Archaeology

Archaeology is fundamentally the study of humanity and its past. Archaeologists study things that were created, used or changed by humans. They do this by studying the material remains, in other words, the stuff we leave behind.

Related Topics: Anthropology, Fossils, Human Origins, Shipwrecks

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The final stone is put in place during the restoration of Stonehenge on July 9, 1958, with the giant lintel laid across the top of upright megaliths 57 and 58.

Long-lost fragment of Stonehenge reveals rock grains dating to nearly 2 billion years ago

By Mindy Weisberger

After 60 years, a missing piece of Stonehenge finally returns to the U.K., revealing secrets about the age and structure of the rock in the monument's iconic pillars.

Accurate radiocarbon dates of the bones of skeletons found at Machu Picchu in 1912 show the Inca citadel was inhabited by 1420 – several decades earlier than expected.

Machu Picchu was built decades earlier than thought

By Tom Metcalfe

The mountaintop Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in southern Peru was built and inhabited decades earlier than previously believed.

The stone marking the sacred limits of the ancient city was found near the historic center of Rome in June 2021.

Sacred stone tied to the legend of Romulus and Remus unearthed in Rome

By Tom Metcalfe

An immense stone that defined the sacred city limits of ancient Rome almost 2,000 years ago has been unearthed by construction workers in the historic center of the city.

The remains of the elite woman (left) and twin fetuses (right) were cremated, but some of their bones (above) weren't completely burned.

Remains of twin fetuses and wealthy mom found in Bronze Age urn

By Laura Geggel

A Bronze Age urn found in Hungary holds the remains of an elite woman and twin fetuses.

The well-preserved head of Tollund Man, who lived about 2,400 years ago.

Last meal of ancient human sacrifice victim 'Tollund Man' revealed in exquisite detail

By Laura Geggel

A gut analysis reveals what "Tollund Man" ate before he died 2,400 years ago.

The top of the inscription from the last king of Babylon shows engravings showing Nabonidus and four symbols.

Cuneiform inscription from last king of Babylon discovered in Saudi Arabia

By Owen Jarus

A 2,550-year-old inscription, written in the name of Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, has been discovered carved on basalt stone in northern Saudi Arabia.

This statue in Skopje, North Macedonia, shows Alexander the Great as a baby in the hands of her mother Olympias.

Has the tomb of Alexander the Great's mom been found? Experts are doubtful.

By Owen Jarus

A researcher claims to have identified the long-lost tomb of Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great. But other scholars are skeptical.

The hoard contained 87 silver coins, 13 pieces of silver arm-rings and several artifacts.

Viking 'piggy bank' hoard discovered on Isle of Man

By Laura Geggel

An amateur treasure hunter on the Isle of Man has unearthed a Viking Age "piggy bank" hoard.

The remains of part of the West Bank building are seen here. It was likely used as a reception area for local council members before they ascended to the Temple Mount.

Magnificent Roman-era building unearthed under Israel's Western Wall

By Owen Jarus

Beneath the Western Wall in Israel, archaeologists have uncovered an elaborate building that may have been used by Jerusalem's local council and their guests on their journey to Temple Mount.

This coin dates to AD 67 or 68 and was minted by Jewish rebels who were revolting against the Roman Empire. A Hebrew inscription on one side of the coin translates to "freedom of Zion."

'Freedom of Zion' coins dating to famous Jewish revolt found in the West Bank

By Owen Jarus

Two coins minted about 70 years apart by Jewish rebels during two separate revolts against the Roman Empire have been discovered in the West Bank.

A detail from a Book of the Dead segment, housed at the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy. The scenes on this version of the book are similar to those seen on the fragments in New Zealand and Los Angeles.

Book of the Dead fragments, half a world apart, are pieced together

By Laura Geggel

Historians found that a Book of the Dead segment from New Zealand matched another in Los Angeles.

Some of the ancient Roman coins found by the Aa river in the Netherlands, following their discovery and an initial cleaning.

100 Roman coins were likely an offering for safe passage across river

By Laura Geggel

A perplexing mystery about a scattered hoard of ancient Roman coins found near a river in the Netherlands has now been solved.

A skull (a) and photogrammetry of a skull (b) showing how the individuals had their upper incisors removed.

500-year-old skulls with facial modification unearthed in Gabon

By Mindy Weisberger

Human remains dating to the 14th and 15th centuries show that people who lived in what is now Gabon modified their faces through tooth removal.

landscape view of scatters of qubba tombs around an area known as Jebel Maman.

Secret patterns found in arrangement of medieval Islamic tombs

By Owen Jarus

Thousands of medieval Islamic tombs in eastern Sudan were arranged in hard-to-detect patterns, with sacred "parent" tombs hosting subclusters of emanating burials.

During excavations at the church, archaeologists discovered this enameled brooch from the ninth century.

1,000-year-old church built by Otto the Great found in Saxony

By Owen Jarus

Archaeologists searching for a royal palace in Germany have discovered a 1,000-year-old church constructed for Otto the Great (also called Otto 1).

This close-up shot shows one of the burials found in the tombs in Sweden. They are believed to be Christianized Vikings who lived about 1,000 years ago.

Skeletons of twin infant Vikings discovered in Sweden

By Owen Jarus

Seven Viking tombs holding well-preserved skeletons, including possible twin infants, have been discovered in the Swedish town of Sigtuna.

A Roman-era stone carving of a naked man holding a spear was found in a fort by Hadrian's Wall.

Mysterious carving of naked man discovered near Hadrian's Wall

By Laura Geggel

Excavations at a fort by Hadrian's Wall revealed the carving of a naked man standing next to a horse or donkey.

This snake shaped wooden artifact is about 21 inches long and dates back about 4,400 years. It may have been used as a staff or figurine.

Possible shaman's snake stick from 4,400 years ago discovered in a Finnish lake

By Owen Jarus

A wooden stick carved into the shape of a snake and possibly used by a shaman 4,400 years ago has been discovered by a lake in southwest Finland.

Original excavation photograph of Tsukumo No. 24.

Oldest-known shark attack discovered in 3,000-year-old skeleton with 800 injuries

By Mindy Weisberger

Scientists reconstructed a 3,000-year-old shark attack from marks left behind in the victim's skeleton.

This grave in France was reopened during the early Middle Ages. Items were removed, and archaeologists are trying to figure out why.

Archaeologists investigate mystery of graves reopened 1,400 years ago

By Owen Jarus

People living across Europe around 1,400 years ago had a habit of reopening graves and taking out objects for reasons that archaeologists are trying to understand.