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.

Opole-Ostrówek, wooden "mask" from the mid-12th century. (Karol Szott/Kamil Kajkowski, "Masks from Opole in the context of Medieval Slavic rites", Archaeologia Polski 66, 2021, fig.3). Source: Archaeologia Polski/ CC BY 4.0

2 February, 2023 - 13:58 ashley cowie

Mask or Masquerade? Skeptic Totally ‘Trashes’ Magical Pagan Masks

For over six decades, it was believed that two wooden objects discovered in Opole, Poland were pagan Slavic masks used in mystical ceremonies held in cemetery woods. However, recent research by a...

The Skull of Anne d’Alegre, countess of Laval (1565-1619) equipped with hippo bone dental prostheses and gold wire. Source: Rozenn Collator / Inrap

1 February, 2023 - 01:07 ashley cowie

Anne d’Alegre and Her Dirty Dental Secret

Like many LA celebrities today, serious dental work was carried out in 17th century France to protect the smiles of perceived social elites. This statement is based on new research into the well-...

A Bellarmine jug found on the seabed near the wreck of the Dutch warship Klein Hollandia, identified off the coast of Eastbourne, England. Source: © James Clark

31 January, 2023 - 13:49 Sahir

Wreck Identified As Key Dutch Warship After Centuries Underwater

A Protected Wreck off the coast of Sussex, known simply as “Unknown Wreck Off Eastbourne”, now has a name. It has been identified as the 17th-century Dutch warship Klein Hollandia . Specialists from...

The spectacular array of treasures uncovered in Polish peat bog are believed to have been sacrifices by the Bronze Age Lusatian culture. Source: Tytus Zmijewski

29 January, 2023 - 21:56 ashley cowie

Sacrificial Treasure Trove of Bronze Age Artifacts Found in Peat Bog

Researchers in Poland were metal detecting a drained peat bog based on speculation when they unearthed an ancient sacrificial site containing a treasure trove of bronze artifacts dating to the Bronze...

An X-ray showing the relative size of the giant sword found in the Japanese tomb. Archaeological Institute of Kashihara in Nara Prefecture.

28 January, 2023 - 17:53 ashley cowie

Giant 7-Foot Sword and Mirror for Demon Slaying found in Japan Tomb

Researchers in Japan were excavating an ancient kofun burial mound when they found an enormous shield-shaped bronze mirror and a giant 7-foot iron sword, the largest that have ever been discovered on...

Archaeologists found a selection of animal skulls at the Neanderthal cave in Spain, including this bison skull. Source: Nature Human Behaviour / CC BY 4.0

27 January, 2023 - 21:52 Nathan Falde

Neanderthals Filled This Spanish Cave with Animal Skulls. But Why?

As the data continues to accumulate, it becomes more and more clear that Neanderthals were highly intelligent hominins who built their own unique and remarkable culture. Some of the latest...

Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass, the director of the Egyptian excavation team, works at the site of the Step Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara where the golden mummy and states were found. Source: Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities

27 January, 2023 - 17:52 Sahir

Mummy Found Covered in Gold May be Oldest Ever Found in Egypt!

A Pharaonic tomb containing a mummy wrapped in a gold-covered leaf may be the oldest and most complete mummy found in Egypt to date. It has been uncovered in Saqqara, near the Step Pyramid. Estimated...

The chariot axle and the Iron Age pit in which it was found. Source: Cotswold Archaeology

27 January, 2023 - 00:54 Gary Manners

Iron Age Chariot Axle Offers A Rare Example of Prehistoric Technology

An "exceptionally rare" Iron Age wooden axle from a chariot or cart has been found in a waterlogged pit in Eastbridge, Suffolk. The fragment was uncovered ahead of tree planting for the Sizewell C...

The buildings of Venice appear to float above the water, begging the question “how was Venice built?” Source: muratart / Adobe Stock

24 January, 2023 - 00:56 dhwty

Architecture of the Floating (Or Sinking) City: How Was Venice Built?

The romantic city of Venice is known by many names, including the floating city, the city of canals and even the Queen of the Adriatic. This city of water was built on dozens of tiny islands located...

Recently discovered textiles in the Aravah point to Silk Road trade in ancient Israel. Source: Israel Antiquities Authority: Olga Nganbitsky Nofer Shamir, Roy Galili.

22 January, 2023 - 17:56 ashley cowie

Precious Ancient Fabrics from the ‘Israeli Silk Road’ Found in a Trash Heap

Archaeologists have uncovered rare, printed fabrics dating back around 1,300 years. While the fabrics had originated in the East, they were found in an Israeli dump! It is the first evidence of a...

How the Newport Ship may have looked as it docked at Newport in the 15th Century. Source: Newport Museums and Heritage Service

20 January, 2023 - 13:55 ashley cowie

Rebuilding the Newport Ship: The Welsh Shipwreck Rivalling the Mary Rose

In 2022, the Newport Ship was discovered in the River Usk near Newport in Wales. Considered one of the most significant archaeological finds in the United Kingdom, after years of restoring the...

Left: Scientists using an XRF gun to test the sword’s chemical composition. Right: Bronze Age Era sword (1080-900 BC) now proved not to be a replica. Source: © Field Museum

18 January, 2023 - 21:56 ashley cowie

Chicago’s “Replica” Sword is Actually an Authentic 3,000-Year-Old Weapon

Over the last century a sword has been on display at the Field Museum in Chicago and dubbed a “replica Bronze Age weapon.” However, an x-ray has now disclosed that this brutal device of death is...

The world’s oldest runestone, just found in Svingerud, Norway. Source: Alexis Pantos/KHM, UiO

18 January, 2023 - 13:55 Sahir

Earliest Runic Inscription Discovered in Norway

‘The dream stone of all runologists’ that can potentially provide clues to the origins of Western writing has been discovered in Norway. A runestone with inscriptions dating back to the earliest...

21 ancient Han tombs have been discovered, including a rare 2,000-year-old double-layer burial tomb. Source: Xinhua

15 January, 2023 - 21:55 ashley cowie

Archaeological Treasure Trove! 21 Royal Han Tombs Unearthed in China

Archeologists exploring a mountainside in China have discovered 21 tombs dating back 2,000 years. The presence of luxury artifacts and a rare “couple’s grave” suggests this was an ancient royal...

Research of Latin papyrus texts has allowed for a deeper understanding of the Roman world. Representational image of papyrus scrolls. Source: shaiith / Adobe Stock

12 January, 2023 - 21:51 ashley cowie

Latin Papyrus Texts Reanimate Fossils of the Roman World

The PLATINUM project claims to be a “Partnership for Learning and Teaching in University Mathematics.” The study began with the goal of analyzing existing Latin papyrus texts dating to the 1st to 8th...

There are still numerous lost shipwrecks on the seafloors, including some famous and valuable vessels. Source: This Design / Adobe Stock

12 January, 2023 - 17:57 Robbie Mitchell

8 Lost Shipwrecks That Still Hold Promise of Treasure and Fame

We all love a good mystery, and what’s better than a treasure hunt? This has led many historians to an obsession with finding lost shipwrecks. Some of them do it in the hope of finding lost Spanish...

Temple of Rameses II at Abu Simbel. Source: matiplanas/Adobe Stock

12 January, 2023 - 13:59 Sahir

Audacious Attempt to Crane Lift Away 10-tonne Pharaonic Statue Foiled

Thieves trying to loot a giant antique statue by prizing it up with a crane ended up in police custody in Aswan in Egypt. The statue of pharaoh Ramesses II weighs a whopping 10 tonnes. According to...

A beautifully restored medieval pendant has been discovered to contain bones, possible relics of a saint. Source: Sabine Steidl, LEIZA

11 January, 2023 - 22:00 Sahir

Neutron Imaging Reveals Hidden Relics Inside Medieval Pendant

Scanning with a neutron beam has helped researchers crack the mystery of a gold-plated medieval pendant found in the German town of Mainz in 2008. The non-invasive and non-destructive technique has...

Hacksilver found in Israel. These nonstandard bits of damaged and aesthetically unpleasing pieces of silver that were used for commerce. Source: Lena Kuperschmidt/ Israeli Antiquities Authority

11 January, 2023 - 13:59 Nathan Falde

3,600-year-old Silver Pieces Confirmed As First Money Used in the Levant

In a fascinating new study has found that dozens of silver pieces found during excavations in Israel and the Gaza Strip were actually used as currency in ancient times. Since the silver pieces were...

The plastered Jericho skull, with stages of reconstruction and the final 3D image. Source: Cicero Moraes et al. /CC BY 4.0 /Ortogonline

10 January, 2023 - 13:53 Nathan Falde

Reconstruction Reveals True Face of 9,000-Year-Old Jericho Skull

The face of the famous plastered Jericho Skull, which was found in the Palestinian city of Jericho in 1953, has been fully recreated via 3D-imaging technology, revealing exactly what the man to whom...

The excavated wishing well found in Germering, Bavaria, Germany. Source: Marcus Guckenbiehl/ Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments

9 January, 2023 - 21:54 ashley cowie

Magical-Mechanics Discovered In 3,000-Year-Old Wishing Well

Archaeologists digging in a Bavarian city have discovered around 70 ancient water wells. However, none of them was as laden with treasure as this latest well. For all ancient civilizations , water...

Photo of the Parthenon Marbles, East Pediment. The Elgin Marbles have been controversial ever since they were taken from Greece. Source: Justin Norris / CC BY 2.0

9 January, 2023 - 18:00 ashley cowie

Are the Controversial Elgin Marbles Finally Destined for Athens?

For over a decade, staff at The British Museum refused to even discuss returning the controversially procured Elgin Marbles to Greece. Now, they’re sitting around a table with Greek heritage...

Right; A large-area elemental map of a 2 cm fragment of ancient Roman concrete showing a calcium-rich lime clast (in red), which is responsible for the unique self-healing properties in this ancient material. Left; The archaeological site of Privernum, Italy where the sample was collected. Source: Masic et al./MIT News Office

6 January, 2023 - 21:55 Nathan Falde

Why Was Roman Concrete So Durable? Scientists Say It Could Heal Itself

Materials scientists have been working with archaeologists and historians for many years, attempting to unlock the fascinating secrets of Roman Empire concrete-making technologies and techniques,...

Auroch bull painting in the Lascaux cave, with the four dots indicated. Source: JoJan /CC BY 4.0

6 January, 2023 - 17:59 ashley cowie

21,500-Year-Old “Writing?” Not Everyone Is Buying It!

A group of 21,500-year-old painted “dots and lines” are at the center of an academic debate as to whether they are a form of proto writing. While multiple researchers claim they represent “an ancient...

Pages