Archaeology news

• Archaeologists use drones to trial virtual reality technology in Laos' Plain of Jars

  21-10-2016 21:22
  
  Archaeologists at The Australian National University (ANU) and Monash University are conducting a trial of new technology to build a 3D virtual-reality map of one of Asia's most mysterious sites - the Plain of Jars in Laos.The Plain of Jars archaeological site in Laos where ANU researchers are using new technologies
  to study the site remotely [Credit: ANU]Researcher Dr Dougald O'Reilly from the ANU School of Archaeology and...
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• Early humans used innovative heating techniques to make stone blades

  21-10-2016 21:21
  
  Humans living in South Africa in the Middle Stone Age used advanced heating techniques that vastly improved living conditions during the era.Extensive heat treatment in Middle Stone Age shows that controlled use of fire may have occurred at early stage of tool and 
  blade production. The photo shows heated artefacts in silcrete made by Homo sapiens at Klipdrift Shelter, South Africa 
  [Credit: Katja Douze, University of the...
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• 2016 excavations at the ancient city of Gortyna in Crete completed

  21-10-2016 21:09
  
  The University of Padova has just completed this year’s excavation season in the ancient city of Gortys (Gortyna) in Crete, reporting outstanding results. Directed by Professor Jacopo Bonetto of the University of Padova, research has focused on the interior of the Temple of Pythian Apollo in the city of Gortys, a huge urban settlement sprawled over some 400 hectares.Coin depicting a running Minotaur found in Gortys [Credit:...
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• Resilient 'risky-and-reliable' plant use strategy may have driven Neolithization in Jordan

  21-10-2016 19:17
  
  A resilient dietary strategy balancing reliable wetland plants and "riskier" seasonal grasses may have driven adoption of the sedentary lifestyle which later became typical of Neolithic humans, according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Monica Ramsey from the University of Toronto, Canada, and colleagues.Resilient 'risky-and-reliable' plant use strategy may have driven Neolithization in...
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• Monkeys are seen making stone flakes so humans are 'not unique' after all

  21-10-2016 19:02
  
  Researchers have observed wild-bearded capuchin monkeys in Brazil deliberately break stones, unintentionally creating flakes that share many of the characteristics of those produced by early Stone Age hominins. The difference is that the capuchins' flakes are not intentional tools for cutting and scraping, but seem to be the by-product of hammering or 'percussive behaviour' that the monkeys engage in to extract minerals or lichen from...
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• New satellite image database maps the dynamics of human presence on Earth

  21-10-2016 18:57
  
  Built-up areas on Earth have increased by 2.5 times since 1975. And yet, today 7.3 billion people live and work in only 7.6% of the global land mass. Nine out of the ten most populated urban centres are in Asia, while five out of the ten largest urban centres are in the United States.The new data platform enables to analyse the growth of built-up areas and population globally over the past 40 years. 
  Map shown is for 2015...
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• First dinosaur bones found in Alaska's Denali National Park

  21-10-2016 18:44
  
  Paleontologists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the National Park Service found the first dinosaur bones in Denali National Park during an expedition in July. They also discovered several new dinosaur trackways, which are fossilized impressions left by ancient animals walking through mud that eventually became rock.A team of UAF students and paleontologists, along with Denali National Park employees, explore...
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• New tools identify key evolutionary advantages from ancient hominid interbreeding

  21-10-2016 18:08
  
  Neanderthals. Denisovans. Homo sapiens. Around 50,000 years ago, these hominids not only interbred, but in some cases, modern humans may have also received a special evolutionary advantage from doing so. As more and more data from archaic genomes are becoming available, scientists have become keenly interested in pinpointing these regions to better understand the potential benefits that may have been bestowed to us.Skulls of the...
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• Researchers study vast carbon residue of ocean life

  21-10-2016 17:56
  
  The oceans hold a vast reservoir—700 billion tons—of carbon, dissolved in seawater as organic matter, often surviving for thousands of years after being produced by ocean life. Yet, little is known about how it is produced, or how it's being impacted by the many changes happening in the ocean.Left: Sampling locations showing the dissolved organic carbonconcentration measured at the surface (dots) over 
  Chlorophyll recorded ...
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• Bushmeat hunting threatens mammal populations and ecosystems, poses food security threat

  21-10-2016 17:49
  
  The ongoing decline of more than 300 species of animals is having significant environmental impacts and posing a food security threat for millions of people in Asia, Africa and South America, according to the first global assessment of the hunting and trapping of terrestrial mammals.Collared brown lemur [Credit: Elias Neideck]Species of large wild ungulates, primates and bats are threatened primarily by unregulated or illegal...
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• Finds from Chisenbury

  21-10-2016 12:09 via feedproxy.google.com
  Our excavation at East Chisenbury with Operation Nightingale and Breaking Ground Heritage revealed a great selection of finds. Take a look at some of the particularly interesting artefacts:  Ines Lopez Doriga found a small copper alloy figure. At present it is believed to probably be prehistoric, however as we are not certain our specialists will be investigating the object further.   Matt Smith uncovered a carved bone weaving implement; this tool has also been dated to the
  
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