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Archaeology

Obituaries
‘Indiana Jones Of Ancient Alcohol’ UPenn Professor Pat McGovern Dies Suddenly ‘Indiana Jones Of Ancient Alcohol’ UPenn Professor Pat McGovern Dies Suddenly
‘Indiana Jones Of Ancient Alcohol’ UPenn Professor Pat McGovern Dies Suddenly Patrick Edward McGovern, the University of Pennsylvania professor celebrated worldwide as the “Indiana Jones of Ancient Alcohol,” died suddenly the week of Aug. 17, 2025, leaving colleagues and friends in shock. McGovern, 78, was the scientific director of the Biomolecular Archaeology Laboratory for Cuisine, Fermented Beverages, and Health at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia, where he also served as an adjunct professor of anthropology. Over nearly five decades at Penn, McGovern pioneered the field of molecular archaeology, chemically uncovering the secrets of ancient beer, wine, mead, …

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Mastodon Mania: Students Unearth Ice Age Giant in NY Backyard Dig Mastodon Mania: Students Unearth Ice Age Giant in NY Backyard Dig
Mastodon Mania: Students Unearth Ice Age Giant in NY Backyard Dig In a summer straight out of a science textbook, a group of college students and professors unearthed the partial remains of a 10,000- to 13,000-year-old mastodon in an Orange County backyard.  What began as a promising lead after the discovery of two mastodon teeth and an intact lower jaw on private property near Middletown in September 2024 has now evolved into a full-fledged archaeological breakthrough, according to Orange County Community College.  Over six weeks, 12 students and two faculty members, Dr. Cory Harris, professor of anthropology and sociology, and Anthony Soricell…

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by Ben Crnic
Lifestyle
Discovery Of Nearly 9,000-Year-Old Trays Show Earliest Cooks Got Their Focaccia Fix Discovery Of Nearly 9,000-Year-Old Trays Show Earliest Cooks Got Their Focaccia Fix
Discovery Of Nearly 9,000-Year-Old Trays Show Earliest Cooks Got Their Focaccia Fix The humble focaccia, a staple of modern Italian cuisine, traces its roots back nearly 9,000 years to the early farming communities of the Fertile Crescent. Researchers from Sapienza University of Rome and the Autonomous University of Barcelona have uncovered evidence that Late Neolithic societies were sophisticated in their culinary practices.  They developed advanced techniques to bake large, flavorful breads and flatbreads, including a precursor to focaccia intended for communal consumption. Culinary Tradition Unearthed The study, published in Scientific Reports, analyzed ceramic f…

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by Joe Lombardi