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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 stone carvings found during a diving expedition near Aswan, Egypt.	Source: © Dr Cristian Craciun/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs Rediscovered Underwater Near Aswan

Archaeologists recently unveiled a remarkable discovery near Aswan, Egypt: rock carvings depicting ancient Egyptian pharaohs, submerged for decades due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam. This...
The recently restored portion of the marble floor of the villa in the submerged park of Baia, Bacoli, Italy. 	Source: Edoardo Ruspantini/ Parco Archeologico Campi Flegrei

Marvels Beneath the Waves: Restored Marble Floor of Sunken Roman Villa Revealed

The underwater world of ancient Rome continues to yield astonishing discoveries, the latest being a stunning marble floor of a sunken villa near Bacoli, Italy. This remarkable find is part of the...
Shield recreation team.			Source:   © 2024 The Trustees of the British Museum

How Was A Bark Shield From The Iron Age Made? (Video)

Sophia Adams, curator of the European Iron Age and Roman Conquest collection at the British Museum, provides insights into the intricate process of recreating an Iron Age bark shield discovered in...
The 1800-year-old Athena ring found in Carmel, Israel        Source: Emil Eljam/ Israel Antiquities Authority

13-Year-Old Discovers 1,800-Year-Old Ring Featuring Goddess of War

13-year-old Yair Whitson from Haifa made a significant archaeological discovery during a recreational walk with his father. The boy somehow happened upon an approximately 1,800-year-old bronze ring...
Sample of the oldest known insect-dyed fabric.	Source: Dafna Gazit/Israel Antiquities Authority

4000-Year-Old Fabric from Cave of Skulls is Oldest Known Insect-Dyed Textile

Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient textile dyed with the Kermes vermilio insect, from the Cave of Skulls in Israel. This significant find dates back to the Middle Bronze Age (1954–1767 BC) and...
The six Roman medical implements that have been 3D scanned. 	Source: University of Exeter

2,000 Year Window into the World of Roman Medical Techniques Opened

By Andrew Merrington, University of Exeter The intricate design and workmanship of a set of medical instruments used by Roman surgeons 2,000 years ago have been revealed thanks to state-of-the-art...
Photo of the Nefertiti bust in Neues Museum, Berlin.		Source: Smalljim/CC BY-SA 3.0

Nefertiti is Still in Germany and Hasn’t Been Returned (Video)

The bust of Nefertiti, a 3,400-year-old artifact valued at around 400 million euros, has been in Germany for over a century, displayed at the Neues Museum Berlin . The artifact's continued presence...
One of the 11 elite individuals from the Chimú period uncovered at Chan Chan, Trujillo, Peru.	Source: Peruvian Ministry of Culture

Bone Remains of 11 Deceased Elite Uncovered at Chan Chan

A team of researchers has uncovered the bone remains of 11 individuals at the Chan Chan Archaeological Complex, dated to 800 years old. These have been located specifically at the foot of the...
The crocodile mummy entering the CT scanner.	Source: University of Manchester This article is a press release by the University of Manchester, originally titled, “Croc’s deadly last meal in Ancient Egypt unearthed”.

Croc’s Deadly Last Meal in Ancient Egypt Revealed

Scientists have used state of the art 3D imaging technology to piece together the life - and probable death - of a 2.2-meter-long crocodile mummified by the ancient Egyptians. The researchers from...
A marine archaeologist holds up intact glass vessels.	Source: Regional Historic Museum Burgas

Ancient Glassware Recovered from the Depths off Bulgaria’s Coast

In June 2024, an extensive underwater archaeological survey was carried out in Chengene Skele Bay, near the city of Burgas, Bulgaria. The expedition explored five distinct areas within the bay,...
Aerial image of the partially excavated site at Tava-tepe, with the ritual table center	Source: GaRKAP/CAMNES

3500-Year-Old Ritual Table Unearthed in Azerbaijan's Tava-tepe

Archaeologists from the University of Catania have made a groundbreaking discovery in the ancient settlement of Tava-tepe, located in the Agstafa district of Azerbaijan. This 3500-year-old site,...
Top image: The oldest stone needles that have been found in Tibet.	Source: Yun Chen/Sichuan University

World’s Oldest Ground Stone Needles Found in Tibet, Dated to 9,000 Years Old!

In 2020, archaeologists excavating near the shore of Lake Xiada Co in western Tibet uncovered six distinctive stone artifacts. Each artifact measured about half the length of a golf tee, featuring a...
Reconstruction of how the Bronze Age temple might have looked.	 Source: University of Sienna

4,000-Year-Old Temple With Monolith Resurfaces in Cyprus

A mysterious monolith adorned with a circular motif of cups in the center has surfaced in Cyprus, shedding light on an ancient artisan community from 4,000 years ago. The space contains the remains...
Top image: Statue of Hermes in situ at Heraclea Sintica. 	Source: Archaeologia Bulgarica

Remarkable Discovery of Complete Hermes Statue in Heraclea Sintica

Archaeologists working in the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica have unearthed a marvelously preserved marble statue from the Grand Canal of the district. This find is a first in the region, where...
The Hittite royal seal

Hittite Royal Seal Found in Büklükale Warns ‘Whoever Breaks This Will Die’

During extensive excavations in Büklükale, a historically significant site believed to have served as a crucial military base for the Hittites, archaeologists unearthed a remarkable seal belonging to...
150,000-Year-Old Pipes

150,000-Year-Old Pipes Baffle Scientists in China: Out of Place in Time?

Oopart (out of place artifact) is a term applied to dozens of prehistoric objects found in various places around the world that seem to show a level of technological advancement incongruous with the...
Top image: Left; Anglo-Saxon Sword Belt End Ornament, Right; Anglo-Saxon Shoulder Clasp, both from Sutton Hoo Burial, 625-630

New Study Shows 6th Century Anglo-Saxon Mercenaries Fought in the Middle East

A fresh reexamination of artifacts recovered from ancient Anglo-Saxon burials has revealed some startling information about ancient Britain’s involvement in far-off military adventures in the sixth...
Dunhuang Silk Road History. AI illustration.

Dunhuang Manuscripts: Insights into Ancient China

Dunhuang is situated in the northwestern part of Gansu province in the west of China. The ancient town occupied a strategic position at the crossroads of the ancient Southern Silk Route and the main...
Roman baths, Bath, England. 	Source: ctj71081/CC BY-SA 2.0

How Were Roman Baths Cleaned? (Video)

Roman baths were integral to daily life, serving as communal spaces for exercise, socialization, and relaxation. These baths were architecturally diverse, ranging from small sheds to grand complexes...
Rocamadour, France, with Durandal in position in the rock, before it vanished.	Source: Patrick Clenet/CC BY-SA 3.0

Durandal, France's Legendary Sword Stolen

In a baffling turn of events, the famed Durandal sword, which had been wedged in a rock in the southern French village of Rocamadour for the past 1,300 years, has mysteriously vanished. The sword,...
Dated Rock Art Panel at Leang Karampuang	Source: Provided by Griffith University /Nature

Earliest Narrative Cave Art Discovered in Sulawesi: A 51,200-Year-Old Marvel

A groundbreaking discovery in Sulawesi, Indonesia, has unveiled the oldest known narrative cave art, dating back at least 51,200 years. This revelation, published in the journal Nature , not only...
An enhanced view showing some of the rock art found in Venezuela.  Source: José Miguel Pérez-Gómez/Simón Bolívar University

4,000-Year-Old Rock Art From Unknown Culture Uncovered in Venezuela

An archaeological team in Venezuela has uncovered 20 ancient rock art sites in Canaima National Park, consisting of both pictograms and petroglyphs, estimated to be around 4,000 years old! Located in...
Remnants of a second ship found at the Antikythera site in Greece, and right, marble artifact.	Source: Greek Ministry of Culture

Second Ship Found At the Antikythera Shipwreck! Breakthroughs in 2024

The 2024 expedition to the Antikythera shipwreck marked a significant milestone in underwater archaeology. Between May 17 and June 20, under the framework of the 2021-2025 research program led by the...
Morphological variation in the size and shape of Late Pleistocene eyed needles. Source: Gilligan et al, 2024

The Beginnings of Fashion: Why Do We Wear Clothes?

From stone tools that prepared animal skins for humans to use as thermal insulation, to the advent of bone awls and eyed needles to create fitted and adorned garments, why did we start to dress to...

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