Archaeology

An intact Greek philosophical text, carbonized by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79.

How AI Is Deciphering Lost Scrolls From the Roman Empire

The Herculaneum papyri were too fragile to unwrap for centuries. Now, they may not have to be.

By Isaac Schultz Published August 28, 2024

Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Builders Were Poisoned by Copper, Study Suggests

It's unclear if residents living in the shadows of the Giza pyramids suffered health effects, but the finding offers a glimpse into how they lived.

By Adam Kovac Published August 27, 2024

Photo of mummified cranium from 17th century Milan

ScienceArchaeology

17th-Century Mummified Brains Test Positive for Cocaine

It’s potential evidence of some of the earliest European recreational cocaine use.

By Adam Kovac Updated August 27, 2024

Rock art found in Colombia's Amazon rainforest

ScienceArchaeology

Prehistoric Paintings Found in the Amazon Depict Supernatural Figures

The rock art is in a region of Colombia that was off-limits to researchers for decades due to political instability.

By Adam Kovac Published August 19, 2024

Image of an archaeologist unearthing a skeleton at Pompeii.

ScienceArchaeology

Newly Found Pompeii Victims Had ‘Monstrous’ Deaths

The young man and woman may have lived for hours after the devastating eruption.

By Adam Kovac Published August 17, 2024

ScienceArchaeology

Ancient Builders May Have Schlepped Stonehenge’s Altar Stone All the Way From Scotland

Fragments of the Altar Stone are geologically different from the others at Stonehenge, but similar to those found hundreds of miles away, according to new research.

By Adam Kovac Published August 14, 2024

A photo of the archaeological dig at Paquimé

ScienceArchaeology

Ancient Mexican Child Sacrifice Linked to Elite Inbreeding

While incest was generally considered taboo in the community that inhabited Paquimé, it may have been overlooked—and leveraged—by the power-grasping upper classes.

By Adam Kovac Published August 12, 2024

One of the sample locations in a maintenance space aboard the ISS.

ScienceArchaeology

First-Ever ISS Archaeological Survey Reveals Unexpected Findings

The survey provided insights into how astronauts utilized the available space—though it involved less digging compared to traditional archaeological surveys.

By Isaac Schultz Published August 7, 2024

A303 Eastern Portal View (conceptual image)

ScienceArchaeology

Controversial Stonehenge Tunnel Project Axed by British Government

The canceled scheme included a tunnel beneath the ancient site, which conservationists argued posed a threat to Stonehenge's geology and its undiscovered archaeological treasures.

By Adam Kovac Published July 30, 2024

Champagne bottles in a Baltic shipwreck.

ScienceArchaeology

Over 100 Uncorked Champagne Bottles Found in 170-Year-Old Shipwreck

The bottles were unopened, in a chance find that's been sitting on the bottom of the sea for 170 years.

By Isaac Schultz Updated August 2, 2024

The excavation team at Juukan Gorge in 2014.

ScienceArchaeology

Mining Blast in Australia Shattered 47,000 Years of Aboriginal Heritage

In May 2020, Rio Tinto's mine expansion destroyed an ancient rockshelter in Western Australia, erasing 47,000 years of Aboriginal heritage and sparking global outrage.

Michael Slack, Jordan Ralph, Wallace Boone Law, The Conversation Updated July 26, 2024

ScienceArchaeology

UN Rejects Stonehenge as ‘Site in Danger,’ Outraging Conservationists

A planned highway project could pose a threat to the famed stones, whose origin is still shrouded in mystery.

By Adam Kovac Published July 25, 2024

Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and carvings in the Nile.

ScienceArchaeology

Dazzling Carvings of Egyptian Pharaohs Found in the River Nile

A number of paintings, inscriptions, and other artworks of several pharaohs were found in Aswan, on the heels of previous inscriptions found before the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

By Isaac Schultz Published July 19, 2024

ScienceArchaeology

Wreck of Shackleton’s Endurance to Receive Special Protections

The 109-year-old shipwreck was discovered in 2022, but its long-term preservation remains a matter of careful conservation.

By Isaac Schultz Published July 10, 2024

Graphic: Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation and Marcus Regel/Mareg.net

ScienceArchaeology

X-Rays Reveal Gnarled Remains of Ancient Roman Military Sandal

The shoe — discovered at a nearly 2,000-year-old fort near a Bavarian village — consists of a sole with iron nails for traversing "rough terrain"

By Harri Weber Published June 29, 2024

ScienceArchaeology

Here’s One Malady You Share With Ancient Egyptian Scribes

69 male skeletons from an Egyptian necropolis reveal that hunching over to write caused just as much pain in ancient times.

By Isaac Schultz Published June 28, 2024

Photo: Emil Aladjem/IAA/AP Photo/picture alliance

ScienceArchaeology

Well-Preserved Bronze Age Shipwreck ‘Changes Our Entire Understanding’ of Ancient Mariners

The vessel was found far from land, challenging previous assumptions about the seafaring capabilities of its Bronze Age builders.

By Isaac Schultz Published June 21, 2024

ScienceArchaeology

This Murky Liquid Is the Oldest-Known Wine, With a Horrifying Extra Ingredient

Despite being reddened by 2,000 years of decay and the presence of cremated remains, chemical analysis confirmed the variety of the vintage.

By Isaac Schultz Updated June 18, 2024

Photo: Royal Canadian Geographic Society / X

ScienceArchaeology

Ernest Shackleton’s Last Ship Found on the Ocean Floor Near Canada’s East Coast

The Quest sank in 1962 after being crushed by ice...a familiar story for Shackleton's ships.

By Isaac Schultz Published June 13, 2024

ScienceArchaeology

At Least 64 Boys, Including Twins, Sacrificed in Ancient Maya Underground Chamber

Ancient DNA recovered from 64 individuals whose remains sat underground for centuries is shedding light on their family lineages and exposure to disease.

By Isaac Schultz Published June 12, 2024