
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

Nazca Lines: Mysterious geoglyphs in Peru
By Owen Jarus published
These huge earthen creations in a Peruvian desert depict animals, plants and fantastic creatures.

Aerial investigation reveals 168 previously unnoticed Nazca Lines in Peru
By Owen Jarus published
Archaeologists in Peru have discovered more than 100 "smaller and fainter" Nazca Lines, some of which were made by piling stones on top of each other.

Egyptian ring featuring 'god of fun' discovered in ancient burial
By Owen Jarus published
A mysterious burial from ancient Egypt contains gold jewelry, including three rings — one featuring the Bes, the god of fun — and a necklace.

Ancient Egyptian 'masterpiece' is so realistic, researchers identified the exact bird species it depicts
By Owen Jarus published
An ancient Egyptian painting is so detailed, researchers can determine which species of birds were featured in it.

Why is Christmas celebrated on Dec. 25?
By Owen Jarus published
There are two major theories as to why Christmas is celebrated on Dec. 25.

Ancient mummy portraits and rare Isis-Aphrodite idol discovered in Egypt
By Owen Jarus published
For the first time in 50 years, archaeologists have discovered Fayum mummy portraits at an ancient Egyptian site.

The Elgin Marbles may finally return to Greece, 200 years after being removed by British nobility
By Owen Jarus published
The British Museum and the Greek government are reportedly in talks about returning the Parthenon Marbles, also called the Elgin Marbles, to Greece.

Gold tongues found in 2,000-year-old mummies in Egypt
By Owen Jarus published
Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered several ancient mummies with gold tongues, which were thought to help transform the deceased into divine beings.

Tomb aligned with winter solstice sunrise excavated in Egypt
By Owen Jarus published
An ancient tomb whose chapel was oriented toward the sunrise on the winter solstice may be the oldest of its kind in Egypt.

Who is Krampus, and what does he have to do with Christmas?
By Owen Jarus published
Krampus is a mythical creature who punished badly behaved children, according to myth.

Vast tunnel found beneath ancient Egyptian temple
By Owen Jarus last updated
Archaeologists in Egypt excavating beneath an ancient temple have discovered a tunnel that carried water to thousands of people during its heyday.

30 incredible treasures discovered in King Tut's tomb
By Owen Jarus last updated
When archaeologist Howard Carter and colleagues discovered King Tut's tomb 100 years ago, he reported seeing "wonderful things." Here are 30 lavish findings from the ancient Egyptian burial.

What did King Tut look like?
By Owen Jarus last updated
Egyptologists studying King Tutankhamun are piecing together what he may have looked like based on the remains of his mummy, personal artifacts, pharaoh portraits and figurines of his likeness.

Greek bathhouse found in ancient Egyptian town by Red Sea
By Owen Jarus published
The ruins of a 2,200-year-old bathhouse dating to the second half of the third century B.C. have been discovered at Berenike, a town in Egypt by the Red Sea.

World's first computer, the Antikythera Mechanism, 'started up' in 178 B.C., scientists claim
By Owen Jarus last updated
The mysterious Antikythera mechanism, thought by some to be the world's first computer, was first "started up" on Dec. 22, 178 B.C., archaeologists have now found.

Long-lost jewelry from King Tut's tomb rediscovered a century later
By Owen Jarus published
The British archaeologist who led the excavation into King Tut's tomb a century ago may have illegally taken some jewelry, which a researcher is now tracking down in museums in the U.S. and U.K.

Egyptians helped discover King Tut's tomb. Now, they're finally being recognized.
By Owen Jarus published
British archaeologist Howard Carter often gets the credit for discovering the tomb of King Tutankhamun. But many Egyptians helped, and one youngster may have even originally discovered the tomb.

King Tut Sculpture with Sketchy Origins Sells at Christie's for Nearly $6 Million
By Owen Jarus last updated
Egypt's ministry of antiquities thinks the statue was stolen from the Karnak Temple some time after 1970.

King Tut's Mummified Erect Penis May Point to Ancient Religious Struggle
By Owen Jarus last updated

King Tut, the Boy Soldier? Here's What Other Stories Aren't Telling You.
By Owen Jarus last updated
Many news reports describing this warrior-pharaoh hypothesis aren't telling you the whole story.

King Tut's 'dagger from outer space' may have been a gift from abroad
By Owen Jarus last updated
A "meteor" dagger found in the tomb of King Tut may have been a gift from abroad, but not everyone agrees.

Falcon shrine with cryptic message unearthed in Egypt baffles archaeologists
By Owen Jarus last updated
An ancient falcon shine in Berenike, an old port city in Egypt, has flummoxed archaeologists who aren't sure what to make of its headless falcons, unknown gods and cryptic message that reads, "It is improper to boil a head in here."
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