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Archaeology

All articles tagged with #archaeology

Ancient Old Kingdom Tombs Discovered Near Aswan
archaeology2 hours ago

Ancient Old Kingdom Tombs Discovered Near Aswan

Archaeologists at Qubbet el-Hawa near Aswan uncovered rock-cut tombs from Egypt’s Old Kingdom (c. 2686–2181 BC) that were reused in later eras, including the First Intermediate Period and Middle Kingdom. The digs produced about 160 mostly intact ceramic vessels with hieratic inscriptions, plus copper-alloy mirrors, alabaster cosmetic containers, amulets, and other personal adornments, offering new insights into ancient burial customs and southern Egypt’s enduring funerary significance.

via Indian Defence Review|
#archaeology#burial-practices#egypt
40,000-Year-Old German Figurines Hint at Early Sign System Preceding Writing
science4 hours ago

40,000-Year-Old German Figurines Hint at Early Sign System Preceding Writing

A study of about 3,000 geometric signs carved on 260 Stone Age artifacts from the Swabian Alps in southwestern Germany (roughly 34,000–45,000 years old) finds patterns that resemble proto-cuneiform, suggesting an early sign system that could encode information long before writing. The markings appear on mammoth and horse figurines as well as tools, indicating sophisticated cognitive behavior, though researchers caution that the exact meanings remain unknown.

via CNN|
#archaeology#mammoth-figurine#proto-cuneiform
German Cave Symbols Suggest Writing Existed 40,000 Years Ago
archaeology14 hours ago

German Cave Symbols Suggest Writing Existed 40,000 Years Ago

New findings from Germany’s Swabian Jura uncover 40,000-year-old engraved symbol sequences on Paleolithic figurines and tools. The signs are highly repetitive and show information density similar to early proto-cuneiform, implying an early, non-language form of symbolic communication that predates formal writing by tens of thousands of years, challenging views on the linear rise of writing.

via Indian Defence Review|
#archaeology#germany#paleolithic
Ancient Serbia mass grave reveals deliberate violence against women and children in Early Iron Age
archaeology21 hours ago

Ancient Serbia mass grave reveals deliberate violence against women and children in Early Iron Age

Archaeologists studying a roughly 2,800-year-old mass grave at Gomolava, Serbia, uncovered 77 skeletons with an unusually high proportion of women (over 70%) and children (about 69%). The remains show extensive blunt-force trauma to the head, suggesting deliberate, close-contact violence by likely taller attackers (perhaps on horseback). Isotope and DNA analyses indicate the individuals came from varied origins, pointing to a heterogeneous group rather than a single local raid and implying a broader ninth-century power struggle in the Carpathian Basin. Researchers view the burial as a strategic act to disrupt kinship networks and rebalance political forces in prehistoric Europe.

via Live Science|
#archaeology#iron-age#mass-grave
40,000-Year-Old German Glyphs Hint at Prehistoric Writing
sciencearchaeology1 day ago

40,000-Year-Old German Glyphs Hint at Prehistoric Writing

Archaeologists studying 40,000-year-old engravings and artifacts from a Swabian Jura cave in Germany report 22 recurring symbols that may constitute the oldest form of writing, with patterns reminiscent of proto-cuneiform. The team suggests these glyphs could reflect complex symbolic thought—potentially including calendrical tracking—indicating that Stone Age hunter-gatherers may have conveyed information in a structured way well before known writing systems, potentially pushing back the origins of writing by about 30,000 years, though the exact meanings remain uncertain.

via New York Post|
#archaeology#germany#proto-cuneiform
Chance Haifa Coast Find Uncovers 12th-Century Crusader Sword
world1 day ago

Chance Haifa Coast Find Uncovers 12th-Century Crusader Sword

A three-foot, one-handed Crusader sword from the 12th century was found by chance by University of Haifa student Shlomi Katsin off Dor Beach near Haifa. After reporting the find, the Israel Antiquities Authority allowed its removal for preservation. CT scans at Haifa’s Medica Elisha Hospital indicated the blade was designed for one-handed use and likely belonged to a European Crusader knight, though much of the iron has corroded away. The rare discovery, still encrusted with shells and sediment, offers new insights into medieval maritime life and Crusader warfare in the region.

via CBS News|
#archaeology#crusader-sword#haifa
Ancient Iran Seals Reveal Early Bureaucracy and Far-Reaching Trade
archaeology1 day ago

Ancient Iran Seals Reveal Early Bureaucracy and Far-Reaching Trade

Archaeologists at Tapeh Tyalineh in western Iran uncovered over 7,000 seal impressions and related artifacts, signaling a sophisticated ancient administration and extensive trade across Western Asia; seals were used on goods, storage, and doors, suggesting a broad network of merchants. Dating is not yet absolute and researchers plan further work, with excavations slated to resume around 2027.

via Indian Defence Review|
#ancient-bureaucracy#archaeology#iran
2,000-year-old footprint rescued from Scottish shore as tide closes in
culture2 days ago

2,000-year-old footprint rescued from Scottish shore as tide closes in

Archaeologists rushed to Lunan Bay in eastern Scotland after storms uncovered a rare 2,000-year-old footprint dating to the late Iron Age near the time of Roman expansion. They documented and cast the print—creating 3D models and plaster casts—before the waves washed the site away, preserving a tangible link to ancient inhabitants and a snapshot of the landscape and ecology from two millennia ago.

via Interesting Engineering|
#archaeology#culture#footprint
Neanderthals Repeatedly Placed Horned Skulls in a Cave, Hinting at Symbolic Practice
science3 days ago

Neanderthals Repeatedly Placed Horned Skulls in a Cave, Hinting at Symbolic Practice

Researchers studying Spain’s Des-Cubierta Cave found Neanderthals repeatedly deposited the top parts of horned animal skulls in a gallery over multiple phases between 70,000 and 50,000 years ago, following an initial rockfall; the pattern shows it wasn’t a one-off event and suggests a structured, possibly symbolic behavior in Neanderthal culture.

via ScienceAlert|
#archaeology#des-cubierta-cave#neanderthals
Ancient Vietnamese teeth dyed black: iron-based paste reveals 2,000-year-old beauty trend
science3 days ago

Ancient Vietnamese teeth dyed black: iron-based paste reveals 2,000-year-old beauty trend

Archaeologists studying 2,000-year-old skulls from Vietnam’s Dong Xa Iron Age site found iron oxide and sulfur in tooth enamel, indicating ancient people dyed their teeth black with an iron–tannin paste—likely using tannins from betel nut. The practice, dating to the Iron Age, was a cosmetic trend that persisted in parts of Southeast Asia and would have required days to weeks of application with periodic touch-ups.

via Live Science|
#archaeology#betel-nut#iron
Arizona's Mummy Cave: 1,700-year-old cliff village archived in 3D for preservation
science4 days ago

Arizona's Mummy Cave: 1,700-year-old cliff village archived in 3D for preservation

Laser scanning has captured a 1,700-year-old cliff-dwelling in Tse Yaa Kin (Mummy Cave), Arizona, detailing more than 165 rooms in a precise 3D archive. Researchers using LiDAR have created a digital twin to test stabilization options while preserving plaster and tool marks, as erosion threatens the fragile mud walls. Indigenous communities’ consent guides access and sharing to protect the site, and the project also trains students and plans to continue through 2027 to safeguard the record for future study.

via Earth.com|
#archaeology#arizona-desert#digital-twin