Assyrians were more ‘homely’ than we thought
Historians have wondered for a long time how the Assyrians were able to maintain power over such a huge region. PhD candidate Victor Klinkenberg has now provided an answer.
23 antiquities sold by Ohio museum despite protests from Cyprus, Egypt
Nearly two dozen antiquities from the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio were sold at Christie’s in New York on Tuesday. Among them was a 6th-century-BC Cypriot limestone head of a male votary.
From ancient fossils to future cars
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering have developed an inexpensive, energy-efficient way to create silicon-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries from the fossilized remains of single-celled algae called diatoms.
New findings on the history of the early-Islamic caliphate palace Khirbat al-Minya
New excavations to investigate the use of the palace following the severe earthquake of 749 AD.
The Triumph of Colour over Line
The works on display show how artists of the Venetian culture were able to establish a dialogue with central Italian drawing, and Florentine in particular, albeit maintaining the triumph of Colour over Line.
1,500-year-old marble Decalogue Inscription on sale in Texas
From The Living Torah Museum Collection; acquired from Archeological Center, Israel, 2003; discovered near Yavneh, Israel in 1913.
Mapping the elephant ivory trade
Pioneering analysis on historic ivory reveals where East African elephants roamed and where they were hunted in the 19th century.
Archaeologists use drones to trial virtual reality
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.
Results of the excavations at Akrotiri-Dreamer’s Bay
Work so far appears to confirm that the archaeological remains at Dreamers Bay generally belong to the late Roman or early Byzantine period.
Huge mosaic revealed for a day in Jericho
One of the largest floor mosaics in the world, previously covered for protection, has been opened to the public for a day.
Discovery of a warrior tomb from the Roman period
Urn grave of a warrior with equipment from the Roman period has been discovered in Czelin (West Pomerania) by researchers from the National Museum in Szczecin.
Pacific Islanders invented new kind of society
New dating on the stone buildings of Nan Madol suggests the ancient coral reef capital in the Pacific Ocean was the earliest among the islands to be ruled by a single chief.
From here the Romans breached Jerusalem’s City Wall 2,000 years ago
Fascinating evidence of breaking through Jerusalem’s Third Wall at the end of the Second Temple period was discovered in an excavation the Israel Antiquities Authority is conducting in the city center.
Looted antiquities are exchanged for guns
Fears of exchange of looted antiquities for weapons and ammunition between the IS leaders in Libya and the Italian mafia are reported by Italian newspaper.
The University of Padova sheds light to Gortys’ early history
The excavation in the sanctuary of Apollo was initiated to reconstruct chronologically the history of the monument, which is placed at the origin of the urban foundation in the 7th century BC.
Maritime archaeology expedition in Black Sea
An expedition mapping submerged ancient landscapes, the first of its kind in the Black Sea, is making exciting discoveries.
Ancient medication bottles found in Turkey
Hundreds of bottles with ancient antidepressants and heart medications have been unearthed at excavations in Turkey.
Uffizi rooms with Botticelli works reopen
The Uffizi Gallery rooms including those with Botticelli works, closed for about a year, have reopened this week after extensive renovation.
Mystery species hidden in cave art
Ice Age cave artists recorded a previously unknown hybrid species of bison and cattle in great detail on cave walls more than 15,000 years ago.
Report on provenance of ancient statue to be auctioned
An ancient marble sculpture in the Christie's catalogue is identical to one found in the Robin Symes archives, containing illicit antiquities, according to a report.
Lifting the veil on Queen of Sheba’s perfume
Nicolas Baldovini’s team at the Institut de chimie de Nice (CNRS/UNS) has just discovered the components that give frankincense its distinctive odor.
Big ancient church revealed in Pisidia, Antalya
A big church in the ancient city of Pisidia, near Antalya, finally “came to light” after three years of excavations.
X-rays reveal artistry in an ancient Greek vase
The mysterious blacks, reds and whites of ancient Greek pottery can be read in elements – iron, potassium, calcium and zinc – and art history may be rewritten.