Over 1,300 years ago, in the heart of the ancient Mayan city of Palenque, a remarkable artifact was crafted that still puzzles archaeologists and scholars: the sarcophagus lid of Pakal the Great. This intricately carved masterpiece has fueled countless theories and debates, particularly for its depiction of what some refer to as the "Mayan...
A groundbreaking discovery in the Ecuadorian Amazon could reshape our understanding of human history. Archaeologists have unearthed a massive structure buried beneath sediment and vegetation—a giant ship of mysterious origin that has remained concealed for over 10,000 years.The discovery occurred in the remote and hard-to-reach Pastaza province, where a team led by Dr. Isabel...
The almost complete skeleton of a young marine crocodile. (Ernesto Benavides/AFP)On Wednesday, paleontologists revealed the fossil of a young marine crocodile, estimated to be 10 to 12 million years old, uncovered in a Peruvian desert. The three-meter-long (nearly 10-foot) gharial, or fish-eating crocodile, was discovered in late 2023 in the Ocucaje Desert, about 350 kilometers...
Individual burial ML2021 found in the chevet of the chapel in 2021. (a) In situ photo © H. Gaillard; (b) Marks of embalming on the cranium; (c) Marks on the right humerus (antero-medial view), (d) Marks on the left tibia (anterior view) © C. Partiot and M. Bessou. Credit: Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-78258-wA team of...
In Spain, Neanderthals, as depicted in an artist's illustration, provided care for a child with Down syndrome, offering insights into their societal practices. Credit: MAURICIO ANTON/SCIENCE SOURCEIn a groundbreaking discovery, anthropologists studying Neanderthal remains at Cova Negra cave in Spain uncovered a fragment of a child's skull dating back more than 146,000 years. Analysis...
NTNU University Museum has recreated the Hitra man as he probably looked: approximately 169 cm tall, fair-haired and blue-eyed. The model of the Hitra man was created by Thomas Foldberg. Credit: Åge Hojem / NTNU University MuseumIn 1916, during the upgrade of a road leading to Fausland farm on Hitra Island, workers upgrading the...
The finding of cattle rock drawings in the Sahara Desert suggests that, indeed, the area was once lush and verdant. (Cooper et al.).The discovery of rare rock art depicting cattle in the Sahara Desert implies past lushness with abundant resources for diverse animal life.The Eastern Desert of Sudan, known as the "Atbai," hosts nomadic...
Credit: PixaobayIn the journal Environmental Archaeology, our recent study delves into the insights that ancient civilizations' written records can provide about the wildlife they coexisted with. Our research, centered on venomous snakes documented in an ancient Egyptian papyrus, reveals a surprisingly diverse array of snake species in the land of the pharaohs. This newfound...
We all have heard of Africa as the "cradle of humankind" or the "fountain of humankind”, due to the earliest evidence of human ancestors found here. A new research show on how the African ancestor mixture and a couple of truths on how they lived and connected came to light.A group of 44 researchers...
Credit: CanvaThe Cape of South Africa and its southern coast were once surrounded by thriving landscapes and abundant food, with long chains of caverns running along the area. Approximately 200,000 years ago, during a glacial phase known as Marine Isotope Stage Six (MIS6), these caves provided a refuge for a group of humans who...
