https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/archaeology/RSS feed for ArchaeologyenThu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/arizona-otherworldly-wonderland-of-rocks-is-now-americas-newest-national-park-180989733/Chiricahua National Monument in southeastern Arizona is now Chiricahua National Park, the 64th national park in the United States. Its striking geologic landscape and biodiversity have drawn humans for thousands of yearsThu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/arizona-otherworldly-wonderland-of-rocks-is-now-americas-newest-national-park-180989733/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-may-have-solved-the-mystery-of-a-roman-sarcophagus-excavated-at-westminster-abbey-in-1869-180989732/New research suggests that the ancient coffin was repurposed in the 10th or 11th century to hold the remains of an abbot who had overseen the London monasteryWed, 21 Oct 2026 20:34:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-may-have-solved-the-mystery-of-a-roman-sarcophagus-excavated-at-westminster-abbey-in-1869-180989732/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-searching-for-evidence-of-a-norse-church-in-greenland-have-found-the-smoking-gu-near-erik-the-reds-settlement-180989716/The site was first identified as a possible church decades ago, but researchers did not confirm that hunch until they found human remains there this summer. It could offer another clue to the Viking's unexplained 15th-century disappearanceTue, 20 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-searching-for-evidence-of-a-norse-church-in-greenland-have-found-the-smoking-gu-near-erik-the-reds-settlement-180989716/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-a-19th-century-scottish-landowner-blocked-a-public-footpath-locals-rebelled-now-archaeologists-have-unearthed-parts-of-his-controversial-wall-180989712/The rebellion against "Harvie’s Dyke," a pair of stone walls erected in the 1820s, was a triumph for the workers and middle classes of Glasgow, who used riots, boycotts and lawsuits to win back access to the River ClydeMon, 19 Oct 2026 19:17:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-a-19th-century-scottish-landowner-blocked-a-public-footpath-locals-rebelled-now-archaeologists-have-unearthed-parts-of-his-controversial-wall-180989712/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-farmer-in-egypt-stumbled-upon-a-pink-stone-and-called-the-authorities-they-found-the-remains-of-two-colossal-statues-of-ramses-ii-beneath-the-property-180989708/Archaeologists recovered the head of one statue that might have measured nearly 28 feet tall. It could point to a major building site commissioned by the pharaohMon, 19 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-farmer-in-egypt-stumbled-upon-a-pink-stone-and-called-the-authorities-they-found-the-remains-of-two-colossal-statues-of-ramses-ii-beneath-the-property-180989708/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/legend-has-it-that-this-roman-emperor-established-camp-wales-newly-discovered-fort-may-offer-proof-that-it-really-existed-180989702/An archaeologist has uncovered an ancient fortification linked to Magnus Maximus, a fourth-century ruler who is immortalized in the medieval "Mabinogion" stories as Macsen WledigFri, 16 Oct 2026 18:51:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/legend-has-it-that-this-roman-emperor-established-camp-wales-newly-discovered-fort-may-offer-proof-that-it-really-existed-180989702/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/construction-work-on-the-north-dakota-governors-residence-accidentally-unearthed-seven-coffins-dating-back-to-the-states-early-settlement-180989686/The cemetery site was established in 1872, when the state capital Bismarck was a small frontier community called Edwinton. Most, but not all, of its gravesites were exhumed five years later to make way for a railroadThu, 15 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/construction-work-on-the-north-dakota-governors-residence-accidentally-unearthed-seven-coffins-dating-back-to-the-states-early-settlement-180989686/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-contender-for-the-worlds-oldest-shipwreck-has-been-discovered-off-the-coast-of-turkey-its-ancient-cargo-is-a-time-capsule-from-4700-years-ago-180989682/The ship was likely transporting huge jars of olive oil or wine across the Mediterranean when it sank to the seafloor. One archaeologist "could not believe how much" residue remained insideWed, 14 Oct 2026 19:20:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-contender-for-the-worlds-oldest-shipwreck-has-been-discovered-off-the-coast-of-turkey-its-ancient-cargo-is-a-time-capsule-from-4700-years-ago-180989682/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-in-egypt-discover-a-mud-brick-tomb-featuring-a-heartbreaking-elegy-to-an-ancient-mans-father-180989677/The 19-line poem was inscribed on a stone slab in the Bir al-Shaghala necropolis. The lament "is a highly literary and original epigram," a scholar saysWed, 14 Oct 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-in-egypt-discover-a-mud-brick-tomb-featuring-a-heartbreaking-elegy-to-an-ancient-mans-father-180989677/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mourners-laced-an-ancient-sippy-cup-in-a-roman-toddlers-grave-it-may-have-been-meant-to-sustain-the-child-on-the-journey-to-the-afterlife-180989673/Fragments of the spouted cup, known as a "tettina," were unearthed in England over a decade ago. It has recently been restored and put on display for the first timeTue, 13 Oct 2026 19:44:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mourners-laced-an-ancient-sippy-cup-in-a-roman-toddlers-grave-it-may-have-been-meant-to-sustain-the-child-on-the-journey-to-the-afterlife-180989673/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-an-american-bomber-crashed-into-an-english-moor-during-world-war-II-a-corporal-was-declared-missing-in-action-archaeologists-have-now-revived-the-search-for-his-remains-180989672/Corporal Clarence Watson was among 10 American airmen aboard a B-24H Liberator when it crashed under foggy conditions. The crew was training for Operation Carpetbagger, a top-secret effort to fly deep into Nazi-occupied EuropeTue, 13 Oct 2026 17:58:31 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-an-american-bomber-crashed-into-an-english-moor-during-world-war-II-a-corporal-was-declared-missing-in-action-archaeologists-have-now-revived-the-search-for-his-remains-180989672/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-unprecedented-trove-of-ancient-wooden-tools-uncovered-at-a-rock-shelter-in-spain-show-neanderthals-were-skilled-woodworkers-180989668/Wooden objects usually decompose quickly, but periodic flooding and minerals in the water helped preserve those at a site called Abric Romaní. Archaeologists documented nearly 600 wooden objects—or their imprints—and 13 were clearly shaped by human handsTue, 13 Oct 2026 17:00:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-unprecedented-trove-of-ancient-wooden-tools-uncovered-at-a-rock-shelter-in-spain-show-neanderthals-were-skilled-woodworkers-180989668/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/volunteers-are-helping-unearth-one-of-englands-oldest-leprosy-hospitals-giving-a-glimpse-into-how-victims-of-the-disease-were-treated-in-medieval-times-180989665/Researchers believe that the Hospital of the Holy Innocents, founded in the 11th or 12th century, may have had "little houses with a little yard" for up to 20 people with leprosy. "You’d need to have resources to get in here," one archaeologist says.Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:13:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/volunteers-are-helping-unearth-one-of-englands-oldest-leprosy-hospitals-giving-a-glimpse-into-how-victims-of-the-disease-were-treated-in-medieval-times-180989665/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-one-of-a-kind-bronze-ring-offers-a-tantalizing-glimpse-at-the-lighthouse-of-alexandria-a-lost-wonder-of-the-ancient-world-180989661/Archaeologists in Egypt discovered the signet ring while conducting excavations on the island of Antirhodos, which once housed a lavish Ptolemaic palaceFri, 09 Oct 2026 15:21:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-one-of-a-kind-bronze-ring-offers-a-tantalizing-glimpse-at-the-lighthouse-of-alexandria-a-lost-wonder-of-the-ancient-world-180989661/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-community-led-archaeology-dig-on-a-tiny-scottish-isle-has-unearthed-a-medieval-monastery-of-international-importance-180989654/The settlement, founded by an early Christian saint in the 500s, is "far more than a small island church." It may have played a larger role in the Christianization of Britain than historians once realizedFri, 09 Oct 2026 14:35:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-community-led-archaeology-dig-on-a-tiny-scottish-isle-has-unearthed-a-medieval-monastery-of-international-importance-180989654/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/just-inches-below-the-forest-floor-archaeologists-in-germany-unearthed-a-roman-temple-likely-dedicated-to-mars-the-god-of-war-180989650/Researchers found the structure's remains, as well as fragments of statues, while excavating near the Kapersburg fort, an ancient Roman military fortification on the outskirts of modern-day FrankfurtThu, 08 Oct 2026 19:32:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/just-inches-below-the-forest-floor-archaeologists-in-germany-unearthed-a-roman-temple-likely-dedicated-to-mars-the-god-of-war-180989650/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-ship-carrying-stacks-of-ancient-dishware-sank-off-the-coast-of-turkey-2100-years-ago-its-ceramic-cargo-is-still-remarkably-intact-180989626/Researchers believe that the vessel's plates and bowls were made in the ancient city of Rhosus, once praised by Roman statesman Cicero for its "fine pottery"Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-ship-carrying-stacks-of-ancient-dishware-sank-off-the-coast-of-turkey-2100-years-ago-its-ceramic-cargo-is-still-remarkably-intact-180989626/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-are-medieval-english-coins-doing-in-rome-they-could-be-rare-evidence-of-a-little-england-enclave-that-received-special-papal-privileges-180989625/Researchers argue that the tenth-century coins provide new evidence of a bustling English community located next to the Vatican that was permitted to use its own currencyTue, 06 Oct 2026 20:33:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-are-medieval-english-coins-doing-in-rome-they-could-be-rare-evidence-of-a-little-england-enclave-that-received-special-papal-privileges-180989625/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-research-shows-that-these-ancient-egyptian-servants-may-have-been-brutally-sacrificed-and-buried-alongside-their-pharaohs-180989619/Forensic research has identified deliberate and fatal wounds on skulls from simple grave sites near First Dynasty royal tombs in Upper EgyptTue, 06 Oct 2026 15:09:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-research-shows-that-these-ancient-egyptian-servants-may-have-been-brutally-sacrificed-and-buried-alongside-their-pharaohs-180989619/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-diver-volunteered-to-clean-up-trash-from-a-wisconsin-lake-he-discovered-a-1000-year-old-dugout-canoe-at-the-bottom-instead-180989622/Indigenous communities near present-day Milwaukee likely hand-carved the white-oak vessel before shaping it with fire between roughly 992 and 1049 C.E.Tue, 06 Oct 2026 14:10:50 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-diver-volunteered-to-clean-up-trash-from-a-wisconsin-lake-he-discovered-a-1000-year-old-dugout-canoe-at-the-bottom-instead-180989622/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-roman-city-of-claudivium-disappeared-from-historical-records-almost-2000-years-ago-it-may-have-been-hiding-in-austria-180989614/Archaeologists have discovered a previously unknown settlement on the banks of the Danube RiverMon, 05 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-roman-city-of-claudivium-disappeared-from-historical-records-almost-2000-years-ago-it-may-have-been-hiding-in-austria-180989614/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/soldiers-sweeping-for-land-mines-in-south-korea-have-unearthed-the-countrys-oldest-gun-a-600-year-old-inscribed-bronze-tube-180989610/The artifact was found in 2023 during a metal detecting survey. Experts have been analyzing it since and recently confirmed its authenticityMon, 05 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/soldiers-sweeping-for-land-mines-in-south-korea-have-unearthed-the-countrys-oldest-gun-a-600-year-old-inscribed-bronze-tube-180989610/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-pottery-reveals-the-earliest-known-traces-of-chocolate-east-of-the-mississippi-painting-a-picture-of-connection-in-the-americas-180989559/A new archaeological discovery suggests that people in present-day Georgia have feasted with cacao for 1,000 yearsFri, 02 Oct 2026 18:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-pottery-reveals-the-earliest-known-traces-of-chocolate-east-of-the-mississippi-painting-a-picture-of-connection-in-the-americas-180989559/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-an-exciting-but-brutal-find-a-5000-year-old-arrow-emerges-from-norways-rapidly-melting-mountain-ice-180989599/Archaeologists discovered 48 prehistoric arrows during a recent three-week expedition in the mountains of JotunheimenThu, 01 Oct 2026 14:39:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-an-exciting-but-brutal-find-a-5000-year-old-arrow-emerges-from-norways-rapidly-melting-mountain-ice-180989599/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-female-pharaoh-an-old-photo-of-ancient-hieroglyphics-highlights-the-status-of-one-of-egypts-earliest-queens-researchers-say-180989594/The black-and-white photograph of a long-lost artifact depicts four serekhs, symbols of Egyptian rulers, and two of them, a recent study suggests, are hersThu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-female-pharaoh-an-old-photo-of-ancient-hieroglyphics-highlights-the-status-of-one-of-egypts-earliest-queens-researchers-say-180989594/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-jane-austen-took-a-turn-about-the-ballroom-in-bath-ancient-roman-artifacts-were-hiding-beneath-her-feet-now-archaeologists-have-finally-found-them-180989592/Recent excavations at the Bath Assembly Rooms in England revealed Roman-era coins, roof tiles, pottery, glassware, a network of ditches and a fragment of a military helmetWed, 30 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-jane-austen-took-a-turn-about-the-ballroom-in-bath-ancient-roman-artifacts-were-hiding-beneath-her-feet-now-archaeologists-have-finally-found-them-180989592/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-the-2400-year-old-school-where-aristotle-taught-alexander-to-be-great-180989581/The latest excavation at Aristotle’s gymnasium in ancient Mieza has revealed ornate, mosaic-covered halls where researchers believe Alexander the Great learned his formative lessonsMon, 28 Sep 2026 19:49:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-the-2400-year-old-school-where-aristotle-taught-alexander-to-be-great-180989581/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-anomalies-have-been-detected-beyond-king-tuts-tomb-could-they-be-secret-passageways-leading-to-the-long-lost-remains-of-queen-nefertiti-180989576/Geophysical surveys provide new evidence for a theory that the Egyptian pharaoh was interred in the outer rooms of an existing burial complex. Researchers are trying to get approval to investigate for themselvesFri, 25 Sep 2026 21:08:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-anomalies-have-been-detected-beyond-king-tuts-tomb-could-they-be-secret-passageways-leading-to-the-long-lost-remains-of-queen-nefertiti-180989576/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-thousand-years-ago-julius-caesar-conquered-the-settlement-that-eventually-became-paris-archaeologists-may-have-just-found-it-180989569/While conducting excavations at a hospital on the Île de la Cité, in the Seine River, researchers discovered part of a wall that may have once protected Lutetia, the Gallic precursor to France’s capitalFri, 25 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-thousand-years-ago-julius-caesar-conquered-the-settlement-that-eventually-became-paris-archaeologists-may-have-just-found-it-180989569/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-stunning-collection-of-stolen-greek-artifacts-spanning-5000-years-that-were-just-returned-to-greece-180989566/The antiquities were seized at the Metropolitan Museum of Art by investigators from the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr.Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-stunning-collection-of-stolen-greek-artifacts-spanning-5000-years-that-were-just-returned-to-greece-180989566/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-3000-year-old-warhorse-burial-and-a-ramses-ii-tablet-among-other-relics-have-been-discovered-in-an-ancient-egyptian-fortress-180989564/New excavations in the Nile Delta offer eye-opening clues about military and residential life in the New Kingdom eraThu, 24 Sep 2026 17:07:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-3000-year-old-warhorse-burial-and-a-ramses-ii-tablet-among-other-relics-have-been-discovered-in-an-ancient-egyptian-fortress-180989564/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-metal-detectorist-exploring-a-field-in-germany-was-stunned-to-discover-a-massive-hoard-of-roman-coins-180989561/Together, the 943 silver denarii span nearly 300 years of Roman history, from 148 B.C.E. to 124 or 125 C.E.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-metal-detectorist-exploring-a-field-in-germany-was-stunned-to-discover-a-massive-hoard-of-roman-coins-180989561/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-in-turkey-have-unearthed-an-ancient-fragment-inscribed-with-the-worlds-oldest-peace-treaty-180989554/The piece of a clay tablet is marked with Akkadian cuneiform, and its text belongs to the Kadesh Peace Treaty, created by ancient Egyptians and Hittites in the 13th century B.C.E.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:39:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-in-turkey-have-unearthed-an-ancient-fragment-inscribed-with-the-worlds-oldest-peace-treaty-180989554/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-woman-who-lived-in-imperial-china-may-have-had-her-nose-cut-off-as-punishment-for-theft-or-adultery-180989551/Researchers found signs of healing on her 700-year-old skull, which suggests that she survived the painful sanction—and may even have gone on to wear a prosthesisWed, 23 Sep 2026 12:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-woman-who-lived-in-imperial-china-may-have-had-her-nose-cut-off-as-punishment-for-theft-or-adultery-180989551/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-excavating-gravel-from-the-danube-river-dredged-up-a-2200-year-old-rusty-treasure-that-could-have-equipped-an-army-180989542/The cache comprises the remains of at least 500 iron bars, which were likely headed downstream to be forged into finished productsTue, 22 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-excavating-gravel-from-the-danube-river-dredged-up-a-2200-year-old-rusty-treasure-that-could-have-equipped-an-army-180989542/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-aztec-codex-detailing-the-rise-and-fall-of-tenochtitlan-returns-to-mexico-for-the-first-time-in-nearly-two-centuries-180989536/The artifact, among the most prized visual accounts of Aztec history, will be on display in Mexico City for three monthsMon, 21 Sep 2026 19:34:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-aztec-codex-detailing-the-rise-and-fall-of-tenochtitlan-returns-to-mexico-for-the-first-time-in-nearly-two-centuries-180989536/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/archaeologists-are-reconstructing-the-invisible-technologies-of-the-stone-age-from-rope-to-thread-and-twine-180989534/Largely missing from the archaeological record, fiber innovations played a huge role in the lives of early humans. Researchers are weaving together new insights from the traces they left behindMon, 21 Sep 2026 18:24:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/archaeologists-are-reconstructing-the-invisible-technologies-of-the-stone-age-from-rope-to-thread-and-twine-180989534/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/centuries-ago-an-architect-characterized-the-parthenons-curves-as-a-clever-optical-illusion-now-a-mathematician-begs-to-differ-180989520/In the first century B.C.E., Vitruvius wrote that the Acropolis’ largest temple was horizontally bowed so that it didn't seem to sag, and that explanation persisted for millennia. New research suggests a different reasonFri, 18 Sep 2026 17:11:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/centuries-ago-an-architect-characterized-the-parthenons-curves-as-a-clever-optical-illusion-now-a-mathematician-begs-to-differ-180989520/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-have-created-a-digital-map-of-the-roman-empires-190000-mile-network-of-roads-turns-out-not-all-of-them-led-to-rome-180989509/For a new study, archaeologists attempted to answer age-old questions about Rome’s roads, including how connected the capital was and whether current motorways trace Roman routesThu, 17 Sep 2026 14:10:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-have-created-a-digital-map-of-the-roman-empires-190000-mile-network-of-roads-turns-out-not-all-of-them-led-to-rome-180989509/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tasmanian-devils-lived-alongside-humans-in-northwestern-australia-as-far-back-as-45000-years-ago-researchers-find-180989503/Fossils and marked bones unearthed in a Juukan Gorge cave suggest that the marsupial species not only once lived in the region but may have been a “garbage compactor on four legs” for its human populationWed, 16 Sep 2026 13:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tasmanian-devils-lived-alongside-humans-in-northwestern-australia-as-far-back-as-45000-years-ago-researchers-find-180989503/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ruins-of-a-long-lost-medieval-convent-have-been-discovered-just-a-few-feet-beneath-a-soccer-field-180989506/St. Clare's Convent closed in the 16th century, and researchers assumed all traces of it had been lost. But a new ground-penetrating radar survey revealed surprisingly intact remains of pillars, rooms, cloisters, a courtyard and a churchWed, 16 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ruins-of-a-long-lost-medieval-convent-have-been-discovered-just-a-few-feet-beneath-a-soccer-field-180989506/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/unsealed-for-the-first-time-in-600-years-this-tomb-in-peru-was-just-declared-the-discovery-of-the-decade-180989497/Archaeologists excavating Chan Chan, the capital of the pre-Inca Chimú civilization, found an undisturbed mausoleum that held the remains of at least 38 individuals, as well as a trove of rich funerary goodsMon, 14 Sep 2026 19:05:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/unsealed-for-the-first-time-in-600-years-this-tomb-in-peru-was-just-declared-the-discovery-of-the-decade-180989497/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-find-a-trove-of-denisovan-fossils-and-tools-in-southwest-china-giving-an-unprecendented-glimpse-into-our-extinct-cousins-lives-180989483/Relatively few fossils belonging to the enigmatic early human have been unearthed in the past. Two new studies describe seven Denisovan fossils and more than 1,300 stone and bone toolsMon, 14 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-find-a-trove-of-denisovan-fossils-and-tools-in-southwest-china-giving-an-unprecendented-glimpse-into-our-extinct-cousins-lives-180989483/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-finnish-metal-detectorist-was-shocked-to-unearth-a-trove-of-viking-age-silver-in-his-hometown-then-his-detector-went-off-again-180989487/Weighing a combined ten pounds, the artifacts are estimated to be 1,000 years old and constitute Finland’s largest coin hoard of the eraFri, 11 Sep 2026 19:14:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-finnish-metal-detectorist-was-shocked-to-unearth-a-trove-of-viking-age-silver-in-his-hometown-then-his-detector-went-off-again-180989487/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-the-worlds-oldest-evidence-of-habitual-drug-use-in-the-teeth-of-a-hunter-gatherer-who-lived-up-to-25000-years-ago-180989485/This individual may have regularly sucked on betel nuts, known for their mind-altering properties, leading to worsening dental disease. Researchers say the discovery sheds light on addiction in prehistoric environmentsFri, 11 Sep 2026 15:12:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-the-worlds-oldest-evidence-of-habitual-drug-use-in-the-teeth-of-a-hunter-gatherer-who-lived-up-to-25000-years-ago-180989485/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-a-neolithic-sculpture-of-a-human-riding-a-leopard-thats-unlike-anything-we-have-encountered-before-180989477/The artifact was found during excavations at Karahan Tepe, an 11,000-year-old site in southeastern Turkey. Created long before the invention of writing, the 2.3-foot-tall sculpture's purpose is a mysteryThu, 10 Sep 2026 14:09:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-a-neolithic-sculpture-of-a-human-riding-a-leopard-thats-unlike-anything-we-have-encountered-before-180989477/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-excavating-a-roman-era-cemetery-in-poland-were-surprised-to-stumble-upon-a-5000-year-old-necklace-made-of-42-teeth-180989471/Crafted from the teeth of large mammals, such as wolves, deer, bears and perhaps even humans, the jewelry was found in a grave in southern Poland that may belong to an important patriarch of the Corded Ware cultureWed, 09 Sep 2026 21:05:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-excavating-a-roman-era-cemetery-in-poland-were-surprised-to-stumble-upon-a-5000-year-old-necklace-made-of-42-teeth-180989471/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/routine-yard-work-reveals-a-trove-of-viking-silver-the-largest-treasure-of-its-kind-ever-discovered-in-denmark-180989456/The collection includes coins, jewelry, silver bars and a tiny artifact shaped like Thor's hammer. Experts say the roughly 700 items were buried during the tenth centuryTue, 08 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/routine-yard-work-reveals-a-trove-of-viking-silver-the-largest-treasure-of-its-kind-ever-discovered-in-denmark-180989456/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-determine-how-to-spot-fake-ancient-pottery-using-the-earths-magnetic-field-180989441/The magnetic North Pole has shifted over the millennia, leaving clues in the minerals that make up clay antiquitiesFri, 04 Sep 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-determine-how-to-spot-fake-ancient-pottery-using-the-earths-magnetic-field-180989441/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-a-4000-year-old-tomb-with-a-false-door-at-egypts-ancient-saqqara-necropolis-180989438/In addition to the tomb, which once belonged to a high-ranking official, excavations revealed a network of burial shafts that still held human remains and funerary objectsWed, 02 Sep 2026 18:43:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-a-4000-year-old-tomb-with-a-false-door-at-egypts-ancient-saqqara-necropolis-180989438/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-digitally-reconstructed-face-of-an-ancient-man-who-witnessed-englands-greatest-upheaval-180989425/The so-called “Conquest Man” was buried in England in 1079, just over a decade into the reign of William the Conqueror. Researchers recently analyzed the skeleton’s DNA and teeth to learn more about himMon, 31 Aug 2026 20:35:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-digitally-reconstructed-face-of-an-ancient-man-who-witnessed-englands-greatest-upheaval-180989425/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-steal-3000-year-old-treasure-in-a-super-professional-museum-heist-that-took-only-four-minutes-180989418/Officials were shaken after dozens of ancient artifacts vanished from the local archaeological museum in Villena, Spain. The thieves left only a few pieces from the Bronze Age treasure behindMon, 31 Aug 2026 17:11:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-steal-3000-year-old-treasure-in-a-super-professional-museum-heist-that-took-only-four-minutes-180989418/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-in-denmark-discover-rare-fragments-of-1300-year-old-clothing-preserved-inside-viking-age-grave-180989419/Researchers found the textile traces on a pair of metal brooches. When the accessories corroded, they released metallic salts that inadvertently preserved the fabric for centuriesMon, 31 Aug 2026 14:52:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-in-denmark-discover-rare-fragments-of-1300-year-old-clothing-preserved-inside-viking-age-grave-180989419/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/deep-inside-spanish-cave-roman-women-may-have-worshipped-mysterious-goddess-180989414/Best known for its Paleolithic art, Valencia’s Cova de les Dones also contains a Roman sanctuary where researchers say women appear to have played an active role in the worship of a female deityFri, 28 Aug 2026 18:43:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/deep-inside-spanish-cave-roman-women-may-have-worshipped-mysterious-goddess-180989414/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/1800-people-pull-a-400-ton-japanese-castle-keep-back-toward-its-original-location-after-a-decade-of-restoration-work-180989401/The chance to help move the castle keep drew thousands of applications from Japan and abroad. Groups of lottery winners took turns tugging on thick ropes attached to the massive structureThu, 27 Aug 2026 19:43:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/1800-people-pull-a-400-ton-japanese-castle-keep-back-toward-its-original-location-after-a-decade-of-restoration-work-180989401/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-17th-century-polish-woman-buried-with-a-padlock-on-her-toe-and-an-iron-sickle-across-her-neck-180989408/New research suggests that the people who buried the young woman took precautionary measures to stop her from coming back to life and exacting revenge on themThu, 27 Aug 2026 17:51:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-17th-century-polish-woman-buried-with-a-padlock-on-her-toe-and-an-iron-sickle-across-her-neck-180989408/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/prehistoric-paintings-walls-caves-have-always-been-moving-with-right-light-some-seem-move-180989276/As archaeologists study the work of ancient artists, they notice that the images aren’t simply static; some are painted into the contours of the rock, and others are set in motion in torchlightThu, 27 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/prehistoric-paintings-walls-caves-have-always-been-moving-with-right-light-some-seem-move-180989276/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hunger-stones-resurface-europe-bringing-centuries-old-warnings-back-into-view-rivers-hit-historic-lows-180989387/As drought exposes stretches of riverbed in central Europe, markers carved by past generations to record low water levels are emerging once againWed, 26 Aug 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hunger-stones-resurface-europe-bringing-centuries-old-warnings-back-into-view-rivers-hit-historic-lows-180989387/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/human-skeleton-found-inside-mysterious-stone-structure-in-scotland-archaeologists-still-dont-know-why-it-was-buried-there-180989391/Built with fitted stone and a clay-like material that may have helped retain liquid, the unusual structure has left researchers searching for an explanationTue, 25 Aug 2026 17:51:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/human-skeleton-found-inside-mysterious-stone-structure-in-scotland-archaeologists-still-dont-know-why-it-was-buried-there-180989391/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-rock-art-in-china-has-remained-bright-red-for-nearly-2000-years-how-the-secret-ingredient-might-be-blood-180989389/A new study offers clues about how the Luoyue people created rock paintings in what’s now southern China. The murals have somehow been durable enough to withstand rain, heat, wind and humidity for centuriesTue, 25 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-rock-art-in-china-has-remained-bright-red-for-nearly-2000-years-how-the-secret-ingredient-might-be-blood-180989389/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/closed-to-public-since-wwii-hidden-gallery-at-london-natural-history-museum-opens-doors-once-again-180989380/Animal skeletons, Neolithic tools and pop culture memorabilia are among the dozens of objects to be displayed in the reopened “Nature and Us” exhibitionMon, 24 Aug 2026 17:18:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/closed-to-public-since-wwii-hidden-gallery-at-london-natural-history-museum-opens-doors-once-again-180989380/