Anthropology.net

DECEMBER 5, 2024

Cave art has long been a touchstone for understanding the cognitive and cultural worlds of ancient humans. Their simplicity belies their profound significance as one of the earliest forms of human visual culture. Journal : Journal of Archaeological Science , 2019. Journal : Journal of Archaeological Science Reports , 2021.

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Sapiens

DECEMBER 4, 2024

In early 2024, Spain’s culture minister announced that the nation would overhaul its state museum collections, igniting a wave of anticipation—and controversy. It is crucial to understand that decolonizing efforts in museums do not equate to an immediate, wholesale return of cultural material. Unlike the U.K.,

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NOVEMBER 30, 2024

The LaPrele Mammoth Site: A Window into Early North American Life Archaeological discoveries at the LaPrele mammoth site in Wyoming continue to shed light on the ingenuity and adaptability of Early North Americans, who lived in North America nearly 13,000 years ago. Source: Journal of Archaeological Science , 2019.

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DECEMBER 2, 2024

From Philosophy to Archaeology: The Capability Approach The HDI, widely used today to evaluate well-being through health, education, and living standards, traces its roots to the capability approach developed by philosopher and economist Amartya Sen. Philosophy of archaeology. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

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Sapiens

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

New archaeological research reveals insights into the first-known seafarers to brave ocean crossings from Asia to the Pacific Islands more than 50,000 years ago. The authors acknowledge the contribution of Abdul Razak Macap, a social anthropologist at the Regional Cultural Heritage Center in Manokwari.)

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Anthropology.net

DECEMBER 3, 2024

Archaeological specimens of semi-domesticated maize (corn) were found in baskets buried in caves in Peruaçu Valley. Archaeological evidence indicates that maize spread to southwestern Amazonia approximately 6,000 years ago before eventually arriving in Brazil’s Peruaçu Valley some 1,500 years ago.

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Anthropology.net

DECEMBER 5, 2024

Discovered alongside an extraordinary assemblage of Clovis artifacts—bone tools, projectile points, and red ochre—this burial site has been a key to understanding the Clovis culture. A Broader Impact on Ecology and Culture Technology and Mobility Clovis toolkits reflect their focus on large game.

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NOVEMBER 26, 2024

A groundbreaking discovery 1 from Prado Vargas Cave in northern Spain is reshaping perceptions of Neanderthals, highlighting their advanced cognitive and cultural practices. Instead, they displayed a deep appreciation for the natural world and engaged in complex social and cultural behaviors. Navazo Ruiz et al., 1 Navazo Ruiz, M.,

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Sapiens

OCTOBER 22, 2024

Archaeological excavations at Mandrin Cave revealed the remains of both Neanderthals and modern humans. Evolutionary, cultural, and social processes that seem unimaginable if we try to apply them to sapiens populations, as we understand them through cultural anthropology, history, and archaeology.

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Anthropology.net

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

In a groundbreaking study published in Nature Human Behaviour 1 , researchers delve into the intricate world of ancient jewelry, unearthing evidence of nine distinct lost cultures that thrived across Europe between 34,000 and 24,000 years ago. Critics argue that archaeology has leaned too heavily on genetic evidence. Baker, Rigaud, et.

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Anthropology.net

DECEMBER 4, 2024

A recent study, published in the European Journal of Archaeology 1 , suggests these plaques may represent one of humanity's earliest attempts at recording genealogy—a non-verbal precursor to modern ancestry documentation. Journal : European Journal of Archaeology , 2004. Journal : Cambridge Archaeological Journal , 2009.

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APRIL 6, 2024

In 1994, the Schöningen open-cast coal mine yielded an astonishing archaeological treasure: remarkably well-preserved hunting weapons dating back 300,000 years. Spearheads and throwing sticks, discovered alongside animal bones, offered a glimpse into the sophisticated craftsmanship of early humans.

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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.

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Strange Maps

MARCH 1, 2024

For Vinci, a nuclear engineer by training and an amateur historian by passion, the clues added up to a shocking revelation: Those Homeric stories, cornerstones of ancient Greek and modern Western culture, do not take place in and around Greece, in southern Europe, but rather near the Baltic Sea, in northern Europe.

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DECEMBER 2, 2024

Such tasks likely involved collaboration and the transmission of knowledge within the group, suggesting that these skills were culturally shared over generations. This discovery supports growing evidence that Neanderthals possessed the cognitive abilities and social structures necessary for cultural innovation. Leierer, L., Knight, R.

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Anthropology.net

DECEMBER 4, 2024

The Study of Ancient Alaskan Canids To explore this complex history, a team of archaeologists led by François Lanoë from the University of Arizona analyzed 111 sets of bones from canids unearthed at archaeological sites across interior Alaska. Journal : Journal of Anthropological Archaeology , 2019. lupus/familiaris ).

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DECEMBER 2, 2024

Researchers from the China National Silk Museum and the Sichuan Research Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology have confirmed that silk played a significant role in sacrificial rituals conducted by the Shu State during the late Shang Dynasty (1600–1100 BCE). Cambridge Archaeological Journal. Ge, J., & Hu, Y.

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OCTOBER 29, 2024

Photo by Marcello Canuto) The Power of Lidar in Archaeology Lidar, a laser-based detection system, allows archaeologists to scan landscapes by sending thousands of laser pulses per second and mapping the terrain based on how these pulses reflect off surfaces. .”

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Anthropology.net

JULY 2, 2024

Introduction A remarkable discovery in southeastern Australia has unveiled archaeological evidence of what may be the oldest known culturally transmitted human ritual. Ritual sticks uncovered in Cloggs Cave date back 10,000 to 12,000 years. al 2024 Read more

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Anthropology.net

MAY 15, 2024

Nestled near the tumultuous borders of present-day Ukraine and Russia lies Mykhailivka, a village with archaeological significance dating back millennia. Here, seventy years ago, Ukrainian researchers excavated pivotal insights into the enigmatic Yamnaya culture—a nomadic pastoralist society that emerged approximately 5,000 years ago.

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Sapiens

FEBRUARY 20, 2024

The Wajãpi had invited me to map archaeological sites in their territory. The Wajãpi already knew of my “archaeological finds”—the footsteps of Creator Hero from the beginning of time. What could my archaeological knowledge possibly offer to such a vast cosmological wisdom? I was excited. We just draw from different backgrounds.

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Anthropology.net

SEPTEMBER 21, 2024

Hosek said, “In archaeology, there are vanishingly few instances in which we can tie a particular activity unequivocally to skeletal changes.” in a culture known as the Yamnaya. This group is thought to have lived near the Black Sea and spread their culture and language as they rode on horseback across Eurasia.

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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.,

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Anthropology News

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

I’ll start with a confession: I am not a cultural anthropologist. I call this a “confession” because “ (bio)archaeologists ” like me—scholars who identify with archaeology, biological anthropology, or both—are not necessarily known for centering social theories like Intersectionality in our subdisciplines. Intersectional Anthropology.

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NOVEMBER 7, 2024

Ochre’s Role in Early Human Society Ochre, valued across cultures and eras, was more than a mere pigment; it was a cornerstone of symbolic and ceremonial life. In Eswatini, ochre remains significant in various cultural rituals, such as wedding ceremonies where brides are adorned with red ochre as a symbol of transformation and unity.

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Anthropology News

JANUARY 29, 2024

We invite submissions that probe the anthropological dimensions of AI: how it affects and is affected by human behavior, social norms, and cultural practices. AI is a complex field that appears poised to impact nearly every aspect of human life, from work to interpersonal relationships, education, mental health, and beyond.

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Anthropology.net

DECEMBER 14, 2024

The study, published in PLOS ONE 1 on December 11, 2024, uses bioarchaeological analyses to shed light on the diets, deaths, and cultural practices of this enigmatic population, linked to the Neolithic Cucuteni-Trypilla culture. Cultural Context The rarity of cremated remains in Trypillian burials adds another layer of intrigue.

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Anthropology.net

DECEMBER 19, 2024

But recent archaeological findings reveal that even domestic livestock were transformed to project power and control. This discovery reshapes our understanding of early animal domestication and its cultural significance in Predynastic Egypt. Credit: Journal of Archaeological Science (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106104

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Anthropology.net

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

This unity reflects a shared ancestral heritage, reinforcing the deep continuity of the Armenian highlands as a distinct cultural and genetic region. Urartu as a Proto-Armenian State: Linguistic, Genetic, and Archaeological Aspects Explores genetic and cultural links between the Urartian state and Armenian ethnogenesis.

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Anthropology.net

JANUARY 19, 2024

In a groundbreaking revelation, an international team of researchers, spanning China, Australia, France, Spain, and Germany, has unveiled a sophisticated material culture in East Asia dating back an astonishing 45,000 years. Radiocarbon dating of the main cultural layer precisely places Shiyu between 45,800 and 43,200 years ago.

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Sapiens

MARCH 19, 2024

To uncover this past, a team launched the country’s first archaeological research. The Praia Melão engenho and estate is the first archaeological site identified in São Tomé. Other objects, including fragments of African ceramics and a cowrie shell, show the perseverance of cultural traditions among the enslaved workers.

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Anthropology.net

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

The rich archaeological context, combined with new genetic data, is revealing a long and stable genetic history of the region’s inhabitants. These newcomers began interacting with the indigenous hunter-gatherer populations, marking the start of more significant genetic and cultural shifts.

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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. Archaeological evidence in Australia dates back at least 60,000 years, highlighting the ancient roots of Aboriginal cultures.

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Anthropology.net

DECEMBER 4, 2024

Discovering Emotion in Ancient Mesopotamia From the flutter of "butterflies in the stomach" to the weight of a "heavy heart," emotions are often tied to physical sensations in modern cultures. Towards a Universal Understanding of Emotions This study opens new doors to understanding whether emotions are universal or culturally specific.

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Sapiens

APRIL 3, 2024

The artifacts found with them attest to cultural and technological changes, known as the Upper Paleolithic, that swept through the Mediterranean region and other parts of Eurasia around 40,000 years ago, just about the time Neanderthals disappeared. It’s unclear if they ever arrived.

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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.

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SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

Recent archaeological fieldwork 1 in Morocco has uncovered a previously unknown Neolithic society, shedding new light on North Africa’s pivotal role in the development of Mediterranean prehistory. This discovery fills a significant gap in understanding the cultural and agricultural evolution of the region between 4000 and 1000 BC.

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