New evidence reveals horses were present in Bronze Age Sicily earlier than previously thought, and played a role in the diets and rituals of early communities. Proteomic analysis of pottery fragments confirmed horse meat consumption.
Researchers have found shocked quartz at three Clovis culture archaeological sites, supporting the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis, which proposes a fragmented comet explosion contributed to megafaunal extinctions and the disappearance of the Clovis culture.
The Indo-European Cognate Relationships (IE-CoR) dataset is a comprehensive, open-access relational database detailing cognates—inherited related words—across 160 Indo-European languages. Developed by a consortium of 89 linguists, it aims to serve as a benchmark for computational research into the evolution of this vast language family, encompassing 25,731 lexeme entries grouped into 4,981 cognate sets based on 170 core meanings. The dataset incorporates time calibration data, geographical/social metadata, and a novel structure for coding horizontal transfer, adhering to the Cross-Linguistic Data Format (CLDF) for interoperability and long-term accessibility. IE-CoR addresses limitations of previous datasets through improved coverage, rigorous coding protocols, and a focus on the primary cognate state of root morphemes, offering a valuable resource for phylogenetic and quantitative linguistic research.
Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of 11,000-year-old feasting rituals in western Iran, involving wild animals transported from distances up to 70 kilometers. The findings, centered around the site of Asiab, suggest complex social practices and the deliberate effort to gather animals for communal events, potentially even sacrifice, predating agriculture.
Archaeologists discovered the remains of a Copper Age baby in a well near Faenza, Italy. Despite the poor preservation of the skeleton, advanced techniques allowed scientists to determine the baby's age, health, sex, and maternal lineage, revealing a rare haplogroup uncommon in Copper Age Italy.
The Thinker of Hamangia, a masterpiece of primitive universal art from the Neolithic Hamangia culture in Romania, is a 5,500-6,000-year-old statuette included in UNESCO's list of 10 artifacts that should never disappear.
| **Aspect** | **Details** |
|---------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Artifact** | The Thinker of Hamangia |
| **Age** | 5,500-6,000 years (3500-4000 BCE) |
| **Significance** | Masterpiece of primitive universal art |
| **UNESCO Recognition** | Included in the list of 10 artifacts that should never disappear |
| **Culture** | Hamangia Culture (Neolithic, IV-II millennium BC) |
| **Location** | Named after the old village Hamangia in Dobrogea, Romania |
| **Aspect** | **Details** |
|---------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Artifact** | The Thinker of Hamangia |
| **Age** | 5,500-6,000 years (3500-4000 BCE) |
| **Significance** | Masterpiece of primitive universal art |
| **UNESCO Recognition** | Included in the list of 10 artifacts that should never disappear |
| **Culture** | Hamangia Culture (Neolithic, IV-II millennium BC) |
| **Location** | Named after the old village Hamangia in Dobrogea, Romania |
A pair of landmark studies published in Nature have identified the origin of the Indo-European family of over 400 languages, spoken by more than 40% of the world's population, to the Caucasus Lower Volga people in present-day Russia around 6,500 years ago.
Harvard researchers traced the origins of the vast Indo-European language family to the Caucasus-Lower Volga region, identifying the ancestral population known as the Yamnaya, who appeared around 3300 BCE and spread from Hungary to western China.
A study by the University of Vienna, in collaboration with Harvard University, identifies a newly recognized Caucasus-Lower Volga (CLV) population as a key link in the history of Indo-European languages. This population contributed significantly to the Yamnaya culture and the ancestry of Bronze Age central Anatolians, including Hittite speakers. The findings suggest the CLV group as the source of the proto-Indo-Anatolian language, bridging a historical gap in Indo-European language origins.
Archaeologists have discovered an ancient human settlement in Tajikistan that dates back approximately 150,000 years.
Archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan have discovered a multi-layered archaeological site in the Zeravshan Valley of Tajikistan. The site, named Soii Havzak, contains artifacts dating back as far as 150,000 years, making it a significant find for understanding early human settlements and migrations in Central Asia.
The discovery suggests that the Zeravshan Valley, known historically as a Silk Road route, was an important migration corridor for human species like Homo sapiens, Neanderthals, and Denisovans.
Archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan have discovered a multi-layered archaeological site in the Zeravshan Valley of Tajikistan. The site, named Soii Havzak, contains artifacts dating back as far as 150,000 years, making it a significant find for understanding early human settlements and migrations in Central Asia.
The discovery suggests that the Zeravshan Valley, known historically as a Silk Road route, was an important migration corridor for human species like Homo sapiens, Neanderthals, and Denisovans.
