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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.

Ready for the Afterlife: The Mummification Process in Ancient Egypt
8 March, 2021 - 18:04 Aleksa Vučković

Ready for the Afterlife: The Mummification Process in Ancient Egypt

When it comes to ancient Egypt and its long lasting and influential civilization, plenty of its unique characteristics can seem peculiar and otherworldly. Sure, it is no secret that ancient Egypt was...
The Curse of the Mijikenda Vigango Statues
28 February, 2021 - 22:08 B. B. Wagner

The Curse of the Mijikenda Vigango Statues

During the 1980s, Coastal Kenya experienced the largest heist of ancestral artifacts in history. Over 300 wooden Vigango statues were taken from the sacred grounds of several Mijikenda tribes. These...
Medieval wooden catapult
26 February, 2021 - 18:06 dhwty

Catapult: The Long-Reaching History of a Prominent Medieval Siege Engine

One of the most iconic images of the European Middle Ages is the castle. This defensive structure was often heavily fortified and provided its inhabitants with much-needed safety. It was usually...
The Mysterious Codex Argenteus: Famed Silver Bible of the Goths
19 February, 2021 - 17:56 Aleksa Vučković

The Mysterious Codex Argenteus: Famed Silver Bible of the Goths

The Goths, one of the major Germanic tribes of ancient times, were a key player in the events that marked the downfall of the Western Roman Empire. Although their era lasted only a few centuries,...
Helle’s Toilet: Three-Person Loo Seat was Unusual Medieval Status Symbol
6 February, 2021 - 21:22 dhwty

Helle’s Toilet: Three-Person Loo Seat was Unusual Medieval Status Symbol

Helle’s Toilet is the name given to a Medieval toilet seat that was discovered during an archaeological excavation in London. It is most notable for being a rare example of a triple toilet seat...
Sex and love were major themes in classic erotic art, as they remain today. (Public Domain/Deriv)
5 February, 2021 - 23:40 ancient-origins

The Erotic Art of Ancient Greece and Rome

Craig Barker / The Conversation Rarely does L.P. Hartley’s dictum that “the past is a foreign country” hold more firmly than in the area of sexuality in classical art. Classic erotic art, erotic...
The futhark on the Vadstena bracteate.
3 February, 2021 - 20:37 Andreas Kornevall

Unearthing Ancient Magic in The Runes –Messages with Hidden Symbols and Powerful Numbers

The etymology of the word “rune” means: “to carve, or to cut.” In Low German the word is “raunen.” As the runes were cut and carved into wood, metal or stone, the word “rune” was analogous to the...
The Shining History of Gold: From Ancient Treasure to Modern Tech
31 January, 2021 - 17:21 Alicia McDermott

The Shining History of Gold: From Ancient Treasure to Modern Tech

Gold is arguably the human race’s most valued commodity and a lot could be written about the history of this metal. The luster, beauty, resistance to tarnishing, malleability, and overall brilliance...
The Shroud of Turin: modern, digitally processed image of the face on the cloth [left] and the full body image as seen on the shroud [right].
19 January, 2021 - 20:22 lizleafloor

The Shroud of Turin: Jesus' Bloodstained Burial Cloth or a Fascinating Forgery?

The Shroud of Turin is believed by many to be the bloodstained burial cloth Jesus of Nazareth was wrapped in after his crucifixion. But skeptics say it is a forgery, or at best only a religious...
Illustration of a Viking shield wall (unknown artist)
19 January, 2021 - 20:21 ancient-origins

Dissolving Myths: Vikings Did NOT Hide Behind Shield Walls

By ThorNews According to Rolf Warming, an archaeologist and researcher at the University of Copenhagen, the Vikings did not use shield walls in combat. A typical Viking shield was relatively small...
Roman dodecahedra
12 January, 2021 - 22:58 Federico Cataldo

The Enigma of the Roman Dodecahedra

The Roman dodecahedron is a small, hollow object made of bronze or (more rarely) stone, with a geometrical shape that has 12 flat faces. Each face is a pentagon, a five-sided shape. The Roman...
A gold Claddagh wedding ring.
7 January, 2021 - 00:19 Kerry Sullivan

Legendary Claddagh Rings: What are the True Origins of these Symbolic Irish Wedding Rings?

The Claddagh ring design of two hands holding a crowned heart is a recognizable symbol of Ireland and enduring love. It is hugely popular as a fashion accessory and a symbolic gesture. While everyone...
Byssus, Secrets of a Shining Sea Silk Loved by Ancient Cultures
5 January, 2021 - 21:37 Maura Andreoni

Byssus, Secrets of a Shining Sea Silk Loved by Ancient Cultures

Byssus is an extremely fine, rare, and valuable fabric of animal origin. It is a sort of natural silk with golden and sparkling reflections that is obtained from the filaments secreted by a large...
Salt man - Iran Baastan museum.
3 January, 2021 - 13:54 dhwty

Preserved by Nature: Studying the Spectacular Salt Mummies of Iran

The saltmen are a group of natural mummies that were discovered in the Chehrabad Salt Mine in Iran. This mine is in the Zanjan Province and located about 340 km (211.27 miles) northwest of Tehran...
Gargoyles on the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris overlooking Paris, France. Source: scaliger / Adobe Stock.
31 December, 2020 - 20:19 Sarah P Young

The Grotesque World of Gargoyles

Gargoyles are an architectural feature that have existed for thousands of years. Initially designed to filter rainwater away from the edge of a building, they also have an arcane purpose – to ward...
The Iron Maiden: This Medieval Torture Device Was Used as Recently as 2003!
29 December, 2020 - 17:37 dhwty

The Iron Maiden: This Medieval Torture Device Was Used as Recently as 2003!

The iron maiden is a torture device widely believed to have been used in Europe during the Middle Ages. This notorious contraption is known by other names, such as the Virgin (a reference to the...
Pharoah’s Little Helpers: The Shabti Funerary Statuettes of the Ancient Egyptians
29 December, 2020 - 17:31 dhwty

Pharaoh’s Little Helpers: The Shabti Funerary Statuettes of the Ancient Egyptians

A shabti is a funerary figurine used by the ancient Egyptians. These statuettes were placed in tombs as grave goods and were believed to function as servants for the deceased in the afterlife...
Frankincense may soon disappear
16 December, 2020 - 18:01 dhwty

Frankincense: An Ancient Wonder Cure on the Verge of Extinction

Frankincense is famous for being one of the three gifts presented by the Magi to baby Jesus (the other two being gold and myrrh). Several thousand years ago, people knew how to use frankincense to...
Petroglyphic Features of Portable Rock Art
16 December, 2020 - 00:40 Carl Lehrburger

Petroglyphic Features of Portable Rock Art

Paleo rock art from around the world ranges in style, method, and age, and includes cave paintings, petroglyphs, pictographs, polished and engraved stones such as effigies, stone sculptures, and...
Ancient Muslim man
13 December, 2020 - 21:19 Aleksa Vučković

Ismail al-Jazari: Medieval Muslim Inventor and "Father of Robotics"

The medieval period saw the rise of many new inventions all around the world. Emerging out of the so-called Dark Ages, many prominent scholars and learned minds came up with new inventions to make...
The Lady of Baza, a famous example of Iberian sculpture by the Bastetani, has long been a source of contention. Source: Juan Aunión / Adobe Stock
10 December, 2020 - 17:01 dhwty

The Lady of Baza and the Battle to Take Her Home

The Lady of Baza, a statue unearthed in Baza, has long been a subject of contention. Discovered in 1971, it was swiftly removed and taken to Madrid where it has been kept at the National Museum of...
Lost Key to St. Leonard’s Tower Mysteriously Returned After 47 Years
9 December, 2020 - 21:55 Nathan Falde

Lost Key to St. Leonard’s Tower Mysteriously Returned After 47 Years

When the large brass key to St. Leonard’s Tower in Kent went missing in 1973, no one knew if it had been lost or stolen. Now, 47 years later, the key has been returned , and its sudden arrival is...
The Northern Mysteries Current: Futhark and Mystery Schools of the Viking Age
9 December, 2020 - 19:42 Vincent Ongkowidjojo

The Northern Mysteries Current: Futhark and Mystery Schools of the Viking Age

The existence of mystery schools in the Viking Age (800-1200 CE) is deduced from myth and folklore. The poems of the Edda display the structure and content of cultic texts used within the framework...
Vendel Helmets: Spectacular Scandinavian Relics from the Vendel Period
25 November, 2020 - 01:05 dhwty

Vendel Helmets: Spectacular Scandinavian Relics from the Vendel Period

Vendel and Valsgärde are two archaeological sites located in Sweden. Both of these sites were once used as burial grounds, and it is from the former that a period in Swedish prehistory, the Vendel...

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