Archeology

July 9, 2023

12,000-Year-Old Bird Bone Flutes Mimic Ancient Bird Song

Researchers in Israel found a deposit of ancient bird bones clearly collected by people from 12,000 years ago. The 1,100 bones were discovered in the Hula Valley in Israel, forming a fascinating collection. Yet within these relics lay several carefully carved little surprises. Seven of these bird bones were crafted into flutes by the Natufians, a people who lived in the Levant region from 13,000 and 9,700 BCE.

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June 30, 2023

Archeologists Discover ”Pizza” in an Ancient Pompeii Mural

Pizza is a perfect meal—filling, flavorful, endlessly varied by toppings. This Italian delicacy has won over the world in the recent centuries of globalization, and it remains a national treasure of Italy, especially Naples. So naturally, the pizza-loving world got excited when a new discovery of a mural in Pompeii—the Italian city frozen in time by a volcano—appeared to feature what looked like a deep dish classic.

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June 16, 2023

Roman Mausoleum With Mosaics Excavated in London

Roman London was a thriving metropolis and outpost of empire. Known as Londinium, it was founded around 43 CE when Roman troops invaded England. They built the earliest “London bridge,” as well as temples, bathhouses, palaces, and more. The remains of this ancient cosmopolitan network still lie below the modern city, and are often discovered during building projects and archeological digs.

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May 29, 2023

Listen to the World’s Oldest Sheet Music, a Mesopotamian Hymn Over 3,000 Years Old

Music may be as old as mankind, but the songs of the ancient past are largely lost to history. Among those to create and play music were the ancient residents of Mesopotamia. Within this cradle of civilization, history, laws, and religious texts were recorded in cuneiform on tablets. Many have survived, including an exceptional tablet: the earliest extant sheet music in the world. Known as “Hurrian Hymn No.

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