article thumbnail

Ancient DNA Illuminates South Africa’s Human History

Anthropology.net

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. These new results from southernmost Africa are quite different, and suggest a long history of relative genetic stability.”

article thumbnail

The Origins of Horse Domestication: A New Chapter in Human History

Anthropology.net

Throughout the annals of human history, no animal has had a more profound impact on the development of human societies than the horse. As research continues to evolve, it is becoming increasingly clear that the history of horse domestication is more complex and nuanced than previously thought. Author William T.

educators

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Where Humans and Neanderthals Interbred

Anthropology.net

The interbreeding of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals is a well-established fact, revealing a fascinating chapter in human evolution. This research has pinpointed the Zagros Mountains, a significant mountain range on the Persian Plateau, as a key region where these two human species overlapped.

article thumbnail

A Silken Web: How Weaving has Shaped Human History

World History Teachers Blog

Here is an excellent essay by the historian, Peter Frankopan, for AEON Magazine about the significance of silk from its accidental development in China to its use as a "symbol of extravagance and decadence" in Afro-Eurasia. It's a great story and the excerpts are for great for the classroom.

article thumbnail

Tracing the Origins of Horseback Riding: Insights from Human Skeletons

Anthropology.net

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?

article thumbnail

Ancient Human Habitation: New Discoveries from East Timor’s Laili Rock Shelter

Anthropology.net

Archaeological discoveries in East Timor’s Laili rock shelter have unveiled evidence 1 of ancient human habitation dating back approximately 44,000 years. This finding, led by an international team of archaeologists, contributes significantly to understanding the migration and adaptation patterns of early humans in Southeast Asia.

article thumbnail

The Smallest Human Arm Bone

Anthropology.net

A recent study 1 published in Nature Communications has unveiled a remarkable discovery of rare early human fossils from the Indonesian island of Flores. These findings offer critical insights into the evolutionary history of Homo floresiensis , the diminutive 'Hobbits' whose remains were first uncovered in 2003 at Liang Bua cave on Flores.