Kristina Killgrove is a staff writer at Live Science with a focus on archaeology and paleoanthropology news. Her articles have also appeared in venues such as Forbes, Smithsonian, and Mental Floss. Kristina holds a Ph.D. in biological anthropology and an M.A. in classical archaeology from the University of North Carolina, as well as a B.A. in Latin from the University of Virginia, and she was formerly a university professor and researcher. She has received awards from the Society for American Archaeology and the American Anthropological Association for her science writing.
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Eagle brooches: 1,500-year-old pins filled with dazzling gems and glass — and worn by powerful Visigoth womenVisigoth women may have worn eagle-shaped pins as a symbol of power.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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How long does DNA last?The world's oldest DNA comes from a 2.4 million-year-old ecosystem in Greenland. Will scientists eventually sequence even older DNA?
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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1 million-year-old skull from China holds clues to the origins of Neanderthals, Denisovans and humansReconstruction of a 1 million-year-old skull shows that early human groups split and diversified quickly.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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Mystery creature found in 'forbidden cloud forest' of Peru is new species of marsupialThe newly described mouse opossum was discovered at a surprisingly high altitude in the Andes.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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Statuette of a Comic Actor: A 2,000-year-old depiction of a Roman actor letting one ripThe ancient Romans had a soft spot for physical comedy (aka fart jokes), as exemplified by a bronze figurine of a comic actor.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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Ötzi quiz: What do you know about the Iceman mummy who was murdered 5,300 years ago in the Alps?Think you know a lot about Ötzi the Iceman? Don't get left in the cold — take our quiz!
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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World's oldest mummies were smoke-dried 10,000 years ago in China and Southeast Asia, researchers findThe world's oldest evidence for purposeful human mummification comes from Southeast Asia, where people smoke-dried their ancestors' corpses 10,000 years ago.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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1,900-year-old oil lamp that provided 'light in the journey to the afterlife' found in Roman cemetery in the NetherlandsArchaeologists excavating in a Roman cemetery in the Netherlands have uncovered a unique oil lamp dating to the second century A.D.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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Pawnee Star Chart: A precontact elk-skin map used by Indigenous priests to tell an origin storyThe unique map depicts patterns of stars in the night sky, but its meaning is debated.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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'Extraordinary' Roman helmet from war-ending battle found in the sea off SicilyArchaeologists recovered the "Montefortino"-style helmet in an underwater excavation in the Aegadian Islands off the coast of Sicily.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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Kneeling Bull: A 5,000-year-old hybrid creature from Iran with a mysterious purposeThis silver bull figurine posing in a human-like manner may have been buried in a ritual to mark a temple boundary 5,000 years ago.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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Homo erectus: Facts about the first human lineage to leave AfricaHomo erectus is associated with a number of firsts in its 2 million years of existence, including being the first hominin to travel out of Africa.
By Kristina Killgrove Last updated
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Scientists develop 'glue gun' that 3D prints bone grafts directly onto fracturesResearchers created a special glue gun that can 3D print a bone-like substance for fracture repair during surgery and have tested it in early experiments.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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Skull of bear held captive to fight Roman gladiators discovered near ancient amphitheater in SerbiaArchaeologists determined that the bear had an infected injury and had been held captive for a significant amount of time.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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Iconic winged lion statue in Venice may actually be from China's Tang dynasty, study findsA new study of the trace amounts of lead in Venice's famous winged lion statue suggests that its metal originated in China — and Marco Polo's family may have brought it over.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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1.8 million-year-old human jawbone discovered in Republic of Georgia — and it may be earliest evidence yet of Homo erectusA new fossil find in the Republic of Georgia is expanding our understanding of the earliest humans to leave Africa.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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Haniwa Dancers: 1,500-year-old ghostly figurines thought to hold the souls of the deadTwo cylindrical clay sculptures may represent dancers who performed at a funeral 1,500 years ago.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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2,200-year-old 'complex and delicate' Celtic warrior charm is evidence of sophisticated metalworking in the Iron AgeArchaeologists discovered a 2,200-year-old bronze warrior charm while excavating an ancient Celtic town in Germany.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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2,100-year-old skeleton of warrior nicknamed 'Lord of Sakar,' buried in a stunning gold wreath, unearthed in BulgariaThe second century B.C. burial mound is the richest ever found in Bulgaria.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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'A truly unprecedented discovery': 3,000-year-old multicolored mural with fish, stars and gods discovered in PeruA multicolored mural discovered in Peru is shedding light on pre-Inca coastal artistic traditions.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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An exotic quartz arrow may have killed a man 12,000 years ago in VietnamA man who died 12,000 years ago in Vietnam had a "bonus" rib — and it was broken when he was shot by an exotic arrow.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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Malia Bee Pendant: A 3,800-year-old accessory found in a Minoan 'pit of gold'This extremely detailed depiction of insects holds clues to the natural world of the ancient Minoans.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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'We never had concrete proof': Archaeologists discover Christian cross in Abu Dhabi, proving 1,400-year-old site was a monasteryThe discovery of a Christian cross proves that eighth-century houses found in the United Arab Emirates were part of a monastery.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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Pazuzu figurine: An ancient statue of the Mesopotamian 'demon' god who inspired 'The Exorcist'Statues of the Mesopotamian demon Pazuzu are often found at archaeological sites, and his cultural relevance is seen in recent comparisons to creepy-looking Labubu dolls.
By Kristina Killgrove Published

