May/June 2013 Issue

AUSTRALIA: Native Australians first arrived on the island continent more than 40,000 years ago. It has been widely believed that they were isolated, culturally and genetically, from the rest of the world prior to European contact in the 17th century. But there was always the question of who brought the dingo, which was introduced around 4,000 years ago. A new genetic analysis shows that there was actually substantial gene flow between India and Australia around this time, which also coincides with changes in tools and food-processing technology. —Samir S. Patel

INDIA: Examination of faunal traces on ancient pots is a useful tool for understanding the diets of people thousands of years ago. The technique has now been used to trace curries—those staples of Indian cuisine—back to the Indus civilization, some 4,400 years ago. Using pots from the small Indus site of Farmana and teeth from a nearby cemetery, the researchers found evidence of cooked turmeric and ginger, two essential ingredients of curries even today. —Samir S. Patel

SUDAN: In the ancient city of Meroe in the kingdom of Kush, archaeologists have uncovered a relief of a smiling, carefully adorned woman. Indications of a slight double chin suggest that she carried a bit of extra weight, which is how royal women from Kush were often depicted. She could even be a queen or a princess, according to researchers, but determining that will require more study of the fragile palace where she was found. —Samir S. Patel