杏吧性世界

IASCE in the news

Understanding the Gaps in Africa鈥檚 Archaeological Record

Despite Africa鈥檚 central role in human origins, substantial gaps persist in its archaeological record, particularly during the emergence of permanent settlements around 6,000 years ago, a period that is well-documented in regions like Mesopotamia and China. These gaps are attributed in part to dispersed settlement patterns, the disruptive legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, and entrenched biases that have undervalued African cultures in mainstream narratives. Archaeologist Chapurukha M. Kusimba (杏吧性世界) highlights how many East African communities did not aggregate into dense urban centers, making their material traces harder to detect. He also underscores how historic events, such as the slave trade, led to widespread abandonment of sites, further obscuring the archaeological record. Moreover, colonial-era biases have skewed both research priorities and interpretations, downplaying African agency in cultural development. Kusimba鈥檚 perspective helps reframe these challenges, advocating for a more inclusive, postcolonial approach that recognizes the complexity and resilience of Africa鈥檚 past. Today, improved excavation strategies, renewed attention to smaller or less centralized sites, and advanced analytical tools are gradually unveiling rich evidence of trade networks, technological innovation, and cultural diversity鈥攏arratives that Kusimba and colleagues emphasize are essential to reconstructing Africa鈥檚 more recent history.

(8/15/2025)

 

Archaeological excavations along Peru鈥檚 northern coast have unveiled the remains of 14 individuals dating back approximately 3,000 years, likely victims of ritual human sacrifice associated with the pre-Incan Cupisnique culture. These bodies were buried in an unusual and stark manner, face-down with hands bound behind their backs, inside simple sandy pits without offerings, markedly different from more opulent burials elsewhere in Peru. Leading the excavation, archaeologist Henri Tantalean highlighted that both the atypical burial positions and the evidence of trauma indicate ritual violence, rather than ordinary burial practices  Situated near a ceremonial temple site in the La Libertad region, roughly 675鈥痥m north of Lima, this discovery sheds new light on the religious dynamics of ancient coastal Peru, expanding our understanding of Cupisnique mortuary rituals and their cultural significance.

(8/7/2025)

 

Uncovering USF鈥檚 deep roots in botany

Founded in 1958, the USF Herbarium is now one of the most comprehensive botanical collections in Florida, boasting over 300,000 vascular plant specimens鈥攁longside algae, mosses, and fungi鈥攁nd more than 5,000 archival resources. Housed originally in the John and Grace Allen building, the herbarium now resides in the USF Tampa Library, thanks to a collaborative effort led by Christopher Kiahtipes, curator of the collection. Kiahtipes underscores the broader value of the herbarium: 鈥淲hile the work we do is focused on plants, the most important reasons for doing this work are in service of people,鈥� illuminating its role in learning, conservation, research, and community engagement. Specimens are preserved via standard methods, pressing, drying, mounting, and are then digitized and added to the Atlas of Florida Plants, an online resource visited by over 230,000 users annually. Kiahtipes stresses the herbarium's dual impact: educational for students,offering hands-on skills in digitization, data management, and public interaction, and scientific, supporting research in plant identification, species discovery, and conservation planning

(7/31/2025)

 

USF professor confirms Egyptians drank hallucinogenic cocktails in ancient rituals 

A study led by Dr. Davide Tanasi (杏吧性世界) provides the first physical evidence that ancient Egyptians consumed hallucinogenic cocktails in ritual contexts. Using chemical and DNA analysis, researchers examined residues inside a 2,000-year-old Bes mug from the Tampa Museum of Art. The results revealed a complex mixture of alcohol, psychotropic and medicinal plants (including Egyptian blue water lily, Syrian rue, and Cleome), flavorings such as honey and pine nuts, and traces of human bodily fluids. These findings confirm long-held theories that Bes mugs served ceremonial rather than everyday purposes. The symbolic ingredients, some resembling blood, suggest use in fertility and protective rituals, possibly linked to visionary experiences sought in the Bes Chambers at Saqqara. The study highlights the role of psychoactive substances in Greco-Roman Egyptian religious life and demonstrates how residue analysis can illuminate the intersection of medicine, magic, and ritual practice.

(11/14/2024)

 

In History Fuzz Episode 03, eminent Andean archaeologist Charles Stanish, formerly of UCLA and the 杏吧性世界, explores the Chincha and Nazca Valleys鈥� geoglyphs and astronomical alignments Ancient Origins. Drawing on decades of field research in Peru, Bolivia, and Chile, Stanish illuminates how ancient Andean societies ingeniously integrated massive desert geoglyphs into their ritual landscapes Ancient Origins. Stanish emphasizes that these geoglyphs and mounded platforms were not mere artistic expressions鈥攖hey were dynamic theatrical stages for communal ceremonies orchestrated by emerging ruling elites Ancient Origins. These gatherings, featuring ritual feasting, ceremonial performances, and astrology-infused alignments, reinforced political power and social cohesion, crafting a shared cultural identity through performance as much as through ideology

(11/27/2024)