archaeology – SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR)

These skeletons of two hunter-gatherer individuals excavated at the Checua archaeological site north of Bogotá, Colombia, helped uncover the genetic details of a mysterious population. Ana María Groot / Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Colombia: Ancient Checua DNA Reveals “New Group of Humans” With No Genetic Ties to People Today! (4.1.2026)

04/01/2026 Adrian (釋大道)

Scientists have found genetic evidence of an ancient group of people in Colombia with no modern-day descendants. It’s as if they simply vanished from the face of the Earth. What’s more, they’re also not closely related to the ancient Native American populations that scientists had thought would be their ancestors.

“This is unexpected,” Andre Luiz Campelo dos Santos, an archaeologist from Florida Atlantic University who did not participate in the research, tells Adithi Ramakrishnan at the Associated Press. “Up to this point, we didn’t believe there was any other lineage that would appear in South America.”

An international team of researchers described the discovery in a study published in late May in the journal Science Advances. They analyzed DNA from the bones and teeth of 21 individuals found at five archaeological sites in the Altiplano—the high plains around Bogotá—dating to between 500 and 6,000 years ago. The analyses represent Colombia’s first ancient human genomes ever to be published.

Photogrammetry map of Brusselstown Ring showing locations of what may be roundhouse footprints!

Eire: Scientists Unearth Ireland’s Largest Prehistoric Hillfort Settlement! (1.1.2026)

01/01/2026 Adrian (釋大道)

Additional survey work revealed a unique structure near one of the trenches. The flat interior outlined by large stones, uncommon for roundhouses at the site, made it unlikely to be a prehistoric roundhouse itself. From previous surveys, it was known that a stream flowed into the structure from a rocky outcrop uphill.

Given its shape and size, it is hypothesized that this might be a Bronze and Iron Age water cistern like those found elsewhere in Europe. Because Brusselstown Hill would have had to accommodate a large population, a source of freshwater would make sense. If further investigations confirm the structure to be a water cistern, it would represent the first of its kind in an Irish hillfort.

More research is needed to better understand the extent and nature of Brusselstown Hill’s potential water cistern, establishing the nature and chronology of the enclosing elements and better understanding how and why the settlement may have been abandoned.

This file photo shows ancient stone fortresses in Yulin, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo by cultural heritage and archaeology team of the city of Yulin/Xinhua)

China: Survey Team Discovers 573 Ancient Stone Fortresses in North-West! (13.11.2025)

13/11/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

The survey revealed that these settlements spanned from about 2800 BC in the late Yangshao period to around 1000 BC in the Shang and Zhou (1046-221 BC) dynasties.

Mostly distributed along riverbanks, the stone fortresses were surrounded by numerous ordinary settlements without defensive stone walls, indicating a clear clustered relationship, said Ma Mingzhi, head of the team.

The development of these stone fortresses shows a clear evolution from small to large in scale, from simple to complex in layout, and from rudimentary to mature in construction techniques — with social hierarchy becoming increasingly distinct.

The survey provides crucial information for a comprehensive understanding of the origin, development, spread and evolution of prehistoric settlements in northern China, Ma added.

China: New [Evolutionary] Finding May Rewrite Human Family Tree! (26.9.2025)

26/09/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

The reanalysis further pushes back the divergence time of modern humans — Homo sapiens — whose ancestors are estimated to have lived in Africa around 500,000 years ago, Neanderthals, who lived between 24,000 and 130,000 years ago in Europe, and Homo longi, a species closely related to Denisovans, who thrived from 30,000 to 285,000 years ago across Asia and are the cousins of Neanderthals.

China: Longest Ancient City Road Discovered at 3,300-Year-Old “Yin” Capital Site! (27.12.2024)

27/12/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

The main roads discovered in this area are spaced 320 to 550 meters apart, while some intermediate-level roads are located about 100 meters apart. These roads are interconnected, showing clear evidence of intentional human planning, according to Niu.

Based on previous findings of archaeological excavations, it has been confirmed that the roads in the Shang capital city can be generally classified into three levels according to their width, or referred to as main roads, streets and alleys, Niu said.

Situated in Henan’s Anyang City, the 3,300-year-old Yin Ruins is the first documented late Shang Dynasty capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions.

Bristol Housing Site: Disturbing Mass Grave Uncovered! (24.10.2024)

24/10/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

During that period, foreign fighters, largely sailors captured during conflicts with France, Spain, Holland and the early United States were held there and, it would appear, often died there.

Significantly the site’s use for this pre dates the creation of the Norman Cross camp in Huntingdonshire, which is sometimes described as the world’s first purpose built prisoner of war camp.

In the 19th century it was then used as a hospital, including in 1832 when Bristol was hit by a cholera outbreak and in 1837 it was turned into a Victorian Workhouse, which were kind of like homeless shelters but notoriously brutal, providing people with food and shelter in exchange for manual labour.

It’s thought the remains are likely to date from each of these three periods.

A statement sent to Greatest Hits Radio by housing developer Vistry, says research on the remains will “contribute to understanding of Bristol’s social and economic history”.

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