All Archaeology articles
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FeatureThe curious case of the ancient brain
A 2000 year old decapitated Yorkshire man and the ancient proteins in his preserved brain might provide clues to modern diseases, as Hayley Bennett discovers
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Research
Archaeometric study confirms ancient Greeks used gypsum in white Attic vases
Analysis of the Perseus crater from Agrigento identifies key constituents used in its decoration
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Research
Simple campfire chemistry hints how ancient humans produced pigments
Process to make red ochre didn’t require close control of temperature
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Research
Prehistoric Iberians poisoned by cinnabar almost 5000 years ago
Analyses of mercury levels in bones reveal ancient artists suffered for their craft
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Research
Isotope analysis of Vesuvius victims reveals how ancient Romans dined
Herculaneum’s men had greater access to fish, while women relied more on terrestrial animal products
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Research
Tooth isotope analysis proves ancient Greek historians wrong
Analysis of ancient soldiers’ 2500-year-old remains suggests they were foreign mercenaries rather than the locals contemporary historians described
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Research
Thriving wine trade in Islamic Sicily revealed by the chemistry of its pottery
A new method for determining if pottery containers held wine or other grape products could help archaeologist chart the use of the ancient drink
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Research
Ancient Maya communities were first to use zeolite to purify water
2000 years ago, people in Tikal were using the world’s most advanced water purification systems
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Research
Pompeii’s paintings imperilled by precipitates
Volcanic ash protected the city’s frescos for centuries, now it might hasten their decline
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News
Recalibration is the biggest shake-up in the carbon dating world for seven years
Overhaul will improve accuracy and push back how far samples can be dated by 5000 years
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Research
Londinium Romans’ blood lead levels so high they may have lowered birth rates
Heavy metal’s levels were more than 70 times higher than pre-Roman populations
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Research
Bronze age tin from Israeli shipwrecks was mined in Britain
Isotope analysis matches metal to mines in Devon and Cornwall suggesting ancient trade route existed
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Research
Biomolecular analysis unpicks human story of Himalayan skeleton lake
Archaeological deposits subject to ancient DNA analysis, stable isotope dietary reconstruction, radiocarbon dating and osteological analysis
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Review
Superior: The Return of Race Science
Angela Saini’s latest book is a powerful deconstruction of the research around race
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Feature
Chemical clocks for archaeological artefacts
Radiocarbon dating is a standard technique, but what if your artefacts are inorganic? Rachel Brazil finds out how to accurately age pottery and even metals
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Research
Thousand year-old fox snout bag held potent hallucinogens
Chemical analysis reveals ancient South Americans used mix of psychoactive substances in rituals
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Opinion
Righting history
Archaeology can offer unique perspectives on our place in the world, but the field has some challenges to overcome along the way
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Research
Strontium isotope map re-examination casts doubt on bronze age migration theories
New findings could change the way we think about prehistoric peoples
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Podcast
Polyethylene glycol or PEG
The simple polymer that preserves and protects ancient artifacts, and saved a historical Swedish shipwreck from complete collapse
