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Mass child sacrifices in 15th-century Mexico were a desperate attempt to appease rain god and end devastating drought
By Ben Turner published
The sacrifice of at least 42 children in Tenochtitlán, now Mexico City, was an effort to calm the anger of the Aztec rain god during a devastating drought, researchers have revealed.
Rare gladiator-shaped knife handle discovered by Hadrian's Wall
By Margherita Bassi published
It's rare to find gladiator memorabilia from Roman Britain, but archaeologists by Hadrian's Wall have just found a 2,000-year-old knife handle depicting a left-handed fighter.
Declassified spy satellite images reveal 1,400-year-old battle site in Iraq that set off the Muslim conquest
By Sierra Bouchér published
Historical texts that mentioned details about the battle site helped researchers match the images to the lost town of al-Qadisiyyah.
12,000-year-old, doughnut-shaped pebbles may be early evidence of the wheel
By Owen Jarus published
The wheel was likely invented around 6,000 years ago, but a new analysis of curious rocks from Israel suggests that wheel-like technologies existed even earlier.
'Medieval' King Arthur site is 4,000 years older than we thought
By Tom Metcalfe published
The discovery suggests the mysterious "King Arthur's Hall" in England is older than Stonehenge.
Our ancestor Lucy may have used tools more than 3 million years ago
By Kristina Killgrove published
An analysis looking at the hand bones of australopithecines, apes and humans reveals that tool use likely evolved before the Homo genus arose.
2,600-year-old Celtic wooden burial chamber of 'outstanding scientific importance' uncovered by archaeologists in Germany
By Margherita Bassi published
The discovery of an impeccably preserved Celtic burial chamber in southern Germany is a "stroke of luck for archaeology," scientists say.
150,000-year-old rock-shelter in Tajikistan found on 'key route for human expansion' used by Homo sapiens, Neanderthals and Denisovans
By Sierra Bouchér published
A newfound rock-shelter in Tajikistan has artifacts created by ancient humans spanning 130,000 years.
Oracle bones: 3,250-year-old engraved bones and tortoise shells from ancient China were used to foretell the future
By Tom Metcalfe published
Archaeologists say the "oracle bones" from ancient China were used in magical attempts to predict the future.
Humans' big brains may not be the reason for difficult childbirth, chimp study suggests
By Kristina Killgrove published
Complicated births may not have arisen in humans as a trade-off between our need for big brains and pelvises suitable for upright walking, new research in chimps suggests.
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