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.
Discover more about archaeology
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900-year-old burials of Denmark's early Christians discovered in medieval cemetery
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2,200-year-old Celtic 'rainbow cup' in 'almost mint condition' found in Germany
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2,000-year-old Celtic teenager may have been sacrificed and considered 'disposable'
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Exceptionally rare iron saber, arrowheads and jewelry discovered in seventh-century warrior's tomb in Hungary
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Differences in red blood cells may have 'hastened the extinction' of our Neanderthal cousins, new study suggests
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Decapitator nose ornament: 1,500-year-old gold jewelry depicting a bloodthirsty South American god
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'Extremely rare' and 'highly unusual' Roman-era tomb in Germany is completely empty
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3,500-year-old Egyptian military fortress with ancient ovens and fossilized dough discovered in Sinai Desert
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'The papyrus also recommends putting a clove of garlic in your vagina before bed': The texts that reveal the baffling healthcare for women in ancient Egypt
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Tutankhamun quiz: How much do you know about the famous boy king from ancient Egypt?
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Ancient Egyptian statue of 'Messi' found at Saqqara necropolis is 'only known example of its kind from the Old Kingdom'
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'Cleopatra's Final Secret' documentary reveals hundreds of coins and port found in Egypt. But does that mean Cleopatra was buried there?
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Did ancient Egyptians really booby-trap the pyramids?
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3,300-year-old ancient Egyptian whistle was likely used by police officer tasked with guarding the 'sacred location' of the royal tomb
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2,200-year-old gold coin depicting ancient Egyptian queen discovered in Jerusalem
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Sabu Disk: A mysterious 5,000-year-old Egyptian stone sculpture that looks like a hubcap
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Differences in red blood cells may have 'hastened the extinction' of our Neanderthal cousins, new study suggests
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Did Neanderthals eat anything other than meat?
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Neanderthals were more susceptible to lead poisoning than humans — which helped us gain an advantage over our cousins, scientists say
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Neanderthals could be brought back within 20 years — but is it a good idea?
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Ancient Hobbits slowed down growth during childhood, showing that humans didn't always grow 'bigger and bigger brains'
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1 million-year-old skull from China holds clues to the origins of Neanderthals, Denisovans and humans
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Do humans and chimps really share nearly 99% of their DNA?
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Homo erectus: Facts about the first human lineage to leave Africa
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1.8 million-year-old human jawbone discovered in Republic of Georgia — and it may be earliest evidence yet of Homo erectus
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'Extremely rare' and 'highly unusual' Roman-era tomb in Germany is completely empty
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'Illegal' metal detectorist found a huge hoard of Roman treasure in Germany — and kept it hidden for 8 years
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'It's really an extraordinary story,' historian Steven Tuck says of the Romans he tracked who survived the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius
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'People made it out of the cities alive': Tracing the survivors of Pompeii and Herculaneum, 2,000 years after Vesuvius erupted
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Ancient Roman tombstone found beneath undergrowth in New Orleans yard
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Skeleton-filled well in Croatia likely holds remains of Roman soldiers, study finds
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Miniature Skeleton: A ghostly 2,000-year-old party favor from a Roman banquet
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Statuette of a Comic Actor: A 2,000-year-old depiction of a Roman actor letting one rip
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1,900-year-old 'treasure' found in Roman-era family's scorched house in Romania
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1,000-year-old 'king' game piece with a distinctive hairstyle is 'as close as we will ever get to a portrait of a Viking'
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1,100-year-old Viking hoard reveals raiding wealthy only 'part of the picture' — they traded with the Middle East too
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Hornelund Brooches: Viking age gold ornaments mysteriously buried in Denmark 1,000 years ago
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Viking Age burial of chieftain with 'enormous power' found in Denmark — and he may have served Harald Bluetooth
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Viking Age woman was buried with her dog in an elaborate 'boat grave,' excavations reveal
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1,000-year-old Viking Age hoard has a pendant that may be a cross or Thor's hammer
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Braided gold Viking arm-ring discovered by amateur metal detectorist on Isle of Man
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Archaeologist sailed a Viking replica boat for 3 years to discover unknown ancient harbors
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Opinion
Viking Age women may have wielded weapons when pregnant, sagas and ancient artifacts hint
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