Archaeology
Humans have left clues of our existence throughout time, leaving behind burials, artifacts and written records that hint at our evolution, beliefs, practices and cultures. Studying the archaeological record shows us that the oldest known bones belonging to Homo sapiens are 300,000 years old, or that the world’s oldest civilizations arose at least 6,000 years ago.
Whether you’re looking for facts about the ancient Egyptians, the discovery of an ancient human skull, a gold hoard dating to the fall of the Roman Empire or how the latest technology is helping us find hidden pyramids, Live Science's expert science writers and editors are here to give you the latest coverage on our past with archaeology news, articles and features.
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Latest about Archaeology
'Unprecedented' discovery of mysterious circular monument near 2 necropolises found in France
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
The mysterious monument site appears to have been occupied across multiple historical periods.
Ancient artists high on hallucinogens carved dancer rock art in Peru, study suggests
By Tom Metcalfe published
The research notes similarities between the carvings in southern Peru and the ayahuasca-induced art of the Amazon's Tucano people.
Maya ruler burned bodies of old dynasty during regime change, charred human remains reveal
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
Charred human remains and ornaments found at a Maya temple were part of a ritual.
Humans were living in a lava tube 7,000 years ago on the Arabian Peninsula
By Owen Jarus published
An analysis of a lava tube in Saudi Arabia reveals that humans have lived there for at least 7,000 years.
Modern Japanese people arose from 3 ancestral groups, 1 of them unknown, DNA study suggests
By Emily Cooke published
Modern Japanese people largely originated from three ancestral groups and carry ancient DNA that may influence their risk of developing certain diseases, genetic analyses suggest.
2,500-year-old skeletons with legs chopped off may be elites who received 'cruel' punishment in ancient China
By Soumya Sagar published
The amputated legs of skeletons belonging to two men who lived in ancient China suggests that they were punished for alleged crimes 2,500 years ago.
32 astonishing ancient burials, from 'vampire' decapitations to riches for the afterlife
By Owen Jarus published
Archaeologists have discovered lavish and grisly burials the world over.
Drowned land off Australia was an Aboriginal hotspot in last ice age, 4,000 stone artifacts reveal
By Emma Bryce published
The landscape features in the dreamtime stories of Australia's Indigenous people.
Why did Europe's hunter-gatherers disappear?
By Patrick Pester published
There are many mysteries surrounding Europe's hunter-gatherers, but farming played a role in their demise.
Ancient Indigenous lineage of Blackfoot Confederacy goes back 18,000 years to last ice age, DNA reveals
By Kristina Killgrove published
A new DNA study of living and historical members of the Blackfoot Confederacy in the U.S. and Canada suggests that they share a lineage with people from the last ice age.
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