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Part of the archaeological site of ancient Corinth in Peloponnese, Greece. Source:   dinosmichail/Adobe Stock

The Fascinating History of Ancient Corinth (Video)

Ancient Corinth , strategically positioned between Athens and Sparta, traces its roots to mythical narratives and archaeological evidence dating back to around 6500 BC. Founded by legendary figures...
Some of the stunning Roman glassware recovered from the Nîmes site. Source: INRAP / C Coueret / Heritage Daily.

Discoveries Made in Roman Nîmes Include Stunning Glassware

During the development of a social housing residence in Rue de Beaucaire in Nîmes, archaeologists have uncovered a series of ancient structures including tombs and funeral pyres. These Roman finds...
Portrait of Lorenzo de’ Medici, the Magnificent. Source: Public domain

Lorenzo de' Medici: the ‘Magnificent’ Patron of the Renaissance

Lorenzo de' Medici, also known as Lorenzo the Magnificent, stands as one of the most prominent figures in the history of Florence and the Italian Renaissance, and the foremost member of the powerful...
The Swiss site in Gebenstorf, and (inset) some of the unexpectedly large and extensive Roman walls found by the initial archaeology. Source: Archaeology News / Cantonal archeology, © Canton Aargau.

Swiss Archaeologists in Gebenstorf Find Unexpectedly Extensive Roman Site

Archaeologists in Switzerland have discovered a large Roman settlement in Gebenstorf in the Canton of Aargau. The area is slated for a major modern redevelopment and the race is on to preserve this...
Discovered in 1950, the Tollund Man is on display at the Silkeborg Museum in Denmark. 		Source: Chocho8 / CC BY-SA 4.0

How Did a Fossilized Body Solve A 2,400-Year-Old Murder? (Video)

The discovery of the Tollund Man , a 2,400-year-old bog body, presents a fascinating tale of ancient mystery. In 1950, Danish peat cutters stumbled upon his remarkably preserved remains in a bog...
The excavation site on Jiigurru where the discovery of ancient pottery has rewritten the history of Australia. Source: Science Direct / Ian J. McNiven.

New Barrier Reef Find Proves Australians Didn’t Learn Pottery from Europe

A new discovery off the northwestern coast of Australia has rewritten the history books. Up until now the academic consensus was that pottery was introduced to Australia by Europeans. This has now...
Picture of St. Hildegard near Bingen at Rhine River. Source: Philipp/Adobe Stock

Exploring the Masters: 10 Influential Medieval Artists You Should Know

The Medieval period, spanning roughly from the 5th to the 15th centuries AD, was a time of profound artistic expression that laid the groundwork for the Renaissance to follow. Despite the challenges...
The skull of the man found in Poland from behind. On the left the absence of a hard palate can be clearly seen. The photograph on the right shows how the gold prosthesis was fitted. Source: Anna Spinek; © 2024 Elsevier Ltd / Live Science.

300 Year Old “Exceptional” Prosthesis made of Gold and Copper Discovered in Poland

Archaeologists in Poland working on the excavation of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Krakow have found something new, described as the first discovery of its kind in the country. The body of...
The Roman bronze plaque measures only 26-28 mm in diameter. Source: Museum Vestsjaelland

Roman Era Bronze Plaque Showing Alexander the Great Found in Denmark

During explorations on the Danish Island of Zealand, a pair of amateur archaeologists unearthed a small but remarkable artifact. While using metal detectors to search for coins or other items at a...
The extinct Patagonian fox was found far further north than its known habitat, and analysis of its diet suggests it was domesticated. Source: Mario Llorca / Adobe Stock.

Man’s Other Best Friend: Did Patagonian Hunters Domesticate an Extinct Fox?

Was Man’s Best Friend a fox? For hunter gatherers in Patagonia 1,500 years ago, that may well turn out to be true. A team of archaeologists excavating the intriguing Cañada Seca site in Argentina...
The relics humans have chosen to worship over the course of human history can often help us understand the extent of belief systems and the anatomies of faith. Source: Top: Village Preservation Blog Bottom: epic_images / Adobe Stock; Public domain; Golden Palace Events

Footprints, Fairies and even a Foreskin: 9 Bizarre Relics from History

From time immemorial, people had the need to venerate objects of great significance: religious relics, mythical symbols or depictions of holy figures. As if in answer to this need, the religious...
Helen and Paris fresco, indicated in a Greek inscription placed between the two figures with his other name ‘Alexandros’.                Source: Archaeological Park of Pompeii

Spectacular New Frescoes Uncovered in Pompeii

A spectacular banqueting room with elegant black walls, decorated with mythological characters and subjects inspired by the Trojan War, is one of the rooms recently brought to light during the...
Witchcraft: a white-faced witch meeting a black-faced witch with a great beast. Woodcut, 1720.  Source: Public Domain

Why So Few Witches Were Executed in Wales in the Middle Ages

By Mari Ellis Dunning /The Conversation The fear of witchcraft led to centuries of persecution and executions across Europe. While there were an estimated 500 executions in England, and between 3,000...
The underside of the Etruscan lamp of Cortona. Source: Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca e della città di Cortona/DeGruyter, edited by R. Alburz

Bronze Lamp Revealed as Dionysus Cult Object in Cortona Italy

An interesting new study has challenged the previous estimations surrounding a beautiful bronze lamp unearthed in a ditch near Cortona, central Italy. Using literary sources and iconographic evidence...
Alan Baxter with his detecting equipment. Source: Alan Baxter

The Carrot Patch Hoard: A Detectorist's Dream Comes True

In a fortunate turn of events, a routine carrot harvest in Fife, Scotland, led to the remarkable discovery of a hoard of ancient coins dating back 500 years. Alan Baxter, a 44-year-old detectorist...
(Left) Photo shows an Egyptian painted wood mummy portrait of a woman from the Roman period, circa 2nd or 3rd century AD. (Right) Cinnabar was widely used as a decorative pigment as well as a toxic cosmetic. A Chinese "cinnabar red" carved lacquer box from the Qing dynasty. Source: Public Domain, Andrew Lih / CC BY SA 2.0

Seven Unusual Beauty Treatments That Ancient Women Used (Video)

In the pursuit of beauty, ancient women employed unconventional methods, challenging modern notions of glamour. Foot binding , prevalent in 10th-century China, exemplifies the extremes sought for...
The tomb containing the three skeletons, two of which are thought to be victims of Neolithic ritual sacrifice was built in the style of a silo, or pit for storing grain, within a small wooden structure and surrounded by a trench.         Source: Ludes et al/ Science Advances

Investigation of Tomb Burial Reveals Sick Neolithic Ritual Sacrifices

Recent research has unearthed chilling evidence of ritual sacrifices in Neolithic Europe, a practice that involved the gruesome method of "incaprettamento" - tying victims' necks to their bent legs,...
Detail of a recreation of Athena Parthenos at Nashville Parthenon, Tennessee, USA. Source: Lucas Livingston / CC BY 2.0

Athena Parthenos: Tales of Artistry, Myth and Athenian Glory

The city of Acte had not formally been bestowed with divine protection. However, its king, Cecrops, ushered a golden period so remarkable that the city was then renamed Cecropia and the gods...
Geometric petroglyphs at Toro Muerto, Peru, possibly represent ancient songs and human figures dancing.	Source: A. Rozwadowski, Wołoszyn JZ. / Cambridge Archaeological Journal

Are Toro Muerto's Petroglyphs in Peru Hallucinogenic Visions in Stone?

A new study has offered a fresh perspective on the enigmatic petroglyphs discovered at Toro Muerto in the Peruvian coastal desert. The site contains intricate designs and petroglyphs, etched onto...
Milky Way and pink light over mountains. Source: den-belitsky/Adobe Stock

The Hidden Role of the Milky Way in Ancient Egyptian Mythology (Study)

Ancient Egyptians were known for their religious beliefs and astronomical knowledge of the Sun, Moon, and planets, but up until now it has been unclear what role the Milky Way played in Egyptian...
Indigenous victims (likely smallpox), Florentine Codex (compiled 1540–1585) Source: Public Domain

The Mysterious Disease That Wiped Out the Aztecs (Video)

The Aztecs , a once-flourishing civilization in central Mexico, faced a devastating onslaught in the mid-16th century. While initially attributed to European diseases like smallpox, recent DNA...
Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük, Turkey. Source: Omar hoftun/CC BY-SA 3.0

The Unmatched 9,500-Year-Old Honeycomb City of Çatalhöyük

Overlooking the Konya Plain in Turkey lies the remarkable and unique ancient city of Çatalhöyük, the largest and best-preserved Neolithic site found to date. At a time when most of the world's people...
Cropped image of the sculpture of Agrippina crowning her young son Nero.	Source: Carlos Delgado/CC BY-SA 3.0

Agrippina the Younger and Her Influence on Nero (Video)

Agrippina the Younger wielded significant influence over her son Nero's rise to power. Initially content with a life of artistry, Nero's path shifted under his mother's ambition. Agrippina's...
Left; Byzantine silverware, Right; Medieval silver coins from the study.	Source: Left; Johnbod/CC BY-SA 4.0, Right; Antiquity Publications Ltd

Medieval England’s Sudden Silver Currency Conversion Solved

After years of speculation, researchers have finally traced the origins of Europe's revolutionary adoption of silver coins in the mid-7th century, uncovering a tale of economic evolution and...

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