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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.

Creatures of the Land, Sea and Heavens: Ancient Beliefs in Animal Counterparts
25 December, 2016 - 00:45 Kerry Sullivan

Creatures of the Land, Sea and Heavens: Ancient Beliefs in Animal Counterparts

Until the Age of Enlightenment, it was widely believed that every land creature had its counterpart in the sea (and perhaps even in the heavens). The classic example of this belief is the horse,...
The Legend of the Imperial Jade Seal of China, An Heirloom Lost in Time
19 December, 2016 - 14:49 Kerry Sullivan

The Legend of the Imperial Jade Seal of China, An Heirloom Lost in Time

Of the many renowned Chinese seals, none is more famous than the Heirloom Seal of the Realm. This artifact was carved out of the He Shi Bi jade - a stone which one man lost his feet for. The seal was...
Retaining Ancient Ways: Codex Runicus, How the Runic Script Survived in the Middle Ages
18 December, 2016 - 21:55 Caleb Strom

Retaining Ancient Ways: Codex Runicus, How the Runic Script Survived in the Middle Ages

Runic script was developed in Scandinavia between the 2nd and 8th centuries AD. It was originally used for short inscriptions. After the Viking Age, this famous form of writing was altered to compete...
Tabula Cortonensis: A 2,200-year-old Tablet with a Bronze Key to Understanding the Etruscan World
17 December, 2016 - 21:56 Natalia Klimczak

Tabula Cortonensis: A 2,200-year-old Tablet with a Bronze Key to Understanding the Etruscan World

2,200 years ago, a pair of skilled Etruscan hands crafted a tablet that became a key to the language of this remarkable civilization. This unique bronze artifact is known as the Tabula Cortonensis...
Mountain of God: Where was the real Mount Sinai, and the Location of the Ark of the Covenant?
15 December, 2016 - 21:53 Graham Phillips

Mountain of God: Where was the real Mount Sinai, and the Location of the Ark of the Covenant?

In the late twelfth century, crusader knights of the Templar order, from the county of Warwickshire in central England, were rumored to have found the Ark of the Covenant while stationed at the...
2,500-Year-Old Celtic Chariot Proves Iron Age Links with Mainland Europe
11 December, 2016 - 21:49 dhwty

2,500-Year-Old Celtic Chariot Proves Iron Age Links with Mainland Europe

The Newbridge Chariot is the name given to the remains of a Celtic chariot found in Edinburgh, Scotland. The burial is found to date to around the 5 th century B.C., hence placing it in the Iron Age...
Inscribed Curse on the Sarcophagus of King Ahiram Displays Earliest Use of Phoenician Alphabet
11 December, 2016 - 14:55 dhwty

Inscribed Curse on the Sarcophagus of King Ahiram Displays Earliest Use of Phoenician Alphabet

The Sarcophagus of King Ahiram (spelled also as Ahirom) is an incredible monument that was unearthed in Lebanon. As its name suggests, the sarcophagus belonged to a king by the name of Ahiram, who...
Hidden in the Glyphs: Deciphering Bilingual Mayan-Olmec Text
10 December, 2016 - 21:49 Clyde Winters

Hidden in the Glyphs: Deciphering Bilingual Mayan-Olmec Text

In my book, Olmec Language and Literature , I explain how I deciphered the Olmec language. One of the most important documents used in my research was a Bi-lingual Mayan-Olmec text inscribed on a...
Would you Want a Chalice Owned by Cleopatra or a Necklace Worn by Alexander the Great?
6 December, 2016 - 21:51 Natalia Klimczak

Would you Want a Chalice Owned by Cleopatra or a Necklace Worn by Alexander the Great?

If you think that collecting artifacts that belonged to famous people is a modern domain, you are wrong. The idea of idols has been popular since the beginning of human civilization, and people have...
5 December, 2016 - 21:52 marinasohma

Song of Seikilos: Oldest Known Musical Composition Lay Hidden on a Flower Stand in Turkish Garden

The Song of Seikilos is the oldest complete surviving music composition in the world engraved in a marble stele that served as a flower stand. The beautiful composition, also known as the ‘Seikilos...
Miracles and a Thief: Lifting the Lid on the Legendary Chest of Saint Simeon
4 December, 2016 - 14:52 Natalia Klimczak

Miracles and a Thief: Lifting the Lid on the Legendary Chest of Saint Simeon

There is an elaborate silver sarcophagus overlaid with silver plaques in a church in Croatia. Legends say that the remains of Saint Simeon are inside it. The chest is protected by UNESCO and it is...
Aerial view of Thebes' Ramesseum, showing pylons and secondary buildings and the Medical Papyri.
2 December, 2016 - 14:50 Natalia Klimczak

Revealing the Ramesseum Medical Papyri and Other Remarkable Finds from the Temple of Ramesses II

The mortuary temple of Ramesses II is one of the most magnificent temples in the Theban necropolis in Upper Egypt. It was discovered by Jean-Francois Champollion, the same man who deciphered the...
A Shining Example of Roman Craftsmanship: Unveiling the Superb Berthouville Treasure
27 November, 2016 - 21:49 Natalia Klimczak

A Shining Example of Roman Craftsmanship: Unveiling the Superb Berthouville Treasure

A remarkable silver treasure discovered in France in 1830 is one of the most impressive collections of extremely well-preserved Roman artifacts. Even though almost two centuries have passed since it...
Galdrabok, The Medieval Grimoire That Sheds Light on the Occult Practices of Iceland
27 November, 2016 - 00:55 marinasohma

Galdrabok, The Medieval Grimoire That Sheds Light on the Occult Practices of Iceland

Perhaps not as well-known as other grimoires, the Galdrabok , an Icelandic ‘book of magic’, is one of the most important surviving documents for the practices and understanding of occult practices in...
Alcohol for the Ancients: The Oldest Drinks in the World
25 November, 2016 - 03:45 Natalia Klimczak

Alcohol for the Ancients: The Oldest Drinks in the World

Archaeological records related to ancient drinks are quite rare, but they take us to realms of ancient life which were hidden for a long time. With new technologies and chemical analysis, scientists...
Bronze Treasures Beyond Belief: The Fabulous Dowris Hoard of Ireland
24 November, 2016 - 00:48 Natalia Klimczak

Bronze Treasures Beyond Belief: The Fabulous Dowris Hoard of Ireland

Over 200 pieces of a precious treasure were hidden underground in Dowris, County Offaly, in Ireland. When the artifacts were discovered by farm workers in the 1820s, no one could imagine the...
Experts Try to Solve Mystery of Thousands of Ancient Clay Body Parts Strewn Across Italy
22 November, 2016 - 21:52 Mark Miller

Experts Try to Solve Mystery of Thousands of Ancient Clay Body Parts Strewn Across Italy

Not quite two centuries after researchers and healers started making huge strides in medicine, some diseases stubbornly elude cures. In these cases, many people resort to imploring God to heal...
This Forgotten Egyptian Dish Reveals Early Astronomical Symbols of Key Constellations
22 November, 2016 - 03:50 Adriano Forgione

This Forgotten Egyptian Dish Reveals Early Astronomical Symbols of Key Constellations

While traveling in Egypt for my studies, I came across a unique artifact in the Nubian Museum in Aswan. It was a dish which had not been recognized for the important information it holds. As soon as...
The Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca Head: Evidence for Ancient Roman Transatlantic Voyages, a Viking Souvenir, or a Hoax?
21 November, 2016 - 14:57 Natalia Klimczak

The Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca Head: Evidence for Ancient Roman Transatlantic Voyages, a Viking Souvenir, or a Hoax?

A mysterious terracotta artifact known as the Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca head was discovered in Mexico, but it looks exactly like well-known Roman artifacts. How did this enigmatic object arrive in Toluca...
Golden Gifts to a Sea God: The Broighter Hoard and Its Mysterious Golden Boat
20 November, 2016 - 21:55 Natalia Klimczak

Golden Gifts to a Sea God: The Broighter Hoard and Its Mysterious Golden Boat

The golden treasure called the Broighter Hoard was found at the site of Lough Foyle, near Limavady in Northern Ireland at the end of the 19th century. Its discoverers couldn't believe their eyes when...
Star Maps and the Secrets of Senenmut: Astronomical Ceilings and the Hopi Vision of Earth
18 November, 2016 - 14:48 Thomas O. Mills

Star Maps and the Secrets of Senenmut: Astronomical Ceilings and the Hopi Vision of Earth

The builders of the pyramid complex in Egypt had a very good astronomer. We call him Senenmut (the Mother’s Brother, or the Uncle). Today, our astronomers are so good that they build computer...
Does the Ipuwer Papyrus Provide Evidence for the Events of the Exodus?
6 November, 2016 - 13:49 marinasohma

Does the Ipuwer Papyrus Provide Evidence for the Events of the Exodus?

The Ipuwer papyrus, also known as the ‘Admonitions of Ipuwer’, is a controversial text that describes starvation, drought, death, and violent upheavals in ancient Egypt, with some maintaining that it...
Upcycling Ancient Beauty – How Precious Stones, Monuments, and Jewels Have Been Re-Used
6 November, 2016 - 02:51 Natalia Klimczak

Upcycling Ancient Beauty – How Precious Stones, Monuments, and Jewels Have Been Re-Used

Sculptures, monuments, jewels, and even floors of churches and palaces… Impressive artifacts, outstanding pieces of art, and treasures which could satisfy even the most demanding person... Many of...
Behistun Inscription, The Rosetta Stone of Persia
2 November, 2016 - 20:46 dhwty

Behistun Inscription, The Rosetta Stone of Persia

The Behistun Inscription is an engraving located on the cliff of Mount Behistun (said to have had the meaning of ‘place where the gods dwell’ in antiquity). This inscription was written in three...

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