The Genesis of the Near Eastern Pig
Pigs are among the very oldest domesticated animals in the Near East with evidence going back past 9000 BCE. But unlike Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Europe, pig popularity in the
‘Mummify like an Egyptian’ – Egyptianizing Mummification in the Canary Islands
One of the most remarkable features of the indigenous culture of the Canary Island was their practice of mummification. Writers have long associated the practice with Egypt, but is
Ancient Automatons in Myth and History
Robot, androids and other artificial beings are common today, mixing technology and imagination. But they have unexpected ancestors in antiquity.
A Week in the Life of the Mousterian Hunter
Human sacrifice was never very common, but it occurred around the world. And as with many things, what mattered what who was doing the sacrificing.
Jewish Cliff Shelters and Hiding Complexes in the Roman Period Galilee
Josephus described fortifying Jewish sites in the Galilee before the Roman onslaught. New research has shown that many of those sites were hewn into cliffs and dug below settlement
Servant Figurines from Egyptian Tombs: Whom Did They Depict, and How Did They Work?
Scholars have interpreted servant figurines in Egyptian tombs as anonymous toys designed to come to life. But a closer look suggests they may have represented a deeper relationship
Russian Archaeology of the Holy Land
Russian scholars have been active in the Holy Land for 150 years. Like other Europeans, they came as part of imperial competition, but their contributions endured and are expanding
Human Sacrifice in the Ancient Near East and Egypt
Human sacrifice was never very common, but it occurred around the world. And as with many things, what mattered what who was doing the sacrificing.
Fossil Pollen and the Story of Olives in the Mediterranean Basin
Olives are among the most characteristic Mediterranean crops. Examining fossil pollen has yielded new insights on how they spread across the Mediterranean.
Our Early Neolithic Canine Companions
Dogs have been faithful human companions for millennia. New finds from a once lush region of eastern Jordan helps fill in the picture of how the relationship developed.