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An illustration of Alexander the Great
Was Alexander the Great eaten by sharks? Inside the wild theories for what happened to the iconic ruler's body. The remains of Alexander the Great may lie under the streets of Alexandria, they may have been "eaten by a shark," or they may be somewhere else entirely. But one thing is certain: Archaeologists don't agree.
Small ivory diving bird sculpture pointed down at a 45-degree angle against a royal blue background
Hohle Fels water bird: The oldest depiction of a bird in the world This tiny bird sculpture was created 40,000 years ago by early humans in Europe who carved the key animals in their lives.
A whitish stone tool is stuck into a piece of brown wood with greyish tar. There is a hole drilled into the wood.
Pfyn culture flint tool: World's oldest known 'Swiss Army' knife Over five millennia ago, Stone Age people in Central Europe crafted wooden handles for their stone tools.

Latest about Archaeology

Archaeologists may have finally discovered famous 'lost' canal built by Julius Caesar's uncle

By Taylor Mitchell Brown published

Scientists may have just found a canal the Romans built 2,100 years ago while battling the Celts.

Romans

2,200-year-old mysterious pyramid structure filled with coins and weapons found near Dead Sea

By Skyler Ware published

The purpose of a mysterious pyramidal structure in the Judaean Desert is unknown, but excavators are finding many well-preserved artifacts there.

Archaeology

'Exceptional' hoard of 800 Iron Age artifacts found mysteriously burned and buried in UK field

By Laura Geggel published

An Iron Age hoard discovered in England is on a "kind of scale and size that is exceptional for Britain and probably even Europe."

Archaeology

Ancient Egyptian pyramids, thought to contain only the elite, may also hold low-class laborers

By Owen Jarus published

At the site of Tombos, archaeologists have found that less-affluent laborers may be buried with upper-class people in pyramid tombs.

Ancient Egyptians
A facial reconstruction from a Neanderthal skull, next to the skull itself

Neanderthals: Who were they and what did our extinct human relatives look like?

By Rebecca Wragg Sykes last updated

Discover interesting facts about who Neanderthals were, whether they mated with modern humans and when they died out.

Archaeology

Tumaco-Tolita gold figurine: A 2,000-year-old statue with a 'fancy nose ornament' from a vanished South American culture

By Kristina Killgrove published

The Tumaco-Tolita people, who lived in an area rich in natural gold, crafted intricate and delicate metal objects until the group disappeared 1,500 years ago.

Archaeology

Terracotta Army quiz: What do you know about the 'warriors' in the 2,200-year-old tomb of China's 1st emperor?

By Kristina Killgrove published

Quiz Local farmers discovered thousands of terracotta warrior statues in Shaanxi, China, in 1974. How much do you know about these unique artifacts?

Quiz

'Stranded' astronauts return and mystery human ancestor

By Alexander McNamara published

Science news this week March 22, 2025: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.

Science news this week

3,200-year-old Egyptian tomb may belong to military commander who served under Ramesses III

By Owen Jarus published

The ancient Egyptian tomb holds the remains of a man with a gold ring bearing the name of Ramesses III.

Ancient Egyptians

Smallest human relative ever found may have been devoured by a leopard 2 million years ago

By Kristina Killgrove published

The left hip and leg bones from a young female Paranthropus robustus discovered in South Africa show she was extremely short — and ended up as a leopard's lunch.

Archaeology
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