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Modified tiger shark teeth found in 7,000-year-old layers of Leang Panninge (top) and Leang Bulu’ Sipong 1 (bottom) on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Right; Shark tooth weapons from Kiribati and Hawai’i. Source: M.C. Langley/The Conversation, Right; The Trustees of The British Museum

Bringing a Shark to a Knife Fight: 7,000-year-old Shark-tooth Knives Discovered in Indonesia

Michelle Langley et al./The Conversation Excavations on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi have uncovered two unique and deadly artifacts dating back some 7,000 years – tiger shark teeth that were...
Until they discovered the true location of its tooth-swirl, there were several theories for how Helicoprion once looked. An outdated Helicoprion reconstruction. (public signage, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, USA). James St. John / CC by SA 2.0.

Ancient Sea-Creature Helicoprion Had Terrifying Chainsaw-Like Teeth

Had you lived 270 million years ago, you may have thought twice before taking a dip in the ocean. For one of the most terrifying prehistoric monsters from the underwater world was the owner of a set...
A man contorting his face at the idea of some of the weirdest foods in history. Source: Kurhan / Adobe Stock

A Test for the Taste Buds: The 7 Weirdest Foods in History

In many ways, the culinary arts of preparing food are the oldest in the world. Ever since becoming sentient, humans had to experiment with cooking in order to sustain themselves. From the dawn of...
It wasn't until nearly 100 years after Tsukumo No. 24's excavation that a cause of death was finally assigned, which was death by shark attack! The Jomon-era Japanese man is now the oldest ever known shark attack victim.

Oldest Shark Attack Victim Ever, Found in an Ancient Japanese Mound

A prehistoric Japanese man's dying moments have been recreated in astonishingly gory detail based on the forensic evidence found on his final remains. Not only do those details include almost 800...
Detail of ‘Iwatake mushroom gathering at Kumano in Kishu.’

Zombie Powder, Bird Saliva, and Rotten Shark: Would You Try These Ancient Foods?

Ancient tribal cultures all over the world partook in perilous hunting, fishing, and food gathering adventures. Hearths appear 250,000 years ago - which is the accepted archaeological estimate for...
Reconstitution of a prehistoric burial. Representative image.

Bones of the Child, Tools of the Shaman: Ritual and Cosmology at the Hopewell Tunacunnhee Mounds

Near Trenton in Dade County, Georgia, is a place called Tunacunnhee , supposedly named after a Native American word meaning “Lookout Creek”. Located just a few hundred yards east of Lookout Creek is...
A Puma in the night

Ghost Talkers and Puma Men: Adena Totemism and the Shamans of the Early Woodland Period

The people of the Adena Culture are widely regarded as the first builders of mounds and earthworks in the Ohio Valley. By conventional dating the culture spans the period of 1000 BC to around 300 AD...
Fossils were viewed very differently in the past; usually through wilder... more fantastical interpretations.

Unearthing Unexpected Fossil Usage in Ancient Medicine (Part 1): Ogre Balms to Dragon Tongues

Whenever a person thinks of fossils today, lively images of dinosaurs or other primordial beasts emerge within one's mind. Indeed, most people nowadays would connect fossils with museums, excavation...
Illustration of a sea serpent. Credit: Tina Leyk / deviantart

In the Wake of the Stronsay Globster

More humans have walked on the moon than have been to the deepest parts of planet Earth and although the oceans cover 70% of Earth’s surface, we only know around 1% of the seafloor. Many a mystery...
Mayan Depictions of Sea Monsters May Be First Representations of Ancient Sharks

Mayan Depictions of Sea Monsters May Be First Representations of Ancient Sharks

You can find numerous images of fearsome shark-like creatures in many major Maya cities throughout the regions of modern Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. This betrays the fascination the ancient Maya...
Stay Out of the Water: Does a Prehistoric Shark Still Live in the Ocean?

Stay Out of the Water: Does a Prehistoric Shark Still Live in the Ocean?

There is said to be a shark that is scarier than the one from the movie Jaws which is as large as the biggest whale. But this isn’t a monster from a sci-fi movie, it’s real. This kind of shark lived...