A significant archaeological discovery has shed new light on the tumultuous history of Agrigento, an ancient city on the southwest coast of Sicily. Excavations in the Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, unearthed a rich votive deposit containing at least sixty terracotta figurines, female protomes, and busts, along with oil lamps, small … Read more
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced a stunning seizure on Monday, uncovering a hidden trove of ancient artifacts within a Jerusalem resident’s home. The individual is suspected of involvement in the illicit antiquities trade. The most captivating finds were 1,500-year-old “incantation bowls” – Mesopotamian pottery inscribed with spells and curses dating back to the 4th-8th … Read more
Italian-French mission has unearthed a remarkable underwater treasure trove – a Roman shipwreck laden with glassware and raw glass blocks. This unique find, resting at a depth of 350 meters (1150 feet) between Capo Corso, Corsica, and Capraia Island, Italy, sheds light on ancient maritime trade routes and glassmaking techniques. The shipwreck is only the … Read more
New research from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) sheds light on the ingenuity of our ancestors. The study, published in Science Advances, reveals that early Native Americans living in present-day central Alaska may have begun fishing freshwater fish as early as 13,000 years ago, during the tail-end of the last ice age. This discovery … Read more
For centuries, the role of the Milky Way in ancient Egyptian religion has remained shrouded in mystery. While the Egyptians were known for their intricate understanding of the cosmos, their relationship with this celestial band of stars remained unclear. However, a groundbreaking study by Dr. Or Graur, an astrophysicist from the University of Portsmouth, sheds … Read more
During an excavation at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Krakow, Poland, archaeologists stumbled upon a remarkable discovery – a nearly 300-year-old medical prosthesis. This unique find, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, offers a glimpse into the history of treating cleft palate, a birth defect affecting the … Read more
For over a century, paleontologists have debated the origins of mysterious, fossilized bone fragments unearthed across Western and Central Europe. A new study from the University of Bonn finally puts this debate to rest, revealing the colossal creatures behind these bones – gigantic ichthyosaurs. The story begins in 1850, with British naturalist Samuel Stutchbury reporting … Read more
The world of paleontology is often hampered by a significant hurdle – the scarcity of preserved organic material from prehistoric times. Unlike their modern counterparts, dinosaur proteins and DNA rarely survive the relentless march of millions of years. However, a serendipitous discovery in 2017 challenged this notion and opened a new window into the molecular … Read more
A highly decorated bronze lamp unearthed near Cortona, Italy, has long puzzled archaeologists. A new study published in De Gruyter’s Etruscan and Italic Studies sheds new light on this enigmatic object, revealing a surprising age and a deeper meaning behind its elaborate iconography. Discovered in 1840, the Cortona lamp has been a topic of debate for … Read more
A recent archaeological excavation in the Yorkshire Wolds has unearthed a fascinating Iron Age discovery – a unique “shrine” marked by meticulously placed animal skulls and bones. Led by Dr. Peter Halkon and James Lyall, the team’s four-year dig uncovered this intriguing site situated near a previously known Bronze Age “ring fort.” The initial clues … Read more