Debates
Alternative Chronologies: The Debate
Specialists on every side agree that dates in archaeology get revised: the redating of Göbekli Tepe and ‘Ubeidiya proves it. The disagreement is about how …
The Debates
For each of our topics, the strongest case for the heterodox view, the strongest orthodox reply, and an honest account of where the evidence stands.
Debates
Ancient Mythology: The Debate
Scholars on both sides agree that myths sometimes contain real history: Troy existed, and volcanic eruptions appear in legends. The disagreement is about how …
Debates
Ancient Structures: The Debate
Everyone agrees that ancient monuments are astonishing. The argument is about who built them, when, and how. Mainstream archaeology holds that known cultures …
Debates
Archaeoastronomy: The Debate
Nobody disputes that ancient people watched the sky, or that monuments such as Newgrange and Stonehenge were aligned to the solstices. The real disagreement is …
Debates
Catastrophism: The Debate
Few scientists today would deny that catastrophes happen. An asteroid ended the age of dinosaurs, giant floods carved the American Northwest, and climate can …
Debates
Forbidden Archaeology: The Debate
Both sides agree that archaeology has, at times, rejected findings that later proved correct. The disagreement is about why: whether anomalous evidence is …
Debates
Human Origins: The Debate
Both sides of this debate agree that the human story has been rewritten many times in recent decades. The disagreement is about how far the revisions go: …
Debates
Lost Civilizations: The Debate
Archaeologists and their critics agree that civilizations can disappear from memory: the Indus Valley and the cities of the Amazon prove it. The real …