Rossella Lorenzi

author

Articles by Rossella Lorenzi

Archaeology

Mystery of Emperor Caligula’s Party Ships Could Be Revealed After 2,000 Years

Caligula's luxury boats disappeared long ago, but Italian authorities are searching a lake southeast of Rome for any remains of his "orgy ships."

History

Leonardo da Vinci ‘Relics’ Discovered That Can Potentially Provide His DNA

The mysterious relics — an object and a piece of organic material — were traced during a decades-long genealogical study into Leonardo's family.

Archaeology

Medieval Villagers Hacked Their Dead to Pieces in Fear of Zombie Apocalypse

Bones excavated from a village pit in England show signs of mutilation and burning, indicating to researchers that people really did believe that corpses can rise from the dead.

History

Climate Change Incited Wars Among the Classic Maya

A new study of the relationship between climate change and clashes among the Classic Maya explicitly links temperature increases with growing conflicts.

Archaeology

Rare ‘Coffin Birth' Found in Black Death Burial Site

A 14th century burial ground has yielded an uncommon archaeological case of "coffin birth," which occurs when a deceased pregnant woman's fetus is expelled within the grave.

History

‘Fiery Serpent' Parasitic Infection's Earliest Depiction Is This Medieval Painting

A study to be published by the Journal of Infection has found that dracunculiasis clearly appears for the first time in a 15th-century altarpiece on display at the Pinacoteca di Brera.

Archaeology

Ancient Dental Plaque Reveals That Neanderthals Used 'Aspirin'

DNA harvested from tartar on the teeth of Neanderthals has turned out to be a treasure trove, providing valuable dietary data as well as the oldest microbial genome yet sequenced.

History

Fabled 'Atlantis Alloy' Recovered in Greater Numbers From Ancient Shipwreck

The newly found ingots of orichalcum come in addition to a cache of bars that were originally recovered in 2015 from the same shipwreck, making up a unique stockpile.

History

A Mysterious Neolithic Labyrinth Has Been Found in Denmark

Artifacts unearthed from various pits at the site appear to share features that are typical of an ancient archaeological practice developed by the first farmers in Scandinavia.

History

Face of Man Brutally Murdered 1,400 Years Ago Reconstructed

The man was likely part of the Picts, a mysterious people who lived in eastern and northern Scotland during the Late Iron Age and Early Medieval periods.