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Other Artifacts

Other Artifacts covers many items which have been recovered from the past and give us insights into ancient human worlds. From loaded Roman dice to the Shroud of Turin, these items help tell the stories of the varied culture and everyday lives of our ancestors. 

The discovery of a cache of Aztec ritual offerings, including the remains of a Mexican wolf dressed as a warrior (seen here), has lead experts to believe they may have found the tomb of an Aztec king. Source: Mirsa Islas / INAH
26 November, 2022 - 02:01 ashley cowie

Sacrificed Animals Dressed as Warriors Point to Tomb of Aztec King

Researchers conducting excavations in Mexico City found a series of boxes containing Aztec treasures. Inside they discovered a cache of Aztec ritual offerings, including child remains, precious...
Celtic gold coins stolen during museum heist in Germany from the Celtic Museum in Manching. Source: Alex / CC BY-SA 2.0
25 November, 2022 - 17:23 Sahir

Disastrous German Museum Heist Scoops Gold Coins Worth Millions

In a museum heist that seems lifted straight from a movie screen, thieves made off with a collection of ancient Celtic gold coins from the Celtic and Roman Museum in the town of Manching in Bavaria...
Sonar imagery of the shipwreck discovered in Lake Mjøsa suggests it has a distinct bow and stern with a central rudder, which would make it a medieval boat dating to some time after the 1300s. Source: FFI / NTNU
25 November, 2022 - 13:59 Nathan Falde

Sonar Spots Up To 700-Year-Old Shipwreck Deep in Norwegian Lake

Marine archaeologists from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) have discovered the sunken remains of what looks like a medieval-era shipwreck 1,350 feet (410 m) below the...
The controversial Sponsian coin. Source: The Hunterian / University of Glasgow
24 November, 2022 - 18:00 Sahir

‘Fake’ Gold Coins Prove Roman Emperor Sponsian Was Real

For many years, a hoard of Roman coins uncovered in Transylvania in 1713 were thought to be forgeries, with the ancient coinage displaying the name of an apparently “lost” emperor known as Sponsian...
Astrolabe tile fragments recovered at Lambsar castle. Source: ILNA / Tehran Times
23 November, 2022 - 17:57 Sahir

Astrolabe Tile Fragments Recovered from the Lambsar Castle of the Hashshasins

Lambsar Castle, representing the gargantuan castle in the popular ‘Assassin’s Creed’ franchise, has yielded stunning astrolabe tile fragments during excavations. Located in the Central Alburz...
Two of the creepily preserved Venzone mummies. With normal decomposition, teeth tend to fall out several weeks after death. Source: Left; Joadl / CC BY SA 3.0 Right; Joadl / CC BY SA 3.0
23 November, 2022 - 00:55 Lex Leigh

What Caused the Natural Mummification of the Mummies of Venzone?

Italy is famous for many things, but did you know it’s also famous for mummies? The Venzone mummies are a collection of over forty mummies found in Venzone, Italy in the 17th century. Although these...
Metal detectorists have unearthed a hoard of medieval coins, like this Edward I penny. Source: Public domain
22 November, 2022 - 21:57 ashley cowie

Scottish Detectorists Swoop Over 8,000 Medieval Coins

Metal detectorists in Scotland have unearthed thousands of 13th and 14th century coins. Dubbed the Dunscore hoard, this amazing find is the largest hoard of medieval coins to have been discovered in...
Left: front view of the Helmet of Coțofenești Right: Side view of the mythological creatures on the helmet. Source: Left: National Museum of Romanian History, GFDL Right: © Radu Oltean / Wikimedia Commons
22 November, 2022 - 13:54 Lex Leigh

Demystifying the Famous, Fierce, Golden Helmet of Coțofenești

In 1929, a small child discovered an intricate golden helmet in the Poiana Coțofenești village of Romania. Archaeologists determined that it was a stray find from a group of Thracian tribes that...
Striking the Right Note - Rare Bone Flute Unearthed in Kent
18 November, 2022 - 17:46 Sahir

Striking the Right Note - Rare Bone Flute Unearthed in Kent

A pre-development dig by Cotswold Archeology at Herne Bay in Kent, England, has uncovered evidence of settlement from the Bronze Age to the Roman period and again in the medieval period. One of the...
These terracotta figurines were unearthed by archaeologists from the Datong Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology from a tomb dating to the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) in Datong, Shanxi province. Source: China Daily
18 November, 2022 - 00:56 Sahir

Wei Dynasty Terracotta Figurines Enrich Our Knowledge of Ancient China

Datong, Shanxi province has now yielded a large number of terracotta figurines, dated 1,500-years-old in the latest round of archaeological finds - all from the tombs of the upper class. Due to where...
Left; Pillar Hall at Buto Temple, Right; Engraved ivory found at the site. Source: Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities
17 November, 2022 - 13:59 Nathan Falde

Pillars from 7th-Century BC Temple Discovered Under the ‘Mound of the Pharaohs’

A temple room including the remains of three standing pillars and many curious artifacts that date back to the seventh century BC have been uncovered from under a mound at the Tel al-Faraeen...
The Sarcophagus of the Spouses is an exquisite example of Etruscan art, and commentary on their society. Source: Sailko / CC BY SA 4.0
17 November, 2022 - 00:47 Robbie Mitchell

The Etruscan Sarcophagus of the Spouses: A Feast for the Dead

The Sarcophagus of the Spouses is considered to be one of the greatest masterpieces of Etruscan art. The Etruscans, who originated in Italy between the Arno and Tiber rivers, are well known for their...
Fantasy weapon set. Source: Zaleman / Adobe Stock
12 November, 2022 - 18:00 Joanna Gillan

18 Terrifying and Impressive Historic Weapons

There is no end to the multitude of close combat weapons , from swords to spears, scythes, pikes, maces, glaives, flails, partisans, and hundreds more. Often designed to inflict the greatest damage...
Unpolished lapis lazuli from Badakhshan province, Afghanistan. Source: Björn Wylezich / Adobe Stock
12 November, 2022 - 00:59 Sahir

The Brilliantly Blue Lapis Lazuli: Precious Gem Prized by Elites

In the recent past, a gem that is thought to be more precious than even gold, the elusive lapis lazuli , has received a bad reputation for being a source of illegal mining by the Taliban in...
Ancient Egyptian amulet seal discovered in Turkey. Source: AA Photo
11 November, 2022 - 17:50 Sahir

Mystical Egyptian Amulet Depicting Protective Deity Found in Turkey

Archaeologists excavating a Roman-era ruin in the ancient city of Amastris in Turkey have recently made the curious discovery of a talismanic amulet seal. The pyramid-shaped Egyptian amulet has...
Elaborate Box with Cartouche of Amenhotep III found in Tutankhamun’s tomb. (Dmitry Denisenkov / Flickr)
30 October, 2022 - 13:54 Joanna Gillan

25 Unbelievable Treasures from the Tomb of Tutankhamun You May Not Have Seen

Thanks to Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, there is no Pharaoh more well-known and well-loved than King Tut, the boy king , who died in 1323 BC at the age of 20. November...
Amber’s beauty and utility has been recognized since Neolithic times, being used in jewelry as well as medicine. Source: HJSchneider / Adobe Stock
29 October, 2022 - 18:59 Robbie Mitchell

Amber Through the Ages: Origin Myths, Medical Uses, and Beautiful Baubles

Amber, or succinite as a mineralogist might call it, hails from simple beginnings. It is simply fossilized tree sap. For something so humble, it has managed to captivate the human imagination for...
Source: Anadolu Agency
28 October, 2022 - 22:58 ashley cowie

Take Heed Of The Jovial Roman Skeleton

We’re back in Turkey for the second time this week. Having told the story of the excavation of the oldest church in the world, now we are covering the ancient Roman “Jovial skeleton”. Earlier this...
The Viking silver hoard from Stjørdal, Norway consists of a total of 46 objects in silver. Source: Birgit Maixner, NTNU Science Museum.
28 October, 2022 - 15:00 Sahir

Large Stash of Viking Silver Found in Central Norway

A rare collection of silver objects believed to be from the Viking Age (8th-11th century) has been discovered in central Norway’s Stjørdal, near Trondheim. Buried barely a few centimeters below the...
The historic Buddhist icon Emerald Buddha at Wat Phra Kaew temple. Source: JPSwimmer / CC BY-SA 3.0
24 October, 2022 - 22:56 Lex Leigh

The Sacred Emerald Buddha: A Message of Peace

The religion of Buddhism has several sacred icons, but one of the most sacred is the famous Emerald Buddha. Housed in a temple named after it, the Emerald Buddha is an essential aspect of Buddhist...
The armor of Henry II, King of France, ca. 1555 AD. This is one of the most elaborate and complete French parade armors. The surfaces are covered by dense foliate scrolls inhabited by human figures and a variety of creatures that derive from the Italian. Weight: 53 lb. 4 oz. (24.20 kg). Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public Domain.
22 October, 2022 - 18:55 Joanna Gillan

16 Insanely Cool Suits of Armor

We have likely all seen the stereotypical image of a knight in shining armor , but there is more to the world of armory than the steel plate armor we are often exposed to. Armor came in innumerable...
Thor’s Hammer amulet unearthed in Ysby, Sweden. Source: Patricia Torvalds/Radio Sweden
18 October, 2022 - 18:58 ashley cowie

“One Of A Kind” Thor’s Hammer Unearthed In Sweden

Archaeologists in Sweden have unearthed what they are calling a “one of its kind” Thor’s Hammer amulet. Loki's lies, Odin’s staff and Thor’s hammer (Mjölnir) are well known archetypes of Norse...
North gate of the city of Resafa, site of Hisham's palace and court. Source: Dario Bajurin / Adobe Stock
17 October, 2022 - 18:40 Robbie Mitchell

Hisham’s Palace: Insight into Early Islamic Architecture

Hisham’s Palace, or Khirbat Al Mafjar, is an important early Islamic archaeological site, and one of the few surviving antiquities of the Roman and Byzantine eras in the West Bank area. Located just...
The emerald is known as the gemstone of lovers. Source: Balazs / Adobe Stock
16 October, 2022 - 18:52 Robbie Mitchell

The Bloody Legacy of Emeralds – The Gemstone of Lovers

People are a lot like magpies. We like shiny things. Since the beginning, we have ascribed value to pretty rocks with little practical value. To try and explain their obsession with these stones...

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