human-history17.16 min read
Ancient Trebuchet Victim Revealed in a 14th-Century Skeleton
8 days ago•Source: Gizmodo
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17.325 min•13 days ago
Locals, Not Invaders: New Analysis Shifts View of Archaic Athens Mass Grave
A mass grave of 79 men from Phaleron, dating to the Archaic period (c. 700–460 BCE), was studied via radiogenic strontium isotopes. Of 66 individuals tested, the vast majority were locals from Attica, with only two outsiders, suggesting the victims were more likely victims of internal political violence than foreign invaders and offering new insight into pre-Classical Athens on the cusp of democracy.
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Ancient Chilean Mummies Illuminate How Smallpox Reached the Americas
Gizmodo•21 days ago
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Saktahnwaax: The Maya Scientist Who Signed the Sky
Gizmodo•1 month ago
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Earliest Known Face-Wound Hints at Violence Among Early Humans
A new analysis of Qafzeh 25, a 92,000–145,000-year-old fossil from Israel, reveals a healed cut across the lower left jaw. Researchers say the injury most likely resulted from interpersonal violence, making it one of the oldest known cases of violence among early humans and shedding light on social care and funerary practices in ancient communities.
Colchester Pit Hints Romans Were Early Sea-Monster Fossil Collectors
In Colchester, UK, a 2nd‑century CE fossil pit yielded an ichthyosaur spinal bone that a Romans-era collector tucked among pottery and spoons; paleontologists say this is the oldest known example of deliberate ichthyosaur fossil collecting, suggesting Romans may have curated fossils perhaps influenced by Greek myths about sea monsters, with a roughly 1,800‑year gap before similar discoveries.
Hobbit-Sized Hominins Likely Scavengers Amid Komodo Dragons on Flores
A Smithsonian-led study argues that Homo floresiensis on Flores were probably scavengers rather than big-game hunters or fire users. By examining Stegodon florensis insularis bones for dragon and hominin tooth scores, and reviewing 10,061 Liang Bua artifacts alongside experiments with living Komodo dragons, researchers found the hobbit-like hominins left marks on smaller, less meat-rich pieces and that evidence for fire at the site likely comes from later Homo sapiens, not H. floresiensis, though debates about their behavior persist.
Diverse, Connected Neanderthals Challenge the Extinction Narrative
A 27-Neanderthal genome study from Belgium and France shows late Neanderthals were genetically diverse and part of connected regional populations, challenging the idea of a single declining group; they carry no clear rise in harmful mutations, and while Neanderthals contributed DNA to modern humans, there was little reciprocal gene flow, highlighting regional extinction patterns and a more nuanced history.
Undersea Helmet Hoard Reveals Medieval Origins, Not Roman
Radiocarbon dating of 43 helmets recovered off Benicarló, Spain in 1990 shows they date to the late 14th to early 15th centuries, not Roman times, indicating medieval production and a complex arms-trade network along the Valencian coast—the largest known medieval helmet hoard in the western Mediterranean.
Britain's Oldest Cave Art Vindicated, Dating to 17,000 Years Ago
New dating and image-analysis of Bacon Hole cave in south Wales confirm that its red markings are ancient abstract art dating to about 17,000 years ago, making them the oldest rock art in the British Isles; previously dismissed as mineral staining and graffiti, uranium–thorium dating and enhanced imagery reveal human-like symbolic lines and dots, likely created by Upper Paleolithic hunter–gatherers, with surrounding mineral deposits supporting the minimum age.
Walking Upright and Brain Growth May Have Shaped Humans' Right-Hand Bias
Oxford researchers analyzed data from 2,025 individuals across 41 primate species and found that the near-universal human right-handedness likely stems from two defining human traits—upright walking and larger brains—with limb-length balance helping predict hand preference; other factors like tool use, diet, or habitat did not fully explain the pattern.
Romans Used On-The-Go Coatings to Keep Ships Afloat, Study Finds
A Frontiers in Materials study of the Ilovik-Paržine 1 shipwreck shows Romans used zopissa—a pine tar and beeswax waterproof coating—applied in multiple phases, suggesting ships were regularly refurbished during voyages. Palynology tied the coating’s materials to diverse Adriatic environments, revealing a web of long-distance naval knowledge transfer around the Mediterranean.
Maastricht Tile Find May Reveal Real-Life Fourth Musketeer
Repair workers uncover skeletal remains beneath an altar in Maastricht’s church during tile repairs; early indicators—a French coin and a chest wound—point to Charles de Batz de Castelmore, Count d’Artagnan, the real-life inspiration for The Three Musketeers, with DNA testing underway to confirm the identity.