World Archaeology

World Archaeology

BELOW The Glacier Archaeology Program carries out archaeological fieldwork on the ice patches and glaciers of Norway (RIGHT), which presents some unique challenges but produces some truly incredible finds, like this 1,300 year old wooden ski (BELOW RIGHT).

Norway: secrets of the ice

Over the last decade, 64 glaciers and ice patches in the Innlandet region have produced over 3,500 archaeological finds, from hunting tools and textiles to zoological material...

Unseen Aztec art in Leiden

Gillis Kersting explores an international exhibition presenting hundreds of Aztec objects on loan from Mexican and European museums, now on display in Leiden.

Roman mosaic in Rutland

The mosaic, which measures 11m by almost 7m, once formed the floor of a dining or entertaining room within a large villa complex occupied during the late Roman period.

Cage cup

What is it? This cage cup, or vas diatretum, dates to the 4th century AD. The intricate, colourless glass bowl is 12.6cm tall and 15cm in diameter and has a flared rim. A Latin inscription in the central part of…

Above The bridge at Tinkuqchaka nearing completion in 2008. It was last renewed in 2014, bringing a long standing community

Connecting the Inca Empire: the art of maintaining Central Andean suspension bridges

Suspension bridges were crucial for the success of the Inca road network, but these remarkable structures needed to be regularly rebuilt. Can examining surviving examples of similar bridges reveal more about how Inca crossings were maintained, and the importance of such events for the local communities involved? Lidio Valdez takes us behind the scenes of a long-standing Andean tradition.

Above DNA analysis is allowing archaeologists to answer fundamental questions about past relationships. Here, we see the remains of Peder Winstrup, a bishop who founded Lund University, being studied in 2013. A major surprise was that the bishop was not alone in his coffin, and DNA analysis has helped to explain why.

Reconnecting relationships: uncovering genealogy in archaeology

Examining ancient DNA is revolutionising our knowledge of the past. Being able to detect family relationships is revealing ever more about connections between people buried in cemeteries and even individual coffins. Caroline Arcini introduces three cases where DNA evidence has opened new windows into past lives.