Artifacts
These Ninth-Century Coins Change Our Understanding of Alfred the Great
Two men are now facing jail time for trying to illegally sell 44 coins worth approximately $960,000
54,000 Years Ago, Humans and Neanderthals May Have Inhabited Europe Together
Similarities between artifacts found in Lebanon and France suggest Homo sapiens migrants brought tool traditions with them
Heirs of Jewish Art Dealers Move Forward With Yearslong Restitution Battle
For over a decade, they've argued that their ancestors were forced to sell valuable artifacts. Now, they're back in court with a new legal strategy
When Did Clothing Originate?
An archaeologist traces the invention and evolution of apparel using climate data and tailoring tools
Without the First Folio, Half of Shakespeare's Plays Would Have Been Lost to History
The 400-year-old text presented the Bard's plays as serious literature, muddling the boundaries between popular culture and high art
Want to Help the FBI Find Stolen Art? There's an App for That
A new mobile app provides access to the National Stolen Art File, a database of 8,000 missing items
U.S. Returns $33 Million of Looted Antiquities to Turkey
The collection of 12 items included a headless bronze statue dating to 225 C.E.
From 'the Brick' to the iPhone, the Cellphone Celebrates 50 Years
As the technology turns 50, science fiction might hint at the cellphone's next chapter
Rare Gold Coin Celebrating Julius Caesar's Death Returned to Greece
Minted in 42 B.C.E., the looted coin broke auction records in 2020 when it sold for $4.2 million
Did Our Ancestors Actually Wield Clubs?
Inspired by pop culture depictions of cavepeople, an archaeologist searches for what is real and what is a myth
You Could Win $1 Million by Deciphering These Ancient Roman Scrolls
The Herculaneum scrolls have remained unreadable since their discovery in 1750, but researchers hope to change that
Mexico's Chichén Itzá Is Getting a New Museum
Officials hope the new facility will attract an influx of tourists arriving on the controversial Maya Train
Smiling Sphinx Statue Unearthed in Egypt
Researchers suspect the Roman-era limestone figure may depict the emperor Claudius
Ancient Comb Made From Human Skull Unearthed in England
The Iron Age artifact may have been used as an amulet rather than a hairstyling tool
Archaeologists Discover Wooden Spikes Described by Julius Caesar
Until recently, no traces of the military technology had ever been found
Is This Wooden Artifact an Ancient Roman Phallus?
Thirty years ago, researchers thought that the 2,000-year-old object was a darning tool
The Smithsonian Will Temporarily House 77 Repatriated Artifacts Amid Unrest in Yemen
Until the items can be returned, the National Museum of Asian Art will keep them safe
Looted Gold Jewelry Returns to Cambodia
Now back in Phnom Penh, the 77 items may have been worn by Angkorian royalty
World's Oldest Near-Complete Hebrew Bible Goes to Auction
The Codex Sassoon could break auction records, becoming the most valuable historical document ever sold
Artifacts Unearthed Near Harriet Tubman's Birthplace
Archaeologists identified a West African spirit cache, a collection of items used to protect a home's occupants
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