Ancient Civilizations

The Mystery of This 500-Year Old Mummy Is Only Beginning To Be Solved

For more than a century, no one in Germany knew where this mummy came from

Teotihuacan ruins in Mexico.

Ancient Cities Developed in a Surprisingly Similar Way to Modern Ones

The same mathematical equations that describe patterns of modern urban sprawl are equally suited to explaining the development of ancient cities

Happisburgh, a stretch of southeastern British coast that's one of the country's fastest eroding spots.

The Oldest Human Footprints Ever Discovered Outside of Africa Have Already Been Washed Away

Casts and computer images are all that's of footprints made 900,000 years ago on the British coast

No One Knows Why Ancient Egyptians Built This 4,600-Year-Old Pyramid

The new pyramid joins the list of other mysterious step pyramids built before the Great Pyramid at Giza

Modern humans get back to their (partial) roots at the Neanderthal Museum in Germany.

Neanderthals Went Extinct 30,000 Years Ago, But Their DNA Is Still in the Human Genome

Some of the Neanderthal genes made important contributions while others made us more susceptible to disease

Researchers recreated what the 7,000 year-old man likely looked like.

Just Call This Hunter-Gatherer Ol' Blue-Eyes

DNA from an ancient human tooth found in a cave in Spain reveals one European hunter-gatherer's complexion

Rendering of map by artist John Swogger.

This Stone Age Mural Might Be the Oldest Map Ever

But before it can be crowned oldest map, archaeologists have to figure out whether it is a map at all

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Hunter-Gatherers Ruined Their Teeth by Eating Too Many Acorns

Wild nuts such as acorns, pine nuts and pistachios are highly cariogenic, or those "producing and promoting the development of tooth decay"

The World’s Third Oldest Bible, the Codex Washingtonianus, Is Making a Rare Museum Appearance

When the Codex was first published publicly in 1912, it caused a controversy because it contained an extra passage in the Gospel of Mark

Hadza hunter-gatherers on the hunt for dinner.

Animals And Humans Use Similar Tactics to Find Food

The authors think this particular foraging method may have evolved in early humans and stuck around through the eons due to its effectiveness

A 900 year-old skull from Peru, whose former owner underwent brain surgery.

1,000 Years Ago, Patients Survived Brain Surgery, But They Had To Live With Huge Holes in Their Heads

The practice finally came to an end when the Spanish arrived in the 16th century and decided to make it illegal

Ancient cultures used an array of ingredients to make their alcoholic beverages, including emmer wheat, wild yeast, chamomile, thyme and oregano.

The Beer Archaeologist

By analyzing ancient pottery, Patrick McGovern is resurrecting the libations that fueled civilization

The homeowners association is thought to be a moder phenomenon, but a recent archaeological excavation near England suggests otherwise.

Ancient Homeowner Association Rules

What if these meticulously planned communities are not just a modern phenomenon?

Sam Osmanagich claims that 12,000 years ago, early Europeans built "the greatest pyramidal complex" on earth, in Bosnia.

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

Bingham (in Peru in 1911) wrote of a "jungle-covered maze."

Who Discovered Machu Picchu?

Controversy swirls as to whether an archaeologist's claim to fame as the discoverer of Machu Picchu has any merit

Higham (at Ban Non Wat) says villagers "don't relate to the bones they find."

Bodies of Evidence in Southeast Asia

Excavations at a cemetery in a Thai village reveal a 4,000-year-old indigenous culture

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Snapshot: Hong Kong, China

A forward-thinking city with ancient traditions

The Parthenon, said the 19th-century French engineer Auguste Choisy, represents "the supreme effort of genius in pursuit of beauty."

Unlocking Mysteries of the Parthenon

Restoration of the 2,500-year-old temple is yielding new insights into the engineering feats of the golden age's master builders

Tikal

The Mystery of Tikal

An ancient Mayan city, once hidden by overgrown jungle, evokes a childlike sense of wonder

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu’s Ancient Beauty

The “lost city of the Incas” has captivated visitors with its magnificent setting and detailed stonework

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