Anthropology for Beginners

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

Application of Archaeology Archaeology is the study of human past through material remains. archaeologists study past humans and societies primarily through their material remains – the buildings, tools, and other artifacts that constitute what is known as the material culture left over from former societies.

Archaeology 130

Archaeology Cultures Anthropology Heritage 130

Anthropology.net

MAY 7, 2025

Stone Maps of Human Movement More than 25,000 lithic artifacts have been recovered from Montlleó—flint flakes, blades, and cores, some chipped and spent, others pristine and ready for use. They were hand-selected, transported, and exchanged—signifiers of distant homelands and enduring human ties.

Archaeology 74

Archaeology Artifacts Humanities Cultures 74

Anthropology.net

DECEMBER 19, 2024

But recent archaeological findings reveal that even domestic livestock were transformed to project power and control. Credit: Journal of Archaeological Science (2024). Hieroglyphic depictions and ritual artifacts reveal that early Egyptians often used animals to represent gods, cosmic forces, or societal ideals. 1 Van Neer, W.,

Archaeology 96

Archaeology Artifacts Cultures Economics 96

Anthropology.net

APRIL 4, 2025

An Ancient Practice, Revisited Through Code Knots are one of humanity’s oldest tools—so ancient, in fact, that they predate agriculture, metallurgy, and written language. By analyzing 338 distinct knots from archaeological archives and museum collections, they discovered a surprisingly stable repertoire.

Humanities 64

Humanities History Ancestry Archaeology 64

Anthropology.net

JANUARY 17, 2025

Nearly two million years ago, in the high-altitude landscape of the Ethiopian Highlands, early human ancestors at the Acheulian site of Melka Wakena weren’t simply grabbing the nearest stones to use as tools. Some of the bones display telltale anthropogenic marks, suggesting that early humans had a significant presence here.

Archaeology 105

Archaeology Artifacts Humanities Tradition 105

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 19, 2025

A new study published in the Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology 1 has upended this assumption. To correct this, the team organized a workshop where archaeologists directly examined artifacts from both traditions side by side. Neanderthals vs. Modern Humans: Who Made What? But do they? The results were striking.

Artifacts 93

Artifacts Archaeology Tradition Humanities 93

Anthropology.net

NOVEMBER 14, 2024

Although some archaeological studies propose that spindle whorls made of bone or antler existed around 20,000 years ago, they were likely decorative rather than functional for spinning. Cheval also emphasizes the importance of direct experience in hand-spinning when interpreting such artifacts. 1 Yashuv, T., & Grosman, L.

Archaeology 98

Archaeology Artifacts Tradition Humanities 98

Anthropology.net

JANUARY 18, 2025

The graves, filled with artifacts like ornate belt fittings and everyday items, reflected a shared culture. Archaeological evidence suggested these people coexisted peacefully, identifying themselves as part of the broader Avar society. ” Oxford Journal of Archaeology. But ancient DNA analysis told a different story.

Ancestry 97

Ancestry Archaeology Anthropology Heritage 97

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 18, 2025

A Discovery in the Desert The story of human migration is often told in sweeping arcs—great waves of Homo sapiens leaving Africa, moving into Eurasia, and eventually populating the entire planet. Credit: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences (2025). Credit: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences (2025).

Humanities 52

Humanities Archaeology Anthropology Artifacts 52

Anthropology.net

JULY 30, 2024

The deserts of northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula have long been the focus of archaeological research, revealing their roles as cradles of early human civilization and migration routes through so-called “green corridors.” The Narabeb site showing location of former lake. Middle Stone Age lithics from Narabeb.

Archaeology 85

Archaeology Humanities Artifacts History 85

Anthropology.net

APRIL 10, 2025

Recent archaeological discoveries 1 are challenging long-held assumptions about the maritime capabilities of prehistoric hunter-gatherers. Findings from Malta suggest that these early humans possessed the skills necessary for significant sea voyages, indicating a level of sophistication previously unattributed to Stone Age populations.​

Artifacts 91

Artifacts Archaeology Humanities History 91

Anthropology.net

APRIL 30, 2025

These languages, many of which still survive today, are more than means of communication—they are archaeological strata encoded in speech. A new study in Scientific Reports 1 argues that their grammar preserves a faint but measurable imprint of the first humans to populate the continent. “And migration reshapes both.”

Archaeology 74

Archaeology Ancestry Archiving Artifacts 74

Anthropology.net

AUGUST 18, 2024

Archaeologists have long debated the exact paths taken by early modern humans on their journey to Australia. While genetic data has estimated the arrival of Homo sapiens in Australia to be under 50,000 years ago, archaeological findings suggest an earlier presence, possibly as far back as 65,000 or even 80,000 years ago.

Artifacts 86

Artifacts Humanities Archaeology Research 86

Anthropology.net

MARCH 5, 2025

A Discovery That Reshapes the Story of Human Innovation For over a century, Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania has been the stage for some of the most profound discoveries in human evolution. Bone tools found in Olduvai, photographed in the Pleistocene Archaeology Lab of CSIC.

Archaeology 74

Archaeology Artifacts Humanities Tradition 74

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 7, 2025

The Search for Early Symbolic Expression For decades, archaeologists have debated the origins of symbolic thought in early humans. Was it an innovation exclusive to modern humans, or did our distant relatives also engage in abstract expression? Symbolic behavior in early humans is often difficult to identify with certainty.

Artifacts 52

Artifacts Archaeology Anthropology Ancestry 52

Anthropology.net

APRIL 29, 2025

While the southern lowlands began to host reindeer hunters and mobile foragers, the highlands and islands of Scotland remained largely uncharted in the archaeological record. Evidence has trickled in from sites in Yorkshire and Kent, but Skye, until now, was off the archaeological map. Hardy et al.,

Artifacts 55

Artifacts Archaeology Humanities Tradition 55

Anthropology.net

MAY 2, 2025

Rethinking the Archaeology of Contact For decades, the presence or absence of European trade goods—glass beads, iron knives, brass kettles—has guided archaeologists in determining whether a North American Indigenous site was occupied before or after European contact. If European objects were found, the site was “historic.”

Archaeology 53

Archaeology Artifacts Humanities History 53

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. That lack of disturbance makes it an exceptional place to study how humans occupied the region during the final millennia of the Upper Paleolithic.

Archaeology 78

Archaeology K-12 Artifacts Humanities 78

Anthropology.net

AUGUST 26, 2024

Recent archaeological findings 1 in West Papua have unveiled new insights into one of the most significant migrations in human history—the journey of early Homo sapiens into the Pacific Islands. This site, rich in archaeological deposits, provided a window into the lives of the early humans who inhabited the region.

Humanities 103

Humanities Archaeology Artifacts Heritage 103

Anthropology.net

APRIL 2, 2025

The presence of this distinctive technology so far from its previously known origins raises new questions about ancient human migrations, cultural exchange, and independent innovation. These artifacts suggest that the inhabitants of Longtan were engaging in complex tool-making behavior typically attributed to Neanderthals in Europe.

Archaeology 52

Archaeology Artifacts Humanities Cultures 52

Anthropology.net

OCTOBER 14, 2024

Archaeological discoveries in East Timor’s Laili rock shelter have unveiled evidence 1 of ancient human habitation dating back approximately 44,000 years. Excavations revealed thousands of stone artifacts and animal bones, indicating human presence approximately 44,000 years ago.

Humanities 95

Humanities Heritage Artifacts Archaeology 95

Anthropology.net

SEPTEMBER 21, 2024

A new study 1 challenges long-held beliefs about the origins of horseback riding, casting doubt on the Kurgan hypothesis, which claims that humans first began domesticating horses as early as the fourth millennium B.C. Horseback riding can indeed leave subtle marks on the human body. Can Horseback Riding Change Your Skeleton?

Humanities 105

Humanities Archaeology Artifacts Museum 105

Anthropology.net

AUGUST 19, 2024

Cooking is often viewed as a significant turning point in human evolution. It not only provided the extra calories needed to support larger brains 1 but also transformed the way early humans interacted with their environment. Unlike other species, humans are biologically adapted to consume cooked food.

Humanities 105

Humanities History Archaeology K-12 105

Anthropology.net

APRIL 23, 2025

But the new findings suggest that its human story stretches well into the early Holocene—with pottery, ostrich eggshell jewelry, and evidence of lakeshore settlement. “These artifacts, along with the lithics and ceramics, help define a distinctive material culture near the Gobi’s paleolakes.” link] Kuzmin, Y.

Archaeology 60

Archaeology Artifacts Cultures Humanities 60

Anthropology.net

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

A groundbreaking study 1 of ancient human DNA from the Oakhurst rock shelter in South Africa is shedding new light on population history in one of the world’s earliest regions of modern human activity. It contained more than 40 human graves and preserved layers of human artifacts, such as stone tools, going back 12,000 years.”

Humanities 98

Humanities History Archaeology Anthropology 98

Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 7, 2025

More than 46,000 years ago, deep within the caves of what is now northern Spain, a silent drama unfolded between humans and the great beasts of the Ice Age. For centuries, the study of prehistoric life has relied on the fragile remnants of bones and artifacts. “We don’t need bones,” says lead author Gelabert.

Ancestry 75

Ancestry Artifacts Archaeology Humanities 75

Anthropology.net

MARCH 10, 2025

“Even when they pass on, you still respect and honor them as non-human relatives. In a new paper published in Advances in Archaeological Practice 1 , Ward and his colleagues are calling for museums to take a more ethical, culturally informed approach to caring for the bones of animals, particularly those tied to Indigenous traditions.

Museum 52

Museum Archaeology Artifacts Anthropology 52

Anthropology.net

OCTOBER 15, 2024

Mountainous regions have long attracted early human populations, but the reasons behind this preference are becoming clearer thanks to new research. The results suggest that these rugged environments were key to human evolution, shedding light on why early human species chose such challenging terrains.

Humanities 97

Humanities Artifacts Archaeology Research 97

Sapiens

APRIL 3, 2024

Please note that this article includes images of human remains. This long-lost child, represented only by a lower jaw, was referred to as Ksâr ‘Akil 4 because it was the fourth human fossil discovered at the site of Ksâr ‘Akil in Lebanon, on the Eastern Mediterranean coast. ANOTHER SET OF TEETH “These teeth don’t belong to Egbert!”

Archival Research 138

Archival Research Museum Archiving Artifacts 138

Anthropology.net

MAY 6, 2025

In a recent study presented at the Society for American Archaeology’s 2024 annual meeting and detailed in the newly published book Maya Blue (University Press of Colorado), anthropologist Dean Arnold proposes a second, previously undocumented method.

Artifacts 59

Artifacts Archaeology History Humanities 59

Anthropology.net

MAY 24, 2024

Introduction: A Landmark Discovery in Qaleh Kurd Cave In a momentous archaeological breakthrough, French and Iranian researchers have unearthed compelling evidence of early human habitation in Iran's Central Plateau, pushing back the known timeline of human settlement in the region by an astonishing 300,000 years.

Heritage 105

Heritage Archaeology Artifacts Humanities 105

Anthropology.net

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Recent archaeological findings suggest that the Bronze Age board game, Hounds and Jackals—also known as Fifty-Eight Holes—may have originated not in Egypt, as previously believed, but in Asia. 2024 A Global History of Ancient Games Board games have been part of human culture for millennia. Crist et al.,

Archaeology 104

Archaeology Artifacts Cultures Humanities 104

Anthropology.net

APRIL 19, 2024

Delving into the Past: Exploring the Enigmatic Landscapes of Arabia The Arabian Peninsula, a land shrouded in mystery and ancient lore, conceals within its arid embrace a treasure trove of archaeological wonders. These fossil-rich deposits offer a tantalizing glimpse into the fauna that once roamed Arabia's ancient landscapes.

Humanities 75

Humanities Artifacts Archaeology History 75

Mr and Mrs Social Studies

DECEMBER 7, 2022

Keep scrolling to check out each of the following simulations: Early Humans Survival Simulation, Persian Empire Simulation, Nile River Simulation, Mohenjo Daro Simulation, Silk Road Simulation, Ancient Greece Panhellenic Games Simulation, Roman Empire Archaeological Simulation, and Knighthood Simulation!

Artifacts 130

Artifacts Archaeology Historic Sites Geography 130

Anthropology.net

SEPTEMBER 4, 2024

A submerged 25-foot bridge in a cave on the Spanish island of Mallorca has provided groundbreaking insights into the early human colonization of the western Mediterranean. Recent research led by geologists from the University of South Florida has revealed that humans settled in this region much earlier than previously believed.

Humanities 74

Humanities Archaeology Artifacts History 74

Anthropology.net

AUGUST 16, 2024

An extraordinary archaeological site 1 located at the foothills of the Southern Pyrenees in Spain is shedding light on a little-known period of Neanderthal history. The findings reveal a highly adaptive and resourceful group of early humans who thrived in a challenging environment for thousands of years.

Artifacts 97

Artifacts Archaeology Humanities History 97

Anthropology.net

OCTOBER 16, 2024

Artifacts and the Cellar's Significance Over a thousand artifacts were uncovered during the excavation, including pottery fragments, flint tools, and fossilized sea urchins. Such findings highlight the significance of ongoing archaeological research in uncovering the complexities of early human societies. 1 Brinch, M.,

Artifacts 97

Artifacts Archaeology Museum Cultures 97