The Best Archaeological Discoveries of 2023

Ötzi’s ancestry revealed

Photo: © South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology/Eurac/Marco Samadelli-Gregor Staschitz

The famous natural mummy Ötzi had his genome scrutinized this year by a team of scientists who determined that the famous ‘Iceman’ hailed directly from Anatolia—or, his ancestors did. Past research had revealed Ötzi’s final meal of ibex, deer, and cereals.

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This 400,000-Year-Old Campfire Could Rewrite Human History

Humans likely harvested their first flames from wildfire. When they learned to make it themselves, it changed everything.

Human History Margherita Bassi Dec 10

Oldest Shell Jewelry Workshop in Western Europe Dates Back 42,000 Years

Not much is known about the mysterious, prehistoric Châtelperronian people, but they did leave behind some tantalizing clues.

Human History Margherita Bassi Sep 28

Stone Age People Brutalized Their Prisoners of War, New Evidence Suggests

Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of a particularly gruesome war celebration dating back some 6,000 years.

Tech News Margherita Bassi Aug 20

Image of a reconstructed Funnel Beaker Culture house

Archaeologists Uncover Rare Prehistoric Cellar in Denmark, Complete With Paved Floor

The 5,000-year-old cellar may have been part of a complex used for trading and forming alliances in prehistoric Denmark.

Human History Adam Kovac Oct 7

Scientists Find Ancient Herpes in Neanderthal Bones

Our closest cousins carried some of the same pathogens we did, many of which are still around today.

Human History Isaac Schultz May 21

Stone Age Megastructure Found at the Bottom of the Baltic Sea

Estimated to be over 10,000 years old, the kilometer-long wall was likely used for hunting.

Human History Isaac Schultz Feb 16