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All the latest news on finds, advancements, and research in archaeology and ancient history, from the No 1 Ancient History website in the world

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A chimpanzee named Woodstock with leprosy in Ivory Coast. Source: Tai Chimpanzee Project

Squirrels, Armadillos and Now Apes Have Leprosy

Two colonies of apes have been discovered suffering from leprosy. The so-called “Leper Apes,” some with gruesome skin lesions and rotting body parts, were found in Guinea-Bissau's Cantanhez National...
First Nation K’ómoks Advanced Fishing Traps Revealed in British Columbia

First Nation K’ómoks Advanced Fishing Traps Revealed in British Columbia

In the shallow coastal waters along the eastern shore of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, low tide brings a remarkable sight. When the tides are out and the tidelands of Comox Bay are revealed,...
According to the latest study, the Iron Age diet of Europeans was rich in grains, fermented blue cheese, and beer. 		Source: wideonet / Adobe Stock

The Iron Age Diet: Lots Of Blue Cheese and Beer, Poop Study Shows

Research on poop samples, or palaeofaeces, preserved in the underground salt mines of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hallstatt in Austria has revealed startling new facts about the Iron Age diet...
The Doge’s Palace in Saint Mark’s Square, Venice. Source: Mapics / Adobe Stock.

The Republic of Venice, The Greatest Jewel of the Mediterranean?

To visit Venice is a dream of every passionate traveler. The city, crisscrossed with channels and marvelous relics of art and culture, is one of Italy’s most sought-after tourist destinations. But...
Portrait of Native American man. The study of Native American origins has long obsessed archaeologists and anthropologists. Source: Chinnachote / Adobe Stock

Study of Ancient Teeth Reveals Native American Origins Lie in Siberia

A team of researchers has launched another attempt answering questions about Native American origins, in other words when and how the Americas were first populated. By analyzing DNA samples and a...
La Courtisane by Thomas Couture (1864) (Public Domain)

Women Of Independent Means, Revered Ancient Courtesans

One day, the 19th-century courtesan, Esther Guimond, was traveling through Naples when she was stopped for a routine examination of her passport. When asked her profession, she quietly and discreetly...
The Pegtymel petroglyphs depicting hallucinogenic mushroom-headed figures, which is evidence of the use of magic mushrooms 2,000 years ago in northeast Russia.          Source: Institute of Archaeology Russian Academy of Sciences

Russia’s Fascinating Remote “Magic Mushroom” Pegtymel Petroglyphs

Russia’s Pegtymel petroglyphs, 2,000-year-old artworks found in a remote area of Arctic Russia, have been revealed to show scenes of hunting, and ritual hallucinogenic mushroom use. The telling...
Of the two unusual Bavarian graves, this one was of a 40- to 50-year-old man buried with his horse and a carved ivory comb for beard grooming.		Source: Archaeological Office Dr. Woidich GmbH

Rare Artifacts Found in Two 6th Century Bavarian Graves in Germany

Two Bavarian graves unearthed during excavations in the southern German town of Deiningen have generated exceptional interest among archaeologists. The two graves were in excellent condition when...
Prehistoric wooden constructions from the Qujialing culture found at China’s Jijiaocheng Site in Hunan Province. Source: ChinaNews.com

Neolithic Qujialing Culture Wooden Structures Uncovered in China

Qujialing culture (3400–2600 BC) wooden structures dating back some 4800 years have recently been excavated at the prehistoric Jijiaocheng Site in Changde City in China’s Hunan Province. Some of...
View of the Romanelli Cave in Italy. 	Source: Sigari et. al. / Antiquity Publications Ltd

New Stone Age Rock Art Discovered at Romanelli Cave

Expert researchers with an interest in ancient European rock art have just completed an exhaustive study of Romanelli Cave, an impressively decorated rock art site located on the southeastern tip of...
The Two Egyptian sphinx statues found in a garden in Suffolk, UK.	Source: Mander Auctioneers

Egyptian Sphinx Statues Found In English Garden Fetch £200,000

A pair of 5,000-year-old Egyptian sphinx statues have sold for just under £200,000 ($270000) at auction. The owner was “shocked” having paid only £300 ($407) for the “garden ornaments”. Sphinxes are...
Excavation of Byzantine-era winery by the Israel Antiquities Authority at Yavne, Israel. Source: Assaf Peretz / Israel Antiquities Authority

Industrial Size Byzantine-Era Winery Unearthed in Israel

The largest and most advanced wine production facility in the Byzantine world was constructed in fourth or fifth century Palestine, specifically in the city of Yavne near Israel’s Mediterranean coast...
An ancient woman from Romania shows an edgeto-edge bite (left). A Bronze Age man from Austria had a slight overbite (right). Source: D. E. Blasi et. al. / Science

“V” and “F” Sounds Were Birthed in the Neolithic Overbite Revolution

At the dawn of the Neolithic revolution , which occurred around 10,000 years ago, humans began eating less raw wild foods and more processed meals. A study published in Science shows how this...
A modern-day giant hippo (Hippopotamus amphibious) in water. Source: jwjarrett / Adobe Stock

Discovery of Tooth Reveals When Giant Hippos Roamed Britain

Hippopotamus antiquus , or the European hippopotamus, is a now extinct species of giant hippo that once roamed Europe much before the last glacial period. In the much explored Westbury Cave, in...
First Americans, photo of mural in the Page Museum, Los Angeles, by Travis S (CC BY-NC 2.0)

The Chumash: The Seashell First People Of North America

The question of how people first came to North America is as complicated as when they arrived. With new evidence comes new theories and the dates are being revised constantly. While the colonization...
: England’s Althorp House, Lady Diana’s family home, is the center of a huge estate on which archaeologists discovered a 40,000-year-old Neanderthal camp.		Source: Steve Daniels / The rear of Althorp House / CC BY-SA 2.0

Neanderthal Camp Discovered at Princess Diana’s Althorp House Estate

At Althorp House, the stately home on the late Princess Diana’s family estate northwest of central London, excavations have led archaeologists to suspect that its known history may be predated by...
: Scientists seeking to unlock the secrets of Roman concrete have carried out an in-depth study of the materials used to construct Caecilia Metella’s tomb, near Rome. 		Source: Livioandronico2013 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Roman Concrete In Ancient Tomb Reveals Secrets To Its Resilience

Among their many talents, the ancient Romans were pioneers in the art of concrete making and construction. The quality of Roman concrete used to build their aqueducts, tombs, bath houses, piers,...
A bronze statue of Lama, Lamma, or Lamassu, an Assyrian protective deity that became one of the Urartian gods.	Source: EvgenyGenkin / CC BY-SA 4.0

Who Were The Enigmatic Urartian Gods?

One of the more enigmatic entities of ancient history, Urartu rose to power in the 9th century BC, spreading its influence around illustrious Van Lake in present-day Turkey. From the start, Urartu...
Nestor’s Cup was discovered on the Italian island of Ischia in 1954. Source: Marcus Cyron / CC BY-SA 4.0

Reopening Cold Case of Nestor’s Cup Burial Solves a Mystery

Homer’s Iliad , a classical ancient Greek tale from the 8th century BC, contains a brief, 6-line description of the famous 2,800-year-old Nestor’s Cup, which was the subject of a great deal of...
New evidence proves that Norse explorers discovered the Azores 700 years before the Portuguese. Source: Catmando / Adobe Stock

Norse Explorers Reached Azores 700 Years Before Portuguese

Until now it was believed that the Azores island group was discovered by Portuguese sailors in the 15th century. However, a new study shows Norse explorers had brought animals to the islands 700...
Biblical illustration showing manna falling from heaven. Source: University of Edinburgh / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Manna: What Was the Mysterious Substance that Fed the Israelites for 40 Years?

Are you wondering what exactly “manna” is? Well, you are not alone. It may be something of a familiar word, but what it originally was is a bit of a mystery. According to the Bible, manna refers to...
It’s been almost a thousand years, but the Vikings are causing trouble again. Source: Nejron Photo / Adobe Stock.

Viking Longboat Blows Out Entire Town’s Power Supply in Scotland

The Vikings are it again! The much-feared Norse seafarers and pirates who terrorized Europe between the 8th and 11th centuries are still causing trouble today. In the town of Kirkcudbright in the...
Detail from Alcibiades Wounded. Source: Jean-Charles Nicaise Perrin / Public Domain.

The Rise and Fall of Man: The Long History of Impotence Causes and Cures

Male impotence, commonly known as erectile dysfunction, is known today to have many causes, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, post-prostatectomy procedures, neurological or psychological...
More than 500,000 high-res digital images, such as this aerial photo of Housesteads Roman Fort on Hadrian's Wall, were used for Historic England’s virtual archaeological sites map.  Source: Dave MacLeod / Historic England

A Powerful New Free Tool Virtually Maps England’s Archaeological Sites

An innovative and groundbreaking digital archaeology tool will give members of the public an opportunity to explore thousands of archaeological sites all around England, visually and by reading...

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