New Mexico’s ‘Atari Dump,’ a Midden of Video Games, to Be Excavated

Ancient Seafarers’ Tool Sites, Up to 12,000 Years Old, Discovered on California Island

June 2, 2016 —by Blake de Pastino 52058 14

Archaeologists have turned up evidence of some of the oldest human activity in coastal Southern California, just off the coast of Ventura County.

anthropology

1,200-Year-Old Pouches Found in Arizona Cave Contain Prehistoric ‘Chewing Tobacco,’ Study Finds

August 3, 2015 —by Blake de Pastino 20130 3

Dozens of small, fiber-wrapped bundles discovered in a cave in Arizona have been found to contain wild tobacco, the first scientific evidence suggesting that Ancestral Puebloans of the prehistoric Southwest…

anthropology

Hundreds of Dice, Game Pieces Found in Utah Cave Shed Light on Prehistoric Gambling

May 18, 2015 —by Blake de Pastino 23862 1

A cave on the shore of Utah’s Great Salt Lake is giving archaeologists a rare glimpse into a seldom-studied aspect of life in the ancient West — prehistoric gambling. Researchers…

20th Century

At 50, Ring-Tab Beer Cans Are Now Officially Historic Artifacts

April 13, 2015 —by Blake de Pastino 106054 22

[Editor’s Note: This is just one of Western Digs’ top stories of 2015: Discover the other surprising, enlightening, and sometimes disturbing finds that were the Top 5 Archaeology Discoveries in the American…

anthropology

Utah Cave Full of Children’s Moccasins Sheds Light on Little-Known Ancient Culture

November 17, 2014 —by Blake de Pastino 48666 18

Archaeologists on the trail of a little-known ancient culture have found a cache of clues that may help unlock its secrets: a cave containing hundreds of children’s moccasins. The cave,…

anthropology

History of Ancient Los Angeles Was Driven by Its Wetlands, 8,000-Year Survey Finds

February 25, 2014 —by Blake de Pastino 26126 1

It may be hard to visualize if you’ve been through drought-stricken southern California lately, but much of what’s now Los Angeles was once a teeming wetland. And a new landmark…

anthropology

Ancient California Islanders Relied on Drifting ‘Tarballs’ for Petroleum, Study Finds

February 3, 2014 —by Blake de Pastino 16586 3

Eight thousand years ago, as today, one thing you needed to get by in southern California was petroleum. But even then, it seems, you didn’t need the top-grade stuff shipped…

anthropology

11,000-Year-Old Seafaring Indian Sites Discovered on California Island

January 6, 2014 —by Blake de Pastino 73325 44

Just offshore from the chock-a-block development of Southern California, archaeologists have discovered some of the oldest sites of human occupation on the Pacific Coast. On Santa Rosa Island, one of…

20th Century