Denisovans might have etched line patterns on two animal bone fragments more than 100,000 years ago in what’s now northern China. Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/engraved-bones-reveal-symbolism-had-ancient-roots-east-asia4…
Tag: Humans&Society/Archaeology
Ancient Maya warfare flared up surprisingly early
Extreme conflicts broke out well before the decline of the Maya civilization, researchers say. Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ancient-maya-warfare-flared-surprisingly-early4…
Satellites are transforming how archaeologists study the past
In ‘Archaeology from Space,’ Sarah Parcak takes readers on a lively tour of the past, and archaeology of the 21st century. Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/space-satellites-transforming-how-archaeologists-study-past4…
‘Fruit from the Sands’ explores the Silk Road origins of apples, tea and more
A new book explains how many of today’s popular foods got started on Central Asia’s ancient Silk Road trade networks. Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/fruit-sands-book-explores-silk-road-origins-apples-tea4…
Ancient humans used the moon as a calendar in the sky
Whether the moon was a timekeeper for early humans, as first argued during the Apollo missions, is still up for debate. Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/moon-time-calendar-ancient-human-art4…
East Asians may have been reshaping their skulls 12,000 years ago
An ancient skull-molding practice had a long history in northeastern Asia, researchers say. Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/east-asians-may-have-been-reshaping-their-skulls-12000-years-ago4…
Peru’s famous Nazca Lines may include drawings of exotic birds
Pre-Inca people depicted winged fliers from far away in landscape art. Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/peru-famous-nazca-lines-may-include-drawings-exotic-birds4…
These knotted cords may hide the first evidence that the Incas collected taxes
Some knotted string devices point to crop levies imposed by the Incan empire, researchers say. But other khipus continue to evade description. Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/khipus-knotted-cords-incas-taxes4…
Excavations show hunter-gatherers lived in the Amazon more than 10,000 years ago
Early foragers may have laid the foundation for farming’s ascent in South America’s tropical forests. Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/hunter-gatherers-lived-amazon-early-farming4…
Ancient sculptors made magnetic figures from rocks struck by lightning
Carved ‘potbelly’ stone sculptures suggest people in what’s now Guatemala knew about magnetism more than 2,000 years ago. Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ancient-sculptures-guatemala-magnetic-rocks-struck-lightning4…