Archaeology
Humans have left clues of our existence throughout time, leaving behind burials, artifacts and written records that hint at our evolution, beliefs, practices and cultures. Studying the archaeological record shows us that the oldest known bones belonging to Homo sapiens are 300,000 years old, or that the world’s oldest civilizations arose at least 6,000 years ago.
Whether you’re looking for facts about the ancient Egyptians, the discovery of an ancient human skull, a gold hoard dating to the fall of the Roman Empire or how the latest technology is helping us find hidden pyramids, Live Science's expert science writers and editors are here to give you the latest coverage on our past with archaeology news, articles and features.
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Latest about Archaeology
British explorer Sandy Irvine's foot discovered 100 years after he vanished on Everest
By Ben Turner published
The boot containing a sock bearing Irvine's name and the remains of a foot.
Evidence of Assyrians' conquest of Holy Land discovered in Jerusalem
By Owen Jarus published
The discovery of a building that the Assyrians likely tore down in the eighth century B.C. reveals the political dynamics of that age in Jerusalem.
Basement renovation in home near Paris unearths cemetery spanning 700 years, with Roman-era graves
By Tom Metcalfe published
A homeowner doing a basement renovation project near Paris unexpectedly found a skeleton, which later led to the discovery of nearly 40 burials, some of them dating to Roman times.
2,800-year-old burial mound with sacrifices unearthed in Siberia is eerily similar to Scythian graves
By Sierra Bouchér published
The sacrifices could be an early form of a Scythian burial tradition that lasted for hundreds of years.
Nabta Playa: A mysterious stone circle that may be the world's oldest astronomical observatory
By Tom Metcalfe published
Nabta Playa in Egypt is an ancient stone circle that researchers suspect was used to determine the summer solstice, which signaled rain was on the way.
Ancient DNA from South Africa rock shelter reveals the same human population stayed there for 9,000 years
By Victoria Gibbon, Joscha Gretzinger, Stephan Schiffels published
Ancient human genomes reconstructed from remains at a southern African rock shelter show remarkable genetic continuity over time.
'Extraordinary' burial of ancient Egyptian governor's daughter discovered in a coffin within another coffin
By Owen Jarus published
Archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old tomb that belonged to an ancient Egyptian governor's daughter.
Grand tomb of Roman gladiator found in Turkey actually contains the remains of 12 other people
By Sascha Pare published
Inside a basilica in Turkey, researchers have unearthed a bone-filled tomb that may have belonged to a Roman gladiator named Euphrates and was later repurposed for a dozen people.
Neanderthals and modern humans interbred 'at the crossroads of human migrations' in Iran, study finds
By Kristina Killgrove published
A new ecological model suggests Neanderthals and modern humans interbred in the Zagros Mountains in what is now Iran before going their separate ways 80,000 years ago.
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