This miniature artwork shows Pope Joan, who has just given birth to an infant during a Church procession.Credit: The New York Public LibraryMedieval legends claim that Pope Joan was the first and only female pope. And now, an analysis of ancient silver co
This Ataqeloula stele was discovered in November 2017 at the Sedeinga necropolis, which commemorates a woman from Sedeinga high society and prestigious members of her family.Credit: © Vincent Francigny/Sedeinga archaeological missionThe Meroitic insc
More than 1,700 years ago, ancient farmers in China transformed one of Earth's driest deserts into farmland, possibly by using ancient knowledge of irrigation passed along by Silk Road travelers
The possible skull of ancient Egyptian pharaoh Sanakht of the Third Dynasty.Credit: Public DomainThe supposed remains of Sa-Nakht, a pharaoh of ancient Egypt, may be the oldest known human giant, a new study finds.Myths abound withstories of giants, from
High-tech scans of Viking swords are revealing details of how the weapons were made and how their role changed in Viking society over time.
Cypress wood might have been used in ancient palaces in Persia partly because of its sacred value in a religion known for its "fire temples," a new study finds.
The oldest evidence of silk made by silkworms has been found buried in 8,500-year-old tombs in China, revealing that people may have used the luxurious material thousands of years earlier than previously thought, a new study finds.
Malaria afflicted the Roman Empire some 2,000 years ago, according to a new analysis of human teeth collected in Italian cemeteries.
