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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. 

Carnyx from the recently discovered Tintignac group.

The Carnyx: Ancient Trumpet Leading Celtic Warriors to Battle

The carnyx is an ancient musical instrument that best-known to have been used by the Celts during the Iron Age. Between 300 BC and 200 AD, the carnyx was used in many parts of Europe. In the ancient...
Unraveling the Mystery behind the Raimondi Stele

Unraveling the Mystery behind the Raimondi Stele

The Raimondi Stele is an artifact that was made by the Chavín culture, which was a prehistoric civilization that developed between 1500 and 300 BC in Peru. The Raimondi Stele is said to have been...
Chiseling Away at the Mystery of the Neanderthal Mask of La Roche-Cotard

Chiseling Away at the Mystery of the Neanderthal Mask of La Roche-Cotard

A piece of flat flint may have been shaped by the hands of a Neanderthal who once lived near the cave La Roche-Cotard in the territory of Langeais, France. Many people see a face in this artifact,...
The Kusanagi: Unseen Legendary Japanese Sword

The Kusanagi: Unseen Legendary Japanese Sword

The Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (translated as Grass-cutting Sword or Herb-quelling Sword ) is a legendary Japanese sword. This weapon, commonly referred to simply as The Kusanagi , is one of the three...
Tracing the Origins of the Infamous Ouija Board

Tracing the Origins of the Infamous Ouija Board

The Ouija board (known also as a Spirit board or Talking board) is a type of board commonly believed to enable its users to communicate with the spirit world. A Ouija board usually has the letters of...
Artwork showing the Dhammazedi Bell.

Lost Treasure: The Search for the Great Golden Bell of Dhammazedi

The Great Bell of Dhammazedi is claimed to be the biggest bell in the world. The creation of this bell was ordered by a 15th century king of the Hanthawaddy Kingdom (a state occupying part of modern...
Hermas as Guidance and Protection for Travelers in Ancient Greece.

Herma as Guidance and Protection for Travelers in Ancient Greece

The herma (more commonly written in English as herm; plural as hermae or hermai) was a form of statuary that originated in ancient Greece. In general, these statues were stone columns that...
Celestial Maps of Gegham Mountain: The Unique Rock Art of Armenia

Celestial Maps of Gegham Mountain: The Unique Rock Art of Armenia

In the volcanic Gegham and Vardenis Mountains of Armenia, architect Suren Petrosyan discovered unique and mysterious astrological rock art paintings. Experts have different opinions on the creation...
The London Stone, seen through its protective grille.

The Forgotten History of the London Stone, an Artifact Linked to Aeneas, King Arthur, and John Dee

The London Stone is a historic artifact that can be found on London’s Cannon Street. This mysterious relic is basically a block of limestone. This type of limestone does not occur naturally in or...
Celadon: Appreciating Pottery for its Aesthetic Value and Magical Qualities

Celadon: Appreciating Pottery for its Aesthetic Value and Magical Qualities

Celadon pottery (also known simply as ‘celadon’) is a type of ceramic that originated in ancient China. Celadon is well-known for its jade-like color, which it obtains due to the glaze that is...
Magical Rings and Their Mystical Powers

Magical Rings and Their Mystical Powers

Treasures are not always large gold hoards or mountains of precious stones. A treasure can also be a highly precious artifact such as the Ark of the Covenant, the Spear of Longinus, and the Sword of...
The ark that contains the Sudarium of Oviedo.

The Shroud of Oviedo: A Legendary Cloth Connected to the Death of Jesus

The Sudarium of Oviedo, also known as the Shroud of Oviedo is one of the most important relics of Christianity. It is believed to be a cloth which was wrapped around Jesus’ head after his death. The...
Plaster face of an older Amarna-era woman

The Unique Sculptures of Thutmose…and a Secret Love for One of His Muses?

When leaving his workshop in Amarna, the sculptor Thutmose may have wanted to forget something very painful. A story which may have been carved in his heart perhaps? He decided not to take some of...
Unfolding the Golden Nuggets of Early Chinese Paper Folding and the Art of Origami

Unfolding the Golden Nuggets of Early Chinese Paper Folding and the Art of Origami

Paper folding is a form of art that most people today associate with Japan. Indeed, Japanese origami is arguably the most well-known type of paper folding today. What is perhaps less well-known is...
Detail of the Laxe dos Carballos  at Campo Lameiro, Galicia, Spain

A Walk Amongst the Petroglyphs of Galicia: Prehistoric Designs Trace Life and Times of Bronze Age Europeans

From the Upper Palaeolithic and down through the Neolithic, the Chalcolithic and into the Bronze Age, our ancestors in western Europe left behind traces of their thoughts and beliefs through rock art...
Part of a Naval Battle Scroll from the Imjin War.

Not a Shot in the Dark: How Crossbows Changed War in Ancient China

The crossbow is a missile weapon that had a major impact on the way battles were fought in the ancient world. Prior to the widespread use of crossbows, it was the bow and arrow that was the...
A picture of an Egyptian woman applying kohl to her eyes.

Bygone Beauty and Body: The Origins of Cosmetics in the Ancient World

Cosmetics may be defined as “substances that you put on your face or body that are intended to improve your appearance”. The desire to improve one’s appearance is something that seems to be...
A painting depicting women inspecting silk, early 12th century, ink and color on silk, by Emperor Huizong of Song.

The Legend of Leizu and the Origins of Luxurious Chinese Silk

Leizu (嫘祖), known also as Lady Hsi Ling Shih (西陵氏) is a legendary figure in Chinese history credited with the discovery of silk and the invention of the silk loom. Silk is undoubtedly one of the most...
Stone at Newgrange and Celtic with X symbol

Research Decodes Ancient Celtic Astronomy Symbols and Links them to Jungian Archetypes

My nonprofit educational corporation, The Celtic Collection Program, exhibits the largest privately owned collection of Celtic artifacts in the United States. When we started purchasing the artifacts...
Jade Cong, c. 2500 B.C.E., Liangzhu culture, Neolithic period, China (British Museum)

Elaborate Jade ‘Cong’ and ‘Bi’ as Grave Goods of the Liangzhu Culture

The Liangzhu culture (written in Chinese as 良渚文化) is a Neolithic culture that existed from around 3300 BC until 2300 BC. The archaeological evidence suggests that the Liangzhu culture possessed...
A 4 Falus coin from Morocco, dated AH 1290 (1873/4 CE).

The Significance of the Sacred Seal of Solomon and its Symbols

The Seal of Solomon (known also as the Ring of Solomon) is believed to be a signet ring that belonged to King Solomon of Israel. This ring is thought by some to have magical powers, and it originates...
Chancay burial dolls.

Chancay Burial Dolls: Ancient Peruvian Grave Goods of a Lost Culture

Chancay burial ‘dolls’ are a type of grave goods that were used by the Chancay culture, a pre-Columbian civilization located in modern day Peru. This civilization was based mainly in the valleys of...
Detail of altar frontal (antependium}, France or Italy, 1730-1740. Silk satin with silk and metallic-thread embroidery, guipure and gaufrure.

Stitching the Story of Cutwork Embroidery, One of the Most Luxurious Goods in Europe

Different types of embroidery are known in the history of every single civilization. It seems that people liked to create beautiful personal adornments almost since the beginning of time. Cutwork is...
The Tereshchenko and Hope Diamonds, two rare, blue, and world famous diamonds.

Dazzling and Dangerous? Examining the History of the Exquisite Hope Diamond

The Hope Diamond is one of the most well-known diamonds in the world. This famous diamond has been on exhibition in the National Museum of Natural History (which is administered by the Smithsonian...

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