Archaeology

  1. Archaeology

    The Iceman Cometh

    A Web site maintained by Italy’s South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology offers an illustrated look at scientific efforts to understand the life and death of Oetzi the Iceman, who perished in Europe’s Alps more than 5,000 years ago only to be discovered in mummified form by hikers in 1991. Explore Oetzi’s clothing, equipment, and tattoos, […]

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  2. Archaeology

    Judeo-Christian ties buried in Rome

    New radiocarbon dates from one of ancient Rome's underground cemeteries, or catacombs, indicates that these structures were built in the Jewish community more than a century before early Christians started to do the same.

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  3. Archaeology

    Seeing Past the Dirt

    Increasingly, researchers are using geophysical techniques such as ground-penetrating radar and magnetometers to target their excavations.

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  4. Archaeology

    Ancient Glassmakers: Egyptians crafted ingots for Mediterranean trade

    New archaeological finds indicate that by about 3,250 years ago, Egypt had become a major glass producer and exporter.

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  5. Archaeology

    Cuneiform Tablets

    This Web exhibit from the Library of Congress displays 38 ancient clay tablets and other artifacts that feature the ancient form of writing known as cuneiform. The items include various accounting records (receipts and bills of sale) and school exercises. Go to: http://international.loc.gov/intldl/cuneihtml/

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  6. Archaeology

    Ancient Mariners: Caves harbor view of early Egyptian sailors

    Archaeologists working near the Red Sea have discovered remains of an Egyptian port that emerged around 4,000 years ago, including two caves used by mariners for storage and for religious ceremonies.

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  7. Archaeology

    Pottery points to ‘mother culture’

    The Olmec, a society that more than 3,000 years ago inhabited what is now Mexico's Gulf Coast, acted as a mother culture for communities located hundreds of miles away, according to a chemical analysis of pottery remains and local clays from ancient population sites in the area.

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  8. Archaeology

    In the Buff: Stone Age tools may have derived luster from diamond

    Ancient Chinese people may have used diamonds to polish their stone axes to mirrorlike finishes.

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  9. Archaeology

    Chaco’s Past

    Explore the intersection of modern science and ancient cultures at a Web site about New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon, launched by the Exploratorium in San Francisco. The site includes a look at connections between celestial alignments of prehistoric buildings in the canyon and recent solar research. It also contains a teacher’s guide to classroom activities for […]

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  10. Archaeology

    China’s Fermented Past: Pottery yields signs of oldest known wine

    Analyses of ancient pottery have yielded evidence the people living in northern China 9,000 years ago concocted a fermented, winelike drink from rice, honey, and fruit.

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  11. Archaeology

    Pompeii’s burial not its first disaster

    Recent excavations reveal that the city of Pompeii, famed for its burial by an eruption of Italy's Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79, experienced several devastating landslides in the centuries preceding its demise.

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  12. Archaeology

    Original Microbrews

    Pots, vats, and other artifacts unearthed on three continents are giving archaeologists new clues about ancient cultures' beer-brewing practices.

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