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.
A new study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science has revealed that the ancient Moche civilization regularly engaged in the ritual killing of war prisoners who were killed, displayed,...
A team of geologists in Wales have conducted a study which has identified the source of the stones used to build Stonehenge and their results conflict with the location that has been believed to be...
Everyone has heard about King Tutankhamun, but how many knew that he was buried with 48 cases of beef and poultry? Those responsible for preparing Tutankhamun’s burial had to make sure, of course,...
A new study published in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology has found evidence that prehistoric man who lived in the Carmel Mountains region in Haifa, Israel, held ritual meals following the...
Archaeologists in China have discovered the tomb of Emperor Yang Guang , one of the most famous and tyrannical emperor’s in Chinese history, who is known to have brought the Sui Dynasty (581 – 618 AD...
The incredible Nazca lines in Peru are under threat of destruction after a group of ‘invasores’ (invaders) have taken possession of two large tracts of land in the protected area. Already several...
In 1928, a powerful earthquake shook the hills surrounding the Utcubamba valley in Peru, revealing a seven foot tall clay statue, which came crashing down from the cliffside. Researchers were stunned...
Dog domestication is not something new. According to a new DNA analysis , dog domestication has been shown to date back at least 30,000 years. The samples came from a diverse range of fossils from a...
An ancient amulet inscribed with cuneiform writing and dating back to the Mesopotamian civilization has been found during excavations in Dibbia, Musandam in Oman. It has been reported in the times of...
It has long been said that Christopher Columbus was not the first foreigner to step foot in the Americas by the time he reached there in 1492. Among the theories put forward is that the Vikings,...
A group of scientists and historians have made an incredible discovery relating to some writings made on parchments that were produced in medieval times. Using cutting-edge technology, the...
Portus was once a mighty port where 350 ships could dock at a time, supplying the Roman Empire with grain, wine, oil, slaves and luxurious goods from all around the world. The site also boasted an...
Last month we reported on the rare discovery of a Roman coffin belonging to a child in a field in Leicestershire, England. However, archaeologists could not open it until conditions were right out of...
A team of Iranian and Italian archaeologists has discovered the remains of an ancient temple in an Elymais site in the Kaleh Chendar region in southwestern Iran. Elymais (the Greek name for Biblical...
A recent investigation and documentary which re-examined the forensic evidence surrounding King Tutankhamun’s death revealed a ground-breaking new theory on how he died. According to researchers, his...
King Antiochus 1, ruler of Commagene from 70 BC to 36BC, an ancient Armenian kingdom, was a most unusual king. He claimed descent from Greek conqueror Alexander the Great on his mother’s side, and...
While tracking pig-like animals called peccaries in Brazil’s forests, a group of researchers inadvertently stumbled upon an incredible display of ancient rock art that had never been seen before. The...
Peruvian archaeologists have uncovered the remains of over 100 dogs , thought to be 1,000 years old, lying alongside human remains in the ancient ruins of Parque de las Leyendas in Lima, Peru. It is...
French archaeologists made a surprising discovery during an excavation in Alsace, France, when they uncovered a substantially elongated skull dating back 1,500 years . The finding prompted the...
Researchers in China have discovered six complete ancient flutes made of bone belonging to the Neolithic period carbon dated to about 9,000 years old. Fragments of many more flutes were found in the...
Archaeologists have found a huge structure at a dig site known as the Kultepe mound in Turkey which dates back four-and-a-half thousand years. It is believed that the building belonged to an...
Archaeologists have discovered hundreds of pit tombs in the Polish village of Łęgowo near Wągrowiec, some of which contain tiny urns containing the cremated remains of babies dating back two-and-a-...
In November last year, the translation of a 500-year-old document answered one of the greatest mysteries surrounding the Forbidden City in Beijing, China – how the ancient people managed to transport...
In the municipality of Dimiao in the province of Bohol, Philippines, lies an eerie and perplexing image – rows and rows of honeycomb-like tombs . The site would not be so strange if it were not for...