Lead contamination in ancient Greece points to societal change
Heidelberg geoscientists find the oldest evidence of human-caused contamination with the heavy metal lead in the Aegean region.
Popular Archaeology is a quarterly online magazine exploring the human past, from prehistoric beginnings to the present day. See About Us for more details. Regular subscriptions are FREE. Access to all premium level content (our best articles, including all back-issue premium articles) is only $9.00 annually.
Travel and learn with Far Horizons.
Cover Stories
Ancient DNA analyses bring to life the 11,000-year intertwined genomic history of sheep and humans
Discovery of a unique drainage and irrigation system that gave way to the “Neolithic Revolution” in the Amazon
Forgery and fiscal fraud: a new papyrus from Israel reveals a spectacular criminal case from the Roman empire
Five Ways Technology Assists Archaeologists
The Venetian Republic Offers Powerful Lessons to an American One in Need of Repair
The Venetian Republic’s political system, emerging alongside those of other Italian city-states, was founded on collaboration and power distribution. Its rise and decline highlight the importance of adaptability in the face of shifting global...
Major hoard of Roman-British coins found near Utrecht (the Netherlands)
Discovery confirms crucial role of Lower German Limes in Roman conquest of Britannia.
New evidence suggests early human ancestor presence in Eurasia by at least 2 million years ago
A new chapter in Roman administration: Insights from a late Roman inscription
How Archaeologists Can Solve the Earth’s ‘Wicked Problems’
See the full Cover Articles archive →
Other Stories
Research reveals ancient Maya lessons on surviving drought
Huge variety of plant foods made their starvation unlikely.
Nits on ancient mummies shed light on South American ancestry
New technique means head lice can provide clues about ancient people and migration.
Scientists digitally ‘unwrap’ mummy of pharaoh Amenhotep I for the first time in 3,000 years
Study shows that 21st dynasty restorers ‘lovingly restored’ mummy, dispelling theory that they were bent on reusing old royal burial equipment.
New dates for Viking trade
Solar flare throws light on ancient trade between the Islamic Middle East and the Viking Age.
Humans Reached Remote North Atlantic Islands Centuries Earlier Than Thought
Faroes Settled Well Before Vikings Arrived, Lake Sediments Show.
Mystery solved: Footprints from site A at Laetoli, Tanzania, are from early humans, not bears
Findings provide conclusive evidence that multiple species of hominins co-existed on the landscape.
Volcanic eruptions contributed to collapse of China dynasties
Eruptions create sulfuric acid clouds in the upper atmosphere and can cool the climate.
A Child of darkness
The first partial skull of a child of Homo naledi begins to give us insight into all stages of life of this remarkable species.
More than ceremonial, ancient Chaco Canyon was home, new study says
Early puebloans impacted the ecosystem around Chaco Canyon earlier than previously believed.
