You are what you eat: High dietary versatility characteristic for early hominins
To eat what grows locally – today’s dietary trend was every day’s practice for prehistoric humans.
Tag : Archaeology
Discoveries in archaeology news and press releases
Chickens to be marker of Anthropocene
Modern meat chickens are a defining feature of the Anthropocene according to new research by Dr Carys Bennett and colleagues from the University of Leicester
Rethinking the history related to indigenous sites in northeast North America
After radiocarbon dating of plant matter, wood and wood charcoal, scientists estimate that the presumed histories of several key indigenous sites in Canada, as relates
An ancient strain of plague may have led to the decline of Neolithic Europeans
A team of researchers from France, Sweden, and Denmark have identified a new strain of Yersinia pestis, the bacteria that causes plague, in DNA extracted
Mote of Urr excavation published after 65 years
The results of Brian Hope-Taylor’s excavation of the Mote of Urr have been published 65 years after it was excavated.
The whole of Africa was the cradle of Humankind
A team of scientists led by Mohamed Sahnouni, archaeologist at the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), has just published a paper which
The hominins of Sima de los Huesos are drawing ever closer to the Neanderthals
The Dental Anthropology Group of the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) has just published a paper on dental histology in the
New archaeological site revises human habitation timeline on Tibetan plateau
Human ancestors first set foot on the interior of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau around 30,000-40,000 years ago, according to new research by scientists from the Chinese
Stone tools linked to ancient human ancestors in Arabia have surprisingly recent date
Beginning more than 1.5 million years ago, early humans made stone handaxes in a style known as the Acheulean - the longest lasting tool-making tradition
How the Ancient Egyptian economy laid the groundwork for building the pyramids
In the shadow of the pyramids of Giza, lie the tombs of the courtiers and officials of the kings buried in the far greater structures.
Siberian ‘unicorns’ extinct much later than believed
Giant prehistoric 'unicorns' once wandered over the prairies of Central Asia. New research has shown that these so-called Siberian unicorns lived much longer than was
‘Murder map’ reveals medieval London’s meanest streets
Shot with an arrow during a student street brawl. Beaten to death for littering with eel skins. Stabbed by a lover with a fish-gutting knife.
Prehistoric cave art reveals ancient use of complex astronomy
Some of the world's oldest cave paintings have revealed how ancient people had relatively advanced knowledge of astronomy.
Hidden history of Rome revealed under world’s first cathedral
Research beneath the Archbasilica of St John Lateran reveals appearance of world's first cathedral and the remarkable transformations that preceded its construction.
How ancient Mayan shell decor led to a new look at freshwater mussels south of the border
The ancient Maya are not particularly known for their love of freshwater mussels. Mathematics, maize, pyramids and human sacrifice, yes. But bivalves? Not so much.
First ancient DNA from mainland Finland reveals origins of Siberian ancestry in region
Researchers from the Max-Planck-Institute for the Science of Human History and the University of Helsinki have analyzed the first ancient DNA from mainland Finland.
Remains of Anglo-Saxon cemetery discovered
Archaeologists from the University of Sheffield have uncovered a previously unknown Anglo-Saxon cemetery.
Huge crater discovered in Greenland – here’s how the impact may have wiped out the mammoths
Scientists have discovered a 31km wide impact crater beneath the Hiawatha glacier in Greenland. The discovery, published in Science Advances, was made using airborne radar surveys which unveiled
Returning looted artefacts will finally restore heritage to the brilliant cultures that made them
European museums are under mounting pressure to return the irreplaceable artefacts plundered during colonial times.
The ancient origins of werewolves
The werewolf is a staple of supernatural fiction, whether it be film, television, or literature. You might think this snarling creature is a creation of
Human ancestors not to blame for ancient mammal extinctions in Africa
New research disputes a long-held view that our earliest tool-bearing ancestors contributed to the demise of large mammals in Africa over the last several million
Evolution: South Africa’s hominin record is a fair-weather friend
New research from an international team of scientists led by University of Cape Town isotope geochemist Dr Robyn Pickering is the first to provide a