3,500-Year-Old Burial Discovered in Sudan

KERMA, SUDAN—A burial from the Kerma culture, dated by radiocarbon to between 1775 and 1609 B.C., has been uncovered in Sudan’s Bayuda Desert, once part of ancient Nubia. The discovery was made by a team including Monika Badura and Henryk Paner from the Gdańsk Archaeological Museum.

The grave contained the remains of a robust man, approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall. His lumbar vertebrae were flattened and his left ankle showed changes consistent with heavy physical labor. Thickening of his skull suggests he may have suffered malnutrition, disease, or trauma during his life.

Two clay vessels were also found. One was an upside-down bowl, a common feature in Kerma burials, which researchers suggest may symbolize the “emptying of life” from the vessel and the body. The other vessel, more unusual, had a black stripe and contained traces of fire, animal bones, coprolites, and insects, indicating a burial ritual that involved fire and possibly feasting, according to Paner.

Additionally, 82 faience disk-shaped beads were discovered near the man’s neck. These beads, likely acquired through Nubia’s extensive trade networks, reflect the social connections and material wealth of the period.

A New Study Revealed the Secret Origin of One of America’s Most Mysterious Monuments

Poverty Point, a 3,500-year-old earthen mound, is a well-researched UNESCO World Heritage Site, but a pair of studies re-examines its original purpose.

Poverty Point, located north of New Orleans, is an archaeological site believed to have been a major trading center between roughly 1700 B.C.E. and 1100 B.C.E. A new study suggests that the massive 1.5-square-mile site was built by an egalitarian hunter-gatherer society, challenging earlier ideas that such monumental earthworks required hierarchical leadership. The discovery of artifacts from across the Midwest and Southeast supports the view that Poverty Point functioned as a significant trade hub.

Around 1,500 B.C.E., major civilizations were emerging worldwide. Ancient Egypt was entering its New Kingdom, the Hittites were establishing themselves in the Middle East, the Shang Dynasty rose in China, and the Olmecs appeared in what is now Mexico. At the same time, hunter-gatherers in the Lower Mississippi Valley about 350 miles from the river’s mouth were constructing one of the oldest and most impressive earthwork complexes in the Americas.

Today known as Poverty Point a name originating from a 19th-century plantation nearby this 3,500-year-old site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its scale is remarkable: the ancient builders moved the equivalent of 140,000 dump trucks of soil, accomplishing this feat without the use of horses or wheels.

LiDAR survey leads to unexpected castle discovery

A previously unknown medieval castle has been uncovered in Switzerland’s canton of Thurgau after researchers examined high-resolution LiDAR maps. The structure was spotted in the Töbeli area when archaeologists noticed two small plateaus surrounded by steep ditches classic signs of a motte-and-bailey castle, an early medieval design.

Motte-and-bailey castles first appeared across northern Europe from the 10th century onward, especially in regions like Normandy and Anjou in France. They were relatively easy to construct using untrained workers. The design featured a raised earth mound called a motte, topped with a wooden or stone tower, alongside one or more enclosed courtyards, known as baileys.

After identifying the site through LiDAR, the Thurgau cantonal archaeology office carried out a licensed survey. Excavations uncovered a small piece of pottery, several iron objects, and three medieval arrowheads.

Historical records mention a castle at Töbeli that was destroyed in 1079 during a conflict involving Abbot Eckehard II of Reichenau and Abbot Ulrich III of St. Gallen. The Lords of Ittingen later rebuilt it, but the exact location was never clearly recorded.

For years, archaeologists have debated where the Ittingen stronghold actually stood, considering three main locations: the Chrüzbuck castle mound in Warth-Weiningen, the grounds of the modern Ittingen Charterhouse, and the newly identified site at Töbeli.

Adding to the uncertainty, a papal document from 1152 granted the Ittingen brothers permission to establish a monastery “on their castle,” implying that parts of the original fortification may have once stood on the land where the Charterhouse is now located.

For the moment, the Thurgau Office of Archaeology has decided not to disturb the area further, keeping the site protected for later study. The artifacts recovered during the survey are now being conserved and will be examined in greater detail by experts.

DNA Analysis Reveals Two Routes Ancient Humans Used to Reach Australia

A new genomic study suggests that the first humans reached the landmass now known as Australia about 60,000 years ago and that they arrived by two different routes.

Exactly when people first set foot on the continent has long been debated. Some earlier genetic research pointed to an arrival between 45,000 and 50,000 years ago, while other evidence has hinted that humans may have been present as early as 65,000 years ago. The latest findings, based on nearly 2,500 mitochondrial DNA samples from Indigenous groups across Australia, New Guinea, Oceania, and Southeast Asia, lend stronger support to the earlier date and show that migration into the region was not the result of one single journey.

During the Pleistocene, Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea formed a single connected landmass known as Sahul. These areas remained joined until sea levels rose about 9,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age.

Archaeogeneticist Martin Richards and his team at the University of Huddersfield studied DNA mutation rates and genetic links between modern and ancient populations to map out these early movements. They also compared their genetic findings with archaeological discoveries and climate records.

Their work indicates that people reached Sahul by following two major routes from the ancient Southeast Asian landmass called Sunda. One path led travellers through Malaysia, Java, and Timor, bringing them into Sahul west of where the city of Darwin is today. These are described as the “southern route lineages.”

A second stream of migration the “northern route lineages” can be traced through the islands stretching from the Philippines and Sulawesi to Papua New Guinea, eventually entering Sahul through the northern tip of what is now Queensland.

Map showing the continental shelves of Sunda, Sahul, and the Western Pacific. Orange arrows represent southern route lineages; blue arrows represent northern route lineages.

Richards told New Scientist journalist James Woodford that both migration waves appear to have occurred at roughly the same time about 60,000 years ago. This finding, he said, supports the “long chronology” for the settlement of Australia, rather than the “short chronology,” which places human arrival between 45,000 and 50,000 years ago.

According to the team’s estimates, around 36% of the earliest genetic lineages come from people who entered Australia through the northern route, while about 64% can be traced to those who followed the southern route.

The study also indicates that some of the first groups moving along the northern route did not stay in Sahul. Instead, they continued on to the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands shortly after arriving.

Because of this extended movement, the authors explain that most surviving genetic lineages in ancient Sahul and the broader region of Near Oceania descend from ancestors who traveled through the northern portion of the now-submerged Sunda continent and northern Wallacea roughly 60,000 years ago.

However, a smaller share of overall lineages — but nearly two-thirds of those found specifically in Australia — originated from people who arrived via the southern route, moving through southern Sunda.

The researchers add that ancient DNA from southern Asia and Sahul remains scarce, and obtaining more samples would help clarify the timing and details of these early migrations.

Humanity’s history of eating ‘processed’ food goes back much farther than you would thinkld think

Researchers say processing plant foods was key to human spread across globe

Archaeologists argue that the belief our early ancestors lived solely on meat and that modern “carnivore” diets reflect ancient eating habits is incorrect.

Evidence now shows that humans have been preparing and consuming plant-based foods far earlier than once believed, gaining significant nutritional advantages along the way.

The latest findings challenge the idea of strictly “palaeolithic meat-eaters,” revealing that early humans used a wide variety of plant resources. They gathered, stored, and ate ground nuts, as well as cooked starchy roots and tubers.

By examining multiple studies on ancient plant use, researchers found that sophisticated plant processing played a major role in the global expansion of early human populations.

Plant-based diets were not a late development tied to farming. Archaeological discoveries from many regions indicate that our ancestors were grinding wild seeds, preparing tubers, and removing toxins from bitter nuts thousands of years before agriculture emerged.

Archaeological sites that show direct evidence of early processed plant food use.

Researchers explain that the human body is not built to rely heavily on protein for energy. The liver can only regulate a small amount of amino acids the components of protein  in the bloodstream. Because of this, eating too much meat can lead to “protein poisoning.”

They note that this biological limit creates an upper “protein ceiling” of roughly 250–300 grams per day. Plant-based foods, therefore, are not just sources of key nutrients and easily absorbed carbohydrates; they also provide the extra calories humans need beyond protein alone.

The research team examined fossils containing unusually large amounts of charred grass grains, including wild cereals and various small-seeded grasses. They also uncovered evidence of early food-processing methods such as cooking, pounding, and grinding.

These techniques made plant foods easier to digest and more flavorful, while also helping release more nutrients and energy from them.

Further findings came from the shores of the Sea of Galilee, at the 23,000-year-old site of Ohalo II, where over 150,000 plant fossils were preserved. These remains show that early humans were collecting and processing plant foods long before the rise of agriculture.

According to the researchers, the ability to prepare plant foods allowed early humans to tap into essential calories and nutrients and thrive in diverse environments around the world. It highlights that our species developed as resourceful, tool-using foragers who could turn a wide range of plants into nourishing meals.

Full summary published of 18 years of Stonehenge digs

Stonehenge Visitor Centre seen from a distance.

Reconstructed Neolithic dwellings at Stonehenge Visitor Centre.

Wessex Archaeology has released the full results of nearly 20 years of excavations conducted as part of the effort to find a suitable location for the Stonehenge visitor centre.

The fieldwork — carried out between 1990 and 2008 on behalf of English Heritage, Historic England, and the National Trust — aimed to identify a placement for the new facility that would not disturb archaeologically sensitive areas.

As archaeologists surveyed the wider Stonehenge landscape, they eliminated several proposed sites and recorded numerous features that offered fresh insight into millennia of human activity around the monument.

Among the newly published findings are Neolithic pits and the remains of a previously unidentified medieval structure. Although these discoveries were made years earlier, they have now been fully analysed, written up, and made publicly available for the first time.

The complete report, The Archaeology of the Stonehenge Visitor Centre, is accessible for free through Wessex Archaeology’s Open Library.

The organisation has also released project photographs, provided by English Heritage, and can supply captions and credits upon request. A statement from co-author Matt Leivers is available as well.

The book can be viewed through the Open Library here: https://wessexarchaeologylibrary.org/plugins/books/96/

Tunnel discovered under dilapidated Zamindar house in Rajshahi

An underground tunnel has been uncovered beneath an old residence once owned by the Dighapatia Zamindar family in Rajshahi.

The hidden passageway came to light on Tuesday as the structure was being torn down, according to Mahabub Siddiqui, founder of the heritage group Heritage Rajshahi.

The property was originally built by Sandeep Kumar Roy, son of Raja Hemendra Kumar Roy of Dighapatia. The grounds contain two single-storey buildings on either side, a two-storey structure at the back, and a large tree at the front.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Mohinul Islam confirmed that the property is classified as vested land. Since it had deteriorated significantly, the district administration auctioned it off for Tk 1,52,000. The tunnel was discovered once the new owner began demolition.

Water pooled inside the passage has since been drained, and pumps have been set up to accelerate the process. Early observations suggest the tunnel may branch off into another hidden corridor.

Poet and researcher Tasikul Islam criticised the decision to auction the site without first evaluating its archaeological importance.

He explained that after Bangladesh’s independence, the government had leased the property to language movement activist Monwara Rahman, who ran a women’s crafting centre there. Her husband, M Ataur Rahman—a key figure in the anti-British movement, the Tebhaga movement, and the Liberation War—also lived in the house, as did educator ANM Saleh.

Mahabub called the demolition “deeply regrettable,” stressing the historical value of the Dighapatia Zamindar family.
“There should have been consultation with historians before reaching such a decision,” he said.

He added that letters have already been sent to the assistant commissioner and the Department of Archaeology. If the tunnel proves to have archaeological significance, the site may be protected.

A five-member team has inspected the tunnel at the district administration’s request, said Khondaker Shamsul Arifin, deputy registrar of the Varendra Museum.

“We’ve taken several photographs and will now report to our officials. They will determine whether the site merits preservation,” he said.

Arifin believes the tunnel likely dates to the British colonial era, possibly built as a cooling system for the house. He noted that similar subterranean structures have been found elsewhere in the region.

Archaeologists Found a 4,000-Year-Old Handprint That Was Never Meant to Be Seen

The hand print was likely left by an Egyptian potter on an ancient structure used in burial practices.

Roughly 4,000 years ago, an ancient Egyptian potter left a full handprint on the bottom of a clay “soul house” used in a burial. At the time, the mark would likely have gone unnoticed, as potters did not hold high status in society. Today, however, this rare handprint is set to be part of a new fall display at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.

Helen Strudwick, curator of the Made in Ancient Egypt exhibit and senior Egyptologist at the museum, explained that while fingerprints are sometimes seen on coffins or in wet varnish, finding a complete handprint beneath a soul house is exceptional. The mark was left by the maker before the clay dried, capturing a direct, personal connection to the object.

The soul house itself is a small structure shaped like a building with an open courtyard, designed to hold food offerings in tombs. These miniature installations served as symbolic offering sites and resting places, reflecting ancient Egyptian burial practices and beliefs in the afterlife.

Glass walkway for hidden Roman mosaic could hold more than 500kg

The glass walkway is designed to support exceptionally heavy loads, reportedly able to bear the weight of a rare breed of rhinoceros, ensuring visitor safety while showcasing the mosaic.

The Roman mosaic, discovered in 2022 at Red Lion Yard, had been planned for public display, but the project was delayed for several years. In October, plans for the installation were submitted by Colchester and Ipswich Museums director Frank Hargrave and received approval this month.

Once completed, the 150-square-metre exhibit near Unit 12 will feature lighting and a glazed pavement, allowing visitors to walk over and view the mosaic safely while preserving the ancient artwork beneath.

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History - the Roman Mosaic

Planning documents provide further specifics on the glass walkway installation and its load-bearing capacity.

The documents state that the glazed panels are designed to withstand a 500 kg load, ensuring that people using mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs can safely traverse the glass pavement. The panels will be slip-resistant, with a Pendulum Test Value (PTV) of 36 or higher. The walkway’s structure will include steel flanges bolted together, topped by a cast concrete slab with a minimum 50 mm high, 150 mm wide upstand to support the heavy glazed panels.

Martin Leatherdale, boss of Red Lion Shopping Centre, noted that the installation may actually support up to 1,000 kg. For context, 500 kg is roughly the weight of a Sumatran rhinoceros, an endangered species weighing between 500 kg and 960 kg, according to the conservation charity Save The Rhino.

Beautiful - the Roman mosaic

The installation will also feature an LED lighting and ventilation system designed by Johns Slater and Haward Chartered Building Services Consultants.

The LED lights will be positioned around the perimeter of the mosaic’s enclosure, angled to illuminate the mosaic’s surface effectively. Power will be drawn from the Landlord’s supply at Red Lion Yard.

The ventilation system is intended to promote air movement over the mosaic, helping to manage moisture levels. According to the planning documents, this is necessary because ground moisture and salts are likely to affect the mosaic if left unchecked.

2022 - The dig site

The planning documents note that without proper airflow, the enclosure could reach high levels of relative humidity, eventually causing condensation on both the mosaic and the enclosure structure. This environment could promote microbiological growth, which would damage the mosaic over time.

To address this, the documents recommend ventilation to reduce humidity. While this may increase moisture evaporation through the mosaic, potentially causing additional salt activity and deterioration of the tesserae, routine conservation and periodic inspections are expected to manage these effects.

A Colchester Council spokesperson stated that the project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026, with work required to begin within three years before planning permission expires.

8,500-Year-Old Mirror Unearthed at Canhasan in Central Türkiye

Symbolism and Craftsmanship

The 8,500-year-old obsidian mirror adds a fascinating layer to our understanding of Neolithic symbolic life. Its polished surface reflects advanced techniques in stone working, while its likely ritual or personal use hints at complex social and cultural practices. Alongside the mirror, archaeologists recovered finely incised obsidian tools, showcasing both aesthetic skill and functional precision.

“These artifacts reveal that early Neolithic communities at Canhasan were not only technologically proficient but also engaged in symbolic expression,” Baysal notes. “The mirror, in particular, may have served as a medium for ritual, identity, or status within the settlement.”

A Window into Daily Life

The combination of the street system and the crafted artifacts paints a detailed picture of life at Canhasan. The settlement’s organized layout implies coordinated communal activity, while the presence of high-quality obsidian items indicates specialized craftsmanship and possibly trade networks, as obsidian would have been sourced from nearby volcanic regions.

Overall, the discoveries at Canhasan provide a rare glimpse into how early Neolithic people balanced functional urban planning with cultural and symbolic expression, highlighting the sophistication of communities in central Türkiye over 8,000 years ago.

These discoveries align Canhasan with other early Neolithic centers like Aşıklı Höyük, Boncuklu Höyük, and Pınarbaşı, which collectively map out the cultural transformation that climaxed at Çatalhöyük, one of the world’s best-preserved Neolithic megasites.

8,500-Year-Old Mirror Unearthed at Canhasan.

Trade and Connectivity

The obsidian artifacts at Canhasan also shed light on early Neolithic trade and resource networks. Obsidian, sourced from nearby volcanic regions, was highly prized for both its functional and aesthetic qualities. Its presence in Canhasan indicates not only local craftsmanship but also access to raw materials and exchange networks within the Anatolian highlands.

“These artifacts demonstrate that Canhasan was part of a broader web of Neolithic communities, exchanging materials, techniques, and cultural practices,” Baysal explains. “The combination of functional tools and symbolic objects points to a society that valued both utility and meaning.”

A Glimpse into Early Neolithic Life

Together, the street system, polished mirror, and incised arrowheads offer a comprehensive picture of daily and ritual life at Canhasan. The settlement reflects an early stage of urban planning, specialized craftsmanship, and cultural sophistication—highlighting the ingenuity and social complexity of central Türkiye’s Neolithic communities.

Obsidian, valued for its sharp edges and glasslike sheen, was widely used across the ancient Near East for toolmaking, ritual objects, and long-distance trade.

Rewriting the Story of Central Anatolia’s Neolithic Culture

For decades, Çatalhöyük has dominated academic and public attention as the heart of Central Anatolia’s Neolithic world. Its murals, figurines, and complex architecture have shaped global narratives about early farming societies.

But Baysal emphasizes that this story is incomplete. “Up until now, we have learned only the Çatalhöyük chapter of this cultural evolution,” he states.

Rethinking Neolithic Innovation

Canhasan’s discoveries reshape our understanding of early Neolithic societies in Central Anatolia. Rather than seeing technological and symbolic sophistication as emerging suddenly in large settlements, Canhasan demonstrates a gradual accumulation of skills, rituals, and planning over millennia.

The polished obsidian mirror, incised arrowheads, and 10,000-year-old street layout reveal a community that combined practical toolmaking with symbolic expression and early urban organization. This combination highlights how craft specialization, trade networks, and social complexity developed hand in hand.

By linking earlier sites such as Aşıklı Höyük and Boncuklu Höyük to later centers like Çatalhöyük, Canhasan provides a vital missing chapter in the story of how early humans transitioned from scattered agricultural villages to organized proto-urban societies, emphasizing continuity, innovation, and cultural connectivity in prehistoric Central Anatolia.

A New Chapter for Anatolia’s Deep Past

As excavations continue, researchers hope to uncover additional evidence that will illuminate the daily lives, rituals, and technological capabilities of Canhasan’s earliest inhabitants. Each new discovery adds depth to the story of how the world’s first settled societies organized themselves, shaped their tools, and expressed their identities.

For now, the obsidian mirror stands as a brilliant reminder—both literally and metaphorically—of the ingenuity and creativity of the Neolithic peoples who once lived in the high plains of Central Anatolia.

Ancient Rock Paintings Hidden in Texas Canyons Reveal a 6,000-Year-Old Artistic and Spiritual Tradition

Ancient murals in Texas reveal a 4,000-year story of faith, art, and survival

The murals depict humans engaged in hunting, ritual, and daily activities alongside a wide array of animals, including deer, bighorn sheep, and birds. The consistency of style and iconography over millennia suggests a deeply rooted cultural tradition, with knowledge and techniques passed down across countless generations.

Analyses of the pigments indicate the use of locally sourced minerals mixed with organic binders, demonstrating not only artistic skill but also an intimate understanding of available natural resources. The radiocarbon dates show that some paintings were created as early as 4,000 BCE, making them among the oldest known examples of sustained pictorial expression in North America.

This discovery sheds light on the social and spiritual life of the ancient peoples of the Lower Pecos region, emphasizing continuity, cultural identity, and the enduring power of visual storytelling.

An example of Pecos River-style artworks depicting a human-like figure holding a black spear thrower, with a dart in one hand and red darts and a staff in the other hand.

The study highlights the remarkable continuity and precision of the Pecos River style over thousands of years. Each mural was not a random accumulation of images but a carefully composed “visual manuscript,” reflecting a shared system of symbols and storytelling that persisted across generations.

The use of consistent layering techniques and pigment sequences indicates that the artists followed established conventions, likely taught through apprenticeships or communal instruction. This deliberate method allowed large, complex murals—sometimes spanning over 100 feet—to convey coherent narratives about cosmology, hunting practices, and social life.

Ultimately, the research underscores how the Lower Pecos Canyonlands’ murals are not only artistic masterpieces but also enduring records of the intellectual and spiritual sophistication of the region’s ancient hunter-gatherer communities.

This photomicrograph, taken at Halo Shelter, shows the yellow over red over black paint layers. The black was applied first, then the red, then the yellow. 

The research highlights the deep spiritual significance of the murals. Over 175 generations, artists adhered to consistent rules of composition, paint layering, and iconography, demonstrating a remarkable cultural continuity.

Recurring motifs—such as human-like figures holding spears or staffs, animal hybrids, and “power bundles” extending from the arms—persisted even as environmental conditions, tools, and daily life evolved.

The Lower Pecos Canyonlands emerge as a sacred landscape, repeatedly revisited for ritual purposes. From an Indigenous perspective, these murals are not merely ancient art—they are living entities. They are regarded as sentient ancestral deities, actively participating in creation and the ongoing maintenance of the cosmos.

More characteristic designs of the Pecos River-style tradition, examples of which are found across the Lower Pecos Canyonlands.

The Lower Pecos region has inadvertently preserved an extraordinary cultural archive. Its dry, stable climate protected the pigments on limestone walls, keeping the organic binders intact and enabling precise radiocarbon dating.

Each mural captures a moment of ritual practice frozen in time. At site 41VV584, one of the oldest murals dated to around 5,400 years ago, an anthropomorphic figure with a “power bundle” spans the wall. Remarkably, at site 41VV1230, one of the youngest murals, similar motifs appear unchanged in form and meaning, despite a 4,000-year interval.

Pecos River style artists incorporated natural features in the rock wall to serve as the eyes and nose of this human-like figure. Like several figures at Halo Shelter, this one has a halo-like headdress and fine lines running vertically down its forehead.

The researchers interpret this remarkable continuity as proof of an enduring Archaic worldview that persisted despite changes in economy, climate, and population. The murals’ consistent imagery, they argue, “guaranteed accurate transmission of this sophisticated metaphysical system” over thousands of years.

Archaeologists Find Stunning Evidence of a Megalithic Network Hidden in Indonesia

A new wave of archaeological research at Mount Tangkil is reshaping understanding of West Java’s ancient landscapes. Recent investigations by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), in collaboration with the Prabu Siliwangi Museum and local researchers, suggest that the forested mountain may contain one of the region’s most significant megalithic sites.

The discovery began earlier this year when a fragment of stone sculpture was identified on the densely vegetated slopes of Mount Tangkil. Preliminary analysis showed that the artifact’s lithic composition closely matches megalithic objects stored in the Prabu Siliwangi Museum. Cultural heritage experts note that the similarities point to a likely shared origin.

Although Mount Tangkil has not yet been designated an official cultural site, scattered discoveries in nearby locations—including a menhir in Tugu Village and similar stone remnants on Mount Karang—support the idea that the area was once part of a broader megalithic network in West Java.

LiDAR Technology Provides Breakthrough Evidence
From 16–20 September 2025, BRIN conducted a LiDAR survey (Light Detection and Ranging) over parts of Mount Tangkil, representing the most advanced investigation of the site to date. The laser-based method, which can penetrate dense forest canopy, revealed previously hidden stone arrangements and surface anomalies.

The newly detected formations strongly suggest deliberate human design. Concentrated stone structures in elevated zones indicate that the area was intentionally organized, likely following environmental patterns suitable for ancient human activity.

The LiDAR data points to four main terrace clusters:

First terrace: fragments of stones, menhirs, a potential statue, and remnants of a stone pathway.

Second terrace: structured stone arrangements resembling traditional dakon layouts.

Third terrace: mounded stones, possible ritual features, and vertical marker stones.

Fourth terrace: elongated stone formations and additional upright stones.

Researchers also detected anomalies believed to be remnants of ancient pathways and terraced platforms, indicating sophisticated land modification.

Researchers also detected anomalies believed to be remnants of ancient pathways and terraced platforms, indicating sophisticated land modification.

BRIN archaeologists conducting research at Mount Tangkil, Cikakak District, Sukabumi Regency, Indonesia

Ceramic Findings Reveal Long-Term Trade Connections
Alongside the stone structures, BRIN’s earlier field surveys uncovered hundreds of ceramic fragments dating from the 10th to 20th centuries. Experts note that these pieces reflect centuries of interaction between the Indonesian archipelago and Chinese maritime traders, suggesting that Mount Tangkil’s surroundings may once have been linked to regional trade routes. This expands the site’s significance beyond purely ritual or ceremonial functions.

“These ceramics provide evidence of extensive economic interaction,” one researcher explained. “They are crucial not only for archaeology but also for understanding the history of regional trade.”

Challenges in a Protected Conservation Area
Further research faces environmental and regulatory limits, as Mount Tangkil lies within the protected Sukawayana nature reserve. Excavation is restricted, and even minor vegetation trimming requires special permission.

“The challenge is that we cannot yet excavate key areas,” said a BRIN researcher. “For now, we are limited to surface analysis and aerial surveys. More coordination with forestry authorities is needed before deeper exploration can proceed.”

Despite these limitations, the site’s preservation offers a unique advantage. “The conservation area means the data has remained largely undisturbed. For archaeological integrity, this is ideal,” the researcher noted.

Academic Interest and Cultural Importance Growing
Scholars are increasingly focused on Mount Tangkil. Some suggest it may be linked to other megalithic centers across West Java, which could make it essential for understanding prehistoric cultural networks in the region.

The mountain also holds ongoing cultural significance for local communities, who maintain ancestral rituals at several points in the area. Researchers argue that these living traditions further support the case for the site’s official recognition.

Recent investigations by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), supported by the Prabu Siliwangi Museum and local researchers, suggest that the forested mountain may hold one of the region’s most significant megalithic sites.

Calls for Cultural Heritage Status Intensify
Given the growing evidence, researchers from BRIN and cultural leaders have formally urged regional and national authorities to recognize Mount Tangkil as a cultural heritage site. “What began as a routine museum verification effort has revealed strong indications of a major archaeological site,” said KH Fajar. “We call on the government to protect Mount Tangkil as cultural heritage.”

BRIN is planning another research phase in early September, which will include drone mapping and expanded LiDAR scanning to refine interpretations of the stone structures and identify potential buried features.

If officially validated and protected, Mount Tangkil could become one of Indonesia’s most significant newly identified megalithic sites, providing valuable insights into ancient engineering, trade networks, and cultural practices that have remained hidden for centuries beneath the dense Sukabumi forest.

The Lady of the Inverted Diadem (7th Century BC): A Fallen Aristocrat Unearthed in Boeotia, Greece

In Boeotia, an archaeological excavation has uncovered the 7th-century BC burial known as the Lady of the Inverted Diadem, offering rare artifacts and revealing new details about elite life and political change in ancient Greece.

Located in the eastern foothills of Lake Kifisída, part of the ancient Kopaïs basin, the site was initially a routine rescue excavation ahead of a photovoltaic park construction. However, it revealed a fortified lakeside settlement and an elite necropolis, shedding light on the period when hereditary kingship was declining and aristocratic rule was emerging.

The excavation was conducted by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Phthiotis and Evrytania, largely funded by the Mytilineos Group through its subsidiary METKA ATE. Led in the field by archaeologist Maria Papageorgiou and her team, the project uncovered a cemetery spanning the Archaic to Classical periods. The findings illuminate the burial practices and daily life of a wealthy lakeside community, while also reflecting the broader political transformations occurring in 7th-century BC Greece.

The burial of the aristocratic woman, known as the Lady of the Inverted Diadem, uncovered in the 7th-century BC necropolis of Boeotia.

A Necropolis Revealed in the “Houses–Sinkhole”

Ancient maps mark the excavation site as Spítia–Katavóthra, meaning “Houses–Sinkhole,” a name that proves fitting. Beneath the surface, archaeologists have uncovered clusters of pit graves, tile-covered burials, and cremation pyres—totaling at least forty tombs so far. The evidence indicates that those interred here were part of a wealthy landowning society with access to luxury goods, skilled artisans, and extensive trade networks.

This necropolis is associated with the remains of a contemporaneous fortified settlement, suggesting a community carefully positioned on the edge of the Kopaïs basin, one of central Greece’s most vital agricultural regions.

Yet among all the discoveries, one grave has seized the imagination of scholars and the public alike: the burial of a woman now known as “the Lady of the Inverted Diadem.”

Bronze diadem band adorned with repoussé pairs of heraldic lions—male and female—symbols of sovereign authority across the ancient Mediterranean.

The Lady of the Inverted Diadem: A Silent Witness to Political Change

Dated to the second half of the 7th century BC, her burial is part of a cluster of three pit graves. Dental analysis indicates she was a young adult woman, likely between 20 and 30 years old. However, it is the extraordinary treatment of her body and the remarkable objects found with her that make this tomb particularly significant.

Resting on her head was a finely crafted bronze diadem, its band decorated with pairs of repoussé lions—both male and female—symbols of authority recognized across the ancient Mediterranean. At the center, a large rosette shaped like a radiant sun once gleamed above her brow, signaling high rank, prestige, and possibly even a connection to royalty.

Yet in a striking and unusual gesture, the diadem was placed upside down, hinting at symbolic or ritual meanings now lost to history.

The lions on the diadem lay upside down, and the central rosette rested at the lower edge rather than crowning her forehead. Across cultures—from ancient times through the medieval period and even into modern ceremonial practices—an inverted crown has often symbolized abdication, the fall of a ruler, or the deliberate removal of authority.

For archaeologists, this deliberate inversion likely reflects a profound political transformation occurring in Boeotia and throughout Greece in the mid-7th century BC, when hereditary kingship was waning and emerging aristocratic elites were consolidating power. The woman interred here may have belonged to a lineage whose authority was being systematically dismantled, with her inverted diadem serving as a striking emblem of a changing social and political order.

At the center of the diadem, a large sun-shaped rosette once gleamed above her forehead, signaling rank, prestige, and a possible royal connection.

Treasures of a High-Born Lineage
The richness of her grave goods highlights her elevated status, with an exceptional collection of bronze and luxury items placed beside her. These included two oversized Boeotian-type fibulae engraved with geometric patterns and stylized horses, a finely crafted necklace with a large vase-shaped pendant, and intricately worked ornaments of bone and ivory. She was also adorned with amber beads, thin sheet-bronze rosettes, bronze earrings, bracelets, and numerous spiral rings along nearly every finger phalange. Collectively, these treasures reflect not only her personal prestige but also the wealth, craftsmanship, and social influence of the elite lineage she belonged to.

A Child’s Crown and Traces of Kinship
In the same burial cluster, archaeologists discovered the tomb of a four-year-old girl wearing her own bronze diadem, decorated with inlaid rosettes. Her grave, richly furnished with jewelry similar to the woman’s, strongly suggests a familial relationship—likely a daughter, niece, or younger relative intended to inherit status that never came to fruition.

The treatment of this child indicates hereditary privilege passed at birth, supporting the idea that the necropolis belonged to an elite family during a time when such lineages were losing traditional power.

Jewelry and ornaments found in the burial, reflecting the wealth and status of the aristocratic woman.

A Window into a Changing World
Other tombs in the necropolis enrich the broader story. A 6th-century BC woman was buried with a Siana-type kylix featuring roosters and a trilobed olpe decorated with mythical creatures and Hermes as psychopompós, the guide of souls. Bronze bowls with central omphaloi and black-figure pottery from nearby Acraipha workshops demonstrate local craftsmanship and economic sophistication.

Together, these finds trace the shift from the hierarchical societies of the post-Mycenaean “Dark Age” to the politically complex, aristocratically governed poleis of the Archaic period.

The Legacy of a Fallen Aristocrat
The Lady of the Inverted Diadem remains one of early Greece’s most compelling archaeological figures—a woman who bore the symbols of authority even as they were ritually inverted in her final rites. Her tomb captures the tension of an era when ancient power structures were collapsing and new political realities were emerging.

From the shores of Lake Kifisída, she reminds us that history does not always celebrate the victors. Sometimes, its most revealing stories lie buried with those who lost their crowns.

Ancient Chinese DNA shows gender bias in human sacrifice ritual 4,000 years ago

Sacrificial victims in mass burials were mostly male, while burial attendants for nobles or elites were overwhelmingly female, study finds

Female sacrifice in China occurred much earlier than previously thought, according to a new study analyzing ancient DNA.

The research, conducted by Chinese archaeologists and anthropologists, examined elite burials at a major Stone Age settlement in northwestern China and found evidence of an early hierarchical society. The study also indicates that sacrificial practices were influenced by gender, with different types of rituals performed for men and women.

Shimao, situated in the Yellow River valley in Shaanxi province, is one of China’s largest prehistoric settlements and dates to the late Neolithic period, roughly 3,800–4,300 years ago. By sequencing over 100 ancient genomes from Shimao and its satellite sites, researchers discovered that victims in mass burials, likely intended for public ritual purposes, were primarily male. In contrast, females were overwhelmingly buried as attendants alongside dead nobles or elite individuals.

“These findings reveal a predominantly patrilineal descent structure across Shimao communities and possibly sex-specific sacrificial rituals,” the team reported in a paper published in Nature.

Shimao itself spans approximately 4 square kilometers (1.5 square miles) and sits on the edge of the northern Loess Plateau and the Ordos Desert. The settlement exhibits hallmarks of state-level societies, including craft production, massive fortifications, social stratification, and extensive human sacrifice.

Archaeologists Discover Over 1,500 Artifacts During Excavations at Heraclea Sintica

Archaeologists have uncovered over 1,500 artifacts during this season’s excavations at the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica in southwestern Bulgaria.

The finds include clay lamps, finely crafted glass jugs, depictions of deities such as Aphrodite, Athena, and Heracles, gold earrings, and nearly 800 coins recovered from the forum and necropolis. These artifacts offer valuable insights into the city’s economic and cultural life. After restoration, the items were presented to the media, and the Mayor of Petrich Municipality, Dimitar Brachkov, also viewed the discoveries. Conservator-restorers from the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the National History Museum oversaw the preservation of the artifacts, which have now been returned to Petrich.

Among the highlights is a rare glass jug with a lion’s head, along with lamps featuring intriguing images of deities and animals, and a unique family funeral scene. Children’s toys, including a rooster and a horse, were also found. The collection spans the Roman imperial period (1st–3rd centuries CE) as well as earlier Hellenistic artifacts (3rd–1st centuries BCE). A rare bronze lamp was also discovered, alongside beautifully restored tombstones and inscriptions.

The excavation team emphasized that their work extends beyond fieldwork, involving careful restoration and conservation. Recent publications have shared analyses of two sculptures, including their dating, stylistic features, and marble origins. The hands of a Heracles statue, found during the excavations, have been restored—the right hand rests on the hero’s iconic club, while the other holds three apples from the garden of the Hesperides. Earlier discoveries in 2018 included part of the club and a sculpted leg of a muscular figure, and this summer, the torso of the statue was also recovered.

The collaborative project continues to yield remarkable results, according to Petrich History Museum Director Katya Stoyanova. The newly uncovered artifacts are scheduled to be featured in the museum’s exhibition in 2026, which will be open to visitors during the Night of Museums event.

Study anchors obscure pharaoh in time, opening research path into dating the Exodus.

A PLOS ONE paper places Ahmose’s reign over Egypt decades after the famous Thera volcanic eruption in the Aegean Sea, with vast implications for the region’s history

Nebpehtire Ahmose ruled Egypt, showing that his accession likely occurred in the latter half of the 16th century BCE.

This breakthrough also opens new possibilities for exploring a long-suspected link between the biblical Exodus and a major volcanic eruption in the Aegean Sea, which many scholars have long associated with Ahmose’s reign, according to Prof. Hendrik J. Bruins of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, lead author of the study.

Published last month in PLOS ONE, the research has important implications for understanding the history of Egypt, the land of Israel, and the broader Eastern Mediterranean region.

The eruption of the Thera (Santorini) volcano has captivated archaeologists for generations because of its potential connection to myths and historical events, including the Greek story of Atlantis and the biblical account of the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt.

Situated roughly 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Crete, the volcano likely caused days of darkness, massive tsunamis, and perhaps even a dramatic pillar of fire visible in Egypt. Evidence of pumice from this eruption has been discovered in both present-day Israel and Egypt, linking the event to regional historical and geological phenomena.

Previous assessments claimed that the eruption occurred around 1500 BCE.

The Crossing of the Red Sea by Nicolas Poussin,1634.

Ahmose was the founder of the 18th Dynasty and of the New Kingdom, a period of renewed prosperity in ancient Egypt following several difficult centuries.

An important archaeological artifact from the time of Ahmose, the “Tempest Stela,” describes disastrous climate phenomena. In the past, many scholars suggested the inscription refers to the Thera eruption.

However, Bruins and his co-author Johannes van der Plicht from the University of Groningen used the same radiocarbon analysis method on samples associated with Ahmose and on seeds and branches charred by the eruption.

By comparing the results, the scholars determined that the pharaoh clearly ruled over Egypt several decades after the eruption.

“In the last decade, geologists have found ash from the Thera eruption in many places in the eastern Mediterranean,” Bruins told The Times of Israel over the phone. “Eruptions can be very useful as anchors in time, because they happened over the course of a couple of days, and then they are over. Ash from this eruption is a kind of stratigraphic marker.”

Scientific methods, such as radiocarbon analysis, provide independent dating to compare with the more traditional methods used by scholars, including historical sources, pottery typology, and archaeological artifacts. These traditional methods often fail to provide exact dating.

“In many parts of the Mediterranean, including ancient Israel, the local stratigraphies are floating in time and [scholars] try to connect them to Egyptian history for the simple reason that Egyptian history is more well established in time,” Bruins explained.

Yet, even Egyptian chronology, based on when different dynasties and pharaohs ruled over the kingdom, leaves many questions open, even after radiocarbon dating has become more prevalent, offering new tools to support what historians had traditionally dated based on written sources.

The Second Intermediate Period, one of the most obscure periods in Egypt’s ancient history, roughly spanned from 1700 to 1550 BCE. Its beginning, duration, and end are debated among scholars.

During this period, Egypt was divided into the Upper and Lower Kingdoms. Ahmose was the sovereign who reunited the country, defeated the Hyksos Dynasty that ruled over the Lower Kingdom, marking the beginning of the New Kingdom, and started his own dynasty.

“There has been a question about when the 18th Dynasty really began, also in relation to the Thera eruption, and so I was looking for material from the Second Intermediate Period [to date],” Bruins said.

“It was quite difficult to find, because these periods are less well known in historical terms, as its pharaohs do not always have records of them, nor do museums have many remains that could be dated with radiocarbon,” he added.

The scholar began pursuing this research avenue in 2013, approaching several museums and requesting their artifacts. Many did not respond positively, mainly because the study required extracting samples from the items for analysis. However, the British Museum and the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology (University College, London) ultimately agreed to provide some artifacts from their collections.

“The most important object has been a mud brick excavated around 1900 by British archeologists in the temple of Ahmose in Abydos, in southern Egypt,”  Bruins said. “The brick is stamped with the throne name of the king Nebpehtire. Ahmose was a quite common name in Egypt at the time, and other pharaohs were carrying it, but thanks to his throne name, this marked the first time that we could put our hands on an object that can be confidently related to this particular pharaoh.”

A mudbrick from the Temple of Pharaoh Ahmose at Abydos on display at the British Museum. The artifact has been radiocarbon dated in a study published in PLOS ONE in September 2025, supporting a low chronology for the beginning of the 18th Dynasty, in the first half of the 16th century BCE.

The researchers managed to extract a straw piece added to the brick to strengthen it, as was done at the time.

“Scholarly opinions about Ahmose’s accession year ranged from 1580 BCE to 1524 BCE,” Bruins explained. “Our radiocarbon dating of the Ahmose mudbrick supports the two youngest Egyptological dating assessments for when the mudbricks for his temple were made, around 1517 or 1502 BCE, or what we archaeologists refer to as the ‘low chronology.'”

Since the temple depicts scenes of Ahmose’s battles against the Hyksos, the brick must date to a period in his kingdom after the war, possibly around the 22nd year of his reign.

Bruins was also able to study six shabtis, or human figurines roughly carved from wood representing mummies buried with the deceased, which he received from the Petrie Museum.

“One shabti carries the name of a person that is also mentioned on an important tomb in Southern Egypt as the mayor of Thebes, and his rule covered part of the time of Pharaoh Ahmose and of his son Amenhotep I,” Bruins said. “The radiocarbon date of this shabti is virtually the same as that of the mud brick. They confirmed each other.”

An Egyptian shabti figurine from ancient Thebes. The artifact has been radiocarbon dated in a study published in PLOS ONE in September 2025, supporting a low chronology for the beginning of the 18th Dynasty in the first half of the 16th century BCE.

At the same time, the researchers’ analysis of the Thera eruption yielded a time range of 60-90 years earlier.

According to the Bruins, therefore, the Tempest Stela must refer to a different meteorological event.

A new chronology for the land of Israel?

The PLOS ONE paper does not address the implications of the new datings for the history and chronology of the land of Israel, which have generally been based on the Egyptian chronology.

However, Bruins told The Times of Israel that they are significant and he is already working on a study on the subject.

The transition between the Middle Bronze Age and the Late Bronze Age in Israel has traditionally been linked to the beginning of the 18th Dynasty in Egypt.

“At the time, many powerful city-states in the Middle Bronze Age were somehow destroyed or replaced or didn’t continue [to exist] afterward, and usually this transition was linked with the beginning of the New Kingdom and its pharaohs,” Bruins said.

3,500-year-old Canaanite clay piece found on Tel Gama (the Canaanite city of Yarza) in March 2020. (Emil Eljam/Israel Antiquities Authority)

According to the researcher, the incursions into Canaan have been generally attributed to Pharaoh Thutmose III, the fifth king of the 18th Dynasty.

“We have historical accounts about this pharaoh that he really penetrated into the Levant, in ancient Israel, and also more to the north,” he said.

According to Bruins, if Thutmose was not the one responsible for the destruction of the Canaanite city-states, it is important to investigate who else was.

“If these cities, or some of these cities, were destroyed before the beginning of the 18th Dynasty, then there’s a question about which Egyptians did this? Because we have no records from the Second Intermediate Period that Egyptian pharaohs made large military excursions into the Levant,” he said.

Looking for the Exodus in the right century

According to Bruins, there are questions to be explored around a potential correlation between the Thera eruption, the destruction of Canaanite cities, and the Exodus.

Many academics believe that the biblical narrative does not reflect historical events. At the same time, they tend to suggest that the mass escape of the Israelites from Egypt is supposed to have happened at some point in the early 13th century BCE.

A silver boat donated by Pharaoh Ahmose I to Queen Ahhotep II for her burial is seen at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Bruins, however, disagrees.

“I don’t think that is the right interpretation because we do not have any evidence that the 13th century fits with the archeological record they have been looking for,” he said.

“There are so many Exodus views by different scholars that have no link to the biblical record anymore,” he added. “If you lose any connection with the biblical record, then it becomes a kind of abstract thinking.”

According to Bruins, the strategy for exploring whether and when the Exodus occurred should entail seeking evidence of destruction associated with the Israelites’ conquest of the land under Moses’s successor, Joshua.

Asked in which century he would look, he went back to the Thera eruption.

“If we take the [biblical] text, one of the features of the Exodus is the darkness in Egypt,” he noted, referring to one of the plagues that God sent against the Egyptians according to the Bible.

“From a scientific perspective, what can cause three days of darkness?” he added. “Some suggest a sandstorm, but after living 35 years in the Negev Desert, I can vouch that no sandstorm causes something like that. Others say a solar eclipse, but that is a matter of minutes, not days.”

The rocky promontory of Skaros on the Greek island of Santorini seen on June 15, 2022.

Bruins said that records from the eruption of the Tambora volcano in Indonesia in 1815 state that the event caused three days of darkness at a distance of 500 to 600 kilometers (roughly 310 to 370 miles).

“If darkness in Egypt was really for three days, then the only mechanism we can think of from from the geological or natural science [perspective] is a volcanic eruption, and the only volcanic eruption that was very powerful and could have caused such an effect is the Santorini eruption, that was one of the largest worldwide in the last 10,000 years,” he said.

Bruins believes the destruction of the Canaanite cities in the Levant may have occurred in the following years, but he also stressed that this cannot be stated until there is scientific evidence. The scholar is therefore working to collect and date samples from the relevant destruction layers of these cities to understand when they actually ceased to exist.

“If we are talking about a theory, anybody can make up all kinds of ideas,” he said. “It has to be proven by hard facts, by dating, and this is something that I’m working on publishing.”

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Why Did Indus Valley Civilisation Disappear? IIT Scientists Explain

The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also called the Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation, flourished between 5,000 and 3,500 years ago in what is now northwest India and Pakistan.

The Indus River was the lifeblood of the civilisation.

Why the Indus Valley Civilisation Disappeared: Insights from IIT Scientists

The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation, thrived between 5,000 and 3,500 years ago across what is now northwest India and Pakistan. Famous for its advanced cities like Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Rakhigarhi, and Lothal, the IVC featured sophisticated urban planning, drainage systems, and remarkable craftsmanship, including iconic artifacts like the “Dancing Girl.”

Despite its achievements, the civilisation eventually declined, and the reasons for its disappearance have long puzzled historians and archaeologists. Recent research from IIT Gandhinagar offers a compelling explanation: prolonged droughts over centuries forced urban populations to abandon their cities.

Climate Change and Water Scarcity

The Indus River was essential for the civilisation, supporting agriculture, trade, and daily life. Paleo-climate records and climate simulations reveal significant variability in rainfall, driven by shifts in both the Indian summer and winter monsoons. Using high-resolution climate models and geological proxies, such as stalactites and lake sediments, researchers reconstructed rainfall and river flow patterns over thousands of years.

Findings indicate a persistent drying trend, with average annual rainfall dropping by 10–20% and temperatures rising by roughly 0.5°C during the civilisation’s existence. Four major droughts, each lasting more than 85 years, occurred between 4,450 and 3,400 years ago, with the longest spanning 164 years and affecting over 90% of the region. These were part of a broader pattern of declining water availability rather than isolated events.

Impact on Settlements and Agriculture

Initially, IVC communities were concentrated in areas with reliable rainfall. As droughts intensified, people moved closer to the Indus River in search of water. Hydrological simulations show that even riverbanks experienced reduced flows during these droughts, creating widespread water scarcity. Archaeobotanical evidence indicates that farmers attempted to adapt by shifting from wheat and barley to drought-tolerant millets, but these efforts could not fully mitigate the impact of prolonged aridity.

Lake level records and cave data support these findings, showing declines in water bodies and rainfall during key drought periods. The final century-long drought, between 3,531 and 3,418 years ago, coincides with archaeological evidence of large-scale urban abandonment and population dispersal into smaller rural communities.

The Role of Global Climate Drivers

The study also highlights the influence of global climate phenomena on the IVC’s decline. Events like El Niño and North Atlantic cooling weakened the Indian monsoon. Higher Pacific and Indian Ocean temperatures reduced the land-sea temperature gradient, suppressing monsoon rainfall, while changes in atmospheric circulation further limited moisture transport into South Asia.

A Gradual Decline, Not an Abrupt Collapse

Rather than collapsing suddenly, the IVC underwent a slow, complex decline shaped by climate, social, and economic pressures. While severe droughts were a major factor, communities adapted through migration, crop diversification, and trade. The civilisation fragmented into smaller units, representing a transformation rather than a complete disappearance.

Lessons for Today

The story of the Indus Valley Civilisation serves as a warning about the vulnerability of complex societies to environmental stress. It underscores the importance of effective water management and climate adaptation—lessons that remain highly relevant today as modern societies confront increasing risks from climate change and water scarcity. Encouragingly, paleo-climate researchers note that global warming may lead to increased rainfall in the Indian monsoon, offering some hope for the region.

Image: Yohannes Haile-Selassie This 3.4-Million-Year-Old Foot Reveals Another Mysterious Early Human Species Once Walked in the Same Area as Our Ancestors

Around 3.4 million years ago, in today’s Afar region of Ethiopia, at least two distinct types of early human relatives shared the same landscape.

A recent study published in Nature examines fossils from Woranso-Mille, a mid-Pliocene site already known for Australopithecus afarensis—the species of the famous “Lucy”—and a more recently identified species, Australopithecus deyiremeda. When A. deyiremeda was first described, scientists also had a partial foot from a nearby site called Burtele but couldn’t confidently assign it to any species.

Linking the Foot to a Jaw

The new research presents additional jaws and teeth from the same rock layers, showing that these “missing pieces” now firmly connect the Burtele foot to A. deyiremeda.

In 2009, paleoanthropologist Yohannes Haile-Selassie and his team discovered eight bones from a human ancestor’s foot in 3.4-million-year-old sediments. This specimen, called the “Burtele Foot,” was announced in 2012. At the same time, teeth had already been found in the area, but scientists were unsure whether they came from the same sedimentary layer. In 2015, those teeth led to the identification of A. deyiremeda, though the connection to the foot remained uncertain. Paleontologists generally name new species only based on bones from the head and jaw, so the foot remained unassigned.

After years of returning to the site and uncovering more fossils, researchers now confirm that the Burtele foot and the dental remains belong to A. deyiremeda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsG7t1vQ9yo

What We Know About A. deyiremeda

The fossils themselves are modest: a juvenile lower jaw with baby and emerging adult teeth, isolated premolars and molars, fragments of adult mandibles, and a juvenile hip bone. Their context, however, is remarkable. Radiometric dating of volcanic ash and magnetic measurements place the fossils between 3.47 and 3.33 million years ago, overlapping with A. afarensis sites. This means two separate hominin species lived side by side, rather than one gradually evolving into the other.

Species identification relied on teeth and jaws, which carry strong taxonomic signals. A. deyiremeda is characterized by relatively small, narrow first molars, reduced canines without pronounced inner ridges, and premolars resembling earlier species rather than A. afarensis. The newly found juvenile jaw lacks A. afarensis traits, reinforcing that these bones belonged to a distinct species.

The Burtele Foot and Bipedality

Evidence suggests the foot and teeth belong to the same individual. The Burtele foot indicates a form of bipedalism that was different from A. afarensis. Its long, curved toes suggest adaptation for climbing, while the big toe shows a shift toward a more forward-facing, human-like orientation. The midfoot remains flexible, allowing life both in the trees and on the ground. Statistical analyses place the Burtele foot as intermediate: more human-like than Ardipithecus but less specialized for long-distance walking than Lucy’s species.

Linking Diet to Locomotion

Chemical analysis of tooth enamel reveals the diet of A. deyiremeda. Carbon isotopes indicate a reliance on woodland resources like tree leaves, contrasting with A. afarensis, which consumed more grasses from open plains. Combined with the partly grasping foot, this suggests A. deyiremeda relied on trees for both food and safety.

A Complex Picture of Human Evolution

These findings emphasize that early human evolution was not a straight line from ape-like ancestors to fully human australopiths. Instead, multiple evolutionary “experiments” coexisted. A. deyiremeda exhibits a mosaic of traits linking it closer to later species such as Australopithecus africanus and even the lineages leading to Paranthropus and Homo, demonstrating that Lucy’s species was not the only hominin thriving at the time.

“All our research into ecosystems from millions of years ago isn’t just about curiosity or understanding our origins,” Haile-Selassie explains. “It also helps us learn about the present and the future.”

Archaeologists Discover Over 1,500 Artifacts During Excavations at Heraclea Sintica.

Archaeologists have uncovered over 1,500 artifacts during this year’s excavation season at the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica in southwestern Bulgaria, announced Prof. Lyudmil Vagalinski, the project’s lead, on Friday.

The discoveries include clay lamps, intricately crafted glass jugs, depictions of deities such as Aphrodite, Athena, and Heracles, gold earrings, and nearly 800 coins retrieved from the forum and necropolis. These finds offer valuable insights into the city’s economic and cultural life. After restoration, the artifacts were presented to the media, with Dimitar Brachkov, Mayor of Petrich Municipality, also viewing the treasures. Conservator-restorers from the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the National History Museum handled the preservation work before returning the items to Petrich.

“I am particularly delighted with the glass jug featuring a lion’s head—it is both rare and exquisite. The lamps are fascinating too, many adorned with intriguing images of gods and animals. We also uncovered a captivating family funeral scene,” Vagalinski said. Among the finds were children’s toys shaped like a rooster and a horse. One standout piece is a glass lamp decorated with a lion motif. While many of the artifacts date to the Roman imperial period (1st–3rd centuries CE), several date back to the Hellenistic period (3rd–1st centuries BCE), including a rare bronze lamp. Tombstones and inscriptions, cleaned and preserved, were also unearthed and are remarkably well-preserved.

“Our work extends beyond excavation; it also involves restoring and conserving the items we find. There is much information to share with the public, which we will publish. Just last week, we released details about two sculptures, including their dating, stylistic analysis, and the origin of the marble,” Vagalinski explained. Among the sculptures, the hands of Heracles have been restored. The right hand rests on the hero’s iconic club, found near two previously discovered pieces: a portion of the club and a finely sculpted marble leg of a muscular man unearthed in 2018. The left hand holds the three golden apples from the Garden of the Hesperides. This summer, archaeologists also recovered the torso of the statue, completing the figure.

“Our collaborative efforts continue to yield remarkable results, gaining recognition worldwide,” said Katya Stoyanova, Director of the Petrich History Museum. She added that the newly restored artifacts will be displayed in the museum’s exhibition in 2026 and will be accessible to visitors during the Night of Museums 2026.

An Ancient Tomb Held Anonymous Bodies for 2,300 Years. Turns Out They’re Famous Royals.

In a startling development, archaeologists say these mysterious skeletons are the father and son of this legendary ruler.

Here’s what you’ll discover in this story

Alexander the Great is remembered as one of the greatest military commanders of all time—but his father, Philip II, was a formidable ruler in his own right. It was Philip who transformed Macedonia and built the powerful army that Alexander later led across vast territories.

Archaeologists have long known that Philip II was buried in the royal cemetery at Aigai (modern Vergina, Greece). What they couldn’t agree on was which of the royal tombs held his remains. Now, a new international study has finally settled the debate using scientific analyses paired with historical and anthropological evidence.

Although Alexander died at just 32, he still ranks among history’s top generals. His decisive victory over Persia at the Battle of Gaugamela earned him titles like “King of Babylon, King of Asia, and King of the Four Corners of the World,” and his battlefield strategies continue to be studied worldwide.

But Alexander—also known as Alexander III of Macedon—did not rise to greatness alone. He was educated by Aristotle himself, and he inherited an incredibly well-trained army forged by his father, King Philip II. Philip’s military reforms turned Macedonia into a dominant power, giving Alexander the foundation he needed to conquer territories stretching across the eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, and deep into Asia.

Philip II may not be as widely known as his legendary son, but more than 2,300 years after his assassination in 336 BCE at Aigai, he is finally receiving renewed attention.

A recent study in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports confirms that the remains of Philip II—alongside those of Alexander the Great’s son and half-brother—are indeed located in the royal tombs at Vergina.

For centuries, Aigai had been forgotten. Then, in 1977, Greek archaeologist Manolis Andronikos uncovered the burial complex believed to belong to Macedonia’s royal family. The site became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Still, debate lingered over which tomb housed Philip II, sparking decades of scholarly disagreement.

To resolve the uncertainty, a team of archaeologists from the U.S., Spain, and Greece combined several types of scientific evidence—osteology, X-rays, anatomical study—and cross-checked these findings with ancient written accounts. Their conclusions were clear:

• Tomb I holds Philip II’s remains, along with those of his wife Cleopatra (not the famous Egyptian queen) and their infant son. Both were killed shortly after Philip’s assassination.

• Tomb II, once suspected to contain Philip, actually belongs to King Arrhidaeus—Alexander’s half-brother—and his warrior wife, Adea Eurydice.

• Tomb III contains the remains of Alexander IV, Alexander the Great’s teenage son.

“We examined the claim that Philip II was in Tomb II and showed why the evidence does not support it,” the researchers wrote. “Not all data are available yet, and we still await the publication of the Tomb I excavation notes.”

Few father-and-son pairs have reshaped world history as profoundly as Philip II and Alexander the Great. Now, more than 2,360 years later, archaeologists and anthropologists are finally uncovering the final chapter of the royal family that built—and expanded—the ancient Macedonian empire.