ScienceDaily: Ancient Civilization News

Agriculture in China predates domesticated rice: Discovery of ancient diet shatters conventional ideas of how agriculture emerged

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:57:57 EDT

Archaeologists have made a discovery in southern subtropical China which could revolutionize thinking about how ancient humans lived in the region. They have uncovered evidence for the first time that people living in Xincun 5,000 years ago may have practiced agriculture -- before the arrival of domesticated rice in the region.

Light cast on lifestyle and diet of first New Zealanders

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:57:57 EDT

Scientists have shed new light on the diet, lifestyles and movements of the first New Zealanders by analyzing isotopes from their bones and teeth.

Elephant's Tomb in Carmona may have been a temple to the God Mithras

Fri, 10 May 2013 07:55:55 EDT

The so-called Elephant's Tomb in the Roman necropolis of Carmona (Seville, Spain) was not always used for burials. The original structure of the building and a window through which the sun shines directly in the equinoxes suggest that it was a temple of Mithraism, an unofficial religion in the Roman Empire. The position of Taurus and Scorpio during the equinoxes gives force to the theory.

Justinianic Plague was caused by bacterium Yersinia pestis, DNA of skeletal remains shows

Fri, 10 May 2013 07:54:54 EDT

Ancient DNA analyses of skeletal remains of plague victims from the 6th century AD provide information about the phylogeny and the place of origin of this pandemic.

Secret streets of Britain's 'Atlantis' are revealed

Thu, 09 May 2013 09:11:11 EDT

Archeologists have carried out the most detailed analysis ever of the archaeological remains of the lost medieval town of Dunwich, dubbed ‘Britain’s Atlantis’. Using advanced underwater imaging techniques, the project has produced the most accurate map to date of the town’s streets, boundaries and major buildings, and revealed new ruins on the seabed.

In ancient China, sago palms were major plant food prior to rice cultivation

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:21:21 EDT

Before rice cultivation became prevalent, ancient populations on the southern coast of China likely relied on sago palms as staple plant foods, according to new research.

King Richard III archaeological unit discovers Roman cemetery under car park

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:41:41 EDT

The University of Leicester archaeological unit that discovered King Richard III has spearheaded another dig and discovered a 1,700-old- Roman cemetery -- under another car park in Leicester.

Lake found in Sierra Nevada with the oldest remains of atmospheric contamination in Southern Europe

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:23:23 EDT

Scientists found, in the Laguna de Rio Seco lagoon, at an altitude of 3,020 m., evidence of atmospheric pollution caused by lead and linked to metallurgical activities from 3,900 years ago (Early Bronze Age). Lead pollution increased gradually during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, coinciding with the development and expansion of metallurgy in southern Europe.

Archeologists unearth new information on origins of Maya civilization

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:23:23 EDT

A new study challenges the two prevailing theories on how the ancient Maya civilization began, suggesting its origins are more complex than previously thought. The findings are based on seven years of archaeological excavations at the ancient Maya site of Ceibal in Guatamala.

Ancient DNA reveals Europe's dynamic genetic history

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:40:40 EDT

Ancient DNA recovered from a series of skeletons in central Germany up to 7,500 years old has been used to reconstruct the first detailed genetic history of modern Europe.

Prehistoric metalwork discovered at Iron Age site, along with gaming pieces

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:09:09 EDT

Archaeologists from the University of Leicester in the UK have uncovered one of the biggest groups of Iron Age metal artefacts to be found in the region -- in addition to finding dice and gaming pieces.

Ancient Roman man hidden beneath famous painting at the Louvre

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:46:46 EDT

In the latest achievement in efforts to see what may lie underneath the surface of great works of art, scientists today described the first use of an imaging technology like that used in airport whole-body security scanners to detect the face of an ancient Roman man hidden below the surface of a wall painting in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Research holds revelations about an ancient society's water conservation, purification

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:16:16 EDT

New research at the ancient Maya site of Medicinal Trail in northwestern Belize is revealing how populations in more remote areas -- the hinterland societies -- built reservoirs to conserve water and turned to nature to purify their water supply.

New light shed on ancient Egyptian port and ship graveyard

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 15:07:07 EDT

New research illuminates Thonis-Heracleion, a sunken port-city that served as the gateway to Egypt in the first millennium BC. This obligatory port of entry, known as 'Thonis' by the Egyptians and 'Heracleion' by the Greeks, was where seagoing ships probably unloaded their cargoes to have them assessed by temple officials and taxes extracted before transferring them to Egyptian ships that went upriver.

Research examines ancient Puebloans and the myth of maize

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:24:24 EDT

New research shows that perhaps the ancient Puebloans weren't as into the maize craze as once thought. Nikki Berkebile has been studying the subsistence habits of Puebloans, or Anasazi, who lived on the southern rim of the Grand Canyon in the late 11th century. Traditional ethnographic literature indicates these ancient American Indians were heavily dependent on maize as a food source, but Berkebile isn't so sure about that.

First migration from Africa less than 95,000 years ago: Ancient hunter-gatherer DNA challenges theory of early out-of-Africa migrations

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:48:48 EDT

Recent measurements of the rate at which children show DNA changes not seen in their parents -- the "mutation rate" -- have challenged views about major dates in human evolution. In particular these measurements have made geneticists think again about key dates in human evolution, like when modern non-Africans split from modern Africans. The recent measurements push back the best estimates of these dates by up to a factor of two. Now, however scientists present results that point again to the more recent dates.

Roman mausoleum tested for ancient earthquake damage

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:52:52 EDT

A Roman mausoleum was knocked off-kilter, and the likely cause was an earthquake, according to a new detailed model.

Oxygen-poor 'boring' ocean challenged evolution of early life

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:15:15 EDT

Biogeochemists have filled in a billion-year gap in our understanding of conditions in the early ocean during a critical time in life's history on Earth. During the period 1.8 to 0.8 billion years ago, oxygen likely remained low in the atmosphere and ocean, with marine life dominated by bacteria. The ocean was oxygen-free and iron-rich in the deepest waters and hydrogen sulfide-containing over limited regions on the ocean margins.

Dinosaur-era climate change study suggests reasons for turtle disappearance

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:43:43 EDT

Dramatic climate change was previously proposed to be responsible for the disappearance of turtles 71-million-years ago, because they were considered to be "climate-sensitive" animals. Results of this research, however, show that the disappearance of turtles came before the climate cooled and instead closely corresponds to habitat disturbances, which was the disappearance of wetlands.

Earliest tobacco use in Pacific Northwest discovered

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:10:10 EDT

Native American hunter-gatherers living more than a thousand years ago in what is now northwestern California ate salmon, acorns and other foods, and now we know they also smoked tobacco -- the earliest known usage in the Pacific Northwest, according to a new study.

Mummy CT scans show preindustrial hunter gatherers had clogged arteries

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:15:15 EDT

Like nearly 4.6 million Americans, ancient hunter-gatherers also suffered from clogged arteries, revealing that the plaque build-up causing blood clots, heart attacks and strokes is not just a result of fatty diets or couch potato habits.

Evolution and the ice age

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 13:52:52 EST

Scientists are discovering how the evolution of ecosystems has to be taken into account when speculating between different geological eras. Go back to the time of the dinosaurs or to the single-celled organisms at the origins of life, and it is obvious that ecosystems existing more than 65 million years ago and around four billion years ago cannot be simply surmised from those of today.

Ancient teeth bacteria record disease evolution

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 13:41:41 EST

DNA preserved in calcified bacteria on the teeth of ancient human skeletons has shed light on the health consequences of the evolving diet and behavior from the Stone Age to the modern day.

Ancient insects shed light on biodiversity

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:20:20 EST

Evolutionary biologists have discovered that modern tropical mountains' diversity patterns extended up into Canada about 50 million years ago. Their findings confirm an influential theory about change in modern species diversity across mountains, and provide evidence that global biodiversity was greater in ancient times than now.

King Richard III? World's first image of Grey Friars skull unveiled

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 21:24:24 EST

Did this head once bear the English Crown? Researchers have just unveiled the world's first photograph of the human remains found at the Grey Friars church -- which could be that of King Richard III.

Aztec conquest altered genetics among early Mexico inhabitants, new DNA study shows

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:52:52 EST

For centuries, the fate of the original Otomi inhabitants of Xaltocan, the capital of a pre-Aztec Mexican city-state, has remained unknown. Researchers have long wondered whether they assimilated with the Aztecs or abandoned the town altogether. According to new anthropological research, the answers may lie in DNA.

Ovarian tumor, with teeth and a bone fragment inside, found in a Roman-age skeleton

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:14:14 EST

A team of researchers has found the first ancient remains of a calcified ovarian teratoma, in the pelvis of the skeleton of a woman from the Roman era. The find confirms the presence in antiquity of this type of tumor -- formed by the remains of tissues or organs, which are difficult to locate during the examination of ancient remains. Inside the small round mass, four teeth and a small piece of bone were found.

Sex of early birds suggests dinosaur reproductive style: New way to identify gender of ancient avian species

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 11:16:16 EST

Paleontologists have discovered a way to determine the sex of a prehistoric bird species. Confuciusornis sanctus, a 125-million-year-old Mesozoic bird, had remarkable differences in plumage -- some had long, almost body length ornamental tail feathers, others had none -- features that have been interpreted as the earliest example of avian courtship. However, the idea that male Confuciusornis birds had ornamental plumage, and females did not, has not been proven until now.

A relative from the Tianyuan Cave: Humans living 40,000 years ago likely related to many present-day Asians and Native Americans

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:18:18 EST

Ancient DNA has revealed that humans living some 40,000 years ago in the area near Beijing were likely related to many present-day Asians and Native Americans.

War was central to Minoan civilization of Crete, contrary to popular belief

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 10:15:15 EST

Researchers have discovered that the ancient civilization of Crete, known as Minoan, had strong martial traditions, contradicting the commonly held view of Minoans as a peace-loving people.

Archaeologists unearth more than 300 prehistoric clay figurines in Greece

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 08:22:22 EST

Archaeologists studying a Neolithic archaeological site in central Greece have helped unearth over 300 clay figurines, one of the highest density for such finds in south-eastern Europe.

Terrace farming unearthed at ancient desert city of Petra

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:04:04 EST

New archaeological research dates the heyday of terrace farming at the ancient desert city of Petra to the first century. This development led to an explosion of agricultural activity, increasing the city's strategic significance as a military prize for the Roman Empire.

Maya scholar debunks world-ending myth

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:38:38 EST

As we hurtle toward the end of 2012, the conversation about a certain date with roots in an ancient Maya calendar has reached a fever pitch. Dec. 21, 2012, has taken over popular culture this year: It's been the subject of movies, books and news shows. The date and its supposed prophecy that the world will come to an end has been the subject of water cooler conversations and international media attention. But the truth regarding the date, according to renowned Maya scholar David Stuart, is that the day is indeed meaningful -- but not in the way you might think.

Study of pipestone artifacts overturns a century-old assumption

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 12:15:15 EST

In a new study, the first to actually test pipestone from quarries across the upper Midwest, researchers conclude that those who buried ceremonial pipes in a famous mound site in southeastern Ohio got the stone – and perhaps even the finished, carved pipes – from Illinois. The findings offer new insight into the Hopewell people, who lived in the region from about 100 B.C. to A.D. 400.

Crisis in Syria has Mesopotamian precedent, experts say

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:19:19 EST

New research has revealed intriguing parallels between modern day and Bronze-Age Syria as the Mesopotamian region underwent urban decline, government collapse, and drought.

Dead guts spill history of extinct microbes: Fecal samples from archeological sites reveal evolution of human gut microbes

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:56:56 EST

Extinct microbes in fecal samples from archaeological sites across the world resemble those found in present-day rural African communities more than they resemble the microbes found in the gut of cosmopolitan US adults, according to new research.

Chemical analysis reveals first cheese-making in Northern Europe 7,000 years ago

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 13:40:40 EST

Archeologists have the first unequivocal evidence that humans in prehistoric Northern Europe made cheese more than 7,000 years ago.

Roman settlement and possible prehistoric site uncovered in northern Italy

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:35:35 EST

Using archaeological expertise and modern technology, archeologists recently discovered a Roman settlement and possible prehistoric site in northern Italy.

Mining ancient ores for clues to early life

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:35:35 EST

An analysis of sulfide ore deposits from one of the world's richest base-metal mines confirms oxygen levels were extremely low on Earth 2.7 billion years ago, but also shows that microbes were actively feeding on sulfate in the ocean and influencing seawater chemistry during that geological period. The research provides new insight into how ancient metal-ore deposits can be used to better understand the chemistry of the ancient oceans -- and the early evolution of life.

First harbor of ancient Rome rediscovered

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 08:06:06 EST

Archaeologists had unearthed the great ancient monuments of Ostia, but the location of the harbor which supplied Rome with wheat remained to be discovered. Thanks to sedimentary cores, this "lost" harbor has finally been located northwest of the city of Ostia, on the left bank of the mouth of the Tiber.

Genome of the Black Death reveals evidence for an Antique Bubonic Plague pandemic

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 09:31:31 EST

Researchers have compared medieval and modern plague pathogens. In a comparison of more than 300 contemporary strains of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, with ancient bacterial DNA isolated from victims of the Black Death (1347 -- 1351), a team led by researchers at University of Tuebingen obtained evidence suggestive of a bubonic plague outbreak in the late antique period (8th to 10th centuries AD). The study raises strong suspicions that the plague of Justinian, a massive pandemic that is thought to be in part responsible for the collapse of the East Roman Empire, may have been caused by the same bacterium implicated in the Black Death.

Archaeologists discover shipwrecks, ancient harbor on coast of Israel

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 16:22:22 EST

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a fleet of early-19th century ships and ancient harbor structures from the Hellenistic period at the city of Akko, one of the major ancient ports of the eastern Mediterranean. The findings shed light on a period of history that is little known and point to how and where additional remains may be found.

Archaeologists identify oldest spear points: Used in hunting half-million years ago

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:15:15 EST

A collaborative study found that human ancestors were making stone-tipped weapons 500,000 years ago at the South African archaeological site of Kathu Pan 1 -- 200,000 years earlier than previously thought.

Archaeologists identify spear tips used in hunting a half-million years ago

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:15:15 EST

Anthropologists have found evidence that human ancestors used stone-tipped weapons for hunting 500,000 years ago – 200,000 years earlier than previously thought. Hafted spear tips are common in Stone Age archaeological sites after 300,000 years ago. This new study shows that they were also used in the early Middle Pleistocene, a period associated with Homo heidelbergensis and the last common ancestor of Neandertals and modern humans.

Science of the search for Richard III

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:29:29 EST

The complexity of tests being performed on Grey Friars skeleton mean answers will not come overnight.

Desecrated ancient temple sheds light on early power struggles at Tel Beth-Shemesh

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:56:56 EST

In a finding unparalleled in the archaeological record, researchers have uncovered evidence of the desecration of a sacred temple at the excavation of Tel Beth-Shemesh in Israel.

Researchers unlock ancient Maya secrets with modern soil science

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 09:07:07 EST

Soil scientists and archeologists have uncovered evidence that the Maya grew corn sustainably in the lowlands of Tikal, Guatemala, but that they may also have farmed erosion-prone slopes over time.

Grey Friars female skeleton is possibly of founder

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 10:14:14 EDT

Archaeologists leading the analysis of human remains found in the search for Richard III have commented on the second skeleton found at the Church of Grey Friars in Leicester.

Mummy unwrapping brought Egyptology to the public

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:42:42 EDT

Public “unwrappings” of real mummified human remains performed by both showmen and scientists heightened the fascination, but also helped develop the growing science of Egyptology, says a historian.

Most ancient pottery prehistoric figurine of the Iberian Peninsula found in Begues

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 08:46:46 EDT

In the course of the excavation process in Can Sadurní cave (Begues), archeologists found the torso, with one complete arm and the initial part of the other, of a human figurine made of pottery. It is the most ancient human figurine that has been found in Catalonia and is approximately 6500 years old.

Complete mitochondrial genome sequences of ancient New Zealanders

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:25:25 EDT

Scientists have sequenced complete mitochondrial genomes for members of what was likely to be one of the first groups of Polynesians to settle New Zealand and have revealed a surprising degree of genetic variation among these pioneering voyagers.

Want the shortest path to the good life? Try cynicism

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 11:35:35 EDT

A classics professor sheds new light on the philosophy of the ancient Cynics. They actually held values they viewed as a shortcut to happiness.

Archaeologists to mount new expedition to troy

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:15:15 EDT

Troy, the palatial city of prehistory, sacked by the Greeks through trickery and a fabled wooden horse, will be excavated anew beginning in 2013 by a cross-disciplinary team of archaeologists and other scientists, it was announced today (Monday, Oct. 15).

Spanish researchers find the exact spot where Julius Caesar was stabbed

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:21:21 EDT

Several ancient Roman texts describe the assassination of Julius Caesar in Rome, at the Curia of Pompey in 44 BC, which was the result of a plot among a group of senators to eliminate the General. This fact led to the formation of the second triumvirate and to the final outbreak of civil wars. Now, 2,056 years later, a team of researchers from the Spanish National Research Council has found the exact plot where the military man was stabbed.

Tomb of Maya queen K'abel discovered in Guatemala

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:14:14 EDT

Archaeologists in Guatemala have discovered the tomb of Lady K'abel, a seventh-century Maya Holy Snake Lord considered one of the great queens of Classic Maya civilization. The tomb was discovered during excavations of the royal Maya city of El Perú-Waka' in northwestern Petén, Guatemala.

Egyptian toe tests show they're likely to be the world's oldest prosthetics

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:15:15 EDT

The results of scientific tests using replicas of two ancient Egyptian artificial toes, including one that was found on the foot of a mummy, suggest that they're likely to be the world's first prosthetic body parts.

Prehistoric builders reveal trade secrets: Long-overlooked museum fossil is clue to vanished skills of prehistoric animal architects

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 09:23:23 EDT

A fossil which has lain in a museum drawer for over a century has been recognized by a geologist as a unique clue to the long-lost skills of some of the most sophisticated animal architects that have ever lived on this planet.

La Bastida unearths 4,200-year-old fortification, unique in continental Europe

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 09:15:15 EDT

Archaeological excavations carried out this year at the site of La Bastida (Totana, Murcia) have shed light on an imposing fortification system, unique for its time. The discovery, together with all other discoveries made in recent years, reaffirm that the city was the most advanced settlement in Europe in political and military terms during the Bronze Age (ca. 4,200 years ago -- 2,200 BCE), and is comparable only to the Minoan civilization of Crete.

Ancient tooth may provide evidence of early human dentistry

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 19:09:09 EDT

Researchers may have uncovered new evidence of ancient dentistry in the form of a 6,500-year-old human jaw bone with a tooth showing traces of beeswax filling.

Dictionary completed on language used everyday in ancient Egypt

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:50:50 EDT

A dictionary of thousands of words chronicling the everyday lives of people in ancient Egypt -- including what taxes they paid, what they expected in a marriage and how much work they had to do for the government -- has been completed by scholars at the University of Chicago.