In 2024, archaeologists unearthed some of the most important vestiges of ancient settlements in Chifeng, in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. To date, over 700 sites of Hongshan culture have been found. The archaeological discoveries unveil the narrative of a vibrant Neolithic culture rooted in the worship of ancestors, heaven, and earth.

The AlUla oasis in Saudi Arabia’s desert heart has long been a wellguarded archaeological secret. Today, layer by layer, the millenniaold history of this ancient crossroads of cultures – a strategic stop on the Incense Route that linked the Arabian Peninsula to the great civilizations of East and West – is being unveiled.

According to the long-prevailing view, human societies were initially organized as groups of egalitarian hunter-gatherers living in harmony with nature. The domestication of livestock and the development of agriculture – and the consequent accumulation of wealth – then led to the emergence of complex, hierarchical societies. David Wengrow, a professor of comparative archaeology at University College London, challenges this idea of the natural evolution of societies. His book The Dawn of Everything, co-written with anthropologist David Graeber, has become a best-seller.

Scientific progress relies on discoveries and new perspectives that continuously challenge established certainties. Archaeology is no exception. Long-held notions – such as the perceived lack of intelligence among hunter-gatherers or the causal link between agriculture and centralized power – are now being re-examined.