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Science
fromNature
3 months ago

Daily briefing: Symbols on ancient pottery could be earliest evidence of mathematics

Ancient Halafian pottery reveals numerical symmetry; engineered TimeVaults record mRNA; US science faces further disruption under the Trump administration in 2026.
Science
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Archaeology against the clock: the race to salvage fragments of early Brisbane

Young archaeology students in Brisbane are cataloguing 19th-century ceramic fragments, reflecting growing salvage archaeology activity amid urban development and heritage preservation.
History
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 days ago

Hidden treasures: Spanish archaeologists discover trove of ancient shipwrecks in Bay of Gibraltar

Spanish archaeologists have documented over 30 shipwrecks in the Bay of Algeciras, revealing a rich maritime history from the fifth century BC to WWII.
fromNature
3 months ago
Science

Daily briefing: Symbols on ancient pottery could be earliest evidence of mathematics

Arts
fromHyperallergic
1 week ago

Dice Are 6,000 Years Older Than Previously Believed, Study Says

More than 600 two-sided dice crafted by Native Americans have been identified, dating back over 12,000 years, predating known dice from the Bronze Age.
#mesopotamia
fromThe Art Newspaper - International art news and events
2 weeks ago

Unesco grants enhanced protection to 39 Lebanese heritage sites as war escalates

The designation prohibits the sites from being targeted or used for military purposes, with violations potentially constituting serious breaches of the 1954 Hague Convention and grounds for criminal responsibility.
Arts
#ancient-mesopotamia
Arts
fromArtnet News
2 weeks ago

What Did Pompeii Smell Like? A New Study Analyzes Its Ancient Incense

Researchers analyzed ritual residues from Pompeii for the first time, revealing insights into ancient practices through preserved vessels and ash.
#ancient-egypt
World politics
fromArchDaily
1 month ago

Cultural Heritage Sites in the Middle East Damaged as War Strikes Historic Urban Areas

US-Israeli military attacks on Iran in February 2026 initiated a new Middle East conflict zone, joining multiple global armed conflicts causing widespread destruction of cultural and infrastructure assets.
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 weeks ago

Truths Wrapped in Fiction: Mesopotamian Naru Literature: Originality in Writing Ancient Bestsellers

Originality in ancient literary works was less valued than in modern times, with authors often assuming identities of famous figures.
#cultural-heritage-damage
fromwww.aljazeera.com
1 month ago
World news

Are the US and Israel waging war on Iran's cultural heritage?

Iran reports at least 56 heritage sites damaged or destroyed, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Golestan Palace and Naqsh-e Jahan Square, with the heaviest damage concentrated in Tehran.
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago
World news

Dismay as ancient heritage sites across Iran damaged in US-Israel bombing

US and Israeli bombing campaigns have damaged multiple UNESCO-protected heritage sites in Iran, including the 14th-century Golestan Palace in Tehran and 17th-century Chehel Sotoon Palace in Isfahan, through shock waves and debris rather than direct hits.
Science
fromNature
1 month ago

How pollutants and poo paint a picture of past civilizations

Environmental archaeologists extract mud cores from swamps to analyze molecular biomarkers like coprostanol, revealing ancient human population trends and behaviors.
fromArtnet News
4 weeks ago

The Cultural Heritage Sites Damaged by the U.S.-Israel War on Iran

After the historical Iranian city of Isfahan was targeted by several major strikes, its governor Mehdi Jamalinejad claimed that serious damage had been inflicted even after blue shields were put on the roofs of culturally important buildings. This is an internationally recognized signal under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
Arts
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
3 weeks ago

Mesopotamian Naru Literature: The World's First Historical Fiction

Naru Literature featured historical figures in fictional narratives, shaping perceptions of history and humanity's relationship with the divine.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
1 month ago

How Much Did It Cost to Paint a Pompeii Room Egyptian Blue?

Egyptian blue pigment cost Roman homeowners 50-90% of a legionary's annual salary to cover a single room, making it an extraordinarily expensive luxury item in first-century CE Pompeii.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
1 month ago

60% of Sudan's National Museum Looted, Report Says

Sudan's civil war has caused massive looting and destruction of cultural heritage, with over 60% of the National Museum's holdings stolen, threatening the nation's historical identity and future.
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
3 weeks ago

Ten Great Ancient Mesopotamian Women: Monarchs, Generals, and Scribes

Women in ancient Mesopotamia held significant roles, including generals and scribes, and some even ruled, despite a patriarchal society.
Books
fromNature
1 month ago

Brain mysteries and Bronze Age diplomacy: Books in brief

Lionel Penrose's mid-twentieth century research connected genetic abnormalities to hand creases, establishing the hand as a significant diagnostic tool across multiple medical disciplines.
Miscellaneous
fromMail Online
2 months ago

New evidence upends origins of Egypt's Great Pyramid

Erosion-based dating suggests the Great Pyramid may date 20,000–40,000 years ago, challenging the conventional 2580 BC attribution.
History
fromwww.dw.com
1 month ago

Ancient graffiti reveals scenes of everyday life in Pompeii

Ancient graffiti reveals insights into the lives of everyday people in Pompeii, showcasing spontaneous expressions from various social classes.
#sargon-of-akkad
#mesopotamian-literature
Science
fromFuturism
2 months ago

Scientists Investigating 2,000-Year-Old Artifact That Appears to Be a Battery

A reconstructed Baghdad battery configuration could have produced about 1.4 volts, comparable to a modern AA battery, using a porous clay separator and an electrolyte.
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
1 month ago

Cuneiform: From trade lists to epic tales of gods

Cuneiform is a system of writing first developed by the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia circa 3600/3500 BCE. It is considered the most significant among the many cultural contributions of the Sumerians and the greatest among those of the Sumerian city of Uruk, which further developed and advanced cuneiform circa 3200 BCE and allowed for the creation of literature.
History
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
1 month ago

What Defines a Civilization?

Civilization requires a writing system, government, food surplus, labor division, and urbanization, with Mesopotamia recognized as the birthplace of civilization due to its early city construction around 5400 BCE.
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
1 month ago

From Clay to Culture: The Power of Written Language

Cuneiform, invented in Sumer around 3500 BCE, was the first script, enabling civilizations to record human thought and preserve all aspects of human experience through written communication.
Arts
fromArtnet News
2 months ago

Who Is Zahi Hawass, the Controversial Face of Modern Egyptology?

Zahi Hawass is a charismatic, media-savvy Egyptian archaeologist who led major projects, popularized discoveries, and champions further excavations including a likely undisturbed Nefertiti tomb.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
1 month ago

Did the British Museum Remove Palestine From Its Displays?

The British Museum amended some Middle East gallery labels to use ancient regional terms like 'Canaan' while continuing to use 'Palestine' in many displays.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
2 months ago

Outrage Over Israeli Plans to Seize Palestinian Archaeological Site

Israel's redevelopment plan for Sebastia aims to convert the archaeological site into a visitor attraction, risking Palestinian villagers' access, income, and heritage.
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
1 month ago

12 Great Cities of Ancient Mesopotamia: The Rise and Fall of the Earliest Cities in the World

Twelve major Mesopotamian cities including Nineveh, Uruk, Babylon, and Ur became legendary through Greek writings and yielded significant archaeological discoveries, each connected to a patron deity whose prestige determined the city's fate.
History
fromwww.thehistoryblog.com
1 month ago

Origin of repatriated erotic mosaic uncovered

A Nazi-looted mosaic depicting an intimate domestic scene was repatriated to Pompeii, but research revealed it originated in Latium, not Pompeii or its surrounding region.
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
1 month ago

Akkad and the Akkadian Empire: The First Multinational Empire in the World

The Akkadian Empire, founded by Sargon the Great around 2350 BCE, was the first multinational political entity that unified Mesopotamia and established governmental, administrative, and military systems adopted by subsequent civilizations.
fromOpen Culture
1 month ago

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: From the Walls of Babylon to the Sewers of Rome

Seven were the strings of the lyre (unless there happened to be eight or nine), seven were the gates of Thebes, and seven were the "wandering stars" in the night sky (if you count the sun and moon). The identity of the wonders was less important than the length of their list, and indeed, additions and changes were proposed since the beginning.
History
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Ur: the center of the Sumerian Renaissance

Ur was an influential Sumerian port city and ancient trade center in southern Mesopotamia with notable archaeological finds and contested biblical associations.
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Mesopotamian Art and Architecture: The Birth of Art and Architecture in the Ancient World

Mesopotamian art and architecture began over 7,000 years ago, evolving from northern sites into Sumerian innovations and sustained through multiple ancient Mesopotamian periods.
fromMail Online
1 month ago

Ancient time capsule found in Iraq corroborates the Bible

King Nebuchadnezzar II himself 'speaks' in the text, proudly describing how he restored an old, crumbling stepped temple tower in the city of Kish that was dedicated to the Mesopotamian god and goddess of war, Zababa and Ishtar. He explained that earlier kings had built and fixed the ziggurat before, but it had fallen into disrepair again from age and rain.
History
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Mesopotamian Education: Creating the First Written Works in History

The Sumerians established formal scribal schools (edubba) after inventing writing, training students in cuneiform, Sumerian and Akkadian, and a broad range of scholarly subjects.
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Festivals in Ancient Mesopotamia: Courting the Goodwill of the Gods

as the gods were understood as the true monarchs and the king as simply their steward. In order to maintain his authority, the king needed to court the goodwill of the gods, and although they made their approval clear through military victories, bountiful harvests, and prosperous trade, events such as the Akitu festival provided an annual opportunity for the divine to continue its relationship with the ruling house or withdraw its favor.
History
#sumer
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Scribes in Ancient Mesopotamia: The Beginning of History

Ancient Mesopotamian scribes mastered cuneiform and broad knowledge to record transactions, administer society, and preserve history across civilizations.
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Mesopotamian Government: Helping and Serving the Gods

Ancient Mesopotamian government treated rulers and officials as divinely chosen stewards modeled on family roles, with kings handling civic administration and priests overseeing temple affairs.
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Cities, writing, and governments: Early Dynastic Mesopotamia's revolutionary advances

It should be noted, however, that the advances of Mesopotamia's Early Dynastic period differed from Egypt's in significant ways, notably in that Mesopotamia - even under the rule of Sargon or later empires - was never the cohesive ethnic or political entity Egypt was, and the kinds of cultural development cited for this era were not as uniform as they were in Egypt.
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Mesopotamian Science and Technology: Scientific Method in the Ancient Near East

The foundation of future Mesopotamian advances in scientific/technological progress was laid by the Sumerians, who first explored the practice of the scientific hypothesis, engaged in technological innovation, created the written word, developed mathematics, astronomy, and astrology, and even fashioned the concept of time itself. Some of the most important inventions of the Sumerians were: the wheel the sail the corbeled arch/true arch irrigation and farming implements maps mathematics time and clocks astronomy and astrology medicinal drugs and surgery
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

The Classical Near East, with Kevin van Bladel - Medievalists.net

A conversation with Kevin van Bladel on his proposal regarding "The Classical Near East," a constellation of fields defined by the classical literary traditions of medieval Near Eastern cultures, including Byzantium.
History
fromMail Online
2 months ago

Mysterious symbols spanning the globe hint at a lost civilization

His investigation began after identifying recurring giant T-shapes, three-level indents, and step pyramids carved into ancient stones worldwide. 'These specific symbols that are built in different size proportions, and the symbols are found in ancient stones around the world, are not supposed to exist; no cultures are supposed to have any cross-platform,' LaCroix explained. The symbols appear in locations ranging from Turkey's Van region to South America and Cambodia.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

East Roman Archaeology: Goals and Challenges, with Marica Cassis - Medievalists.net

Archaeology reveals material evidence of daily life, settlement patterns, and economic systems in the East Roman world that textual sources cannot provide, while facing challenges in establishing itself as a distinct field separate from classical and Islamic archaeology.
#roman-archaeology
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Medicine in Ancient Mesopotamia: A Gift of the Gods to Their People

Gula, the Sumerian goddess of healing, guided Mesopotamian physicians whose specialized, long-trained practice combined divine attribution of illness with practical medical roles.
History
fromwww.thehistoryblog.com
2 months ago

Bronze Age tombs with luxury imported goods found in Cyprus

Two 14th-century BCE chamber tombs in Larnaca contained locally made and widely imported luxury goods, demonstrating extensive long-distance trade networks.
fromMail Online
2 months ago

Mystery of Egypt's pyramids deepens as hidden megastructure revealed

More than 200 scans from multiple satellites, including Italy's Cosmo-SkyMed and the US-based Capella Space, showed uniform results suggesting massive pillars about 65 feet in diameter wrapped in spirals and plunging nearly 4,000 feet deep. Those pillars appear to end in 260-foot cubic chambers beneath all three pyramids and the Sphinx, which Biondi described as 'huge chambers' measuring roughly 260 feet in length and width.
History
History
fromwww.thehistoryblog.com
2 months ago

Sealed bronze medieval reliquary found in Turkey

An intact sealed bronze reliquary cross from 9th–11th century Lystra was found containing shroud-like textile and designed to be worn as a pendant.
History
fromwww.thehistoryblog.com
2 months ago

Phoenician scarab found at Nuragic site in Sardinia

A 2,700-year-old Phoenician steatite scarab seal from Lebanon was found at inland Nuragic Ruinas in Sardinia, indicating long-distance contacts and exchange.
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