Dots, lines, and symbols found beside Ice Age cave paintings have puzzled archaeologists for decades. New research suggests ...

Long before the Sumerians pressed reeds into clay, humans may have already taken their first steps toward writing. Forty thousand years ago, in the depths of Ice Age caves, people began leaving behind ...

Sediment DNA also traces life outside the cave. Predators dragged prey into sheltered chambers, humans left waste behind. By following changes in human, animal and microbial DNA over time, researchers ...

Whether they take the form of carved images, sculptured figurines, or elegant abstractions, artifacts produced in prehistoric times are rarely seen as artistic expressions in their own right. Rather, ...