All  

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ Mobile

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 collection of five Bronze Age axe blades leaning against a tree in the forest where they were found.	Source: Nadleśnictwo Stargard

‘Sensational’ 3,500-year-old Bronze Age Axes Found in Forest in Poland

An amateur treasure hunter has made a remarkable find, unearthing five Bronze Age axe heads in near-perfect condition. The artifacts date from 1700 to 1300 BC, are believed to potentially link to a...
A diver from the underwater unit of the Naples Police examines a piece of obsidian on the seafloor near the island of Capri, Italy.	Source: Naples Superintendency for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape

“Neolithic Shipwreck” Was Likely Just A Canoe, But the Odd Obsidian Is Real

Over the past few weeks major news outlets have written about the recovery of a chunk of volcanic glass from a “Neolithic shipwreck,” of the coast of Italy. What you need to know, is that it was not...
A mosaic featuring two lions recently found at the ancient city of Prusias ad Hypium. Source: Faruk Özlu/Düzce Municipality

Lion Mosaic Links Prusias ad Hypium Theater to Dionysus Cult

During ongoing excavations in the ancient city of Prusias ad Hypium in Turkey, archaeologists have uncovered a beautiful mosaic featuring a duo of lions. The excavation team, operating above the...
Rakau Momori Moriori tree carvings. Source: Royston Vasey / CC BY-SA 3.0

Endangered Heritage: The Rakau Momori Tree Carvings of the Moriori

Wood carving, or whakairo , has a long and rich history in Maori culture. Traditionally, Maori artisans, utilizing woods like totara, kauri and pohutukawa, crafted intricate designs laden with...
Archaeologists excavating in Çorum, the capital of the ancient Hittite Empire in northern Turkey, unearthed an Iron Age saw dating back 2,250 years. Source: Anadolu Agency

Iron Age Saw Unearthed in Ancient City Hattusa Resembles Modern Tools

Hattusa, the historic city, is an ancient site that keeps on producing wonderful finds. After the piece of ivory decoration with a sphinx found last month, archaeologists conducting digs in Hattusa,...
While on an excursion in Egypt, Gregor Spörri met Nagib, heir to a mummified finger.  This Relic of Bir Hooker measured 35cm and was authenticated with 1960s x-rays. Source: Courtesy of ©Gregor Sporri.

The Relic of Bir Hooker - Proof of a Race of Giants? - Part 1

In April 1988 the Swiss club owner Gregor Spörri traveled to Egypt armed with a number of books recommended by a friend to learn about the ancient Egyptian culture. It was a journey that would change...
Ernst Stötzner during scanning a cuneiform tablet in order to decipher the text.  Source: Maike Glöckner/Uni Halle

Ancient Cuneiform Tablets Instantly Deciphered By Revolutionary Methods

New artificial intelligence software is now able to decipher difficult-to-read texts on cuneiform tablets, almost in an instant. Instead of photos, the AI system uses 3D models of the tablets,...
Ancient magical grimoire with a dimly lit, mysterious background and captivating light swirls, emphasizing knowledge power and spell world. Source: XaMaps/Adobe Stock

Spells, Invocations and Divination: The Ancient History of Magical Grimoires

Grimoires are books containing magic spells and instructions for the making of amulets and talismans, but some of them also contained directions on how to summon and control demons. Grimoires have...
A depiction of the Great Library of Alexandria, a symbol of the intellectual epicenter of the ancient city of Alexandria. Right: Detail of Raphael's (1509–1511) impression of Euclid, teaching students 	Source: Microgen / Adobe Stock

What Made Alexandria the Intellectual Capital of the Ancient World?

The ancient city of Alexandria, nestled on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, held a unique and enduring status as the intellectual capital of its time. Its remarkable legacy as a hub for knowledge...
Denisovan fossil, discovered in Laos' Annamite Mountains, redefines their story.  Source: ginettigino / Adobe Stock

Unexpected Denisovan Fossil Location Reveals More (Video)

In a surprising turn of events, Denisovan fossils have emerged in an unexpected location, challenging established notions of their habitat. Archaeologists recently uncovered a 160,000 to 130,000-year...
An example of incredible artisanship and advanced metallurgy techniques of gold, which set the Scythian goldsmiths apart from their contemporaries. Source: victor21041958/Adobe Stock

Ukraine Treasures Returned, But Current War Destroys Cultural Heritage

Ukraine is celebrating the repatriation of Scythian gold treasures, marking a "symbolic and historic" triumph over Russia in a prolonged dispute over ownership. The artifacts, including a rare golden...
This reconstruction shows the Bad Dürrenberg shaman in her full regalia. Source: Karol Schauer / State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt

Hidden Connection Between 9,000-Year-Old Bad Dürrenberg Shaman and Infant Exposed

Ever since archaeologists discovered the 9,000-year-old remains of what has come to be known as the Bad Dürrenberg shaman in the 1930s, they have been struggling to learn more about this enigmatic...
The coins found at he coins date from the period of the Kushan Empire, which ruled the region from about the second century BC until about the third century AD  Source: Sheikh Javed Ali Sindhi

2,000-Year-Old Coin Hoard Unearthed at Buddhist Stupa at Mohenjo-Daro!

A recent archaeological discovery in Pakistan has unveiled an unbelievable hoard of copper coins, believed to be over 2,000 years old, within the ruins of a Buddhist stupa (shrine) at the ancient...
State archaeologist Dr. Detlef Jantzen holds examines a Bronze Age sword at the presentation of the find.Source: Mecklenburg Ministry of Culture

Fearsome Swords and Fascinating Hoards Unearthed in Pomerania, Germany

In an extraordinary display of historical significance, volunteer archaeologists in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have uncovered three remarkable finds from the past, as announced by the State Office...
Excavations of a group burial complex of the Wari empire. Source: ed. M. Giersz, © PUCP Archaeology Program “Valley of Pachacámac”/ CC BY-SA 4.0; Center & Right: © M.Giersz, ed. K. Kowalewski/ CC BY-SA 4.0

Wari-Mask Mummies And Carved Totems Dating Back to 800-1000 AD Found in Peru

A recent discovery at Pachacámac in Peru has revealed a significant find of seventy-three intact burials, in funerary bundles known as ‘fardos’. The burials are of both genders, with some adorned...
A volvelle from a 14th century English manuscript is on display at the J. Paul Getty Museum. 	Source: The J. Paul Getty Museum/Getty

The Volvelle: The Medieval Equivalent of a Smartphone App?

Did you know that the ancestor of smartphone apps can be traced back to the Middle Ages? The volvelle, a paper-based interactive device, had a multifaceted role during its historical use. It...
Neolithic jade Chinese cong relic from Shanxi Provincial Museum. Source: Public domain

Jade Mysteries of Ancient China: The Enigmatic Chinese Cong Relics

For decades, archeologists and historians exploring the enigmatic world of the ancient Chinese civilizations were simply stumped when discovering mysterious Chinese cong relics. These oddly shaped...
Bronze Age gouge, Must Farm. Source: AncientCraftUK / YouTube Screenshot.

The Gouge: A Versatile Ancient Tool of the Bronze Age (Video)

Must Farm (a Bronze Age settlement at Must Farm quarry near Peterborough, England) has given British archaeologists a treasure trove of ancient artifacts to explore. This time the spotlight falls on...
Divers studying various underwater discoveries.  Source: nudiblue /Adobe Stock / ShashiBellamkon/flickr / University of Athens

Ten Incredible Underwater Discoveries That Have Captured Our Imagination

Out of all the amazing archaeological discoveries made each and every day around the world, my favorites have got to be those that emerge from the depths of the ocean. I think there is something...
Two of the gems discovered along with thousands of Roman coins in the ancient Roman city of Claterna in Italy. Source: Soprintendenza Bologna

Massive Cache of Roman Coins and Gems Found in Ancient “Magical City”

Excavations at a spectacular ancient Roman site in northern Italy have produced some significant finds during the most recent archaeological season. The latest of these remarkable discoveries in the...

How The Rosetta Stone Revolutionized Egyptology (Video)

In 1799, amidst the ruins of Napoleon's failed Egyptian campaign, a French soldier unearthed a peculiar black basalt slab near Rosetta. Little did he know that this discovery would change the course...
Prehistoric slingstones used for warfare 7200 years ago in Israel. Source: Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities Authority

Evidence of Earliest Warfare and Organized Arming Uncovered in Modern Israel

Researchers have unearthed the earliest evidence of warfare and organized arming in the Southern Levant, dating back approximately 7,200 years. This finding, centered in what is now modern Israel,...
The Book of Deer contains notes in the margin which are the first written examples of Scottish Gaelic and hinted at the location of the monastery where they were written. Source: The Book of Deer Project

Lost Monastery Tied to Oldest Scottish Text “Book of Deer” Unearthed

A monastery, where the earliest surviving Scots Gaelic text was once noted within the margins of a significant Scottish manuscript called the Book of Deer , disappeared from the pages of history...
The Copper Axe Craft of Ancient Scotland. Source: YouTube Screenshot / AncientCraftUK.

The Copper Axe Craft of Ancient Scotland (Video)

In the captivating landscapes of Kilmartin Glen , ancient rock art reveals a fascinating chapter of human expression. Dr. James Dilley, an expert in prehistoric archaeology, unveils the mysterious...

Pages