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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Pottery found in the cave is shown in this photo. The pottery would have been buried along with the deceased.

3,300-year-old cave 'frozen in time' from reign of Ramesses II uncovered in Israel

By Owen Jarus published

Construction workers in Israel unexpectedly broke into a 3,300-year-old cave that looks like an "Indiana Jones film set."

Detail from the Processional Way in Babylon. Glazed enamel bricks with a lion motif and also some white daisies.

Ancient Babylon, the iconic Mesopotamian city that survived for 2,000 years

By Owen Jarus published

Reference Babylon, the ancient Mesopotamian civilization, existed from roughly 2000 B.C. to 540 B.C.

Two silver coins from the Islamic era found behind a temple in Egypt.

Hoard of Islamic era gold and silver coins found behind Egyptian temple

By Jennifer Nalewicki published

Researchers in Egypt uncovered hundreds of gold and silver coins.

A 1,400-year-old iron folding chair found at a medieval burial site in Germany.

Early-medieval woman was buried with a rare item: a metal folding chair

By Jennifer Nalewicki published

Researchers in Germany discovered a metal folding chair in a medieval woman's grave.

Dramatic storm cloud above pyramids, Giza, Egypt.

Vanished arm of Nile helped ancient Egyptians transport pyramid materials

By Owen Jarus published

High water levels in a now-defunct arm of the Nile helped the ancient Egyptians transport supplies for the pyramids of Giza, a study of pollen in earthen cores reveals.

Cave on the sandy beach in Penbryn, Cardigan Bay, Wales. Taken on a sunny day when the beach was empty.

Medieval map of Britain may reveal evidence of mythological islands

By Owen Jarus last updated

A new analysis of a 650-year-old map of Britain may reveal evidence of two mythical islands.

Artist impression of Tebo. The individual had their lower left leg amputated as a child and survived into early adulthood in an artistic community 31,000 years ago in Borneo.

Oldest medical amputation on record was performed on a Stone Age child in Borneo 31,000 years ago

By Jennifer Nalewicki last updated

A 31,000-year-old skeleton found in Borneo reveals the first example of an amputation on a human being.

The 18-inch penis sculpture recently uncovered at a site in Spain.

Ancient Roman penis sculpture could be the largest of its kind ever discovered

By Harry Baker published

Archaeologists in Spain have uncovered a girthy 18-inch penis sculpture carved by the Romans, which may be the largest of its kind ever found.

17 victims were discovered in 2004

17 people found in a medieval well in England were victims of an antisemitic massacre, DNA reveals

By Tom Metcalfe published

The remains of 17 people, mainly children, found in 2004 during a construction project in an English city are probably those of medieval Jews massacred for their religion, according to a new study.

The final reconstruction of the Penang woman.

Look into the eyes of a Stone Age woman in this incredibly lifelike facial reconstruction

By Jennifer Nalewicki published

Using 3D technology, researchers created a facial reconstruction of a 'Penang woman' who lived 5,700 years ago in Malaysia.

The charge of the Huns led by Attila (lived circa A.D. 406 to 453).

Who were the Huns, the nomadic horse warriors who invaded ancient Europe?

By Tom Garlinghouse published

The Huns were nomadic horse warriors, originally from Asia, who invaded Europe in the late fourth century A.D. and carved out an empire that stretched from Asia to Europe.

Gif of a person holding the arrowhead found in Norway.

3-bladed arrowhead 'last touched by Vikings' revealed by melting ice patch

By Jennifer Nalewicki published

A rare, three-sided Viking arrowhead was discovered by glacial archaeologists in Norway.

Color drawing of the Sack of Rome. Here we see the Vandals marching on Rome in A.D. 455. They’re holding long shields covering their bodies and wielding a sword in the other hand. Leading them is a man holding wearing a red winged helmet, holding his sword in the air.

Who were the Vandals, the 'barbarians' who sacked Rome?

By Owen Jarus last updated

The Vandals were a Germanic people who carved out an empire in North Africa and sacked Rome.

One of the 526 standing stones unearthed at the site of La Torre-La Janera, near Huelva in southwestern Spain.

7,500-year-old Spanish 'Stonehenge' discovered on future avocado farm

By Tom Metcalfe published

Archaeologists have unearthed one of the largest complexes of Neolithic standing stones near the city of Huelva in southwestern Spain, ahead of a plan to grow avocados there.

Bull head-shaped spout of vessel.

Cryptic 4,000-year-old writing system may finally be deciphered

By Owen Jarus last updated

Scholars may have finally deciphered the vast majority of an ancient writing system known as Linear Elamite. But not everyone agrees with the findings.

Photo of an archaological site in ukraine that dates to the Scythian period; the outline of a structure can be seen in stone with several indentations in the floor

Scythian arrowheads and Bronze Age dwelling uncovered in Ukraine

By Nicoletta Lanese published

Scythian artifacts were found near Bilsk in Ukraine.

A black-and-white photo shows Nazi minesweeper watercraft on a river with a bridge ahead of them.

Nazi warships revealed as Danube River levels drop

By Tom Metcalfe published

The falling levels of the Danube River have revealed wrecks from a Nazi German fleet of warships.

Students pictured walking past two large grassy mounds on the LSU campus

Oldest human-made structure in the Americas is older than the Egyptian pyramids

By JoAnna Wendel published

Sediment cores from the LSU Mounds reveal thousands of years of buildup of clay, ash from burning plants and animal remains.

A view of the ancient burial mound in Cyprus.

Broken fortress discovered under 'mega-monument' burial mound in Cyprus

By Donavyn Coffey published

Archaeologists in Cyprus have unearthed a broken rampart, or a part of a defensive wall, under a massive burial mound.

Illustration of deceased young woman lying in a wampos (ceremonial canoe). There is a pot next to her head.

1,000 years ago, a woman was buried in a canoe on her way to the 'destination of souls'

By Tom Metcalfe published

A young woman buried in Patagonia up to 1,000 years ago was placed in a ceremonial canoe to represent her final journey into the land of the dead, according to a new study.