#prehistory — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #prehistory, aggregated by home.social.
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An ancient church on an even more ancient prehistoric tumulus. An Iron Age thalassocracy. A town where the kings of Croatia were crowned. And one of the most photogenic spots in Dalmatia.
Welcome to St Nicholas, Nin.
https://kapjasa.si/en/goddesses-inside-saints-above-st-nicholas-nin-croatia/
#kiteaerialphotography #history #Nin #church #tumulus #prehistory #Liburnia Dalmatia #Croatia #Romanesque #Rome #kite
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An ancient church on an even more ancient prehistoric tumulus. An Iron Age thalassocracy. A town where the kings of Croatia were crowned. And one of the most photogenic spots in Dalmatia.
Welcome to St Nicholas, Nin.
https://kapjasa.si/en/goddesses-inside-saints-above-st-nicholas-nin-croatia/
#kiteaerialphotography #history #Nin #church #tumulus #prehistory #Liburnia Dalmatia #Croatia #Romanesque #Rome #kite
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An ancient church on an even more ancient prehistoric tumulus. An Iron Age thalassocracy. A town where the kings of Croatia were crowned. And one of the most photogenic spots in Dalmatia.
Welcome to St Nicholas, Nin.
https://kapjasa.si/en/goddesses-inside-saints-above-st-nicholas-nin-croatia/
#kiteaerialphotography #history #Nin #church #tumulus #prehistory #Liburnia Dalmatia #Croatia #Romanesque #Rome #kite
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An ancient church on an even more ancient prehistoric tumulus. An Iron Age thalassocracy. A town where the kings of Croatia were crowned. And one of the most photogenic spots in Dalmatia.
Welcome to St Nicholas, Nin.
https://kapjasa.si/en/goddesses-inside-saints-above-st-nicholas-nin-croatia/
#kiteaerialphotography #history #Nin #church #tumulus #prehistory #Liburnia Dalmatia #Croatia #Romanesque #Rome #kite
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An ancient church on an even more ancient prehistoric tumulus. An Iron Age thalassocracy. A town where the kings of Croatia were crowned. And one of the most photogenic spots in Dalmatia.
Welcome to St Nicholas, Nin.
https://kapjasa.si/en/goddesses-inside-saints-above-st-nicholas-nin-croatia/
#kiteaerialphotography #history #Nin #church #tumulus #prehistory #Liburnia Dalmatia #Croatia #Romanesque #Rome #kite
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Rope, twine and thread: Invisible technologies of the Stone Age
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/society/2026/prehistory-lost-threads
Comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49662246
#HackerNews #RopeTechnology #StoneAge #Prehistory #InvisibleTech #AncientCrafts
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Gravure de cheval sur bois de renne
Neschers - Magdalenien
Exposition Trésors de la Préhistoire en Auvergne
Photo Kroko pour Hominides.com
https://www.hominides.com/tresors-de-la-prehistoire-en-auvergne/
#gravure #engraved #magdalenien #magdalenian #artmobilier #mobilart #neschers#puydedome #volcan #tartaret #auvergne #tresordelaprehistoireenauvergne #clermondferrand #exposition #boisderenne #
reindeerantler #paleolithique #paleolithic #préhistoire #prehistory -
Gravure de cheval sur bois de renne
Neschers - Magdalenien
Exposition Trésors de la Préhistoire en Auvergne
Photo Kroko pour Hominides.com
https://www.hominides.com/tresors-de-la-prehistoire-en-auvergne/
#gravure #engraved #magdalenien #magdalenian #artmobilier #mobilart #neschers#puydedome #volcan #tartaret #auvergne #tresordelaprehistoireenauvergne #clermondferrand #exposition #boisderenne #
reindeerantler #paleolithique #paleolithic #préhistoire #prehistory -
Gravure de cheval sur bois de renne
Neschers - Magdalenien
Exposition Trésors de la Préhistoire en Auvergne
Photo Kroko pour Hominides.com
https://www.hominides.com/tresors-de-la-prehistoire-en-auvergne/
#gravure #engraved #magdalenien #magdalenian #artmobilier #mobilart #neschers#puydedome #volcan #tartaret #auvergne #tresordelaprehistoireenauvergne #clermondferrand #exposition #boisderenne #
reindeerantler #paleolithique #paleolithic #préhistoire #prehistory -
Gravure de cheval sur bois de renne
Neschers - Magdalenien
Exposition Trésors de la Préhistoire en Auvergne
Photo Kroko pour Hominides.com
https://www.hominides.com/tresors-de-la-prehistoire-en-auvergne/
#gravure #engraved #magdalenien #magdalenian #artmobilier #mobilart #neschers#puydedome #volcan #tartaret #auvergne #tresordelaprehistoireenauvergne #clermondferrand #exposition #boisderenne #
reindeerantler #paleolithique #paleolithic #préhistoire #prehistory -
Gravure de cheval sur bois de renne
Neschers - Magdalenien
Exposition Trésors de la Préhistoire en Auvergne
Photo Kroko pour Hominides.com
https://www.hominides.com/tresors-de-la-prehistoire-en-auvergne/
#gravure #engraved #magdalenien #magdalenian #artmobilier #mobilart #neschers#puydedome #volcan #tartaret #auvergne #tresordelaprehistoireenauvergne #clermondferrand #exposition #boisderenne #
reindeerantler #paleolithique #paleolithic #préhistoire #prehistory -
Visit, if you dare, the ruins of an eldritch settlement in the archipelago beyond Khitai, dating back to soon after the end of the Hyborian Age. #prehistory #Jomon https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/japan/aomori/jomon-sannai-maruyama/?s=mc
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Visit, if you dare, the ruins of an eldritch settlement in the archipelago beyond Khitai, dating back to soon after the end of the Hyborian Age. #prehistory #Jomon https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/japan/aomori/jomon-sannai-maruyama/?s=mc
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Visit, if you dare, the ruins of an eldritch settlement in the archipelago beyond Khitai, dating back to soon after the end of the Hyborian Age. #prehistory #Jomon https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/japan/aomori/jomon-sannai-maruyama/?s=mc
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Visit, if you dare, the ruins of an eldritch settlement in the archipelago beyond Khitai, dating back to soon after the end of the Hyborian Age. #prehistory #Jomon https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/japan/aomori/jomon-sannai-maruyama/?s=mc
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Visit, if you dare, the ruins of an eldritch settlement in the archipelago beyond Khitai, dating back to soon after the end of the Hyborian Age. #prehistory #Jomon https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/japan/aomori/jomon-sannai-maruyama/?s=mc
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Cave paintings were discovered in Lascaux, #France, OTD in 1940 https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/france/pierre-tourneresse/?s=mb #travel #prehistory
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Cave paintings were discovered in Lascaux, #France, OTD in 1940 https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/france/pierre-tourneresse/?s=mb #travel #prehistory
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Cave paintings were discovered in Lascaux, #France, OTD in 1940 https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/france/pierre-tourneresse/?s=mb #travel #prehistory
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Cave paintings were discovered in Lascaux, #France, OTD in 1940 https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/france/pierre-tourneresse/?s=mb #travel #prehistory
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Cave paintings were discovered in Lascaux, #France, OTD in 1940 https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/france/pierre-tourneresse/?s=mb #travel #prehistory
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Cave paintings were discovered in Lascaux, #France, OTD in 1940 https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/france/giverny-dolmen/?s=mb #travel #prehistory
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Cave paintings were discovered in Lascaux, #France, OTD in 1940 https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/france/giverny-dolmen/?s=mb #travel #prehistory
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Cave paintings were discovered in Lascaux, #France, OTD in 1940 https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/france/giverny-dolmen/?s=mb #travel #prehistory
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Cave paintings were discovered in Lascaux, #France, OTD in 1940 https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/france/giverny-dolmen/?s=mb #travel #prehistory
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Cave paintings were discovered in Lascaux, #France, OTD in 1940 https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/france/giverny-dolmen/?s=mb #travel #prehistory
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Gene That Differs Between Humans and Neanderthals Could Shed Light On The Species Disappearance Mouse Study Suggests
Allan Henderson (CC BY 2.0) A gene called ASDL, which helps synthesize DNA, differs between modern humans and our extinct human relatives. The findings could shed light on why Neanderthals vanished. A protein that helps synthesize DNA is different in modern humans than it is in Neanderthals and Denisovans our closest extinct relatives and new experiments in mice genetically modified to express the modern human version hint that this may have made us behave differently…….Continue […] -
Gene That Differs Between Humans and Neanderthals Could Shed Light On The Species Disappearance Mouse Study Suggests
Allan Henderson (CC BY 2.0) A gene called ASDL, which helps synthesize DNA, differs between modern humans and our extinct human relatives. The findings could shed light on why Neanderthals vanished. A protein that helps synthesize DNA is different in modern humans than it is in Neanderthals and Denisovans our closest extinct relatives and new experiments in mice genetically modified to express the modern human version hint that this may have made us behave differently…….Continue […] -
Gene That Differs Between Humans and Neanderthals Could Shed Light On The Species Disappearance Mouse Study Suggests
Allan Henderson (CC BY 2.0) A gene called ASDL, which helps synthesize DNA, differs between modern humans and our extinct human relatives. The findings could shed light on why Neanderthals vanished. A protein that helps synthesize DNA is different in modern humans than it is in Neanderthals and Denisovans our closest extinct relatives and new experiments in mice genetically modified to express the modern human version hint that this may have made us behave differently…….Continue […] -
Gene That Differs Between Humans and Neanderthals Could Shed Light On The Species Disappearance Mouse Study Suggests
Allan Henderson (CC BY 2.0) A gene called ASDL, which helps synthesize DNA, differs between modern humans and our extinct human relatives. The findings could shed light on why Neanderthals vanished. A protein that helps synthesize DNA is different in modern humans than it is in Neanderthals and Denisovans our closest extinct relatives and new experiments in mice genetically modified to express the modern human version hint that this may have made us behave differently…….Continue […] -
Gene That Differs Between Humans and Neanderthals Could Shed Light On The Species Disappearance Mouse Study Suggests
Allan Henderson (CC BY 2.0) A gene called ASDL, which helps synthesize DNA, differs between modern humans and our extinct human relatives. The findings could shed light on why Neanderthals vanished. A protein that helps synthesize DNA is different in modern humans than it is in Neanderthals and Denisovans our closest extinct relatives and new experiments in mice genetically modified to express the modern human version hint that this may have made us behave differently…….Continue […] -
Are Colorado Moose Invasive? New Research Says NO
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https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2026/06/18/are-colorado-moose-invasive-new-research-says-no <-- shared technical article
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https://youtu.be/orpLT22YnKQ?si=aThWWjMhKOUELwuv <-- shared overview video
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https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.70279 <-- shared paper
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“The modern Colorado moose is often considered just that: modern - brought to the state by wildlife officials in the late 1970s, preceded by very occasional reports of moose sightings in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Since being translocated to Colorado, these charismatic megafauna have been a source of both fascination and concern. In Rocky Mountain National Park [RMNP], where moose populations have thrived, ecosystems have been changing, and moose-associated impacts have sparked renewed conversations about managing an animal labeled “non-native.”
However, newly published research [link above] by an interdisciplinary team of scientists, archivists and Tribal cultural heritage leaders shows that the “non-native” label is inaccurate. They present evidence demonstrating that moose have been in Colorado for at least centuries and likely longer.
The researchers analyzed newspaper archives, archaeological site reports, scientific journals, museum collections and photo archives to understand where and when moose were present in Colorado prior to the mid-1900s. Perhaps most importantly, notes lead author William Taylor, a University of Colorado Boulder associate professor of anthropology and CU Museum curator of archaeology, the scholars sought Indigenous histories, and in doing so found evidence of moose being well known and deeply integrated into traditional knowledge of Native people in the southern Rockies.
Crystal C’Bearing, a study co-author and Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, notes that among the Northern Arapaho, "the moose is considered a valued commodity among the Tribe.” She adds that societies within the Northern Arapaho "utilize many animals, including moose, in their clothing, society items and regalia. This tradition continues today."
The scholarly approach of joining Indigenous knowledge with historical accounts, archaeology and paleontology, "shows the power of multiple independent lines of evidence converging on the conclusion that moose were part of southern Rocky Mountain ecosystems long before modern reintroductions," says study co-author Jonathan Dombrosky of Crow Canyon Archaeological Center and the University of Alabama. "More broadly, the study demonstrates how historical sciences can help us better understand the origins of modern ecosystems and make more informed decisions about their future…"
#moose #populations #Colorado #USA #native #invasive #introduced #nonnative #translocated #megafauna #herbivore #ungulate #impacts #ecosystems #environment #vegetation #native #indigenous #tribal #FirstNation #archaeology #paleontology #symbology #reporting #historicalscience #history #RockyMountain #Rockies #regional #prehistory #Holocene #biogeography #archaeozoological #modern #premodern #management #archivists -
Stonehenge, au coucher du soleil.
Version entièrement gratuite, puisqu'il y a un sentier, une route historique anglaise, qui longe le site, et avec sa tente ou son véhicule, on peut se garer sur la piste qui mène à cette petite route. On est juste à 10m plus loin que ceux qui paient le tarif grand public (ou ceux qui paient le tarif VIP pour aller au milieu des pierres, encore un autre débat, ça).
Mais bref, une manière simple et économique de profiter du site car non limité dans le temps.#Stonehenge #Travel #Voyage #England #UnitedKingdom #Prehistory #Préhistoire #Stones #OldStones
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Archaeologists May Have Been Wrong About Olive Oil for Decades, New Study Finds
A new study challenges decades of archaeological interpretations by showing that Medi…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #mediterranean #MediterraneanDiet #MediterraneanFood #MediterraneanOliveOil #OliveOil #Archaeology #CornellUniversity #foodscience #Mediterranean #Olive #organicchemistry #Prehistory
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2721322/archaeologists-may-have-been-wrong-about-olive-oil-for-decades-new-study-finds/ -
Archaeologists May Have Been Wrong About Olive Oil for Decades, New Study Finds
A new study challenges decades of archaeological interpretations by showing that Mediterranean soils can alter the chemical traces of anci…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #MediterraneanOliveOil #OliveOil #Archaeology #CornellUniversity #foodscience #Mediterranean #Olive #organicchemistry #Prehistory
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2721322/archaeologists-may-have-been-wrong-about-olive-oil-for-decades-new-study-finds/ -
Archaeologists May Have Been Wrong About Olive Oil for Decades, New Study Finds https://www.diningandcooking.com/2721322/archaeologists-may-have-been-wrong-about-olive-oil-for-decades-new-study-finds/ #Archaeology #CornellUniversity #FoodScience #Mediterranean #MediterraneanOliveOil #Olive #OliveOil #OrganicChemistry #Prehistory
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They didn’t bathe, seriously?
By Cliff Potts, CSO, and Editor-in-Chief of WPS News
Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — June 24, 2026
Modern portrayals of early humans tend to follow a familiar pattern: dirty faces, tangled hair, and a general look of permanent neglect. It is a visual shorthand used across documentaries, films, and illustrations. The assumption is simple—if they lived before modern sanitation, they must have been unclean. That assumption is convenient. It is also likely incomplete.
Early humans lived in close proximity to water sources. Archaeological and anthropological evidence consistently shows that settlements formed near rivers, lakes, and coastal environments. Water was not only essential for survival but central to daily activity. This raises a basic question: if water was readily available, why assume it was only used for drinking?
There is no direct written record describing hygiene practices from 20,000 years ago. However, indirect evidence suggests that early humans were not indifferent to cleanliness. Stone tools used for scraping hides indicate an understanding of material preparation and maintenance. The same cognitive processes that led to tool refinement likely extended to personal care. Grooming is not a modern invention—it is observed across many animal species as a basic behavioral trait.
Comparative anthropology offers additional insight. Contemporary and historically recent hunter-gatherer societies—often used as reference points—frequently incorporate bathing into daily routines when water is available. In tropical and temperate climates alike, washing in rivers or streams is common practice. There is no clear reason to assume that earlier humans, facing similar environmental conditions, would behave differently.
The argument that early humans were “too busy surviving” to maintain hygiene overlooks how survival actually works. Activities such as foraging, tool-making, and social interaction were not continuous states of emergency. Periods of rest and recovery were built into daily life. Water sources, in particular, would have served as natural gathering points—places not only for drinking but for cooling off, cleaning, and social interaction.
There is also a physiological dimension. Removing dirt, parasites, and irritants from the skin has clear health benefits. Even without modern knowledge of bacteria, early humans would have recognized the relief associated with washing. Behavioral reinforcement—feeling better after cleaning—does not require scientific explanation to become habitual.
The persistent image of the perpetually dirty early human may say more about modern assumptions than about prehistoric reality. It reflects a tendency to equate technological simplicity with personal neglect. In doing so, it overlooks the adaptability and observational intelligence that defined early human survival.
We do not have direct evidence that early humans bathed regularly. We also do not have evidence that they avoided it. What we do have is a consistent pattern: humans, across time and environment, use available resources in ways that improve comfort and health. Water was available. The rest follows logically.
#anthropology #archaeology #earlyHumans #evolution #humanBehavior #hygiene #prehistory -
They didn’t bathe, seriously?
By Cliff Potts, CSO, and Editor-in-Chief of WPS News
Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — June 24, 2026
Modern portrayals of early humans tend to follow a familiar pattern: dirty faces, tangled hair, and a general look of permanent neglect. It is a visual shorthand used across documentaries, films, and illustrations. The assumption is simple—if they lived before modern sanitation, they must have been unclean. That assumption is convenient. It is also likely incomplete.
Early humans lived in close proximity to water sources. Archaeological and anthropological evidence consistently shows that settlements formed near rivers, lakes, and coastal environments. Water was not only essential for survival but central to daily activity. This raises a basic question: if water was readily available, why assume it was only used for drinking?
There is no direct written record describing hygiene practices from 20,000 years ago. However, indirect evidence suggests that early humans were not indifferent to cleanliness. Stone tools used for scraping hides indicate an understanding of material preparation and maintenance. The same cognitive processes that led to tool refinement likely extended to personal care. Grooming is not a modern invention—it is observed across many animal species as a basic behavioral trait.
Comparative anthropology offers additional insight. Contemporary and historically recent hunter-gatherer societies—often used as reference points—frequently incorporate bathing into daily routines when water is available. In tropical and temperate climates alike, washing in rivers or streams is common practice. There is no clear reason to assume that earlier humans, facing similar environmental conditions, would behave differently.
The argument that early humans were “too busy surviving” to maintain hygiene overlooks how survival actually works. Activities such as foraging, tool-making, and social interaction were not continuous states of emergency. Periods of rest and recovery were built into daily life. Water sources, in particular, would have served as natural gathering points—places not only for drinking but for cooling off, cleaning, and social interaction.
There is also a physiological dimension. Removing dirt, parasites, and irritants from the skin has clear health benefits. Even without modern knowledge of bacteria, early humans would have recognized the relief associated with washing. Behavioral reinforcement—feeling better after cleaning—does not require scientific explanation to become habitual.
The persistent image of the perpetually dirty early human may say more about modern assumptions than about prehistoric reality. It reflects a tendency to equate technological simplicity with personal neglect. In doing so, it overlooks the adaptability and observational intelligence that defined early human survival.
We do not have direct evidence that early humans bathed regularly. We also do not have evidence that they avoided it. What we do have is a consistent pattern: humans, across time and environment, use available resources in ways that improve comfort and health. Water was available. The rest follows logically.
#anthropology #archaeology #earlyHumans #evolution #humanBehavior #hygiene #prehistory -
They didn’t bathe, seriously?
By Cliff Potts, CSO, and Editor-in-Chief of WPS News
Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — June 24, 2026
Modern portrayals of early humans tend to follow a familiar pattern: dirty faces, tangled hair, and a general look of permanent neglect. It is a visual shorthand used across documentaries, films, and illustrations. The assumption is simple—if they lived before modern sanitation, they must have been unclean. That assumption is convenient. It is also likely incomplete.
Early humans lived in close proximity to water sources. Archaeological and anthropological evidence consistently shows that settlements formed near rivers, lakes, and coastal environments. Water was not only essential for survival but central to daily activity. This raises a basic question: if water was readily available, why assume it was only used for drinking?
There is no direct written record describing hygiene practices from 20,000 years ago. However, indirect evidence suggests that early humans were not indifferent to cleanliness. Stone tools used for scraping hides indicate an understanding of material preparation and maintenance. The same cognitive processes that led to tool refinement likely extended to personal care. Grooming is not a modern invention—it is observed across many animal species as a basic behavioral trait.
Comparative anthropology offers additional insight. Contemporary and historically recent hunter-gatherer societies—often used as reference points—frequently incorporate bathing into daily routines when water is available. In tropical and temperate climates alike, washing in rivers or streams is common practice. There is no clear reason to assume that earlier humans, facing similar environmental conditions, would behave differently.
The argument that early humans were “too busy surviving” to maintain hygiene overlooks how survival actually works. Activities such as foraging, tool-making, and social interaction were not continuous states of emergency. Periods of rest and recovery were built into daily life. Water sources, in particular, would have served as natural gathering points—places not only for drinking but for cooling off, cleaning, and social interaction.
There is also a physiological dimension. Removing dirt, parasites, and irritants from the skin has clear health benefits. Even without modern knowledge of bacteria, early humans would have recognized the relief associated with washing. Behavioral reinforcement—feeling better after cleaning—does not require scientific explanation to become habitual.
The persistent image of the perpetually dirty early human may say more about modern assumptions than about prehistoric reality. It reflects a tendency to equate technological simplicity with personal neglect. In doing so, it overlooks the adaptability and observational intelligence that defined early human survival.
We do not have direct evidence that early humans bathed regularly. We also do not have evidence that they avoided it. What we do have is a consistent pattern: humans, across time and environment, use available resources in ways that improve comfort and health. Water was available. The rest follows logically.
#anthropology #archaeology #earlyHumans #evolution #humanBehavior #hygiene #prehistory -
They didn’t bathe, seriously?
By Cliff Potts, CSO, and Editor-in-Chief of WPS News
Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — June 24, 2026
Modern portrayals of early humans tend to follow a familiar pattern: dirty faces, tangled hair, and a general look of permanent neglect. It is a visual shorthand used across documentaries, films, and illustrations. The assumption is simple—if they lived before modern sanitation, they must have been unclean. That assumption is convenient. It is also likely incomplete.
Early humans lived in close proximity to water sources. Archaeological and anthropological evidence consistently shows that settlements formed near rivers, lakes, and coastal environments. Water was not only essential for survival but central to daily activity. This raises a basic question: if water was readily available, why assume it was only used for drinking?
There is no direct written record describing hygiene practices from 20,000 years ago. However, indirect evidence suggests that early humans were not indifferent to cleanliness. Stone tools used for scraping hides indicate an understanding of material preparation and maintenance. The same cognitive processes that led to tool refinement likely extended to personal care. Grooming is not a modern invention—it is observed across many animal species as a basic behavioral trait.
Comparative anthropology offers additional insight. Contemporary and historically recent hunter-gatherer societies—often used as reference points—frequently incorporate bathing into daily routines when water is available. In tropical and temperate climates alike, washing in rivers or streams is common practice. There is no clear reason to assume that earlier humans, facing similar environmental conditions, would behave differently.
The argument that early humans were “too busy surviving” to maintain hygiene overlooks how survival actually works. Activities such as foraging, tool-making, and social interaction were not continuous states of emergency. Periods of rest and recovery were built into daily life. Water sources, in particular, would have served as natural gathering points—places not only for drinking but for cooling off, cleaning, and social interaction.
There is also a physiological dimension. Removing dirt, parasites, and irritants from the skin has clear health benefits. Even without modern knowledge of bacteria, early humans would have recognized the relief associated with washing. Behavioral reinforcement—feeling better after cleaning—does not require scientific explanation to become habitual.
The persistent image of the perpetually dirty early human may say more about modern assumptions than about prehistoric reality. It reflects a tendency to equate technological simplicity with personal neglect. In doing so, it overlooks the adaptability and observational intelligence that defined early human survival.
We do not have direct evidence that early humans bathed regularly. We also do not have evidence that they avoided it. What we do have is a consistent pattern: humans, across time and environment, use available resources in ways that improve comfort and health. Water was available. The rest follows logically.
#anthropology #archaeology #earlyHumans #evolution #humanBehavior #hygiene #prehistory -
They didn’t bathe, seriously?
By Cliff Potts, CSO, and Editor-in-Chief of WPS News
Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — June 24, 2026
Modern portrayals of early humans tend to follow a familiar pattern: dirty faces, tangled hair, and a general look of permanent neglect. It is a visual shorthand used across documentaries, films, and illustrations. The assumption is simple—if they lived before modern sanitation, they must have been unclean. That assumption is convenient. It is also likely incomplete.
Early humans lived in close proximity to water sources. Archaeological and anthropological evidence consistently shows that settlements formed near rivers, lakes, and coastal environments. Water was not only essential for survival but central to daily activity. This raises a basic question: if water was readily available, why assume it was only used for drinking?
There is no direct written record describing hygiene practices from 20,000 years ago. However, indirect evidence suggests that early humans were not indifferent to cleanliness. Stone tools used for scraping hides indicate an understanding of material preparation and maintenance. The same cognitive processes that led to tool refinement likely extended to personal care. Grooming is not a modern invention—it is observed across many animal species as a basic behavioral trait.
Comparative anthropology offers additional insight. Contemporary and historically recent hunter-gatherer societies—often used as reference points—frequently incorporate bathing into daily routines when water is available. In tropical and temperate climates alike, washing in rivers or streams is common practice. There is no clear reason to assume that earlier humans, facing similar environmental conditions, would behave differently.
The argument that early humans were “too busy surviving” to maintain hygiene overlooks how survival actually works. Activities such as foraging, tool-making, and social interaction were not continuous states of emergency. Periods of rest and recovery were built into daily life. Water sources, in particular, would have served as natural gathering points—places not only for drinking but for cooling off, cleaning, and social interaction.
There is also a physiological dimension. Removing dirt, parasites, and irritants from the skin has clear health benefits. Even without modern knowledge of bacteria, early humans would have recognized the relief associated with washing. Behavioral reinforcement—feeling better after cleaning—does not require scientific explanation to become habitual.
The persistent image of the perpetually dirty early human may say more about modern assumptions than about prehistoric reality. It reflects a tendency to equate technological simplicity with personal neglect. In doing so, it overlooks the adaptability and observational intelligence that defined early human survival.
We do not have direct evidence that early humans bathed regularly. We also do not have evidence that they avoided it. What we do have is a consistent pattern: humans, across time and environment, use available resources in ways that improve comfort and health. Water was available. The rest follows logically.
#anthropology #archaeology #earlyHumans #evolution #humanBehavior #hygiene #prehistory -
Rock Art on Screen: 12 Free Documentaries That Bring the Painted Past to Life
By Seth Chagi for World of Paleoanthropology
“We carry the torch of ancient storytellers each time we switch on a screen.” — Stoic reflection after too many late‑night documentary binges
Rock art feels simultaneously intimate and cosmic—handprints that whisper I was here across 30,000 years. The internet, bless its algorithmic heart, is brimming with free films that let us wander those caves and escarpments without the knee‑scrapes, bat guano, or UNESCO paperwork. Below are a dozen feature‑length (20 min +) documentaries your audience can stream today. I’ve grouped them by theme and noted what each one can teach us. Pop some popcorn (or Aquafor‑coated trail mix if you’re truly hardcore) and prepare to time‑travel.
1. Deep Time Immersion
TitleRuntimePlatformWhy Watch“Cave of Forgotten Dreams”89 minWatchDocumentaries.comWerner Herzog’s 3‑D glide through Chauvet (32 kya) is as close as most of us will get to those charcoal lions. Perfect for discussing preservation ethics, pigment chemistry, and the phenomenology of darkness.“Inside France’s Chauvet Cave” (DW Documentary)52 minYouTubeA more traditional science‑journalist tour that balances visuals with up‑to‑date uranium‑thorium dating and virtual‑reality replication work. Great classroom fodder on 3‑D scanning.2. Rock Art & Global Narratives
TitleRuntimePlatformWhy Watch“Les secrets des fresques d’Amazonie”88 minARTE.tvTakes viewers into Colombia’s Serranía de la Lindosa cliff murals—tens of thousands of figures dated ≥12 kya—while foregrounding Indigenous perspectives and environmental stakes.“Oldest Cave Art Found in Sulawesi”24 minYouTube (Griffith Univ.)Concise but rich breakdown of the 45 kya pig panel & new 51 kya hunting scene; use it to spark debates on symbolic cognition outside Europe.“KIMBERLEY ROCK ART: A World Treasure”45 minYouTubeExplores Australia’s Gwion Gwion & Wandjina iconography, weaving in modern Aboriginal custodianship and cutting‑edge optically stimulated luminescence dating.“The Rock Art of Arnhem Land” (Part I)26 minYouTubeVeteran archaeologist Paul Taçon walks viewers through x‑ray kangaroos and Lightning Man motifs; ideal primer on superimposition sequences.3. Mediterranean & Atlantic Europe
TitleRuntimePlatformWhy Watch“Rock‑Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus” (UNESCO/NHK)28 minUNESCO.orgSahara pastoralism in motion—perfect for stressing how climate shifts shaped iconographic changes.“Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin”28 minYouTube (UNESCO)Surveys 758 Iberian sites; includes rare footage of Levantine‑style hunters in eastern Spain. Good segue into discussions of pigment sourcing.“Prehistoric Rock Art of the Côa Valley & Siega Verde”30 minUNESCO.orgNight‑shot filming of open‑air engravings (≈25 kya onward) highlights why Foz Côa is a conservation victory.“Exploring the Ancient Art of Altamira”24 minYouTubeA guided VR‑style tour of Spain’s “Sistine Chapel of the Palaeolithic,” complete with replica cave construction details—great for public‑engagement case studies.4. Decoding Symbolic Systems
TitleRuntimePlatformWhy Watch“How Art Made the World – Ep 2: The Day Pictures Were Born”59 minYouTube (BBC series)Frames cave art within a cognitive‑evolution story: why image‑making matters for social cohesion.**“Paleo Cave Art Mysteries” (Episode 1 of 3)22 minYouTube**Paleoanthropologist Neil Bockoven dives into dot‑and‑line signs (à la von Petzinger) and therianthropes; a bite‑sized springboard for symbol taxonomy exercises.How to Use This Playlist – (of course, you could just be like me and want to watch them, but here are some fun activities for those of you who may be teachers, professors, and the like for your students to better engage with the content):
- Chronological Viewing Party: Start with Acacus for Holocene climate context, swing through European Upper Palaeolithic masterpieces, then finish in the Amazon to spotlight New World debates.
- Data‑Extraction Exercise: Have students log motifs, substrates, and dating techniques in a shared Zotero group to spot regional patterns.
- Compare Custodianship Models: Contrast Indigenous‑led management in Australia with state oversight in France and Spain—fertile ground for ethical discussions.
- DIY Experimental Archaeology: After watching the Altamira VR segment, try recreating blowing techniques with ochre and charcoal on butcher paper (outdoors, trust me).
Remember: every dash of ochre, every engraved aurochs, is a dialogue across millennia. Hit play, listen closely, and pass the story on.
Feel free to embed this post—just credit World of Paleoanthropology and link readers back to the documentary sources. Happy cave‑surfing!
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