The development of modern infrastructure not only transforms the present but also allows for the rediscovery of the past. This has been demonstrated by the recent archaeological findings recorded during the excavations for the construction of the new high-speed and high-capacity (AV/AC) Naples-Bari railway line. These discoveries, which have emerged at various points along the […]
Bronze Age Archaeology
Exploring diverse Bronze Age cultures across Europe, the Near East, North Africa, South Asia and beyond, archaeologists gain insights into social hierarchies, religious beliefs, and emergence of complex chiefdoms and states. Transitions to more permanent settlements, long-distance trade of metals and luxury goods also characterized this important transitional period between Stone Age hunter-gatherers and the rise of Iron Age civilizations.
The Hittite Version of the Epic of Gilgamesh, Discovered on Tablets in Hattusa, Has Differing Structure and Narrative Details
The Epic of Gilgamesh, considered the oldest literary work of humanity, has been studied for centuries. Its influence has spread across different cultures, and its story has been transmitted over millennia. Recently, studies on a Hittite version of the poem have opened new perspectives on its transmission and adaptation in the ancient world. Recent research […]
Money Emerged to Facilitate Trade Between Strangers, Not to Collect Taxes, According to an Archaeological and Ethnohistorical Study
The history of money, one of humanity’s most transformative creations, has been the subject of discussion for centuries. How did this fundamental tool for the economy emerge? A recent study published in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory presents a new perspective that reconfigures the debate. According to Mikael Fauvelle, author of the study, […]
Concentric Circular Enclosures from the Bronze Age Discovered in Northern France
Archaeologists from the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap) have made a significant discovery in northern France, specifically in the town of Vémars, in the Val-d’Oise department. This discovery consists of two systems of circular enclosures dating from the Bronze Age, found on a hillside in the valley. These circular enclosures, located approximately thirty […]
Archaeologists Find Evidence That Kurd Qaburstan Could Be the Ancient City of Qabra, Mentioned in Babylonian Inscriptions
The archaeological site of Kurd Qaburstan, located in the Erbil region of northeastern Iraq, has emerged as an invaluable source of knowledge about the Middle Bronze Age Mesopotamian civilization. Recent excavations led by Tiffany Earley-Spadoni, an associate professor of history at the University of Central Florida (UCF), have revealed surprising findings that could redefine our […]
Human Footprints from the Bronze Age Left by People Fleeing a Vesuvian Eruption and Other Extraordinary Discoveries in Campania
During improvement works on the Diramazione Nocera-Cava dei Tirreni gas pipeline in the municipalities of Nocera Superiore, Nocera Inferiore, Roccapiemonte, and Castel San Giorgio (province of Salerno, Campania) in Italy, an impressive archaeological legacy has come to light, spanning from the Bronze Age to Late Antiquity. These discoveries, the result of meticulous research conducted over […]
Uncovering a Massive Ancient Fortress with a 1-Kilometer-Long, 3,000-Year-Old Wall in the Caucasus
A recent study led by Dr. Nathaniel Erb-Satullo of Cranfield University has shed new light on a colossal 3,000-year-old fortress located in the Caucasus Mountains. Using advanced drone mapping techniques, researchers have redefined the scale and importance of the site, known as Dmanisis Gora, expanding our understanding of Late Bronze Age societies and their complex […]
The Enigma of Rujm el-Hiri: Not an Astronomical Observatory, Researchers Say
A groundbreaking study has cast doubt on the long-held belief that Rujm el-Hiri, an ancient structure in the Golan Heights, functioned as an astronomical observatory. Known as the Wheel of Spirits, this site has intrigued researchers for decades due to its massive circular stone walls and mysterious design. However, new findings suggest that geodynamic shifts […]
The Origin of Italo-Celtic and Graeco-Armenian Languages Discovered
A scientific discovery has unveiled one of history’s greatest enigmas: the origin of Italo-Celtic and Graeco-Armenian languages, fundamental pillars of Mediterranean civilizations. An international team of geneticists and archaeologists has reconstructed the migration patterns and cultural blending that gave rise to these significant linguistic families. The research, recently published on the preprint server bioRxiv, sequenced […]
Prehistoric Marbles, Whistles, and Other Vestiges of Childhood Games from Bronze Age, Discovered in the Carpathian Basin
A group of researchers from the Institute of Archaeology in Zagreb has revealed fascinating evidence about how children played during the Late Bronze Age (14th to 9th centuries BCE) in the southern Carpathian Basin. According to a recently published study, the ceramic toys and other objects found in settlements and graves in Croatia, Slovenia, and […]