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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 Lion Attacking a Dromedary diorama.
19 April, 2017 - 18:49 Theodoros Karasavvas

Grisly Find of Human Remains in a Famous Museum Diorama: Whose Skull is on Display?

The Lion Attacking a Dromedary , formerly known as the Arab Courier Attacked by Lions , has attracted thousands of museum-goers for over a hundred years. Now it is at the Carnegie Museum of Natural...
The Fool’s Cap Map of the World.
19 April, 2017 - 13:56 dhwty

Cartographic Comedy in the 16th century: The Fool’s Cap Map of the World

The Fool’s Cap Map of the World is an engraving of a map of the world, and is thought to have been made towards the end of the 16th century. This map is peculiar as it is framed within the hood /...
‘Merlyn’ a wizard.
16 April, 2017 - 14:09 ashley cowie

A Spellbinding Story of Discovery: A Medieval Grave for a Wizard and a Magical Artifact

Powerful wizards, warlocks, and sorcerers wielding supernatural staffs and spells have captivated our imaginations for thousands of years. Characters like Merlin, Gandalf, Dumbledore, and Yoda are...
Pyramid of Pepi II with smaller pyramids for the queens Neith, Iput II and Udjebten.
16 April, 2017 - 02:00 Natalia Klimczak

Documenting 6th Dynasty Pharaohs: The Significant Inscription on the South Saqqara Stone

The sands of Egypt still cover many secrets. One such example was unearthed in the desert in Saqqara, which is now a part of Cairo. The stories of the people who lived there more than 5000 years ago...
The Tărtăria Tablets
14 April, 2017 - 14:01 Clyde Winters

Are the Tărtăria Tablets Actually Written in Hungarian?

Archaeologists in Bulgaria have found writing that dates back 5000 years. This writing, found inscribed in clay, is called the Tărtăria Tablets by M.R. Reese. Reese makes it clear for Ancient Origins...
A photo of the Kushim Tablet.
12 April, 2017 - 01:59 dhwty

Leaving A Mark in History: The Oldest Known Named Person

The oldest named person that we know belongs to an individual from Sumer, one of the earliest urban civilisations in southern Mesopotamia, in present day Iraq. A person’s name is an integral part of...
An artist’s representation of a pyramid with UFOs.
6 April, 2017 - 13:58 Theodoros Karasavvas

UFOs Over Ancient Egypt? Revealing the Mysterious Story of the Tulli Papyrus

The so called “Tulli Papyrus” is an enigmatic text that some describe as the first written account of a UFO sighting. This Egyptian text records an event which supposedly occurred during the 18th...
Japanese parade helmet, made from iron, gilded copper, lacquered leather, silk
3 April, 2017 - 18:57 dhwty

More Than Metal: Amazing Historical Suits of Armor

Armor was commonly used by warriors for protection during combat. In the history of warfare, various types of armor have been used. Some of these, such as the lorica segmentata of the Roman...
Terra Cotta Soldiers (CC BY 2.0), and Qin Shi Huang in a 19th century portrait (Public Domain);Deriv.
2 April, 2017 - 14:06 Shibumi

The King Who Made War Illegal! Challenging the Official History of The Art of War and the Terra Cotta Army–Part II

Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of a unified China. His remarkable success in ending 200 years of war and founding the empire through peaceful means had followed a methodology fully articulated...
Catapulta by Edward Poynter
31 March, 2017 - 18:54 Kerry Sullivan

Were Catapults the Secret to Roman Military Success?

The Roman Empire conquered the known world in large part due to its army. The Roman Army was a formidable force of training and discipline led by military minds who established organizational and...
A Sri Lankan version of the urumi, with multiple blades.
29 March, 2017 - 18:59 dhwty

A Flexible and Deadly Blade: The Dangerous Urumi

The urumi (which may be literally translated as ‘curling blade’,) is a type of weapon from India. This weapon is known also as ‘surul vaal’, which means ‘spring sword’). As its name suggests, this...
Drinking Horn by Brynjólfur Jónsson of Skarð, South Iceland – 1598
29 March, 2017 - 01:58 ancient-origins

Icelandic Drinking Horn Changes Our Historic Understanding of Saint Olav

After the Reformation, Norway's Olav Haraldsson was no longer supposed to be worshipped as a saint. An Icelandic drinking horn offers some clues on how the saint's status changed over time. Drinking...
This rare ritual mask fuses together the exotic beauty of Luba with the hypnotic power of Songye art.
26 March, 2017 - 18:56 ashley cowie

Half A Million Dollar Mask With Otherworldly Origins

Deep in the Congo, at the darkest moment within a three-day long drug enhanced ritual, this mask is revealed to initiates as representing a being from another dimension, a collision of man, animal...
A 13th century, double-edged sword, possibly of German manufacture but discovered in England in the 19th century (British Museum 1858,1116.5)
25 March, 2017 - 17:50 ashley cowie

The Encoded Crusader Sword: Can You Solve the Cryptic Code?

Can you solve the cryptic code engraved into the blade of this 13th century sword? The curious inscription continues to baffle historians, cryptographers ad linguists and last year the British...
The 130-million-year-old fossil.
23 March, 2017 - 21:57 ashley cowie

The 130-Million-Year-Old Human Fossil Heist

In 2016, a telephone interview with an artefact collector led me to uncover a scientific conspiracy of Biblical proportions. Professors are the high priests of our technology driven society, but as...
Old Symbols, New Feelings: How Did the Cup of Ptolemies Become a Chalice of Christ?
21 March, 2017 - 18:00 Kerry Sullivan

Old Symbols, New Feelings: How Did the Cup of Ptolemies Become a Chalice of Christ?

It is always interesting to see how ancient traditions persist even up to the modern era. Whether it is the resurgence of Eastern meditation practices in modern healthcare or the lingering presence...
The Mysterious Lithophones of Vietnam: Descendants of the First Musical Instruments?
20 March, 2017 - 21:57 dhwty

The Mysterious Lithophones of Vietnam: Descendants of the First Musical Instruments?

The word ‘lithophone’ is derived from two Greek words, ‘lithos’ and ‘phone’. The first can be translated as ‘stone’, whilst the second means ‘sound’. Therefore, a lithophone may be said to be a ‘...
Herbs to Kill or Heal? Was this 17th Century Faux-Book for a Poisoner or Apothecary?
20 March, 2017 - 17:58 Kerry Sullivan

Secret Stash of Lethal Poisons Hidden in 17th Century Book. Was This Really an Assassin's Cabinet?

When photos of the faux-book first began to circulate online it was considered a hoax. The image was featured on the ArtefactPorn subreddit and commenters quickly denounced it as a fake, a mere...
Tutankhamun’s silver trumpet with wooden insert. Tutankhamun’s War Chest by Asaf Braverman
16 March, 2017 - 17:58 Caleb Strom

Instruments of Mass Destruction: Do Tutankhamun’s Trumpets Really Summon War?

In 1922, the tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered in Egypt by an expedition led by the archaeologist Howard Carter. The discoveries made in uncovering the largely untouched tomb provided a wealth of...
Can You Solve the Mystery Behind This Intricately Carved Skull?
15 March, 2017 - 17:53 Kerry Sullivan

Can You Solve the Mystery Behind This Intricately Carved Skull?

Experts from a wide array of organizations are examining an intricately carved skull discovered in an antique shop in Vienna in 2011. The skull, believed to be 300 years old, is completely covered...
Common Tools or Ancient Advanced Technology? How Did the Egyptians Bore Through Granite?
13 March, 2017 - 17:48 Caleb Strom

Common Tools or Ancient Advanced Technology? How Did the Egyptians Bore Through Granite?

Ancient Egypt is known for many technological and artistic achievements, constructing pyramids and temples, inventing a system of writing, hieroglyphs, and making advancements in medicine, astronomy...
The Mastermyr Chest.
12 March, 2017 - 01:48 Caleb Strom

Perfected Designs 1000 Years Ago? The Mastermyr Chest and the Timelessness of Everyday Tools

In archaeology, the most enduring and ubiquitous artifacts are often everyday items such as pots and simple tools. These items also tend to be used for the longest period of time. Even though the...
Bluetooth Before the Internet: What Ideas Are Transmitted by the Jelling Stones of Denmark?
11 March, 2017 - 22:50 Riley Winters

Bluetooth Before the Internet: What Ideas Are Transmitted by the Jelling Stones of Denmark?

Harald Bluetooth survives history as among the most famous Viking chieftains, primarily because his personal rune stone has been repurposed for the Bluetooth software programmed into our phones, cars...
How Were They Made? Unlocking the 500-Year-Old Secret to Gothic Miniature Boxwood Carvings
10 March, 2017 - 18:55 Theodoros Karasavvas

How Were They Made? Unlocking the 500-Year-Old Secret to Gothic Miniature Boxwood Carvings

A mystery that lasted for nearly five centuries was finally solved with the assistance of modern technology. The magnificent 16th century miniature boxwood carvings that had been puzzling viewers and...

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