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One of the last Siberian shamans was an 18th-century woman whose parents were related, DNA study revealsA new DNA analysis of the mummies of historical Indigenous Yakuts reveals resistance to 17th-century Russian conquest.
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Last common ancestor of modern humans and Neanderthals possibly found in Casablanca, MoroccoA collection of bones from Casablanca holds important new clues to the origins of modern humans and Neanderthals.
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The Alfred Jewel: A 1,100-year-old treasure from England's first king that proclaims 'Alfred ordered me to be made'This gold-encrusted jewel has an inscription revealing who made it.
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10 things we learned about Neanderthals in 2025Findings about our extinct relatives, the Neanderthals, continue to surprise us, especially those from 2025.
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Lchashen wagon: A 3,500-year-old covered wagon that transported a deceased chief to the next worldThis 3,500-year-old covered wagon is the best-preserved example in the world of this ancient form of wheeled transport.
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10 things we learned about our human ancestors in 2025Findings about our human ancestors continue to surprise us, especially those from 2025.
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We now know much more about how our ancestor 'Lucy' lived — and diedFifty years after a fossil skeleton of Australopithecus afarensis was unearthed in Ethiopia, we know so much more about how this iconic species lived and died.
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Reliquary of the Holy Crib: Remains of Jesus' manger from BethlehemFive pieces of wood in a silver-and-gold container at a basilica in Rome may be the remains of the manger Jesus was laid on when he was born.
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1,400 years ago, Nubians tattooed their toddlers. Archaeologists are trying to figure out why.More than a dozen mummies of kids with facial tattoos were found at an archaeological site in Christian-era Nubia.
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Diarrhea and stomachaches plagued Roman soldiers stationed at Hadrian's Wall, discovery of microscopic parasites findsAnalysis of latrine sediments at the Roman fort of Vindolanda has revealed that at least three parasites were widespread among Roman soldiers.
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Oldest known evidence of father-daughter incest found in 3,700-year-old bones in ItalyArchaeologists have found the earliest DNA evidence to date of a father-daughter pairing.
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Detectorists find Anglo-Saxon treasure hoard that may have been part of a 'ritual killing'These Anglo-Saxon accessories were recovered from the side of a hill in England and may be from a hoard, a ritual deposit or a collection of stolen items.
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5,000-year-old dog skeleton and dagger buried together in Swedish bog hint at mysterious Stone Age ritualFive millennia ago, ancient fishers buried a dog alongside a dagger in a lake bed. Archaeologists are trying to figure out why.
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Magdala stone: 2,000-year-old carving from Jerusalem is world's oldest known depiction of a menorahA pilgrim who visited the Second Temple in Jerusalem may have carved their memories into a limestone block for another synagogue.
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16th-century gallows and dozens of skeletons discovered in FranceArchaeologists have identified a 16th-century gallows structure and nearly a dozen mass burial pits in Grenoble, France.
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'They had not been seen ever before': Romans made liquid gypsum paste and smeared it over the dead before burial, leaving fingerprints behind, new research findsFingerprints on a Roman burial hold new clues to an unusual liquid gypsum funeral ritual.
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'It is the most exciting discovery in my 40-year career': Archaeologists uncover evidence that Neanderthals made fire 400,000 years ago in EnglandArchaeologists have found the earliest evidence yet of fire technology — and it was created by Neanderthals in England more than 400,000 years ago.
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Ash Pendant: The only known depiction of a pregnant Viking womanThe Ash Pendant was discovered in a Viking Age burial mound in Sweden and may have been used by a female shaman.
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2,400-year-old 'sacrificial complex' uncovered in Russia is the richest site of its kind ever discoveredThe "sacrificial complex" contained hundreds of bits of horse bridles and bronze beads, revealing a new aspect of ancient nomadic peoples' funeral rituals.
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Unusual, 1,400-year-old cube-shaped human skull unearthed in MexicoArchaeologists discovered an unusually flat-topped skull at a pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican site.
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Male human heads found in a 'skull pit' in an ancient Chinese city hint at sex-specific sacrifice ritualsA genetic study of 80 skulls found at a Stone Age city in China has revealed that the sacrificed people were mostly men, in contrast to previous assumptions.
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Volcanic eruption triggered 'butterfly effect' that led to the Black Death, researchers findA volcanic eruption in 1345 may have kicked off a series of events that led to the Black Death sweeping through medieval Europe.
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'An extreme end of human genetic variation': Ancient humans were isolated in southern Africa for nearly 100,000 years, and their genetics are stunningly differentAncient genomes from southern Africa show that people evolved in isolation for upward of 100,000 years.
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Elaborate 2,700-year-old tomb in Greece contains burial of a woman with an upside-down crownA lavish tomb of a noblewoman discovered in ancient Greece includes a mysterious symbol of lost power.
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