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The ground-penetrating radar car drives over the land at Utstein Gard on Klosterøy.   Source: Grethe M. Pedersen, AM / University of Stavanger

Archaeologists Find Evidence of a Viking Age Marketplace in Norway

By Andreas Vikøren / UNIVERSITY OF STAVANGER Klosterøy is an island in southwestern Norway known for its rich cultural heritage. Here, you can find Norway's most well-preserved medieval monastery,...
Andriamamelo cave art panel. Madagascar cave art is leading to curious conclusions. Source: Author provided

Madagascar Cave Art Reveals Captivating Africa-Asia Connections

David Burney / The Conversation Unique, prehistoric rock art drawings have been discovered in the Andriamamelo Cave in western Madagascar. I was part of a team that discovered and described these...
The Mixtec tomb has revealed information about funerary rituals 1,500 years ago. Source: INAH

Warrior-Trader Mixtec Tomb Unearthed in Mexican Town Square

Archaeologists have unearthed a rare twin-chambered stone Mixtec tomb in central Mexico. This discovery is only the third of its kind in the region. What sets this tomb apart from the other two is...
Representational image of the Cape Gelidonya shipwreck generated by AI. Source: Krtola / Adobe Stock

Ancient Underwater Trade Secrets at the Cape Gelidonya Shipwreck

When a Turkish sponge diver discovered a shipwreck in the 1950s, little did he know that he had stumbled on the ancient remains of a ship laden with Bronze Age cargo. Later dubbed the Cape Gelldonya...
The horse bridle was made up of both a bit and leather straps which were once fastened to the horse’s head, which makes it possible to date it. Source: Espen Finstad / Secrets of The Ice / Innlandet County Municipality

Ancient Horse Bridle Emerges from Melting Ice Along Viking Trade Route

A rare Viking Age artifact has melted from its icy-mountain tomb after 1,200 years. Discovered at 2,000 meters above sea level, this timeworn horse bridle whispers of ancient high-altitude traders...
Tulips carried astonishing value in the 1600s. Source: master1305 / Adobe Stock.

How Tulips Became the Bitcoin of the 1600s (Video)

In the 1600s, before Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, Europe experienced a unique phenomenon known as tulip mania . Amsterdam's wealthy merchants assigned astonishing value to exotic tulips, reaching up...
From ancient to modern times the abominable violation of human rights has occurred. Referred today as human trafficking, it is nonetheless, a form of slavery, of human exploitation for personal or commercial gain. Source: Rick/Adobe Stock

From Sumerian Gods to Modern Day: The Long History of Slavery and Lost Children

The recent film Sound of Freedom is a fictionalized account of the true story of Tim Ballard, a former US Department of Homeland Security agent who founded the nonprofit organization Operation...
Uluburun, ancient wealthiest shipwreck

Uluburun, One of the Oldest and Wealthiest Shipwrecks Ever Discovered

The Uluburun is a 3,300-year-old shipwreck discovered off the coast of Uluburun (Grand Cape), near Kaş in south-western Turkey. It is among the oldest ships ever discovered and contained one of the...
Praia Melão, a sugar mill and slavery plantation, situated on São Tomé, stands as the primary focus of archaeological exploration on the island.	Source: M.D. Cruz/Antiquity Publications Ltd

Tiny West African Island Shows Evidence of the Invention of Plantation Slavery

Situated on the West coast of Africa, with the equator running through it, the tiny island of Sao Tome was uninhabited before being colonized by the Portuguese in 1486. Now being investigated...
Scythian gold plaque depicting a Scythian rider with a spear. Source: Public domain

Scythian Gold: The Rich Legacy of an Ancient Culture

Scythian gold is a treasure trove of ancient history and cultural heritage, shrouded in mystery and awe. This remarkable collection of gold artifacts, jewelry and other precious items stands for the...
Kilwa Kisiwani. Source: renatehenkel / Adobe Stock.

Kilwa Kisiwani: The Ruins of a Medieval East African Empire (Video)

Nestled on an island off the Tanzanian coast lies the captivating ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani, a once-prosperous city that thrived as a vital global trade hub during the Kilwa Sultanate , until European...
Anglo-Saxon ivory rings were sourced from African elephants. Source: kyslynskyy / Adobe Stock

Anglo-Saxon Ivory Rings Found in Britain Came from African Elephants

Unusual rings made from ivory have been unearthed in dozens of early Anglo-Saxon burials in England. The origin of the Anglo-Saxon ivory rings had remained a mystery for 200 years, but scientific...
Remains of the ancient city of Sijilmasa within the lush Tafilalt Oasis in Morocco. Source: Mohammed / Adobe Stock

Sijilmasa: The Golden Oasis and Africa's El Dorado

Throughout ancient African history, gold has played a fundamental role, particularly as a source of wealth and power. Meanwhile, the cities that thrived on the gold trading routes were motivated by...
Songlines, or dreaming tracks, are songs and rituals associated with migration routes spanning the Australian continent. Source: Rick / Adobe Stock

Tracing Songlines: Unraveling Aboriginal Australia's Ancient Oral Maps

From as early as 65,000 to 80,000 years ago, the first human settlements appeared on the vast continent of Australia. These left behind an archaeological record which bears witness to the remarkable...
A 1572 depiction of the city of Kilwa on Kilwa Island from Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg's atlas Civitates orbis terrarum. Source: Public domain

The Kilwa Sultanate: The Island State That Dominated Medieval East Africa

The Kilwa Sultanate was a powerful and prosperous city-state that once dominated the Swahili coast of East Africa. For centuries, this kingdom thrived as a hub of international trade, connecting the...
African tribal warrior. Source: padnob / Adobe Stock.

When Two Tribes Meet: Watch a Pivotal Moment in Human History (Video)

The origins of human civilization are shrouded in mystery, but one thing is clear: our ancestors were not always peaceful. For millennia, different groups of early humans lived in isolated...
Ancient Koumbi Saleh, a busy center of trade. Source: dasom/Adobe Stock

Gold, Salt, and Islam: The Story of Koumbi Saleh

Koumbi Saleh was one of the most important economic centers in West Africa during its peak around the 9th century. This wealthy trade city was once a hub of economic activity, with trade, agriculture...
The Bansa, or residence of the King of Kongo, and capital of the Kingdom of Kongo was called St. Salvador or Mbanza-Kongo, seen here in 1745. (Public domain)

The Rise and Fall of Central Africa’s Mighty Kingdom of Kongo

Nestled between the Congo River and the Atlantic Ocean lies a hidden gem of African history: the Kingdom of Kongo. Despite its vast territory spanning modern-day Angola, Congo and Gabon, this...
With the death of Cleopatra, the Hellenistic period was officially over. (Public domain)

Alexander's Legacy: The Hellenistic Period and the Dawn of a New Era

The Hellenistic period was a time of great change and excitement in the ancient world. Spanning from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC to the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC, this era saw...
Xuazang crossed the Gobi Desert and through Central Asia. Source: peerasit/By Adobe Stock

Charting New Territories: 8 Pioneering Ancient Expeditions That Reshaped the World

Expeditions have always been an integral part of human history, driving us to explore new frontiers and discover the unknown. From the ancient expeditions of our ancestors to modern-day scientific...
Copper slag excavated at Hala Sultan Tekke. Source: University of Gothenburg / CC BY 4.0

Copious Copper Supplies Made Cyprus a Trading Center 3,500 Years Ago

In the earliest period of international trade in the Mediterranean region, the island of Cyprus was a surprisingly busy trading hub. Its exalted status during the Late Bronze Age (1,500 to 1,150 BC)...
Recently discovered textiles in the Aravah point to Silk Road trade in ancient Israel.	Source: Israel Antiquities Authority: Olga Nganbitsky Nofer Shamir, Roy Galili.

Precious Ancient Fabrics from the ‘Israeli Silk Road’ Found in a Trash Heap

Archaeologists have uncovered rare, printed fabrics dating back around 1,300 years. While the fabrics had originated in the East, they were found in an Israeli dump! It is the first evidence of a...
Hacksilver found in Israel. These nonstandard bits of damaged and aesthetically unpleasing pieces of silver that were used for commerce. Source: Lena Kuperschmidt/ Israeli Antiquities Authority

3,600-year-old Silver Pieces Confirmed As First Money Used in the Levant

In a fascinating new study has found that dozens of silver pieces found during excavations in Israel and the Gaza Strip were actually used as currency in ancient times. Since the silver pieces were...
Allegorical portrait of an elderly Elizabeth I, who is said to have suffered the effects of poor dental hygiene and black teeth. Source: Public domain

Queen Elizabeth I Had Beggarly Black Teeth

Queen Elizabeth I of England was particularly fond of sugar. This was a time of great conquests and explorations to the New World for the royal houses of Europe, accompanied by expanding trade and...

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