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Trevor Bryce Explores Hittite Civilization in 'Hittites: Warriors from Anatolia'

Trevor Bryce Explores Hittite Civilization in 'Hittites: Warriors from Anatolia'

Trevor Bryce's book, 'Hittites: Warriors from Anatolia,' offers an in-depth look into the ancient Hittite civilization, which existed over three millennia ago. The book combines historical records with ongoing archaeological research to present a vivid reconstruction of the Hittite world. Bryce portrays the Hittites not only as formidable warriors and masters of chariot warfare, famously clashing with Ramesses II at the Battle of Kadesh in 1274 BCE, but also as devout followers of a vast pantheon of gods. Furthermore, the book highlights their role in developing a new diplomatic system that solidified their authority for centuries. It delves into the complexities of Hittite society, covering military conquests, social hierarchy, daily life, superstitions, customs, the role of the queen, palaces, temples, and even their legal transgressions. The author argues that while the development of a warrior culture was crucial for the empire's expansion and survival, it was not the sole defining characteristic of th...

Archaeologists Unearth Intact Roman Sarcophagus in Croatia, Offering Glimpse into Late Antiquity Burial Customs

Archaeologists Unearth Intact Roman Sarcophagus in Croatia, Offering Glimpse into Late Antiquity Burial Customs

Archaeologists in Cavtat, near Dubrovnik, Croatia, have discovered a large stone sarcophagus that has remained sealed and undisturbed for over 1,500 years. The tomb, found in a necropolis at the site of the ancient Roman settlement of Epidaurum, dates back to Late Antiquity, specifically between the fourth and sixth centuries AD. Its remarkable preservation is attributed to well-preserved lime mortar sealing the junction between the stone coffin and its double lid, which prevented both natural elements and ancient grave robbers from accessing the interior. The discovery offers a rare opportunity to study burial customs from the final centuries of the Roman era. The sarcophagus, identified as a Salona-type, was carved from local limestone, suggesting the presence of skilled stoneworking workshops in the region during that period. The excavation involved a multidisciplinary team to carefully remove the five-tonne lid and recover the skeletal remains of one person, along with organic deposits and other materi...

Pennsylvania Family Discovers Megalodon Tooth on New Jersey Coast

Pennsylvania Family Discovers Megalodon Tooth on New Jersey Coast

A Pennsylvania family, Mike Bowers and his 11-year-old son, Bo, found a large megalodon tooth embedded in a rock jetty on the New Jersey coast. The discovery occurred during a vacation. Experts suggest that the tooth might have been brought to the shore as part of a recent beach replenishment project, where sand from the ocean floor was dredged and deposited. This finding provides a tangible link to prehistoric marine life along the U.S. coastline. The event highlights the unexpected treasures that can surface due to natural processes and human-led coastal development efforts. The tooth's presence in a rock jetty indicates it was likely dislodged from its original resting place and moved closer to the shore.

Archaeologists uncover ancient skeletal remains at Huaca Pucllana in Lima

Archaeologists uncover ancient skeletal remains at Huaca Pucllana in Lima

Archaeologists in Peru have unveiled skeletal remains near Huaca Pucllana, an ancient pyramid in Lima

New Research Challenges 'Snowball Earth' Theory for Great Unconformity, Points to Supercontinent Cycles

New Research Challenges 'Snowball Earth' Theory for Great Unconformity, Points to Supercontinent Cycles

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences challenges the long-held 'Snowball Earth' hypothesis regarding the Great Unconformity, a significant gap in Earth's geological record. Previously, it was thought that massive glaciers during the 'Snowball Earth' period, approximately 700 million years ago, scoured away vast amounts of rock. However, an international team of scientists, led by Rong-Ruo Zhan of Northwest University in China, presents evidence suggesting that the bulk of this erosion occurred much earlier, between 2.1 billion and 1.6 billion years ago. This earlier period aligns with the assembly of Columbia, one of Earth's ancient supercontinents. The researchers analyzed ancient basement rocks in North China, using techniques like zircon U-Pb dating and (U-Th)/He thermochronology, to determine the thermal history of the Earth's crust. Their findings indicate that immense tectonic forces associated with the formation of supercontinents were responsible for pushing r...

How Scribes Kept the World's Knowledge Alive Before the Printing Press

How Scribes Kept the World's Knowledge Alive Before the Printing Press

Scribes, as professional copyists, played an indispensable role in the transmission and preservation of knowledge long before the advent of mechani...

How Qatar Got Its Name and Shaped Its Ancient Identity

How Qatar Got Its Name and Shaped Its Ancient Identity

Qatar, a country in West Asia, holds a rich history that stretches back tens of thousands of years, with its very name evolving through various lin...

Scientists Uncover Evidence of Ancient 'Mega-Escarpment' Across North America, Explaining Grand Canyon's Missing Geological Record

Scientists Uncover Evidence of Ancient 'Mega-Escarpment' Across North America, Explaining Grand Canyon's Missing Geological Record

Scientists, led by the University of Southampton in the UK, have found evidence suggesting a colossal 'great escarpment' once stretched thousands of kilometers across ancient North America. This cliff line, estimated to be 1-kilometer-high (0.6-mile-high), formed approximately 800 million years ago during the breakup of the supercontinent Rodinia. The study, published in Geology, proposes that this vast escarpment drove the erosion of enormous volumes of rock, exposing an ancient crystalline basement now visible in the Grand Canyon in southern Arizona. The research indicates that this ancient escarpment occupied a similar position relative to the continental margin as modern great escarpments in South Africa and Brazil. Over tens of millions of years, as the escarpment slowly retreated inland, it is predicted to have stripped away up to 8 kilometers (5 miles) of rock in certain areas. This finding is consistent with existing evidence of extraordinary erosion in the region, estimated at 5–10 kilometers (3–6...

Research Reveals Misinformation Spreads Further Than Ash During Volcanic Eruptions, Impacting Public Perception

Research Reveals Misinformation Spreads Further Than Ash During Volcanic Eruptions, Impacting Public Perception

New research, drawing on the experiences of science communicators and an analysis of hundreds of international media articles from 2017 to 2022, indicates that misinformation about volcanoes can spread more widely than volcanic ash during eruptions. The study, published by The Conversation, identified 18 common misconceptions, ranging from seismology and volcanic hazards to climate and eruption timescales. These misconceptions often involve attention-grabbing terms like the Pacific Ring of Fire or supervolcanoes, and can also stem from basic misunderstandings, such as describing volcanic ash as 'smoke' when it is composed of rock fragments, crystals, and volcanic glass. The research highlights how false claims and misleading images, amplified by rolling news coverage and social media, can distort public perceptions of hazards and risks, influencing how people respond to volcanic events. Examples include old footage being presented as current activity during the 2017 Mt Agung eruption in Bali and exaggerate...

Ancient Escarpment May Explain Grand Canyon's Missing Billion Years of Geological Record

Ancient Escarpment May Explain Grand Canyon's Missing Billion Years of Geological Record

Researchers have discovered evidence suggesting that a massive, half-mile-high escarpment, stretching thousands of miles across ancient North America, may account for a billion-year gap in the Grand Canyon's geological record. This 'Great Unconformity' refers to the phenomenon where extremely old crystalline rocks are found directly beneath much younger layers, with an enormous stretch of time's rock record missing. The study, published in the journal Geology, proposes that this colossal cliff formed approximately 800 million years ago when the supercontinent Rodinia began to break apart. As these cliffs gradually eroded and retreated inland over tens of millions of years, they could have stripped away up to 5 miles of rock in some areas, exposing the ancient basement rocks now visible in the Grand Canyon. Lead author Thomas Gernon, a professor of Earth science at the University of Southampton, stated that the canyon's basement rocks were progressively brought to the surface as part of this immense escarpm...

Sinai Desert Excavations Reveal New Information About Site’s Strategic Importance in Ancient Egypt

Sinai Desert Excavations Reveal New Information About Site’s Strategic Importance in Ancient Egypt

One of the key finds is a large, broken lintel inscribed with references to Ramses II and Horus.

Scientific Study Identifies Zavaritskii Volcano as Cause of 1831 Global Climate Catastrophe

Scientific Study Identifies Zavaritskii Volcano as Cause of 1831 Global Climate Catastrophe

A recent scientific study has identified the Zavaritskii volcano, located on Simushir Island in Russia's Kuril Archipelago, as the source of a significant global climate catastrophe that occurred in 1831. For nearly two centuries, the specific volcano responsible for this event remained a mystery to researchers. In August 1831, inhabitants of the Northern Hemisphere observed a peculiar 'blue sun' phenomenon, followed by an unseasonably cold period that lasted several months and severely impacted harvests. This climatic shift led to widespread famines in regions such as India and Japan. The global cooling, estimated at approximately 1°C in the Northern Hemisphere, persisted between 1831 and 1833. The study, published in the journal PNAS, utilized detailed analysis of ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica to pinpoint the Zavaritskii volcano. These ice cores contained sulfates formed in the stratosphere from volcanic aerosols, indicating a powerful eruption. Chemical analysis of tiny ash particles, specific...