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The Knaresborough Hoard, image.	Source: Courtesy of the Yorkshire Museum/Newcastle University

Knaresborough Hoard Reveals Long- Forgotten Secrets

Archaeologists from Newcastle University have recently concluded the first, in-depth investigation of the most extensive Roman bronze vessel hoard ever unearthed in Britain - a staggering 160 years...
Christmas Pudding on a plate surrounded by candle and decorations.	Source: Sławomir Fajer/Adobe Stock

How the Christmas Pudding Became an Iconic British Dish

Troy Bickham /The Conversation As an American living in Britain in the 1990s, my first exposure to Christmas pudding was something of a shock. I had expected figs or plums, as in the “ We Wish You a...
Aerial image of Danebury Fort, an Iron Age hillfort in Hampshire, England. Source: Hampshire Hub and University of Southampton/OGL v1.0OGL v1.0

Danebury Fort, the Formidable Home of Iron Age Britons

Danebury Fort, also known simply as Danebury, is an Iron Age hillfort located in Hampshire, England. It is one of the most extensively studied hillforts in Britain and is known for its archaeological...
Top image: Queen Elizabeth I. Source: Eduardo / Adobe Stock.

Queen Elizabeth I: Unmarried & Out for Blood (Video)

On Queen Elizabeth I's 27th birthday, she had been ruling England for just two years, a feat that stirred both support and skepticism. The notion of a woman holding such power fueled whispers of...
Three stacks of French love letters bound together by a ribbon, were finally opened by Cambridge University professor Renaud Morieux at the national archives, Kew. Source: The National Archives / Renaud Morieux

18th Century Love Letters Written to French Sailors Finally Opened and Read

More than two-and-a-half centuries after they were originally composed, more than 100 letters sent to members of the French navy by their loved ones have finally been opened and read. The messages...
50 BC coin bearing the name Esunertos, a previously unknown Iron Age British king.	Source: Spinks Auctions

A New Iron Age King in Britain? Gold Coin Found Stamped with the Name 'Esunertos'

Britain’s history may have just undergone a significant addition, thanks to the remarkable discovery of a coin bearing the name of a forgotten Iron Age ruler. The coin was unearthed by a metal...
Bodiam Castle, England. Source: veneratio / Adobe Stock.

The Incredible Evolution Of The British Castle Explained (Video)

The evolution of the British castle is a fascinating tale. Castles were initially fortified places, serving as private residences for individuals rather than defenses for communities. Iron Age...
Indian martial arts fighters. Source: Zzvet / Adobe Stock.

India’s Ancient Martial Art Feared by the British Raj (Video)

Sanatan Shastar Vidya is an ancient martial art that traces its roots back thousands of years in northern India . Originally developed as a comprehensive system of combat techniques, it has evolved...
English Queen. Source: Kathy / Adobe Stock.

Was Anne of Cleves Too Ugly for King Henry VIII? (Video)

Anne of Cleves , the fourth wife of King Henry VIII , has been historically portrayed as the wife who was too ugly for the king. But was she really that unattractive, or is this just a case of...
King of Malaysia Yang di-Pertuan Agong (center). Source: Wazari Wazir / Flickr

Malaysia Has a Rotating Monarchy Where 9 Royal Families Take Turns to Rule

Malaysia has one of the most interesting political systems, which, although a modern construct, is rooted in pre-colonial historical origins. With eight sultans and one raja (king) swapping the...
Royalty examining a pineapple. Source: peopleimages.com/ Adobe Stock

British Aristocrats Rented Pineapples by the Hour to Display Their Status

Who would have thought that a few centuries ago, an everyday fruit like the pineapple, would be a symbol of wealth, status and good breeding? Worth thousands to buy, the precious pineapple was far...
How megalithic builders in the UK probably designed stone structures using experimental archaeology.		Source: Author provided

The Silent Language of the Megalithic Builders

Our understanding of the methods of design involved before any British prehistoric structure was physically built, that is from the moment when its form had been conceived in someone’s mind up to the...
Greta’s skull was for the longest time viewed as the oldest British skull until it was carbon dated and proven to be a medieval skull. Source: David Adkins / DerbyShireLive

‘Oldest’ British Skull Revealed to be Decapitated Woman from Norman Conquest

Lost for years, the “oldest British skull” ever to be found was finally traced and shockingly exposed as a fraud! Radiocarbon dating of Greta, the skull unearthed by workers at what were then the...
British Metal Detectorist Reunites Stolen Ancient Treasure with Owner

British Metal Detectorist Reunites Stolen Ancient Treasure with Owner

A couple weeks ago Mr. Charles Cartwright, an amateur British metal detectorist, took his machine out for an inaugural search in a field in Doddenham, Worcestershire, England. He’d been out for about...
Aerial shot of the Cerne Abbas Giant.            Source: Dorset Council / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Tests Reveal True Age of Naked Cerne Abbas Giant

After a year of work, archaeologists in the United Kingdom have completed their scientific tests to determine the age of a giant figure cut into the chalk of a hill. This figure, known as the Cerne...
A figure wearing a face mask in St Albans Cathedral

New Masked Carving in St Albans Cathedral Restoration is Distasteful

St Albans Cathedral in Hertfordshire is the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain and work to restore its rare medieval shrine has just been completed. But the addition of a new...
A ‘Cult of Saints’ Meant Plentiful Sainthoods For Celtic Aristocracy

A ‘Cult of Saints’ Meant Plentiful Sainthoods For Celtic Aristocracy

Dark Age Britain was apparently full of “saints”…well, at least hundreds of people gained membership into the ‘cult of saints’ at that time. Up to 3-4 percent of aristocrats may have been awarded...
British Ghost Ship Wrecked In ‘Nightmare Reef’ To Be Investigated

British Ghost Ship Wrecked In ‘Nightmare Reef’ To Be Investigated

Last year maritime archaeologists in Mexico dived into the wreck of a 200-years-old British ship after it was neglected for almost two decades. But as soon as the current Covid-19 restrictions ease...
The worn cast copper alloy Chinese coin, from the Northern Song dynasty (960 AD to 1127 AD), minted during the Xining reign between 1068 and 1077 AD, and found in Britain

Out of Place Chinese Coins Prompt Wonder: Did Medieval Asia and Britain Interact?

Britain’s antiquities experts have mostly written them off as a loss from a curated collection, but the presence of two Chinese Northern Song dynasty (960 - 1127 AD) coins unearthed at separate sites...
The tin of Boer War chocolates recently found among the papers of Banjo Paterson, Australia's most famous poet.    Source: National Library of Australia

Poet’s 120-Year-Old Chocolates Found In Australia’s National Library

While going through the personal papers of the famous Australian poet, author, and newspaper correspondent Andrew Barton “Banjo” Paterson, conservators at the National Library of Australia discovered...
Raised Celtic Settlement May Be Aftermath of Boudica’s Rebellion

Raised Celtic Settlement May Be Aftermath of Boudica’s Rebellion

An Iron Age village that was deliberately destroyed in England might have been torched in response to Queen Boudicca´s legendary rebellion against invading Roman conquerors. Constructed with wattle-...
Mother Shipton's Cave

Mother Shipton’s Cave of Magic, Mystery, and Prophecy

According to legend, one of the most famous mystical women of England was born in a cave in Knaresborough, Yorkshire. The place of her birth, now known as Mother Shipton’s Cave, continues to be a...
Representation of Hengist and Horsa.           Source: Brambilla Simone / Adobe stock

Invasion of Britain by Brothers Hengist and Horsa: Truth or Legend?

Hengist and Horsa were a pair of brothers mentioned in British history. According to legend, they were the leaders of the first Germanic settlers (or Anglo-Saxons ) of Britain. They are believed to...
A probable Iron Age or Roman enclosed settlement (red arrows) and associated field system (blue arrows) revealed by LiDAR data but hidden today beneath woodland.       Source: University of Exeter

Armchair Indiana Joneses Find Ancient Sites Using LiDAR During Lockdown

Volunteer archaeologists working from home are revealing hitherto uncharted prehistoric burial mounds, Roman roads and medieval farms, using LiDAR technology. An innovative project is underway...

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