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Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology—A new ancient DNA study* published in Science Advances provides evidence that political power among Scythian elites may have been inherited through family lineages that extended across multiple burial sites. By combining archaeology, anthropology and genetics, the new study offers fresh insight into how social inequality and political authority developed among ancient nomadic societies.

The Scytho-Siberian archaeological horizon emerged during the first millennium BCE and stretched from the Altai mountains to the Black Sea. The Scythians have been portrayed as highly mobile horse-riding nomads who traveled the vast Eurasian steppe during Iron Age. Across the Eurasian steppe, the Iron Age witnessed the appearance of large burial mounds, built for high status individuals. These elaborately constructed monumental graves often contained richly adorned women and men accompanied by gold ornaments, weapons and scarified animals.

In contrast, other individuals were buried in much smaller and simpler mounds with few or no grave goods. Such striking differences have long been interpreted as evidence of growing social inequality and the emergence of powerful elites among the Iron Age population. However, one essential question has remained unanswered: how was elite status maintained and transmitted? Were positions of power earned through individual achievement or were they inherited?

The new study analyzes genome-wide DNA from 85 Iron Age individuals, including 38 elite and 47 non-elite individuals from across Central Eurasia. The study includes 46 newly sequenced genomes and the first genome-wide data from the famous Scythian Saka “Golden Man” of the Issyk archaeological site in Kazakhstan, one of the most outstanding archaeological discoveries of the Central Eurasian steppe.

Golden Man

One of the most significant discoveries from the Central Eurasian steppe is the Issyk kurgans in Kazakhstan, located about 50 km east of Almaty. Excavations of this royal burial complex associated with the Iron Age Saka culture revealed the “Golden Man” burial dating to 400–300 BCE. The individual was buried in a wooden chamber containing more than 4000 gold ornaments, weapons, gold embroidered headdress, zoomorphic artifacts, and a silver bowl with unknown writing.

In this study, genome-wide data from the “Golden Man” provides the first genetic insight from this iconic individual. The results place him within the genetic variation of Iron Age Saka individuals and also helps to resolve a long-standing question by indicating that the individual was most likely male than female.

Family ties across elite burials

By analyzing ancient genomes from individuals buried in elite Scythian graves and comparing them to non-elite burials, a team of international researchers have identified evidence of close family relationships linking elite individuals across multiple cemeteries, in some cases more than 100 km apart, as well as signs of unions between relatives. These results indicate that elite status was maintained within interconnected family lineages, that shaped political authority and social organization across Central Eurasian steppe.

“We did not expect to find that social status was passed down from generation to generation but it was clear that high-status individuals were more related to each other, even when buried at different archaeological sites, than to people of lower status who were buried at the same sites with the elites” says Ainash Childebayeva, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at UT Austin and a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the Institute of Genetics and Physiology.

The researchers found no clear evidence that elite status was associated with either patrilocal or matrilocal residence patterns, suggesting that social organizing among Scythian elites were more complex and not based on gender differentiation.

Elite women in Scythian society

The study also sheds new light on the role of elite women in Scythian society. “An important observation from our study was the noticeable presence of elite women” says Ayshin Ghalichi. “Nearly half of the elite individuals in our dataset were female, indicating that women held high social status within Iron Age Scythian society.“

The presence of elite women in richly furnished graves, together with genomic evidence linking high-status individuals across burial sites, points to a social world in which status, authority and kinship were closely connected. The findings suggest that political authority among Iron Age Scythian groups may have been organized through extended elite family networks rather than through simple residence patterns based on either male or female lines.

Leyla Djansugurova from the Institute of Genetics and Physiology in Almaty, Kazakhstan, explains the broader cultural significance of the study: “Scythians and Sakas are collective names for nomadic tribes of the early Iron Age who inhabited the Central Eurasian region from the Danube to the Altai. The ancient Greeks called them ‘Scythians’ (Herodotus coined the term), while Persian and Indian sources called them ‘Sakas’. Historically, the term Scythians more often refers to the western tribes (Black Sea region), and Sakas to the eastern ones (Central Asia, Altai). All these tribes were united by the so-called Scythian-Saka animal style in art, a distinctive military skill, and nomadic herding. They did not have their own written language, but they left behind grand burial mounds, the study of which has shaped the global understanding of the culture of the nomadic peoples of Eurasia during this period. The most striking example of the Scythian-Saka culture is the ‘Golden Man’ from the Issyk burial mound, which has become the national symbol of Kazakhstan. Many other Golden Men/Women finds by Kazakh archaeologists are known. The value of this genetic study not only estimated by the fact of obtaining the first reliable DNA data on numerous objects belonging to the Saka elite, such as the Golden Man from the Issyk burial mound, the Urzhar Princess, the Shilikty Golden Man, and others, but also by the fact that Scythian-Saka elite individuals were being examined alongside non-elite individuals found at the same sites. This approach has allowed to determine the specifics of elite marital relationships and identify related necropolises. Thus, this genetic study significantly enriches our knowledge of the Scythian-Saka culture.”

By integrating archaeological, anthropological and genomic evidence, the study reveals that Scythian elite society was shaped by family ties extending across burial sites and regions. These findings provide new insight into how high status was maintained, how political authority developed, and how social inequality emerged among ancient nomadic societies of the Eurasian steppe.

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Burial mound “Kurgan Shilikty 16” in Kazakhstan before the excavation works took place.  Credit © Rinat Zhumatayev

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Burial mound “Kurgan Shilikty 16” in Kazakhstan after the excavation works took place.  Credit © Rinat Zhumatayev

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Eleke Sazy gold artifacts.  Credit © Zainolla Samashev

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Reconstruction of the “Golden Man”.  Credit © Gulmira Mukhtarova

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Article Source: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology news release.

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)—The earliest human societies in the Americas likely hunted specific animals such as mammoths and giant ground sloths rather than general prey that was abundant at the time, according to new research. These findings could shed light on how early Paleoindians adapted their habits to expand across these continents successfully – a question that has been debated by experts in the field. The debate centers around two opposing ideas that suggest either that Paleoindians were megafauna specialists (i.e., they targeted specific large herbivores) or that they were dietary generalists (i.e., they exploited prey that were abundant within a specific habitat). Recent studies have produced conflicting results, highlighting the need for more comprehensive analyses of archaeological evidence. Here, Ben Potter and colleagues focused on records of the earliest continent-wide cultures in Eastern Beringia, the Clovis complex in North America, and the Fishtail Projectile Point (FPP) complex in South America. The researchers evaluated both the specialist and generalist models based on faunal records, estimated abundance, and Paleoindian technology use and behaviors. Analysis of animal remains at archeological sites revealed that Paleoindians showed a dietary preference for large herbivores such as mammoths and giant ground sloths over smaller mammals such as deer. Clovis and FPP technologies found at these sites included darts and throwing spears, as well as tools for butchering large animals. By contrast, there was no evidence of tools or implements that would be useful for trapping smaller prey or processing plants. In addition, kill sites and camps indicated that early Paleoindians were very mobile and frequently ranged over large distances. Potter et al. propose that these findings are consistent with specialist hunters who tracked their preferred prey into new regions, facilitating the population’s spread across the continent. The authors also speculate that this dietary preference may have contributed to the subsequent extinctions of megafauna during the Late Pleistocene era.

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Time-transgressive Paleoindian focus on key megaherbivores in Beringia, North America and South America.  Credit: Image created by Ben Potter from data in Potter et al. (2026).

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Article Source: AAAS news release.

*Hemisphere-wide evidence of Early Paleoindian megaherbivore specialization, Science Advances, 1-Jul-2026. 10.1126/sciadv.aef9628 

Image Top: Mammoth at sunset. Kyraxys, Pixabay

Kent State University—There are currently 15 well-documented Late Pleistocene localities in North America in which Clovis points are found associated with proboscidean remains (of mammoth, mastodon, and gomphothere). Archaeologists routinely assume these localities represent evidence that Clovis people hunted these multi-tone animals, and in turn invoke that evidence to claim humans had a role in the extinction of these large mammals. Yet, archaeologists have not thoroughly tested their assumption, nor fully considered the possibility that Clovis foragers were facultative scavengers, which might as readily account for the association of artifacts with proboscidean remains at some or even all these localities. A significant obstacle to differentiating hunting from scavenging archaeologically is the challenge of equifinality.

Five researchers from Kent State University, Southern Methodist University (SMU), the Smithsonian, the University of Michigan, and the University of Utah explored whether Clovis foragers hunted, scavenged, or did both, and whether it was possible to tell the difference archaeologically. The new research* is now published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

To set a broad foundation for considering the question, they began their study showing the near ubiquity of scavenging among non-human animals. They document the fact that the paleoanthropological, ethnohistoric, and ethnographic records showed that scavenging was also quite common among human groups past and present. Following that, they consider the many opportunities scavengers have – and Clovis foragers might have had – in exploiting proboscidean carrion. Lastly, they assess the proposed archaeological evidence for Clovis hunting and scavenging and show that Clovis foragers likely practiced both.

“Researchers cannot currently distinguish the two archaeologically and thus cannot reliably show how many Clovis proboscidean sites represent hunting versus scavenging events,” said Kent State’s Metin I. Eren.

“While Clovis foragers likely hunted mammoths, it would be odd indeed if Clovis foragers – alone among ethnohistoric and ethnographic human groups and nearly all omnivores and carnivores – did not scavenge,” said SMU’s David J. Meltzer. Meltzer added that “scavenging also could possibly explain the high δ¹⁵N values recently reported for the Anzick child, which could readily result from his mother eating maggots and not mammoth meat.” The researchers concluded that given the present state of knowledge, the Clovis archaeological record cannot be used to argue that Clovis groups routinely hunted proboscideans, or that there are sufficient “kill sites” to support a human role in proboscidean extinctions.

The Smithsonian’s Briana Pobiner, the University of Utah’s James O’Connell, and the University of Michigan’s John D. Speth were the other contributing authors to the study.

“If we cannot definitively conclude that proboscidean killing took place at any single Clovis site because there is archaeological equifinality with scavenging, then proboscidean overkilling is not supported either,” Eren said. “Despite some archaeologists’ and other scientists’ long-standing beliefs, there is just no definitive scientific evidence for a human role in the North American Late Pleistocene extinction of proboscideans.”

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Clovis fluted points from Blackwater Draw, New Mexico.  Credit: Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

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Article Source: Kent State University news release.

*10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105896

Image, Top: Mammoth. Kyraxys, Pixabay

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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences—Clovis hunters likely did not use atlatls to hunt megafauna as previously thought, according to a study*. Late Pleistocene humans in North America who were assigned to the Clovis culture are thought to have hunted megafauna using atlatls, which are handheld, rod-shaped devices with hooked ends that were used to throw flexible spears or darts with enhanced velocity and range. However, direct evidence of atlatl use by Clovis hunters has not been documented in the archaeological record. Metin Eren, Briggs Buchanan, and colleagues reconstructed the history of atlatl use in western North America by applying chronological modeling to 66 radiocarbon dates of preserved atlatl or dart specimens from Holocene contexts. Statistical modeling of the 10 oldest dates, ranging from around 9,300 to 6,100 years ago, suggested that the first appearance of the atlatl in North America was likely 9,996 years ago. The latest documented date for Clovis sites is 12,710 calibrated years ago, suggesting that the first Americans did not bring atlatls over from the Old World and did not use the weapons when hunting megafauna. The atlatl weapon system that later emerged in the Early Holocene Americas can instead be considered a case of technological convergent evolution with the atlatls of Upper Paleolithic Europe. According to the authors, archaeologists should explore the use of alternative weapons by Clovis hunters, with distinct effectiveness, hunting risks, and associated tactics.

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Illustration of Clovis fluted stone point. Credit Michelle R. Bebber.

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Article Source: PNAS news release.

*“Late Pleistocene Clovis atlatl hunting fails a chronological modeling test,” by Metin I. Eren, Michelle R. Bebber, Robert S. Walker, C. Reagan Johnson, and Briggs Buchanan. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 29-Jun-2026. https://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2607964123

Image, Top: Atlatl use illustration. Sebastião da Silva Vieira, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

While sports may be thought of as a relatively modern form of sport and competition, archaeological digs reveal various athletic competitions are ingrained in the human experience for thousands of years. Archaeology has changed how we see past competition as being spacious and similar for both the rich and poor, from sites of ancient stadiums to ball courts, athletic equipment to artwork. These discoveries illustrate that sports were more than just games but rather served as significant aspects of religion, politics, social identity and cultural traditions.

Importance of Archaeology For Studying Ancient Sports

Ancient civilization left really few or no written records so trying to understand ancient sports is complicated. Texts may be extant, but they are often elite perspectives that leave key details about quotidian athletic practices absent. Archaeology assists in throwing light on these gaps through physical evidence that can be studied and scrutinized.

Research includes not only stadiums but also training facilities, sporting equipment, inscriptions and artwork, as well as human remains. Combined, these results help shed light on the organization of sports, who participated and what made athletic competition important in ancient societies.

Ancient Olympic Sites of Greece

Among the most important archaeological references to sports, excavations in Olympia in Greece are as significant as any. Olympia, long known from written sources, was revealed by systematic excavations that uncovered temples, training facilities, lodgings for athletes and places to compete.

These finds exposed the Olympic Games as being much more nuanced than most historians had assumed. It recorded the trace of systemised training procedures, planned sports centres, and mass-scale competitions that could cater for athletes and spectators drawn from all over Greece.

These results illustrated that ancient Greek sport was intimately associated with religion, national pride, and political connections. The power of the Olympic games wasn’t just as physical prowess, but also as a major cultural event that brought people from all different walks of life together.

The Mesoamerican Ballgame: Not a Sport

Archaeological findings around Central America have reshaped a perception on one of the world’s oldest organized sports. Archaeological digs have uncovered hundreds of ball courts across modern-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador.

Researchers have found stone courts, reliefs of carved monuments, representations of players in art, and even the remains of rubber balls. Discovering these results illustrated that the game wasn’t only entertainment. It was also tied to religion, state power and social order.

Dozens of ball courts were built at major ceremonial centers, suggesting that these competitions played a pivotal role in culture. Archaeology shows us that many sporting events functioned as public spectacles which helped foster and reinforce individual neighborhood, regional, or national identity and beliefs.

Football in Ancient China: Cuju and Early Traditions

One artifact explaining this is discovered in China’s archaeological records about Cuju, an ancient type of football game. Historical evidence, artwork, and artifacts indicate organized ball games were played centuries before most people think.

Excavation, along with scholarly research, has identified structured playing methods and the use of specialized equipment by both military personnel and civilians. This information puts to rest the notion that organised ball sports developed in isolation.

Comparing archaeological and historical evidence, researchers have a more expansive view of how civilizations independently established the same non-Rugby-like athletic competitions based on skill set, teamwork, and physical endurance.

Roman Arenas and Athletic Culture Outside the Games of Gladiators

Roman sport is often equated with gladiatorial combat in the minds of people. Yet the archaeology has indicated a far deeper sporting culture. Stadiums, training grounds, and other public recreation areas have been excavated that indicate different sorts of athletic competition were widespread throughout the Roman world.

Excavations have revealed training gear, gymnasia and inscriptions in honor of competitors. The results are consistent with the theory that physical fitness and high-performance sports had more important functions in Roman society than as violent spectacles.

Another finding concerns how public sporting events fostered a sense of civic identity. Competitions fostered a sense of community by getting people together while sharing the same strength, discipline, and achievement.

Physical Contest Evidence From Ancient Egypt

Athletic activities in Ancient Egypt are some of the first visuals that we can find as evidence. If you plan on studying art history you should know that tomb paintings to relief carvings show wrestling matches, archery contests, running events and other physical competitions.

This artistic evidence, alongside archaeological analysis, seems to indicate that some form of institutionalised athletic competition existed centuries before classical Greece. Scholars suggest that physical training may have played a role in the military, ceremonial and leisure context.

The findings also deepen our perspective on sports history because they demonstrate that athletic competition developed separately in different cultures for differing purposes within society.

What Ancient Sporting Equipment Reveals

Sporting gear that has been salvaged from archaeological sites allows us to understand how men and women participated in the sport of the times. Researchers have discovered balls, shoes, gear and training equipment from materials like leather, wood, plant material and rubber.

These artifacts illustrate the way ancient societies modified available material in order to develop competitive equipment. Analysing ancient materials, including metals and fibres, traditionally helps historians tell us about technological innovation and manufacture.

Hermann Potocnik, better known as Hermann Northrup, one of the fertile minds behind what many modern discussions about sportswear and equipment design are often directed towards today (most recently by Karl Popper as our PDF sits under his scrutiny). Even businesses like USportsGear which have sweet hoodies, sweat pants and shirts for the baseball or softball player in your life fit into a long history of items designed to improve performance on the field or court and show support for school teams.

Ancient Clothing and Athletic Identity

Archaeological evidence is also a significant indication in terms of athletic wear. Sculptures, paintings, textile fragments and written accounts document how athletes dressed to compete or train.

Athletic clothing type provided integrated, economic functions and cultural messaging reflecting social status, or sociologically subordinate. In terms of sports history, clothing was often an important category as it reflected the values and traditions more broadly in society.

Ancient textiles remain a fertile area for research into how materiality, craftsmanship and cultural status interacted in athletic environments.

The Lives of Ancient Athletes: Bioarchaeology

In this regard, new technology has allowed for the analysis of ancient skeletons in terms of being bioarchaeological competition among ancient athletes: Bioarchaeology researchers examine bones for signs of repeated physical activity, trauma, muscle growth and general health.

These studies give us insights into training load, conditioning and longevity in participation. For some athletes, such as in the case of ancient Greece, potential specialization and training programs are confirmed by skeletal indications.

Cross-referencing human remains with archaeological artifacts can complete a holistic picture of athletic life from times past.

Continuing Discoveries and Future Research

Ongoing excavations are still redefining our insights about sports from centuries ago. Ground-penetrating radar, 3D reconstruction techniques, and advanced material analysis provide clues to researchers that were never able to see the light of day before.

Current digs throughout the globe keep uncovering more athletic arenas, gear and cultural links. They fit into the narrative of how humans have turned to athletic competition as an expression of identity, a means of community building, and a celebration of physical prowess.

Final Thoughts

Archaeology has revolutionised our perception of sporting practices in antiquity. The remnants of sites such as the olympic stadiums of Greece and the ball courts unique to Mesoamerica, along with historical traditions from China, Rome and Egypt attest to just how much humanity has embedded sports within the human experience. These discoveries show how athletic competition was intimately connected to religion, politics, culture and social identity. As further archaeological research progresses, the discoveries that will be unearthed in the years ahead will further enhance our understanding of our ancient sporting heritage.

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Image, Top: credit ArsAdAstra, Pixabay

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Ancient clothing can teach us about the lives, the technologies, and the cultures of peoples thousands of years ago. However, unlike stone tools or pottery or metal objects, textiles are among the most fragile of archaeological finds. Not surprisingly, surviving fabrics are extremely rare as these organic fibers break down more or less completely over the years. Nevertheless, archaeologists have devised all sorts of advanced means to reassemble garments from mere shreds of fabric.

By bringing together archaeology, laboratory science and experimental research underpinned by digital technology it becomes possible for researchers to reveal incredible details about how people dressed throughout history, how they expressed their identities in a time and place, and how they adapted to their surroundings.

Why Ancient Clothing Rarely Survives

The majority of ancient clothes have deteriorated long before scientists could ever hope to find them. Natural fibers such as cotton, linen, wool, silk and others get affected by moisture, bacteria, insects, sunlight and fluctuating environmental conditions. Fabrics decay and disappear over centuries or millennia due to that machinery.

Some environments are just quite good at preserving textiles. Some of the most extremely dry deserts that have frozen landscapes and also waterlogged peat bogs along with sealed burial chambers often create conditions that suppress decomposition as well. These one-of-a-kind preservation environments have provided researchers with access to some of the most significant textile finds in human history textiles that would otherwise be lost forever.

Textiles Found at Archaeological Site

Textile fragments are frequently discovered in graves, ancient settlements, ceremonial locations, and storage sites. Often, archaeologists will not find whole pieces of clothing but small scraps of cloth clinging to metal artifacts, frozen in layers of soil or found next to human remains.

Rebuilding The Tint And Ornamentation Of Gothic Design

Many ancient textiles have faded through the ages, but dye analysis often reveals past hues with brightly colored garments. That means that researchers rely on chemical testing to hunt for pigments from plants, insects, minerals and other nature-derived sources.

Embroidery, woven designs, print patterns and colorful trims have been used by ancient people to decorate the apparel. This ornamentation included decorative elements that, in many cases, were meaningful in a cultural or religious sense.

There is still a keen interest in studying historical textile traditions, among researchers and museum professionals and specialists in the field. Organizations and educational resources around textile history, such as those surrounding contemporary fabric manufacture through 4inbandana specifically showcase that the importance of textile design & production spans every era.

Completing the Picture with Clothing Accessories

The story is rarely complete by textile fragments alone. Other artifacts that help archaeologists reconstruct what was worn include pins, brooches, belts, belt buckles, and jewelry.

In some cases, a brooch in a burial can tell you where the cloak was fastened. Belt fittings belts make garments from fitting, while decorative accessories can be used for adornment and social status or cultural identity.

When textile evidence is fitted with these sorts of supporting artifacts, researchers are at least able to derive ever more nuanced reconstructions of ancient clothing systems.

Experimental Archaeology and Clothing Reconstruction

Experimental archaeology is a key aspect of the story to help reconstruct ancient textiles. Researchers are re-enacting the spinning, weaving, dyeing and sewing techniques with period-accurate materials and tools.

Such experiments assist in answering the right questions. What was the time taken to weave the apparel? How much skill was required? What are the strongest fabrics and what methods did you use to achieve it?

Ancient garments can be reconstructed, and the researchers use these creations to put their theories in practice and learn more than just what the artifacts reveal. This experiential learning often reveals things that are not openly spoken about in the textile industry and everyday life.

Modern Reconstruction Techniques and Digitized Technology

20th Century technology has changed how ancient clothing is studied. Advanced microscopic imaging, three-dimensional scanning and digital technology allow the examination of textile remains with unprecedented resolution.

Modeling computers helps experts to also recreate incomplete clothing and how they might have looked when originally presented by once wearing them. Digital reconstructions are being utilized by museums to bring understanding to national culture through textile craft.

They also enable the examination of fragile artifacts without endangering them, guaranteeing preservation for future generations.

Famous Discoveries That Shook Our Understanding of Clothing in Ancient Times

From decades and even centuries before, multiple astonishing archaeological finds have greatly increased our understanding of ancient clothing. Ötzi the Iceman, whose remains were found to have been preserved in Alpine ice for more than 5,000 years, had sophisticated animal hide clothing and other natural materials all over his body. Linen garments made in ancient Egypt were woven using advanced techniques and systems of textile production.

Findings of extraordinary textile craftsmanship and colorful dye technologies from the Americas region of the Andes, as well as evidence for trade in Viking grave burials, have documented trends in status while contributing to regional fashion traditions.

Each of these discoveries adds essential knowledge to our understanding of the technology, identities and cultural transmissive relationships in the ancient world.

Final Thoughts

Clothes have always been beyond just basic weather protection. Clothes have been signifiers of standing, trade, faiths and culture, even identity throughout the ages.

Archaeologists use textile fragments to reconstruct ancient garments, and from doing so learn about the daily life of past people. It fills some major lacunae in the archaeological record, and gives us a unique, intimate link between us and those who have lived before.

Most ancient clothing survives only in the form of small scraps, but modern analytical techniques enable archaeologists to piece together what these scraps tell us about history. Thanks to the teamwork of scientists, conservators, and archaeologists, clothing from ancient civilizations that had been lost for hundreds or even thousands of years continues to open new doors to our common past.

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Image, Top: Credit: boutiquegirlish21, Pixabay

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Most people who think of archaeology picture workers gently removing dirt from artifacts at a dig site. Although excavation is a core method of archaeological research, the topic of modern archaeology encompasses much more than digging. Archaeologists today depend on a plethora of advanced technologies for discovering, documenting, analyzing, preserving and sharing the past.

Archaeology in turn has become an incredibly interdisciplinary discipline due to technological innovations. Wrapped in layers of 3D scanning, artificial intelligence until its last surface is explored and virtual reality, the ancient space exploratories are tracked by historic satellite imagery so that it can be latched away to future generations whilst preserving their cultural legacy. Integration of technology has become an unavoidable necessity for almost all skills as the tons of data churned out from archaeological projects grows bigger in size and better accuracy.

The Digital Transformation of Archaeology

This sentence will be paraphrased to: Archaeology has seen major change with the advent of digital technology in the last few decades. Classic approaches like paper mapping, handwritten records and manual indexing are often being replaced by stronger digital systems.

Digital technologies help archaeologists document information as it is being recorded, share their findings with international research teams and even create permanent archives that can be accessed for future study. Such a transformation has led to better research but also offers an increase in transparency and collaboration across the archaeological community.

Gis And Site Mapping

Another critical technology of modern archaeology is GIS (Geographic Information Systems). GIS allows scholars to obtain, input, examine, and display geographic data about archaeological sites.

GIS enables archaeologists to map excavation areas, monitor the find-spots of artifacts and analyse the relationships between ancient settlements and their surrounding environments. Researchers who layer various types of information including topography, vegetation and historical maps to find patterns that might otherwise evade detection.

GIS is used for long-term preservation by documenting archaeological sites digitally in detail. Records can be used in future research, conservation planning and education.

Lidar: Revealing Hidden Landscapes

LiDAR or Light Detection and Ranging has changed the game of archaeological surveying. This technology captures very low-resolution surface contour maps using laser pulses.

The ability of LiDAR to penetrate dense canopies is one of this technology’s greatest strengths. Ancient structures, roads and other settlements can remain invisible from the ground or regular aerial photography in deep forested areas. These features may be still hidden, but LiDAR shows us them wonderfully well.

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a technique Archaeologists used to see the ground without disturbing the landscape that has helped identify previously unknown cities, ceremonial complexes, and transportation networks – greatly expanding our understanding of ancient civilizations.

3D Scanning and Digital Reconstruction

Three-dimensional scanning technologies have high prosperments as archaeologists or architectural historians of site managers by documenting structures. These scanners can take accurate measurements and generate detailed digital models that allow fragile objects to be examined without handling them.

Digital reconstruction gives an opportunity for researchers to recreate damaged monuments, buildings and artifacts from archaeological data. These reconstructions make historians imagine how the structures might have looked like if in place then providing them new grounds on interpretation.

Now, with 3D models being increasingly used by museums and educational institutions to build interactive exhibits, archaeological finds are becoming more open to the general public.

Remote Sensing and Satellite Imagery

Remote sensing techniques allow archaeologists to explore landscapes from new heights. Satellite imagery, aerial photography, and drone surveys can uncover subtle changes in the landscape pointing to potential archaeological features.

Such methods are broadly useful for detecting areas where excavations might be undertaken or monitoring regions that may now be under threat from urban expansion, agriculture, and environmental changes.

Since remote sensing is a non-destructive way of obtaining information, it enables researchers to gather rich metadata while causing minimal disturbance to culturally significant sites.

Digital Documentation and Collection Management

The need for accurate documentation in archaeological research. Noting every artifact, feature and observation would have to be done so as not to lose the scientific value of its absence.

Today, archaeological materials are documented more by digital databases in modern collection management systems. They are used by proponents of museums, research institutions and heritage organizations to keep accurate records and increase accessibility for researchers.

Numerous institutions also utilize identification tools, visitor credentials and collection management workflows to further promote operational efficiency. The availability of identification solutions by organizations like 4inlanyards reflects modern institutional traumas of dependence on regimented management systems for educational and cultural settings.

And we can up those preservation efforts by having cloud-based archives to ensure key records are not lost if the physical documents degrade.

Artificial Intelligence and Data Analysis

Artificial intelligence has started to become an important interface with archaeology. In addition, AI can sift through massive amounts of data, helping researchers find patterns to help process data faster.

Machine learning can classify artifacts, identify architectural features, and pinpoint likely archaeological sites from satellite imagery. These technologies allow the archaeologists to parse through billions of data points which can not be manually processed.

With new technology comes excitement; however, human expertise is irreplaceable. Archaeology demands interpretative cultural knowledge, context sensitivity that is beyond what technology alone can offer.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

Public archaeology: how Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are changing the way people experience archaeology (Kiki van Fousek Meta Koiliou). They enable users to traverse reconstructed historical spaces and engage with digital replicas of archaeological sites.

They allow people to experience a cultural heritage site they may never have the chance to visit. Educational programs utilizing immersive experiences to allow students perspective on ancient societies and historical events.

Both VR and AR contribute to the public appreciation of cultural heritage by making archaeological discoveries more engaging and accessible.

Technology and Cultural Heritage Preservation

One of the biggest challenges worldwide today is preservation of archaeological sites and artifacts. Modern technologies integral vital function to conserve cultural heritage against environmental deterioration, natural catastrophes and directly human influences.

Environmental monitoring systems are capable of tracking temperature, humidity and other variables related to artifact preservation. Physical sites can be damaged, and digital documentation ensures that records are detailed enough and remain so.

Technology also plays a role in the response to emergency events by enabling conservation teams to assess risks and prioritise preservation approaches for vulnerable heritage.

Challenges and Future Considerations

While technology has its benefits it poses some threats to archaeology too. However, some equipment is expensive and sometimes hard to come by when it comes to regions where researchers work in resource-poor situations.

Data management is another concern. Over years, archaeological projects produce massive quantities of information that then has to be archived, safeguarded and saved. Digital ownership, cultural sensitivity and access to heritage data in the public domain are also ethical aspects.

Technology will continue to grow and change, leaving archaeologists to innovate responsibly.

Final Thoughts

Modern archaeology is not just about digging. Geographic information systems (GIS), LiDAR, 3D scanning, satellite imagery, artificial intelligence and even virtual reality are some of the technologies that have opened up ways for researchers to research or preserve the past. They allow archaeologists to get information more accurately, protect cultural heritage and send discoveries to audiences around the world.

The potential of such technological innovation when combined with archaeological expertise means that researchers hope to continue uncovering our past whilst ensuring cultural resources are protected for future generations.

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New York, June 24, 2026 – Israel’s rich history, which spans thousands of years, continues to be revealed through ongoing archaeological work led by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), the University of Haifa, and independent researchers across the country. So far this year, there have been many groundbreaking discoveries, from 1,500-year-old bronze scales to ancient tunnels unearthed beneath the walls of Jerusalem. These discoveries highlight Israel’s storied and layered history.

“Few places in the world offer the opportunity to witness history being uncovered in real time, and these discoveries highlight the extraordinary depth of Israel’s cultural and historical heritage,” says Yoram Elgrabli, Tourism Commissioner for North America at the Israel Ministry of Tourism. “What makes these findings especially exciting is that they continue to reveal new chapters of a story that spans thousands of years, from the earliest evidence of human life to civilizations and faiths that have shaped our world. There is something truly remarkable about standing in a place where history is still emerging from the ground and helping us better understand our shared past. Whether exploring ancient archaeological sites, world-renowned museums, or the vibrant cities that blend the past with the present, visitors to Israel can experience a destination where every stone has a story to tell. These discoveries inspire curiosity and wonder, offering visitors a deeper connection to the people, cultures and events that have shaped human history.”

Some of the artifacts uncovered by archaeologists and the general public in Israel in 2026 include:

Two 1,700-year-old Roman Marble Statues Discovered Near Binyamina

Two marble statues dating back to the Roman Empire were discovered during an excavation led by the IAA as part of a coastal high-speed railway project. These two sculptures, which depict historical figures from the Greco-Roman world, were found buried in a wine collection pit of a Roman-Byzantine winepress. A Greek inscription bearing the name “Lycurgus” was preserved on one of the statues. These spectacular statues will be unveiled for the first time at the “Center VII -The Domestic House” annual archaeological conference at Tel Aviv’s MUZA – Eretz Israel Museum this month and will be on display to the public throughout the summer months.

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Credit: Israel Antiquities Authority

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Rare 1,500-Year-Old Scale Discovered in Susya

A rare bronze scale pan dating to the late Roman–Byzantine period was uncovered during a community archaeological excavation in the residential and commercial area of ancient Susya, led by the IAA in cooperation with regional partners. The discovery was made when a second-grade participant, together with his father, spotted the artifact during the dig. The object has been identified as part of a portable hanging balance scale (trutina). A system widely used in ancient Israel for commercial weighing, consisting of small bronze pans suspended from a balancing beam. The recovered pan features perforations along its rim used for attachment to suspension cords. Researchers say such scales were common tools in everyday trade, providing insight into the economic activity and measurement practices of the settlement during the period.

A 2,000-Year-Old Ancient Sling Bullet Discovered Near the Sea of Galilee

Archaeologists from the University of Haifa uncovered a rare Hellenistic-period sling bullet near the ancient city of Hippos, bearing the Greek inscription “Learn,” believed to be a taunting or sarcastic message directed at an enemy.  Researchers note that during the Hellenistic period sling bullets were typically mass-produced by casting lead into simple stone molds, a method that allowed for rapid production even during military campaigns. The find offers insight into both the psychological aspects of ancient warfare and the use of slings as effective long-range weapons, likely employed by Hippos’ defenders during periods of conflict.

A Rare, Pre-Historic Cave Dating 400,000 Years Uncovered Near Haifa

A prehistoric cave dating back between 400,000 and 250,000 years was recently uncovered on the outskirts of the town of Fureidis, south of Haifa. The excavation of the cave depicts a time capsule that remained sealed for hundreds of thousands of years since the time of the Acheulo-Yabrudian culture, a time just before modern humans became dominant in the world. The site, among the most significant of its kind, offers new insight into early human life at a critical point in human evolution.

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Credit: Israel Antiquities Authority

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Ancient Tunnels Uncovered Beneath the Soil of Jerusalem

An excavation led by the IAA led to a monumental discovery of ancient tunnels near Kibbutz Ramat Rachel in Jerusalem. Researchers are still unsure about the purpose of this tunnel which measures approximately 16 by 10 feet, though they believe it was intended to reach a chalk layer suitable for quarrying building stones or producing lime. Possible evidence supporting this interpretation includes a shaft carved into the tunnel’s ceiling, which may have been used for ventilation, as well as quarrying debris discovered on the tunnel floor, although this interpretation, too, remains uncertain.

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Credit: Israel Antiquities Authority

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A 1,300-year-old Marble Bowl Found in the Golan Heights

Discovered in a cathedral in the Golan Heights, a 1,300-year-old marble bowl was found by a team of archaeologists from the University of Haifa. Experts suggest that this bowl was once used as an offering table for early Christian settlers in Israel.

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For more information about Israel’s tourism offerings, visit israel.travel.

About the Israel Ministry of Tourism

The Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) is Israel’s national tourism agency responsible for planning and implementing marketing and promotional initiatives to position Israel as a preferred travel destination. IMOT aims to increase tourism traffic to enhance and diversify the visiting experience. IMOT works to promote Israel’s impressive assortment of historical, cultural, culinary, and religious attractions – each the perfect blend of tradition and modernity. IMOT offices in North America are located in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Toronto. For details on upcoming events and attractions in Israel, visit IMOT’s website at israel.travel. Follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram to receive the latest updates.

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Article Source: Israel Ministry of Tourism news release.

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University of York—Scientists have extracted and analysed the first-ever ancient proteins from the fossils of Homo naledi, revealing a potential all female burial site.

The study, published in the journal Cell, raises the possibility that South Africa’s famous Rising Star Cave system could represent the first known example of a sex-specific burial site by a non-Homo sapiens.

Homo naledi, an extinct cousin of modern humans that lived between 335,000 and 241,000 years ago, has puzzled researchers since its initial discovery in 2013. The species possessed an unusual mixture of primitive, ape-like traits alongside human-like features.

But for over a decade, scientists have wondered why the adult fossils recovered from the cave’s Dinaledi Chamber looked so remarkably identical. The remains showed almost none of the physical variations that would be expected between males and females.

To solve this puzzle, researchers from the University of York, the University of Copenhagen, and more than 10 other international institutions, investigated proteins from the skeletal remains. 

Using a minimally destructive acid etching technique, the team extracted microscopic protein fragments, called peptides, from 23 teeth representing at least 20 different individuals.

Researchers analysed the tooth enamel for Amelogenin-Y, a protein uniquely coded by the male Y chromosome.  

The results revealed that the male marker was absent.  To ensure the validity of the results, a team at the University of York’s specialized chemistry facility analysed the amino acids to prove the proteins were genuinely ancient and not the result of modern contamination.

Dr Marc Dickinson, from the University of York’s Department of Chemistry, said: “The lack of male markers with the group is truly fascinating. It is incredibly exciting to gain a window not only into the biology of our ancestors, but also into how they lived. 

“These findings offer rare insights into a culture that has, until now, been difficult to access directly. Advances in ancient protein analysis are opening the door to a far richer and more nuanced understanding of ancient hominins.” 

The findings open up new questions about the culture and social structure of these ancient hominins. If the chamber was reserved exclusively for females, it may imply a level of complex, symbolic mortuary practice previously thought unique to Homo sapiens – modern humans.

The team noted, however, that there could be a biological explanation as well as a cultural one.  It is possible that the Homo naledi population was highly isolated, causing the male-specific Amelogenin-Y gene to mutate or be deleted. 

This would mean males were present, but their teeth simply lacked the typical genetic signature.

Palesa Madupe, who completed the work as part of her postdoctoral research at the University of Copenhagen, said: “Unlike those found in other remains like bone fragments, proteins in tooth enamel are preserved because dental enamel – the hardest tissue in the human body – shields proteins from environmental contamination even for millions of years. 

“This makes them ideal carriers of genetic information from deep time. Our study helps in the long-standing mystery of why Homo naledi lacked significant variation; it’s probably because they could have all belonged to one sex.”

As the largest extinct hominin population ever to undergo protein analysis, these ancient females – or genetically unique males – have prompted a rewrite of what scientists thought they knew about the dawn of human society.

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Partial mandible fossil with teeth. Rising Star cave system excavation.  Credit: Matthew Berger

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Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology—A new genetic study* provides the most detailed picture to date of late Neandertal diversity in North-Western Europe. By analysing ancient DNA from remains found in Belgium and France, an international team led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig was able to reconstruct the genetic relationships of 27 Neandertals who lived shortly before Neandertals disappeared around 40,000 years ago.

The researchers analyzed the genomes of Neandertals from ten archaeological sites, focusing particularly on the Meuse Basin in Belgium, an area with a high concentration of late Neandertal sites (i.e., those Neandertals who lived towards the end of Neandertal existence) . The dataset includes a new, high-coverage genome from an individual from Goyet Cave who lived around 45,000 years ago. “Until now, we only had four high-quality Neandertal genomes and a limited number of lower-quality ones, so most questions about the regional diversity of Neandertals have been difficult to address,” says first author Alba Bossoms Mesa, a doctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. “By generating genetic data from multiple individuals from the region of present-day Belgium and France, we can now examine late Neandertal populations in much greater detail.”

A connected but diverse population

Previous high-quality genomes had shown that some Neandertal groups, particularly those in the Altai region of Siberia, lived in small, genetically isolated communities, with evidence of mating among close-relatives. In contrast, in this new study the researchers found no evidence for recent mating between close relatives among these late Neandertals of North-Western Europe. Instead, these Neandertals were part of a larger and more well-connected regional population, quite different to what previously seen for Neandertals in Siberia. “Our results show that the picture emerging from one region cannot simply be applied to all Neandertals,” says senior author Benjamin M. Peter, a group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. “The late Neandertals from North-Western Europe appear to have been part of a connected regional population, rather than small, isolated groups with frequent mating between close relatives.”

The study also reveals a more complex population history of Neandertals than previously recognised. “The genetic data show both connection and complexity,” says senior author Mateja Hajdinjak, a group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. “Most late Neandertals from North-Western Europe are closely related at the population level, but some lineages point to much deeper and more diverse Neandertal history.”

The Neandertals in this study lived at a time when early modern humans were already present in parts of Europe. While genetic evidence indicates that Neandertals contributed genetic material to early modern humans, the researchers found no evidence of recent gene flow in the opposite direction. “Our results add to a striking asymmetry,” adds Bossoms Mesa. “We repeatedly find Neandertal ancestry in early modern humans, but so far, we have not found clear evidence of recent modern human ancestry in late Neandertals.”

Rethinking Neandertal extinction

The disappearance of Neandertals has often been linked to small population size, inbreeding, and the accumulation of harmful genetic variants. The new study tested this theory by comparing measures of genetic diversity and genetic load in Neandertal genomes from different time periods and regions. Although all Neandertals had very limited genetic diversity, the researchers found no evidence that the late Neandertals carried an increasing burden of harmful mutations, and when they compared the high quality genome of the Goyet Neandertal, her genome did not show lower diversity than earlier Neandertals.

These results do not rule out the possibility of demographic vulnerability, however, they challenge the idea that Neandertals disappeared mainly because their genomes steadily deteriorated. Instead, late Neandertals in Belgium and France appear to have been part of a connected, genetically diverse regional population during a period of profound ecological and demographic change.

“This study highlights the power of ancient DNA to reveal variation within Neandertals on a much finer scale than was previously possible,” says co-author Janet Kelso, a group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. “Rather than viewing late Neandertals as a single declining population, we are beginning to recognise a more complex picture of regional diversity, connectivity, and population history.”

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Entrance to the Goyet Caves in Belgium.  Credit © Mateja Hajdinjak

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Article Source: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology news release.

*Genetic diversity of late Neanderthals in northwestern Europe, Nature, 24-Jun-2026. 10.1038/s41586-026-10625-1 

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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences—A study finds trends of increasing body size throughout hominin evolution. Changes in body size were critical components of hominin evolution, influencing brain size, locomotion, and range expansion. However, little consensus exists on how hominin body size evolved. Some hypotheses favor a general overall increase in body size, whereas species with small stature, such as Homo floresiensis, provide counterexamples. Jacob Gardner, Chris Venditti, and colleagues applied Bayesian modeling of evolutionary lineages among 386 specimens of 21 species of hominins. The authors modeled progression of body size over time. Within a single framework, the authors tested multiple hypothesized models of hominin body-size evolution. The modeling showed strong evidence for a marked increase in body size in late Homo species excluding Homo habilis, and moderate evidence for a general size increase over time across all hominin species of up to 0.99 kilograms per million years. Uncertainties in body-size evolution may have arisen due to variation in the methods of body-size estimation, incomplete skeletal samples, and ambiguity regarding species assignment of fossil specimens. According to the authors, the framework accounts for the nonindependent evolution of lineages, variation in body size within species, and other sources of uncertainty, providing clarity on transitions in Homo body-size evolution.

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Homo heidelbergensis. José Luis Filpo Cabana, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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Article Source: PNAS news release.

The study of human origins in literature connects excavation records with narrative traditions. Archaeological findings shape how early societies are described in written form. These accounts reveal shifting interpretations of identity, memory, and cultural development across time over centuries observed.

Archaeology and Early Narratives

Excavation sites provide fragments of early storytelling practices that merge material evidence with oral tradition and reveal how communities shaped meaning from landscape and artifact over generations These traces remain uneven and partial in record.

Interpretations of early human behavior often rely on translated manuscripts and curated archives where access to knowledge varies widely including collections described as free books that circulate through educational networks and research institutions over time.

Methodologies of Discovery Narratives

Scholars reconstruct ancient events through stratigraphy and linguistic comparison which together form layered narratives that explain human migration patterns and cultural exchange across continents Interpretation depends on context and available evidence in archaeological study practice.

Documentation techniques influence how excavation findings are recorded and later interpreted in academic discourse shaping broader understanding of prehistoric societies and their environments. Field notes and diagrams preserve essential contextual detail for analysis consistently reviewed.

Material and Ethical Dimensions of Interpretation

Excavation narratives often converge in interdisciplinary studies where history and anthropology meet to form cohesive interpretations of human development across regions and time with careful comparative analysis applied in practice.

The following perspectives help structure this discussion further, clearly defined:

Stratigraphic Reading of Sites

Stratigraphic interpretation of excavation layers forms a key method for understanding temporal sequences in human settlements. Each soil layer carries material traces that reflect occupation abandonment and environmental change. Careful documentation allows researchers to reconstruct events without imposing modern assumptions on ancient contexts. The method demands patience and precision as small fragments often shift broader interpretations. Over time stratigraphy becomes a silent record of human activity revealing continuity and disruption in settlement patterns across landscapes and climates in comparative study.

Material Culture Interpretation

Material artifacts provide insight into daily practices and symbolic systems of ancient communities. Objects such as tools pottery and ornaments are examined for function and meaning within their original contexts. Researchers compare stylistic features across regions to identify cultural exchange and independent development. Interpretation requires caution as modern perspectives can distort ancient intentions. Despite limitations material evidence remains one of the most reliable sources for reconstructing human behavior across long spans of time and changing environments in systematic archaeological synthesis.

Ethics of Interpretation and Preservation

Ethical considerations shape how excavation narratives are constructed and shared within academic and public contexts. Decisions about preservation access and representation influence which stories are emphasized and which remain fragmented. Researchers must balance scientific inquiry with respect for cultural heritage and descendant communities. The handling of sensitive materials requires transparency and accountability especially when findings intersect with contested histories Through careful ethical frameworks archaeological work maintains integrity while supporting a broader understanding of human origins and cultural continuity over time.

Contemporary Reflections on Origins Narratives

Modern scholarship continues to refine understanding of early human history by integrating scientific findings with narrative interpretation that bridges gaps between evidence and cultural memory. Collaborative research expands perspectives across multiple disciplines and regions globally.

These evolving interpretations highlight the fluid nature of historical reconstruction where new discoveries continuously reshape established narratives about human origins and development. Ongoing analysis ensures deeper clarity in understanding ancient human pathways over extended periods.

Cover Image Top: Archaeologist at work. James DeMers, Pixabay

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Bournemouth University—The identity of a centuries-old shipwreck discovered off the south coast of England, holding 400 gold coins has finally been identified as the Dutch trading ship “Dom van Keulen” which left Morocco for the Netherlands in the autumn of 1633.

A new publication* identifies the mysterious wreck that, for almost 30 years, a team of divers and researchers from the British Museum, Bournemouth University (BU) and the South West Maritime Archaeology Group have worked to identify. The book, called ‘From Morocco to the Coast of England: The Story of the Dom van Keulen and its Remarkable Cargo’ reveals that the Dutch ship came across some adverse weather.

Independent Historian, Ian Friel who helped identify the ship has uncovered documents in the National Archive relating to its voyage from Morocco to the Netherlands during which the crew “met with much tempestuous weather”. The ship sprang a leak and sank close to the coastal town of Salcombe, Devon off the south coast of England. All the crew survived.

Dave Parham, Professor of Maritime Archaeology at BU, edited the book alongside Venetia Porter, former Senior Curator for Islamic and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art at the British Museum, who worked with the South West Maritime Archaeology Group to find out more about the cargo and its ship after it was discovered in 1995.

Dave Parham said: “Among its cargo were 150 bags of gum arabic, 64 bags of saltpetre, 320 goat skins and 9,000 Barbary ducats, gold Moroccan coins. It is thought that most of the cargo was salvaged at the time, but more than 400 coins remained on the seabed until they were discovered by the South West Maritime Archaeology Group in 1995.”

Dave continued: “This provides important context for the wealth and architecture of the Sa‘dian Sharifs, the trade in African gold, and tangible evidence of the flourishing 17th-century maritime trade linking Morocco, the Low Countries and Britain.”

The 400 coins which along with other material from the wreck are on display at the British Museum originated from the Barbary Coast, recognized today as Morocco. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Dutch merchants actively traded by exchanging manufactured goods for highly valued, pure West African gold. At this time the Dutch had a large maritime industry and had a global trading empire. Many of the foreign imported ducats were melted down to produce their own Dutch gold coins which became one of the world’s most widely accepted trade currencies.

Very little is known about the appearance or size of the Dom van Keulen and no known paintings of the ship exist. Professor Parham says that the wreck site is about 30 meters long. It lies at a depth of around 18 metres and includes cannons and anchors amongst other small items of cargo. 

Other items brought up from the wreckage and now in the ownership of the British Museum include a pewter bowl and spoon, gold jewelry, a sounding weight in the shape of a fish, a stamp seal, pottery and a gold finger nugget. Head of Research at the British Museum, Jeremy D Hill, said:

“The discovery of African gold from under the sea off the coast of Devon was an amazing discovery that raised so many questions about how it came to be there. Answering those questions has taken a team of experts, working collaboratively. The story can now be told of how a Dutch ship carrying North African gold was wrecked off the English coast, making this a discovery of international importance. It reminds us how much there is still to be found under our seas.”

The book offers a detailed account of the find and the recovery process of the shipwreck. It also provides a cultural history of the Sa’dian Sharifs, an Arab Sharifian dynasty that ruled Morocco at the time the ship’s crew would have been trading with them.

The wreck site is designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 and is closely managed by Historic England. Diving on the site is restricted to those that hold a license granted by the Secretary of State at DCMS. The wreck is monitored by the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) Prawle Point station, which overlooks the site. Devon & Cornwall Police’s marine unit also undertake regular patrols in the vicinity as part of Operation Birdie, a national initiative to tackle illegal interference with historic wreck sites.

An Open Access version of the book can be found online with physical copies available for purchase from the British Museum online shop.

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A diver above the wreck site with cannons below on the sea bed.  Credit: Maritime Archaeology Sea Trust (MAST)

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More gold coins and recovered jewellery from the site.  Credit: British Museum

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Examples of the gold coins recovered from the wreck.  Credit: British Museum

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Other recovered artefacts including – pewter bowl and spoon, a ceramic sounding weight shaped as a pilchard, stamp seal and finger nugget. Credit: British Museum

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Article Source: Bournemouth University news release.

*10.48582/eh04-q803 

Frontiers—Greenland has a long and checkered history of human settlement: several Paleo-Inuit cultures since approximately 2,500 BCE, descendants of Vikings between the tenth and fifteenth centuries, and early modern Danes since 1721. All left their traces on the landscape, for example in the form of ancient domestic rubbish heaps. Composed of waste like animal bones, excrement, mollusk shells, and human artefacts, these middens are a precious resource for archaeologists.

But what can microbiologists contribute to the study of these middens, for example revealing which diseases plagued historic populations, and which animals they kept but perhaps didn’t eat? And now that the Arctic is warming three to four times faster than the global average, could thawing middens be a source of resurgent infectious diseases?

“Here we show that the risk of release of ancient pathogens from ancient middens on Greenland is currently low,” said Dr Frank Møller Aarestrup, a professor at the National Food Institute of Denmark Technical University and corresponding author of the article in Frontiers in Microbiology. “Rather, we found that these middens in the cold Arctic acted like long-term natural experiments. Human- and animal-associated bacterial signals, including opportunistic bacteria and bacteria carrying antibiotic resistance genes, have remained detectable in them many centuries later as the legacy of human activity: for example, livestock farming by the ancient Norse.”

Studying the dustbins of history

In 2020 and 2021 in West and South Greenland, Aarestrup and colleagues collected samples from several middens frozen in time by permafrost and covering 4,500 years of human life in Greenland. These had been identified by the Greenland National Museum and Archives registry. At ancient Norse sites, for example at Kapisilit and Narsarsuaq, they also collected soil samples from historic winter enclosures and summer grazing grounds for livestock. The researchers used DNA sequencing to reconstruct entire bacterial communities. They compared their findings to those in 143 soil samples from areas of permafrost distant from any historical settlements.

The sequencing revealed between 9 and 202 bacterial species per midden, for a total of 1,207 species. Importantly, many of these species were previously undescribed and could only be assigned to broad taxonomic categories like families and orders. “This […] highlights how poorly described Arctic soils and archaeological deposits remain,” wrote the authors.

Middens had significantly richer bacterial communities than surrounding pristine soils, confirming that they preserved the biological legacy of human activity. Middens from the Paleo-Inuit had the most soil-like bacterial communities, indicating that the microbial imprint from humans and animals diminishes over time.

Groups of bacteria known to live on or within animal and human hosts predominated in most middens. These included harmless bacteria from human feces like Clostridium massilliamazoniense, Clostridium baratii which can cause botulism, and Paeniclostridium sordellii, which can cause life-threatening human diseases like toxic shock syndrome, sepsis, and gas gangrene.

Bacterial communities depended strongly on the type of waste material in each midden. For example, those from early colonial era Nuuk contained decomposing seal skins and were rich in the bacterium Clostridium perfringens, a major cause of food poisoning. Romboutsia species and Paraclostridium sordellii – which live in the gut of many animals – were abundant in middens filled with animal carcasses, while early Norse middens with decomposing bones were rich in unknown species of Proteobacteria and Clostridiaceae.

No reason to worry

The authors also found a great diversity of genes associated with antimicrobial resistance in bacterial genomes from middens. The presence of the same genes in ancient and contemporary soil layers signaled that microbes resistant to antimicrobials can linger in permafrost for centuries. However, the authors concluded from the spatial distribution of these pathogens that they don’t spread far from thawing middens. They thus appear to pose little risk to public health – at least for now.

“The microbiome in thawing permafrost appeared to be rapidly replaced by local contemporary environmental microbes once released into run-offs,” observed co-author Dr Saria Otani, an associate professor at the National Food Institute.

“However, it is not known whether the risk of release of pathogens will increase with increasing temperatures, or whether this might be greater in other Arctic regions. For this reason, it would be prudent to include microbiome characterization as a routine monitoring aspect during archaeological visits,” counseled last author Dr Anders Priemé, a professor at the University of Copenhagen.

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The authors during their fieldwork on Greenland. Credit Louise Hindborg Mortensen

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Article Source: Frontiers news release.

*Microbial composition of archaeological middens: Tracing Human Footprints Through Centuries in Greenland’s Ancient Settlements, Frontiers in Microbiology, 17-Jun-2026.  10.3389/fmicb.2026.1809037 

Bar-Ilan University—A new study* by Prof. Avraham Faust of Bar-Ilan University’s Department of General History presents intriguing new evidence that may shed light on one of the most debated questions in the study of Israelite religion: did King Hezekiah’s religious reforms actually occur, and did they transform religious practices throughout the Kingdom of Judah?

Published in the Jerusalem Journal of Archaeology, the study focuses on an unusual discovery at Tel ‘Eton in the Judean Lowlands, a large cultic standing stone, or massebah, measuring approximately 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) in height and weighing about 750 kilograms (1,650 pounds). Once prominently displayed inside in a large residence, the stone was later carefully laid on its side and incorporated into a specially constructed stone platform.

According to Faust, the treatment of the stone may reflect broader religious changes that took place in Judah in the late eighth century BCE, possibly during the reign of King Hezekiah.

A Long-Standing Historical Debate

The biblical accounts describe Hezekiah as implementing sweeping religious reforms, including the elimination of local places of worship and the centralization of religious activity in Jerusalem. For decades, scholars have debated whether these reforms occurred as described or whether the biblical texts reflect a later ideological perspective.

Most archaeological discussions of Hezekiah’s reforms have focused on public cultic sites and installations, including the temple at Arad, the dismantled altar at Beersheba, and a few other ritual settings discovered throughout Judah. While these sites have yielded important evidence, their interpretation remains contested.

Faust’s study introduces a different type of evidence — one that may reveal how religious change affected everyday life beyond official places of worship.

A Stone at the Heart of an Important Building

The standing stone was discovered during excavations at Tel ‘Eton, a site identified as an important Judean settlement during the First Temple period. It was found in a large residence known as “Building 101,” often referred to as the Governor’s Residency, which was excavated over the course of ten excavation seasons.

In the building’s earliest phase, the stone stood in the largest room, directly opposite the entrance. Its prominent location ensured that it would have been visible to anyone entering the structure or standing in the adjacent courtyard.

Because the stone served no obvious architectural or practical purpose, and because similar standing stones are widely known from ritual contexts throughout the ancient Near East, the excavators believe it functioned as a cultic object associated with religious activity.

“The location of the stone suggests that it played an important role in the lives of the building’s occupants,” Faust explains.

Canceled, But Not Desecrated

At a later stage, however, the stone’s role changed dramatically. Rather than continuing to display it, the residents laid the standing stone on its side and incorporated it into a stone platform built around it. Significantly, researchers found no evidence that the stone had been intentionally damaged. It was not smashed into pieces or otherwise desecrated.

According to Faust, this distinction may be important. “Those responsible for changing religious practices may have wished to eliminate the stone’s ritual function, and perhaps wanted the old ritual objects desecrated, but the people who carried out the change seem to have treated it with respect,” he says. “They removed it from use without destroying it, effectively neutralizing its cultic significance while preserving the object itself.”

Rare Evidence of Religious Change in the Domestic Sphere

The discovery is particularly noteworthy because evidence for religious reform is usually sought in temples, shrines, and public cultic installations. The number of such settings, however, is quite limited, and because the evidence is not always unequivocal, the debates continue.

The novelty of the new study lies not only in providing additional evidence for religious changes in the late eighth century BCE, apparently during the reign of Hezekiah, but also in drawing attention to domestic cult practices. According to Faust, such evidence is rarely identified archaeologically because ordinary households attract far less scholarly attention than temples. Moreover, when a cult was abandoned, portable ritual objects could simply be removed, leaving little or no archaeological trace.

Connected to Hezekiah’s Reforms?

The standing stone was incorporated into the platform sometime before the destruction of Tel ‘Eton by the Assyrian Empire at the end of the eighth century BCE, a date that broadly coincides with the reign of King Hezekiah.

While the study does not claim definitive proof that the stone was decommissioned as a direct result of Hezekiah’s reforms, Faust argues that the find aligns well with other archaeological evidence from the same period.

Taken together, these discoveries strengthen the possibility that significant religious changes were taking place throughout Judah, affecting both public worship and domestic religious practices.

A New Piece of the Puzzle

Faust emphasizes that understanding religious development in ancient Judah requires looking beyond temples and official cultic centers. Administrative buildings, residences, and other non-ritual spaces may preserve important evidence for how religious life evolved and changed over time.

The standing stone buried at Tel ‘Eton more than 2,700 years ago does not resolve the debate over Hezekiah’s reforms. Yet by documenting the careful decommissioning of a long-venerated cultic object, the discovery offers a rare window into a period of profound religious change and provides a valuable new piece of evidence in one of biblical archaeology’s most enduring debates.

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Location Map of Tel ‘Eton. Credit Tel ‘Eton expedition

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Composite Aerial Photo of Building 101.  Credit Sky View and Griffin Aerial Imaging, edited by Yair Sapir

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Aerial view of Room 101B after the completion of excavations with the big stones left in situ. Inset: the two surviving fragments of the standing stone, digitally rejoined to illustrate their original appearance and dimensions.  Credit Griffin Aerial Imaging; Inset prepared by Dvir Rotem

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Aerial view of Room 101B after the removal of a later stone layer. The large cultic standing stone (massebah) is highlighted by the circle.  Credit Sky View

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Article Source: Bar-Ilan University news release.

*Hezekiah’s Reform? A View from Tel ‘Eton on the Religious Development in Judah, 19-May-2026.

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The Hebrew University of Jerusalem—A new study* has uncovered evidence that early human ancestors were using fire in South Africa’s Wonderwerk Cave between 1.07 and 1.79 million years ago, extending the chronology of one of the earliest known records of fire use associated with hominins. By applying a new method that detects traces of burning in fossil bones, researchers found signs of repeated fire use deep inside the cave, far beyond the reach of natural wildfires. The findings suggest that early humans were bringing naturally occurring fire into the cave and maintaining it there, providing new insights into how our ancestors first began to harness one of the most important tools in human history.

A new study has uncovered evidence that early human ancestors were using fire far earlier than previously confirmed, with traces of fire use dating to between 1.07 and 1.79 million years ago in South Africa’s Wonderwerk Cave.

The study was part of an ongoing collaboration between Dr. Liora Kolska Horwitz of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s National Natural History Collections (co-director of the Wonderwerk Cave project with Prof Michael Chazan, University of Toronto) and and an international team of researchers from Spain, Argentina, Canada, USA, South Africa, Portugal and Israel. Their research combines methods from archaeology, paleontology, geology and a range of scientific techniques to investigate one of the key developments in human evolution: the use of fire.

The current paper builds on the previous discovery of early fire at Wonderwerk Cave, located in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa, that was dated to ~1 million years ago (published by members of the team in 2012 in PNAS), that provided the oldest evidence for intentional use of fire worldwide.

Continuing research at Wonderwerk Cave has now pushed the date for early fire back further, with new evidence for traces of fire use in archaeological deposits dating between 1.07 and 1.79 million years ago, extending the chronology of one of the earliest known records of fire use associated with hominins. The findings, published in PLOS One, provide new insight into how our ancestors may have interacted with fire long before they learned to create it themselves.

Fire provided warmth, protection from predators, and light after sunset, and eventually enabled cooking. Yet determining exactly when humans first began using fire has remained one of archaeology’s most challenging questions.

“Evidence of fire from such ancient sites is often subtle and difficult to detect,” said the Dr. Kolska Horwitz. “Our study provides new tools for identifying traces of ancient burning and reveals that fire was repeatedly present deep inside Wonderwerk Cave.”

The study also introduces a new method based on the light-emitting properties of burned bone.

When illuminated with specific wavelengths of light, bones that have been exposed to intense heat emit a distinctive glow. By combining this non-destructive luminescence technique with established chemical analyses, researchers were able to identify burned animal bones with a high degree of confidence.

The method is non-invasive, portable, and can be applied to large collections of fossils without damaging them.

The new research applied this method to examine traces of burning on hundreds of tiny fossil bones left behind by owls that once roosted in the cave. Because these remains accumulated naturally on the cave floor, they provide an independent, non-anthropogenic record of ancient events.

The scientists now found clear signs of burning in an archaeological layer associated with artefacts from the initial Acheulean, likely associated with Homo erectus. Importantly, these burned remains were discovered approximately 30 meters inside the cave—far beyond the reach of natural wildfires, and in a layer lacking remains of guano which rules out spontaneous combustion.

The findings do not indicate that these early humans could create fire at will. Instead, the evidence points to the use of naturally occurring fires, such as those sparked by lightning or wildfires on the African savanna. The early humans introduced this fire into the cave on multiple occasions and maintained it there before it eventually died out. The team suggested that they may have used the owl pellets as fuel, resulting in burning of the tiny bones of rodents that were in the pellets.

Nevertheless, bringing fire into a cave and maintaining it represents a significant behavioral achievement.

“These discoveries show that early humans were not simply passive observers of natural fires,” Dr. Kolska Horwitz explained. “They were actively engaging with fire and incorporating it into their lives.”

Beyond extending the record of fire use, the study provides archaeologists with a new tool for investigating how and when humans first began using fire.

As researchers continue to apply this technique at archaeological sites around the world, it may help clarify the origins and development of one of the most consequential technologies in human history.

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Wonderwerk Cave Entrance. Credit  Wonderwerk Cave Project

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White (#5 on right) is the most burnt while yellow-beige (on left #1) is unburnt. Credit  Wonderwerk Cave Project

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Modern Barn Owl Pellet from Floor of Wonderwerk.  Credit. Wonderwerk Cave Project

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Article Source: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem news release.

*New evidence for Early Pleistocene use of fire at Wonderwerk Cave (South Africa), PLOS One, 1-Jun-2026. 10.1371/journal.pone.0347480 

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University of Central Florida—At Kurd Qaburstan, an ancient site in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, archaeologists have uncovered the first substantial group of cuneiform administrative tablets found in the Erbil region, along with evidence of large-scale destruction, mass graves and citywide fortifications. Together, the discoveries are providing one of the clearest archaeological records yet uncovered of siege warfare and urban life during the Middle Bronze Age. 

“Our 2025 research produced clear archaeological evidence linking the site to the siege of Qabra, beginning with the first significant group of cuneiform tablets found on the Erbil Plain,” says Tiffany Earley-Spadoni, associate professor of history at the University of Central Florida and director of the Kurd Qaburstan project. “Several tablets are dated within days of each other, matching the timeline of the city’s fall.” 
 
The project is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and conducted in partnership with the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Heritage in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The funded excavations took place during two summer seasons in 2024 and 2025. 

A Lost Archive Emerges  

Researchers recovered 20 cuneiform tablets and more than 100 administrative sealings from destruction layers within the Lower Town East Palace (FIG 1). The artifacts are being studied by epigraphers Paul Delnero (Johns Hopkins University) and Parker Zane (Yale University), along with art historian Marian Feldman (Johns Hopkins University). 

The texts include palace administrative records and a letter that may reference a high-ranking official connected to Qabra. Some inscriptions may also correspond to the destruction described on the Victory Stele of Dadusha.  

“Most of the tablets are administrative and provide a snapshot of palace life and the economy of the ancient city,” Earley-Spadoni says. “One tablet appears to have been written by a high-ranking official in ancient Qabra.”  

Evidence of Siege Warfare 

Collapsed structures, burned layers and concentrated debris suggest a coordinated and possibly prolonged assault (FIG 2).  

“The two superimposed destructions match the historical sequence of the siege of Qabra and its conquest by Shamshi Addu,” Earley-Spadoni says. “The charred debris, the large number of ceramic vessels and individuals who met untimely deaths and were buried in the destruction layers, provide the clearest archaeological case of Middle Bronze Age siege warfare yet discovered in northern Mesopotamia.” 

The Human Toll of Conflict 

Within the palace destruction layers, researchers discovered the remains of 17 individuals, studied by bioarchaeologist Andrea Zurek-Ost at Michigan State University (FIG 3). 

“The individuals were not formally buried and had no associated grave goods,” Earley-Spadoni says. “Some appear to have been left where they died, including possible palace workers. One individual was found face down over a stone basin.” 

Researchers also uncovered a preserved street with an engineered drainage system and domestic spaces used for food processing and textile production, pointing to sophisticated infrastructure and economic activity. 

Mapping an Ancient City at Scale 

The team also completed a magnetometer survey covering more than 80 hectares (about 180 acres). The survey, which measures changes in Earth’s magnetic field to detect buried structures, was led by Andrew Creekmore III at the University of Northern Colorado. The survey revealed a monumental wall with bastions encircling the site.  

The fortifications correspond with those depicted on the Victory Stele of Dadusha and support the identification of Kurd Qaburstan as the ancient city of Qabra. 

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Broken vessels and other debris from a destruction layer were preserved east of a monumental mudbrick wall in the Lower Town East Palace at Kurd Qaburstan.  Credit:  Photo by Edward Dandrow/Kurd Qaburstan Project

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The spatial arrangement of human remains recovered from a destruction deposit in the Lower Town East Palace at Kurd Qaburstan.  Credit: Photo by Andrea Zurek-Ost/Kurd Qaburstan Project

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A cuneiform tablet from the Lower Town East palace is shown before and after expert conservation. The tablet is part of a group of administrative texts discovered during excavations at Kurd Qaburstan. Credit: Photo by Carmen Gütschow/Kurd Qaburstan Project

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Rewriting the Story of Northern Mesopotamia  

Mesopotamia is often associated with southern cities like Uruk, long viewed as the center of early urban civilization. Discoveries at Kurd Qaburstan are helping highlight the value of northern cities, Earley-Spadoni says. 

“The evidence from Kurd Qaburstan shows that northern cities could be large, complex, and politically significant, with administrative systems, fortifications, and infrastructure comparable to those of the best-known southern sites,” she says.  

These discoveries build on a decade of prior excavation at Kurd Qaburstan by Johns Hopkins University, revealing a city long absent from the historical record. 

“Laboratory investigations are underway, including isotopic and ancient DNA analyses of the 17 individuals,” Earley-Spadoni says. “This work will help researchers understand their origins and relationships.” 

Each discovery brings researchers closer to understanding how this ancient city functioned and how it ultimately fell. 

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This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) under Award No. 2344957. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF. Work was conducted with the permission, support, and collaboration of the Directorate-General of Antiquities of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Director-General Kak Kaify Mustafa Ali, and the Erbil Department of Antiquities, Director Kak Nader Babakr. 

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