosseum’s Passage of Commodus, where emperors once walked

By Margherita Bassi

Old coins from Spain, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Federal Republic of Germany and Austria. These coins are dating from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

How to start a coin collection

19th century Japanese coin in metal detectorist's hand

Metal detectorist finds 19th century Japanese coin in Australia

Stirling, Scotland - August 1, 2020, old medieval cemetery around Port of Menteith Parish Church

Medieval elite still received fancy burials despite disease stigma

white bird poop on a black car

Bird poop powered this pre-Hispanic kingdom

By Margherita Bassi

Bow drill in action, New Kingdom tomb painting from Western Thebes, Tomb of Rekhmire, object 31.6.25, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, public domain

Forgotten hand tool rewrites ancient Egyptian history

Bison bones are scattered across the Bergstrom site in central Montana.

Why bison hunters abandoned a kill site 1,200 years ago

By Laura Baisas

Scans of severed skull fragments from Iberian Peninsula

Severed head rituals were more widespread in Iron Age Iberia than we thought

a mummy's decorative outer shell on display in a musuem

Scientists want you to smell ancient Egyptian mummies

By Laura Baisas

A close-up of a person's mouth smiling, showing teeth fitted with metal dental braces on both the upper and lower rows. The image focuses on the orthodontic brackets and wires, with the person’s nose and lips framing the smile.

Why our ancestors had straight teeth without braces

By Sara Kiley Watson

Various angles of silver pendant with Roman gem inlay next to measurement references

Metal detectorist finds medieval pendant with a Roman ‘secret’