Archaeology

Do You Know About the 20-Sided Icosahedron Dice Used in Ancient Rome?

There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of the 20-sided icosahedron dice used in ancient Rome. But don’t worry, because you’ll learn all about them! These unique dice are shrouded in mystery and fascination. So if you’re curious about ancient Rome or just love playing dice games, read on! 20-Sided icosahedron dice defined What are ...

Viena Abdon

Ruins of the Roman Citadel.

Octopus Lures From the Marianas Are the Oldest in the World

An archaeological study has determined that cowrie-shell artifacts found throughout the Mariana Islands were octopus lures and that the devices, similar versions of which have been found on islands across the Pacific, are the oldest known artifacts of their kind in the world. The study used carbon dating of archaeological layers to confirm that lures ...

Troy Oakes

Michael Carson searching for octopus lures.

Human Bones Used for Making Pendants in the Stone Age

In the Stone Age, pendants with potent symbolism were made from animal teeth and bones, adorning clothes or accessories and serving as rattles. Human bones were also used as a raw material for pendants, as demonstrated by a study where burial finds dating back over 8,200 years were re-examined after 80 years. The finding is ...

Troy Oakes

Human skulls and bones.

Proof of Human Ear Surgery Practiced 5,300 Years Ago

In July 2018, a discovery was made of the first human ear surgery. The skull was pieced together and found in northern Spain, showing signs of a simple operation on one of its ears. This was the oldest example of this type of ear surgery, proving that these complicated operations were practiced before the first ...

Viena Abdon

The human ear and auditory canal.

Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancient Coastal Maya

Georgia State University anthropologist Dr. Jeffrey Glover grew up in metro Atlanta, but speaking to him, it sounds like his heart is in Quintana Roo. This part of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula has been the home base for an expansive research project spanning more than 10 years. His research there with Dr. Dominique Rissolo, a maritime archaeologist ...

Troy Oakes

Gary Glover and Carrie Tucker.

Why Did China Keep This 800-Year-Old Shipwreck a Secret for Decades?

The remains of a 12th-century vessel found in the deaths of the South China Sea reveal China’s maritime past. The shipwreck was kept hidden by the Chinese government for a long time. Finally, it was located in 1987, and the Chinese government resorted to a long and tedious excavation plan to preserve the ancient vessel.  ...

Emma Lu

A Chinese shipwreck.

Shackleton’s Lost Ship Endurance Is Found in the Antarctic After 107 Years

Endurance, one of the world’s most famous shipwrecks, was discovered off the coast of Antarctica more than a century after it sank. Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endurance has been astonishingly intact in the Weddell Sea at a depth of 3,008 meters (9,869 feet), 6 kilometers (4 miles) from where it was wrecked by pack ice in ...

Haidene Go

Shackleton's ship Endurance found.

Oldest Wheel And Cart Tracks in the World Discovered in Northern Germany

It is intriguing to think how ancient human inventions paved the way for the progress of science and technology in our present day. Examples such as making metal weapons, developing tools for agriculture, the discovery of fire, etc. Archaeologists have always wondered about the origin of wheels, an invention that helped humans take a big ...

Jack Roberts

Different types of early wheels.