European History

The building complex measures more than 5,000 square feet.

Ruins of 2,000-Year-Old Roman Walls Unearthed in Swiss Alps

Archaeologists found the stone structures—along with a rich collection of artifacts—in a gravel quarry

A psalter owned by Henry VIII offers something that fans of the Tudors have craved for centuries: a window into the mind of the tyrannical English ruler.

Henry VIII’s Book of Psalms Reflects His Quest for Legitimacy—and His Fear of Death

Handwritten annotations in the Tudor king's psalter show how he looked to scripture to justify his break from Rome and the annulment of his first marriage

Archaeologists unearthed the bedroom in a Roman villa near Pompeii.

Enslaved Individuals Slept in This Bedroom, Untouched Since Mount Vesuvius' Eruption 2,000 Years Ago

The small room with two beds—but only one mattress—sheds new light on slavery in a Roman villa near Pompeii

One of the more than 200 bouquiniste stalls along the Seine in Paris

Parisian Booksellers Have Lined the Seine for Centuries. Now, They're Fighting to Stay

Ahead of the 2024 Olympics, city officials are trying to relocate the bouquinistes for security reasons

Researchers found the remains of stilts and tens of thousands of wooden spikes.

This 8,000-Year-Old Village on Stilts May Be the Oldest of Its Kind in Europe

Archaeologists unearthed the settlement—which had tens of thousands of defensive spikes—beneath a lake in Albania

Tank convoy through the Ardennes, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge in January 1945

Drone Scans Reveal New Details About the Battle of the Bulge

Researchers used lidar to uncover nearly 1,000 previously unknown features of the famous battlefield

In 1984, Ivo Zdarsky fled from communist Czechoslovakia to Vienna in a homemade flying machine.

The Man Who Pierced the Iron Curtain in a Flying Go-Kart—and Left Civilization Forever

Escaping communism in a DIY aircraft wasn’t enough for Ivo Zdarsky. So he invented his own way of life in a Utah desert ghost town

Skull of Homo erectus from the Republic of Georgia

An Extreme Ice Age May Have Wiped Out Europe's Earliest Humans 1.1 Million Years Ago

New research suggests the continent was devoid of hominins for about 200,000 years after a previously unknown cold snap

The arrowhead was originally discovered in the 19th century, then stashed away as part of a museum collection. Recently, researchers decided to take another look.

This Arrowhead Was Made From a Meteorite 3,000 Years Ago

Found in Switzerland, the 1.5-inch-long artifact was fashioned from meteoric iron during the Bronze Age

Rüdesheim am Rhein in Germany

Eight Delicious Wine Regions You May Have Never Heard Of

With less tourist traffic, these UNESCO World Heritage Sites include vineyards that rival France’s Champagne or Burgundy

George Herbert’s pictures aren’t just decorative. They reinforce the meanings of his poems.

These 17th-Century Poems Painted Pictures on the Page—and Defied the Church of England's Rejection of Religious Images

George Herbert's shaped poetry subtly pushed back against the iconoclasm of the English Reformation

An aerial view of the excavation site, where archaeologists found what they think are the ruins of Emperor Nero's theater

Have Archaeologists Finally Found Emperor Nero's Lost Theater?

Ahead of a planned luxury hotel, excavations have revealed what may be the ruins of the venue

The grave held a sword, usually buried with men, as well as a mirror, usually buried with women.

Iron Age Warrior Buried With a Sword and Mirror Was a Woman, Study Says

The unusual burial on a small island off of England sheds new light on women's role in Iron Age warfare

Paul Kaufmann inherited several of what are thought to be fragments of Ludwig van Beethoven's skull, which he has donated to the Medical University of Austria.

Skull Fragments Thought to Be Beethoven's Return to Vienna

The composer asked that, following his death, his physician study the illnesses that plagued him during his life

The Englishman’s life speaks to the interconnected nature of the medieval world, demonstrating how the rise of the Mongol Empire set travelers in motion, compelling them to cover great distances and explore lands and cultures beyond Europe’s borders.

How an English Exile Ended Up at the Court of Genghis Khan's Grandson

After leaving his home country in the early 13th century, the Englishman traveled to the Crusader states and served as an envoy of the Mongol Empire

In 1946, the British garrison welcomed the returning residents of Alderney, who had evacuated prior to the Nazi occupation in 1940. 

How Many Died in Nazi Concentration Camps on British Soil?

The U.K. is investigating the death toll on the island of Alderney, which German soldiers occupied in 1940

Artist Oscar Nilsson based the facial reconstruction on DNA and skeletal analyses.

See the Face of a Woman Who Died in a Shipwreck in 1628

A new facial reconstruction vividly resurrects Gertrude, one of 30 people killed during the sinking of the Swedish warship "Vasa"

A lightsheet used to reveal hidden text in a manuscript of William Camden's Annals. New research suggests the author reworked his biography of Elizabeth I to win the favor of her successor, James VI of Scotland and I of England.

Hidden for 400 Years, Censored Pages Reveal New Insights Into Elizabeth I's Reign

Scholars used advanced imaging to read crossed-out, pasted-over passages in the first official account of the Tudor queen's time on the English throne

Students from Newcastle University excavate the Birdoswald bathhouse.

Why Do Archaeologists Rebury Their Excavations?

The practice helps preserve the site for future researchers, who might be able to assess the site with more modern tools and techniques

Avalon Waterways' eight-day commemorative cruise includes an onboard D-Day ceremony on June 6, 2024.

River Cruises Will Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of D-Day

Travelers can immerse themselves in the history of the Normandy landings that changed the tide of World War II

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