news 2017
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History / Archeology - 24.10.2017
Life Sciences - History / Archeology - 13.10.2017 
Ancient DNA evidence finds no trace of early contact between Easter Islanders and South Americans
Easter Island has long been a source of intrigue and mystery. How did such a small community of people build so many impressively large statues? And what happened to cause that community to collapse? Researchers have also been curious about what kind of contact the Easter Islanders might have had with South Americans prior to the arrival of Europeans.
History / Archeology - 05.10.2017 
Antikythera shipwreck yields remarkable artifacts
Researchers have discovered several extraordinary items at the Antikythera shipwreck site in Greece, including bronze statue pieces and a mystery disc decorated with a bull. The statue pieces, notably a bronze arm and two marble feet attached to a plinth, were found lodged under massive boulders, leading the international team to believe that at least seven life-size statues could be hidden nearby - something that would be considered a unique find from the time period.
Life Sciences - History / Archeology - 04.10.2017
Life Sciences - History / Archeology - 21.09.2017 
First large-scale ancient DNA study helps reconstruct African population structure
Samples of ancient DNA recovered by University of Bristol scientists on two Indian Ocean islands have helped in the first large scale study of ancient human DNA from sub-Saharan Africa. Africa has long been known as the 'cradle of mankind', but up to now, the genetic information has been largely derived from modern population studies.
Life Sciences - History / Archeology - 08.09.2017
Life Sciences - History / Archeology - 01.09.2017
History / Archeology - Earth Sciences - 31.08.2017 
Find of Human Bones in South Mexico: Stalagmite Reveals Their Age as 13,000
A prehistoric human skeleton found on the Yucatán Peninsula is at least 13,000 years old and most likely dates from a glacial period at the end of the most recent ice age, the late Pleistocene. A German-Mexican team of researchers led by Wolfgang Stinnesbeck and Arturo González González has now dated the fossil skeleton based on a stalagmite that grew on the hip bone.
Life Sciences - History / Archeology - 28.08.2017
Life Sciences - History / Archeology - 21.08.2017 
Early Indian Ocean trade routes bring chicken and black rat to eastern Africa
The earliest introduction of domestic chickens and black rats from Asia to the east coast of Africa came via maritime routes between the 7th and 8th centuries AD. In a paper published last week in the journal PLOS ONE , an international team of researchers, including Professor Mark Horton from the University of Bristol's Department of Anthropology and Archaeology , used new techniques to analyse ancient DNA and proteins from 496 bone samples from 22 island, coastal and inland sites in eastern Africa.
History / Archeology - Social Sciences - 18.08.2017
History / Archeology - Social Sciences - 27.07.2017 
Isotopes in prehistoric cattle teeth suggest a variety of herding strategies were used during the Neolithic
Over the course of the Neolithic period, secondary products from cattle such as milk, manure and animal power became more important. This led to larger herds, and the increased demand for grazing resources could have led to herding strategies that took advantage of grazing grounds away from the permanent settlement.
History / Archeology - Administration - 20.07.2017 
Kakadu find confirms earliest Australian occupation
Aboriginal people have been in Australia for at least 65,000 years - much longer than the 47,000 years believed by some archaeologists. The discovery, by a team of archaeologists and dating specialists led by Associate Professor Chris Clarkson from The University of Queensland School of Social Science , has been detailed in the Nature journal this week.
History / Archeology - Life Sciences - 14.07.2017 
Synchrotron light used to show human domestication of seeds from 2000BC
The UK's synchrotron facility, Diamond Light Source, has been used by scientists at UCL to document for the first time the rate of evolution of seed coat thinning, a major marker of crop domestication from archaeological remains. Writing in the journal Scientific Reports , the authors present evidence for seed coat thinning between 2,000 BC and 1,200 BC in the legume horsegram (Macrotyloma uniflorum), a bean commonly eaten in southern India.
Environment - History / Archeology - 13.07.2017 
Diet of the ancient people of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) shows adaptation and resilience not ’ecocide’
Research by an international team, led by the University of Bristol, has shed new light on the fate of the ancient people of Rapa Nui (Easter Island). It had been proposed that vast forests of giant palm trees were cut down by the people of Rapa Nui leaving them among other things without canoes. With no canoes, they could no longer fish so they ate chickens, rats and agricultural crops.
History / Archeology - 11.07.2017
Life Sciences - History / Archeology - 19.06.2017
History / Archeology - Earth Sciences - 14.06.2017
Environment - History / Archeology - 31.05.2017
Life Sciences - History / Archeology - 30.05.2017 
First complete genome data extracted from ancient Egyptian mummies
Study finds that ancient Egyptians were most closely related to ancient populations from the Middle East and Western Asia. The combined use of artefacts, textual evidence and ancient DNA data allows a more holistic study of past identities and cultural exchange. W. Paul van Pelt An international team of researchers have successfully recovered and analysed ancient DNA from Egyptian mummies dating from approximately 1400 BCE to 400 BCE, including the first genome-wide data from three individuals.
History/Archeology
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Earliest known marine navigation tool revealed with scanning technology
Details on earliest known marine navigation tool revealed by scanning technology at WMG, University of Warwick Late fifteenth-century astrolabe - used by mariners to measure the altitude of the sun - recovered from Portuguese explorer ship which sank in 1503 Pioneering scanning analysis and 3D imaging revealed invisible navigational markings, proving the identity of the object Details of the earliest known marine navigation tool, discovered in a shipwreck, have been revealed thanks to state-of-the-art scanning technology at WMG, University of Warwick.
Details on earliest known marine navigation tool revealed by scanning technology at WMG, University of Warwick Late fifteenth-century astrolabe - used by mariners to measure the altitude of the sun - recovered from Portuguese explorer ship which sank in 1503 Pioneering scanning analysis and 3D imaging revealed invisible navigational markings, proving the identity of the object Details of the earliest known marine navigation tool, discovered in a shipwreck, have been revealed thanks to state-of-the-art scanning technology at WMG, University of Warwick.
Easter Island has long been a source of intrigue and mystery. How did such a small community of people build so many impressively large statues? And what happened to cause that community to collapse? Researchers have also been curious about what kind of contact the Easter Islanders might have had with South Americans prior to the arrival of Europeans.
Researchers have discovered several extraordinary items at the Antikythera shipwreck site in Greece, including bronze statue pieces and a mystery disc decorated with a bull. The statue pieces, notably a bronze arm and two marble feet attached to a plinth, were found lodged under massive boulders, leading the international team to believe that at least seven life-size statues could be hidden nearby - something that would be considered a unique find from the time period.
How to feed an invading army thousands of miles from home
Conquering Romans relied on resources from near and far to sustain their forces against the native tribes in Wales, according to new research by Cardiff University archaeologists. In a study published in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences , Dr Peter Guest and Dr Richard Madgwick of the University's School of History, Archaeology and Religion, used biochemical techniques of animal remains to reveal the origin of livestock supplied to the legionary fortress at Caerleon.
Conquering Romans relied on resources from near and far to sustain their forces against the native tribes in Wales, according to new research by Cardiff University archaeologists. In a study published in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences , Dr Peter Guest and Dr Richard Madgwick of the University's School of History, Archaeology and Religion, used biochemical techniques of animal remains to reveal the origin of livestock supplied to the legionary fortress at Caerleon.
Samples of ancient DNA recovered by University of Bristol scientists on two Indian Ocean islands have helped in the first large scale study of ancient human DNA from sub-Saharan Africa. Africa has long been known as the 'cradle of mankind', but up to now, the genetic information has been largely derived from modern population studies.
Monkey tool use threatens prey numbers, say researchers
Using tools to search for food is affecting primate prey numbers and could potentially lead to prey species extinction, new Oxford research suggests. Using tools to search for food is affecting primate prey numbers and could potentially lead to prey species extinction, new Oxford research suggests. Once thought to be a skill unique to humans, recent studies have shown that some animals, such as monkeys, apes, birds and otters, are able to use tools to find food that would otherwise be inaccessible to them.
Using tools to search for food is affecting primate prey numbers and could potentially lead to prey species extinction, new Oxford research suggests. Using tools to search for food is affecting primate prey numbers and could potentially lead to prey species extinction, new Oxford research suggests. Once thought to be a skill unique to humans, recent studies have shown that some animals, such as monkeys, apes, birds and otters, are able to use tools to find food that would otherwise be inaccessible to them.
Late surviving Neanderthals ’much older’ than previously thought
Late surviving Neanderthals 'much older' than previously thought Image credit: Dr Thibaut Devičse Late surviving Neanderthals from Croatia were much older than previously thought, according to new research from the University of Oxford. Previous research suggested that the 'Vindija Neanderthals' living in Vindija Cave in northern Croatia lived as recently as 32,000 years ago.
Late surviving Neanderthals 'much older' than previously thought Image credit: Dr Thibaut Devičse Late surviving Neanderthals from Croatia were much older than previously thought, according to new research from the University of Oxford. Previous research suggested that the 'Vindija Neanderthals' living in Vindija Cave in northern Croatia lived as recently as 32,000 years ago.
A prehistoric human skeleton found on the Yucatán Peninsula is at least 13,000 years old and most likely dates from a glacial period at the end of the most recent ice age, the late Pleistocene. A German-Mexican team of researchers led by Wolfgang Stinnesbeck and Arturo González González has now dated the fossil skeleton based on a stalagmite that grew on the hip bone.
Cape Verde creole: DNA, speech data reveal history of genetic, linguistic evolution
ANN ARBOR-An interdisciplinary team of geneticists and linguists has found that the language of the creole-speaking population of Cape Verde, off the northwest coast of Africa, has been passed down over generations in a way that largely mimics how genes are transmitted from parents to offspring. The researchers-all with University of Michigan ties-have contributed to a first-of its-kind study that explored the connections between genetic characteristics and linguistic traits.
ANN ARBOR-An interdisciplinary team of geneticists and linguists has found that the language of the creole-speaking population of Cape Verde, off the northwest coast of Africa, has been passed down over generations in a way that largely mimics how genes are transmitted from parents to offspring. The researchers-all with University of Michigan ties-have contributed to a first-of its-kind study that explored the connections between genetic characteristics and linguistic traits.
The earliest introduction of domestic chickens and black rats from Asia to the east coast of Africa came via maritime routes between the 7th and 8th centuries AD. In a paper published last week in the journal PLOS ONE , an international team of researchers, including Professor Mark Horton from the University of Bristol's Department of Anthropology and Archaeology , used new techniques to analyse ancient DNA and proteins from 496 bone samples from 22 island, coastal and inland sites in eastern Africa.
Archaeologists uncover ancient trading network in Vietnam
This isn't a case of people producing a couple of extra items on top of what they need. It's a major operation. A team of archaeologists from ANU has uncovered a vast trading network which operated in Vietnam from around 4,500 years ago up until around 3,000 years ago. A new study shows a number of settlements along the Mekong Delta region of Southern Vietnam were part of a sophisticated scheme where large volumes of items were manufactured and circulated over hundreds of kilometres.
This isn't a case of people producing a couple of extra items on top of what they need. It's a major operation. A team of archaeologists from ANU has uncovered a vast trading network which operated in Vietnam from around 4,500 years ago up until around 3,000 years ago. A new study shows a number of settlements along the Mekong Delta region of Southern Vietnam were part of a sophisticated scheme where large volumes of items were manufactured and circulated over hundreds of kilometres.
Over the course of the Neolithic period, secondary products from cattle such as milk, manure and animal power became more important. This led to larger herds, and the increased demand for grazing resources could have led to herding strategies that took advantage of grazing grounds away from the permanent settlement.
Aboriginal people have been in Australia for at least 65,000 years - much longer than the 47,000 years believed by some archaeologists. The discovery, by a team of archaeologists and dating specialists led by Associate Professor Chris Clarkson from The University of Queensland School of Social Science , has been detailed in the Nature journal this week.
The UK's synchrotron facility, Diamond Light Source, has been used by scientists at UCL to document for the first time the rate of evolution of seed coat thinning, a major marker of crop domestication from archaeological remains. Writing in the journal Scientific Reports , the authors present evidence for seed coat thinning between 2,000 BC and 1,200 BC in the legume horsegram (Macrotyloma uniflorum), a bean commonly eaten in southern India.
Research by an international team, led by the University of Bristol, has shed new light on the fate of the ancient people of Rapa Nui (Easter Island). It had been proposed that vast forests of giant palm trees were cut down by the people of Rapa Nui leaving them among other things without canoes. With no canoes, they could no longer fish so they ate chickens, rats and agricultural crops.
St Columba’s cell on Iona revealed by archaeologists
Archaeologists from the University of Glasgow have uncovered conclusive evidence that a wooden hut traditionally associated with St Columba at the monastery on the island of Iona does indeed date to his lifetime in the late sixth century AD. Carbon dating has led to the significant breakthrough, which categorically proves samples of hazel charcoal, unearthed from an excavation of a simple wattle and timber structure on Iona 60 years ago, dates back to the exact period Columba lived and worked at the Inner Hebridean monastery.
Archaeologists from the University of Glasgow have uncovered conclusive evidence that a wooden hut traditionally associated with St Columba at the monastery on the island of Iona does indeed date to his lifetime in the late sixth century AD. Carbon dating has led to the significant breakthrough, which categorically proves samples of hazel charcoal, unearthed from an excavation of a simple wattle and timber structure on Iona 60 years ago, dates back to the exact period Columba lived and worked at the Inner Hebridean monastery.
Ancient DNA reveals role of Near East and Egypt in cat domestication
DNA found at archaeological sites reveals that the origins of our domestic cat are in the Near East and ancient Egypt. Cats were domesticated by the first farmers some 10,000 years ago. They later spread across Europe and other parts of the world via trade hub Egypt. The DNA analysis also revealed that most of these ancient cats had stripes: spotted cats were uncommon until the Middle Ages.
DNA found at archaeological sites reveals that the origins of our domestic cat are in the Near East and ancient Egypt. Cats were domesticated by the first farmers some 10,000 years ago. They later spread across Europe and other parts of the world via trade hub Egypt. The DNA analysis also revealed that most of these ancient cats had stripes: spotted cats were uncommon until the Middle Ages.
Study sheds light on Neanderthal-Homo sapiens transition
Archaeologists at The Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Sydney have provided a window into one of the most exciting periods in human history - the transition between Neanderthals and modern humans. An archaeological dig in a cave in the Moravian region of the Czech Republic has provided a timeline of evidence from 10 sedimentary layers spanning 28,000 to 50,000 years ago.
Archaeologists at The Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Sydney have provided a window into one of the most exciting periods in human history - the transition between Neanderthals and modern humans. An archaeological dig in a cave in the Moravian region of the Czech Republic has provided a timeline of evidence from 10 sedimentary layers spanning 28,000 to 50,000 years ago.
Human activity has polluted European air for 2000 years, Black Death study finds
A new study has shown that air pollution levels across Europe have been higher than previously thought for the last 2000 years, with the exception of a four-year period during a catastrophic pandemic. The findings in this latest study will have significant implications for current public health and environmental policy which have so far deemed pre-industrial lead pollution levels to be 'natural' and so presumably 'safe'.
A new study has shown that air pollution levels across Europe have been higher than previously thought for the last 2000 years, with the exception of a four-year period during a catastrophic pandemic. The findings in this latest study will have significant implications for current public health and environmental policy which have so far deemed pre-industrial lead pollution levels to be 'natural' and so presumably 'safe'.
Study finds that ancient Egyptians were most closely related to ancient populations from the Middle East and Western Asia. The combined use of artefacts, textual evidence and ancient DNA data allows a more holistic study of past identities and cultural exchange. W. Paul van Pelt An international team of researchers have successfully recovered and analysed ancient DNA from Egyptian mummies dating from approximately 1400 BCE to 400 BCE, including the first genome-wide data from three individuals.
