Ancient History

The statue was found on the outskirts of Gympie in 1966 as a farmer ploughed his field and historians have been trying to work out the story of its past ever since. 

The expansion of the Roman empire to Greece 2,100 years ago coincided with a rise in lead pollution as a by-product of an increased demand for metals, according to some of the earliest traces of of lead still detectable in the ocean today.

The Pompeii exhibition at the National Museum of Australia uses immersive audiovisual elements alongside artefacts to show attendees what life may have been like.

A complete replica skeleton of Australia's largest mammalian predator can now be seen pouncing at tourists visiting South Australia's World Heritage-listed Naracoorte Caves.

A father and son duo found a pre-colonial coin while prospecting and knew immediately they had found something special.

The Altar Stone, long believed to have come from Wales, may have been transported via sea from Scotland, according to new research from an Australian team.

The 2,500-year-old mummy — dubbed the Screaming Woman — was "virtually dissected" by an Egyptian research team.

Modern Olympians might not compete naked or offer blood tributes to the gods. But there are a number of rituals you'll see at this year's Games that carry ancient religious roots.

In 2020, an illegal campfire on K'gari sparked a blaze that ravaged more than half of this culturally important island and tourist destination. A collaboration led by traditional owners is now working to avoid such devastation ever happening again.

Critics of displaying mummified bodies argue it's dehumanising and disrupts the person's journey to the afterlife. Changing attitudes have led a Sydney museum to remove several mummified body parts from its display.

When Wesley Lamont set up his camera to capture the aurora australis, he had no idea he was trampling on a fragile ecosystem and potentially causing decades of damage.

The world's most famous classicist helps unpack the mystery behind statue penis-size and shares her theory on why so many men are obsessed with the Roman Empire.

Bridging the gap between scientific monitoring and cultural knowledge, traditional owners say persistent pools along the Gascoyne River are changing with dire consequences.

Researchers have uncovered what look like surgery marks on an ancient Egyptian skull with remains of a tumour-like growth, suggesting ancient Egyptians not only got cancer, they may also have tried to treat it.  

Chapters are an obvious but invisible part of reading. Here's how they came to be and how they spill over into our favourite TV shows.

A NSW school has mummified human remains in its library. After years of mystery, a mix of science and art has shed more light on who this person was.

The town has made news for crime and violence in recent times, but there is cause for celebration as Alice Springs hosts its "beautiful culture" at the annual Parrtjima festival. 

A "heartbreaking" stand of "skeletons" along one of the Sunshine Coast's most popular scenic drives is sobering evidence that bunya pine dieback is spreading, while a team of experts search for ways to save the iconic trees.

Sylvia Tkac was watching ABC News when she saw something shocking. Now the breakthrough identification of her great-grandfather is shedding light on a little-known chapter of Australia's history, involving international romance, mysterious gold teeth and long-lost family.

When Vin Dowd started making bells in his backyard workshop for fun, he never imagined it would result in a 26-bell carillon made to travel South Australia.