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History & Archaeology

We bring you all the latest historical news and archaeological discoveries relating to ancient human history. Read more history news from around the world here at Ancient Origins.

An artist’s reconstruction of life at Star Carr, where recent excavations have uncovered evidence of a thriving Mesolithic settlement.

Enigmatic Engraved Pendant from Stone Age Site is the Oldest in Britain

The oldest known engraved pendant in Britain, a small piece of shale dating back about 11,000 years, has been discovered at a Stone Age site in Yorkshire, England. Archaeologists found the pendant at...
A fine wool textile dyed red and blue, found at Timna. The textile used the various colors of natural animal hair to create black and orange-brown colors for decorative bands.

Rare Artifacts in Timna Mine Provide New Insight on the Edomites

A team of archaeologists has discovered a collection of textiles of diverse dye colors and designs about 3,000 years old in an Edomite tin mine in Israel. Textiles this old are rare because they are...
Terra cotta image of Maya Rain God Chac at San Francisco's de Young museum.

Researchers Explore the Role of the Prehistoric Kayuko Mounds in Maya Royal Accession Ceremonies

Around the world and throughout history many rulers who’ve taken power have said their authority is ordained by God. In Europe it was called the divine right of kings and in China the mandate of...
Site of the 2,100-year old Roman tavern, featuring the pits of taboon ovens for bread, a huge dining section to the right, a drainage system and millstones.

Excavations Reveal that the Oldest Roman Tavern Nourished and Served Ancient Life

A recent archaeological find in Lattes, France may provide insight into how the Romans dined 2,100 years ago. Archaeologists have discovered a structure that they believe to be a tavern, in an area...
Decorative wall

Satellite Imaging Exposes 4,000-year-old Tomb in the Dahshur Necropolis

A Middle Kingdom (c. 2000 BC – c.1700 BC) rock-cut tomb was discovered recently in El-Lisht, Egypt, which was the ancient archaeological site of the Dahshur necropolis. The tomb is located to the...
Conservation of Ötzi, the Iceman.

Making the Dead Speak: Scientists Plan to Recreate the Voice of Otzi the Iceman

Italian scientists are attempting to give Ötzi the Iceman a voice. By using CT scans of his throat and the tissue around his voice box, the researchers believe there is a chance to recreate the...
rock art, petroglyphs, Kimberley, Australia, oldest, paintings, Wandjinas, Aboriginal, indigenous

New Research May Establish Australian Rock Art as the Oldest in the World

Australian Indigenous art is the longest unbroken tradition of art in the world. It is so old in fact, that examples have been found that depict long extinct megafauna. Now a push is underway to...
Pyramid of Queen Khennuwa at the royal necropolis at Meroe.

New Investigations Begin on the Pyramid of the Mysterious Queen Khennuwa

After almost a century, archaeologists are re-entering the burial chambers of the mysterious Queen Khennuwa, who remains a mysterious personality of the Kingdom of Meroe. The archaeologists re-opened...
Neanderthal skull discovered along the Strait of Gibraltar.

Study Says Hominids May Have Entered Europe Via the Strait of Gibraltar 900,000 Years Ago

Researchers at the University of Barcelona believe that they may have evidence that hominids entered Europe through the south of the Iberian Peninsula 900,000 years ago. Evidence for their claim...
The Tarkhan Dress.

Dated Fashion: The Tarkhan Dress, the Oldest Woven Garment in the World

A piece of clothing found buried in an ancient Egyptian cemetery has been identified as the oldest known dress and the oldest woven garment in the world. The item is known as the Tarkhan dress. It...
The stone sarcophagus containing the mummy of King Tut is seen in his underground tomb.

Spanish Leak Reveals Hidden Chamber in Tutankhamun Tomb is Full of Treasures

The Tourism Minister of Egypt Hisham Zaazou may have slipped up during a recent visit to Spain when he revealed startling information about the investigations into a hidden chamber in Tutankhamun’s...
The fingerprints were discovered by museum researchers on an inner coffin lid belonging to the priest Nespawershefyt from about 1000 BC.

3,000-Year-Old Egyptian Fingerprints found on Coffin Lid

A set of ancient fingerprints have been found on the inner surface of a coffin lid dating back to 1,000 BC, which belonged to an Egyptian priest. The discovery brings to life our ancient past and...
Close microscopic inspection reveals them as being far from idealised female forms.

World Famous Ancient Siberian Venus Figurines are NOT Venuses After All

By Olga Gertcyk / The Siberian Times None are naked: instead, they're far more interesting… New groundbreaking research shows that a celebrated collection of prehistoric Venus figurines are - in fact...
The wooden wheel unearthed at Must Farm.

Bronze Age Wooden Wheel Adds to List of Surprising Finds at Must Farm

At the Must Farm Bronze Age site in England archaeologists have now turned up a wooden wheel to add to other significant finds there, including vitrified food and well-preserved textiles, wooden...
The Khatt Shebib wall.

Mysterious Ancient Wall Extending Over 150km Investigated in Jordan

The Aerial Archaeology in Jordan Project has mapped out a mysterious ancient wall in Jordan extending for some 150 kilometers (93 miles), leaving archaeologists perplexed as to how it was built and...
Construction workers were carrying out an underwater investigation when they made the unique discovery of a Medieval cog with a brick-arched oven and glazed tiles on the rear deck.

Medieval Shipwreck Raised from the Depths for the First Time

Using advanced technology, Dutch marine archaeologists and salvagers have raised a cog (small trading ship) that plied the waters of the Baltic and North seas in the 15th century. Construction...
Excavations at the NEG II site in the Jordan River Valley and the site in northern Jerusalem

Discoveries Show that Galilee and Jerusalem are Far Older than Once Believed

Discoveries regarding two of the most important archaeological sites in Israel – Galilee and Jerusalem, suggest that the sites are far older than commonly believed. Teams of archaeologists have found...
Easter Island statues by Honey Hooper, Fig. 92. Obsidian Spear-heads

New Study Asserts that Easter Island Was Not Destroyed by Warfare

By: Jack Phillips , Epoch Times The ancient civilization that inhabited Easter Island wasn’t destroyed by warfare, according to a recent study, contrary to what some researchers believe. Researchers...
A petroglyph photographed on the Pine Trees beach of the Big Island in Hawaii.

Huge Waves Provide Rare Glimpse of Hawaiian Petroglyphs

The huge waves that hit Hawaii during the weather phenomena known as El Niño (El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)) excite surfers and, on the odd occasion, rock art enthusiasts too. They know that...
Skull shown in-situ prior to excavation

Hereditary or Head-Binding? Archaeologist Seeks Answers on the Strange Achavanich Beaker Burial

In 1987, the remains of an 18-22-year-old woman, now dubbed Ava, were discovered at Achavanich in Caithness in the north of Scotland. The site was excavated by the Highland Regional Council...
The gleaming riches no-one was meant to see belonging to an ancient nomad potentate, and his queen...or was she his concubine?

Examining the Stunning Treasures - and Macabre Slaughter - in the Siberian Valley of the Kings

By Olga Gertcyk, The Siberian Times The royal tomb known as Arzhan 2 in the modern-day Republic of Tuva - to many, the most mysterious region in all Russia - is some 2,600 years old but its valuables...
Mummy portrait of bearded man, encaustic on wood, Royal Museum of Scotland. Excavated in Hawara, Egypt in 1911.

Fayum Mummy Portraits Expose Information About Precise Painting Techniques and Possible Neurological Disorders

A group of researchers has uncovered telling clues about the underlying surface shapes and colors of 15 Fayum mummy portraits created during the Greco-Roman and Coptic periods in Egypt. Their...
The ‘standing burial’ with mixed bones and parts of the spine in correct anatomical position. Two arm bones left of the spine show gnawing marks and are situated in different directions. The large truncated blade is typical for the late Mesolithic.

New Study Analyzes a Mesolithic Cemetery Full of Children and an Odd Standing Burial

Researchers have found some unique burials amongst the remains in one of Europe’s oldest cemeteries – the 8,500-year-old Gross Fredenwalde cemetery. So far nine skeletons have been excavated at the...
A 12th-century manuscript with material copied from the earlier texts – an important source for Professor Dickey in her research.

Fights, Drunks, Baths, and Excuses: Clues to Daily Life in the Roman Empire Via Latin Textbooks

A researcher translating Latin textbooks from the 2nd and 6th centuries has joined language learners of the past in discovering how to best deal with a variety of aspects of life in the Roman Empire...

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