Latest articles by Tom Metcalfe
Grave robbers looted lavish 1,800-year-old tombs in China — but missed this one
Archaeologists think the people in the tombs, dated to the Han dynasty, were all from the same wealthy family.
6,800-year-old burial of Neolithic 'mayor' unearthed in Bavaria
The wealth of grave goods suggests the person buried there was a leader of high status — possibly a Stone Age chieftain.
'It was not a peaceful crossing': Hannibal's troops linked to devastating fire 2,200 years ago in Spain
Researchers think a farmhouse in the Pyrenees was set on fire by Carthaginian troops on their way to attack Rome.
Stone with 1,600-year-old Irish inscription found in English garden
Investigations show the stone is inscribed with a message in ogham, an Irish alphabet used from the fourth century A.D.
See stunning reconstruction of ancient Egyptian mummy that languished at an Australian high school for a century
The forensic facial reconstruction is based on a precise 3D model of the skull created with medical scans.
Iron Age necropolis that predates Rome unearthed near Naples
The excavations have recovered weapons, necklaces, bracelets and worked bones.
Key events in the Bible, such as the settlement and destruction of Jerusalem, confirmed using radiocarbon dating
The research combined radiocarbon dating with measurements of atmospheric radiocarbon from tree rings to build a chronology of the ancient city.
1,700-year-old Roman shipwreck was stuffed to the gills with fish sauce when it sank
The wreck near a beach on Mallorca gives a snapshot of sea trade in late Roman times.
Villa near Mount Vesuvius may be where Augustus, Rome's 1st emperor, died
Researchers say a villa buried by the eruption in A.D. 79 corresponds with records of the Roman emperor's death in A.D. 14.
Lavish 2,200-year-old tomb unearthed in China may be that of ancient king
It's not known who was buried in the tomb, but one expert says it was probably the Chu state ruler.
Weapons chest found on wreck of 15th-century 'floating castle' sheds light on 'military revolution at sea'
The chest could help archaeologists understand the fire and explosion that sank the vessel.
1,700-year-old Roman ruins discovered atop much older Neolithic sacred spring
Archaeologists think veneration of the freshwater spring started in Neolithic times.
Ancient artists high on hallucinogens may have carved dancer rock art in Peru
The research notes similarities between the carvings in southern Peru and the ayahuasca-induced art of the Amazon's Tucano people.
Neolithic women in Europe were tied up and buried alive in ritual sacrifices, study suggests
The research found evidence of the "incaprettamento" method of murder at 14 Neolithic sites in Europe.
Viking Age women with cone-shaped skulls likely learned head-binding practice from far-flung region
The skull modifications were found on the skeletons of three women buried on Gotland almost 1,000 years ago.
Pet fox with 'deep relationship with the hunter-gatherer society' buried 1,500 years ago in Argentina
Research suggests a fox buried with hunter-gatherers 1,500 years ago had a "strong bond" with humans.
Low tides reveal Bronze Age fortress that likely defended against Irish mainland
The walls, discovered on a partially submerged isthmus, were exposed by recent low tides.
Ancient quarries in Israel reveal where Homo erectus hunted and butchered elephants
Researchers suggest ancient quarry sites in Israel were favored because they were close to elephant migration routes.
Ötzi the Iceman used surprisingly modern technique for his tattoos 5,300 years ago, study suggests
The researchers compared Ötzi's ancient tattoos with modern tattoos made using different techniques on the skin of one of the authors.
Ancient Chinese burials with swords and chariot cast light on violent 'Warring States' period
Researchers say the finds could help them understand the political and social changes going on in China during the Warring States period.
Lavish, 800-year-old tombs in China may hold remains of Great Jin dynasty elites
Three newfound brick tombs date to the Golden Khanate, a non-Chinese people who ruled in northern China centuries ago.
Winged 'basilisk' on medieval pilgrim's badge discovered in Poland
Such badges were common among Christian pilgrims in the Middle Ages, but it's not clear what the basilisk represents.
3,300-year-old tablet from mysterious Hittite Empire describes catastrophic invasion of four cities
Researchers think a sacred language inscribed in cuneiform on the tablet suggest the Hittite king visited or lived where the tablet was found in Turkey.
