Weekly Archaeology Articles

In-depth deep dives into the biggest archaeological discoveries each week. AI-written, sourced, and cited.

Week of July 6: Olmec Heads Were Royal Portraits, Khmer Capital Rediscovered, and More

New analysis of the Olmec colossal heads—ranging from 1.47 to 3.4 meters tall and weighing up to 28 metric tons—reveals distinctive elite markers like artificial cranial deformation and strabismus, reinforcing the case that each monument commemorated a specific individual king rather than a standardized deity. In Cambodia, Phnom Kulen in Siem Reap Province has been identified as Mahendraparvata, the first capital of the Khmer Empire established by King Jayavarman II in 802 CE, featuring an elaborate grid-pattern urban plan with planned temple complexes and water reservoirs. Meanwhile, an oral account documents Indigenous rock arrangements piled on a water-girdled island in the Cusa (Coosa) River, situated near a massive impact crater and accessible only by swimming or shimmying between rocks.

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