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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.

Weld-Blundell Prism, a clay cuneiform inscribed with the Sumerian Kings List. Source: Public domain
30 July, 2022 - 02:00 Joanna Gillan

The Sumerian King List Reveals the Origin of Mesopotamian Kingship

Out of the many incredible artifacts that have been recovered from sites in Iraq where flourishing Sumerian cities once stood, few have been more intriguing than the Sumerian King List. An ancient...
The rare 69-AD Batavian mask find. Source: City of Krefeld, Press, and Communications
28 July, 2022 - 18:56 Nathan Falde

Rare Batavian Calvary Mask Worn in Revolt Against The Romans Found

Archaeologists excavating an ancient Roman site near the German city of Krefeld, just a few miles west of the Rhine, uncovered a rare Batavian mask, face-fitted for the elite Batavian cavalrymen,...
Viking Longboat 'Hugin', Ramsgate. Source: Peter Lelliott / (CC BY-SA 2.0)
27 July, 2022 - 18:57 Mark Brophy

Viking Ships: More than Fearsome Weapons of the Open Seas

Few things struck fear into the hearts of medieval people more than the sight of a fleet of Viking ships sailing up the coast of their homelands. The Viking ship is iconic for its unique style,...
A 1,800-year-old Roman coin portraying the goddess Luna was recovered from the Israeli Mediterranean. Source: Dafna Gazit / Israel Antiquities Authority
26 July, 2022 - 22:59 Sahir

Rare Roman Coin Portraying Moon Goddess Luna Retrieved from Israeli Waters

A rare and beautiful bronze coin from the reign of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, who ruled as emperor between 138 and 161 AD, has been discovered off the coast of Haifa in Israel. The 1,850-year-old...
Recently, a team of Turkish scientists have recreated a 1200-BC Mesopotamian perfume made by the "world's first female chemist" Tapputi. These glass bottles are full of “modern” perfumes that all benefited from the first scent pioneers of the ancient world. Source: gal2007 / Adobe Stock
25 July, 2022 - 22:59 Nathan Falde

3,200-Year-Old Mesopotamian Perfume Recreated from Ancient Text

A woman named Tapputi carried the distinction of being the first female chemist in Mesopotamia and the first female perfume maker anywhere in the world, approximately 3,200 years ago. Working with a...
Section of X-ray image of Vincent van Gogh self-portrait discovered at the back of another van Gogh painting housed in Edinburgh. Source: National Galleries of Scotland
25 July, 2022 - 14:58 Lex Leigh

Hidden Faces: Vincent van Gogh's Secret Self-Portrait

Vincent van Gogh, one of the most famous figures in 19th-century Western art history, is still surprising us. According to the National Galleries of Scotland, a previously hidden self-portrait of van...
Therapist giving acupuncture to a woman. Source: juripozzi / Adobe Stock
23 July, 2022 - 22:59 Molly Dowdeswell

The Evolution of Acupuncture: From Ancient China to Worldwide Recognition

It is commonly believed that acupuncture played a key role in China’s medical history and is often seen as an integral part of China’s traditional health care, at least in the west. However, was this...
Replica of a sculpture made by the Olmecs, the ancient rubber people of Mesoamerica. Source: Stoica / Adobe Stock
23 July, 2022 - 18:56 Mark Brophy

The Ancient Rubber People of Mesoamerica

Ancient civilizations in Mexico and Central America were making rubber decades before Michelin ever entered into business. For the Aztecs, Maya, and Olmecs, rubber production was a central part of...
The waterway wonders of China’s Grand Canal are both picturesque and ancient in some sections but also super modern and unattractive in others. This part of the canal is in the ancient, preserved section of Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China. Source: gui yong nian / Adobe Stock
22 July, 2022 - 22:57 Lex Leigh

The 2500-year-old Genius of China’s Grand Canal System

Ancient China is known for its famous dynasties, rich culture, and some of the first “advanced” technological innovations in the world. One of the best-known works created in ancient China is China’s...
Some information can be gathered about sex in ancient Egypt by viewing scenes from the mastaba tomb of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum at Saqqara in Egypt. Source: Sailingstone / Adobe Stock
22 July, 2022 - 18:52 Robbie Mitchell

Exploring Sex in Ancient Egypt

People often have the strange idea that people in the “olden days” were much more conservative when it came to sex than they are today. However, if modern history tells us anything it is that people...
Alatri acropolis cyclopean wall by the Porta Maggiorre. Source: Laura Tabone
21 July, 2022 - 23:00 Laura Tabone

The Cyclopean Problem: Who Built Italy’s Astounding Ancient Walls?

Megalithic cyclopean masonry is found in many parts of Italy, including Lazio , Abruzzo, Campania, Umbria, Tuscany and Molise. This type of masonry involves fitting together huge differently shaped...
Egyptian commander’s tomb, sarcophagus and grave goods uncovered at Abusir, Egypt. Source: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities
21 July, 2022 - 18:58 Nathan Falde

Excavation Unearths Unique Tomb of 6th Century BC Egyptian Commander

While performing excavations near the Giza Plateau , a team of Czech archaeologists from Charles University in Prague unearthed a tomb that belonged to a powerful Egyptian military commander who...
The stone carved chrysalis found at the Shangguo Site in Wenxi County in the city of Yuncheng, north China's Shanxi Province. Source: Provincial archaeology institute of Shanxi/Handout via Xinhua
21 July, 2022 - 14:58 Sahir

5,200-Year-Old Carved Stone Chrysalis Unearthed from the Dawn of The Silk Road

Sericulture, or the rearing of silkworms to produce raw silk, was perfected by ancient China as early as the Yangshao period (5000-3000 BC), a thriving Neolithic culture. The marvels of silk and the...
Roman villa with mosaic uncovered in Hatay. Source: Anadolu Agency
17 July, 2022 - 14:45 Sahir

Roman Villa with Floor Mosaic Uncovered in Turkey’s Mosaic Hotspot

The remains of a Roman villa have recently been unearthed in Defne district of southern Turkey’s Hatay province. The ruins consist of broken-down walls and a well-preserved floor mosaic with...
Demonstration of Buddhist Bronze Mirror reflecting its image at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Source: Rob Deslongchamps/Cincinnati Art Museum
16 July, 2022 - 18:56 Sahir

Magic Mirror With Hidden Image Discovered At Cincinnati Museum

Hiding in plain sight – in the storage of Cincinnati Art Museum’s East Asian art collection, a seemingly unremarkable bronze mirror from the 15th and 16th century China. Part of a vast collection of...
The Lascaux Taurus, with the Pleiades on its back. Source: Author provided
16 July, 2022 - 01:50 ralph ellis

Dating Lascaux Art by Precession

I did not realize until recently, that there may be some astrological imagery within the magnificent Stone Age paintings in the Lascaux Cave complex, in the Dordogne region of France. But although I...
The clay figurine suspected to be a water deity discovered in Unkenbach, Germany. Source: Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments
14 July, 2022 - 18:59 ashley cowie

Weird Hooded Prehistoric Water Deity Unearthed in Germany

For as long as humans have prayed, water has been a focus of divine adoration. Even the sight of water can spark wonder, terror and joy depending on whether it's a bubbling spring, the destructive...
The Precious Blood of Christ reliquary recovered by Arthur Brand. Source: Arthur Brand
13 July, 2022 - 22:58 Nathan Falde

Precious Blood of Christ Relic Returned By Wary Thieves

One of the most sacred relics of the Catholic Church, known as the ‘Precious Blood of Christ,’ contained in an elaborate golden shrine, was stolen from Fécamp Abbey Church in Normandy, France on June...
Derbyshire Caving Club member examines a pipe found in the Alderley Edge Cobalt mine. Source: National Trust
13 July, 2022 - 14:57 Nathan Falde

Time Capsule Opened at Alderley Edge Cobalt Mine, England

Cavers exploring underground spaces in Alderley Edge, Cheshire in northwestern England were stunned to discover a sealed and abandoned mineshaft that hadn’t been visited by anyone since the early...
The heavy gold ring of Viking origin found in a pile of “worthless” estate jewelry weighed 11 grams or 0.4 ounces. (Vestland County Municipality)
11 July, 2022 - 14:57 Sahir

Gold Ring Found in a Pile of Cheap Costume Jewelry Belonged to a Viking Chief!

A young Norwegian woman was browsing online for jewelry earlier this week, when she bought a jumbled collection of costume jewelry in an online auction. Upon receiving her purchase, she spotted a...
Roger Tomlin deciphering one of the 405 Bloomberg Tablets found at the heart of Roman Britain, Londinium, which are the oldest written documents ever found in the UK.
10 July, 2022 - 14:59 Mark Brophy

2,000-Year-Old Bloomberg Tablets Reveal London Life Under the Romans

When archaeologists began excavations on the site of the demolished Bucklesbury House, little did they know that they would uncover the earliest written documents found in Britain. Dating from...
8,000-year-old Mother Goddess figurine excavated at Sha’ar HaGolan, Israel Source: Anna Eirikh-Rose / Jerusalem Post
9 July, 2022 - 15:00 ashley cowie

8,000-Year-Old Yarmukian Mother Goddess Unearthed

An 8,000-year-old "Mother Goddess" figurine has been uncovered at a Neolithic site in Israel. Why then, does she have “coffee-shaped” eyes? Located at the foot of the Golan Heights in the Jordan...
Goods with Celtic influence found in Przeworsk burial at Velyka Dibrova, Lviv region, Ukraine. Source: V. Sydorovych / Lviv Regional Council
8 July, 2022 - 15:00 Nathan Falde

Grave Robbers Return Przeworsk Culture Burial Goods in the Ukraine

An extraordinary incident has helped archaeologists in Ukraine gain fresh insights into how Celtic culture influenced development in the lands of their country more than 2,000 years ago. The event in...
Grave 69, of an adult male, on the island of Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov, who had human bone jewelry in his grave. Human and animal bone pendants were found together with an elk tooth pendant. Source: Tom Björklund / University of Helsinki
7 July, 2022 - 14:59 Nathan Falde

Finnish Study Reveals Human Bones Were Used to Make Jewelry in 6,000 BC

During the Late Stone Age, our prehistoric ancestors regularly constructed and presumably wore pendants covered with symbolic images. These pendants were often made out of animal bones and teeth, but...

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