News Archive
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Tweets of Antiquity: Project examines ancient graffiti
Posted on March 8, 2012 | No CommentsComprehensive new collection illuminates popular history from Alexander the Great to the rise of Islam -
Mayan civilization collapsed because of modest rainfall reduction, study says
Posted on March 6, 2012 | No CommentsA new study reports that the disintegration of the Maya civilization may have been related to relatively modest reductions in rainfall. -
Jerusalem Tomb Reveals First Archaeological Evidence of Christianity from the Time of Jesus
Posted on February 28, 2012 | No CommentsThe archaeological examination by robotic camera of an intact first century tomb in Jerusalem has revealed a set of limestone Jewish ossuaries or 'bone boxes' that are engraved with a rare Greek inscription and a unique iconographic image that the scholars involved identify as distinctly Christian. -
Prehistoric architecture found in Jordan from 20,000 years ago
Posted on February 21, 2012 | No CommentsThe ancient hut structures in eastern Jordan were discovered by a team of archaeologists including academics from The University of Nottingham. The finding suggests that the area was once intensively occupied and that the origins of architecture in the region date back 20 millennia, well before the emergence of agriculture. -
Second oldest case of Prostate Cancer discovered in Egyptian mummy
Posted on February 2, 2012 | No CommentsWith the diagnosis of the first real case of prostate cancer in a mummy, researchers say the causes of cancer may be more genetic than was originally thought. -
The fermented cereal beverage of the Sumerians may not have been beer
Posted on January 31, 2012 | No Comments4000-year-old cuneiform writings from Mesopotamia tell us little about the brewing techniques used at the time -
Hidden dimension of Stonehenge revealed
Posted on January 24, 2012 | No CommentsA project directed by academics at the University of Sheffield has made the archaeology of the world-famous Stonehenge site more accessible than ever before. -
Slaves or not, Babylonians were much like us, says book
Posted on January 12, 2012 | No CommentsThey got married, had children, made beer. Although they lived 3,500 years ago in Nippur, Babylonia, in many ways they seem like us. Whether they were also slaves is a hotly contested question which Jonathan Tenney, assistant professor of ancient Near Eastern studies, addresses in the newly released Life at the Bottom of Babylonian Society: Servile Laborers at Nippur in the 14th and 13th Centuries, B.C., published by Brill. -
2,000-year-old Roman helmet unveiled in England
Posted on January 11, 2012 | No CommentsThis was a top quality helmet and would have been specially commissioned by a high ranking officer. When new, it would have been a stunning sight, shining gold and silver and with images of Roman military victory proudly displayed on its surfaces. -
Ancient Greek coin collection sells for $25 million
Posted on January 7, 2012 | No CommentsA world record was set at an auction earlier this week, when an ancient Greek coin was bought for more than $3.25 million. The entire collection of 642 ancient coins was sold off for approximately $25 million through New York-based A. H. Baldwin and Sons auction house on Wednesday.