Archaeology(Page 7)

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

Latest in Archaeology

A human stands at the mouth of a cave looking outside.

A discovery found in Germany’s ‘Unicorn Cave’ hints at Neanderthal art A discovery found in Germany’s ‘Unicorn Cave’ hints at Neanderthal art

A highly weathered human jaw bone, labeled RV 2039.

What a 5,000-year-old plague victim reveals about the Black Death’s origins What a 5,000-year-old plague victim reveals about the Black Death’s origins

A 3-D rendering of a human-like skull faces forward against a black background. The skull is a tan color and has a pronounced brow ridge, large nose cavity, and square-ish eye sockets. The lower jaw is absent.

The debate over ‘Dragon Man’ shows that human origins are still kind of messy The debate over ‘Dragon Man’ shows that human origins are still kind of messy

By Lauren Leffer

Human Remains Found In 2,000-Year-Old Antikythera Shipwreck

Human Remains Found In 2,000-Year-Old Antikythera Shipwreck Human Remains Found In 2,000-Year-Old Antikythera Shipwreck

By Mary Beth Griggs

footprint in desert sand

Humans may have arrived in the Americas 15,000 years earlier than we thought Humans may have arrived in the Americas 15,000 years earlier than we thought

By Philip Kiefer

This Mud Could Revolutionize How Scientists Study The Past This Mud Could Revolutionize How Scientists Study The Past

By Rebecca Boyle

The Panga ya Saidi cave, where the oldest African burial remains were discovered.

The earliest known human burial in Africa was a carefully laid down child The earliest known human burial in Africa was a carefully laid down child

Megalithic jars in a Laos forest

Archaeologists finally uncovered some of the mystery behind Laos’s Plain of Jars Archaeologists finally uncovered some of the mystery behind Laos’s Plain of Jars

A view of the researchers digging at the excavation site.site

Crystals and eggshells tell a 105,000-year-old story of humans in the Kalahari Desert Crystals and eggshells tell a 105,000-year-old story of humans in the Kalahari Desert

a man and woman sit close to each other and share a plate of pancakes

Your favorite brunch foods are thousands of years old Your favorite brunch foods are thousands of years old

By Popular Science Team

Naked woman statue in garden.

What archaeologists got wrong about female statues, goddesses, and fertility What archaeologists got wrong about female statues, goddesses, and fertility

By Annalee Newitz

Dire wolves attacking prey and fighting off gray wolves.

Dire wolves are actually ice age mega-foxes Dire wolves are actually ice age mega-foxes

By Sara Kiley Watson

Psittacosaurus reconstruction

This fossilized butthole gives us a rare window into dinosaur sex This fossilized butthole gives us a rare window into dinosaur sex

By Ellie Shechet

Lucy Engleman illustration

The famous Nazca lines aren’t mysterious—but they are ingenious The famous Nazca lines aren’t mysterious—but they are ingenious

By Sara Kiley Watson

A black and white photo of gondolas in Venice

Saving historical landmarks from climate change could mean altering them Saving historical landmarks from climate change could mean altering them

By Erin Seekamp/The Conversation

Marryam Moma collage

In Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley,’ a Black community battles an industry that threatens its health—and history In Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley,’ a Black community battles an industry that threatens its health—and history

By Megan I. Gannon

Artist reconstruction of Wilamaya Patjxa vicuña hunt.

A female hunter’s remains hint at more fluid gender roles in the early Americas A female hunter’s remains hint at more fluid gender roles in the early Americas

By Kate Baggaley

Shipwreck on shore

How scientists keep ancient shipwrecks from crumbling into dust How scientists keep ancient shipwrecks from crumbling into dust

By Sara Kiley Watson

Atlantis isn’t real, but here are all the places it could have been Atlantis isn’t real, but here are all the places it could have been

By Eleanor Cummins

view from above an erupting volcano

A volcanic eruption may have helped the dinosaurs take over the world A volcanic eruption may have helped the dinosaurs take over the world

By Rachael Zisk

The Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville, Illinois, mark the site of one of the biggest pre-Colombian civilizations in the US.

Colonial bias gave us an incorrect history of North America’s Indigenous people Colonial bias gave us an incorrect history of North America’s Indigenous people

By Sturt Manning/The Conversation

two maps side by side

Scientists explored a buried Roman city without digging up an ounce of soil Scientists explored a buried Roman city without digging up an ounce of soil

By Sara Kiley Watson

A Maasai youth with a goat herd in Tanzania

Prehistoric footprints reveal how ancient men and women divided labor Prehistoric footprints reveal how ancient men and women divided labor

By Harcourt-Smith & Pobiner/The Conversation

ancient human tools

Anthropologists have identified the earliest evidence of Homo sapiens in Europe Anthropologists have identified the earliest evidence of Homo sapiens in Europe

By Kate Baggaley

Mammoth Bison carved illusion

This ancient optical illusion is a 14,000-year-old puzzle This ancient optical illusion is a 14,000-year-old puzzle

By Tom McNamara

a cattle skull mounted on wood

Five surprising ways people have used (and are still using) bones Five surprising ways people have used (and are still using) bones

By John Kennedy

joan wong illustration

Seven mysterious sounds science has yet to solve Seven mysterious sounds science has yet to solve

By Erin Blakemore

Egyptian coffin mummy.

Egypt is reclaiming its mummies and its past Egypt is reclaiming its mummies and its past

By Sara Kiley Watson

A controversial new study claims Botswana may be the origin of modern humanity

A controversial new study claims Botswana may be the origin of modern humanity A controversial new study claims Botswana may be the origin of modern humanity

Gender and class inequalities haven’t really changed for 4,000 years

Gender and class inequalities haven’t really changed for 4,000 years Gender and class inequalities haven’t really changed for 4,000 years

What unearthing ancient cities teaches us about exploring outer space

What unearthing ancient cities teaches us about exploring outer space What unearthing ancient cities teaches us about exploring outer space

By Annalee Newitz

These bowls suggest humans were already smoking weed by 420 BC

These bowls suggest humans were already smoking weed by 420 BC These bowls suggest humans were already smoking weed by 420 BC

By Alex Schwartz

The king behind Machu Picchu built his legacy in stone The king behind Machu Picchu built his legacy in stone

By Eleanor Cummins

Archaeologists unearth more evidence that when a civilization drinks together, it stays together

Archaeologists unearth more evidence that when a civilization drinks together, it stays together Archaeologists unearth more evidence that when a civilization drinks together, it stays together

By Alex Schwartz

As Rome digs its first new metro route in decades, an archaeologist safeguards the city’s buried treasures As Rome digs its first new metro route in decades, an archaeologist safeguards the city’s buried treasures

These Chinese fossil deposits shed light on an explosive period in evolution

These Chinese fossil deposits shed light on an explosive period in evolution These Chinese fossil deposits shed light on an explosive period in evolution

By Jan Zalasiewicz and Mark Williams/The Conversation

Ancient poop is helping archaeologists understand a midwestern city’s demise

Ancient poop is helping archaeologists understand a midwestern city’s demise Ancient poop is helping archaeologists understand a midwestern city’s demise

By Kaitlin Sullivan

Cremation research tombs

Your ashes might say more about you than you’d think Your ashes might say more about you than you’d think

By Eleanor Cummins

Dental calculus jaw and teeth photo

These 1,000-year-old, blue-specked teeth could rewrite medieval history These 1,000-year-old, blue-specked teeth could rewrite medieval history

By Eleanor Cummins

Siberian unicorns lived alongside humans, and they were so much cooler than the mythical version

Siberian unicorns lived alongside humans, and they were so much cooler than the mythical version Siberian unicorns lived alongside humans, and they were so much cooler than the mythical version

By Sara Chodosh

The oldest weapons in North America offer a new view of prehistoric tech

The oldest weapons in North America offer a new view of prehistoric tech The oldest weapons in North America offer a new view of prehistoric tech

By Neel V. Patel

Bogs are beautiful, swampy records of human history Bogs are beautiful, swampy records of human history

By Henry Chapman, Ben Gearey, Jane Bunting, Kimberley Davies, Nicola Whitehouse/The Conversation

Cheese played a surprisingly important role in human evolution

Cheese played a surprisingly important role in human evolution Cheese played a surprisingly important role in human evolution

By Penny Bickle/The Conversation

Reports of Homo erectus’ laziness are ‘moronic’

Reports of Homo erectus’ laziness are ‘moronic’ Reports of Homo erectus’ laziness are ‘moronic’

walter rothschild zebra carriage

The weirdest things we learned this week: bone flutes, zebra carriages, and laughing gas parties The weirdest things we learned this week: bone flutes, zebra carriages, and laughing gas parties

By Rachel Feltman

Burnt bread shows that our ancestors were baking 4,000 years before agriculture

Burnt bread shows that our ancestors were baking 4,000 years before agriculture Burnt bread shows that our ancestors were baking 4,000 years before agriculture

By Mary Beth Griggs

How South Africa’s ‘Cradle of Humankind’ got the title

How South Africa’s ‘Cradle of Humankind’ got the title How South Africa’s ‘Cradle of Humankind’ got the title

By Molly McArdle

Chinese characters on pottery

Ancient ‘made in China’ label pushes back the date of shipwreck by 100 years Ancient ‘made in China’ label pushes back the date of shipwreck by 100 years

By Mary Beth Griggs

Neolithic surgeons might have practiced their skull-drilling techniques on cows

Neolithic surgeons might have practiced their skull-drilling techniques on cows Neolithic surgeons might have practiced their skull-drilling techniques on cows

By Sara Chodosh

Why archaeologists are arguing about sweet potatoes

Why archaeologists are arguing about sweet potatoes Why archaeologists are arguing about sweet potatoes

By Sara Chodosh

Humans flourished through a supervolcano eruption 74,000 years ago (so you can make it through Tuesday)

Humans flourished through a supervolcano eruption 74,000 years ago (so you can make it through Tuesday) Humans flourished through a supervolcano eruption 74,000 years ago (so you can make it through Tuesday)

By Sara Chodosh

Mind your pickaxe: What to do when you encounter fossils and artifacts in the wild

Mind your pickaxe: What to do when you encounter fossils and artifacts in the wild Mind your pickaxe: What to do when you encounter fossils and artifacts in the wild

By Mary Beth Griggs

Neolithic women were probably a lot stronger than you

Neolithic women were probably a lot stronger than you Neolithic women were probably a lot stronger than you

By Claire Maldarelli

There’s apparently a giant void in the Great Pyramid. Here’s why we don’t know what’s in there.

There’s apparently a giant void in the Great Pyramid. Here’s why we don’t know what’s in there. There’s apparently a giant void in the Great Pyramid. Here’s why we don’t know what’s in there.

By Mary Beth Griggs

This lonely human skull might belong to an ancient tsunami victim

This lonely human skull might belong to an ancient tsunami victim This lonely human skull might belong to an ancient tsunami victim

By Mary Beth Griggs

Gigantic dinosaur finally has a name of its own

Gigantic dinosaur finally has a name of its own Gigantic dinosaur finally has a name of its own

By Sara Kiley Watson

The first humans in Australia arrived early enough to cause some trouble

The first humans in Australia arrived early enough to cause some trouble The first humans in Australia arrived early enough to cause some trouble

By Sara Chodosh

10,000 years ago, North Americans were chowing down on potatoes—some things never change

10,000 years ago, North Americans were chowing down on potatoes—some things never change 10,000 years ago, North Americans were chowing down on potatoes—some things never change

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

drilling into seawall

Ancient Romans were way better at making concrete Ancient Romans were way better at making concrete

By Mary Beth Griggs

The skull cult at the world’s oldest temple probably isn’t quite what you think

The skull cult at the world’s oldest temple probably isn’t quite what you think The skull cult at the world’s oldest temple probably isn’t quite what you think

By Sara Chodosh

Fungal spores staining painting

The world’s art is under attack—by microbes The world’s art is under attack—by microbes

By Kate Baggaley

How plagues help scientists puzzle out the past

How plagues help scientists puzzle out the past How plagues help scientists puzzle out the past

By Brenna Hassett

From the archives: 100 years of mastodon fossil fascination

From the archives: 100 years of mastodon fossil fascination From the archives: 100 years of mastodon fossil fascination

By Mark D. Kaufman

Is the Anthropocene really a thing? Minerals we’ve helped create rekindle the debate. Is the Anthropocene really a thing? Minerals we’ve helped create rekindle the debate.

By Mary Beth Griggs