Archaeologists in Trøndelag, Norway, have uncovered a Viking-age burial of a woman, notable for the unusual inclusion of two scallop shells placed at her mouth, a practice previously unknown in pre-Christian Viking graves. The woman was buried with typical Viking-era jewelry and clothing, suggesting she was a free, possibly married, woman of some status. The grave also contained carefully arranged bird bones, hinting at symbolic … Continue reading Viking-Age Grave Reveals a Burial Unlike Anything Seen Before

A Tucson man, Leo Reynoso, 46, has been federally charged for allegedly excavating and selling artifacts from the Gila River Indian Community without authorization. Prosecutors say he removed items such as jewelry, tokens, buttons, and crucifixes from tribal archeological sites and sold some without a permit. The artifacts’ archeological value and the cost to repair the damaged sites are each estimated at $29,000. Reynoso was … Continue reading Arizona man indicted for removing archeological items from Native American community

Underwater archaeologists have discovered a 2,000-year-old Egyptian pleasure boat off the coast of Alexandria near the island of Antirhodos. The vessel, over 115 feet long and 23 feet wide, featured a luxuriously decorated cabin and was propelled solely by oars, with Greek graffiti suggesting it was built in Alexandria in the first century AD. This is the first discovery of its kind in Egypt, matching … Continue reading Wreck of 2,000-year-old pleasure boat discovered off Egypt’s coast

Archaeologists are set to resume excavations at the Ness of Brodgar in Orkney after 3D radar revealed an “extraordinary” unidentified object at the site. The Ness, a major Neolithic settlement, was previously excavated for 20 years, uncovering 40 structures dating from 3,500 BC to 2,400 BC. Ground Penetrating Radar this summer produced three-dimensional images and highlighted a feature unlike anything previously found, possibly from a later period. … Continue reading ‘Extraordinary discovery’ at Orkney Neolithic site

The 4,000-year-old Marlborough Mound in Wiltshire, also known as Merlin’s Mound, is set for restoration after Wiltshire Council approved the removal of 20th-century buildings from its side. Standing 62 ft tall, the mound is second only to nearby Silbury Hill and has legendary associations with Merlin, inspiring the town’s motto referencing his remains. William the Conqueror once built a castle atop the mound, and in the … Continue reading Restoration plans for ‘Merlin’s Mound’ approved

Archaeologists have uncovered a Bronze Age settlement called Semiyarka in Kazakhstan, dating to around 1600 BC, which may have served as a center for trade, governance, and tin bronze production. The site spans 140 hectares and includes at least 15 structures, a central monumental building, and evidence of early metallurgy, a rare find for the Eurasian Steppe. While some experts caution that the low density of … Continue reading Archaeologists may have uncovered a Bronze Age metropolis in Kazakhstan’s steppe

Archaeologists in Wisconsin have mapped 16 ancient canoes submerged in Lake Mendota, forming a prehistoric “parking lot” for Indigenous travelers. The site, near old Native trails, shows that canoes were left for communal use and stored in sediment to prevent damage, with some dating back 5,200 years. Earlier finds included canoes between 1,200 and 4,500 years old, suggesting the location was repeatedly used over millennia. … Continue reading Wisconsin archaeologists identify 16 ancient canoes in a prehistoric lake ‘parking lot’

Archaeologists in Budapest have uncovered a remarkably well-preserved Roman sarcophagus in Óbuda, containing the skeleton of a young woman and dozens of artifacts untouched for roughly 1,700 years. The limestone coffin, sealed with metal clamps and lead, held glass vessels, bronze figures, coins, amber jewelry, and gold-threaded fabric, indicating she was likely of high social status. The burial site lay within a civilian settlement near … Continue reading Archaeologists lift the lid on a 1,700-year-old Roman sarcophagus hidden in Budapest

Archaeologists at Gabii, an ancient city east of Rome, have uncovered a large stone-lined basin dating to around 250 B.C., offering insights into early Roman city planning. The basin, located near the city’s central crossroads, may have been part of a monumental forum, illustrating how early Romans adapted Greek architectural ideas for public spaces. Gabii’s largely preserved streets and foundations provide a rare view of Roman … Continue reading Archaeologists Uncover Massive 2,250-Year-Old Monument Beneath Ancient Roman City

Typhoon Kalmaegi struck central Vietnam on November 7, bringing powerful winds, heavy flooding, and widespread destruction. The storm also unearthed the centuries-old wooden frame of a merchant ship buried beneath Tan Thanh beach in Hoi An, estimated to be 55 feet long and 16 feet wide. Carbon dating confirmed the ship was built between the 14th and 16th centuries, during Hoi An’s height as a … Continue reading Typhoon reveals ancient ship buried for centuries

Archaeologists have discovered Semiyarka, a massive Bronze Age settlement in northeastern Kazakhstan, dating back about 3,600 years and covering 346 acres—over four times larger than nearby villages. The city featured well-organized households, central structures possibly used for rituals or governance, and dedicated areas for large-scale copper and tin-bronze metallurgy. Its location atop a bluff overlooking the Irtysh River and near Altai Mountain ore deposits suggests … Continue reading Bronze Age city unearthed in Kazakhstan

A Canadian dive team exploring Lake Ontario may have discovered a shipwreck far older and more intact than originally expected, potentially predating the Rapid City by 50 years. The vessel’s standing masts, rope rigging, and early windlass design suggest it could date to the first half of the 19th century, offering a rare look into an under-documented period of Great Lakes shipbuilding. Archaeologist James Conolly … Continue reading Divers seeking lost shipwreck near Toronto find an even older mystery

Archaeologists using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) claim to have found evidence that may be remnants of Noah’s Ark at the Durupinar Formation near Mount Ararat in Turkey. The scans revealed a hall-like shape, angular structures, and a central 13-foot passage, with indications of three underground layers, aligning with the Biblical description of the ark’s decks. Soil tests conducted by the team detected higher organic content and … Continue reading Archaeologists ‘find’ Noah’s Ark with ground-breaking radar discovery

Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority have uncovered one of Israel’s oldest winepresses and rare Canaanite ritual artifacts near Tel Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley, dating back over 5,000 years. The Early Bronze Age IB winepress, with a sloped treading floor and collection vat, indicates organized wine production alongside nearby residential structures, reflecting early urbanization. Later finds from the Late Bronze Age II include ritual … Continue reading Archaeologists unearth 5,000-year-old winepress and Canaanite ritual artifacts

Cairo is set to inaugurate the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) on Saturday, a $1 billion project showcasing over 5,000 years of Egyptian history with a panoramic view of the Giza pyramids. The museum, more than two decades in the making, expects five million annual visitors and will display 4,500 of 5,000 funerary artifacts, including Tutankhamun’s iconic gold mask. Authorities have kept preparations and guest … Continue reading Egypt set for lavish opening of grand museum

Israeli archaeologists have uncovered a 1,500-year-old synagogue in the Golan Heights at the Yehudiya Nature Reserve, after decades of surveying the site. The basilica-style building, roughly 13 by 17 meters, features two rows of columns, benches along the walls, and architectural elements including a tabula ansata and stones engraved with a menorah. Many items from the synagogue had previously been reused in houses across the … Continue reading Archaeologists unearth 1,500-year-old synagogue

A large, well-preserved silver hoard from the early Middle Ages was discovered in Sweden and reported to the Stockholm County Administrative Board, which immediately began an archaeological excavation. Experts estimate the treasure could contain up to 20,000 coins, mostly dating to the 12th century, including rare “bishop’s coins” and coins minted under King Knut Eriksson. The hoard was buried in a copper cauldron, likely during … Continue reading Massive medieval silver hoard of up to 20,000 coins and jewelry unearthed near Stockholm

Archaeologists led by a University of Missouri professor have uncovered a 2,200-year-old Roman water basin on the outskirts of Rome in the Archaeological Area of Gabii. The massive stone-lined structure, partly carved into bedrock with terrace-like steps, may have served as a monumental pool at the center of the city’s forum, providing insight into early Roman city planning. Used for roughly 300 years before its … Continue reading Missouri archaeologists unearth ‘massive’ 2,200-year-old ruins in Italy

Archaeologists in Poland have uncovered a 1,000-year-old cemetery containing human skeletons near the remains of a fortified medieval settlement in the village of Borkowo. The graves date to the era of Poland’s conversion from paganism to Christianity, and researchers describe the individuals as among the region’s “first Christians.” Despite their faith transition, the deceased were buried with grave goods such as arrowheads, a battle ax, … Continue reading 1,000-year-old burials of ‘first Christians’ in Poland discovered near medieval settlement

Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of three Iron Age shipwrecks and their cargoes in the ancient harbor of Dor on Israel’s Carmel Coast, marking the first such finds in Israeli waters. Dating from the 11th, 9th, and 7th/6th centuries BCE, the shipwrecks provide rare insights into trade during the First Temple Period, challenging assumptions that little commerce occurred under the biblical kingdoms. The discoveries, made … Continue reading Three shipwrecks from biblical times uncovered off the coast of Israel

Egypt has reopened the tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep III in Luxor after more than two decades of Japanese-led restoration. The tomb, located in the Valley of the Kings, features a 36-meter-long passage, a main burial chamber, and two chambers for his wives, with wall paintings depicting the pharaoh alongside ancient Egyptian gods. Amenhotep III’s mummy was moved long ago to the tomb of his grandfather, … Continue reading Egypt reopens Amenhotep III’s tomb after over 20 years of renovation

Salvage company 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels LLC recovered more than 1,000 silver coins and five gold coins worth around $1 million from a 1715 Spanish shipwreck off Florida’s Treasure Coast. The coins, known as “reales” and “escudos,” were retrieved by Captain Levin Shavers and the crew of the M/V Just Right. The shipwreck was part of the 1715 Treasure Fleet, which was transporting wealth from the New … Continue reading $1M worth of gold, silver coins recovered from 1715 Spanish shipwreck

Israeli researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a muon-based detection system that can “X-ray” the ground, revealing hidden underground spaces at archaeological sites without excavation. Tested at Jerusalem’s City of David, the technology uses cosmic-ray muons, which penetrate deep into the earth, to map cavities and tunnels. The detectors confirmed known underground structures and discovered previously unknown ones, the Times of Israel has reported. … Continue reading In first, archaeologists ‘X-ray’ Jerusalem’s hidden layers

Researchers from the University of Haifa uncovered a rare Byzantine hoard at the ancient city of Hippos near the Sea of Galilee, including nearly 100 gold coins and dozens of jewelry fragments. Likely hidden by a wealthy resident—possibly a goldsmith—around the early 7th century as the Sassanid army advanced, the treasure remained undisturbed for roughly 1,400 years. The coins span about a century, from Emperor … Continue reading Hoard of ancient gold coins, jewelry discovered during excavations in

Archaeologists in northern Israel discovered a hoard of 22 bronze coins dating back over 1,600 years at Hukok, near Capernaum where Jesus preached. The coins, from the 4th century A.D., were hidden during the Gallus Revolt, the last Jewish uprising under Roman rule. They were found in a deep crevice at the end of a narrow tunnel, suggesting the owners hoped to reclaim them once … Continue reading Treasure hoard found near Jesus’ Galilee site tied to forgotten Jewish uprising, archaeologists say