Artifacts and Material Culture - Part 2
139 reports
5,000-Year-Old Tooth Necklace Burial Sheds Light on Corded Ware Poland
Archaeologists near Wrocław have uncovered a 5,000-year-old burial containing a necklace made from 42 animal teeth, stone weapons, and human skulls, offering new evidence for Corded Ware culture and prehistoric mortuary practices in southwestern Poland
Radiocarbon Dating Confirms Pre-Conquest Date for Aubin Tonalámatl Codex
A new radiocarbon analysis of the Aubin Tonalámatl Codex places its creation firmly in the late 15th century, resolving long-standing doubts about whether this Indigenous Mexican manuscript predates Spanish colonization
Rare 19th-Century Cavalry Armor Recovered from Polish Palace Moat
A fragment of 19th-century cuirassier armor was unexpectedly recovered from the moat of Pielaszkowice Palace in Lower Silesia, Poland, during a film-related exploration, offering new evidence of the site's turbulent Napoleonic and wartime history
Iron Age Timber Structure Reveals Scale of Celtic Engineering in Bavaria
Archaeologists have recovered large oak beams from a well-preserved Iron Age structure near the River Main in Aschaffenburg, Germany, offering new evidence for complex Celtic construction, trade, and settlement over 2,400 years ago
Stone Figures at Kuélap Suggest Fertility Rituals in Ancient Peru
Archaeologists at Kuélap in northern Peru have uncovered carved stone figures depicting animals with female traits, offering new evidence for fertility-related rituals and the influence of Inca religious practices at the site
Gold Diadem from Crimea Sheds Light on Hun Elite Burial Practices
Archaeologists have examined a gold and garnet diadem from a fifth-century burial in Crimea, revealing details about Hun material culture, mortuary customs, and the artifact's symbolic motifs
Ancient Memphis Excavation Reveals Residential Complex and Wine Press
Archaeologists working at Mit Rahina near the Temple of Sekhmet have uncovered a residential complex, a possible wine press, and artifacts spanning multiple periods, offering new evidence for daily life in ancient Memphis
Ramesses II Inscription Hints at Location of Ancient Mesn in Sinai
Archaeologists at Tell Abu Saifi in northern Sinai have uncovered a sandstone lintel inscribed with the name of Ramesses II and a reference to Mesn, alongside temple remains reused during the Roman period, offering new clues to Egypt's eastern frontier settlements
Old Kingdom Tomb and Burial Shafts Uncovered at Saqqara
Archaeologists excavating the Bubasteion necropolis at Saqqara have identified the tomb of Sakhnetio-Btah, a high-ranking Old Kingdom official, alongside a network of burial shafts containing human remains and funerary objects from multiple periods
10,000-Year-Old Mesolithic Toolmaking Center Uncovered in Russia
Archaeologists excavating a Mesolithic site in northwestern Russia have recovered thousands of stone tools and manufacturing debris, revealing a large-scale tool production center dating back up to 10,000 years and offering new insight into early postglacial lifeways
Excavation at Tokod Fortress Reveals Early Christian Church Remains
Archaeologists at the late Roman Tokod fortress in Hungary have uncovered the foundations of an early Christian church, fragments of frescoes, and a range of metal artifacts, offering new insights into religious architecture and activity at the site
2,000-Year-Old Maya Settlement Uncovered in Yucatán Freight Rail Project
Archaeologists have identified and preserved a previously unknown Maya settlement in Yucatán, revealing 21 structures and evidence of water management. The site, excavated ahead of rail construction, offers new insight into non-elite Maya daily life.
Excavation of Nonneseter Monastery Reveals Medieval Burials in Bergen
Archaeologists are excavating the choir of Nonneseter Monastery in Bergen, Norway, aiming to uncover medieval graves and artifacts that could shed light on the lives of the Benedictine community nearly 900 years ago
Excavation of Side's Monumental Street Reveals Centuries of Urban Change
Archaeologists have completed the excavation of a nearly 390-meter-long monumental street in the ancient city of Side, southern Turkey, documenting how its architecture and function shifted from the Roman period into Late Antiquity
11,000-Year-Old Human-Leopard Sculpture Found at Karahantepe
Archaeologists at Karahantepe in southeastern Türkiye have uncovered a rare Neolithic stone sculpture showing a human figure seated on a leopard, offering new evidence for symbolic art and social practices in early settled communities
New Survey Targets Central Grunwald Battlefield for Medieval Evidence
Archaeologists and metal detectorists are conducting a targeted survey at the Grunwald battlefield in Poland, aiming to clarify the distribution of medieval artifacts and better understand the events of the 1410 conflict through systematic fieldwork
Ancient Greek Rings Reveal Use of Meteorite Iron in Elite Burials
Analysis of Bronze and Early Iron Age rings from Greece shows that some were crafted from meteoritic iron, suggesting the rare metal was valued by Minoan and Mycenaean elites long before iron smelting became common
Limestone Stela Reveals Maya Queen's Power in 7th-Century Guatemala
Archaeologists have reconstructed a monumental limestone stela from El Perú-Waka' in Guatemala, depicting Lady K'abel, a Maya ruler, and revealing new evidence about her political and military authority at the end of the seventh century CE
4,000-Year-Old Clay Tablet With Geometric Markings Found Near Lake Garda
Archaeologists working at Lucone di Polpenazze in northern Italy have uncovered a 4,000-year-old clay tablet inscribed with geometric patterns, deepening questions about the function and meaning of these enigmatic Bronze Age artifacts
Iron Shield Boss With Cremated Remains Found in Polish Scrap Yard
A corroded iron shield boss containing cremated human bone was recovered from a scrap yard in eastern Poland, offering rare evidence of a disturbed 2nd-century CE Przeworsk culture burial and highlighting the challenges of reconstructing lost archaeological contexts
Bronze Age Foals Buried Beside Ancient Mound in Germany
Archaeologists in Saxony-Anhalt have uncovered two young horse skeletons intentionally buried near a Late Bronze Age burial mound, offering rare evidence for the ritual deposition of valuable animals over 3,000 years ago
Medieval Chamber Tomb in Russia Reveals Elite Burial with Horse and Dog
Archaeologists excavating at Gnezdilovo near Suzdal have uncovered a rare 10th-century wooden chamber tomb containing the remains of a high-status individual, a horse, and a dog, offering new evidence for early medieval funerary practices in the region
6,500-Year-Old Chleby Enclosure May Have Tracked Sun and Moon
Archaeologists have analyzed a vast Neolithic enclosure near Chleby, Czech Republic, revealing evidence that its entrances and features may have been aligned to solar and lunar cycles over 1,000 years before Stonehenge
Pre-Inca Metalwork in Peru Linked to Bolivian Ore by Isotope Analysis
Archaeologists have traced metallurgical waste from a Wari-period burial at Castillo de Huarmey in Peru to ore sources in present-day Bolivia, revealing long-distance movement of metal and technological knowledge across the Andes
Bear Claws in Early Medieval Burials Reveal Social Hierarchy in Baltic
Archaeologists have identified brown bear claws in cremation burials from the sixth and seventh centuries CE on the Kaliningrad Peninsula, offering new evidence for social status and ritual practices among the Aestii population
Ice Age Turtle Figurines Suggest Ritual Activity in Northwestern Türkiye
Archaeologists have uncovered 25 limestone turtle figurines at İn Cave in Bilecik Province, Türkiye, dating to 14,500-11,200 BCE, offering rare evidence for symbolic or ritual practices among Epipalaeolithic hunter-gatherers
Roman-Era Cave in Spain Yields Over 120 Latin Inscriptions
Archaeologists have recorded more than 120 Latin inscriptions in Cova de les Dones, a cave sanctuary near Valencia, Spain, revealing evidence of a Roman-period cult focused on a mysterious goddess known as 'the Lady.'
Bronze-Casting Mould and Weapons Found at Pyanobor Settlement in Tatarstan
Excavations at the Kipchak Archaeological Complex in Tatarstan have revealed a bronze-casting mould, weapons, and decorated pottery linked to the Pyanobor culture, offering new evidence for debates about its origins and regional connections
Roman-Era Burials and Iron Age Harness Unearthed in Odesa Region
Excavations at the Kartal hillfort in Ukraine's Odesa Oblast have revealed Roman-period graves and a rare Early Iron Age horse harness, providing new evidence for cultural interaction and repeated occupation in the lower Danube region
Ritual Burial Uncovered at Huaca Pucllana Sheds Light on Lima Culture
Archaeologists working at Huaca Pucllana in Lima have identified a 1,400-year-old human burial, offering new evidence for ceremonial practices and architectural diversity in the pre-Hispanic Lima culture
Iron Age Burial Discovered in Stone-Lined Well in Scottish Highlands
Archaeologists have uncovered a rare Iron Age grave at the base of a stone-lined well in northern Scotland, raising questions about ritual closure practices and the relationship to nearby settlements
Stone Tools Suggest Neanderthals Reached Deep into Arabian Desert
Archaeologists have identified stone tools from Jebel Katefeh-1 in Saudi Arabia's Nefud Desert that closely match Neanderthal technology, suggesting these hominins may have adapted to arid environments far south of their previously known range
New Excavations at Xcalumkín Reveal Maya Puuc Architecture Origins
Recent archaeological research at Xcalumkín in Campeche, Mexico, has provided new evidence on the development of Puuc architectural traditions, settlement patterns, and possible dual governance among the ancient Maya between the 7th and 10th centuries CE
Sealed Roman-Era Sarcophagus Excavated Intact in Cavtat, Croatia
Archaeologists have excavated a massive limestone sarcophagus in Cavtat, Croatia, that remained sealed for over 1,500 years, providing rare insight into Late Antique burial practices and preservation in the eastern Adriatic
Jōmon Fire-Flame Vessel Reveals Prehistoric Japanese Pottery Skill
Archaeologists have examined a 4,500-year-old fire-flame vessel from Honshu, Japan, analyzing its elaborate ceramic construction and uncertain function to better understand the Jōmon period's material culture and social practices
Part 2 of 4