Archaeology

Native American use of dice, probability predates known Old World dice by millenia - study

In total, archaeologist Robert Madden observed 659 sets of Native American dice from 57 archaeological sites across 12 different states. 

|ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
A series of Native American dice discovered at archaeological sites in the western US, April 9, 2026.
World's oldest Neanderthal fingerprint found on 43,000-year-old pebble in Spain. Illustration.

Neanderthals who lived in Siberian cave millenia apart were distant relatives, study finds

Further analysis of the genetic similarity showed that Neanderthals in the Altai region likely lived in groups of fewer than 50 people.

|ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
(a) Section of the mosaic showing the leopard and the woman. (b) Section of the mosaic showing the venator with the pole, the leopard, and the woman.

Lost mosaic shows first visual depiction of women fighting beasts in Roman arenas - study

The mosaic, recovered in 1860s Reims, France and dated to the third century CE, shows about 35 different gladiatorial and hunting scenes, each surrounded by diamond or square-shaped decorations.

|ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
Excavations of Raknehaugen, Norway, in 1939.

Scandinavia's largest prehistoric mound is not a tomb, but a memorial to a natural disaster - study

Archaeological excavations that have taken place at Raknehaugen, have all failed to discover evidence that would typically indicate a burial mound, such as a grave or human remains.

|ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM

CT scans unlock secrets of mummified Inca children ritually sacrificed over 500 years ago - study

Researchers examined four frozen mummies recovered from the Ampato and Sara Sara volcanoes in southern Peru during the 1990s using CT scans.

FEBRUARY 25, 2026ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
The remains of one of the four children found by archeologists, buried in the Inca sanctuary of Pachacamac, in the coastal desert strip 30 km south of Lima. Picture taken on November 9, 2010.

Meet Britain's oldest Northerner: The ‘Ossick Lass' buried over 11,000 years ago - study

In addition to the Ossick Lass, the remains of at least seven other individuals had also recovered from the cave.

FEBRUARY 25, 2026ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
Rural landscape, Cumbria, Lake District, UK, February 25, 2026.

Experts use AI to crack mystery of 2,000-year-old Roman board game found in Netherlands - study

“This is the first time that AI-driven simulated play has been used in concert with archaeological methods to identify a board game,” Crist concluded. 

FEBRUARY 23, 2026ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
A 2,000-year-old limestone slab found beneath the Dutch city of Heerlen, recently discovered to be a Roman era board game, February 23, 2026.

University of Haifa student discovers 12th century Crusader sword off of Israel’s northern coast

The sword was eventually transferred to Elisha Medical Center in Haifa for an advanced CT scan to examine the blade’s condition without causing it futher harm.

FEBRUARY 23, 2026ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
Ancient Crusader sword, dated to the 12th century CE, discovered off of Israel's Dor Beach in northern Israel, February 22, 2026.

Frescos of a peacock, fruit discovered in Roman villa near Pomepii belonging to Emperor Nero's wife

The discovery's announcement follow the site’s partial opening to the public for the first time. 

FEBRUARY 21, 2026ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
A cat is seen during the excavation and restoration work underway on the exceptional frescoes in the Hall of the Mask and the Peacock, one of the most refined rooms of the Villa of Poppaea at Oplontis, Torre Annunziata, Italy on February 12, 2026.

New dating of Jordan Valley site rewrites timeline of human migration from Africa - study

Researchers used three different methods to date the site, challenging the preexisting notion of the site being between 1.2 and 1.6 million years old.

FEBRUARY 21, 2026ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
A bifacial stone tool from ‘Ubeidiya, February 20, 2026.

A Jerusalem gem: Rediscovering the Rockefeller Museum’s treasures in Israel's capital

New tours of the Rockefeller Museum showcase artifacts ranging from First Temple-period jewelry to Egyptian pharaohs.

FEBRUARY 21, 2026ByBEN BRESKY
Front entrance to Jerusalem’s Rockefeller Museum, opened in 1938.

Suspect charged for stealing Egyptian artifacts from Australia museum, citing church ties - report

The stolen artifacts included a 26th Dynasty rare painted wooden Egyptian cat figure, a 3,300-year-old necklace, a collar, and a mummy mask.

FEBRUARY 20, 2026ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
An ancient Egyptian collar stolen from the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology in Caboolture, Australia, February 20, 2026.

Newly identified ancient Egyptian copper drill rewrites history of region’s craftsmanship

The drill’s chemical composition was also surprising, study co-author Jiří Kmošek noted, as it is made up of an unusual copper alloy containing arsenic, nickel, lead, and silver. 

FEBRUARY 20, 2026ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
Original photograph of the artifact published in 1927 (L) and the actual artifact, February 20, 2026.

Bronze scale pan found in ancient Sussiya reveals how biblical law shaped daily Jewish life

Neta, a second-grader at the regional school in Sussiya, and her father, Nachshon, discovered the pan inside a residential building near the town’s main street. 

FEBRUARY 19, 2026ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
Archaeologist Achiya Cohen-Tavor holding bronze scale pan found in the ancient Jewish settlement of Sussiya, February 19, 2026.