Cool Finds

Ochre, an iron-rich rock, has been used as paint pigment by humans for hundreds of years in various applications, such as body paint, sunscreen and as a component in adhesives.  

Researchers Discover Oldest-Known Ochre Workshop in East Asia

Tools and pieces of the clay earth pigment found in northern China date to about 40,000 years old, and introduce new theories about early human migration

Symbols on the ancient coin, which is about the size of a U.S. quarter, are an argument for the triumphant overthrow of a brutal dictatorship.

A Roman Coin Minted as a Salute to Julius Caesar's Assassination Is Up for Auction

The 2,000-year-old gold piece, perhaps worn by one of the murderers, could sell for $2 million

This 17th-century Flemish tapestry, titled The Apotheosis of the Arts, is the largest of a six-part series that was stolen from the Church of Santo Domingo in Castrojeriz, Spain, in 1980. (Note the missing two-by-two-foot square in the lower left corner.)

With a Stolen Fragment Restored, This Stunning 17th-Century Tapestry Is Made Whole

Spanish authorities had all but given up the search for the missing piece, which was lost in a heist carried out by notorious art thief "Erik the Belgian"

Artist Victor Ehikhamenor posing with his work, Still Standing, a mixed-media depiction of a Benin ruler.

New Artwork in St. Paul's Cathedral Reckons With the British Attack on Benin 125 Years Ago

Nigerian artist Victor Ehikhamenor's 'Still Standing' sparks conversation about how to deal with colonial monuments

Researchers unearthed 10-pound Civil War artillery shell at a national park in Georgia in February. Local authorities say they plan to safely detonate the bomb—a decision that angered some historians arguing for the artifact's preservation. 

Unexploded Civil War Shell Unearthed in Georgia

Local authorities plan to safely detonate the ordnance, potentially destroying it in the process. The decision has sparked controversy among history buffs

An aerial view of a ten-foot-long section of the newly discovered mosaic

See Dazzling Photos of a Roman Mosaic Floor Unearthed in London

The ancient artwork is the largest of its kind found in the English capital in 50 years

Researchers discovered the wreck of Ernest Shackleton's Endurance, the team announced this week. The ship was last seen by Shackleton's crew in 1915 before it slipped under the icy surface. 

Wreck of Shackleton's 'Endurance' Discovered in Icy Antarctic Depths

Researchers captured stunning photographs of the century-old wreck, still intact almost two miles beneath the waters of the Weddell Sea

Archaeologist pulled 12 Revolutionary War era cannons from the Savannah River in January. 

How Did So Many Revolutionary War Cannons End Up in the Savannah River?

Archaeologists pull another dozen sediment-encrusted artillery pieces after finding three last year

Archaeologist discovered a large number of ostraca, or inscribed fragments of pottery, at the ancient Egyptian temple of Athribis.

Archaeologists Uncover 18,000 Ancient Egyptian 'Notepads'

Known as "ostraca," the inscribed pottery shards document everyday life in the city of Athribis

Chalcidian helmets such as this one were often worn by ancient Greek warriors.

These Ancient Greek Helmets Tell of a Naval Battle 2,500 Years Ago

Archaeologists in southern Italy discovered the headgear along with pottery, fragments and a shield near the likely remains of a temple to goddess Athena

An ancient Roman amphitheater that may have been one of the last built was discovered during construction of a new boathouse on the Rhine River in Switzerland.

A Gladiator Arena, Possibly the Last Ever Built, Discovered in Switzerland

Archaeologists unearth a fourth century amphitheater that stood on the far reaches of the Roman Empire more than 1,400 years ago

Archaeologists unearth a limestone foundation of one of the buildings of St. Mary's College - an Oxford College left to decay 500 years ago as result of Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries.

Archaeologists Discover Foundations of Oxford University's 'Lost' College

Founded for Catholic priests, the institution was destroyed 500 years ago when Henry VIII established the Church of England

Experts estimate that the bowl is about 2,000 years old.

2,000-Year-Old Roman Bowl Discovered Intact in the Netherlands

Unearthed in the Dutch city of Nijmegen, the blue glass artifact was in pristine condition

Ancient people might have used these elongated tubes to drink beer from the same pot during ceremonial feasts or gatherings. 

Ancient People May Have Sipped Beer Through These 5,500-Year-Old Drinking Straws

Eight gold and silver tubes might be the oldest known drinking straws, according to a new study from the Russian Academy of Sciences

An extremely rare Henry III gold penny discovered in a farm field in England could fetch more than $500,000 at auction this month.

Metal Detectorist Discovers One of England's Earliest Gold Coins in a Farm Field

The 13th-century gold penny found in southwestern Britain could sell for half a million at auction

Some of the ancient Roman decorative pottery pieces uncovered at the archaeological site in England.

Ancient Roman Trading Settlement Unearthed 80 Miles From London

Researchers discover a Roman road, coins, jewelry and evidence of makeup at a dig site near a railway project

Researchers suspect that a painting bought in 1970 for £65 might be the handiwork of Anthony van Dyck. Featured here is an example of a similar painting, Portrait of Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain as a nun (1626), which was attributed to van Dyck in 2009. This work is part of the collections of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.

Dismissed as a Copy for Decades, This Flemish Masterpiece Could Now Fetch Thousands

Purchased by an art historian for $90 in 1970, researchers now say the portrait might be the handiwork of the 17th-century court painter Anthony van Dyck

Ingeborg Hornkjøl poses with a piece of wood inscribed with Nordic runes. 

Archaeologists Discover—and Start to Decode—Rare Medieval Runes

One of the newly unearthed objects, an inscribed bone, is the first of its kind found in Oslo in decades

The stone board game featured a grid-like pattern and cup holes to hold game pieces.

Archaeologists Unearth 4,000-Year-Old Stone Board Game in Oman

The board resembled other artifacts that point toward a game similar to backgammon

Researchers say the badger that found the coins was possibly digging for food or to make a nest.

Hungry Badger Digs Up a Trove of Roman Coins in Spain

Discovered near the animal’s den, the cache contains more than 200 coins from at least 1,600 years ago

Page 24 of 262