Archaeology
Humans have left clues of our existence throughout time, leaving behind burials, artifacts and written records that hint at our evolution, beliefs, practices and cultures. Studying the archaeological record shows us that the oldest known bones belonging to Homo sapiens are 300,000 years old, or that the world’s oldest civilizations arose at least 6,000 years ago.
Whether you’re looking for facts about the ancient Egyptians, the discovery of an ancient human skull, a gold hoard dating to the fall of the Roman Empire or how the latest technology is helping us find hidden pyramids, Live Science's expert science writers and editors are here to give you the latest coverage on our past with archaeology news, articles and features.
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Latest about Archaeology
Skeletons of Incan kids buried 500 years ago found marred with smallpox
By Kristina Killgrove published
Archaeologists in Peru have discovered two 16th-century toddler burials with evidence of smallpox, indicating that the foreign illness spread quickly with European contact.
Gilgamesh flood tablet: A 2,600-year-old text that's eerily similar to the story of Noah's Ark
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
The baked clay tablet tells the tale of an epic flood.
2,500-year-old slate containing drawings of battle scenes and paleo-alphabet discovered in Spain
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
Archaeologists discovered the stone tablet at a Tartessian site in southwestern Spain.
Mysterious 4,000-year-old 'palace' with maze-like walls found on Greek island of Crete
By Kristina Killgrove published
Archaeologists in Crete have discovered a 4,000-year-old structure that the Minoans may have used for rituals.
Chichén Itzá: Maya temples in the Yucatán
By Owen Jarus last updated
The ruins of Chichén Itzá in eastern Mexico were built about 1,200 years ago.
1,600-year-old Hun burial in Poland contains 2 boys, including one with a deformed skull
By Soumya Sagar published
Archaeologists in Poland used DNA to identify a double burial that contained the skeletons of two boys who were unrelated.
More than 100 Maya boys — some as young as 3 — were sacrificed and buried in a pit in Chichen Itza, DNA study reveals
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
Researchers analyzed the DNA of 64 individuals and discovered they were all male, including two sets of twins.
4,000-year-old 'Seahenge' in UK was built to 'extend summer,' archaeologist suggests
By Tom Metcalfe published
The construction of the monument and another beside it more than 4,000 years ago corresponds to a time of bitter cold.
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