Climate Model Suggests Timeline for Migration to North America
Climate Model Suggests Timeline for Migration to North America During the last ice age, the coastal route from Asia to North America was so treacherous, humans likely crossed over only during two-time windows, when environmental factors were more favorable for the long and dangerous journey, a new study finds. The first window lasted from 24,500 …
An unlucky medieval woman underwent at least two skull surgeries in Longobard Italy
An unlucky medieval woman underwent at least two skull surgeries in Longobard Italy A detailed examination of the skull of a woman who lived at the medieval settlement of Castel Trosino in central Italy more than 1,300 years ago revealed that this middle-aged woman had undergone not once, but at least twice, invasive surgical procedures. …
Archaeologists in northern Mexico shed new light on ancient Huastec burial and construction practices
Archaeologists in northern Mexico shed new light on ancient Huastec burial and construction practices Recent excavations at a site in the state of Tamaulipas included analysis of large earthen mounds that were used for burials and everyday activities. Archaeologists in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, Mexico, have identified remnants of a human settlement active more …
Extinct Human Cousins May Have Also Used Tools
Extinct Human Cousins May Have Also Used Tools Archaeologists in Kenya have dug up some of the oldest stone tools ever used by ancient humans, dating back around 2.9 million years. It is evidence that the tools were used by other branches of early humans, not just the ancestors of Homo Sapiens. The tools were …
Lasers reveal ruins of 5th-century fortress in Spanish forest
Lasers reveal ruins of the 5th-century fortress in the Spanish forest Archaeologists in Spain got the surprise of a lifetime when they discovered the ruins of a powerful fifth-century fortress surrounded by a huge defensive wall in a dense forest, instead of the Iron Age fort they had been looking for, they reported in a …
A trove of spices from around the world found on sunken fifteenth-century Norse ship
A trove of spices from around the world found on sunken fifteenth-century Norse ship A pair of archaeologists with Lund University in Sweden has found “a treasure trove” of plants aboard a sunken 15th-century Norse ship. Mikael Larsson and Brendan Foley describe their findings in PLOS ONE. In 1495, Danish King Hans docked his ship …
1,800-Year-Old Sanctuary to Mithras discovered in Spain
1,800-Year-Old Sanctuary to Mithras discovered in Spain Archaeologists excavating at Villa del Mitra in Cabra, Spain, have uncovered a sanctuary dedicated to the god Mithras, along with the remains of ritual banquets. Mithraism rose to prominence as a cult religion that became popular in the Roman Empire in the late 1st century AD. Worship was a …
Researchers found similar descriptions in the Book of Revelation and ancient curse tablets
Researchers found similar descriptions in the Book of Revelation and ancient curse tablets A research project headed by Dr. Michael Hölscher of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), has uncovered that the book of revelation has some descriptions and phrases similar to ancient curse tablets. In the ancient world, curse tablets were widely used and in …
A former Spanish disco-pub confirmed as lost medieval Synagogue
A former Spanish disco-pub confirmed as lost medieval Synagogue In the Andalucian city of Utrera, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a 14th-century synagogue. The discovery, made public on Tuesday, elevates the 14th-century structure to a rare group of medieval synagogues that have survived the years following Spain’s Jews were exiled in 1492. Only 4 …
3,000-year-old human skeleton found in Romanian archaeological site
3,000-year-old human skeleton found in Romanian archaeological site A 3,000-year-old human skeleton was recently discovered at an archaeological excavation site in the village of Drăguşeni, Botoşani county. The skeleton dates back to the beginning of the Bronze Age and to the Yamnaya culture, and was identified after exploring a large tumulus in Drăguşeni, according to …