Artifacts and Material Culture - Part 3
114 reports
Did Women Fight in Ancient Celtic Battles Archaeology Reveals
Archaeologists have uncovered weapons in some female burials across Iron Age Europe, raising questions about the roles of women in Celtic warfare. Recent genetic and osteological studies provide new insights but leave key uncertainties unresolved
Kazakhstan Burials and Artifacts Reveal Ancient Steppe Trade Links
Recent excavations in Kazakhstan have uncovered Bronze Age and medieval burials, artifacts, and evidence of long-distance trade, offering new insight into the region's prehistoric communities and their connections across Eurasia
Ice Age Bird Figurines Unearthed in Hohle Fels Cave, Germany
Archaeologists have identified two miniature bird carvings from mammoth ivory in Hohle Fels cave, Germany, dating to around 40,000 years ago. The finds expand evidence for symbolic art among early Homo sapiens in Upper Paleolithic Europe
Seljuk Food Storage Facility Unearthed at Ani World Heritage Site
Archaeologists at Ani in eastern Türkiye have uncovered a Seljuk-era food storage facility with five large ceramic jars, offering new evidence for food preservation and urban organization in the medieval city
Roman Villa Mosaics Uncovered at Ancient Pompeiopolis in Türkiye
Archaeologists in northern Türkiye have revealed extensive Roman mosaics during renewed excavations at Pompeiopolis, offering new evidence for elite architecture and decorative practices in Anatolia's Roman period
Bronze Age Tomb in UAE Used for Over a Millennium Revealed
Archaeologists have excavated a communal tomb at Qattarah Necropolis in Al Ain, UAE, showing continuous use from the Wadi Suq period through the Iron Age. Isotope and ancient DNA analysis may clarify population origins and burial practices
Excavation in Kaliningrad Reveals Four Centuries of Königsberg Life
Archaeologists in Kaliningrad's Far Forstadt district have uncovered well-preserved artifacts and infrastructure spanning the 16th to 20th centuries, offering new evidence for daily life, craft production, and urban change in historic Königsberg
Early Roman Defenses and Rare Finds Unearthed at Vindonissa Camp
Archaeologists at Vindonissa, Switzerland's key Roman legionary camp, have uncovered the first confirmed section of its original defensive wall, a legionary barracks, and a rare gold coin, offering new evidence for the site's earliest military occupation
Ancient Egyptian Relief Fragment Shows Pharaoh Overcoming Foreign Foes
A painted sandstone relief from Luxor, created during the reign of Amenhotep II, depicts an Egyptian pharaoh defeating western Asian soldiers. Later reused in a temple foundation, the artifact offers insight into royal iconography and material reuse
Byzantine Gold Regalia and Imperial Ring Found in Adriatic Shipwreck
Archaeologists have recovered gold ceremonial belts, imperial coins, and a rare signet ring from a Byzantine shipwreck off Croatia's Mljet island, offering new evidence for elite travel and trade across the Adriatic in the early Middle Ages
Stone Tools Reveal Early Human Technology Beyond Homo sapiens
Archaeologists use the term lithics to describe stone artifacts found at ancient sites. Recent discoveries in Indonesia show that stone tool production predates Homo sapiens, challenging earlier assumptions about human technological origins
2,800-Year-Old Prone Burial With Sea Turtle Vessel Found in El Salvador
Archaeologists excavating in Antiguo Cuscatlán, El Salvador, have uncovered a 2,800-year-old burial featuring a face-down skeleton and a ceramic vessel shaped like a sea turtle, offering new evidence for mortuary practices in pre-Maya Mesoamerica
Earliest Maya Calendar Writing Identified at Calakmul Mural
Archaeologists have reconstructed a deteriorated mural from Calakmul, Mexico, revealing the earliest known calendrical inscription at the site. The find offers new evidence for early Maya writing traditions and ritual practice in the Late Preclassic period.
Roman Military Camp in Slovakia Reveals Unusual Soldier Burials
Archaeologists have identified a large Roman military camp near Šurany, Slovakia, containing hastily buried remains of soldiers and military equipment, offering new evidence for Roman campaigns during the Marcomannic Wars
Assyrian Royal Stele Discovered at Nineveh's Sun Gate
Archaeologists working at the Sun Gate of ancient Nineveh have uncovered a monumental Assyrian stele inscribed with records of King Ashurbanipal's building projects, offering new evidence for royal activity in the seventh century BCE
Facial Reconstructions Reveal Roman-Era Lives at Aquincum, Hungary
Researchers used DNA analysis, 3D-printed skulls, and forensic modeling to reconstruct the faces of 16 individuals buried near the Roman frontier city of Aquincum, offering new insights into population diversity and daily life nearly 1,700 years ago
Roman Republican Silver Coins Reveal Early Cross-Border Exchange
A newly documented hoard of Roman Republican silver denarii found near Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, offers rare evidence for early contact and exchange between the Roman Republic and communities beyond its northern frontier
Final Revolutionary War Cannon Fragment Recovered from Lake Champlain
Archaeologists have retrieved the last known fragment of a Revolutionary War-era cannon from Lake Champlain, closing a decades-long search and providing new evidence for the Battle of Valcour Island's archaeological record
Hellenistic Ritual Dining Complex Uncovered at Gradište in North Macedonia
Archaeologists have identified a rare Hellenistic ritual dining complex at Gradište, North Macedonia, revealing evidence of elite religious practices, imported ceramics, and extensive trade connections during the fourth and third centuries BCE
Chancay Mummy Mask Reveals Ancient Funerary Practices in Peru
A wooden mask with human hair and cinnabar pigment, crafted by the Chancay people between 1000 and 1450 CE, offers new insight into pre-Inca mortuary traditions and the use of symbolic 'false heads' in Andean burial bundles
Roman Mosaic Uncovered at Devon Villa Site After 16 Years of Investigation
Archaeologists have excavated a Roman mosaic beneath farmland in Devon, England, revealing a rare decorated floor from a villa complex. The find offers new evidence for Roman presence in a region where such sites are uncommon.
Archaic Necropolis in Southern Italy Yields Rare Organic Artifacts
Archaeologists have uncovered a 6th-century BCE necropolis beneath Gragnano, Italy, preserving organic materials and imported grave goods that reveal new details about elite burial practices and Mediterranean trade in pre-Roman Campania
Cypriot Gold Ornaments Reveal Ancient Mediterranean Connections
Archaeologists have analyzed a cache of 3,400-year-old gold ornaments from chamber tombs at Hala Sultan Tekke, Cyprus, uncovering evidence of local craftsmanship influenced by Egyptian, Mycenaean, Minoan, and Near Eastern traditions
How Archaeologists Trace the Oldest Known Weapons in Human History
Archaeologists have identified several contenders for the world's oldest weapon, including wooden spears and stone points from sites in Africa and Europe. Careful analysis of context, material, and wear patterns helps distinguish weapons from other ancient tools
Bronze Age Sword Recovered from Protected Wreck off Devon Coast
A 3,000-year-old Bronze Age sword has been recovered by volunteer divers from the Salcombe Cannon and Moor Sand sites off south Devon, offering new evidence for prehistoric maritime activity and trade in the region
Roman Female Farm Managers Oversaw Wine and Oil Production
A new analysis of Roman-era texts and archaeological evidence reveals that women known as vilicae managed large-scale wine and olive oil production, challenging the long-held view that their roles were limited to domestic tasks
Ancient Egyptian Princesses Show Evidence of Skilled Archery
Bioarchaeological analysis of Middle Kingdom royal women from Dahshur reveals skeletal adaptations consistent with regular archery and hunting, challenging assumptions that weapons in their tombs were only symbolic
Muscle Marks on Egyptian Royal Women Suggest Weapon Use, Study Debated
Analysis of nearly 4,000-year-old skeletal remains from Egypt's Middle Kingdom reveals pronounced upper-body muscle attachments in several royal women. Researchers propose these changes may reflect archery or weapon training, but experts urge caution
Ancient DNA Reveals Bronze Age Metalworker Near Stonehenge Was Female
A 4,000-year-old burial near Stonehenge, long thought to contain a male shaman, has been re-examined using ancient DNA analysis, revealing the individual was biologically female and challenging assumptions about gender roles in Early Bronze Age Britain
Gold Plaque Reveals Jupiter Dolichenus Worship at Apsaros Fort
A rare inscribed gold plaque recovered at the Roman fort of Apsaros on Georgia's Black Sea coast offers the first direct epigraphic evidence for the cult of Jupiter Dolichenus at the site, shedding light on religious practices among the garrison
Sanxingdui Bronze Figure Assembled From Separate Ancient Artifacts
A new analysis of a bronze kneeling figure from Sanxingdui, China, reveals it was constructed from components made in different regions and periods, providing evidence for complex trade and metalworking in the ancient Shu kingdom
Bronze Elamite Helmet Reveals Ancient Deities and Battlefield Symbolism
A rare bronze helmet from southwestern Iran, dated to 1500-1100 BCE, features gold-plated divine figures and a raptor motif. Researchers analyze its construction, iconography, and uncertain archaeological context to interpret its significance.
Iron Shackles at Allonnes Reveal Evidence of Celtic Slavery
Archaeologists have identified five pairs of iron restraints at a third-century BCE settlement in France's Loire Valley, providing rare direct evidence for the use of shackles and the possible presence of enslaved people in pre-Roman Gaul
Roman Protective Deity Relief Found Beneath Vindolanda Barracks
Archaeologists at Vindolanda, a Roman fort near Hadrian's Wall, have uncovered a carved stone relief depicting a protective deity. The artifact was found beneath a fourth-century barracks floor, offering insight into ritual practices at the site.
Early Maya Mural at Calakmul Depicts Mythical Hero Juun Ajaw
A mural from Structure II at Calakmul, Mexico, has been identified as one of the earliest known depictions of the Maya figure Juun Ajaw. Researchers used digital reconstruction to analyze the mural's iconography and its architectural context
Part 3 of 4