Parasite eggs in old toilet came from pork eaten 1,300 years ago Nara Prefecture–Denizens of the Asuka Period (592-710) feasted on pork and may have done so routinely, archaeologists deduced from parasite eggs excavated from a toilet structure found in the ruins of the ancient capital of Fujiwarakyo.  The eggs, which serve as scientific evidence … Continue reading Parasite eggs in old toilet came from pork eaten 1,300 years ago →

2,000-Year-Old Scale Weights identified in Japan KASUGA, Fukuoka Prefecture–Prehistoric people in Japan apparently used an advanced system of weights and measurements on a decimal basis, excavations at a Yayoi Pottery Culture Period (1000 B.C.-A.D. 250) site here suggest. Researchers identified what is known as a decuple weight with 10 times the reference unit mass of … Continue reading 2,000-Year-Old Scale Weights identified in Japan →

Evidence that a cosmic impact destroyed the ancient city in the Jordan Valley The destruction of Tall el-Hammam, a Bronze Age city in the Jordan Valley, by an exploding comet or meteor may have inspired the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah, a new study suggests. (“[N]otoriously sinful cities,” Sodom and Gomorrah’s devastation by sulfur … Continue reading Evidence that a cosmic impact destroyed the ancient city in the Jordan Valley →

DNA Analysis Identifies Japanese Ancestors Researchers have rewritten Japanese history after uncovering a third, and a previously unknown, group of ancestors that migrated to Japan around 2,000 years ago, of modern-day Japanese populations. Ancient Japan can be split into three key time periods: the Jomon period (13,000 B.C. to 300 B.C.), a time when a … Continue reading DNA Analysis Identifies Japanese Ancestors →

Gold mask among 3,000-year-old relics unearthed in southwest China Earlier this year, archaeologists were awed when they discovered the partial remains of a 3,000-year-old gold mask at the Sanxingdui dig in China’s Sichuan province. Weighing in at half a pound, the mask was considered unprecedented. But, this month, experts’ expectations were bested once again when … Continue reading Gold mask among 3,000-year-old relics unearthed in southwest China →

Mass grave of 25 Christian soldiers who were ”decapitated” during a 13th century Crusade is unearthed in Lebanon A pair of mass graves containing 25 Crusaders who were slaughtered during a 13th-century war in the Holy Land have been unearthed in Lebanon. A team of international archaeologists uncovered the gruesome scene at Sidon Castle on … Continue reading Mass grave of 25 Christian soldiers who were ”decapitated” during a 13th century Crusade is unearthed in Lebanon →

12th Century stone idol of Lord Ganesh discovered A 12th-century idol representing the Hindu god Ganesh has been discovered accidentally in southeastern India. A farmer in the village of Motupalli in Prakasam District stumbled across the stone statue while tilling his land. In Hinduism, Lord Ganesh is presented as a portly elephant-headed figure with four … Continue reading 12th Century stone idol of Lord Ganesh discovered →

Ancient 520 million-year-old sea monster with 18 TENTACLES around its mouth discovered The discovery of a fossil showing an ancient sea creature with 18 tentacles surrounding its mouth has helped to solve a modern-day mystery about the origins of a gelatinous carnivore called a comb jelly, a new study finds. The previously unknown “sea monster,” … Continue reading Ancient 520 million-year-old sea monster with 18 TENTACLES around its mouth discovered →

DNA of a female hunter-gatherer, buried 7,000 years ago in Indonesia, reveals population history of SE Asia A team of archaeological geneticists has reconstructed the genome of a female hunter-gatherer from the Indonesian archipelago, which sheds significant light on the population history of southeast Asia. This study reports the first known human genome from Leang … Continue reading DNA of a female hunter-gatherer, buried 7,000 years ago in Indonesia, reveals population history of SE Asia →