An Exceptional Discovery at Pompeii: A Victim’s Vitrified Brain Remains
Human remains are common on archaeological sites. But Mount Vesuvius’ sudden eruption preserved bodies in unique ways, including turning rarely seen parts to glass.
A Desert Revolution – Transformations in Northwestern Arabia and the Arid Southern Levant in the Late 2nd Millennium BCE
Archaeology speaks frequently about revolutions, but arid zones are left out of the discussion. But new evidence shows that deserts experienced their own momentous, if slower movin
Max von Oppenheim and His Tell Halaf
Born into a prominent banking family, Max von Oppenheim seemed destined to study law. But his real contribution was to uncover an Iron Age city in north Syria.
Epidemics in Mesopotamia
Epidemics have been with us since long before the dawn of history. Three collections of documents record some of the ways ancient Near Eastern societies suffered and coped.
Are Monuments History? (Neo-) Hittite Meditations on Two Memes
Many societies express power by building monuments to commemorate people or events. Tearing down monuments are also expressions of power, but of a different sort.
What Actually Happened in Syria at the end of the Late Bronze Age?
The Sea Peoples have been accused of destroying sites across Syria at the end of Late Bronze Age. But what if the sites weren’t destroyed and the Sea Peoples weren’t even aroun
How Greek is Limestone Sculpture on Cyprus?
Iron Age sculpture from Cyprus is sometimes regarded as ‘debased Greek.’ But what does a closer look at sculpture from an island at the crossroads of empire tell us?
The Afterlife of Ships in Thonis-Heracleion: Recycling, Abandonment, and Ritual Sacrifice at an Egyptian Port
What happens to a ship at the end of its life? Underwater archaeology at an Egyptian port near Alexandria provides a vivid picture of very different fates.
Pictures of Restraint: Hunting Carnivores on Mosaics from the Roman and Byzantine Periods
Many cultures hunt with animals. Roman mosaics give us insights about different techniques for restraining animals but also about the ideologies of their patrons.
Beneath the Euphrates Sediments: Magnetic Traces of the Mesopotamian Megacity Uruk-Warka
The southern Mesopotamian city of Uruk is approximately five kilometers in diameter. Even after a century of work, excavations have barely scratched the surface. But new techniques