Owen Jarus

Owen Jarus

Live Science Contributor

Owen Jarus is a regular contributor to Live Science who writes about archaeology and humans' past. He has also written for The Independent (UK), The Canadian Press (CP) and The Associated Press (AP), among others. Owen has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto and a journalism degree from Ryerson University. 

Articles by: Owen Jarus

The sarcophagus (coffin) of the famed pharaoh Tutankhamun (King Tut) is on display at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo, Egypt.

Who ruled ancient Egypt after King Tut died?

By Owen Jarus published

When the pharaoh Tutankhamun died young, his widow may have tried to remain on the ancient Egyptian throne, ancient letters reveal.

This head of a sphinx statue shows Ramesses II, a ruler who expanded Egypt's empire.

Ancient Egyptian pharaoh-sphinx statues unearthed at sun temple

By Owen Jarus published

Archaeologists have discovered broken pharaoh-sphinx statues at an ancient Egyptian sun temple.

This zodiac sign depicts Sagittarius. While the zodiac signs at Esna were known before cleaning was done the work allows them to be seen more clearly. Here we see a centaur with a scorpion's tail aiming a bow and arrow.

Ancient zodiac paintings on Egyptian temple see the light of day after 2,200 years

By Owen Jarus published

A restoration project has revealed ancient Egyptian zodiac paintings and inscriptions at the Temple of Esna.

Photo of Stonehenge as the sun is peaking between the stone arches.

Where is Stonehenge, who built the prehistoric monument, and how?

By Owen Jarus published

The prehistoric monument Stonehenge was built up to 5,000 years ago on Salisbury Plain in England, but its ultimate purpose remains a tantalizing mystery.

One of the two-faced men is shown here. The goblet they hold at left has four hummingbirds drinking out of it and a rigid feather fan is held in the other hand.

1,400-year-old mural of 2-faced men unearthed in Peru may allude to 'cosmic realms'

By Owen Jarus published

Archaeologists have discovered two 1,400-year-old murals of two-faced men within a ceremonial hall that belonged to the Moche culture of Peru.

Upon the hilt of this Celtic sword there is an image of a Celtic warrior, intended to enhance the power of the owner. The head with omega-shaped and finely drawn hair also has large almond-shaped eyes. This type of sword is associated with the La Tène culture, named after the important Celtic site on Lake Neuchâtel in present-day Switzerland and eastern France.

Who were the Celts, the fierce warriors who practiced druidism and sacked Rome?

By Owen Jarus published

The ancient Celts were fierce warriors who lived in mainland Europe. But during the Renaissance, an idea took hold that they lived in the British Isles.

Ancient blocks with hieroglyphic inscriptions were discovered in Sudan.

Remains of ancient temple with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Sudan

By Owen Jarus published

Archaeologists in Sudan have uncovered the remains of a temple dating to 2,700 years ago.

This sphinx has a face which some archaeologists believe depicts Roman emperor Claudius.

Newfound ancient Egyptian sphinx statue may depict Roman emperor Claudius, but not everyone agrees

By Owen Jarus published

A sphinx found at an ancient Egyptian temple may depict the face of the Roman emperor Claudius, but not everyone agrees with this interpretation.

Painting of a fleet of Viking ships crossing the sea by Albert Sebille c1930.

Who were the Vikings, the warriors who raided Europe and explored the New World?

By Owen Jarus published

During the Viking Age (A.D. 793 to 1066), Viking raided, explored and traded from what is now Canada to the Middle East.

An endoscope inserted into the hidden corridor reveals that no artifacts are visible within the hidden void.

Cosmic rays reveal 'hidden' 30-foot-long corridor in Egypt's Great Pyramid

By Owen Jarus published

For years, scientists have known there was something hidden above the entrance to the Great Pyramid. Now, they've finally revealed it.

A steep pyramid temple at Chichen Itza with a blue sky in the background.

No, archaeologists haven't found 'elite housing' at Chichen Itza

By Owen Jarus published

Archaeologists haven't uncovered an elite housing complex at Chichen Itza, but there is news; a previously closed off area at the site will open to the public in 2023.

This image shows a part of the Book of the Dead. On the left is a block of hieratic text. On the right is an image appears to show Osiris, the ancient Egyptian god of the underworld.

See photos of stunningly preserved 52-foot-long Book of the Dead papyrus from ancient Egypt

By Owen Jarus published

Egypt has released photos of a newly discovered Book of the Dead from more than 2,000 years ago.

This photo shows the skull of a child buried with a block in their mouth. People had a fear of "revenants," or people rising from the dead.

Fear of reanimated corpses may explain mysterious burials at 1,600-year-old cemetery

By Owen Jarus published

A cemetery in central Italy has the remains of children whose bodies were pinned down with rocks, likely to prevent "revenants" rising from the dead.

In 332 B.C. Persian rule in Egypt came to an end with the arrival of Alexander the Great (pictured here). After his death a dynasty of Greek kings would take control of Egypt and would rule for the next three centuries.

AI is deciphering a 2,000-year-old 'lost book' describing life after Alexander the Great

By Owen Jarus published

When Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, it carbonized a book on rulers who followed Alexander the Great. Now, machine learning is deciphering the "lost book."

This statue appears to depict Emperor Decius as Hercules. The statue wears the skin of the Nemean lion, a beast that Hercules killed as part of his 12 labors.

Statue of slain Roman emperor dressed as Hercules found near sewer in Rome

By Owen Jarus published

Archaeologists in Rome have discovered a statue of an ancient Roman emperor who is dressed to look like Hercules.

Bust of Queen Nefertiti of Egypt

Who was Nefertiti, the ancient Egyptian queen depicted like a goddess?

By Owen Jarus published

Queen Nefertiti was the wife of the sun-disk worshipping Pharaoh Akhenaten and stepmother to King Tutankhamun.

The mummy of Hekashepes is seen here. He was buried covered with gold leaf.

Egyptian mummies covered in gold are rare, and we may have just found the oldest

By Owen Jarus published

An ancient Egyptian mummy is the oldest covered with gold, but it's not the oldest ancient Egyptian mummy on record.

A photo showing the ruins of what once was a Roman residence in Luxor. There are sand-colored rock walls forming corridors and several rooms.

Ancient Roman residences with 'pigeon towers' discovered in Luxor, Egypt

By Owen Jarus published

Roman residences located near workshops and pigeon towers have been discovered in Luxor, Egypt.

Here we see a photo of a section of the Book of the Dead. Hieroglyphics are on the bottom and illustrations of people doing funerary rites are on top.

52-foot-long Book of the Dead papyrus from ancient Egypt discovered at Saqqara

By Owen Jarus published

For the first time in 100 years, a full "Book of the Dead" papyrus has been uncovered at Saqqara.

Genghis Khan Monument, Tsonjin Boldog, Mongolia

Who was Genghis Khan, the warrior who founded the Mongol Empire?

By Owen Jarus published

Genghis Khan (1160 to 1227) founded the Mongol Empire, which covered much of Asia and parts of Europe.

A view of a giant sand-colored cliff in Egypt, which tents and excavators at the bottom of the cliff.

Royal tomb discovered near Luxor dates to time when female pharaoh co-ruled ancient Egypt

By Owen Jarus published

The tomb dates from a period when ancient Egypt was co-ruled by the female pharaoh Hatshepsut and Thutmose III.

Two cardboard boxes holding metal artifacts found in the Viking Age burial, including knives, a cloak brooch and the remains of a shield.

Rare, 'high-status' Viking burial unearthed in a garden in Oslo

By Owen Jarus published

Archaeologists have excavated a rare Viking burial in Oslo containing the remains of a high-status individual and a variety of grave goods.

Mummy coffins on display in part in the permanent Egyptian collection and also part of the 'Queens of the Nile' Exhibition held at the National Museum of Antiquities or Rijksmuseum van Oudheden on November 30, 2016 in Leiden, Netherlands. With 350 prized Egyptian pieces, including royal portraits, statues of deities, sophisticated jewellery, amulets and precious utensils, plus the sarcophagus and grave goods of Queen Nefertari, from the Museo Egizio in Turin. This is the first time that such a large exhibition on the queens of Egypt has been organised in the Netherlands.

5 stunning archaeological discoveries that may finally be unearthed in 2023

By Owen Jarus published

Here are five predictions about what archaeologists may dig up in 2023.

photo of the newfound shrine with a large carved stone in the foreground; the stone has human-like facial features carved into it

10 incredible archaeological finds from 2022

By Owen Jarus published

The top 10 archaeological finds of 2022 include ancient bronze Etruscan statues from Italy, a Roman-era mosaic in Syria and a prehistoric chalk sculpture in England.

About 20 burials were found in New Damietta, Egypt, near the Mediterranean coast.

Protective gold idols and 'rejuvenating' amulets found in ancient Egyptian burials

By Owen Jarus published

Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered about 20 ancient burials, some of which contain gold idols fashioned to look like the deities Isis, Bastet and Horus.

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