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Both sides of the medieval coin found in Canada, a Henry VI quarter noble minted in London between 1422 and 1427. Source: Government of Newfoundland & Labrador

Medieval Coin in Canada Challenges Story of North American Discovery

A gold coin discovered in Newfoundland could “rewrite the history books.” Directly challenging the mainstream narrative of the discovery of North America, this coin suggests Europeans were in...
A small fish being cooked over a fire. Evidence of cooking fish has been found from 780,000 years ago.	Source: Nicolas VINCENT/Adobe Stock

Cooking Timeline Just Got Burned: Hominins Were Cooking 780,000 Years Ago

Researchers in Israel have found evidence of cooking fish dated to roughly 780,000 years ago. This pushes back the beginnings of humans being able to control fire and cook their food over 600,000...
Pan and Selene, by Hans von Aachen. Source: Pan and Selene, by Hans von Aachen. Source: Public domain

Celestial Goddess Selene: The Ancient Greek Goddess of the Moon

With silver wings and a golden diadem, the goddess Selene shone brightly throughout the lands of ancient Greece. As the goddess of the moon , Selene captivated the hearts of ancient poets, authors,...
Archaeologists prepare burial excavation unit for removal of remains at the Camden Battleground site. Source: Sarah Nell Blackwell / South Carolina Battleground Trust

Excavations at the Battle of Camden Site Unearth 14 Revolutionary War Victims

On November 11 the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust issued a press release announcing an important discovery related to the American Revolutionary War. While excavating at the site of...
The mass grave in Dahwa, Oman, where prehistoric silver jewelry was unearthed, along with pottery, stone containers, and personal ornaments

“Intriguing” Prehistoric Silver Jewelry in Omani Tomb Evidence of Regional Trade

Several important archaeological discoveries that shed light on ancient trade settlements in the Oman region have been unearthed by nearly a decade of excavations at a site from the early Bronze Age...
Top Image: The Sabbath Rest by Samuel Hirszenberg (1894)

Honor The Sabbath Day - The Birth Of The Week

To the Hebrew prophets Isaiah, Amos and Hosea, the Psalms and the Book of Kings , the Sabbath signified the Full Moon, whereas for Jews in the days of ancient Rome it came to mean one day out of a...
The Greek bathhouse found in Berenice, Egypt may have been a center for rest and relaxation for the Egyptian military.  Pictured: 1858 painting by Fyodor Bronnikov                      Source: Public Domain

Ancient Greek-Style Bathhouse for Egyptian Military Found near Red Sea

Ancient Egyptians are renowned for their sense of cleanliness and hygiene, and bathhouses for therapeutic purposes have been found dating as far back as 2000 BC. In a brand-new discovery,...
The monster of London going to take his afternoons luncheon, in an etching by James Gillray. Source: Public domain

Sadistic Serial Slasher Inspired a Trend in Bottom Guards

While the infamous Jack the Ripper and his legendary killing spree in the 19th century is the stuff of legends, few have heard of another forgotten assailant who terrorized the streets of London just...
Trepanned skulls have been found worldwide, from Siberia to Turkey to Peru. Pictured: Peruvian trepanation patients. Source: University of Miami

Was this Trepanned Skull Found in Turkey the Work of Magicians or Medics?

Researchers in Turkey have unearthed yet another trepanned skull. But was this brutal operation the work of magicians or medics? While the academic disciplines of neurology and neurosurgery didn't...
The wako pirates are typically portrayed as Japanese pirates, but the reality was more complex. Depiction of a pirate ship sailing on the ocean against a golden sky. Source: Gasi / Adobe Stock

The Notorious Wako Pirates of Japan

The wako (also called wokou or waegu) were a group of marauders that dominated the seas of East Asia for centuries. They have been seen by Western historians and culture as a kind of Japanese pirate...

Queen Elizabeth Ran a Lottery and One Prize Was a Get Out of Jail Free Card

As you wait with baited breath for your lottery numbers to be called out, spare a thought for the people who took part in England’s first state lottery in the 16th century. Seen as an ideal solution...
Fantasy weapon set. Source: Zaleman / Adobe Stock

18 Terrifying and Impressive Historic Weapons

There is no end to the multitude of close combat weapons , from swords to spears, scythes, pikes, maces, glaives, flails, partisans, and hundreds more. Often designed to inflict the greatest damage...
A branding iron, representational image. Source: By ines / Adobe Stock

Evidence Emerges that Ancient Egyptians Used Branding Irons on Human Slaves

It has long been known from carvings and tomb paintings that the ancient Egyptians used branding irons to mark their cattle. Now a new study presents evidence that they also used branding stamps on...
Unpolished lapis lazuli from Badakhshan province, Afghanistan. Source: Björn Wylezich / Adobe Stock

The Brilliantly Blue Lapis Lazuli: Precious Gem Prized by Elites

In the recent past, a gem that is thought to be more precious than even gold, the elusive lapis lazuli , has received a bad reputation for being a source of illegal mining by the Taliban in...
The view from above shows the position of the newly discovered temple next to the Tempio Grande. Source: Mariachiara Franceschini / Vulci Cityscape

Etruscan Temple Unearthed In Shadow Of Tempio Grande, Vulci

A team of Italian archaeologists excavating at the ancient Etruscan city of Vulci has discovered a previously unknown of monumental temple near the legendary Tempio Grande sacred site. The ancient...
Ancient Egyptian amulet seal discovered in Turkey. Source: AA Photo

Mystical Egyptian Amulet Depicting Protective Deity Found in Turkey

Archaeologists excavating a Roman-era ruin in the ancient city of Amastris in Turkey have recently made the curious discovery of a talismanic amulet seal. The pyramid-shaped Egyptian amulet has...
Trung sisters riding elephants. Đông Hồ painting. (Public Domain)

The Trung Sisters – Venerated First-Century Freedom Fighters Of Vietnam

Trần Lệ Xuân, or Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu, the First Lady of the Republic of Vietnam from 1955 to 1963, once celebrated the holiday to commemorate the Trung sisters by riding an elephant in honour of...
The Kakatiya Dynasty: A Small Kingdom With A Fierce Heart

The Kakatiya Dynasty: A Small Kingdom With A Fierce Heart

Medieval India was a land divided. Each region was ruled by its own regional kingdoms and dynasties. Over time, a handful of larger kingdoms began to exert control over smaller kingdoms, forcing them...
The Mysterious Lady of Thebes, as reconstructed in 2D by Hew Morrison. Source: Hew Morrison / Warsaw Mummy Project

Is this the Face of the First Mummy of a Pregnant Woman?

In 2016, archaeologists finally accepted that a 2,000-year-old mummy was not a male priest when CT scans revealed the embalmed corpse seemed to be carrying a baby! It was declared the ‘only known...
Roman theater unearthed at the archaeological site of Lissos on island of Crete. Source: Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports

Timeworn Roman Theater Uncovered at Remote Site of Lissos in Crete

Even today, the Cretan town of Lissos can only be reached by sea or a seemingly endless hike across the stunning landscape and mountains that surround it. Despite previous excavations uncovering...
Medieval Knight. Many of the Knights of the Round Table were fated to an early death. Source: Tony Marturano / Adobe Stock

King Arthur's Tragic Knights of the Round Table

Few stories in English folklore have had the staying power of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. While many people are familiar with the legend, few people realize how many different...
First Canaanite writing scratched onto an ivory comb. Source: Dafna Gazit/Israel Antiquities Authority

Oldest Written Sentence Found Inscribed on Ancient Head-Lice Comb

One would expect the oldest written words found during archaeological excavations to be carved into the face of a stone tablet, or perhaps into the surface of an ancient stone monument. But they can...
Pegasus of Greek mythology is depicted as a majestic, white, winged-horse. Source: Viks_jin / Adobe Stock

Pegasus of Greek Mythology: Majestic Winged Horse of Mount Olympus

Pegasus is the majestic flying horse of Greek mythology , best known for its association with the heroes Perseus and Bellerophon. Traditionally depicted as a pure white horse with wings, the Pegasus...
Tattoo on the left femur of a mummified Egyptian woman buried at Deir el-Medina. Source: Anne Austin/University of Missouri-St. Louis

Not A Tramp Stamp: Thigh and Hip Tattoos Found on Female Egyptian Mummies

Ancient burial sites in Egypt have yielded tattooed mummies, that are predominantly female rather than male. Over time, various debates have arisen about who these mummies were, in terms of their...

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