Ancient Civilizations

The Sistine Hall, originally constructed as part of the Vatican Library

Vatican Library Enlists Artificial Intelligence to Protect Its Digitized Treasures

The archive employs A.I. modeled on the human immune system to guard offerings including a rare manuscript of the "Aeneid"

An aerial view of the Mount Pleasant henge, as seen during excavations in the early 1970s

Evidence of Neolithic Construction Boom Found at British 'Mega-Henge'

New research suggests ancient humans built the Mount Pleasant henge in as little as 35 to 125 years

The burial site is located inside of Makpan cave on the Indonesian island of Alor.

8,000 Years Ago, a Child in Indonesia Was Buried Without Their Arms and Legs

Ancient humans often modified the bones of their dead as part of funerary rituals

The Maya built the Corriental reservoir filtration system as early as 2,185 years ago.

Researchers Uncover 2,000-Year-Old Maya Water Filtration System

The city of Tikal purified one of its reservoirs with technology comparable to modern systems

Detail of a medical treatise from the Tebtunis temple library with headings marked in red ink

Why Did Ancient Egyptian Scribes Use Lead-Based Ink?

A new study uncovers the science behind ancient writing traditions

Ostraca are rare artifacts of actual democratic procedures. They can reveal hidden bits of history that were omitted by ancient chroniclers and offer insight into voter behavior and preferences that would otherwise be lost.

Ancient Greeks Voted to Kick Politicians Out of Athens if Enough People Didn't Like Them

Ballots that date more than two millennia old tell the story of ostracism

Three 3,000-year-old balls discovered at the Yanghai cemetery complex in Xinjiang

These Hair-Filled Leather Pouches Are the Oldest Balls Found in Eurasia

Some 3,000 years ago, Chinese horsemen may have used the objects to play a team sport involving hitting a ball

“[It] was about to disappear because it’s situated on quite a steep slope that’s prone to the effects of natural erosion,” Peru's Ministry of Culture explains.

2,000-Year-Old Nazca Line Featuring Lounging Cat Found in Peru

The enormous glyph is one of hundreds of ancient etchings scattered across the arid region

The deceased's mummified remains were wrapped in burial linen and laid to rest in a wooden coffin.

Ancient Egyptian Coffin Opened for the First Time in 2,600 Years

The sarcophagus is one of 59 unearthed at the Saqqara necropolis in recent months

An artist's recreation of what the Roman home may have looked like in its prime

Ancient Roman Villa Discovered Beneath Italian Apartment Complex

Come November, the 2,000-year-old dwelling will open as a multimedia museum

This Maliwawa Figure shows a kangaroo or similar animal.

Newly Documented Aboriginal Rock Art Is 'Unlike Anything Seen Before'

The ancient paintings depict close relationships between humans and animals

Dionysus is the Greco-Roman god of wine, ecstasy and theater.

Archaeologists in Turkey Unearth 2,400-Year-Old Dionysus Mask

The terracotta likeness was likely used in rituals associated with winemaking

One of the 14 sealed coffins found at the Saqqara necropolis

Trove of 27 Sealed Sarcophagi Unearthed in Egypt

Authorities say the 2,500-year-old coffins, found during excavations at the Saqqara necropolis, have likely remained unopened for millennia

A new study suggests the Nebra Sky Disc is 1,000 years younger than previously assumed.

Is This Ancient Map of the Cosmos Younger Than Previously Thought?

A controversial new analysis of the Nebra Sky Disc suggests the artifact dates to the Iron Age, not the Bronze Age

Researchers identified a "trench" previously dated to modern times as a 3,700-year-old fissure.

Did an Earthquake Topple This Ancient Canaanite Palace?

Excavations at Tel Kabri in Israel revealed physical evidence of a natural disaster

The Meroe pyramids in northeastern Sudan sit about1,650 feet from the banks of the Nile. Now, the site's royal bath is at risk of damage from record flooding.

Record Flooding Threatens Millennia-Old Pyramids in Sudan

Rising water levels could damage ancient structures at Meroe and Nuri

This intricately carved capital may have been part of a royal palace.

Remnants of Ancient Palace Discovered in Jerusalem

Experts say the stone ruins, which may have once housed royalty, likely date to the early seventh century B.C.

The exterior of Maeshowe, a chambered tomb in Scotland's Orkney Islands, pictured in September 2019

Why Were This Ancient Scottish Tomb's Chambers Built Upside Down?

New research suggests the inverted designs seen at Maeshowe were designed to ensure passage into the underworld

"Human Forms" is on view through November.

Ancient Israeli Cave Transformed Into Art Gallery

For his latest show, artist Ivo Bisignano created a series of massive wooden sculptures that mimic the cavern's curvature

A musical instrument made out a human thigh bone

Bronze Age Britons Crafted Instruments, Decorations Out of Relatives' Bones

Ancient humans "treated and interacted with the dead in ways which are inconceivably macabre to us today," says researcher Tom Booth

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