Cool Finds

Researchers studying Edvard Munch's Madonna (left) discovered hidden underdrawings (right) that reveal how the artist tinkered with his composition over time.

Hidden Sketch Reveals a More Traditional Version of Edvard Munch's Sensual 'Madonna'

A chance discovery suggests the woman's provocative pose was originally somewhat subdued

The white pipeclay Venus statuette before (right) and after (left) cleaning

Roman-Era Statue of Venus, Goddess of Love, Discovered in England

The seven-inch-tall figurine likely stood in a household shrine in what is now Gloucestershire some 1,800 years ago

A cubicle surrounding the toilet and a deep septic tank beneath it were both carved out of limestone bedrock.

2,700-Year-Old Private Toilet Found in Jerusalem

Bowls discovered inside the bathroom cubicle may have held incense or other air fresheners, researchers say

The golden bowl may have been used in religious ceremonies honoring the sun.

3,000-Year-Old Golden Bowl Adorned With Sun Motif Found in Austria

Researcher Michał Sip described the prehistoric vessel as the "discovery of a lifetime"

Researchers in Turkey have uncovered an all-but-forgotten ancient Greek temple and a 50,000-seat stadium (shown).

Entrance Gate to Greek Temple of Zeus Unearthed in Turkey

Archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Magnesia hope to fully restore the 2,300-year-old sacred structure

Two men found the coins while diving in Portitxol Bay along the Mediterranean coast.

Amateur Divers Discover Trove of 53 Roman Gold Coins in Spain

A wealthy landowner probably hid the hoard to protect it from "barbarian" invaders

Believed to be the world's oldest jewelry, the perforated shells date to about 142,000 years ago.

Are These Snail Shells the World's Oldest Known Beads?

Found in a Moroccan cave, the prehistoric jewelry dates to between 142,000 and 150,000 years ago

The letters "IMP" stand for imperator, meaning the tile maker was "supplying tiles fit for the emperor" or "on the emperor's demands."

Tiles 'Fit for the Emperor' Found in Roman Ruins Beneath English Cricket Club

The objects, as well as an inscription at the site, suggest ties to Septimius Severus, who led campaigns nearby in the early third century C.E.

The researchers used carbon dating of seeds above and below the footprints to determine their age.

Prehistoric Footprints Push Back Timeline of Humans' Arrival in North America

Found in New Mexico, the fossilized impressions date to between 21,000 and 23,000 years ago, a new study suggests

A limestone pillar depicts the goddess Hathor, who was worshipped at the temple.

Ancient Egyptian Tools Used in Worship of the Goddess Hathor Discovered

The find also includes works of art, as well as a bath with running water

The painting is part of a series created by Baroque artist Cesare Dandini around the 1630s.

Baroque Masterpiece Spent Six Decades Hidden in Plain Sight

Art historian Tom Ruggio was visiting a church in New York when he spotted the long-overlooked religious painting

The newly authenticated sketch (left) and the final drawing, titled Worn Out (right)

Newly Identified Vincent van Gogh Drawing Goes on View for the First Time

The Dutch Impressionist created the pencil sketch in 1882

The pages were disposed of as scrap and pasted into an unrelated book.  

Rediscovered Medieval Manuscript Offers New Twist on Arthurian Legend

The 13th-century pages, found by chance at a British library, show a different side of Merlin, the magician who advised Camelot's king

Whether the ten hand and footprints constitute art is up for debate, scholars say.

These 200,000-Year-Old Hand and Footprints Could Be the World's Earliest Cave Art

Found at a hot spring on the Tibetan Plateau, the impressions were likely left by hominin children

Despite heavy erosion, the camels remain visible some seven millennia after their creation.

Life-Size Camel Sculptures in Saudi Arabia Are Older Than Stonehenge, Pyramids of Giza

New research suggests the animal reliefs date to between 7,000 and 8,000 years ago

The Hispaniolan boa appeared smaller than any other boa the researchers had seen before.

For the First Time in 133 Years, a New Species of Boa Was Discovered in the Dominican Republic

The small snake may be one of the smallest boas in the world

The former tavern now serves as a local history museum.

Archaeologists Discover Trove of Artifacts at Site of 19th-Century Alabama Tavern

During the Civil War, both the Union and Confederate armies used the building as a hospital and command center

The 4,000-year-old wooden coffin will go on display following extensive conservation work.

Hollowed-Out, 4,000-Year-Old Tree Trunk Coffin Discovered in Golf Course Pond

The rare Bronze Age sarcophagus contained human remains, an ax and plant bedding

Experts say the cache is one of the largest and most significant of its kind ever found in Denmark.

Amateur Treasure Hunter Discovers Trove of Sixth-Century Gold Jewelry

Found in Denmark, most of the 22 objects are bracteates, or medallions inscribed with mystical symbols

This CGI image shows what the church may have looked like when it was first built. Archaeologists found the church, which dates back to 1080, along with a small number of burials during construction of the HS2 railway system.

Researchers Unearth a Nearly 900-Year-Old Church in England

Experts made the find ahead of construction of HS2, a controversial, high-speed railway system set to connect much of Great Britain

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