Support truly Find out more Close Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
A death 430,000 years ago may be the first confirmed murder in human history. Scientists using modern forensic techniques have determined the victim was probably killed by two blows to the head before being tossed down a cave system shaft.
The truth of what occurred at the Sima de los Huesos (Pit of Bones) site in the Atapuerca Mountains, northern Spain, was revealed after researchers in Madrid pieced together 52 fragments of a near-complete skull.
Show all 11 1 /11Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Divers Alberto Nava and Susan Bird discover the world's oldest skull found in an underwater cave in Mexico, believed to be the earliest trace of first Americans
Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Paleontologist Gary Morgan stands over the fossil of a stegomastodon skull discovered in a remote area of Elephant Butte State Park, N.M. in June 2012
AP Photo/Albuquerque Journal, Roberto Rosales
Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Scientists discovered the world’s oldest face, which belongs to this 419 million-year-old fish - an ancient sea predator that might also re-write the history of our evolution from the seas
Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries An archaeologist discovered a tomb of an intact mummy of the Wari prehispanic culture in Lima's Huaca Pucllana ceremonial complex, at Miraflores district
Reuters
Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries One of the 46 fossils found at the site in southern Chile
Wolfgang Stinnesbeck
Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Archaeologist James Best holding a Roman skull found during the building of a utility tunnel at Crossrail's Liverpool Street station site, London
PA
Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries In 2012 archaeologists unearthed two skeletons from the Middle Ages pierced through the chest with iron rods to keep them from turning into vampires. They were discovered in the Black Sea town of Sozopol, Bulgaria
AFP/Getty Images
Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Several horse shoes dating from the 2nd century AD have been found stuck in cart ruts in this area. Archaeologists believe the metal shoes, which were strapped rather than nailed to horses, came off as the animals were led up to a timber bridge over the Walbrook River
PA
Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries An archaeologist digs out a skull from the site of the graveyard of the Bethlehem, or Bedlam, hospital
Reuters
Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Archaeologists discovered a dinosaur tail in Mexico's desert with the 50 vertebrae of the tail completely intact
AP
Recent archaeological discoveries Recent archaeologist's discoveries Archaeologist found a terracotta warrior at the excavation site inside the No. 1 pit of the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses, on the outskirts of Xi'an, Shaanxi province, in June 2010
© Jason Lee / Reuters
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments