Politics

Archaeology Is Flipping the Script on What We Know About Ancient Mesoamerica

Gary M. Feinman, David M. Carballo / Resilience Aug 11, 2023 The evidence tells us that cooperative and pluralistic government was at least as common as and more resilient than despotic states. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

White Supremacists Flustered by Viking Discovery

Juan Cole / Informed Comment Oct 15, 2017 Archaeological identification of Arabic text on Viking burial garments in Sweden and DNA tests showing Iranian origins is the source of a tizzy. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Stone Tool Discovery Shows Culture Evolved Much Earlier Than Previously Believed

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig May 21, 2015 The major discovery in Africa of tools dating around 3.3 million years old has forced scientists to push back the standard dating of the dawn of culture by 700,000 years. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Ancient Landscapes Point to Dramatic Climate Change

By Tim Radford, Climate News Network Feb 26, 2015 Scientists believe Chinese civilization could have been founded by climate refugees after the collapse of an Inner Mongolia-area culture over 4,000 years ago. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Bronze Age Lost Its Cutting Edge Before Climate Crisis

By Tim Radford, Climate News Network Nov 23, 2014 Archaeologists claim to have unearthed evidence in Ireland that it was the rising power of iron, not climate change, that brought about the collapse of many ancient civilizations. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Camel Bones and Jerusalem: Archeology Shows Bible Written Late, Full of Errors

Juan Cole / Truthdig Feb 8, 2014 A new paper by Israeli archeologists Lidar Sapir-Hen and Erez Ben-Yosef is bad news for biblical literalists and far right wing Israeli nationalists who use the Bible for support. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

The Internet Turf War

Staff / Truthdig Dec 13, 2012 At the World Conference on International Telecommunications in Dubai, governments are trying to get their hands and handcuffs on the Internet; some scientists have posited that homosexuals inherit the trait from their opposite-sex parent; meanwhile, Italy's disgraced Silvio Berlusconi prepares to run again. These discoveries and more after the jump. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Ancient American Petroglyphs Desecrated by Thieves

Peter Z. Scheer / Truthdig Nov 20, 2012 At least six 3,500-year-old rock carvings from California's Volcanic Tableland have been stolen, vandalized or destroyed. Thieves may expect a few thousand dollars for their haul -- a pittance compared with the historic and spiritual value of the ancient petroglyphs. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Behold: The World’s Oldest Leather Shoe

Staff / Truthdig Jun 11, 2010 Here's some news the world has been waiting for: It's about a size seven, and it's around 5,500 years old, and it's the oldest leather shoe to date. Hooray for archaeology! Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Afghan Indiana Jones Hunts Giant Buddha

Staff / Truthdig Sep 11, 2009 Somewhere in Afghanistan there's a statue of Buddha more than 1,000 feet long, according to the ancient journal of 7th century Chinese pilgrim Xuan Zang. Dr. Zemaryalai Tarzi, an Afghan archeologist with a sense of adventure, believes the legend. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Netherlands to Return Artifacts to Iraq

Staff / Truthdig Jul 10, 2009 Dutch art dealers have surrendered 69 artifacts that were stolen from Iraq following the U.S. invasion. The ancient objects will remain in the Netherlands until they can be returned to Iraq. In addition to losing 15,000 treasures stolen from Iraq's national museum, the country has had to contend with rampant looting since the 2003 invasion. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Find of Century’ in Egypt

Staff / Truthdig Jun 27, 2007 Egyptologists have discovered what they believe to be the 3,000-year-old remains of Egypt's most powerful female ruler, Hatshepsut. The original wicked stepmother, Hatshepsut usurped the throne from her stepson, who probably retaliated after her reign by trying to obliterate any record of her. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )