New details about the domestication of dogs
Dogs are man’s best (and oldest – see CA 352 and 401) friends, but how they came to be that way is still a bit of a mystery. Based on morphological changes
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Antonine Wall fortlet found
Archaeological investigations in Bearsden, near Glasgow, have revealed evidence of a previously unknown fortlet on the Antonine Wall. This is the 13th Antonine Wall fortlet to have been confidently identified, adding to
Bronze Age watering hole found near Gloucester
Excavations south of Gloucester have uncovered a remarkably well preserved Bronze Age watering hole, with many of its wooden structures surviving in situ. The discovery was made last year during investigations by
Recycled Roman well discovered at Rolls-Royce site
The watering hole found near Gloucester is not the only reworked water source recently discovered in England. Excavations in advance of a new Rolls-Royce extension site at Goodwood, near Chichester in West
Neolithic trackway uncovered in Somerset
Excavations at Honeygar Farm, a nature reserve that forms part of the Somerset Wildlife Trust, have uncovered the remains of a 6,000-year-old wooden trackway that would have been used during the early
Cooking with the Vikings
Food plays an important role in cultural identity, and can be used in archaeology to identify patterns of migration and assimilation. The early medieval inhabitants of Scandinavia are known to have had
Diet and social status in medieval Cambridge
We are what we eat, they say, and a new study by the University of Cambridge has found that this was as true in the medieval period as it is today, with
World news
Prehistoric cultural exchange in Germany Excavations at Eilsleben in northern Germany have revealed a fortified settlement site, dating to c.5375 BC, that may have been founded by some of the first farmers
UK news in brief
Crown Room at Edinburgh Castle redeveloped Redevelopment of Edinburgh Castle’s Crown Room is under way. The project, which began in January, will see elements of the Victorian design, including oak panelling, restored
Aswan tombs
A group of rock-cut Old Kingdom tombs has been uncovered by an Egyptian mission working at Qubbet el-Hawa, near Aswan. The tombs contained burial chambers that were reused in the First Intermediate
Oldest bow drill
A joint British-Austrian team has identified Egypt’s oldest known rotary tool. The small metal drill was found at Badari more than 100 years ago, and had attracted little attention until now. The
Sinai rock art
A new archaeological site has been declared in South Sinai, at the Umm Arak Plateau – about 5km (3 miles) north-east of the Serabit el-Khadim temple and the copper and turquoise mining
Early ‘smiting’
Another rock inscription at Sinai has recently been interpreted by researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany. The 5,000-year-old inscription at Wadi Khamila, in south-west Sinai, depicts a large man with
Coffin cache at Qurna
A cache of 22 Third Intermediate Period painted coffins containing mummies has been discovered by an Egyptian mission at Qurna, on Luxor’s West Bank. During excavation work in the courtyard of the
Science Notes: Identifying ancient games using artificial intelligence
In the last couple of years, the rise of artificial intelligence has permeated almost every aspect of society, but (outside exhibitions and other ways of presenting the past) archaeology has remained very
Renovation reveals hidden secrets of Durham Castle
Recent renovations at Durham Castle have revealed new details of how the fortification was redecorated and altered over its almost 1,000-year history. With the renovation of the castle presenting a rare opportunity
World news
Africa’s oldest cremation? Archaeological investigations in the shadow of Mount Hora, in northern Malawi, have revealed the oldest evidence for human cremation yet found in Africa. The burial, which dates to c.9,500
19th-century industrial heritage uncovered near Swansea
Excavations at the former Hafod–Morfa Copperworks have revealed rare evidence of copper-processing techniques used in the Lower Swansea Valley during the 19th century which, at its peak, accounted for an extraordinary amount
17th-century shipwreck found on Dorset beach
Ancient footprints are not the only archaeological discoveries that have been brought to light by recent winter storms. At the end of January, gale-force winds and massive waves revealed a large fragment
2,000-year-old footprints revealed on Angus beach
A series of 2,000-year-old footprints have been unexpectedly revealed on an Angus beach following a barrage of winter storms. They add to only a handful of ancient human tracks that have been
Viking Age mass grave found outside Cambridge
Excavations at Wandlebury Country Park, just south of Cambridge, have uncovered a large burial pit containing the remains of at least ten individuals who died violently in the 8th- to 9th-century AD
Assessing the impact of Roman occupation on health
New research examining the transition between the Iron Age and Romano-British period has shed new light on the detrimental impact of Roman occupation and urbanisation on population health. Previous studies had already
Chasing the Ouseley Collection
In 1920, a collection of antiquities and antiques was thrown away, and most of its contents remain lost more than a century later. Martin A Timoney describes recent efforts to piece together clues to their whereabouts and appeals for more information.