2025, Archaeology and History - Social Studies Network

The Ancient Lifelines of Mesopotamia: How Newly Discovered Irrigation Canals Rewrite History

Anthropology.net

MARCH 6, 2025

Credit: Antiquity (2025). For centuries, our understanding of early irrigation in Mesopotamia has relied largely on indirect evidence, such as cuneiform texts and archaeological remains of later canal networks. This is a rare case where nature has preserved a vital piece of human history. Water History, 7 , 397–418.

History

History Archaeology Humanities Government

Climate Change and Prehistoric Populations: Insights from Europe's Final Paleolithic

Anthropology.net

APRIL 3, 2025

Credit: PLOS ONE (2025). Dr. Isabell Schmidt from the University of Cologne's Department of Prehistoric Archaeology explains: "These observations probably reflect the eastward movement of people in response to the very abrupt and pronounced climatic cooling during the Younger Dryas. Credit: PLOS ONE (2025).

Archaeology

Archaeology Anthropology Humanities History

The Geometry of Memory: How Knots Carry the Weight of Human History

Anthropology.net

APRIL 4, 2025

In a new study published in the Cambridge Archaeological Journal 1 , researchers from institutions across Europe compiled the most comprehensive cross-cultural knot database to date. By analyzing 338 distinct knots from archaeological archives and museum collections, they discovered a surprisingly stable repertoire. . 1 Kaaronen, R.

Humanities

Humanities History Archaeology Ancestry

Ancient DNA from the Green Sahara Reveals a Lost North African Lineage

Anthropology.net

APRIL 2, 2025

© Archaeological Mission in the Sahara, Sapienza University of Rome By analyzing DNA from two 7,000-year-old naturally mummified individuals found in the Takarkori rock shelter of southwestern Libya, researchers have identified a genetic signature distinct from both sub-Saharan and Eurasian populations. "Our Hollfelder, N.,

Ancestry

Ancestry Archaeology Anthropology Humanities

When Did Humans Start Talking? Genomic Evidence Pushes Language Back to 135,000 Years Ago

Anthropology.net

MARCH 14, 2025

Genomic Clues: Tracing Language Through Population Splits Unlike previous studies that relied on archaeology or comparative anatomy, this research examines how human populations began to branch off from one another. What Came First: Language or Symbolic Thought? This challenges the long-held view that language and symbolism arose in tandem.

Humanities

Humanities Archaeology Artifacts Psychology

The Architecture of Inequality

Anthropology.net

APRIL 14, 2025

In a sweeping new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 1 , an international team analyzed the size of more than 47,000 houses across 1,100 archaeological sites. The archaeological record, stretching across six continents and 10 millennia, shows otherwise. link] Kohler, T. link] Scheidel, W. Bogaard, A.,

Archaeology

Archaeology Economics History Humanities

Ancient Meteors and Early Iron: How Space Rocks Became Everyday Tools in Iron Age Poland

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 17, 2025

2025 The study, published in Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 1 , examined 26 iron objects from burial sites at Częstochowa-Raków and Częstochowa-Mirów. Rethinking Early Ironworking The presence of meteoritic iron in Polish burial sites adds another layer to the complex history of early iron use in Europe.

Artifacts

Artifacts Archaeology Cultures Tradition

When the Sky Burned: How a Weakened Magnetic Field May Have Tilted the Fate of Early Humans

Anthropology.net

APRIL 16, 2025

Their three-dimensional models show a planet bathed in increased ultraviolet and cosmic radiation—especially across Europe and northern Africa—at precisely the moment when Homo sapiens was expanding and Homo neanderthalensis was fading from the archaeological record. But Earth’s own history tells a more nuanced story.

Humanities

Humanities Archaeology Cultures History

Early Seafaring: Evidence of Stone Age Maritime Skills in the Mediterranean

Anthropology.net

APRIL 10, 2025

Recent archaeological discoveries 1 are challenging long-held assumptions about the maritime capabilities of prehistoric hunter-gatherers. Maritime migrations: Anthropologist sheds light on the genetic history of ancient populations in Mediterranean islands. "This isn't the story of accidental castaways. link] Kennett, D.

Artifacts

Artifacts Archaeology Humanities History

Climate and the First South Americans: How Ancient Environments Shaped Early Human Settlement

Anthropology.net

MARCH 26, 2025

The early human settlement of South America stands as one of the last great migrations in human history, yet the environmental conditions that shaped this journey remain debated. The archaeological evidence does not establish a clear causal link between human activity and megafaunal decline. 1 Becerra-Valdivia, L.

Humanities

Humanities Archaeology Cultures Tradition

East Meets West: Avar Society’s Genetic Patchwork in Early Medieval Austria

Anthropology.net

JANUARY 18, 2025

Archaeological evidence suggested these people coexisted peacefully, identifying themselves as part of the broader Avar society. Historical records describe the Vienna Basin during this time as a period of relative peace, a sentiment echoed in the archaeological findings. ” Oxford Journal of Archaeology. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0092.2009.00348.x

Ancestry

Ancestry Archaeology Anthropology Heritage

Call for Proposals: Joukowsky Institute Archaeology and the Ancient World Spring Symposium

Society for Classical Studies

FEBRUARY 10, 2025

This includes a core strength in archaeological and allied approaches to the study of the ancient Mediterranean and the Near East, complemented by scholarship focused on the ancient Americas and East Asian antiquity. For full consideration, please submit proposals by March 3, 2025.

Archaeology

Archaeology History Research

The Wolves That Became Dogs: A New Model for Rapid Domestication

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 15, 2025

Could natural selection alone turn wolves into early dogs quickly enough to match the archaeological record? 2025 This is not just a mathematical curiosity—it reframes our understanding of the deep evolutionary relationship between humans and canines. Grey wolf genomic history reveals a dual ancestry of dogs." Kulwicki, R.,

Archaeology

Archaeology Ancestry Humanities Research

Echoes Across the Sands: Bronze Age Cymbals Reveal Musical Ties Between Oman and the Indus Valley

Anthropology.net

APRIL 7, 2025

Harmonizing Histories: The Role of Music in Cultural Integration The integration of musical traditions between the Umm an-Nar culture and the Indus Valley civilization underscores the significance of cultural exchange in ancient times. . Near Eastern Archaeology , 84(3), 172–181. Archaeopress Archaeology.

Archaeology

Archaeology Tradition Cultures Economics

Ancient Bedrock Metates Reveal Early Plant Processing in Oregon’s Uplands

Anthropology.net

MARCH 26, 2025

Archaeology often deals with what remains—the bones, the stone tools, the charred remnants of ancient hearths. Anthropologist Lisbeth Loutderback extracting plant residues from a metate at an archaeological site on public land in southcentral Oregon. In Handbook for the Analysis of Micro-Particles in Archaeological Samples.

Archaeology

Archaeology Humanities Research History

Echoes from the Ice Age: DNA Unveils the Prehistoric Inhabitants of El Mirón Cave

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 7, 2025

Credit: Nature Communications (2025). ” Implications for Archaeology and Genetics A New Era in Prehistoric Research The ability to extract DNA from sediments is revolutionizing the study of human and animal history. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). Red Lady's skeleton. Modified from L.G. Straus & R.

Ancestry

Ancestry Artifacts Archaeology Humanities

Rethinking Inequality: What 50,000 Ancient Homes Tell Us About Power, Wealth, and Human Choices

Anthropology.net

APRIL 14, 2025

For much of history, the rise of inequality has been treated like gravity: inevitable, natural, and inescapable. From the sprawling villas of Roman elites to the thatched huts of the poor in medieval Europe, textbook history often presents wealth disparity as a consequence of human progress. Three excavated Classic period (ca.

Humanities

Humanities Archaeology Economics Museum

Echoes of the Past: Understanding Ancient Diets at Franchthi Cave

Anthropology.net

JANUARY 19, 2025

An Ancient Cave with Modern Questions Franchthi Cave, nestled in the Peloponnesian peninsula of Greece, has been a silent witness to 40,000 years of human history. It serves as a critical archaeological site for understanding the transition from Mesolithic hunter-gatherers to Neolithic agriculturalists. Read more 1 Martinoia, V.,

Archaeology

Archaeology Humanities Cultures Tradition

A Window Into the Early Epigravettian: Grotta della Lea and Italy’s Final Ice Age Hunters

Anthropology.net

MARCH 10, 2025

Unlike many other archaeological sites that have been repeatedly excavated over decades, this cave has only recently been investigated systematically. Journal of Archaeological Science, Reports , 63 (105064), 105064. Martini, I., Terlato, G., Silvestrini, S., Romandini, M., Gruppo Speleologico Neretino, Berna, F., Calcagnile, L.,

Archaeology

Archaeology K-12 Artifacts Humanities

Inequality, Endurance, and the Shape of Human Settlements

Anthropology.net

APRIL 15, 2025

In the long arc of human history, what makes a settlement persist? Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 1 , the study draws on data from over 47,000 houses spanning nearly 3,000 archaeological sites and 10,000 years of human history. Assessing grand narratives of economic inequality across time.

Humanities

Humanities Archaeology Economics History

When Did Humans First Make Stone Tools? New Research Suggests They Didn’t—At First

Anthropology.net

MARCH 18, 2025

Credit: Archaeometry (2025). Credit: Archaeometry (2025). “If naturaliths were being used extensively, then the history of tool use is likely much older than we think,” Bebber said. Details about these specimens are available in the supplementary online materials (Data S1). Image by Michelle R. Bebber, Metin I.

Humanities

Humanities Research Archaeology Tradition

The Stone Blades of Jebel Faya: Rewriting the Story of Early Humans in Arabia

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 18, 2025

But every now and then, a new discovery forces a rewrite of this narrative, reminding us that human history is more intricate than we once thought. One such discovery has emerged from the archaeological site of Jebel Faya, a rock shelter nestled in the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Related Research Bretzke, K., Preusser, F.,

Humanities

Humanities Archaeology Anthropology Artifacts

The Cats Before the Cats: How Leopard Cats Lived Among Ancient Chinese Societies for Millennia

Anthropology.net

MARCH 13, 2025

A new genetic and archaeological study 1 has revealed that leopard cats ( Prionailurus bengalensis ), small wild felines native to East Asia, lived alongside people in China’s early agrarian societies for at least 3,500 years—only to disappear from human settlements centuries before the arrival of domestic cats via the Silk Road.

Archaeology

Archaeology Humanities Museum Geography

Tracing the Huns’ Genetic Legacy: A Eurasian Patchwork of Ancestry

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

Within a few decades, they built an empire that stretched from the Eurasian steppe to the heart of Central Europe, reshaping political landscapes and leaving an imprint on European history. But where did they come from? The results paint a complex picture of migration, cultural blending, and long-distance connections.

Ancestry

Ancestry Archaeology Museum Anthropology

A Red Smile from the Silk Road: The Mystery of Cinnabar-Stained Teeth in Ancient Turpan

Anthropology.net

MARCH 17, 2025

Credit: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s12520-025-02188-5 A new study 1 , led by researchers from Jilin University and Texas A&M University, has confirmed that the striking color was caused by cinnabar, a mercury sulfide mineral with a long history of ritual and medicinal use.

Archaeology

Archaeology Anthropology History Research

A Call for Respect: Rethinking How Museums Care for Animal Remains

Anthropology.net

MARCH 10, 2025

They were the remains of animals deeply intertwined with the histories and cultures of Indigenous communities. Lakota elder Milo Yellow Hair looks over bison skulls stored in the CU Museum of Natural History. Are they places where we treat archaeological objects as inanimate things? These weren’t just scientific specimens.

Museum

Museum Archaeology Artifacts Anthropology

CFP: 2025 Annual Meeting of the Classical Association of the Atlantic States

Society for Classical Studies

MARCH 7, 2025

We invite proposals for individual papers, panels, and workshops/roundtables on any aspect of the Greco-Roman world, including but not limited to poetry (from epic, lyric, and pastoral to elegy, satire, and the epigram), drama, history, philosophy, archaeology, religion, and social life (from family and gender roles to slavery and prostitution).

Pedagogy

Pedagogy K-12 Archaeology Teaching

Call for Proposals: Symposium Vesuvianum 2026

Society for Classical Studies

JANUARY 27, 2025

Call for Proposals: Symposium Vesuvianum 2026 kskordal Mon, 01/27/2025 - 08:36 Image Call for Proposals Symposium Vesuvianum 2026 The Vergilian Society seeks proposals for its annual Symposium Vesuvianum to take place at the Villa Vergiliana in Cuma, Italy in October 2026. Informal inquiries are also welcome at this email address.

Archaeology

Archaeology History Cultures

The Journey of Homo sapiens into East Eurasia: What Ancient Genomes Reveal

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

Human history is not just about where we came from but how we adapted to the ever-changing environments we encountered. Archaeological evidence, particularly the presence of distinct microblade stone tools, has been used to argue for a northern migration. However, genetic research presents a different picture. Related Research Fu, Q.,

Ancestry

Ancestry Anthropology Archaeology Humanities

Early Humans in the Heart of the Rainforest: A 150,000-Year-Old Mystery Unfolds

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

A Race Against Time: The Destruction of Ancient Sites Unfortunately, the researchers also highlight a growing concern: the destruction of archaeological sites due to modern development. This serves as a stark reminder of how fragile our connection to deep history is. Roberts, P., Patalano, R., Blackwood, A. Kouamé, E. Hallett, E.,

Humanities

Humanities Archaeology History Tradition

CFP: NYU Graduate Collective for Ancient Studies Undergraduate Conference 2025

Society for Classical Studies

DECEMBER 17, 2024

On March 8th, 2025 , GCAS will host the 7th- Annual Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Conference on the Ancient World. Classical Philology, Anthropology, Archaeology, History, etc.) Deadline for Abstracts : January 24, 2025 Students should expect to receive notifications regarding their submission by January 31, 2025.

Archaeology

Archaeology Anthropology History Research

CFP: Philomathes: An Online Journal of Undergraduate Research in Classics

Society for Classical Studies

SEPTEMBER 10, 2024

This refereed on-line journal publishes original research projects carried out by undergraduate students in any area of Classics: linguistics, literature, art history, archaeology, classical tradition, philosophy, etc. Undergraduate research has become a prime component of university study in Classics as in other disciplines.

Research

Research Archaeology Tradition History

CFP: Gender Violence in Art in the Classical World and Beyond (College Art Association 113th Annual Conference)

Society for Classical Studies

AUGUST 9, 2024

In what artistic, historical, archaeological, spatial, or cultural contexts do we see the deployment of narratives of violence, and what functions do such deployments serve? What function does art serve in communicating, reifying, or normalizing violence? Keywords: 1.

Archaeology

Archaeology Museum Tradition History

The Last Feast of the Bustards: Ritual, Memory, and the Decline of a Giant Bird

Anthropology.net

APRIL 17, 2025

In the archaeological layers of Taforalt, also known as Grotte des Pigeons, researchers have unearthed not only bustard bones, but strong evidence of their ritual use. But 15,000 years ago, the bird was more than just a presence on the plains. “It wasn’t casual consumption. Journal of Human Evolution , 62(2), 261–273.

Artifacts

Artifacts Archaeology Museum Humanities

Buried Together: What an Israeli Cave Reveals About Early Human and Neanderthal Life

Anthropology.net

MARCH 11, 2025

Exposed section of archaeological sediments dated to to 110 thousand years ago at Tinshemet cave A new study, published in Nature Human Behaviour 1 , brings fresh insight into this question. ” A New Perspective on Human Evolution Tinshemet Cave stands as a testament to the fluidity of human history. Related Research Hublin, J.-J.

Humanities

Humanities Ancestry Archaeology Cultures

The Puppets of the Past: A Window into Preclassic Mesoamerica

Anthropology.net

MARCH 6, 2025

The archaeological discovery of Preclassic clay figurines atop the San Isidro pyramid in El Salvador raises profound questions about the social and ritualistic lives of Mesoamerican cultures. Sokołowski/PASI; Antiquity (2025) The figurines date back to roughly 410–380 BC , predating the rise of divine kingship in Mesoamerica.

Artifacts

Artifacts Archaeology Tradition Cultures

A Massacre at the Edge of an Empire: DNA Identifies Victims of a 2,100-Year-Old Battlefield

Anthropology.net

MARCH 11, 2025

Now, a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science 1 has used ancient DNA and isotopic analysis to answer that question—and in doing so, has provided new insight into a war that shaped the history of East Asia. To clarify the history of the fortress, archaeologists turned to the remains of those who died there.

Archaeology

Archaeology Artifacts History Research

Skulls, Strontium, and Secrets: Unraveling the Rituals of Iron Age Iberia

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 21, 2025

A Mysterious Ritual Resurfaces in the Archaeological Record In the rugged landscapes of northeastern Iberia, ancient fortresses once stood, their walls bearing silent witness to the turbulent rituals of Iron Age societies. Journal of Archaeological Science. Journal of Archaeological Science, Reports , 62 (105035), 105035.

Archaeology

Archaeology Humanities Tradition Research

A Mysterious Burial in Ecuador: Tracing the Death and Rituals of a Pregnant Manteño Woman

Anthropology.net

MARCH 8, 2025

2025 Led by Dr. Sara Juengst, an international team of researchers analyzed the burial, comparing it to others from the region. World Archaeology, 24 (1), 82-102. History of the New World." Drawing of Burial 10 in situ during excavation. Credit: Kathryn Killacky in Juengst et al. Related Research Ubelaker, D. 1 Juengst, S.

Artifacts

Artifacts Heritage Archaeology Tradition

15 Women from World History Who Made a Difference

Studies Weekly

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

15 Women from World History Who Made a Difference Mar. 7, 2022 By Studies Weekly World history is full of remarkable women who changed the way we live today. During Women’s History Month or any time of the year, their stories can inspire your students to dream big and make the difference they want to see in the world.

World History

World History History Social Studies Archaeology

Ancient Remains from the Thames Reveal 6,000 Years of Human Deposition

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

Researchers from the Natural History Museum in London and Historic England analyzed 61 individuals, using 30 newly obtained radiocarbon dates to refine previous chronological estimates. Over time, researchers recognized that human remains in the river represented a complex history of deposition. Credit: flickr/ Alastair Rae CC BY-SA 2.0

Humanities

Humanities Archaeology Museum History

CFP: Embodying Women's Colonial Experiences

Society for Classical Studies

OCTOBER 11, 2024

For scholars of gender archaeology and history, the body has become a privileged site for the investigation of women’s lives in antiquity (Liston 2012; Shepherd 2012). 1993) ‘Mixed Marriages at the Frontiers of the Early Greek World’, Oxford Journal of Archaeology , 12(1), pp. Buchner, G. Naples, pp. Coldstream, J.N. Hartman, S.

Archaeology

Archaeology Archiving Cultures History

CFP: Sapiens Ubique Civis XII – Szeged 2025

Society for Classical Studies

JANUARY 31, 2025

The application deadline is June 9, 2025. An acceptance notification will be sent to you by June 23, 2025 at the latest. students aspiring to apply to a PhD program. students aspiring to apply to a PhD program. We are also happy to accept submissions regarding pedagogical methods in teaching Latin, Greek and other classical subjects.

Archaeology

Archaeology Social Science Humanities History

Genetics Through Time: The Evolutionary Mosaic of Early Medieval Europe

Anthropology.net

JANUARY 2, 2025

By using “time-stratified ancestry analysis,” this research employs the novel Twigstats approach to reconstruct Europe's genetic history with unprecedented clarity. The Puzzle of Early Britain The study also sheds light on Britain’s genetic history during Roman and early medieval times. Read more 1 Speidel, L.,

Ancestry

Ancestry Archaeology History Cultures

The Ancient Lifelines of Mesopotamia: How Newly Discovered Irrigation Canals Rewrite History

Climate Change and Prehistoric Populations: Insights from Europe's Final Paleolithic

The Geometry of Memory: How Knots Carry the Weight of Human History

Ancient DNA from the Green Sahara Reveals a Lost North African Lineage

When Did Humans Start Talking? Genomic Evidence Pushes Language Back to 135,000 Years Ago

The Architecture of Inequality

Ancient Meteors and Early Iron: How Space Rocks Became Everyday Tools in Iron Age Poland

When the Sky Burned: How a Weakened Magnetic Field May Have Tilted the Fate of Early Humans

Early Seafaring: Evidence of Stone Age Maritime Skills in the Mediterranean

Climate and the First South Americans: How Ancient Environments Shaped Early Human Settlement

East Meets West: Avar Society’s Genetic Patchwork in Early Medieval Austria

Call for Proposals: Joukowsky Institute Archaeology and the Ancient World Spring Symposium

The Wolves That Became Dogs: A New Model for Rapid Domestication

Echoes Across the Sands: Bronze Age Cymbals Reveal Musical Ties Between Oman and the Indus Valley

Ancient Bedrock Metates Reveal Early Plant Processing in Oregon’s Uplands

Echoes from the Ice Age: DNA Unveils the Prehistoric Inhabitants of El Mirón Cave

Rethinking Inequality: What 50,000 Ancient Homes Tell Us About Power, Wealth, and Human Choices

Echoes of the Past: Understanding Ancient Diets at Franchthi Cave

A Window Into the Early Epigravettian: Grotta della Lea and Italy’s Final Ice Age Hunters

Inequality, Endurance, and the Shape of Human Settlements

When Did Humans First Make Stone Tools? New Research Suggests They Didn’t—At First

The Stone Blades of Jebel Faya: Rewriting the Story of Early Humans in Arabia

The Cats Before the Cats: How Leopard Cats Lived Among Ancient Chinese Societies for Millennia

Tracing the Huns’ Genetic Legacy: A Eurasian Patchwork of Ancestry

A Red Smile from the Silk Road: The Mystery of Cinnabar-Stained Teeth in Ancient Turpan

A Call for Respect: Rethinking How Museums Care for Animal Remains

CFP: 2025 Annual Meeting of the Classical Association of the Atlantic States

Call for Proposals: Symposium Vesuvianum 2026

The Journey of Homo sapiens into East Eurasia: What Ancient Genomes Reveal

Early Humans in the Heart of the Rainforest: A 150,000-Year-Old Mystery Unfolds

CFP: NYU Graduate Collective for Ancient Studies Undergraduate Conference 2025

CFP: Philomathes: An Online Journal of Undergraduate Research in Classics

CFP: Gender Violence in Art in the Classical World and Beyond (College Art Association 113th Annual Conference)

The Last Feast of the Bustards: Ritual, Memory, and the Decline of a Giant Bird

Buried Together: What an Israeli Cave Reveals About Early Human and Neanderthal Life

The Puppets of the Past: A Window into Preclassic Mesoamerica

A Massacre at the Edge of an Empire: DNA Identifies Victims of a 2,100-Year-Old Battlefield

Skulls, Strontium, and Secrets: Unraveling the Rituals of Iron Age Iberia

A Mysterious Burial in Ecuador: Tracing the Death and Rituals of a Pregnant Manteño Woman

15 Women from World History Who Made a Difference

Ancient Remains from the Thames Reveal 6,000 Years of Human Deposition

CFP: Embodying Women's Colonial Experiences

CFP: Sapiens Ubique Civis XII – Szeged 2025

Genetics Through Time: The Evolutionary Mosaic of Early Medieval Europe

Stay Connected