Smart News History & Archaeology

Rachel Kalisher, a member of the physical anthropology team, measures a 10th-9th century BC skeleton

Cool Finds

New Dig Shows the Philistines Weren’t Such Philistines

A graveyard containing over 200 sets of remains is giving researchers their first deep look into the little-known biblical tribe

Aerial view of Dallas, Texas in 1892.

Trending Today

The Tragic Story of Dallas' First African-American Police Officer

After William McDuff was killed, it took Dallas 50 years to replace him

"A Man Was Lynched By Police Yesterday"
Dread Scott, 2015

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How an Anti-Lynching Banner From the 1920s and '30s Is Being Updated to Protest Modern-Day Violence

One artist took inspiration from the NAACP's iconic flag

"Snap-the-Whip" (Winslow Homer, 1873)

Cool Finds

This Exhibit Captures the Magic of Being a Kid

The Metropolitan Museum of Art peeks into the idealized lives of kids past

A fireplace at Melford Hall.

Cool Finds

These Beatrix Potter Illustrations Were Found Tucked Inside a Mansion’s Books

The children’s book author found inspiration on vacation

Cool Finds

The KGB’s Favorite Restaurant Reopens in Moscow

Aragvi, the haunt of Soviet-era celebrities and spies opens after a 13-year absence and $20 million renovation

New Research

Study Shows Knights Were Pretty Spry in Their Suits of Armor

Researchers studied the range of motion of fighters in suits of armor, finding they were heavy but allowed freedom of movement

Cool Finds

Family Discovers Rare Letters by Thomas Jefferson

In the two letters selling for over $300,000 each, Jefferson opines on the War of 1812 and his dislike for Alexander Hamilton's economics

Antoine de Saint-Exupery in Montreal, Canada in May 1942.

Cool Finds

Amateur Historian Digs up Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s Press Pass From the Spanish Civil War

The celebrated author of “The Little Prince” once covered the Spanish Civil War

Tankard made in Westerwald, German , found along with lots of tanning debris in a privy 
associated with a small house on an alley that probably be
longed to tanner.

Cool Finds

Tens of Thousands of Artifacts Have Been Found in Colonial Philadelphia Toilets

Archaeologists excavating the site of the Museum of the American Revolution found a dozen privy pits full of pottery, printing supplies and animal bones

The historical flag of Prague's Jewish community.

Cool Finds

How Did the Six-Pointed Star Become Associated With Judaism?

The connection between the two goes back centuries

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Transgender People Can Now Serve Openly in the U.S. Military

One of the last restrictions on who can serve in the military has been removed

Cool Finds

Researcher Unearths a Trove of New Shakespeare Documents

Archival papers show the Bard was interested in improving his social status

Photograph of the megalithic cluster of Carregal do Sal, one of the passage graves in Portugal that may have doubled as an ancient telescope.

New Research

These Ancient Tombs May Have Been Both Grave and Observatory

The best view of the heavens could be from within the tomb

What could be more relatable than a president and first lady in bed?

Cool Finds

These Artifacts Show the Best—And Worst—of American Election Ephemera

From trash to political treasure

An unnamed Pullman porter works at Chicago's Union Station in 1943.

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Five Things to Know About Pullman Porters

As the oldest Pullman porters die, it's time to reflect on the proud legacy of these African-American workers

A side scan sonar image of the Royal Albert at the bottom of Lake Ontario.

Cool Finds

19th-Century Sunken Schooner Uncovered in Lake Ontario

It’s the only two-masted ship known to have sunk in the area

One of the most stunning features of Taiwan's Lukang Longshan Temple is its extravagant wood caisson ceiling.

Experience the Secrets of a Threatened Taiwanese Temple

New 3D reconstructions make it possible to look inside Lukang Longshan

A section of the Historic Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona.

Cool Finds

A New Project Tells the Stories of the Women of Route 66

An oral history project with the National Park Service follows women on the iconic highway

Cool Finds

The Poster That Started the "Keep Calm" Craze is on Sale

Learn about the print that launched a thousand memes

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