An international team of researchers have analysed human remains from 21 archaeological sites to learn more about the impact and evolution of the plague-causing bacterium Yersinia pestis during the...
Fingerprints are very important in criminal investigations , but it seems they are also increasingly important when it comes to archaeological studies . By studying 1000-year-old fingerprints ,...
“So our Heroe, Captain Teach, assumed the Cognomen of Black-beard, from that large Quantity of Hair, which, like a frightful Meteor, covered his whole Face, and frightened America more than any Comet...
Researchers have unearthed some deliberately sharpened tools that date from over 2.5 million years ago. These artifacts are changing our understanding of the invention of tools and showing that our...
By Marlene Daut / The Conversation Marvel’s blockbuster “Black Panther,” which recently became the first superhero drama to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award, takes place in the secret...
The 10,000-year-old Yaghan language of Chile' s remote Tierra del Fuego has ‘one’ remaining fluent speaker left, and the entire ancient culture is on the very edge of dying out altogether. So what is...
An old heirloom looks likely to make a lucky family a fortune when it goes to auction . They found one of the Lewis Chess pieces that belongs to one of the most famous chess sets in all of history...
In AD 897 the holy space of the Basilica of St John of Lateran, Rome , was violated by a truly sinister event inside the dark walls of the house of God. In the august presence of the Emperor Lamberto...
St Kitts and Nevis are renowned for being beautiful tropical islands, but in the past the islands were also strategically important. Several battles and sieges took place here to determine who not...
“It belongs in a museum.” With these words, Indiana Jones , the world’s best-known fictional archaeologist , articulated an association between archaeologists, antiquities , and museums that has a...
In ancient folklore, the kobold is a small, pointy-eared, goblin-like creature with a short-temper and a mischievous spirit. While generally described as well-intentioned, angering a kobold is said...
A hoard of Viking coins worth at least half a million British pounds has been recovered by police investigating the illegal trade of historic treasures and they tell a completely different story of...
Kitsune (狐狸精), the Japanese fox-spirit , is also known as the Kumiho (구미호) in Korea and the Huli Jing (狐狸精) in China. They are basically the same creature but with a few differences based on region...
All through history and time people have been trying to solve unexplained phenomena and bizarre mysteries . As humans, we’re often fascinated and sometimes frightened by what we don’t understand. But...
Underwater archaeology is helping to transform our knowledge of the ancient world. In Israel, maritime archaeologists have discovered a 2,200-year-old Hellenistic fortress linked to biblical battles...
Brazil is a huge country, well known for its carnivals, rich coffee, fantastic soccer players, and diverse heritage. One of its most remarkable archaeological sites is the São Miguel das Missões...
Overlooking the Alps, in the idyllic Austrian mountain town of Hallstatt , a few hundred grave markers indicate the resting place of former residents. But those who choose to be buried there know...
One of the more unusual aspects of the Medieval world was that animals could be put on trial like human beings. Yes, there was such a thing as legal animal trials! While the veracity of many Medieval...
Garbage dumps are always exciting places for archaeologists. They often tell us the stories that are hidden or seen as unimportant to share with future generations, but these tales provide...
Visitors to East Africa are often amazed by massive herds of cattle with a gorgeous array of horn, hump and coat patterns. Pastoralism – a way of life centered around herding – is a central part of...
There is a certain perception of the Great Pyramid as an utterly void arrangement of empty halls and chambers, strangely bereft of artifacts and inscriptions that might offer clues to its...
Astronomy is often considered to be one of the oldest branches of science. In many ancient societies, astronomical observations were used not only for the practical job of determine the rhythm of...
Did ancient supernovae induce proto-humans to walk on two legs, eventually resulting in Homo sapiens with hands free to build cathedrals, design rockets and snap iPhone selfies? A paper published...
Why would knights be fighting snails? Medieval art is a complex weave of surreal, bizarre and sometimes disturbing imagery and artists took creative license to a whole new experimental level. With...