Artifacts
Amateur Sleuth Identifies the Mystery Women in a Museum's Fabergé Frames
The portraits were on display at a museum in England, where staffers had been wondering about the two subjects for years
Ancient Prisoners Carved Graffiti Into the Floors of a Roman-Era Prison
An archaeologist has identified vengeful inscriptions etched into a 1,600-year-old prison in Greece
Busting 13 of the Smithsonian’s Most Persistent Myths
From castle hauntings to hiding evidence of giant humans, the Smithsonian has long been the subject of wild rumors and tall tales
Unraveling the Mysteries of the Battle of Attu, the 'Forgotten Battle' of World War II
Underwater archaeologists discovered three shipwrecks submerged near the small Alaskan island, which was the site of one of the deadliest conflicts in the Pacific
The Mystery of the Bronze Age Ax Heads Mailed Anonymously to an Irish Museum Has Been Solved
A farmer stumbled upon the 4,000-year-old artifacts while working in his field in central Ireland
Archaeologists Stumble Upon Ancient Pot of Gold Coins in Turkey
Researchers think the hoard, which dates to the fifth century B.C.E., may have been buried during a time of upheaval
17th-Century Home Unearthed in Colonial Williamsburg
Crews were constructing a new archaeology center when they stumbled upon the historic structure's foundations and accompanying artifacts
Researchers Decipher Cuneiform Tablet—and Discover It’s a Furniture Receipt
The small clay rectangle is engraved with an ancient Semitic language known as Akkadian
Archaeologists Crack Open a 2,000-Year-Old Coffin in Italy's ‘Tomb of Cerberus’
The stone coffin likely contains the leader of the family that built the frescoed chamber in Naples
Nashville Museum Returns Hundreds of Pre-Columbian Artifacts to Mexico
The items also went on display in an exhibition that detailed the repatriation process
This History Buff Found a Scrap of George Washington's Tent at Goodwill
The fragment, which was part of Washington's dining marquee during the Revolutionary War, is now on display at a museum in Philadelphia
This Art Student Stole a Coin From the British Museum—and Dropped It in the Donation Box
Ilê Sartuzi briefly pocketed a 17th-century coin to make a statement about looted artifacts held by the museum
This 13-Year-Old Stumbled Upon a Roman-Era Ring While Hiking in Israel
The small artifact, discovered near an ancient farmstead, features an engraving of the goddess Minerva
Carvings of Ancient Pharaohs Unearthed in Nile River
The underwater expedition took place at a site that was flooded during the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s
Roman Wall Built to Contain Spartacus' Forces Discovered in Italy
Archaeologists think the Roman army constructed it to contain the revolting gladiator in 71 B.C.E.
Researchers Unearth Mysterious Structure Beneath Maya Ball Court
Featuring painted stucco walls, the structure likely dates to between 200 and 600 C.E.
Paper Cuttings Made by 17th-Century Schoolgirls Discovered Beneath Floorboards
The fragile cutouts are going on display at Sutton House in London, which was once a boarding school for girls
Someone Anonymously Mailed Two Bronze Age Axes to a Museum in Ireland
Officials are asking the donor to come forward with more information about where the artifacts were discovered
Fabled Sword From Medieval French Folklore Disappears
Known as the "French Excalibur," the blade is said to have hung from a rock face in the village of Rocamadour for 1,300 years
Sticks Discovered in Australian Cave Shed New Light on an Aboriginal Ritual Passed Down for 12,000 Years
Both Western analyses and traditional Aboriginal knowledge helped the research team learn about a cultural practice dating to the last ice age
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