Rome’s military is renowned as one of the finest fighting forces of the ancient world. But what was life really like for the individuals who became career soldiers, and how much do we know about the tools of their trade? The post Warriors of Rome appeared first on World Archaeology ..read more

Rome’s warriors are legendary. The army that carved out the Empire is renowned as one of the finest fighting forces ever assembled. But who were the individuals that filled its ranks, and what motivated them to fight for Rome? A new exhibition at the British Museum allows the soldiers to speak for themselves, revealing a world where hope for the future could go hand in hand with extreme brutality. The weapons that these warriors wielded illustrate the lethal ingenuity that was invested in arms and armour. Excavations in a Japanese tomb have recently unearthed a rather more unwieldy weapon: the ..read more

These tombs were the final resting places of Japan’s ancient elites, and form part of a broader East Asian funerary tradition, aspects of which they emulate. Such burial mounds are so distinctive a feature of the archaeology that the era from AD 250-710 is known as the Kofun period. The post Japan’s royal tombs appeared first on World Archaeology ..read more

In ancient Japan, royal burial mounds could be magnificent monuments. The distinctive keyhole-shaped earthwork associated with the semi-legendary Emperor Nintoku, for example, is 486m long and ranks as one of the largest tombs ever constructed. In our cover feature, we explore how these burial mounds could create a potent statement of royal power, while also containing sumptuous grave goods that provide a fascinating glimpse of traditions in both life and death. Some display clear connections with continental Asia, revealing the role of overseas influences in elite power. When it comes to subt ..read more

Sanxingdui has produced a wealth of startling Bronze Age artefacts. Many of these treasures were deliberately smashed or burnt before being buried, raising questions about what they were used for and how they met their end. The post The lost world of Sanxingdui appeared first on World Archaeology ..read more

The finds from Sanxingdui are sensational. In 1986, two pits were discovered by chance within this ancient city. The contents proved to be simultaneously stunning and shocking. While the contents included a wealth of sumptuous sculptures, their style was without any obvious parallel in China, or anywhere else. It seemed that the Bronze Age inhabitants of Sanxingdui developed a unique view of the world, and then immortalised it in metalwork. Now, six more pits have been examined, with results that are every bit as electrifying. In our cover feature, we learn the latest news about a spellbinding ..read more

Deep underground, the ancient inhabitants of what is now China built remarkable houses and palaces. But these dwellings were not homes for the living. Instead, the dead would be laid there, not to rest, but to live out their afterlife in comfort. The post China unearthed appeared first on World Archaeology ..read more

It started with the soil. The thick yellow loess that blankets much of northern China proved perfect for building city walls and platforms supporting timber buildings. Tombs could also be dug deep into this earth without causing it to collapse. It is within such tombs that many of the most astonishing treasures to survive from ancient China have been found. Because the dead were believed to live on in these tombs, the objects accompanying them allow us to write biographies of the deceased. But these artefacts also tell a much wider story about how China itself developed over thousands of The p ..read more

When La Tène was discovered more than 150 years ago, the site gave its name to the second half of the Iron Age across much of Europe, and objects of La Tène type are often equated with the Celts. But what was found at La Tène? Andrew Fitzpatrick and Marc-Antoine Kaeser explore the changing interpretations of this iconic site. The post La Tène appeared first on World Archaeology ..read more

Fishermen were landing some extraordinary catches in mid-19th-century Switzerland. The discovery of prehistoric sites submerged in European lakes prompted a surge in angling for antiquities. In 1857, this fishing for finds led to some telltale timbers being spotted in a small bay on Lake Neuchâtel. The bay was called La Tène, and the finds from it were so significant that the site went on to lend its name to the second half of the European Iron Age. For all its fame, La Tène has remained something of an enigma. Our cover feature explores what the finds tell us about the The post CWA 120 – out ..read more