Cover Story
Power or decadence? Luxury under the Achaemenids, Athenians, and Alexander the Great We all know that the finer things in life can transmit messages about wealth and status. In the epic struggles between the Persians and Greeks in the 1st millennium BC, though, luxury came to mean so much more, as Jamie… Features
The ancient world’s largest fortresses: Persia’s northern defences in late antiquity In the 4th to 6th centuries AD, Persia was under attack from the north by the ‘White Huns’ and other powerful groups of steppe warriors. Persia’s response was to create… 
Neolithic Turkey: investigating the transition to settled and farming lifestyles on the Konya Plain The Konya Plain presents an extraordinary glimpse of what the shift from a mobile existence to Neolithic lifestyles could mean for individuals. Douglas Baird, Ian Hodder, and Michele Massa share… News
How studying sinuses can enhance our understanding of human evolution The way these features changed in size and shape across ancient human species can provide important information about how their skulls changed over time 
Uncovering the home of the monument-builders Archaeologists have discovered a settlement site belonging to the builders of some of Europe’s earliest Neolithic monuments. 
New archaeological work begins at Pompeii The excavations are only in their early stages, but already signs of the upper parts of ancient buildings are beginning to emerge. 
Severed hands found in ancient Egyptian palace offer evidence of a ritual custom The discovery prompted a debate about whether they represented ritual trophy-taking or the amputation of limbs as punishment. 
Research reveals American wood imported by Norse Greenlanders The study confirms that the Norse had the ability, knowledge, and vessels necessary to bring timber from North America until well into the 14th century, if not longer. 
Maya ballgame marker discovered at Chichén Itzá The ancient Maya ballgame, known as pelota or sometimes pok-ta-pok, played an important ritual and symbolic role in the Mesoamerican culture. 
Prehistoric cave art found in Spain The motifs found on the panel include quadrupeds (possibly bovids and equids), as well as circles, zigzags, lines, reticulates, stelliforms (suns and/or stars), and more. Views
CWA Photo of the Year Competition 2023 – THE RESULTS! Competitions This year’s overall winner is Nickolas Warner’s photo of the West Cemetery of Meroë, Sudan. 
The West Cemetery of Meroë The Picture Desk The image was chosen as the winner of the CWA Photo of the Year 2023 Competition (sponsored by Ace Cultural Tours). 
CWA #119 crossword, and answers to crossword #118 Competitions Who was the Ancient Egyptian god of the sun? 
Western Macedonia: forgotten highlands of Greece Travel The archaeological gems on show in a neglected region of Greece help to shed light on the success of Alexander the Great, as Alex Rowson reveals. 
Vietnamese stringed instrument Objects What is it? Photo: F Z Campos This object, thought to be at least 2,000 years old, is believed to be a stringed musical instrument. The artefact is made from… 
Anyang: China’s ancient city of kings Museum, What's on A recent exhibition at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, DC, explores the art and culture of the Bronze Age city of Anyang in China. We spoke to… 
The secrets of church walls Comment had King Charles been in need of distraction or amusement during his Coronation in May 2023, he could have done worse than study all the graffiti carved into the woodwork… 
Broken links and smashed glass Comment Far into the Middle Ages, glass-workers produced beads using techniques eerily similar to those employed 2,000 years earlier in Amarna. 
An archaeology of thought Comment I doubted if Daeng would find anything of interest within. An hour later, she was revealing the smallest skeleton I have ever seen. 
Grama Bay: where the Ionian blue begins Travel Richard Hodges has been following in the wake of generations of mariners by investigating the extraordinary concentration of inscriptions carved into the rock of Grama Bay, Albania. Reviews
The Young Alexander: the making of Alexander the Great Review by Matthew Symonds When we think of Alexander the Great, it is his exploits as an adult that spring to mind. He is the audacious leader who landed an… Western Macedonia: forgotten highlands of Greece The archaeological gems on show in a neglected region of Greece help to shed light on the success of Alexander the Great, as Alex Rowson reveals. 
Beer: a global journey through the past and present Review by Max Nelson Arthur presents a global history of beer inspired by his two-year stay with the Gamo people of Ethiopia. He begins with a brief introduction examining beer… Anyang: China’s ancient city of kings A recent exhibition at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, DC, explores the art and culture of the Bronze Age city of Anyang in China. We spoke to… 
Battle Elephants and Flaming Foxes: animals in the Roman world Review by Chris Epplett Over the past few years, there has been an increasing number of books and studies written on humankind’s interactions with and exploitation of the natural world.… Grama Bay: where the Ionian blue begins Richard Hodges has been following in the wake of generations of mariners by investigating the extraordinary concentration of inscriptions carved into the rock of Grama Bay, Albania. 
From the editor
It is hard not to see them as excessive. The glorious gold and silver vessels that graced elite banquets in the Achaemenid empire showcase the skill of Persian metalworkers. But while the fine details of animals, mythical scenes, and intricate patterns still thrill viewers, did these sumptuous wares ever have a role beyond expressing extreme wealth? In our cover feature, we see how a British Museum exhibition is revealing that this seemingly gratuitous glitz knitted an empire together, and helped its arch foes to forge their own identity.
When it comes to changing lifestyles, there can be little that beats the new way of being that was brought about by a settled, farming existence: a development we associate with the Neolithic. We can see plainly enough from the archaeology how this shift changed the world forever, but its impact on individuals has always been harder to grasp. Now the results of a range of scientific analyses are shedding astonishing light on ancient lives on the Konya Plain, Turkey, at the dawn of the Neolithic.
Change was also writ large on the Gorgan and Tehran Plains of Iran, as they became a focus of the astonishing northern defences of the Sasanian empire. This is a region where, as well as the Gorgan Wall, a formidable barrier that stretched for more than 170km, gigantic fortresses were once constructed. These formidable fortifications have a footprint that reaches roughly 200ha, and once quartered great armies living in tents. But why were such forces necessary, and how did they slot into the wider frontier infrastructure?
In our travel section, Alex Rowson takes in the archaeological highlights of Western Macedonia. Meanwhile, Richard Hodges has been following in the wake of generations of mariners by investigating the extraordinary concentration of inscriptions carved into the rock of Grama Bay, Albania.
