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Artifacts

There are undoubtedly millions of ancient artifacts from the past that have served to shed light on the lives of our ancestors from many millennia ago. But some ancient mystical artifacts stand out for their uniqueness, their intrigue, or their ability to expand our knowledge about previously unknown aspects of our history. Here we feature many such ancient history artifacts, from amazing examples of ancient technology, to artistic masterpieces, unexplained objects, ancient texts, and mysterious artifacts that shed light on the daily lives of our ancestors.

Egyptian warrior with a khopesh. Source: Obsidian Fantasy / Adobe Stock.
2 April, 2023 - 20:56 Robbie Mitchell

Unleashing the Fury of the Khopesh: A Look at Egypt’s Deadliest Weapon (Video)

An often overlooked area of Egyptology is perhaps one of the most important of all, Ancient Egypt’s incredibly impressive military technology . Take for example, the Khopesh - the ultimate weapon of...
From the Codex Mendoza — a father teaches his son the art of war, and a mother teaches her daughter house chores. The speech is in the scroll glyph. (Public Domain)
2 April, 2023 - 18:56 Lex Leigh

Codex Mendoza: A Glimpse into the Aztec World

Ever wanted to step back in time to the days of the Aztecs? With the Codex Mendoza, you can. Reading this document takes you back to the mid-16th century, shortly after the Spanish conquest of Mexico...
Lilith has been portrayed as a demoness who refused to return to the Garden of Eden. Source: Gasi / Adobe Stock
1 April, 2023 - 02:00 Rabbi Allen Maller

Adam’s First Wife Lilith: Diabolical Demoness or the First Feminist?

Lilith is first mentioned in ancient Babylonian texts as a winged female demon that attacks pregnant women and infants. From Babylonia, the legend of “the lilith” spread to ancient Anatolia, Syria,...
The trebuchet at Warwick Castle. Source: Muna/ Carpenter Oak
31 March, 2023 - 14:55 Nathan Falde

Trebuchet Dubbed ‘Britain's Biggest Siege Machine’ Takes Center Stage at Warwick Castle

At the famous Warwick Castle in Warwickshire, England, visitors will soon have the opportunity to see a gigantic medieval war weapon in action. This elaborate wooden contraption is a catapult-style...
A land purchase document which is a square brick with writing that can be seen on the front, most of which is blurred. From the upper right, only part of the words "Wang Village, Yuanqu County, Jiangzhou, Jiangzhou, South East Road, Dajin Kingdom... Name of Gongcao... Mingchang..." and other parts of the text can be discerned. (Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology)
30 March, 2023 - 22:58 Sahir

800-year-old Jin Period Tomb in China is a Window into Funeral Customs of the Age

Detailed findings from an extraordinary Jin Dynasty tomb in Shanxi province of central China that was discovered in 2019 have recently been made public - a magnificent ornately carved brick structure...
Venus statues found at Roman quarry in Rennes. Source: © Emmanuelle Collado/INRAP
30 March, 2023 - 02:55 Nathan Falde

Roman Venus Statues Found Amongst the Garbage

It has often been said that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. A team of archaeologists in France recently offered definitive proof of this old aphorism, when they discovered a remarkable...
The so-called helicopter hieroglyph. Source: Public Domain.
30 March, 2023 - 01:00 Robbie Mitchell

The Chilling Messages Encoded in Egyptian Tombs (Video)

It’s common knowledge that man didn’t learn to fly until the 20 th century. However shocking discoveries in both South America and Egypt are beginning to bring this long-stated fact into question...
The Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan undergoing imaging to reveal the hidden text. Source: Lumiere Technology/Pascal Cotte and Salvatore Apicella
29 March, 2023 - 18:56 Sahir

Manuscript Containing Missing Details of Ptolemy’s Meteoroscope Decrypted

A parchment, part of a larger manuscript found in the library of the Bobbio Abbey in Italy, is believed to be authored by ancient Greek mathematician, astronomer, and geographer Claudius Ptolemy. It...
Representative image of a round wooden shield similar to the Viking shields found at Gokstad. Source: Aleksandrs/Adobe Stock
29 March, 2023 - 15:02 Nathan Falde

Ceremonial Viking Shields Re-identified as Actual Battle-Worn Armor

A reexamination of 1,100-year-old wooden Viking shields excavated in Norway in 1880 have been used to assert that these round protective devices could very well have been used in hand-to-hand combat...
Sharon Mintz of Sotherby’s with the Codex Sassoon, oldest Hebrew Bible. Source: Courtesy of Sotheby’s
28 March, 2023 - 18:56 Sahir

A Nearly 1,100-Year-Old Hebrew Bible Could Be the Most Expensive Ever Sold

Renowned auction house, Sotheby’s in New York, prepares itself for the sale of possibly the most expensive historical document ever sold at an auction, in the form of Codex Sassoon. This is one of...
Magnificent Parthenon in Athens built using early cranes. (Steve Swayne/CC BY-SA 2.0)
28 March, 2023 - 14:52 Lex Leigh

Top 5 Ancient Greek Inventions We Still Use Today

Humanity has come a long way when it comes to crafty inventions, but some of the earliest innovative minds were the ancient Greeks. The ancient Greeks came up with several inventions that are still...
The oldest piece of tartan ever found in Scotland was created in the 16th century. Source: Alan Richardson / V&A Dundee
28 March, 2023 - 02:00 Nathan Falde

Peat Bog Yields Oldest Known Scottish Tartan Fabric

A thin but intact square of old fabric removed from a Highland peat bog four decades ago is likely the oldest tartan ever found in Scotland, a new battery of tests has revealed. It is estimated that...
Opening the Medieval Stone Coffin at Richard III Burial Site. Source: YouTube Screenshot / University of Leicester.
27 March, 2023 - 16:55 Robbie Mitchell

Opening the Medieval Stone Coffin at the Richard III Burial Site? (Video)

In 2012, archaeologists made a stunning discovery in a parking lot in Leicester, England - the remains of King Richard III , one of the most infamous and controversial figures in British history ...
Amazing African elephant with dust and sand and large ivory tusks. Source: byrdyak/Adobe Stock
26 March, 2023 - 18:39 Robbie Mitchell

Blood-Stained Ivory: The Dark History of the Trade in Elephant Tusks

The ivory trade is a story as old as human civilization, filled with tales of adventure, greed, and exploitation. For millennia, ivory has been prized for its beauty, rarity, and versatility, making...
Ancient Babylon. Source: Rick / Adobe Stock.
25 March, 2023 - 00:00 Robbie Mitchell

15 of History’s Most Advanced Ancient Civilizations (Video)

Over the course of our species' relatively short existence, a myriad of awe-inspiring civilizations have risen to great heights, only to crumble into the annals of history. From the Ancient Egyptians...
Left, The Castle Eden Claw beaker, courtesy of the British Museum. Right, The atrium roof at Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum & Distillery. Source: Ad Gefrin
24 March, 2023 - 21:54 Gary Manners

Ad Gefrin Museum: A Must-Visit Destination for History Buffs and Whisky Lovers

The little-known history of a Northumbrian Anglo-Saxon royal court is to be unveiled with the opening of Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum and Whisky Distillery in Wooler, Northumberland, England on March...
Home owner Luke Budworth posing with the frescoes in York and the life-size reproduction produced by Historic England. Source: Luke Budworth
24 March, 2023 - 18:00 Sahir

Kitchen Remodel Reveals Rare 400-Year-Old Frescoes in York

In what has been dubbed an “exciting discovery,” workers revamping a kitchen and installing new cabinets in York unexpectedly stumbled across 17th century frescoes on the walls. The home was owned by...
A set of bone tools thought to have been used for bleeding cows. Source: M.Osypinska/PAP
24 March, 2023 - 14:00 Sahir

New Evidence Suggests Masai Practice of Bleeding Cows May Go Back 7,000 Years

Excavations in a 7,000-year-old cemetery in Sudan have uncovered bone tools that were probably used to bleed cows. This may be the earliest evidence of a practice that is still prevalent among the...
Lake Superior glyphs. Source: YouTube Screenshot / America Unearthed
23 March, 2023 - 23:57 Robbie Mitchell

Who Mined Lake Superior? Ancient Glyphs Solve Bronze Age Mystery (Video)

For centuries, the shores of Lake Superior have held countless secrets, hidden in the depths of the lake and the surrounding wilderness. Recently, a team of archaeologists and linguists stumbled upon...
Ancient Egyptian god Seth. Source: byerenyerli / Adobe Stock.
23 March, 2023 - 20:00 Robbie Mitchell

The Most Deadly Weapons of Ancient Egypt (Video)

The ancient Egyptians were masterful innovators when it came to warfare, with a diverse and deadly arsenal of weapons at their disposal. From the iconic khopesh sword, with its curved blade designed...
An invocation to I-em-hetep, the Egyptian deity of medicine (Wellcome Collection / CC by SA 4.0)
22 March, 2023 - 19:53 Robbie Mitchell

A Day in the Life of an Ancient Egyptian Doctor (Video)

The ancient Egyptians were pioneers in many fields, including medicine. From dentistry to surgery, they developed a wide range of treatments and techniques that were well ahead of their time. But...
Detail depicting the unusual death of King Edmund Ironside as portrayed in a 13th-century illustrated Anglo-Norman manuscript of the Life of St Edward the Confessor. Source: Cambridge University Library / CC BY-NC 3.0
21 March, 2023 - 23:55 Robbie Mitchell

7 Amazing Ancient Technologies Too Advanced for Their Time (Video)

Throughout history, there have been many civilizations that have left their mark on the world through their impressive architectural feats, artistic creations, and innovative technologies. While some...
Siege weapon in action. Source: Smulsky / Adobe Stock.
21 March, 2023 - 15:57 Robbie Mitchell

15 of Ancient History’s Most Ingenious Siege Weapons (Video)

Warfare has been a constant throughout human history, and with it, the development of increasingly sophisticated weaponry to overcome defensive fortifications. The ancient world was no exception, and...
The flower mosaic at Horvat El-Bira being excavated. Source: Emil Algam/IAA
20 March, 2023 - 17:59 Sahir

Restoration of Ancient Rest Stop with Mosaic To Host Travelers in Israel Again

Weary travelers have always needed a place to rest and recuperate, from the harsh conditions and terrains of the Silk Route, to the more plush comforts that accompany modern travel. In Israel, an...

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