Prehistoric Eras
When Did Humans Come to the Americas?
Recent scientific findings date their arrival earlier than ever thought, sparking hot debate among archaeologists
February 2013 |
By Guy Gugliotta
Five Great Places to See Evidence of First Americans
Encounter the fossils and other remnants of the lives left behind by the continent’s original settlers
February 2013 |
By Guy Gugliotta
Sculpting Evolution
A series of statues by sculptor John Gurche brings us face to face with our early ancestors
March 2010 |
By Abigail Tucker
The Skeletons of Shanidar Cave
A rare cache of hominid fossils from the Kurdistan area of northern Iraq offers a window on Neanderthal culture
March 2010 |
By Owen Edwards
The Mystery of Bosnia's Ancient Pyramids
An amateur archaeologist says he's discovered the world's oldest pyramids in the Balkans. But many experts remain dubious
December 2009 |
By Colin Woodard
Looting Mali's History
As demand for its antiquities soars, the West African country is losing its most prized artifacts to illegal sellers and smugglers
November 2009 |
By Joshua Hammer
Hominids’ African Origins, 50 Years Later
Before Mary Leakey’s discovery of hominid fossils in East Africa, many experts thought that human ancestors evolved in Asia
July 23, 2009 |
By Laura Helmuth
Ireland’s Endangered Cultural Site
A new tollway threatens the archaeologically rich Hill of Tara that is the spiritual heart of the country
March 2009 |
By Amanda Bensen
Dampier Rock Art Complex, Australia
On the northwestern coast of Australia, over 500,000 rock carvings face destruction by industrial development
March 2009 |
By Laura Helmuth
Gobekli Tepe: The World’s First Temple?
Predating Stonehenge by 6,000 years, Turkey's stunning Gobekli Tepe upends the conventional view of the rise of civilization
November 2008 |
By Andrew Curry
New Light on Stonehenge
The first dig in 44 years inside the stone circle changed our view of why—and even when—the monument was built
October 2008 |
By Dan Jones
Lost & Found
Ancient gold artifacts from Afghanistan, hidden for more than a decade, dazzle in a new exhibition
September 2008 |
By Richard Covington
Dispatch from Stonehenge, Day 14
April 13: The Druids Bless Our Departure
April 14, 2008 |
By Dan Jones
Mystery Man of Stonehenge
Who was he and where did he come from? And what was his role in the making of the great monument? The discovery of a 4,300-year-old skeleton surrounded by intriguing artifacts has archaeologists abuzz
August 2005 |
By Richard Stone
The Seeds of Civilization
Why did humans first turn from nomadic wandering to villages and togetherness? The answer may lie in a 9,500-year-old settlement in central Turkey
May 2005 |
By Michael Balter
Mesopotamian Masterpieces
Exquisite art and artifacts from the world's earliest civilization are dazzling visitors to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art
August 2003 |
By Richard Covington
