Cover Story
Circles of stone: exploring the monuments of Jomon Japan Numerous ancient stone circles are known in Japan, but how and why were these monuments built? Simon Kaner examines what these enigmatic structures can tell us about a key period of Japanese prehistory. Features
The mystery of Mithras An exhibition at the Musée Saint-Raymond explores the Roman cult of Mithras. Gillis Kersting visited to find out more about this enigmatic religion. 
Hunters or gatherers? Women’s everyday lives in the Ice Age Recent debate about women’s roles in the Ice Age raises questions about how much can be said about everyday lives in this era. Elle Clifford and Paul Bahn examine the… 
Narbo Via Archaeological Museum The city of Narbonne in southern France has opened a brand new archaeological museum. Roger Wilson is our guide. 
Lost cities of Bolivia: rethinking prehistoric life in the Amazon It has long been assumed that Amazonia was always sparsely inhabited by humans. Now LiDAR survey in Bolivia has revealed the stunning scale of settlements that lay concealed beneath dense… 
Sexten, Italy: meditations on a moment of madness Richard Hodges has been visiting Sexten, where the alpine scenery still bears the traces of fighting in the First World War. News
Recreating an ancient Egyptian perfume Experimental archaeologists have recreated a famous ancient Egyptian perfume known as the Mendesian in a lab, using ingredients mentioned in Classical sources. 
Pottery analysis sheds light on ancient trade routes across the Caribbean A new study is using Indigenous pottery to find out more about travel between the islands of the Caribbean throughout history. 
Analysis identifies earliest evidence of ear infection The infection was identified in a hunter-gatherer who lived c.100,000 years ago, and was excavated from a cave in Morocco. 
Lost royal city found in Iraqi Kurdistan? Occupation of the fortress appears to have been relatively short-lived, with the main phase of activity probably dating to the 1st century BC. 
Knucklebones used for gaming and divination found in Israel Researchers discovered that many of the bones had been modified – shaved down, polished, perforated, or filled with lead – in order to improve the roll of the dice. 
Researchers decipher ancient Chinese recipe for bronze production The recipe in question is recorded in an ancient Chinese text known as the Kaogong ji, which is believed to be the world’s first encyclopaedia of technology, probably dating to… 
Research sheds new light on Cahokia’s North Plaza The study found that the plaza would have been underwater for most if not all of the year at the time of the site’s creation. 
Roman sanctuary found in the Netherlands Several Roman sanctuaries are known in the Netherlands, but this is the first to be discovered on the northern boundary of the empire. Views
The mystery of Mithras Feature, Museum, What's on An exhibition at the Musée Saint-Raymond explores the Roman cult of Mithras. Gillis Kersting visited to find out more about this enigmatic religion. 
Current World Archaeology Photo of the Year 2023 Competitions Send us your best heritage-themed photos for the chance to win first prize in our annual CWA Photo Competition and have your work showcased in the magazine. 
Giant warriors in Arabian art The Picture Desk Saudi Arabia is a paradise for researching engraved rock art (see ‘Saudi Arabian rock art’ in CWA 102). In March 2022, I returned to the Saudi provinces of Najran and… Narbo Via Archaeological Museum Feature, Museum, Travel The city of Narbonne in southern France has opened a brand new archaeological museum. Roger Wilson is our guide. 
Animal habits Comment One common motif is that of a knight in armour engaging in combat with a snail. Another is that of the killer rabbit, shown wielding sword, axe, or bow and… 
Falconer figurine Objects What is it? This small, carved figurine depicting a falconer was discovered in Oslo, Norway. The object, made of bone, antler, or walrus tooth, is 7.5cm long, with a flat,… 
Evolution in the air: the urban conundrum Comment The human ape, with our big, social brain, is well suited to a life of dense social interaction. So, when faced with limited resources and growing populations, similar solutions tend… Sexten, Italy: meditations on a moment of madness Feature, Travel Richard Hodges has been visiting Sexten, where the alpine scenery still bears the traces of fighting in the First World War. 
Ancient newsreels Comment It portrays a ferocious Maya chief clad in a jaguar skin, with a jaguar’s head on his own, spearing an unfortunate captive. First seen by an outsider in 1946, the… Reviews
The mystery of Mithras An exhibition at the Musée Saint-Raymond explores the Roman cult of Mithras. Gillis Kersting visited to find out more about this enigmatic religion. 
Thinking through images: narrative, rhythm, embodiment and landscape in the Nordic Bronze Age Review by George Nash. Throughout prehistoric Europe, there are significant areas where rock art was commissioned, executed, consumed, and abandoned. One of these is southern Scandinavia. Here, during the later… Narbo Via Archaeological Museum The city of Narbonne in southern France has opened a brand new archaeological museum. Roger Wilson is our guide. 
Coin Hoards and Hoarding in the Roman World Review by Roger Bland. This volume, based on a conference that was held in 2016, is the first publication to come out of the Coin Hoards of the Roman Empire… Sexten, Italy: meditations on a moment of madness Richard Hodges has been visiting Sexten, where the alpine scenery still bears the traces of fighting in the First World War. 
Living and Cursing in the Roman West: curse tablets and society Review by Charlotte Spence. Stuart McKie’s reassessment of curse tablets sets itself up as a ‘paradigm shift’ in the scholarship and our understanding of these objects; and this is something… 
From the editor
The stone circles of Japan are enigmatic monuments. These structures were created by Jomon hunter-gatherers, mostly from roughly 2500-300 BC, and can be associated with burials, seasonal ceremonies, and solar alignments. Such preoccupations are far from being restricted to Jomon Japan, with study of these circles proving influential when it came to early 20th-century attempts to understand Stonehenge. In our cover feature, we take a detailed look at some of the Jomon stone circles, examining both the monuments themselves, and wider activity in the period.
When it comes to the Bolivian Amazon, recent research has revealed that there was far more activity under way in the region than once suspected. Although traces of activity in the form of enigmatic earth mounds, colourful pottery, and raised fields have long been known, these were once associated with a doomed attempt to settle the area by people from urban societies in the Andes. Now LiDAR survey has revealed the remains of forgotten cities that once thrived in Amazonia.
Recent debate has raised questions about the roles of women in the Ice Age. While scholarship once focused on Palaeolithic women undertaking domestic work and nursing children, there is archaeological evidence for female artists, while burial rites suggest the existence of women of status. There are also grounds to believe that Ice Age women could be skilled hunters and toolmakers.
In our travel section, Roger Wilson casts his eye over the new museum at Narbonne. What do the objects on display tell us about Rome’s first colony beyond Italian soil? Meanwhile, Richard Hodges has been visiting Sexten, where the alpine scenery still bears the traces of fighting in the First World War.
Finally, I’m delighted to introduce a new column by Rubina Raja and Søren Sindbæk, which takes a look at the archaeology of cities and settlement around the world.
