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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.

Underwater excavation of the site of La Marmotta in Lake Bracciano.  Source: Museo delle Civiltà-Mario Mineo/Antiquity Publications Ltd

Early Neolithic Settlement Found Underneath the Waters of Lake Bracciano

La Marmotta, an ancient lakeshore settlement submerged in Lake Bracciano near Rome, Italy, has captivated underwater archaeologists since its discovery in 1989. Now, archaeologists have located some...
Roman shoes discovered in the canal of the River Lys during the excavation of Thérouanne (Pas-de-Calais) in 2023.      Source: © Dominique Bossut, Inrap

Roman Craft Center, And Shoes, Unearthed Next to French Canal

Buried in a cocoon of silt for 1,700 years, archaeologists in France have excavated a well-preserved Roman craft center. Not only did they discover evidence of butchers, tanners, shoemakers, and...
An ancient Egyptian Bes vase once contained a potent hallucinogenic concoction. Source: Neuroshock / Adobe Stock /Overlay; Tanasi et. al / CC BY 4.0

Hallucinogenic Substances Detected in 2,200-Year-Old Egyptian ‘Bes’ Vase

An exciting new study has revealed long-hidden secrets contained within an ancient Bes vase dating back to Ptolemaic era Egypt. Researchers conducted exhaustive chemical analysis of the second...
Left, Nazca geoglyphs recently discovered using artificial intelligence show figures of a pair of bird legs, a humanoid and a fish at Nazca in Peru. Right, Examples of various types of Nazca image creation techniques.	Source: Yamagata University Institute of Nasca

New Nazca Geoglyphs Uncovered in Northern Pampa Using AI Tech

What do a humanoid figure, a bird, a fish, and a pair of legs have in common? Japanese scientists and archaeologists, using a deep artificial intelligence learning model technique, have discovered...
Stone axe and knife (representational). Source: JPS / Adobe Stock.

700,000-Year-Old Tools Found in Greece Rewrite History

The rich historical tapestry of Greece has been dramatically expanded with the recent discovery of hunting tools dating back an astonishing 700,000 years. Unearthed in a coal mine in Megalopolis,...
Detail of the Huastec statue which was discovered in Mexico. Source: INAH

Statue of Huastec ‘Boss’ Found by Road Workers in Mexico

Road works in Hidalgo, Mexico, hit a snag when workers unearthed a rare stone statue. Turns out, it's a boss-level indigenous ruler who got relocated for his own safety, according to Mexican...
Bronze Age barrows under excavation by Cotswold Archaeology’s Andover team. Source: Cotswold Archaeology

Excavations Near Stonehenge Reveal Early Bronze Age Barrow Cemetery

A team of archaeologists digging at the site of a planned housing development near Salisbury , England got quite a shock when they unearthed the remains of a sprawling cemetery that could be anywhere...
3D reconstruction of Egyptian King Tutankhamun from 2023. Source: C. Moraes et al.

New Study Unveils the Face of Egypt's Iconic Pharaoh Tutankhamun

Researchers have conducted a new study aiming to shed light on the facial appearance of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh, Tutankhamun. The study, led by a team of forensic experts and anthropologists,...
Poetry, song, and comedy was a way to deal with reality in medieval times.  Source: Ruslan Batiuk/Adobe Stock

Professor Discovers Oldest Script for Stand-Up Comedy in Scottish Library

A Cambridge academic found a rare 15th-century manuscript in Scotland, revealing the oldest medieval stand-up comedy. Apparently, they had jokes and laughter back then too! Not even Chat GPT knows...
Roman soldier with hairless body, now found to be achieved using tweezers. Source: Gabi Moisa/Adobe Stock

Caesars Loved Tweezers! Plucking Romans Were Obsessed With Hair Removal

More than 50 pairs of tweezers have been found at one of Roman Britain’s largest settlements, providing a link into the deep-rooted history of hair removal practices! Wroxeter City Shropshire is the...
The tale of Jomsborg tells of a thriving settlement with a formidable fortress on the Baltic.      Source: Mariusz Świtulski/Adobe Stock

Existence of Mythical Viking Stronghold of Jomsborg Acquires Teeth in Polish Discovery

Investigations into the semi-mythical and legendary medieval Viking stronghold of ‘Jomsborg’ have acquired new steam, and in an entirely unexpected way. With the local government making the decision...
An AI generated Roman Legion, representative of Legio X Fretensis. Source: Noel Cook/ Adobe Stock

Coins Dug Up in Georgia Expose Dirty Work of Legendary Legio X Fretensis

Archaeologists in Georgia have discovered a hoard of ancient coins, which had symbols punched into their faces long after they were created. When the researchers learned the nature of the symbols,...
Bottom, a Hetepheres bracelet in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MFA 47.1700. Top, an electrotype reproduction made in 1947, MFA 52.1837 (Harvard University—Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition)		Source: © April 2023 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston/ Journal of Archaeological Science

Stunning Silver Bracelet of Egyptian Queen Hetepheres Reveals Trade Secrets

In a remarkable revelation from a recent study, ancient Egypt has once again defied expectations, showcasing its globalized nature even in the early Bronze Age. The study, centered around a...
Left, Representative AI generated Iron age house; Right, Iron Age house remains from the 10th to the 9th century BC in Thorikos, Attica/Greece.	Source: Left, AI generated; Right, Thorikos Archaeological Project Gent-Göttingen

Archaeologists Excavate Earliest Greek Iron Age House Ever Found in Thorikos

A team of archaeologists got quite the surprise when they were digging at a well-established Mycenaean site in Greece located south of Athens. While performing excavations near Thorikos, the...
A special metal frame allows archaeological digs of one square meter in the area the Rungholt church has been detected on the tidal flats. Source: Universitaet Mainz

Sunken Sanctuary and Settlement Rediscovered on German Coast

A sacred coastal building was drowned and lost during a storm surge in 1362 AD. Now, archaeologists in Germany have rediscovered the sunken medieval structure, which some media outlets are calling “...
Decoration inside one of the tombs recently unearthed in Saqqara, Egypt. Source: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Tombs, Treasures, and Animal Mummies Unearthed in Saqqara Necropolis

Archaeologists in Egypt have announced the completion of their 6th excavation season at the Saqqara necropolis. Not only did they find human tombs filled with artifacts and painted hieroglyphs, but...
Ancient toilet found in Jerusalem. Source: Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority.

Poop From Biblical-Era Toilets in Jerusalem Reveals Oldest Dysentery Evidence

By examining ancient poop from Biblical-era toilets in Jerusalem, a new study has revealed that these ancient toilets contain the oldest evidence ever found of a microscopic parasite known to cause...
Yanghai leather saddle upper side. (P. Wertmann et al, 2023/Archaeological Research in Asia)

2,700-Year-Old Horse Saddle in Chinese Tomb May Be World’s Oldest!

Archaeologists in China have discovered a 2,700-year-old leather horse saddle. Not only is this maybe the oldest saddle ever discovered, but having been found in a woman’s tomb it contradicts...
The discovery of remnants of an ancient Roman perfume in a tomb in Spain could be the first time a perfume from Roman times has been identified. Source: sderbane / Adobe Stock

The Scent of Patchouli Perfume Filled the Air in the Roman Empire

After analyzing chemical traces found in a small vessel recovered from an ancient Roman site in the city of Carmona, Spain, a team of researchers from the University of Cordoba has identified...
Image showing how the ring-shaped artifacts would have been used as spear-thrower grips, using one or two loops. Source: Justin Garnett & Frederic Sellet / University of Kansas

20,000-year-old Rings Cleverly Deduced to be Prehistoric Spear-thrower Grips

Archaeologists digging at certain sites in France have unearthed some curious ring-shaped artifacts over the years that seemed to have no clear purpose. Dating back to the Upper Paleolithic period (...
Two Roman statue heads found at Carlisle Cricket Club Roman site. Source: Geraldine Moore/Cumberland Council

Carlisle Cricket Club Bathhouse Site Reveals Colossal Roman Sculptures of Imperial Class

The site of a Roman bathhouse or mansion, the ruins at Carlisle Cricket Club have revealed more in the latest round of excavations – two exquisitely preserved head sculptures depicting Roman gods,...
The discovery of the word escencia has led historians to believe that the vase once belonged to the kakure kirishitan, or hidden Christians. Source: Nagasaki Prefectural Government

Hidden Christians’ Illicit Sacred Vase Brought to Light in Japan

A centuries-old relic associated with ancient Christian practice in Japan is causing a stir in the Japanese media. The item is believed to be an artifact preserved by Japan’s “kakure kirishitan” or...
Faded Cyrillic script discovered on lead plate. Source: Ivaylo Kanev/Bulgarian National History Museum

Earliest Known Cyrillic Script With Ancient Plea Found at Medieval Bulgarian Fortress

Researchers performing excavations at a medieval fortress in Bulgaria unearthed a weathered and aged lead plate that contained a hard-to-read inscription. In fact, the inscribed words were so faint...

Ming Dynasty Shipwrecks Resurface off the Coast of South China Sea

In the depths of the South China Sea, a ground-breaking discovery has captured the attention of archaeologists and historians alike. Two ancient shipwrecks, dating back to the illustrious Ming...

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