
Owen Jarus
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.
Latest articles by Owen Jarus

6,300 years ago, dozens of people were murdered in grisly victory celebrations in France
By Owen Jarus published
More than 6,000 years ago, invaders were captured in northeastern France before being tortured and mutilated.

Which Roman emperor ruled the longest?
By Owen Jarus published
The question of which Roman emperor ruled the longest is tricky to answer.

Hadrian's Wall: The defensive Roman wall that protected the frontier in Britain for 300 years
By Kristina Killgrove, Owen Jarus published
The wall is the largest Roman archaeological feature in Britain and was built to defend the northernmost limit of the Roman Empire.

What happened to Rome after the empire fell?
By Owen Jarus published
Rome continued on after the Western Roman Empire fell but faced war and a population crash.

2,200-year-old Celtic settlement discovered in Czech Republic — and it's awash in gold and silver coins
By Owen Jarus published
A 2,200-year-old Celtic settlement containing coins and jewelry has been discovered in the Czech Republic.

Tiwanaku: A little-known pre-Incan civilization that built temples and cities high in the Andes
By Owen Jarus, Laura Geggel last updated
This ancient city in modern-day Bolivia is almost 13,000 feet above sea level. Only a small portion of the ruins have been excavated.

We finally know why Queen Hatshepsut's statues were destroyed in ancient Egypt
By Owen Jarus published
Some of the female pharaoh's statues were "ritually deactivated," a new study finds.

How did Ramesses II die — and did his more than 100 children fight for the throne?
By Owen Jarus published
Ramesses II was around 90 years old when he died, an astonishing age for ancient Egypt.

What are the Dead Sea Scrolls, the ancient texts from the Hebrew Bible found in the caves of Qumran?
By Owen Jarus last updated
The famous biblical manuscripts were found in caves near this ancient settlement.

Enslaved Africans led a decade-long rebellion 1,200 years ago in Iraq, new evidence suggests
By Owen Jarus published
The Zanj, enslaved people largely from Africa, rebelled at the same time they were ordered to build a massive system of canals in what is now Iraq, a new study finds.

3 ancient Maya cities discovered in Guatemala, 1 with an 'astronomical complex' likely used for predicting solstices
By Owen Jarus published
Three ancient Maya cities have been discovered by archaeologists in Guatemala.

Avast, matey! 5 of the biggest pirate hauls in history
By Owen Jarus published
Take a look at five of the biggest treasures that pirates have ever plundered.

3 ancient Egyptian tombs dating to the New Kingdom discovered near Luxor
By Owen Jarus published
Three ancient Egyptians were buried in remarkable tombs with courtyards in a necropolis reserved for important people.

Tomb built for Alexander the Great's best friend is aligned with winter solstice, study suggests
By Owen Jarus published
A tomb that may have been built for a close friend of Alexander the Great may be aligned with the winter solstice.

Who Were the Canaanites, the ancient Biblical people credited with inventing the alphabet?
By Owen Jarus last updated
The Canaanites were made up of different ethnic groups who lived in the ancient Land of Canaan, and they likely invented the world's first alphabet.

4,000-year-old stone-lined burial discovered in Morocco
By Owen Jarus published
Archaeologists working in the Tangier Peninsula, in northwest Morocco, have discovered ancient cemeteries, rock art and standing stones.

Famous tomb said to hold Alexander the Great's father actually contains younger man, a woman and 6 babies, study finds
By Owen Jarus published
Ancient human remains in a famous Greek tomb can't be Alexander the Great's father after all, a scientific analysis reveals.

Archaeologists unearth tree-lined walkway that led to ancient Egyptian fortress in Sinai Desert
By Owen Jarus published
The ancient Egyptian fortress was in use around 2,000 years ago in the Sinai Desert.

Ancient Egyptians drew the Milky Way on coffins and tombs, linking them to sky goddess, study finds
By Owen Jarus published
A new study links the Egyptian goddess Nut with the Milky Way galaxy.

Hidden messages found on 3,300-year-old Egyptian obelisk in Paris
By Owen Jarus published
A researcher believes he has found hidden messages on a 3,300-year-old ancient Egyptian obelisk that is now in Paris.

5,000-year-old burial of elite woman with inlaid toucan's beak found in Peru
By Owen Jarus published
Archaeologists have found the remains of an elite woman who was buried with a variety of remarkable grave goods.

What did ninjas actually wear?
By Owen Jarus published
The word "ninja" may bring to mind a person dressed mostly in black, but what they wore was actually quite different.

'Royal Egyptian inscription' of Ramesses III's name is first of its kind discovered in Jordan
By Owen Jarus published
An inscription with the name of Ramesses III has been discovered in southern Jordan.
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