Human sacrifice appears to be as old as humanity itself. Still, experts disagree on how and where the practice first originated.

These astounding inventions show that civilizations of the past were a lot more advanced than we might have thought.

A recent advance in 3D imaging techniques helped spark the biggest ever discovery of North American cave art.

Was there an intelligent, technologically advanced species long before humans existed? Could there have been a dinosaur civilization?

Paintings played an important role in these ancient civilizations. Unfortunately, pigment is not nearly as durable as marble.

The Mayan calendar is revered for its impeccable accuracy. Now, a recent excavation in Guatemala reveals how the system developed over time.

A toxicological study shows that the victims of human sacrifice consumed coca leaves and ayahuasca before they were killed, but not for reasons we originally thought.

The underground burial tombs were used at least as far back as 2500 B.C.

Archaic humans ventured into Eurasia in waves, not always successfully. They may have started their journey in North Africa or West Asia.

The Assam stone jars were described as early as 1929. Almost a century later, archaeologists still puzzle over their placement and purpose.

Most cities reeked of death, defecation, and industrial waste. Still, focusing only on stench means turning a blind eye (or nose) to the many other smells that helped shape human history.

There have been some 6,000 Great Lakes shipwrecks, which have claimed an estimated 30,000 lives. These maps show some of them.

The design was as intricate as that of modern-day, factory-fabricated denim jeans, and just as durable. The ancients had fashion.

We have a morbid curiosity about nautical disaster stories. The Irish "Wreck Viewer" offers a window into centuries of marine misfortune.

At the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society in Michigan, retrieving sunken vessels is the order of the day. Here’s how they do it. 

A basement renovation project led to the archaeological discovery of a lifetime: the Derinkuyu Underground City, which housed 20,000 people.

In the shadow of the Shard, the mosaics help paint a picture of Roman London.

Researchers speculate the famous monument was one of the world’s first solar calendars, possibly inspired by trade with ancient Egyptians. 

A study proposes that an ancient trading network, called the Hopewell tradition, may have been wiped out by what is known as a cosmic airburst.

A new analysis of an ancient hominin fossil sheds light on the "Out of Africa" dispersal events that occurred more than one million years ago.

Dating of volcanic ash suggests the remains are at least 230,000 years old.

Hybrid animals emere when two different species from the same family reproduce. For many years, the kunga’s lineage was just another genetic mystery. 

We are generally taught that there is an arc of history — an inevitable path of progress that leads to modern society. Maybe it isn't true.

A study describes how researchers conducted the first successful DNA sequencing on ancient Egyptian mummies.

Scientists used 3D scans to analyze the corpse of Amenhotep I. They discovered that his brain was never removed and that he was circumcised, among other curiosities.

Just don't expect the apocalypse to look like it does in the movies.

Bears, chimps, or humans? A track of five poorly preserved footsteps at Laetoli has puzzled paleontologists for decades. Now, a research paper from Nature claims to have solved the mystery.

Fittingly, the skull was found in the Rising Star cave of South Africa, itself located at a site known to UNESCO as the Cradle of Mankind.

Though these ancient settlers of China were culturally cosmopolitan, their DNA turns out to have been completely distinct from the communities with which they interacted.

Looking with lasers, researchers discovered that many Olmec and Mayan ruins seem to have been constructed from the same blueprint.