Renovating a 12th-century New Jerusalem—the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia
In 2001, the US Congress authorized the US Department of State to award grants through American embassies to support cultural heritage...
Eritrea’s first World Heritage Site, and other new listings in Africa
The annual meeting of the World Heritage Committee was held in Krakow, Poland. A number of new natural and cultural sites were added to...
Excavations at Jebel Irhoud in Morocco change our view of early human history
Theories of early human history for years have largely revolved around the evolution of hominins somewhere on the African continent....
"There were lakes everywhere in the Sahara...."
Over the past decade, scientific consensus has formed around the effects of human activity—particularly the burning of fossil fuels—on...
"Confounding and exasperating, then suddenly filled with enchantment"
This travel writer's experience cruising down the Nile river included incomplete planning, vague expectations, and a "bewildering array...
Tiébélé—Burkina Faso's rich history of architectural art
The Kassena people first settled this area of Africa in the 15th century. Despite the country's poverty, a rich part of their cultural...
"Largest assemblage of ancient human footprints in Africa"
Archaeological finds from the earliest days of the human species never fail to amaze. But footprints remain the personal, and...
Looking to the past to combat climate change in the future
Researchers investigating Stone Age cultures in southern Africa have attempted to correlate innovative changes in technology with...
Bringing solar technology to the Congo
Thanks to a consortium of government, non-profit, and private interests, new solar technology is now providing clean energy to power the...
“A clear link between crimes committed against people and attacks on their cultural heritage”
In the first case of its kind, the International Criminal Court tried, and convicted, a person for the intentional destruction of...