Excavations at the Iron Age oppidum of Manching in Bavaria uncovered over 40,000 artifacts, including a 3-inch-tall (7.5 cm), 2-ounce (55 g) bronze figurine of a warrior in a lunging stance, bearing sword and shield. Made using the lost-wax casting technique, the figurine is intricately detailed and possibly worn as a pendant. The site also yielded 15,000 metal objects, ritual deposits with human and animal remains, fish bones (a first for the site), and evidence of urban planning with ho...| Ancient Beat
A prehistoric skull (dubbed AC12) from Arene Candide Cave in northwest Italy reveals Europe’s earliest known case of intentional head shaping—dating to roughly 12,500 years ago (Late Upper Paleolithic). Digital 3D reconstruction and morphometric analysis show its elongated form wasn’t due to disease or injury, but likely the result of deliberate binding during childhood. This suggests body modification served as a cultural expression—perhaps of identity or status. The burial context, ...| www.ancientbeat.com
Analysis of dental plaque from a 4,000‑year‑old burial at Nong Ratchawat in central Thailand provided the first direct biochemical evidence of betel nut chewing in Southeast Asia. Researchers identified arecoline and arecaidine—key compounds from areca (betel) nut—even though the teeth lacked visible staining and no plant fragments were found in the grave. Using liquid chromatography‑mass spectrometry on 36 samples from six individuals, they detected these markers in the molars of...| Ancient Beat
Mysterious Unfired Clay Sculptures Found in Mexican Cave — In the sacred Cueva del Rey Kong‑Oy in Oaxaca’s Sierra Mixe region, archaeologists have recorded up to 72 unfired clay figures ranging from about 2 ft 3 in (0.7 m) to 6 ft 6 in (2.0 m) tall, created over a millennium ago. These have been discovered gradually over the last few years, but this is a new study. Anyway, the figures include men, women (some anatomically distinct), children in seated or reclining poses,...| www.ancientbeat.com
Three pendants made from the osteoderms of a giant ground sloth have been discovered at the Santa Elina rock shelter in Brazil. The layer the bones were found in dates to between 25,000 and 27,000 years ago. If the researchers are correct about the dating, this is some of the earliest evidence of humans in the Americas — and this is South America, which would presumably take longer to reach (via the Bering Strait). Thaís Pansani told Live Science, “Our evidence reinforces the interpretat...| www.ancientbeat.com
Neanderthals living 50,000–60,000 years ago in two nearby caves in northern Israel—Amud and Kebara—exhibited distinct butchery styles, despite using the same flint tools and hunting similar prey like gazelles and fallow deer. Cut-marks on bones revealed differences in meat processing techniques that can’t be explained by tool type, skill level, or resource availability. At Amud, bones were more fragmented, more often burned, and displayed dense, non-linear cut-marks, possibly indicati...| Ancient Beat
Excavations at the Early Neolithic site of Asiab in Iran’s Zagros Mountains uncovered a large circular structure—about 66 ft across—containing the remains of 19 wild boars, along with brown bear bones and red deer antlers. Dating to around 9,000 BCE, this site hosted a massive feast involving animals transported from up to 45 miles away, over rugged terrain. Tooth enamel and isotope analysis confirmed their distant origins. The estimated 1,500 pounds of meat could have fed hundreds,...| Ancient Beat
At the Neumark-Nord 2 site in central Germany, Neanderthals around 125,000 years ago systematically processed bones to extract grease, marking the earliest known example of large-scale fat rendering. This process involved crushing bones from at least 172 large animals—including deer, horses, and aurochs—and boiling them to release nutrient-rich bone grease. The practice reveals an advanced understanding of nutrition, food storage, and resource planning. Evidence shows different activity z...| www.ancientbeat.com
At the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük in present-day Turkey, recent ancient DNA evidence has revealed that households were matrilineal and passed down through the female line. Mothers and daughters formed the core of domestic units over several generations. Spatial patterns, burial placements, and genome data—spanning a few centuries around 7000 BCE—show continuous matrilineal residency within settlement clusters. This challenges traditional views of early farming societies as patriarc...| Ancient Beat
A previously unknown temple complex named Palaspata, located roughly 130 miles south of the main Tiwanaku site near Lake Titicaca, has been revealed using satellite imagery, aerial drones, and photogrammetry. Spanning about 410×475 ft, it consists of 15 rectangular enclosures arranged around a central courtyard, likely aligned for solar equinox rituals. The high-altitude site sits at an ecological crossroads—linking highlands, arid Altiplano, and the fertile Cochabamba valleys—indica...| www.ancientbeat.com
A nearly complete skull unearthed in 1933 near Harbin, China, and hidden until 2018, dates to at least 146,000 years ago. Analysis of ancient proteins from the petrous bone and mitochondrial DNA from dental calculus clearly links it to Denisovans! The skull, dubbed “Dragon Man” and scientifically named Homo longi, combines archaic features (large brow ridge, wide molars) with modern traits (flat face, brain size around 1,420 cc). This discovery offers the first vivid cranial portrait of...| Ancient Beat
At the Abrigo de San Lázaro site near Segovia, Spain, archaeologists uncovered a granite stone with a red ochre dot reinforcing the image of a human face — a clear instance of symbolic art dating back over 42,000 years. Embedded in the pigment is the oldest and most complete human fingerprint known, identified through multispectral forensic analysis as belonging to an adult Neanderthal male. The stone’s natural indentations resemble eyes and a mouth, with the added red pigment representi...| www.ancientbeat.com
A fossilized jawbone, dubbed Penghu 1, was retrieved from the seabed off Taiwan's coast. Protein analysis of the jaw's tooth enamel revealed over 4,200 protein fragments, two of which carry distinctive Denisovan signatures. The jaw's robust structure and tooth root shape closely resemble a Denisovan jaw from Xiahe, China. This discovery suggests that Denisovans inhabited a broader range than previously thought, including the humid lowlands of what is now Taiwan. The fossil's age is uncertain ...| www.ancientbeat.com
At the Medzhibozh A site in Ukraine, archaeologists uncovered 24 mammoth ivory fragments, 11 of which show deliberate modifications, including points and cores. Dated to approximately 400,000 years ago, these artifacts represent the earliest known use of ivory for tool-making, significantly predating previous evidence by about 280,000 years. This discovery indicates that early hominins in the region utilized mammoth ivory as a raw material for tools, showcasing advanced cognitive and technolo...| Ancient Beat
Archaeologists working near the ancient fortress of Hyrcania in the Judean Desert have uncovered a 2,200-year-old stepped pyramid structure atop a burial chamber. Likely dating to the Hasmonean period (2nd century BCE), the pyramid measures about 32 feet tall and was built with white ashlar limestone blocks. The monument capped a shaft leading to a rock-cut burial chamber that had been looted in antiquity. Inscriptions on nearby mosaic floors mention the names of two prominent Jewish figures ...| www.ancientbeat.com
Excavations at a 7,000-year-old site in southeastern Turkey suggest metallurgy may have originated earlier and more independently than previously thought. Researchers at Çayönü uncovered slag and a copper bead in a structure interpreted as a workshop, dating to around 5000 BCE. The presence of crucible fragments, ore, and furnace evidence indicates on-site smelting rather than cold-hammered native metal use. This challenges the belief that metallurgy was first developed in the southern Lev...| www.ancientbeat.com
Archaeologists excavating at the Coto Correa site in Marbella, Spain, have uncovered a gabbro stone block featuring carved markings that may date back 200,000 years. This discovery suggests human presence in the region during the Early to Middle Palaeolithic period. The carvings could predate the oldest known cave art by approximately 100,000 years. To verify the age, researchers are conducting quartz analysis on sediment samples and employing 3D scanning to document the markings in high reso...| Ancient Beat
Archaeologists have unearthed a small, intact pottery vessel in the Karnak temple complex in Egypt, dating back approximately 2,600 years to the onset of the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty. Inside, they found a collection of well-preserved artifacts, including gold and metal rings, small gold amulets — among them a triad statue representing the deities Amun, Mut, and Khonsu — a metal brooch, and numerous beads, some gold-plated or gilded. These items provide insight into the craftsmanship and relig...| Ancient Beat
Ancient Beat just turned 3. Boatbuilding just turned 40,000.| www.ancientbeat.com
Archaeological excavations at Jebel Faya in the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, have uncovered Middle Paleolithic stone tools dating back approximately 80,000 years. These findings challenge previous models of human migration, indicating that early Homo sapiens not only passed through but also established enduring populations in the Arabian Peninsula. The sophisticated stone blades, characterized by elongated, parallel-edged flakes produced using both Levallois and non-Levallois tec...| Ancient Beat
Recent DNA analyses have pinpointed the origins of the Indo-European language family to the Caucasus Lower Volga region in present-day Russia, around 4,500 BCE. These early speakers inhabited areas from the steppe grasslands along the lower Volga River to the northern foothills of the Caucasus Mountains. Over time, they mixed with neighboring groups, leading to the emergence of the Yamnaya culture. The Yamnaya, known for innovations like horseback herding and oxen-towed wagons, began expandin...| www.ancientbeat.com
In the Swiss Alps, researchers have discovered 7,000-year-old soil layers with furrows and animal tracks, providing evidence of prehistoric plowing. These findings in Sion, Switzerland, push back the known use of plows in Europe (and I believe, anywhere) by about a thousand years, to between 5100 and 4700 BCE. The animals used for plowing appear to be oxen and goats. This discovery, preserved by rapid sediment cover from a nearby stream, challenges previous beliefs about the development of ag...| www.ancientbeat.com