Current World Archaeology 137
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Ramses the Great: How a pharaoh built his legacy
Why is Ramses II considered to be ‘the Great’? An exhibition focusing on his life and times sheds light on how Ramses earned this accolade. Matthew Symonds shares what he learnt.
Beyond the luxurious: Tracing the Late Antique ivory tradeÂ
Study of ivory use in the early medieval world is revealing fresh insights into how this material was viewed. The results have important implications for our understanding of the scale of the trade, and its impact on the elephants it exploited, as Rowan S English and Julia Steding explain.
New Kingdom fortress found in Egypt
Excavations by an Egyptian archaeological mission at the site of Tell el-Kharouba in North Sinai have discovered a large military fortress dating to the New Kingdom period, c.1550-1070 BC. Initial archaeological work
New Neolithic faces
A c.12,000-year-old stone pillar decorated with a human face has been found at the archaeological site of Karahan Tepe in Turkey. Karahan Tepe is a Pre-pottery Neolithic ritual complex that forms part
Ritual platforms in China
Earthen platforms uncovered at a site in eastern China are believed to reflect efforts by early states to use ritual events as a way to unify their expanding territories. The three large
Silver treasure in Sweden
A large silver hoard dating to the medieval period has been discovered near Stockholm, Sweden. The treasure was unearthed by a member of the public digging for worms near his summer house,
CWA news in brief
Culture vultures A new study, recently published in Ecology (https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70191), reveals that the nests of bearded vultures can contain objects dating back hundreds of years. Examination of more than 50 historical bearded
Understanding Karnak’s origins
Recent research at the Karnak temple complex near Luxor, Egypt, is offering new insights into the site’s origins and the development of the surrounding landscape over its 3,000 years of use. The
Current World Archaeology 133
World Archaeological Congress 10
What was under discussion at the latest World Archaeological Congress? Stu Eve reviews events at the gathering in Darwin, Australia.
Koonalda Cave: A place of ancient engravings and flint mining
Far below the Nullarbor Plain in Australia lies an extraordinary gallery of rock art. Exploration and research in Koonalda Cave has revealed much about these ancient markings, as well as mining and the early occupation of Australia, as Keryn Walshe, April Nowell, and Clem Lawrie reveal.
Weapons from the waters: Exploring Scandinavia’s first professional army at Illerup Ådal
In the 3rd century AD, the possessions of an entire army were deposited in a lake in Jutland. Olympia Bobou, Ilaria Bucci, Rowan S English, and Rubina Raja examine what was found, and what it reveals about Iron Age military might in southern Scandinavia.
Calling all photographers! Current World Archaeology Photo of the Year 2026
As summer comes to an end, it is the perfect time to reflect on any heritage filled travels, archaeological projects, or visits to historical sites around the world. Dig out your best
CWA 133 crossword, and answers to crossword #132
Across 7 Iron Age site at Lake Neuchâtel, discovered in 1857 (2,4)8 Huntress of Greek mythology (8)10 Genre of ancient Greek drama that parodied myths (5,4)11 Egyptian god of the desert and
Uncovering Imet: An ancient Egyptian city in the Nile delta
Excavations at Tell Nabasha are shedding new light on life in a delta city, and the death of its great temple. To find out more, Matthew Symonds spoke to Nicky Nielsen.
From ruins to riches
A well-worn joke goes that archaeologists find their careers in ruins. This is sometimes literally true: at least since the 1970s, and in cities on all inhabited continents, crises sparked by deindustrialisation, decay, and dereliction have been an assured portent of large-scale excavations. It is not just that when business goes down, archaeology goes in.
Anyama revisited: Seeking early human activity in the West African rainforest
A remarkable site containing Palaeolithic stone tools was found in modern rainforest near Anyama, Côte d’Ivoire, in the 1980s. The chronology of these deposits remained unclear, but could modern dating techniques help to fill in this blank? Matthew Symonds learnt from Eslem Ben Arous, James Blinkhorn, and Eleanor Scerri what happened when a field team returned to Anyama.
Brian M Fagan (1 August 1936-1 July 2025)
Professor Brian M Fagan, who has died aged 88, was a New York Times best-selling author and Current World Archaeology columnist, whose work brought the past to life for generations of readers. Nadia Durrani reflects.
Recreating a Mycenaean battle
An innovative study has brought to life Late Bronze Age warfare to test the utility of a 3,500-year-old suit of armour.
A royal burial at Caracol
Excavations at the largest Maya site in Belize have uncovered a tomb believed to belong to the city’s first king.
Intact Etruscan chamber tomb discovered
An untouched Etruscan chamber tomb dating to the 7th century BC has been uncovered in the San Giuliano necropolis in Lazio, central Italy. Investigations in the area have been carried out since
An impressive Iron Age settlement
Archaeologists have uncovered a large settlement from the La Tène period in the Hradec Králové region of north-east Bohemia, in the Czech Republic. The discovery was first made in 2023 along the