Tags: Archaeology

World's Oldest Stone Tools Discovered in Kenya

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE Archaeologists believe they have found the oldest stone tools ever recorded in Africa, and they weren't used by any human from the genus Homo. The tools, dating back 3.3 million years, are proof that some of the earliest ancestors of humans used tools several hundred thousand years before the rise of the genus Homo.

Yawunik Arthropod Revealed—The Toothsome Creature that Gave Rise to Lobsters, Spiders and Butterflies

When you watch butterflies flutter through the sky and lobsters waddle in the sea, you may not readily believe that the two far off species have anything in common. But along with spiders, butterflies and lobsters share quite an interesting collective history-one where an ancient ancestor may have emerged from the sea. Cover the ocean, the land and the skies above the radiation of species into many forms are believed to have originated with a common ancestor as long as 508 million years ago. And in a new study published this week in the journal Paleontology researchers are finally giving a face to ancestor known as Yawunik kootenayi.

Arabic Ring Found in 9th Century Scandinavian Grave

New study claims 9th century ring with Arabic Inscription found at a Scandinavian site is unique A new study suggests that a ninth-century ring from Sweden has come from the Islamic Civilization.

DNA Evidence of Wheat Upsets Archeological History of the Crop in Early England

When British researchers went diving in Bouldnor Cliff, a submarine archaeological site near the Isle of Wight in the UK, it would fit to assume that they hadn’t quite banked on finding evidence of wheat beneath the waters. But when the researcher analyzed a core sample obtained from sealed sediments, microfossils with sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) of wheat species revealed that there might be far more to the story of the cash crop and trade in ancient Britain—perhaps even 2,000 years more than what the current history predicts.

Reptile Preceding Dinosaurs Discovered

Paleontologists have discovered a new species of reptile after putting together the remains of a new crocodile-like species that lived long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Through Time and Stone--X-Rays Help Solve 2,000 year old mystery from Mt. Vesuvius

When Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, it destroyed several Roman towns including Pompeii and Herculaneum. With Herculaneum's destruction, hundreds of writings from the time were buried for what some believed could be all of eternity. However, scientists have now succeeded in reading parts of an ancient scroll buried by the eruption.

Tools Could Be the Topic for First Ever Conversations

What were the first words uttered by the early ancestors of modern humans? According to a new study, one of the first possible sentences could have been, "Tool bad," and likely occurred between 2.5 and 1.8 million years ago.

Researchers in Scottland Find Remnants of Nessy’s Relatives—Or So It Seems

While tales of the cryptid, the Loch Ness monster more colloquially known as Nessy, have gone largely unsubstantiated in the past, archaeologists in Scotland believe that they may now have found creature that fits the bill. The only problem is, that the dolphin-like marine reptile which grew to lengths of up to 14 feet went extinct nearly 170 million years ago.

Blue Hole of Belize—The Fall of Maya Civilization Found in the Sand

Over the past Millenia, civilizations even before the age of written history, have fallen when faced with famine, disease and even war. But when the most advanced civilization in the world disappears without a reason, the mystery creates some unique speculations. For years now, researchers and archaeologists have sought out an answer to what happened to the Mesoamerican Mayan civilization, and while theories have run the gamut from mass suicide to disease and famine, researchers now believe that they have found the answer entombed in an underwater lagoon.

Polish “Vampires” Discovered in Crypts, and They May Have Had Cholera

For those who are avid viewers of works of independent horror films, many know that Poland is often the back-drop for some of the most terrifying tales of local folklore and blood-sucking creatures of the night. And there’s a reason behind the madness. Dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, stories of vampires have abounded in the region, leading to a uniquely deviant form of burials that are intended to keep proposed vampires in their crypts.

How a Crop Found in Beer Helped Early Man Survive in Frigid Tibetan Plateau

In spite of the harsh climate, freezing many regions of Tibet’s upper plateaus in the mountains of Asia, researchers have uncovered a rich anthropological history of the past amidst frozen objects of the past. And what they reveal is that even in the far off past, the surmounting odds against survival in the region known as the “Roof of the World” created many interesting challenges for ancient man.

How Early Man Survived at the ‘Roof of the World’—And Found the Secret to Beer Too

For early man, surviving and conquering niche environments, like that of the Tibetan Plateau of Asia, was a difficult task that required the perfect combination of conditions. Tribes needed to learn how to work together, to traverse harsh terrain, to find/build shelter, and above all they had to learn how to feed themselves year-round. And while the surmounting odds of surviving the domain known as the “Roof of the World” were stacked against them, with extreme altitudes, relentless winds, frigid temperatures and low-oxygen conditions complicating the living conditions they had in their new home, researchers now say that early men were able to conquer this uninhabited ecosystem thanks to a cold-hardy crop used to make beer – barley.

Mammoth Fossil Trapped In Reservoir—Archaeologists Try to Unearth Rare Skeleton

Researchers from Idaho State University pray that a new discovery uncovered near American Falls Reservoir in their home state of Idaho may only be part of a whole, yet to be seen. Earlier this month, in the course of surveying an excavation site while working for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the university alongside avid fossil hunters uncovered a portion of a Columbian era mammoth skull complete with tusks. And the team believes the entire rare skeleton may also be buried in the reservoir.

The Story Behind 100-Year-Old Journal Found In Antarctica

In Antarctica, much of life and history is swept away or covered completely by ice and snow. Even in the face of unending change, the surface appears timeless and constant, even though it sets the stage for some of the most tragic stories south of the equator.

Sky-High Dig Reveals Ancient Paleoindian Workshop Site in Andes

In a sky-high archaeological dig, based near the peaks of the Peruvian Andes mountains, an international team of researchers unearthed the oldest-known evidence of human settlement high above sea level. In fact, the rock shelters and tool fragments found, date back roughly 12,000 years and lie 14,700 feet above coastal sea level at the base of the mountain range.
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