Articles by Sandee Oster
Phys.org / Ancient Sogdian mural depicts unique fire worship scene
In 2022–2023, a wall mural depicting a procession of priests walking toward a stationary fire altar was recovered at the Royal Palace at Sanjar-Shar.
Phys.org / Provenance study shows 19th century looted 'Incan mummy' was actually an Aymara man
In a recent study, Dr. Claudine Abegg and her colleagues analyzed the remains of a mummified cranium housed in the collections of the Museum of Cantonal Archaeology and History of Lausanne.
Phys.org / Child burials of last hunter-gatherers offer insights into Mesolithic funerary behaviors
In a recent study by Dany Coutinho-Nogueira and his colleagues, the remains of three non-adults from Cabeço da Amoreira were analyzed. The work is published in the journal Childhood in the Past.
Phys.org / Archaeologists uncover rare beetle ornament in ancient Hallstatt cremation burial
In a recent study, Dr. Agata Hałuszko and colleagues discovered an ornament made from beetles in a cremation grave in Domasław, Poland. The work is published in the journal Antiquity.
Phys.org / How the palmette motif shifted from elite status symbol to royal emblem in Iron Age Judah
In a study published by Reli Avisar in the Levant journal, the author examines the symbol of the palmette and how its meaning changed together with the local political and social atmosphere.
Phys.org / Unique double-notched tail sets new Jurassic predatory fish apart from its relatives
In a recent study, a research team led by Martin Ebert from the Ludwig Maximilian University and Adriana López-Arbarello from the Unidad Ejecutora Lillo examined fossil fish specimens of the family Caturidae housed in various ...
Phys.org / Maya children also received jade tooth inlays, study finds
A study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports analyzed three Maya children's teeth. These teeth exhibited jade inlays, a practice typically reported in adult Pre-Hispanic Maya teeth.
Phys.org / First infant burial in Roman military camp discovered in Iberian Peninsula
A recent study by Marta Fernández-Viejo and her colleagues from the laboratory of Human Evolution of the University of Burgos and University of León, published in Childhood in the Past, examined the possible first-ever infant ...
Phys.org / Ibex motif linked to fertility and celestial symbolism in ancient Near East art
In a new study published in L'Antropologie, Dr. Shirin Torkamandi and his colleagues, Dr. Marcel Otte and Dr. Abbas Motarjem have analyzed the symbolic meaning of bovidea, particularly the ibex, in the ancient Near East.
Phys.org / Prehistoric female miners identified using multidisciplinary approach
Almost three decades ago, the chert mining area in Krumlov Forest was discovered. Since then, much has been written about the mining activity that took place here. While chert mining occurred here from as early as the beginning ...
Phys.org / Two new Thrissops species provide insights into early teleost evolution
A recent study by Dr. Martin Ebert in Zitelliana described two new species from the poorly known genus Thrissops. Thrissops ettlingensis sp. nov. was recently discovered in the lower marine Tithonian Plattenkalk of Ettling, ...
Phys.org / Stable isotope analysis shows shifting subsistence in ancient Andean civilization of Vichama
Dr. Luis Pezo-Lanfranco and his colleagues conducted stable isotope analysis to reconstruct the diets of 38 human individuals from the early Central Andean civilization of Vichama (1800 BCE–1300 CE).
Phys.org / Oldest known docodontan fossil found in Greenland narrows the evolutionary gap
In a recent study by Dr. Sofia Patrocínio and her colleagues, published in Papers in Palaeontology, a new specimen of Docodonta is described.
Phys.org / Wyoming archaeological site reveals Native American adornment practices in the 1700s during early European contact
Dr. Spencer Pelton and his colleagues have conducted a comprehensive analysis of the River Bend site (48NA202), Wyoming. The site, located near the North Platte River in Casper, Wyoming, was excavated in the 1970s as part ...
Phys.org / Scientists trace mineral sources for sacred Maya Blue in Late Classic pottery from Buenavista, Belize
In a recent study published in the journal Ancient Mesoamerica, Dr. Dean Arnold and his colleagues, Joseph Ball, Laure Dussubieux, and Jennifer Tachek, examined 17 samples of Maya Blue from pottery sherds dated to the Late-Terminal ...
