Archaeology
An ancient Maya astronomer finally has a name
A Maya calendar formula bears the name Sak Tahn Waax, the first known Classic Maya mathematician-astronomer directly credited for such work.
Archaeology
More Stories in Archaeology
- Archaeology
The oldest known plague outbreak struck hunter-gatherers 5,500 years ago
Plague DNA in ancient graves near Siberia's Lake Baikal suggests the disease threatened people long before farming and crowded settlements.
- Archaeology
Ötzi the Iceman’s remains yielded ‘viable’ yeasts in the lab
The cold-loving yeasts from Ötzi’s remains suggest the Iceman’s microbiome may not be completely frozen in time.
- Archaeology
One mystery of the Great Pyramid’s longevity has finally been solved
Differences in how the pyramid and surrounding soil vibrate, along with design choices, have protected the structure from earthquakes.
- Archaeology
A ‘jar’ jammed with human bones may solve Laos’ ‘Plain of Jars’ mystery
The remains of at least 37 people in an ancient stone 'jar' in northeastern Laos suggest that thousands similar jars were used in burials.
- Archaeology
First evidence of Neandertal dentistry found in ancient molar
A 59,000-year-old Neandertal molar unearthed in Siberia was drilled with a stone tool – the earliest evidence of primitive dentistry.
- Archaeology
Neandertals used rhinoceros teeth as tools
Finds at sites in Spain and France suggest that Neandertals used the teeth of ancient rhinos for heavy-duty fabrication.
- Archaeology
The oldest known dice date back about 12,000 years in North America
A study of ancient artifacts suggests Native American dice games began thousands of years earlier than previously documented.
- Paleontology
Early apes may not have evolved in East Africa
Fossil jaw remains found in Egypt suggest that the earliest modern apes evolved in North Africa, not in East Africa where most fossils have been found.
- Animals
When were dogs domesticated? The oldest known dog DNA offers clues
Two new studies suggest that genetically stable dogs were living among humans in Europe by about 14,000 years ago.
