Basel papyrus is an ancient medical text, researchers find
Since the 16th century, Basel has been home to a mysterious papyrus. With mirror writing on both sides, it has puzzled generations of researchers.
Research network sheds new light on drinking and eating habits in the Roman world
The landmark 50th issue of the journal Internet Archaeology is featuring pioneering research that is investigating new ways of analysing millions of Roman artefacts associated with the consumption of food and drink.
Ancient human remains and a medieval mystery unearthed in southern England
Excavation of a Bronze Age burial mound in south west England leads to the discovery of an intact 4,000 year old human cremation as well as evidence of unaccountable activity from the medieval period on the same site.
2,100-year-old ‘hawk’ mummy actually a stillborn baby, scan reveals
A tiny Egyptian mummy long believed to be that of a hawk is actually a rare example of a near-to-term, severely malformed fetus
Italy’s oldest olive oil discovered in peculiar pot
Olive oil is a staple of Italian cuisine. It’s been that way for thousands of years. And new chemical analysis conducted on ancient pottery proves the liquid gold has existed in Italy hundreds of years longer than what anthropologists have previously recorded.
Lead pollution in Greenland ice shows rise and fall of ancient European civilizations
To learn about the rise and fall of ancient European civilizations, researchers sometimes find clues in unlikely places: deep inside of the Greenland ice sheet, for example.
Oldest genetic evidence of Hepatitis B virus found in ancient DNA from 4,500 year-old skeletons
An extinct strain of the human Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been discovered in Bronze Age human skeletons found in burial sites across Europe and Asia.
Cuneiform tablets reveal location of ancient royal city of Mardaman
It existed between 2,200 and 1,200 years BC, was at times a kingdom or a provincial capital and was conquered and destroyed several times.
Remains of an ancient horse discovered in Nile River Valley
An ancient horse burial at Tombos along the Nile River Valley shows that a member of the horse family thousands of years ago…
What the oldest peace treaty in the world teaches us
Today’s peace symbols go back to antiquity — according to archaeologists, peace images were widespread, especially during wars, despite glorification of war – Oldest peace treaty attests to long negotiations instead of triumphant victory — Bronze-color