Smart News History & Archaeology

The Greek philosopher Plato was a student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle.

This Newly Deciphered Papyrus Scroll Reveals the Location of Plato's Grave

The mysterious site is mentioned in a text buried by Mount Vesuvius' eruption 2,000 years ago

The Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney is home to Australia's largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts.

Australian Museum Removes Mummified Body Parts From Display

"We have become so accustomed to seeing them on show that we often forget they once belonged to living people," says Melanie Pitkin, a senior curator at the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney

This photograph may depict the iceberg that caused the Titanic to sink

This Historic Photograph May Depict the Iceberg That Sank the Titanic

The image, which sold for $22,000 at auction this week, was taken aboard a recovery vessel days after the famous ocean liner went down

An aerial view of the structure, which resembles a wonky, incomplete bow tie.

Cool Finds

This Neolithic Monument Found in France Has No Equal

A trio of interlocking enclosures, the structure may date to the time of the Bell Beaker culture, but experts are unsure of its exact age and purpose

The glass bottles buried in the graves were unearthed in good condition.

Cool Finds

In This Ancient Cemetery, Romans Left Fine Glass Vessels, Platforms for Feasting and Phallic Pendants

Archaeologists in Narbonne, France, have been studying the necropolis since 2017

Authorities don't know why the sails fell off in the early hours of April 25.

Moulin Rouge Windmill Blades Fall Off in the Middle of the Night

The iconic Paris landmark has never experienced such a mishap in its 135-year history

Japanese Americans were forced to leave behind their homes and belongings, then report to incarceration sites.

The Public Finally Has Access to an Accurate List of Japanese Americans Detained During World War II

Researchers who spent years fixing errors in shoddy government records have partnered with Ancestry to make a wide selection of historical documents related to the period available for free

The tracks were found at site that was once a muddy river plain.

Paleontologists Discover Massive Dinosaur Tracks in China, Hinting at One of the Largest Known Raptors

The footprints, left behind by a 16-foot-long creature some 96 million years ago, represent the biggest raptor tracks ever found

A golden figure from the 7th century found at the Avar cemetery in Rákóczifalva, Hungary

New DNA Analysis Unravels the Marriage Practices of an Ancient Warrior People

Researchers examined over 400 skeletons to uncover secrets from the Avar empire

The weapon is the only Islamic-era sword ever discovered in Valencia.

Cool Finds

Spain's 'Excalibur' Sword, a 1,000-Year-Old Weapon Found Buried Upright, Reflects the Region's Rich Islamic History

Discovered in Valencia in 1994, the iron blade was recently dated to the tenth century, when the Umayyad Caliphate controlled the Iberian Peninsula

The statue was unveiled on what would have been Elizabeth's 98th birthday.

New Statue Honors Elizabeth II—and Her Beloved Corgis

The seven-foot-tall bronze monument is billed as the "first permanent memorial" to the late queen

The newly discovered bronze disc depicts Alexander the Great with wavy hair and ram horns.

Cool Finds

Metal Detectorists Unearth Tiny Bronze Portrait of Alexander the Great in Denmark

Researchers think the 1,800-year-old artifact could be linked to a Roman emperor who was "obsessed" with the Macedonian conqueror

The fire destroyed one of the historic "20-mule team" wagons from the late 19th century. A steam tractor named "Old Dinah" survived.

Historic Borax Wagon Destroyed in Blaze at Death Valley National Park

Beginning in 1883, 18 mules and two horses hauled wagons full of borax across eastern California

Researchers found several amphorae, ancient vases that stored wine, in one of the old villa's rooms.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists May Have Found the Villa Where the Roman Emperor Augustus Died

Excavations north of Mount Vesuvius revealed Roman ruins buried by the eruption in 79 C.E.

The two intact bottles were found in Mount Vernon's cellar.

Cool Finds

Bottles of 250-Year-Old Cherries Discovered Beneath George Washington's Home

Researchers at Mount Vernon say that the stash still "bore the characteristic scent of cherry blossoms"

An anonymous dentist recognized the jawbone, because it looked similar to the CT scans he reviews every day at work.

Dentist Discovers Human-Like Jawbone and Teeth in a Floor Tile at His Parents' Home

Scientists are planning to study the specimen, embedded in travertine from western Turkey, in hopes of dating and identifying it

The cathedral's collection of Mays paintings includes Aubin Vouet's Le Centurion Corneille aux pieds de Saint Pierre, completed in 1639.

Oil Paintings Rescued From Notre-Dame Cathedral Fire Go on Display

Known as the "Mays," the artworks were created for an annual competition in the 17th century

Researchers Johan Rönnby and Rolf Warming examine the stern of the ship that sunk over 500 years ago off the coast of Sweden.

Cool Finds

Weapon Chest With Tools for Making Ammunition Found in 500-Year-Old Shipwreck in Sweden

The mercenaries on board the "Griffin" lived during a time of great change in naval warfare

Located nearly 20 feet underground, this unfinished bunker is protected by 13-foot-thick concrete walls.

You Can Now Visit Mussolini's Underground Bunker in Rome

The dictator constructed the shelters below his family's residence after Italy entered World War II

A researcher explores the depths of Umm Jirsan.

Extensive Desert 'Lava Tubes' Sheltered Humans for 7,000 Years, Archaeologists Find

Formed after volcanic activity, the underground caves periodically hosted early humans and their livestock in Saudi Arabia, facilitating cultural exchange

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