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Articles on Archaeologists

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Ancient starch grains of ginger (Zingiber officinale), cinnamon (Cinnamomum sp.) and nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) were identified on the surface of this footed sandstone grinding slab. Khanh Trung Kien Nguyen

Researchers find evidence of a 2,000-year-old curry, the oldest ever found in Southeast Asia

The discovery is helping shed light on a vibrant ancient spice trade that spanned many thousands of kilometres.
There have been arguments about the future of red deer on the Scottish island of South Uist. iSpice/Alamy

How archaeologists can help us live with wild animals

There are arguments over the future of red deer on the Scottish island of South Uist but archaeological expertise can help people live alongside wild animals.
A variety of clues can tip off archaeologists about a promising spot for excavation. Gabriel Wrobel

How do archaeologists know where to dig?

Archaeologists used to dig primarily at sites that were easy to find thanks to obvious visual clues. But technology – and listening to local people – plays a much bigger role now.
Studying ancient African societies, like Great Zimbabwe, can reveal how communities dealt with disease and pandemics. Werner Forman/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Archaeology shows how ancient African societies managed pandemics

Archaeologists have long studied diseases in past populations. They’ve explored the evolution of pathogens and how they interacted with humans.
People have been modifying Earth – as in these rice terraces near Pokhara, Nepal – for millennia. Erle C. Ellis

Surveying archaeologists across the globe reveals deeper and more widespread roots of the human age, the Anthropocene

Hundreds of archaeologists provided on-the-ground data from across the globe, providing a new view of the long and varied history of people transforming Earth’s environment.
Firefighter Jose Corona sprays water as flames from the Camp Fire consume a home in Magalia, Calif., on Nov. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Using archaeology to understand the past, present, future of climate change

With the dire consequences of climate change looming, archaeologists recognize the importance of communicating their findings on ancient landscapes and the threats that face vulnerable populations.
A line of protesters against the construction of the Dakota Access oil pipeline on the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota head to a unity rally on the west steps of the State Capitol in September 2016 in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Protecting heritage is a human right

Development projects are claiming ancestral sites at alarming rates. This ineffective protection of Indigenous heritage is a violation of human rights.
Here’s a modern human skull on the left, and Neanderthal skull on the right. Darren Curnoe

Curious Kids: Where did the first person come from?

Maeve, age 8, has a question that has stumped many scientists over the years. And that’s because it’s a surprisingly tricky question to answer. It depends a bit on what you mean by ‘person’.
Tapping into ancient DNA can help us understand ancient humans’ movements and lives. Illustration: Marlize Lombard, Maryna Steyn and Anders Högberg

Ancient DNA increases the genetic time depth of modern humans

Archaeology is not only about stones and bones: it is mainly about the people of the past. DNA is one way to get from the stones and the bones to the people and their stories.
Marcoo was a 1.4 kilotonne ground-level nuclear test carried out at Maralinga in 1956. The contaminated debris was buried at this site in the 1967 clean-up known as Operation Brumby. Author provided

Friday essay: the silence of Ediacara, the shadow of uranium

History is writ large in the remote areas around Woomera and the Nullarbor: from the fossils of microscopic, cell-like creatures to ancient stone tools to the deitrus of rocket tests and the painful legacy of the Maralinga atomic blasts.
Third-year archaeology student Dominic Coe replicates a painting of rhino based on the original image in France’s Grotte Chauvet. Supplied

Why we built an artificial cave to teach our students about ancient art

In an ideal world, students might visit original cave sites to see ancient paintings in their natural setting. This isn’t possible, so the idea of an artificial cave set-up at a university was born.
A depiction of the destruction. Humam Alsalim and Rami Bakhos

Should we 3D print a new Palmyra?

Work is already underway to repair the damage to the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria, but we need to question if technology will take things too far.

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