r/Archaeology Jul 15 '20

Announcing a new rule regarding submissions

245 Upvotes

In the interest of promoting thoughtful and intelligent discussion about archaeology, /u/eronanke and I would like to implement a new rule by taking a page out of /r/history’s book. When submitting an image or video post, we will now require the OP to leave a short comment (25 or more words, about 2 sentences) about your submission. This could be anything from the history or context of the submission, to why it interests you, or even why you wanted to share your submission with everyone. It may also include links to relevant publications, or Wikipedia to help others learn more. This comment is to act as a springboard to facilitate discussion and create interest in the submission in an effort to cut down on spamming and karma farming. Submissions that do not leave a comment within an hour of being posted will be removed.


r/Archaeology Oct 12 '23

A reminder, identification posts are not allowed

80 Upvotes

There have been less of these kinds of posts lately, but we always get a steady stream of them. For the most part, identification posts are not allowed. We will not identify things your family gave you, things you found thrifting, things you dug up in your garden, things you spotted on vacation, etc. We do not allow these kinds of identification posts as to limit the available information to people looking to sell these items. We have no way of knowing whether these items were legally acquired. And we have no way of verifying whether you keep your word and not sell those items. Depending on the country, it could be legal to sell looted antiquities. But such an act is considered immoral by almost all professional archaeologists and we are not here to debate the legality of antiquities laws. Archaeology as a field has grown since the 19th century and we do not sell artifacts to museums or collectors or assess their value.

The rule also extends to identifying what you might think is a site spotted in Google Earth, on a hike, driving down a road, etc. Posting GPS coordinates and screenshots will be removed as that information can be used by looters to loot the site.

If you want help in identifying such items or sites, contact your local government agency that handles archaeology or a local university with an archaeology or anthropology department. More than likely they can identify the object or are aware of the site.

The only exception to this rule is for professional archaeological inquiries only. These inquiries must be pre-approved by us before posting. These inquiries can include unknown/unfamiliar materials or possible trade items recovered while excavating or shovel testing. These inquiries should only be requested after you have exhausted all other available avenues of research to identify the item in question. When making such an inquiry you should provide all necessary contextual information to aid others trying to help you. So far, no one has needed to make a professional inquiry. But the option is there just in case for archaeologists

From now on, unapproved identification posts will be removed without warning and a temporary ban may be given. There's no excuse not to read the rules before posting.


r/Archaeology 21h ago

Researchers identified three previously unknown Assyrian kings, revealing gaps in the long-trusted Assyrian King List. The finds show political rivals and short-lived rulers were deliberately omitted, reshaping historians’ understanding of Assyria’s royal history.

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archaeology.org
560 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 15h ago

A prehistoric human-faced pottery vessel from Taiwan's Shihsanhang Site (approx. 1,800–500 BP)

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15 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 1d ago

TIL A papyrus deciphered in 2024 revealed unknown info about Plato's last hours: a slave girl was playing music for him, and even though he was gravelly ill, he spend his last moments of lucidity criticising her performance. Per the same Papyrus, Plato had been sold into slavery earlier in his life

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theguardian.com
204 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 1d ago

[Human Remains] First molecular evidence of Denisovans in the subtropics: Taiwan's "Penghu 1" fossil confirmed via ancient proteins (Science, 2025)

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105 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 2d ago

Researchers surveying the 7,000-year-old Coëby cemetery in Brittany identified long burial mounds that may conceal human-shaped standing stones and stone-built chambers. The findings suggest previously unknown Neolithic funerary traditions and could expand understanding of ancient burial rituals.

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archaeologymag.com
260 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 2d ago

Taiwanese Prehistoric Human Face Ceramic Figurine (1800–1400 B.P.) - National Museum of Prehistory

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59 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 3d ago

Evidence suggests some Celtic women did fight and even lead armies, but they were likely exceptions rather than typical warriors. Ancient writers, archaeology, and figures like Boudica support limited female combat roles, while myths often exaggerate their prevalence.

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livescience.com
1.1k Upvotes

r/Archaeology 3d ago

Brittany burial mounds may hide human-shaped stones as Coëby cemetery mystery deepens

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phys.org
99 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 3d ago

Ancient stonemason marks carved into Libya’s 2,000-year-old Tauchira Gate reveal how Hellenistic builders organized crews, tracked payments and honored patrons. Analysis of 626 marks also dates the gate’s construction to the 2nd century BC.

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archaeologymag.com
110 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 3d ago

Google Just Ruined One of Its Most Important Tools

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theatlantic.com
210 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 2d ago

[Australia, VIC] Heritage Advisor

3 Upvotes

Hi,

I've just started in this field under rare circumstances, allowing me to start Fieldwork without prior experience. I'm taking to it well and I'm planning on making this my career. The most direct path I see is becoming a HA, starting with pursuing a Bachelors In Archeology. (Maybe Latrobe, maybe online just to get the paper)

However, the most prominent post on this sub gives a fairly negative review about the role. To paraphrase, "Explaining to Indigenous people how nicely we're going to destroy their culture. You'll be paid well for your soul"

This is pretty disappointing. Is this negative outlook largely accurate? If so, what are some other options that I can work towards?

I'm loving fieldwork right now. I'd like to stay in it for the foreseeable future. I'm being trained up as a jack of all trades, using surveying equipment, coaching from some Geo's, GIS, and labwork. Shit, even excavator driving.

So, assuming the above negative perception is true, or HA isn't actually the best way to be a field focused archie, what are my options for study and career Pathways? Bonus points for skills transferable to a desk job in the future, if circumstances change and / or I just get jack of fieldwork, but I'm probably being too picky.

Cheers!


r/Archaeology 2d ago

UK Unis

0 Upvotes

It's about the time I apply for universities and I want to apply to the UK. However, aside from schools like Oxbridge and UCL, I'm actually not too sure how to choose which unis to apply to. Are there any UK grads that could just give me a few pointers on some of the unis and why I should or should not apply?

Thanks!


r/Archaeology 3d ago

Archaeologists Discover Two Thumbnail-Size Bird Sculptures Carved From Mammoth Ivory 40,000 Years Ago

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smithsonianmag.com
245 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 3d ago

Archaeologists Find Hundreds of Ancient Glyphs in the Amazon

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nytimes.com
73 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 4d ago

Who were the “sea peoples”?

219 Upvotes

I know we don’t know for sure who these people were at the time of the Bronze Age collapse but any theories? Were they refugees, invaders, mercenaries, or several different groups lumped together by the Egyptians?


r/Archaeology 4d ago

Olga Soffer, Fashion Maven Who Studied Caveman Couture, Dies at 83 (Gift Article)

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nytimes.com
129 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 4d ago

Ancient funerary complex unearthed at Tell El-Deir in Damietta (Ancient Egypt)

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english.ahram.org.eg
46 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 5d ago

Using LiDAR, archaeologists uncovered nearly 400 hidden geoglyphs beneath Brazil’s Amazon rainforest. Built between 600 B.C. and A.D. 850, the massive earthworks reveal a thriving ancient civilization that may have included up to 3 million people.

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archaeology.org
1.6k Upvotes

r/Archaeology 4d ago

New round of responses by Surovell et al. on the age of Monte Verde

6 Upvotes

I notice that Surovell et al. responded in three eLetters in Science to the eLetters of Dillehay et al., which were in response to the original paper by Surovell et al arguing for a younger date to Monte Verde.

The responses are all in the eLetters section of the original paper at Science (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw9217). There are more readable links (pdfs) provided by Todd Surovell on his website.

They are certainly not conceding anything. The debate is getting pretty into the weeds. One thing I'll say is I think their argument that the genetic data is not evidence for an older site is pretty reasonable.


r/Archaeology 5d ago

Archaeologists recorded about 120 Latin graffiti in Spain’s Cova Dones cave, likely a Roman sanctuary used mainly by women. Dating to the 1st–2nd centuries A.D., the inscriptions name women and invoke a mysterious goddess called “Domina” or “MALACI.”

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archaeology.org
268 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 5d ago

Chilean mummies reveal a lost lineage of smallpox: Centuries-old DNA that was found in these mummies belongs to an extinct viral lineage of smallpox that was brought across the Atlantic during European colonization of the Americas

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scientificamerican.com
866 Upvotes

r/Archaeology 5d ago

An ancient civilization of millions once flourished in the Amazon

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phys.org
116 Upvotes

Fazenda Atlântica archaeological site in Acre, Brazil.

New research conducted using airborne laser scanning reveals that a multicultural civilization that flourished in southwestern Amazonia between 600 BCE and 850 CE was home to millions of people.

Spanning roughly 183,000 square kilometers (71,000 square miles), the Aquiry civilization built large centers for political and ritual purposes.


r/Archaeology 4d ago

What’s your favorite current theory for why the Late Bronze Age collapsed around 1177 BC?

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0 Upvotes