Archaeology
![The Great Pyramids of Giza - Khufu's on the right and Cheops's on the left, Giza Plataeu, Egypt](jpg/b44kc9cdps5m7tvdnosf2w-320-80.jpg)
Humans have left clues of our existence throughout time, leaving behind burials, artifacts and written records that hint at our evolution, beliefs, practices and cultures. Studying the archaeological record shows us that the oldest known bones belonging to Homo sapiens are 300,000 years old, or that the world’s oldest civilizations arose at least 6,000 years ago.
Whether you’re looking for facts about the ancient Egyptians, the discovery of an ancient human skull, a gold hoard dating to the fall of the Roman Empire or how the latest technology is helping us find hidden pyramids, Live Science's expert science writers and editors are here to give you the latest coverage on our past with archaeology news, articles and features.
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Latest about Archaeology
![A photo of the skeletons found in the tomb](png/fu9xv8emzmuztpmc7xxcfl-320-80.png)
4,500-year-old tomb in France reveals secrets of how 'European genome' came to be
By Eva-Maria Geigl, Oğuzhan Parasayan, Thierry Grange published
Researchers used DNA analysis to learn more about ancient human interbreeding.
![A Roman-era lead pipe with an inscription](jpg/he8cp3p2xrqvbnrnrshm7w-320-80.jpg)
Roman emperor Caligula's 2,000-year-old garden unearthed near the Vatican
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
The gardens overlooking the Tiber river in Italy once belonged to an infamous Roman emperor.
![An archaeological site covered in sand](jpg/srhrcykwafehqmlezfbkpa-320-80.jpg)
5,000-year-old ceremonial temple discovered beneath sand dune in Peru
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
The 5,000-year-old site contains the walls of a ceremonial temple, as well as human remains.
![An ancient Egyptian mummy](jpg/t5d6j8qfzvdbrm2tdu6zbm-320-80.jpg)
Could bacteria or viruses lurking in ancient Egyptian mummies unleash a plague today?
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
Do mummies contain pathogens that could be transferred to humans today, and should we be worried?
![A glossy, blue statuette of a blue hippo.](jpg/9tbh8q3nawehbrfmaamykv-320-80.jpg)
'William the Hippo': The ancient Egyptian statuette deliberately crippled to prevent it wreaking havoc in the afterlife
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
Ancient Egyptians feared hippos, to the point that they removed three of the statuette's legs so it wouldn't cause chaos in the afterlife.
![Popcorn against a black background](jpg/y43kqr7kh82xmkncsdy7r9-320-80.jpg)
How popcorn was discovered nearly 7,000 years ago
By Sean Rafferty published
An archaeologist explains the food's likely appeal for people in the Americas millennia ago.
![A photo of the Bromeswell bucket against a black background.](jpg/s6tdsdop6m786yfs4wzzdd-320-80.jpg)
Missing pieces of 6th-century Byzantine bucket finally found at Sutton Hoo
By Kristina Killgrove published
Archaeologists at Sutton Hoo, a 1,400-year-old boat burial in England, have discovered pieces of a broken bucket from the Byzantine Empire.
![The artistic rendering of the head and face of a 13-year-old girl from the prehistoric human species, the Denisovans, based on technology developed by Hebrew University professor Liran Carmel and his team. The bust was revealed at a news conference in Jerusalem on Sept. 19, 2019.](jpg/5hvsnhnnuchcmnjlz8lc24-320-80.jpg)
Who were the Denisovans?
By Charles Q. Choi last updated
Here are Denisovan facts about their discovery, where and when they lived and what we know about their appearance, genetics and culture.
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