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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Four different Australopithecus crania that were found in the Sterkfontein caves, South Africa. They are quite old and very worn.

South African fossils may rewrite history of human evolution

By Charles Q. Choi published

Fossils found at the Sterkfontein Caves in South Africa may be much older than previously thought.

Two camels and a sitting man in front of the Step Pyramid of Zoser, Saqqara, Egypt. We can see 4 steps here.

Step Pyramid of Djoser: Egypt's first Pyramid

By Owen Jarus published

The Step Pyramid of Djoser was built about 4,700 years ago with six layers above ground and a series of tunnels below.

This images shows the temple complex at Chavín de Huántar in the Andes in Peru.

Secret ancient Andean passageways may have been used in rituals involving psychedelics

By Tom Metcalfe published

Archaeologists have revealed a complex of hidden passageways and galleries deep inside an ancient temple in the Peruvian Andes.

Archaeologists excavate one of the pits at Sanxingdui in China.

Mysterious artifacts hint at the 'fairy world' of ancient China

By Owen Jarus published

Bronze Age artifacts found in China were burned to commune with 'another realm'.

According to international law, the shipwreck and everything on it belong to Spain; but Colombia's government has declared that it owns the wreck and its treasure, which is estimated to be worth $17 billion.

$17 billion shipwreck near Colombia is remarkably preserved, new photos reveal

By Tom Metcalfe published

New images of one of the world’s most valuable shipwrecks off the coast of Colombia show its remarkable preservation, and two more historic shipwrecks in the same area.

This aerial photo shows the archaeological site at Bar Hill. It was in use between roughly 400 B.C. - A.D. 70.

Amphibian 'death pit' filled with 8,000 bones unearthed in Iron Age village

By Owen Jarus published

Some 8,000 frog and toad bones suggest a prehistoric amphibian tragedy killed hundreds of frogs in an Iron Age village.

Accurate anthropological reconstruction of the image of a woman from the grave No. 2, which was discovered in Mikulovice near Pardubice, Czech Republic. This woman has light skin, brown hair and brown, wide-set eyes, a distinctive chin, a smaller figure, adorned with bronze and gold jewelry and a beautiful amber necklace.

Face of wealthy Bronze-Age Bohemian woman revealed in stunning reconstruction

By Stephanie Pappas published

The face of a woman who lived in Central Europe nearly 4,000 years ago has been reconstructed from her skull and remnants of her DNA.

Side by side images of the front and back of the small silver Viking coin that was found. It looks very worn, but on one side you can make out the triquetra in the middle and writing going around the edge. The next image shows the other side of the coin. It is very worn but you can make out some small circles in the top left and bottom right as well as 2 lines going down the middle and writing around the edge.

Silver coin featuring famous Viking king unearthed in Hungary

By Tom Metcalfe published

A metal detectorist in Hungary has unearthed a tiny silver coin marked with the name of a famous Viking king that was lost almost 1,000 years ago.

This Roman pendant made of silver depicts a penis. The streaks at the top appear to depict pubic hair.

Metal detectorist in UK finds ancient Roman penis pendant

By Owen Jarus published

A metal detectorist in the U.K. found an ancient Roman penis pendant made out of silver, which was likely thought to ward off evil.

A researcher examines the remains of a Viking Age sword discovered in Norway.

Broken pieces of rare Viking sword reunited after 1,200 years apart

By Joanna Thompson published

Two sleuths in Norway uncovered the pieces of an extremely rare type of sword from the Viking Age.

Archaeologists think the one-edged curved sword — a type of saber — dates from a raid on the monastery that took place in the 14th century.

Rusty saber, possibly wielded by medieval Turkish pirates, unearthed in Greece

By Tom Metcalfe published

Archaeologists in Greece have unearthed a one-edged sword, or saber, that they think was used in the 14th century during a raid by Turkish pirates on a fortified Christian monastery.

3,000 years ago, someone lost a shoe in the mountains of Norway.

Oldest shoe in Norway, dating to 3,000 years ago, recovered from melting ice patch

By Brandon Specktor published

The ice patches of Norway hold thousands of well-preserved artifacts and remains, but climate change is causing them to disappear.

This photo shows the skeleton of a woman lying on a bronze bed.

2,100-year-old burial of woman lying on bronze 'mermaid bed' unearthed in Greece

By Owen Jarus published

Archaeologists in Greece discovered the ancient remains of a woman buried on a bronze bed that dates to the first century B.C.

The ancient Bronze Age city at Kemune in Iraq.

Ancient Bronze Age city reemerges from Iraq river after extreme drought

By Patrick Pester published

Archaeologists raced to investigate an ancient Bronze Age city in Iraq after it re-emerged from a reservoir following an extreme drought.

Foundations of row houses have been excavated in New Towne, where Jamestown settlers expanded to live in the 1620s.

Jamestown Colony: Facts & history

By Owen Jarus published

Jamestown, founded in 1607, was the first successful permanent English settlement in what would become the United States.

Sarcophagi found in a cache dating to the Egyptian Late Period (around the fifth century BC). In the photo we can make out about 30 sarcophaguses laid out in four rows. They are underneath a massive tend are surround by a huge crowd of people taking photos.

Hundreds of ancient Egyptian sarcophagi, cat mummies and gold-leafed statues unearthed at necropolis

By Tom Metcalfe published

Archaeologists have unearthed a trove of artifacts at the necropolis of Saqqara near Cairo.

Penis graffiti carving

Penis graffiti and explicit insult carved into ancient stone 'raises eyebrows' at Roman fort

By Harry Baker published

Archaeologists have unearthed penis graffiti and an explicit insult carved into a stone at a Roman fort in the UK. A translation of the phrase names one of the soldiers as a "shitter."

This is a photo of the Indus Valley Civilization's ancient stupa - one of the best preserved parts of Mohenjo Daro in Pakistan. It is a series of large steps made out of sand-colored bricks, interwoven with staircases. Right at the top is a circular dome.

What was the Indus Valley Civilization?

By Tom Garlinghouse published

Reference The Indus Valley Civilization — famous for its large, well-planned cities — is considered one of the six early pristine state-level civilizations.

This angled overhead photo shows the ruined foundations of a farmstead that was discovered in northern Israel.

2,100-year-old farmstead in Israel found 'frozen in time' after owners disappeared

By Tom Metcalfe published

Archaeologists have unearthed the 2,100-year-old remains of a farmstead near Israel's northern Sea of Galilee.

Screenshot from a 3D animation of the Cotoca site. In the center, at the highest point, you see the highest point of a hill.

Lasers reveal 'lost' pre-Hispanic civilization deep in the Amazon

By Tom Metcalfe published

Settlements from a "lost" Amazonian civilization were found.