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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.

The tableman gaming piece discovered in Bedfordshire, England. Source: Cotswold Archaeology
26 April, 2023 - 14:55 Sahir

Fascinating Medieval Gaming Piece Uncovered at Building Site in England

Next time you’re playing a board game with your friends and family, consider that you may be playing something that originated in the medieval era, or beyond. Archaeologists have made a fascinating...
Head end and left side of the Nakhtkhnum coffin showing an example of coffin texts. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art/CC0
25 April, 2023 - 22:56 Lex Leigh

Unveiling the Mystical World of the Egyptian Coffin Texts

One of the most fascinating discoveries of ancient Egypt was the discovery of the Egyptian Coffin Texts, a collection of spellbinding funerary spells and incantations inscribed on coffins, sarcophagi...
Underwater archaeologists during a dive at the Alonnisos shipwreck in 2002. Source: Elpida Hadjidaki / CC BY-SA 4.0
25 April, 2023 - 14:58 Aleksa Vučković

Digging the Deep Blue: Challenges and Triumphs in Underwater Archaeology

Archaeology, the scientific study of human history and prehistory through the excavation and analysis of artifacts and other physical remains, has greatly evolved over time, providing a window onto...
Neolithic stone balls in the British Museum. Source: British Museum / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
23 April, 2023 - 14:54 ancient origins

Neolithic Stone Balls: The Northern Rosetta Stone?

Neolithic stone balls are mysterious petrospheres found in Scotland, Ireland, and Norway that have puzzled archaeologists for centuries. But an explanation for these objects may finally be revealed,...
The Maya ruins at Copan in Honduras have stood the test of time. (bennytrapp / Adobe Stock)
22 April, 2023 - 15:00 Nathan Falde

Ancient Formula for Super-Durable Maya Plaster Finally Revealed

A team of scientists in Spain appear to have discovered the elusive formula for lime plaster and mortar used by the ancient Maya of Mexico and Central America. It seems that the incredibly durable...
1,000-year-old iron bars found in Norway. Source: Mildri Een Eide/ Innlandet County Municipality
21 April, 2023 - 14:59 ashley cowie

Norwegian Basement Yields Norse Iron Treasures, Museologists Ecstatic!

A Norwegian man made a unique discovery back in the 80s while he was digging out a water well. His daughter was recently cleaning the basement of his house when she rediscovered what turned out to be...
The ancient Maya used their astronomical knowledge to create Mayan calendars and to predict celestial events such as solar and lunar eclipses. (James Thew / Adobe Stock)
20 April, 2023 - 22:57 ashley cowie

New Evidence Reveals Full Astronomical Scope of Ancient Mayan Calendar

For years, scholars have been puzzled by the meaning of the 819-day count of the Mayan calendar in ancient glyphic texts. By examining the count over a 45-year period, researchers have discovered...
Anthropomorphic reliefs excavated from the remains of the ancient Tartessian culture. Source: Samuel Sánchez/ Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.
19 April, 2023 - 18:52 Sahir

2,500-Year-Old Tartessian Anthropomorphic Reliefs Revolutionize Thinking on Ancient Culture

The Tartessian site of Casas del Turuñuelo in Spanish Extremadura , has been under excavation to examine the mythical pre-Roman civilization that occupied southwest Iberia between the 8th and 4th...
A contemporary seagoing decorated dugout canoe in the Pacific Northwest. (CC BY-SA 3.0)
17 April, 2023 - 22:50 Sahir

1,000-Year-Old Native American Canoe Recovered in North Carolina Lake

Canoes have long occupied a special place in the tradition of the indigenous tribes of the Americas, particularly in the northern half. All along the Pacific Northwest, masterfully crafted canoes of...
Canoes have long occupied a special place in the tradition of the indigenous tribes of the Americas, particularly in the northern half. All along the Pacific Northwest, masterfully crafted canoes of many shapes, sizes and forms, were the main mode of transportation until long after European colonization. Adding to this rich history, a team of archaeologists, neighbors and members of the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe successfully recovered a nearly 1,000-year-old canoe from the depths of Lake Waccamaw in south-easte
17 April, 2023 - 20:59 Robbie Mitchell

The Macuahuitl: An Aztec Warrior’s Lethal and Sacred Weapon (Video)

The Macuahuitl was an ancient Aztec weapon that could be used by both shamans and warriors. It was a devastating weapon that was feared by those who encountered it on the battlefield. Made of...
The 30,000-year-old ball of preserved fur and bones that has been found to be an Ice Age squirrel. Source: Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre
14 April, 2023 - 18:57 Sahir

Fossilized Fur Ball Turns out to be Frozen Ice Age Squirrel!

In 2018, miners working in northern Canada discovered a small, tannish-brown, grapefruit-sized lump. This mass of claws and limbs appeared to be made of fossilized fur upon examination with the naked...
Byzantine-era sandal with inscription unearthed in Istanbul. Source: Hurriyet Daily
13 April, 2023 - 22:53 Sahir

Byzantine-Era Sandals with Heartfelt Inscription Unearthed in Istanbul

Archaeologists have stumbled upon a remarkable discovery in Istanbul that has captured the attention of historians and fashion enthusiasts alike. Amidst a treasure trove of ancient artifacts, they...
Coin of King Alfred and King Ceolwulf II. Source: anglosaxon.archeurope
13 April, 2023 - 14:59 Sahir

Stolen Viking Coin Hoard Worth £800,000 Sold to Undercover Police Officers in Britain

Real-life events can be just as dramatic as any fiction, as evidenced by the tale of stolen Viking coins, an undercover sting, and two men protesting their innocence. Collectors Craig Best and Roger...
Replicas of the Golden Horns of Gallehus at the National Museum of Denmark. Source: Public domain
12 April, 2023 - 22:53 Sahir

The Golden Horns of Gallehus: Stolen and Recovered Danish Heritage

The Golden Horns of Gallehus are a pair of richly decorated, 5th-century BC Germanic drinking horns that were discovered in Gallehus, a town in southern Denmark in 1639. The horns were made from...
Mummy labels under analysis sourced from the Bibliothèque Nationale et Universitaire (BNU) of Strasbourg (France) collection. Source: International Journal of Wood Culture / CC BY 4.0
12 April, 2023 - 18:23 Sahir

Mummy Labels Unlock Climate Secrets of Ancient Mediterranean

To reconstruct the climate of ancient Egypt, Swiss scientists have resorted to an unexpected source - mummy labels. These labels, which were affixed to the bodies of mummies during the Roman era, are...
Remains of columns at the Cave di Cusa quarry in Sicily. (Davide Mauro / CC BY-SA 4.0)
11 April, 2023 - 14:58 Aleksa Vučković

Hidden Gems of Sicily: The Abandoned Temple Columns of Cave di Cusa

If someone told you that you could effortlessly travel back in time to classical antiquity, you would think that they were crazy, right? But at Cave di Cusa, in Sicily, this is actually possible...
The forgotten jewelry found buried with a girl in Jerusalem. Source: Israel Antiquities Authority
10 April, 2023 - 18:58 Sahir

1,800-Year-Old Golden Protective Jewelry Adorned Roman Girl

In 1971, on Mount Scopus in Israel, an extraordinary discovery was made: an 1,800-year-old lead coffin containing a young Roman girl adorned with precious jewelry to ward off the ‘evil eye’ and...
Star Carr deer bone mask (Trustees of the British Museum / CC by SA 4.0)
8 April, 2023 - 20:55 Robbie Mitchell

The Mystery of the Ritualistic Deer Bone Mask, a Mesolithic Marvel (Video)

The Star Carr archaeological site, located in the North of England, has yielded some of the most remarkable discoveries in recent times, providing insight into the lives of Mesolithic people. One of...
Medieval knights with weapons. Source: Diatomic / Adobe Stock.
5 April, 2023 - 20:57 Joanna Gillan

Medieval Warfare Unleashed: Discovering the Arsenal of a Knight (Video)

The medieval knight was known for their impressive arsenal of weapons, each with its own unique purpose on the battlefield. Swords were the most iconic weapon of the knight , but other melee weapons...
Sketch of the Chalcaltzingo Project 2008. Source: Courtesy of Mario Córdova/INAH
4 April, 2023 - 18:54 Sahir

Mexican Government Recovers One Ton Olmec Statue Of “Earth Monster”

Mexican officials have announced the recovery of a large carved statue from the Olmec period that was allegedly stolen decades ago - a sculpture known as ‘Monument 9’. It is colloquially known as an...
On display at the Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia, Rome, Italy. Source: Dan Diffendale/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
4 April, 2023 - 14:43 Aleksa Vučković

The Tomb of the Silver Hands - An Enigmatic Etruscan Burial

The highly advanced and powerful culture of the ancient Etruscans could not persevere in the face of the rising Romans. By 500 BC, the political situation in the Italian Peninsula was quickly...
The supposedly “magical” gold pendant was discovered at Great Tey near Colchester. Source: Surrey County Council
3 April, 2023 - 22:59 Sahir

“Magical” Gold Pendant with Hebrew Inscription Discovered in Great Tey

A metal detectorist had the good fortune to hit upon an incredible garnet and gold pendant dating to the Middle Ages at Great Tey near Colchester, Essex, in August 2021. The pendant was inscribed...
An ancient cooper fish hook used to hunt sharks was found on Israeli coasts. Source: Israel Antiquities Authority
3 April, 2023 - 18:58 ashley cowie

6,000-Year-Old Fishhook Indicates Shark Was on the Menu

This ancient copper “fishhook” is the earliest of its type ever discovered in Israel. But this hook wasn’t used for hauling up inshore tiddlers, rather, it was designed for hunting huge sharks off...
Egyptian warrior with a khopesh. Source: Obsidian Fantasy / Adobe Stock.
2 April, 2023 - 20:56 Robbie Mitchell

Unleashing the Fury of the Khopesh: A Look at Egypt’s Deadliest Weapon (Video)

An often overlooked area of Egyptology is perhaps one of the most important of all, Ancient Egypt’s incredibly impressive military technology . Take for example, the Khopesh - the ultimate weapon of...

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