The revolution in genetic science over the past few decades continues to contribute to our understanding of the past. New techniques of analysis suggest that King Tut may have died from malaria. Click here for the full NYT article.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
New Theory on King Tut's Death
The revolution in genetic science over the past few decades continues to contribute to our understanding of the past. New techniques of analysis suggest that King Tut may have died from malaria. Click here for the full NYT article.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Pre-Inca Discovery in Peru
This new discovery has changed how archaeologists think about pre-Columbian civilizations in the Andes. Click here to read more.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
When the Sahara was Green
The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world, covering an area that is about as large as the United States and growing (an environmental phenomenon that is contributing to the Darfur Crisis and religious extremism). However the area covered by the desert has gone through numerous fluctuations over the millennia. Even today, despite the Sahara's reputation as a vast, parched wasteland it actually contains a number of oases that allow those who know how to read the signs to safely traverse the desert. This allowed the civilizations of Mali and Ghana to trade with the Mediterranean World.
In the past the Sahara was much smaller and areas that are now barren were grasslands similar to the regions we today call the Sahel. Early humans lived in this region, and apparently domesticated some plants and animals. This article from National Geographic is about an ancient burial ground from one of these civilizations that was accidentally discovered by scientists searching for dinosaur fossils. This story shows how much the environment has changed over time, and how we continue to be dependent on it.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
New Evidence on the Ancient Assyrians
Archaeology is often an accidental science. Many discoveries come to light as a result of modern construction, and archaeologists must race to recover as much as possible from these new sites before construction resumes and destroys the site forever.
Here is a story about a collection of clay tablets from the Assyrian Empire (about 3000 y/a) that are being deciphered. They reveal numerous mundane details about how the Assyrians managed their empire. We actually have a great wealth of written data from this ancient period in history because scribes typically wrote on clay tablets which are more durable than papyrus or paper.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
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