Prehistoric Bridges That Connected Continents

Introduction:
During prehistoric times, land bridges connected continents, enabling the migration of humans, animals, and plants. These routes were crucial for the spread of populations, technology, and cultural practices long before modern transportation existed.

Examples of Prehistoric Bridges:

• Beringia: Connecting Siberia to Alaska, this land bridge allowed the first humans to enter the Americas.

• Doggerland: Once connecting Britain to mainland Europe, Doggerland supported Mesolithic hunter-gatherer societies before submergence by rising seas.

• Lemuria (Mythical): While largely speculative, some legends suggest a lost southern continent that may have influenced ancient myths of sunken lands.

Impact on Human History:
These land bridges facilitated early migration, trade, and cultural exchange. For example, Beringia enabled the peopling of the Americas, while Doggerland served as fertile hunting grounds and settlement areas. Animals that migrated across these bridges influenced ecosystems and shaped human survival strategies.

Archaeological and Geological Evidence:
Remnants of tools, fossils, and submerged landscapes provide evidence of these ancient bridges. Sediment analysis, underwater surveys, and paleoenvironmental reconstructions help scientists understand how sea level changes transformed geography and led to the disappearance of these vital connections.

Conclusion:
Prehistoric bridges were more than physical landforms; they were lifelines that shaped human history, biodiversity, and cultural evolution. Understanding them reveals the interconnectedness of ancient peoples and ecosystems across continents.

Forbidden Rituals from Lost Religions

Introduction:
Ancient civilizations often practiced religious rites that were secretive, restricted, or forbidden to outsiders. These rituals could involve initiation ceremonies, animal sacrifices, fertility rites, or even esoteric knowledge meant only for elite priests or initiates. Because most of these practices were intentionally hidden, knowledge of them has survived only through fragmentary texts, myths, or archaeological remnants.

Types of Forbidden Rituals:

• Initiation Rites: Many ancient societies, from Egyptian mystery schools to the Greek Eleusinian Mysteries, conducted complex initiations requiring secrecy and symbolic rebirth.

• Sacrificial Ceremonies: Some rituals involved offerings to gods, often of animals or symbolic items, believed to maintain cosmic balance or ensure divine favor.

• Mystical Knowledge: Certain ceremonies included chanting, meditation, or esoteric teachings that were considered too dangerous or sacred for ordinary people.

Cultural Significance:
These forbidden rites served multiple purposes. They reinforced social hierarchies, protected sacred knowledge, and maintained religious cohesion. For example, the secrecy surrounding the Eleusinian Mysteries in Greece strengthened civic unity while instilling awe and obedience. Similarly, in Mesoamerica, secret sacrificial rituals emphasized the divine power of rulers and priests.

Evidence and Interpretation:
Modern archaeology has uncovered temples, altars, and artifacts linked to these rites. Ancient texts, such as fragmentary Egyptian papyri or Greco-Roman accounts, provide insight, but interpretation is difficult due to deliberate secrecy. Scholars rely on cross-cultural comparisons, ethnographic studies, and symbolic analysis to reconstruct these lost practices.

Conclusion:
While the full details of these forbidden rituals remain elusive, their enduring traces highlight the complexity of ancient religious life. They remind us that much of human history lies hidden beneath layers of secrecy, myth, and ritual practice.

Gold rings and marble found underneath Roman city

A striking pair of interlinked Roman gold rings, along with almost 100 fragments of marble, has been uncovered during excavations in Britain’s oldest recorded city.

Archaeologists in Colchester also found a sizeable piece of Roman flue tile—typically used in bathhouses or other elite buildings—alongside extensive Roman structural remains. The Colchester Archaeological Trust said the discoveries beneath St Nicholas Square are “only the tip of the iceberg.”

“It’s a bit like keyhole surgery,” said Adam Wightman of the trust. “We get brief chances to dig down and glimpse these early structures.”

Status and grandeur

The archaeological work took place between October 2023 and June 2025, ahead of redevelopment plans for St Nicholas Square. The excavations were carried out by the Colchester Archaeological Trust on behalf of Colchester City Council, and the site had not been investigated since the mid-1950s.

Wightman told the BBC that the recent findings confirm the presence of “very large, substantial Roman buildings,” likely rising several storeys high.

Eight pieces of Roman marble, varying in size and colour—including red, blue, and yellow—were among the materials recovered.

Almost 100 pieces of marble were discovered, including some imported from Greece, Egypt and Turkey

The trust said the finds highlight the “status and grandeur” of certain buildings on the site.

Wightman explained that the large fragment of flue tile bears an inscribed surface with a “distinctive pattern” made using a roller stamp.

“This stamped decoration is an exact match for examples recovered from the Roman bathhouse at Billingsgate in London,” he told the BBC.

“While it doesn’t conclusively prove there was a bathhouse here, it strongly supports the idea that these were high-status buildings, equipped with underfloor heating systems that channelled warm air up through the walls.”

‘Intimate find’

In total, archaeologists recovered 98 pieces of marble, some of which had been imported from as far afield as Greece, Egypt and Turkey.

“If we were able to fully excavate the site, we would be finding thousands upon thousands of marble fragments,” Wightman said, noting that around 2,000 pieces were uncovered during excavations in the 1950s.

“What we’ve found so far is really just the tip of the iceberg,” he added.

“All of this points to a far more complex and intriguing story about the buildings of Roman Colchester, closely linked to the evidence emerging from this area.”

One of the conjoined rings is decorated with 25 tiny gold pellets, arranged in a diamond formation

The trust said the discovery of the linked gold rings—belonging to individuals of “considerable status”—was highly unusual and further supports the view that this area of Colchester was “a wealthy and important part of the city.”

The rings, likely made for a child based on their small size, are dated to between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD.

According to the trust, one ring is decorated with 25 tiny gold beads arranged in a diamond pattern, while the other features a flat, elongated bezel adorned with fine gold wire. The design forms a central circle flanked by drop-shaped motifs, possibly symbolising a flower.

Describing them as an “intimate find,” the trust said the rings serve as a reminder that Roman Colchester “was not only a place of buildings, but of people and families who lived within them.”

The discoveries were made during excavation work in Colchester's St Nicholas Square

Councillor Julie Young, deputy leader and cabinet member for housing at Colchester City Council, said she was “thrilled” by the discoveries, noting that they underscore “the city’s significance through the centuries and add greater richness to our story as Britain’s First City.”

She also thanked the Colchester Archaeological Trust for their careful and thorough work throughout the project.

“Their expertise ensures our heritage is properly respected and documented, while helping to create a vibrant public space for everyone to enjoy,” she said.

The council added that the redeveloped St Nicholas Square is “already proving to be extremely popular,” having hosted a Ferris wheel during the Christmas period, with monthly Sunday markets planned for the future.

Bronze Age Burial Uncovered in Greece

RAFINA, GREECE—According to La Brújula Verde, archaeologists have uncovered a Bronze Age grave and a large circular pit along the bank of a stream in eastern Attica. A team from Greece’s Ephorate of Antiquities of Eastern Attica discovered a pithos nearly six feet in length inside the tomb. The vessel was decorated with corded reliefs around its neck and handles and had been laid horizontally on its side. Its opening was sealed with a mock doorway formed from two large stones and smaller slabs, then enclosed by a semicircular wall built from river pebbles. Inside the jar, resting on sand and pebbles, were the bones of two individuals, which had been covered with large stones. The burial also contained a copper awl, an oval-shaped stone believed to have functioned as a plaque, obsidian points, and ceramic vessels.

About six feet from the burial, excavators identified a large circular pit showing evidence of fire and prolonged ritual activity. From the upper layers, they recovered a bull’s skull, pottery fragments, and copper coins. Near the base of the pit, they found a layer of ash and burned material, along with the bones of an equid and smaller animals. These animal remains are thought to be cremains, possibly from animals cooked as sacrificial offerings. Dating both the burial and the pit’s contents may clarify whether the two features are connected.

Hidden rock art dating back 5,000 years uncovered in Saudi Arabia

New discoveries in Soudah Peaks hint at early life, rituals and lost stories

Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission, working with the Soudah Development Company, has revealed the discovery of 20 rock formations engraved with ancient inscriptions inside the Soudah Peaks Project area—finds experts describe as among the oldest cultural traces ever identified in the region.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the carvings are thought to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old, providing rare insight into the daily lives, beliefs, and surrounding environments of the early communities that once lived there.

The project area spans more than 636.5 square kilometres, covering Soudah and parts of Rijal Almaa Governorate in the Asir region. Researchers now say this dramatic landscape holds significant historical and cultural value, adding a new dimension to understanding the area’s deep past.

Among the most significant discoveries are Thamudic inscriptions, an early writing system linked to the Thamud tribe. The rock faces also display carvings of animals such as ibexes, hyenas, and ostriches, alongside depictions of hunters, dancers, palm trees, and weapons. Together, these images offer insight into everyday life, ritual activity, and environmental conditions in ancient times.

The commission said the finds confirm that Soudah and Rijal Almaa were long-established centres of human settlement and cultural activity, playing an important role in the area’s historical development. The discoveries resulted from a joint archaeological survey conducted under a memorandum of understanding between the Heritage Commission and the Soudah Development Company. The survey was completed in four scientific stages: data gathering, site analysis, documentation, and the identification of high-value archaeological sites, creating a basis for their long-term protection and integration into future development plans.

Rijal Almaa is a striking historic village and governorate in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region, dating back around 900 years. It is known for its distinctive stone, mud, and wood architecture, vibrant decorative patterns, and its historic role as a key trade centre connecting Yemen, Makkah, and the Levant.

The Archeological Menagerie: China Uncovers 3,000-Year-Old ‘Zoo’

The findings shed light on an ancient system of acquiring and keeping captive a variety of wild animals, likely for use as sacrifices by ancient elites.

Archaeologists in China have discovered what may be the country’s oldest known collection of captive wild animals at a site in central Henan province. The 3,000-year-old sacrificial pits contain remains of big cats, Asian water buffalo, and other species.

The find, announced on January 9 by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), comes from Yinxu, the last capital of the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 B.C.), a site already famous for royal tombs, oracle bones, and ritual artifacts.

Excavations conducted between 2023 and 2024 covered roughly 1,240 square meters, revealing 19 small and medium-sized sacrificial pits. Archaeologists recovered remains of mammals including deer, wolves, tigers, leopards, foxes, serows, and wild boars, along with birds such as swans, cranes, and geese. “What’s most unusual is that some animals were found with bronze bells hanging from their necks,” said Niu Shishan, a CASS researcher who has worked at Yinxu for over 20 years.

A total of 29 bronze bells were recovered. Niu explained that the presence of the bells indicates the animals were not hunted but kept alive as “exotic creatures” in enclosures managed by the Shang king or other elites.

“The concentration of wild animals and the standardized way they were handled point to a relatively advanced system for acquiring, raising, and managing wild animals during the Shang dynasty,” Niu added. He also noted that the variety of species could provide valuable insights into climate and ecological conditions during the late Shang period.

Similar pits containing captive animals have been found at later sites from the Warring States period (475–221 B.C.). One such pit, believed to belong to the grandmother of Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor known for the Terracotta Army, contained remains of an extinct gibbon species, leopards, Asiatic black bears, and lynxes.

Possible Anglo-Saxon Royal Burial Discovered in England News January 14, 2026

SUFFOLK, ENGLAND—Archaeologists have uncovered an Anglo-Saxon cemetery near the East England coast, about 15 miles from the famous Sutton Hoo ship burial site. The site, planned for a nuclear power plant, contains at least 11 burial mounds.

At the center of the cemetery, researchers found the poorly preserved remains of two people and a horse, buried with full tack. Artifacts recovered from the sixth- or seventh-century A.D. burial include weapons and items made of bronze, iron, copper, and amber.

Len Middleton of Oxford Cotswold Archaeology noted the similarities to Sutton Hoo: “We have two individuals here, whereas Sutton Hoo [mound 17] has just one, but the arrangement of grave goods and their placement in the mound suggest kinship groups. It’s almost as if those attending these burials might also have been present at the others. The layout is strikingly similar. Sutton Hoo is just a day’s ride by horse, and if important people were being buried, kinship groups would certainly visit each other during these ceremonies.”

The First Americans May Not Have Crossed Beringia at All — Hokkaido Could Be the Starting Point

For much of the past century, the arrival of the first humans in the Americas has been explained as an inland journey across the frozen landscapes of Beringia. Increasing archaeological and genetic evidence, however, is now calling that model into question. A new interdisciplinary study by Japanese and U.S. researchers suggests that the earliest ancestors of Native Americans may have originated in a coastal zone encompassing Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands—and that they likely reached the Americas by sea.

Published in Science Advances, the study argues that seafaring hunter-gatherers from Northeast Asia were central to what is often described as the final major migration of Homo sapiens.

Rethinking a Northeast Asian Homeland

Previous paleogenomic research indicates that the population ancestral to Native Americans emerged in Northeast Asia around 25,000 years ago. Genetic evidence also points to a lengthy period of isolation—lasting roughly 4,000 to 5,000 years—marked by population decline before these groups entered the Americas sometime after 20,000 years ago. Until now, the location of this “standstill” period has remained uncertain.

The new research proposes that this prolonged isolation most likely occurred not in inland Beringia, but in the Hokkaido–Sakhalin–Kuril (HSK) region. During the Last Glacial Maximum, this area formed a broad peninsula connected to the Asian mainland. Unlike glacial Beringia, which was a cold and resource-poor polar desert, the HSK region offered relatively stable access to both marine and land-based food sources.

Stone Tools as Evidence of Connection

A key pillar of the study is a detailed comparison of stone tool technologies. The researchers examined lithic assemblages from ten Upper Paleolithic sites in mainland North America, dated between 18,000 and 13,500 years ago. These sites contained projectile points and blades with highly consistent characteristics, including elliptical shapes, sharp edges on both sides, and cross-sections designed for strength and penetration.

Notably, nearly identical stone tool designs have been found at sites in Hokkaido and nearby islands, some dating back to around 20,000 years ago. In contrast, similar technologies appear in Beringian archaeological contexts only after about 14,000 years ago. This timing suggests that the technological tradition spread from Northeast Asia toward the Americas, rather than originating within Beringia itself.

These projectile points were efficient and versatile, suitable for hunting land animals as well as supporting coastal subsistence. Their distribution on both sides of the North Pacific points to a shared technological heritage, likely carried by highly mobile populations with sophisticated adaptations to diverse environments.

Map showing the locations of major physiographic regions discussed in the text (A). Map showing the location of AUP sites in North America discussed in the text (B).

Why the Coast Was Crucial

At the height of the last Ice Age, between about 29,000 and 18,000 years ago, vast ice sheets blanketed much of northern North America. Any inland journey across Beringia during this time would have been extraordinarily harsh, and notably, archaeologists have found no evidence of human occupation in the region from this period.

Coastal Asia, by contrast, tells a different story. Archaeological finds from the Japanese archipelago show that humans had developed seafaring skills as early as 35,000 years ago. Sites on islands in what are now Okinawa and southern Kyushu reveal repeated open-ocean crossings, demonstrating maritime abilities long before humans reached the Americas.

Drawing on this evidence, the researchers suggest that populations from the Hokkaido–Sakhalin–Kuril region moved eastward along a Pacific coastal corridor. Traveling via shorelines, river mouths, and kelp-rich marine zones, these groups could rely on consistent food resources. This scenario closely supports the “kelp highway” hypothesis, which proposes that productive coastal ecosystems enabled long-distance migration even during the coldest glacial phases.

A Missing Chapter in Human Migration

One striking conclusion of the study is that these coastal migrants were probably not direct ancestors of modern Japanese populations. Archaeological and genetic data indicate that the Jomon people—often linked to present-day Japanese ancestry—did not arrive in Hokkaido until around 10,000 years ago.

Instead, the earlier seafaring groups may represent what researchers call a “ghost population”: a community that played a pivotal role in humanity’s spread into the Americas but later vanished or was absorbed, leaving little to no clear genetic trace in contemporary Northeast Asian populations.

Comparison of stemmed points from Japan and North America. AUP points from Cooper’s Ferry/Nipéhe LU3 (A, C, D, and F to H) and bifacial stemmed points from Hokkaido (B, E, and I to K).

Rethinking the Final Stage of Human Migration

Masami Izuho, an associate professor of archaeology involved in the study, points out that Japanese archaeological discoveries have often been interpreted only in a local context. The new research, he argues, positions these findings within a broader, global framework.

Instead of seeing the settlement of the Americas as a straightforward inland expansion by land-based hunters, the study suggests a more complex story driven by island and coastal communities with advanced maritime skills. Knowledge of boats, coastal navigation, and marine resources may have been as important as land bridges and hunting large animals.

Rintaro Ono, a maritime archaeology specialist, notes that the proposed migration—slightly before 20,000 years ago—coincides with the coldest phase of the Ice Age. Scarcity of resources, changes in animal populations, and reliance on marine ecosystems likely encouraged these coastal groups to explore new lands along the Pacific Rim.

Implications for Archaeology and Future Research

While this hypothesis does not settle the debate on the first Americans’ origins, it strongly supports the idea of a coastal migration from Northeast Asia. Future archaeological work along now-submerged coastlines, hidden beneath post-glacial seas, may provide critical evidence to test this model.

If validated, the study would reshape our understanding of the final dispersal of Homo sapiens—not as a desperate trek across icy lands, but as a deliberate expansion by skilled coastal navigators who used the Pacific coastline as a migration route.

See a 157-Year-Old Great Lakes Shipwreck in Stunning Detail With This New 3D Scan

Last year, maritime archaeologists revisited the “Northerner” in Lake Michigan and captured hundreds of still images, which they stitched together to create a digital replica of the vessel

The Northerner sank in 1868 and has been resting upright on the lakebed of Lake Michigan off the coast of Wisconsin ever since.

On November 28, 1868, an American schooner named Northerner was taking on cargo near Cedar Grove, Wisconsin, when its hull was severely damaged. The following day, while being towed to Milwaukee for repairs, the vessel began taking on water and ultimately sank to the bottom of Lake Michigan. Although the crew survived, the ship was never salvaged.

More than 150 years later, specialists have created a highly detailed 3D digital model that allows people to virtually explore the wreck as it lies on the lakebed. The model was produced using 1,670 stitched photographs and even reveals the ship’s final cargo of cordwood still inside the hull.

The 81.1-foot schooner was built in Clayton, New York, in 1850 by veteran shipbuilder John Oades. It originally operated on Lake Ontario, transporting goods to settlements along both the American and Canadian shores, before later being used to carry lumber on Lake Michigan. During one of these lumber runs, the vessel suffered fatal damage. According to a November 1868 report in the Milwaukee Sentinel, the ship “pounded heavily upon the bottom” while loading cordwood at a pier in Amsterdam.

With the hull leaking badly, the captain sailed south to Port Washington and unloaded the deck cargo. The attempt failed to save the ship. While being towed by the vessel Cuyahoga, Northerner filled with water and capsized near Port Ulao, a historic harbor about 20 miles north of Milwaukee.

Divers first located the wreck in the early 1970s, but its position was officially documented by the Wisconsin Historical Society’s Maritime Preservation and Archaeology Program in 2009. The schooner was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010 and became part of the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary in 2021.

The wreck remains largely intact today, resting upright about 135 feet below the surface, and has become a popular site for recreational divers. In 2024, crews installed buoys and permanent mooring lines at 19 of the sanctuary’s most visited wrecks, including Northerner, improving safety and accessibility while preventing damage to the lakebed from anchors and grappling equipment.

In the detailed scan, the Northerner's final load of cordwood is still visible in its hold.

Last year, maritime archaeologists and engineers set out on a weeklong mission to examine some of the deepest shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, many of which are quickly degrading due to invasive quagga mussels. Their first survey focused on the comparatively shallow Northerner, where they tested an autonomous underwater vehicle fitted with advanced imaging technology.

Using the Saab Sabertooth robotic system, the team recorded extremely detailed photographs of the wreck. These images were later combined to produce the new 3D digital model.

The visuals also led to new discoveries. For the first time, researchers identified the Northerner’s rigging, which lies about 60 feet away from the main body of the ship, as reported by Caitlin Looby for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We know less about Lake Michigan than we thought we did,” said sanctuary superintendent Russ Green. “As we explore deeper areas of Lake Michigan, autonomous technology is essential for understanding what’s happening below.”

Similar 3D reconstructions have been created for other historic vessels, including Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance. The ship sank on November 21, 1915, after becoming trapped in pack ice and has remained on the seabed near Antarctica ever since. In 2024, researchers released a 3D model built from more than 25,000 high-resolution images taken after the wreck was discovered in 2022. The scan is detailed enough to show everyday objects used by the crew, such as plates and a boot.

In addition, the public can explore 3D models of dozens of shipwrecks located within Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, a protected 4,300-square-mile area of Lake Huron.

5,000-Year-Old Evidence of Whaling Found in Brazil News January 14, 2026

BARCELONA, SPAIN—A statement from the Autonomous University of Barcelona reports that communities living around 5,000 years ago in the Babitonga Bay region on Brazil’s southern coast actively hunted whales. An international research team led by Krista McGrath and André Colonese examined whale bones and bone tools recovered from sambaquis, or shell mounds, in the area. These materials are currently held at the Archaeological Museum of Sambaqui of Joinville.

The analysis identified remains from several species, including southern right whales, humpback whales, blue whales, sei whales, sperm whales, and dolphins. Many of the bones displayed clear cut marks consistent with butchering. The researchers also documented large harpoons made from whale bone, suggesting that these marine mammals were deliberately hunted rather than opportunistically scavenged.

According to McGrath, the findings show that these ancient communities possessed the expertise, equipment, and specialized methods needed to hunt large whales far earlier than previously believed.

K. Marinakos: The Peloponnese has everything, except the share of tourism it deserves

The Peloponnese is one of the country’s regions that brings together nearly all the elements of a complete and internationally competitive destination: history and mythology, world-renowned archaeological sites and monuments, rich natural landscapes, traditional settlements, modern tourism facilities, a strong agri-food identity, and a well-established gastronomic culture. Despite these advantages, its tourism performance remains well below that of Greece’s more developed tourist regions.

Speaking to Tornos News, Konstantinos Marinakos—Associate Professor of Tourism Business Development and Finance at the University of West Attica, President of the Peloponnese Tourism Organization, and Vice President of the Panhellenic Federation of Hoteliers—notes that although the Peloponnese has shown positive momentum over the past two years in key tourism indicators from major international markets, its overall performance in terms of market share, arrivals, overnight stays, and revenues still lags far behind other tourism-driven regions. As he points out, this situation represents both a challenge and an opportunity for investors and for those responsible for shaping and implementing tourism policy.

While there have been occasional notable promotional efforts by regions, municipalities, and tourism bodies, the main weakness lies in the lack of coordination and continuity. For such initiatives to deliver meaningful results, Marinakos stresses that they must be incorporated into a unified Strategic Tourism Development Plan for the Peloponnese, with a medium- to long-term horizon of at least five years. This plan should emerge through close collaboration among all stakeholders, including regional authorities, local governments, institutional tourism bodies, chambers of commerce, universities, employers’ organizations, and trade unions, with the aim of creating a shared, inclusive, and realistic vision.

Central to this approach is a model of mild but multifaceted tourism development, aligned with the Peloponnese’s broader development profile. This model would integrate outdoor activities, links with the agri-food sector, and the use of technology and innovation, while maintaining a strong and consistent commitment to environmental protection and the well-being of local communities.

Equally critical is the diversification of the tourism offering. As Marinakos emphasizes, there is a clear need for innovative and differentiated tourism products that can reduce seasonality and attract more domestic and international visitors with higher-quality characteristics. Although funding tools are available—from the Recovery Fund and the NSRF to the Development Law and the Just Transition Fund—the missing element, he argues, is coherent planning and a shared strategic direction that would allow the Peloponnese to establish a stable and recognizable presence in global tourism markets.

Ultimately, the challenge extends beyond economics to institutional capacity. Marinakos concludes that European and national policies require local authorities and stakeholders to develop vision and appropriate skills, enabling them to move beyond simply implementing policies and instead actively shaping regional development strategies. For the Peloponnese, the goal is not just to increase visitor numbers, but to shift from fragmented promotion to a coordinated, collaborative, and long-term tourism development model that reflects its true potential.

2,500-Year-Old Iron Age Teeth Reveal How Ancient Childhoods and Diets Unfolded

Learn how growth patterns in tooth enamel and residues trapped in dental plaque were used to reconstruct childhood development and adult diets in an Iron Age Italian community.

Iron Age sampled teeth.

More than 2,500 years after their burial, the teeth of Iron Age Italians are still preserving detailed records of their lives. Microscopic markers embedded in dental enamel and plaque reveal periods of physical stress during childhood, changes in diet over time, and the foods adults commonly consumed—including fermented staples that continue to shape Mediterranean cuisine today.

In an in-depth study of teeth from the Iron Age site of Pontecagnano in southern Italy, researchers used multiple dental analysis methods to reconstruct individual life histories from early childhood into adulthood. By identifying growth interruptions in enamel and food residues trapped in dental calculus, the research—published in PLOS One—provides a close-up view of everyday life in the 7th and 6th centuries BC, capturing childhood experiences as well as sophisticated food practices influenced by broader Mediterranean connections.

“Teeth act like a kind of time machine, preserving minute yet remarkably powerful traces of daily life,” said Roberto Germano, an archaeologist at Sapienza University of Rome and the study’s lead author. “Through them, we can see how people grew up, what they ate, and how they responded to the challenges of their world. Perhaps most striking is how familiar their lives seem—these Iron Age individuals also went through sensitive stages of childhood and ate fermented foods that are still fundamental to Mediterranean culture today.”

Solved: the mystery of Monte Sierpe

This 1.5-kilometre, winding strip of more than 5,000 human-made pits—each roughly three feet across and two feet deep—on Monte Sierpe (Snake Mountain) in Peru resembles a vast, enigmatic puzzle.

For almost a century, it has baffled archaeologists. Proposed explanations for its Inca-era function have ranged from a burial ground to a system for storing water. Now, researchers from the University of Sydney believe they have identified its true purpose, arguing that it served as an early accounting system and centre for exchange.

Using aerial imagery, the team mapped the site and identified numerical arrangements that mirror Inca knotted-cord counting techniques. They also examined sediment samples and found traces of crops traditionally used for basket-making—plants that would not have grown there naturally—suggesting they were intentionally brought to the site.

Archaeologists Say They’ve Unearthed a Massive Medieval Cargo Ship That’s the Largest Vessel of Its Kind Ever Found

Spotted off the coast of Denmark, the “Svælget 2” is a cog, a kind of large trading vessel used in the Middle Ages. Experts say the 600-year-old discovery is “exceptionally well-preserved”

Divers swept away sand and silt to reveal the wreck.

Forty feet beneath the waters of Øresund, the strait between Denmark and Sweden, archaeologists have uncovered the wreck of a 600-year-old ship. Lavishly equipped and exceptionally well-preserved, the vessel is a medieval cargo ship, or cog, and is believed to be the largest of its kind ever discovered.

Maritime experts from Denmark’s Viking Ship Museum found the ship while mapping the seabed. The silt-covered vessel, named Svælget 2, measures roughly 92 feet in length, 30 feet in width, and 20 feet in height. Its estimated cargo capacity was 300 tons.

“This discovery marks a milestone in maritime archaeology,” said excavation leader Otto Uldum. “It is the largest cog known to us and offers a unique chance to study both the construction and daily life aboard the largest trading ships of the Middle Ages.”

The ship's frame was made of wood from the Netherlands

Cogs first appeared around the tenth century as a secure and efficient way to transport large quantities of goods, according to Artnet’s Min Chen. Their deep cargo holds outmatched Viking ships like knarrs, and their tall sides made them difficult to board during naval conflicts. These large vessels were built to travel from the Netherlands, past Denmark, and into the Baltic Sea. Despite their size, a cog could be handled by a relatively small crew.

“The cog transformed trade in northern Europe,” said Otto Uldum. “It allowed goods to be moved on a scale never seen before.”

Shipbuilders constructed cogs as large as possible to carry heavy or bulky items such as timber, bricks, salt, and other staples. While no cargo was found in Svælget 2, archaeologists did recover personal items from the crew, including shoes, combs, and rosary beads.

The museum notes that the ship is exceptionally well-preserved. Buried in sand, its starboard side was shielded from erosion, preserving much of the rigging—the ropes and chains used to manage sails, secure masts, and protect cargo. “This provides an unprecedented opportunity to understand how cogs were outfitted for sailing,” Uldum added.

A replica of the "Bremen cog," a ship built in 1380 and found wrecked in Germany in the 1960s

Svælget 2 features other exceptionally well-preserved elements. At the stern, archaeologists discovered extensive remains of a castle—a covered deck where the crew would have taken shelter. While medieval records show that castles were common on cogs, no physical examples had ever been found.

“We have plenty of drawings of castles, but they have never been found because usually only the bottom of the ship survives,” said Uldum. “This time we have the archaeological proof.”

The ship also contained the remains of a brick galley, where the crew prepared meals. Built from 200 bricks and 15 tiles, this fireproof galley allowed cooking over an open flame. Nearby, divers recovered bronze cooking pots, wooden dishes, ceramic bowls, and remnants of meat and fish.

Dendrochronology shows that Svælget 2 was constructed around 1410. Its planks came from Pomeranian oak in modern-day Poland, and its frame wood originated in the Netherlands. The ship’s size reflects the strength of the medieval northern European trading economy, requiring a society capable of financing, building, and outfitting such massive vessels to meet demand for imported goods, Uldum explains.

Europe experienced an agricultural boom in the centuries leading up to Svælget 2, with its population increasing from 18 million in the seventh century to over 70 million by the 14th century, enabling more international trade.

“Perhaps the find does not change the story we already know about medieval trade,” Uldum said, “but it shows that it was through ships like Svælget 2 that this trade occurred. We now know, undeniably, that cogs could reach this size—that the ship type could be pushed to this extreme.”

600-year-old Viking shipwreck is the largest of its kind

The medieval ‘cog’ was nearly 92 feet long and featured castles on its bow and stern.

Archaeologists in Denmark report that a Viking ship discovered near Copenhagen is the largest of its type ever found. Measuring nearly 92 feet in length, the 600-year-old vessel is also among the best-preserved examples of a cog—a “super ship” whose innovative design and cargo capacity revolutionized trade in medieval Europe.

“This discovery is a landmark for maritime archaeology,” said excavation leader Otto Uldum. He noted that the ship provides a “unique chance to study both its construction and daily life aboard the largest trading ships of the Middle Ages.”

Dubbed Svælget 2 after the channel where it was found, the vessel was longer than two school buses and almost as wide as one. Tree-ring analysis of the timber indicates it was built by Viking craftsmen in the Netherlands around 1410 CE. Buried under nearly 40 feet of sand and silt, the ship was shielded from the usual destructive effects of underwater conditions. Svælget 2 is so well-preserved that traces of its original rigging remain intact.

A 3D elevation map showing the remains of Svælget 2.

“It’s remarkable to find so much of the rigging intact. We’ve never seen this before, and it gives us a unique chance to reveal new insights into how cogs were outfitted for sailing,” said Uldum.

Studying Svælget 2’s rigging will allow archaeologists to understand how a relatively small crew managed such a large vessel on its many journeys.

“The discovery shows how complex challenges like rigging were handled on the largest cogs,” Uldum explained. “Rigging is crucial on a medieval ship—it allows control of the sails, secures the mast, and protects the cargo. Without it, the ship would be useless.”

The researchers also confirmed that some Viking cogs included tall wooden structures at the bow and stern, known as castles. While historical drawings had long depicted these features, no archaeological evidence had ever verified them—until now.

“We have plenty of illustrations of castles, but they’ve never been found because usually only the lower part of the ship survives,” said Uldum. “This discovery finally gives us archaeological proof.”

Despite its size, the cog required a relatively small crew to pilot.

At the stern castle, archaeologists uncovered a covered deck that offered the crew shelter and protection. Compared to other shipwrecks, Svælget 2 provides roughly 20 times more material for study.

“It’s not comfort by modern standards, but it’s a significant improvement over typical Viking Age ships, which had only open decks in all kinds of weather,” Uldum noted.

While the find doesn’t change our basic understanding of medieval maritime trade, Svælget 2 demonstrates the immense investment, resources, and technical expertise required to build such a vessel.

“We now know, beyond doubt, that cogs could reach this size—that this ship type could be expanded to such extremes,” Uldum said.

The wild reason ancient statues always have tiny p*nises, because I bet you’ve wondered

Every month, social media throws up all sorts of strange questions, like why towels have those odd lines or why ancient statues all have such small penises. These are things you rarely stop to think about—after all, why would you? But suddenly you realise you don’t actually know the answer.

While gazing at a statue in a museum during a holiday in Greece or Italy, you might have noticed the size of its penis and wondered about it. It’s a seemingly trivial detail you never really cared about—until now. Surprisingly, there is a reason, and it’s not because the sculptor ran out of stone.

In his 2016 book In Bed with the Ancient Greeks, British historian Paul Chrystal explained that, centuries ago when these statues were made, large penises were actually considered undesirable—a view completely opposite to today’s standards.

“Large penises were seen as vulgar and outside cultural norms, associated with the barbarians,” Chrystal wrote. “A small penis reflected Greek ideals of male beauty—it signified the highest culture and was a mark of civilisation.”

It was also linked to intelligence. Archaeologist Chaira told DW: “In ancient Greece and Rome, big genitals were considered unattractive. Sculptors depicted only small ones to signal that the man was a rational thinker who had his desires under control.”

In Greek comedy, fools were often shown with large penises as “a sign of stupidity,” Chrystal added—essentially an insult. So next time you find yourself staring at a random statue, you’ll know the reason behind this quirky detail.

Carnoustie Stone Age hall challenges view of Scotland’s early people

The find drew worldwide attention and may have altered ideas about the sophistication and abilities of Scotland’s ancient communities.

Last year, archaeologists announced the discovery of one of the largest prehistoric structures ever uncovered in Scotland: a 35-metre-long meeting hall that predates Stonehenge.

Erected by some of the earliest Stone Age farming groups around 6,000 years ago, the vast timber structure was described as a “monumental” discovery of international importance.

Nothing of comparable scale from this early period has previously been identified, and researchers noted that its form and construction seemed entirely unfamiliar when compared with assumptions about the people living there at the time.

The archaeologists who uncovered it have since shared further reflections on the site, offering new insight into a society otherwise lost to history.

The building was found during excavations carried out by GUARD Archaeology on behalf of Angus Council, ahead of work to construct new football pitches near Carnoustie High School.

A sword and spear from the much later Iron Age were also recovered at the site, suggesting that knowledge or memory of the hall may have persisted for generations.

The scale of the dig amazed archaeologists

Archaeologist Warren Bailie described the excavation as the “find of a lifetime.”

He said, “While we were uncovering prehistoric structures at the Carnoustie site, I’ll never forget the morning I got the call about a sword and spear decorated with gold. The team immediately recovered the hoard in a block and transported it to our Glasgow lab that same day. This is the sort of discovery archaeologists dream about—truly once in a lifetime. Another unforgettable moment was when Alan Hunter Blair, our Fieldwork Director, shared aerial images taken with his kite-cam.”

Bailie continued, “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing—a rectangular structure so massive that it seemed impossible for it to be a Neolithic hall. But it turned out to be the largest of its kind ever found in Scotland.”

Dating to around 4,000 BC, the hall was constructed in a woodland clearing. Its walls were made from thick oak panels, and the roof was supported by enormous beams, making it an impressive structure.

Evidence suggests the hall may have been used for rituals, as tool “offerings” were discovered within its walls, and it remained in use for several centuries.

In addition to its extraordinary size, the site featured a smaller attached building, possibly serving as a preparation area, adding to its uniqueness.

An artist's impression of the site

Archaeologist Beverley Ballin Smith, co-author of a report on the find, explained: “What makes the Carnoustie halls unique in Scotland is the presence of a second hall built nearby at the same time. Later, part of its footprint was reused for a smaller hall, which is extremely rare. This shows continuity not only in architectural design but also in the ideas and meanings held by the community that built and used these structures.”

She noted another remarkable feature of the main hall: it seems to have been constructed without any earlier, simpler buildings leading up to it. “The long timber hall appears, at this time, as a fully formed monumental structure with no precursors in the Scottish landscape from the earlier Mesolithic period,” she said.

Ballin Smith added that the discovery challenges previous assumptions about these ancient communities, suggesting they were more sophisticated than the simple hunter-gatherer societies they are often portrayed as.

Some of the artefacts found at the site

Ms Ballin Smith explained: “The construction of these halls must have involved a community, including skilled woodworkers. They had the expertise to plan, design, and carry out the building, showing cognitive and practical abilities as sophisticated as our own.”

She added: “This challenges the typical view of hunter-gatherer societies. We often underestimate our ancestors’ skills and environmental knowledge. It’s also possible that the builders of the Carnoustie halls came from elsewhere, bringing with them ideas, knowledge, and beliefs developed in other places. We are only beginning to understand that our Neolithic heritage is far more complex than previously thought.”

She emphasized that the halls would have held great significance for those who built them: “To people of that time, the long timber hall was monumental—truly ‘out of this world.’”

Archaeologists Found an Entirely New Language Among the Ruins of an Ancient Empire

This story explores new discoveries at Turkey’s Boğazköy-Hattusha, the former capital of the Bronze Age Hittite Empire, a site renowned for its linguistic diversity. Archaeologists excavating the ruins uncovered a tablet written in an unfamiliar language that describes a foreign ritual. While scholars have not yet fully interpreted the text, they have determined that the language belongs to the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European family.

Hattusha, which served as the Hittite capital in north-central Turkey during the late Bronze Age from about 1650 to 1200 BCE, remains an exceptionally rich source of ancient written material. Excavations conducted over the last hundred years have revealed roughly 30,000 cuneiform tablets documenting the political, religious, and social life of Bronze Age Anatolia. Owing to its historical importance, the site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Although the majority of the tablets are written in Hittite—the earliest recorded Indo-European language—others feature regional languages such as Luwian, Palaic, and Hattic.

Poison Detected on 60,000-Year-Old Arrowheads

Evidence suggests that the use of poison-tipped arrows dates back as far as 60,000 years ago, according to a report by Live Science. Researchers led by Sven Isaksson of Stockholm University identified traces of toxic substances on five quartz arrowheads found at South Africa’s Umhlatuzana rock shelter, a site excavated in 1985. One of the toxins, buphandrine, would have impaired hunted animals, allowing hunters to spend less time and energy pursuing prey. Another toxin, epibuphanisine, was found on only one arrowhead, though researchers believe both substances were likely applied to all of the weapons. Isaksson noted that the poisons may have come from the same plant, Boophone disticha, which grows in southern Africa and is still known today as a source of arrow poison. While humans have long used plants for food and toolmaking, Isaksson explained that this discovery highlights the intentional use of plant chemical properties.

Archaeologists Found a Perfectly Preserved Celtic Instrument of War

The trumpets were commonly used to inspire Celtic warriors, but Romans captured them as war trophies.

This story explores the discovery of an exceptionally rare Iron Age hoard in Norfolk, England, which included an animal-headed Celtic war trumpet. Such trumpets were used to rally and motivate Celtic fighters, while the Romans prized them as trophies taken from defeated enemies. The find may be connected to Queen Boudica’s revolt against Roman rule, as the location and dating of the hoard align with the period of her uprising. The boar, a powerful symbol of strength for Celtic warriors 2,000 years ago, appears both on the trumpet and on military standards uncovered at the site during preparatory work for a housing development.

The bronze trumpet, known as a carnyx, dates back around 2,000 years and was widely used by Celtic groups across Europe to intimidate opponents and inspire troops in battle. Its striking appearance also captivated the Romans, who frequently seized these instruments and displayed them as symbols of victory. According to Historic England, the Norfolk example is only the third carnyx ever found in Britain and ranks among the most complete specimens discovered anywhere in Europe.