In the middle of a terrifying desert north of Tibet, Chinese archaeologists have excavated an extraordinary cemetery. Its inhabitants died almost 4,000 years ago, yet their bodies have been well preserved by the dry air. The cemetery lies in what is now China’s northwest autonomous region of Xinjiang, yet the people have European features, with […]
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2,000 Year Old Pet Cemetery in Egypt
The ancient Egyptians had complicated relationships with animals. They kept a wide range of pets, from cats and dogs to hippos and falcons, and many household pets were mummified and buried with their owners. Animals were also mummified at an “industrial scale,” sold to pilgrims who offered the mummies to the gods. One catacomb at […]
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Buried Atop a Bed of Flowers
Sometime during our species’ ancient history, we began thinking about the bodies of our deceased family members and friends in a different way—as beings with emotional value that deserve ceremony respect, rather than simply as dead carcasses. Other animals simply leave their dead in place, and our earlier ancestors either did the same or buried […]
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Cemetery from Bronze Age discovered in Wales
The advancement of technology has greatly assisted society with reconnecting with our past. Genealogy technology has allowed us to find out about our ancestry while software now allows individuals to visit their loved one’s grave site simply by using their smartphone. And these advancements recently help archaeologists discover a cemetery that’s over 5,200 years old. Near […]
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Natchez historian to be honored for cemetery work
Most days, people take for granted the existence of their local cemetery. The reluctance to acknowledge them stems mostly from how the discussion of death and the passing of loved ones is uncomfortable for most people and this has led to a number of cemeteries succumbing to time and disrepair. The Watkins Street Cemetery in Natchez, […]
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Ancient Jewish cemetery found in Rome
The ancient city of Rome never ceases to reveal pieces of its history to the world and, with new real estate being as sparse as it is, last month’s discovery at a building restoration by archaeologists has helped to locate the long-vanished Campus Iudeorum, or Field of the Jews, jewish cemetery. Historians were well-aware that the […]
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