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14th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani. (Public domain)

Eight of the Most Powerful Mythical Objects in History

Myths and legends abound with exciting tales of mystical objects and powerful artifacts that unlock great power and unimaginable treasures. From the Chintamani stone of Hindu mythology to the Spear...
The mass grave in Dahwa, Oman, where prehistoric silver jewelry was unearthed, along with pottery, stone containers, and personal ornaments

“Intriguing” Prehistoric Silver Jewelry in Omani Tomb Evidence of Regional Trade

Several important archaeological discoveries that shed light on ancient trade settlements in the Oman region have been unearthed by nearly a decade of excavations at a site from the early Bronze Age...
Ancient Egyptian amulet seal discovered in Turkey. Source: AA Photo

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...
Researchers generated a virtual sequence to unfold a sealed letter protected via letterlocking. Source: Unlocking History Research Group / CC BY 4.0

Securing Ancient Secrets: The Fascinating History of Letterlocking

Communication through written word existed long before the days of text messages and DMs, and even then some kind of security was needed to protect people’s secrets. When we think of a handwritten...
George Henderson holding the priory seal matrix; close up of the seal; Butley Priory that the seal represents.   Source: Hansons Auctioneers

10-Year-Old Metal Detectorist Unearths Rare 13th Century Seal Matrix

A 10-year-old boy from Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire has joined the ranks of the United Kingdom’s most successful and well-known metal detectorists. While out searching in a field in Woodbridge...
7,000-Year-Old Seal Found in Israel Signed For Deliveries!

7,000-Year-Old Seal Found in Israel Signed For Deliveries!

Not everyone is well versed with the name Tel Tsaf, a prehistoric village in the stunning Beit She’an Valley in North Israel. They may be now, as some 150 clay sealings, dating back to 7,000 years...
Skeleton of a 30–40 year-old woman with a decorated  ivory button on her chest, from the first tomb

Unique Cyprus Death Cult Treasures Uncovered at Mass Burial Site

Excavators in Cyprus have discovered a series of “sensational finds” of death cult artifacts dating to 3,500 years ago, during the Bronze Age. A vessel used as a cult funerary object, a seal with...
Main: Medieval Woman. Source: moredix / Adobe Stock Inset: The medieval seal of a young woman was found in Buckinghamshire, England. Source: Oxfordshire County Council

Silver Signature: Medieval Seal Brings a Woman’s Life to Light

Sometimes a small archaeological find can provide really important insights into our past. A metal detectorist found a tiny artifact that belonged to women who lived in the 14th century in Britain. A...
The Pope’s seal found in Shropshire, England, (British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme) belonged to Pope Innocent IV. (Public Domain)

Warrior Pope’s Seal is 1.5 Millionth Archaeological Find in Britain!

A metal detectorist has unearthed the 1.5 millionth archaeological artifact to be found by the public in Britain under a government-backed scheme. This item is one of great historic interest. It is a...
Stamp seal found in the excavation of a parking lot in Jerusalem depicts a person believed to be a king sitting on a chair, with columns which probably represent the Babylonian gods Nabu and Marduk. The finds may provide clues as to the resettlement of the city by the Jews after the Babylonian Exile. Source: (Shai Halevy / Israel Antiquities Authority)

Seals Tell of Jewish Return to Jerusalem After Babylonian Exile

In Jerusalem, the discovery of two homemade seals may provide unprecedented insights into an extremely critical period in Jewish history and the Bible . The artifact is showing that the city remained...
Golden seal excavated from the Ming battlefield site on the Jiangkou stretch of the Minjiang River in Meishan City, southwest China.  Source: Xinhua / Liu Kun

Over 10,000 Extremely Rare Relics Unearthed From Ming Battlefield

Chinese archaeologists have made a historic discovery. Along with thousands of other artifacts, they have unearthed a very rare gold imperial seal that was possibly used by the heir apparent of an...
Clan Campbell seal matrix of Sir John Campbell of Cawdor.    Source: Sarah Lambert-Gates & Darko Maricevic ̌ / Antiquity Publications Ltd

Lost Clan Campbell Seal Reveals Clues to Scottish Feud

Archaeologists in Scotland excavating a castle on the western isles have discovered a seal matrix forged in a time of great struggle between the clan Campbell and clan MacDonald. In the early 17th-...
Chinese jade dragon seal (representational)

The Lost Heirloom Seal of China's First Emperor

The Heirloom Seal of the Realm (known also as the Heirloom Seal of the First Emperor, or the Imperial Seal of China) is a Chinese artifact that is now lost. This artifact was a jade seal created by...
Was King Solomon really the author of the Key of Solomon?

Grimoires by a Biblical King? The Magical Treatise of Solomon and the Key of Solomon

The ‘Magical Treatise of Solomon’ and the ‘ Key of Solomon’ are two grimoires (magic handbooks) commonly said to have been written by the biblical King Solomon . The latter grimoire has been...
The 'Natan-Melech/Eved Hamelech' seal found in the City of David, Jerusalem.

Telling Seal Unearthed in Jerusalem Names Biblical Figure

Archaeologists in Israel have announced an amazing discovery that could add further evidence for the historicity of the Bible. Two beautifully crafted seals found in Jerusalem are providing new...
5,000-year-old musical scene found on pottery in Israel

5,000-year-old musical scene found on pottery in Israel may reflect sacred marriage ritual

Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority working at Bet Ha-‘Emeq have discovered a shard from an early Bronze Age storage vessel depicting scenes from what seems to be a ‘sacred marriage...
The ring found by gardener Dekel Ben-Shitrit thought to depict St. Nicholas with a bishop's crook.

Medieval Ring Unearthed in the Shadow of Armageddon

A rare 700-year-old bronze ring bearing a tiny image of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of pilgrims and travelers, was dug up in a routine weeding exercise in northern Israel. Gardener Dekel Ben-Shitrit...
This 2,700-year-old seal impression contains the Hebrew name for "Isaiah" and may refer to the biblical prophet who lived at the same time.

The Mark of a Prophet? This May Be the Signature of Isaiah

Back in 2009, archaeologists working near Temple Mount came across a collection of clay seals. One was identified in 2015 as belonging to King Hezekiah, an 8th century BC biblical king. Now, another...
The excavation site at Tell Edfu (with the temple of Horus and the modern town of Edfu in the background).

Archaeologists get a Glimpse of Everyday Life in an Ancient Egyptian Royal Outpost

Hieroglyphic sealings, mudbrick buildings, storage containers, and small pieces of copper provide archaeologists with a glimpse into life in a Nile Valley settlement during the Old Kingdom of ancient...
Charter of Henry II: 1171-2.

Might This Small Ancient Manuscript Give Post-Brexit Bristolians Entry to Dublin?

Did you know that Bristolians are entitled to live in Dublin thanks to an 846-year-old charter written by King Henry II which has never been revoked? In other words, people from Bristol could remain...
The most recent seal found at the excavation site near the Western Wall, Jerusalem.

Is this Seal More Evidence for the Biblical Account of Jerusalem?

Israeli archaeologists announced the discovery of a 2,700-year-old clay seal of “immense archaeological value” near the plaza of the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, five years after the...
The Pylos Combat Agate, an ancient object found in Pylos, Greece and created around 1450 BC.

Is this Minoan Artistic Marvel a Miniaturization of the Heavens?

The discovery of the Pylos Combat Agate in a Mycenaean shaft-grave tomb dating to 1500 BC may be one of the most significant archaeological and artistic finds in decades, perhaps in centuries. The...
The tiny sealstone depicting warriors in battle measures just 1.4 inches across but contains incredible detail.

Stunning Minoan Gemstone Owned by a Bronze Age Warrior Rewrites the History of Ancient Greek Art

In the more than two years since University of Cincinnati researchers unearthed the 3,500-year-old tomb of a Bronze Age warrior in southwest Greece, an incredible trove of riches has emerged,...
Ali Al Meqbali and Abdulla Al Kaabi with Dilmun storage jar fragments unearthed from Sir Bani Yas.

Clear Evidence of 4,000-Year-Old Trading Post Unearthed Near Abu Dhabi

A team of archaeologists has uncovered amazing evidence of a 4,000-year-old trading post on Sir Bani Yas island, off Abu Dhabi's coast. The excavations focused on a stone-constructed building at a...

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