Archeology

May 14, 2023

View the Reconstructed Face of a 30,000-Year-Old Egyptian Man

What did a young man look like 35,000 years ago? Modern DNA and computer modeling technology can give us a good, although imperfect, idea. Two Brazil-based researchers—archaeologist Moacir Elias Santos and 3D designer Cícero Moraes—recently published stunning facial reconstructions of a man who roamed Egypt hunting and gathering long before the pyramids and pharaohs. Starting with an ancient skull, the Paleolithic face they created is based on science with artistic decision-making.

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March 31, 2023

‘Vesuvius Challenge’ Will Pay Up to $1M to Whoever Can Decipher Charred Scrolls From Pompeii

On a normal day long ago in 79 CE, the volcano known as Mount Vesuvius erupted, covering the town below it in volcanic ash. Pompeii was obliterated with people suffocating under ash and buildings vanishing, not to be unearthed for hundreds of years. Historians today view Pompeii as a valuable time capsule of ancient life, preserved much as it was that fateful day.

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March 6, 2023

Museum Discovers That Its “Fake” Sword Is Actually an Authentic 3,000-Year-Old Weapon

Hoaxes abound in archeology. Anytime an artifact appears, observations on its appearance, provenance, discovery, materials, style, and other factors help scholars determine its authenticity. Sometimes a fake object successfully masquerades as real for many years before the truth is uncovered. But in one instance, the opposite happened. For almost 100 years, the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago considered a metal sword in their collection to be just another fake.

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