Archaeology News articles

The “Tomb of Cerberus” with its stunning frescoes discovered in October 2023 near Naples, Italy is perhaps the top archaeological find of the year. The tomb was discovered during an archaeological survey ahead of water supply system updates in the municipality of Giugliano in Campania. This ancient chamber tomb was well-preserved and sealed with a tuff slab. It has managed to guard its secrets for centuries. Upon gaining entry, archaeologists found remarkable frescoes adorning the tomb’s walls.                                          From: Greek Reporter Visit Website  https://www.weaversnest.org/  for more information on Archaeology and History.                                                    ...

Archaeologists from Poland’s Jagiellonian University (JU) have discovered an ancient Native American calendar at the Castle Rock Pueblo archaeological site in western Colorado that houses the remnants of an ancient settlement. While the oldest petroglyphs found date to as early as the third century AD, JU researchers have found works in previously unstudied rock panels created in the 13th century, when the site was at its peak of activity. The leader of the Polish research team, Radosław Palonka, considers these findings to be the start of a new process of discovery, combining cutting-edge mapping technology and collaboration with local Indigenous communities to better understand the area.                                         From:  The Art Newspaper Visit Website  https://www.weaversnest.org/  for more information on Archaeology and History.   ...

2023 was a busy year in the world of archaeology. With numerous exciting and important discoveries made around the globe, this was a year that continued to prove just how much we still have yet to learn about our collective histories. As such, many of these new discoveries have either expanded our knowledge of the ancient world and its peoples or provided us with astonishingly beautiful or well-preserved examples of ancient craftsmanship, ingenuity, and artistic talent. From newly discovered Etruscan tombs in Italy to entire Maya cities in Mexico, 2023 did not disappoint. Though we’d love to tell you about all of these amazing discoveries, we’ve elected to pick a selection of what we think are five of the most exciting archaeological finds made this year.      From:  Art&Object Visit Website  https://www.weaversnest.org/  for more information on Archaeology and History.                     ...

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI—According to a statement released by Washington University in St. Louis, a new study suggests that yaks were domesticated by at least 2,500 years ago. The study included DNA and archaeological information from Bangga, a high-altitude village site on the Tibetan Plateau. After sorting through more than 10,000 mammal bones, an international team of researchers led by Hongliang Lu of Sichuan University identified 193 bones belonging to domestic cattle, yak, and their relatives. DNA samples taken from five well-preserved bones from this group were then analyzed. One of these samples turned out to be from a domesticated male yak. The four others were determined to be female taurine cattle, a type of cattle introduced to the Tibetan Plateau from Anatolia. “Identifying domestic yak and yak-cattle hybrids at Bangga is not only essential to the understanding of the origin of this charismatic creature, the yak, but also informs us in general about animal domestication pathway...

 ASTANA — In the quest to unravel the mysteries of the North Kazakhstan Region’s rich history, an archaeological expedition spanning seven districts has unearthed fascinating discoveries. The journey was undertaken by a team of 50 explorers in June, end of July and August, reported Kazinform.  The team, composed of experts from the Center for the Preservation and Utilization of Historical and Cultural Heritage in the North Kazakhstan Region, the Historical and Local Lore Museum, along with professors from Kozybayev University and Alkey Margulan Institute of Archaeology, aimed to delve into the region’s history from the Stone Age to the present. This was part of the project titled Northern Kazakhstan in the Context of Cultural and Historical Processes. One of the challenges faced by the expedition is the persistent issue of looting, driven by the misguided belief that ancient mounds, or kurgans, hold hidden treasures, particularly gold artifacts. Despite the unlikely prospect o...

A top archaeologist recently explained that the curse of the pharaohs — which had supposedly caused the demise of those who dared to disturb the ancient tombs — was actually a simple case of built-up germs. Zahi Hawass, a former Egyptian minister of state of antiques affairs, recently told the US Sun the mythical curse does not exist while offering advice to modern archeologists on how to avoid a fatal fate.  The curse has long been believed to plague anyone who disturbs the mummified remains of an ancient Egyptian, including the men who have cracked open the tomb of Tutankhamun.                                   From:   New York Post Visit Website  https://www.weaversnest.org/  for more information on Archaeology and History.                                       ...

Archaeologists have discovered a funerary stone that could completely change how we understand gender roles in ancient Iberian society. The stela—an upright stone slab often serving as a gravestone—was found at the 3,000-year-old funerary complex in Las Capellanías, in Cañaveral de León, Spain.  The find, which was made in September and was presented by the Cañaveral de León city council on October 6, is remarkable because it depicts a figure that has both female and male markers, showing that perhaps our standardized and binary iconographies could have been more fluid than we thought in ancient Iberian culture. The stela in question, which archaeologists believe was created to commemorate important people in Iberian society, depicts a human figure with a headdress, necklace, and two swords. The figure also has a detailed face, hands, feet, as well as male genitalia. But while the headdress is usually interpreted as female, the sword is a feature that is normally interpreted as mal...