European History

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

The ceremonial Cannon of Kandy is one of 478 objects that will return to Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

The Netherlands Repatriates Nearly 500 Looted Artifacts to Sri Lanka and Indonesia

Six of these objects are held by the Rijksmuseum, which is returning stolen items for the very first time

A still from the upcoming film Napoleon, which dramatizes the ambitious military commander and emperor's rise and fall

The Trailer for Ridley Scott's 'Napoleon' Is Here

The new film stars Joaquin Phoenix and follows the ambitious French ruler's rise to power

An artistic rendering of what the "Ivory Lady" might have looked like

The 'Ivory Man'—a Powerful Leader Buried in a Lavish Tomb 5,000 Years Ago—Was Actually a Woman

Researchers in Spain had previously assumed that the grave belonged to a high-status young man

Johann Baptist Schmitt, The Hermit in Flottbeck, 1795

Ornamental Hermits Were 18th-Century England's Must-Have Garden Accessory

Wealthy landowners hired men who agreed to live in isolation on their estates for as long as seven years

King Willem-Alexander lays a wreath as part of a ceremony on the Netherlands' National Remembrance Day of Slavery, during which he gave a speech apologizing for the country's involvement in the slave trade.

Dutch King Apologizes for the Netherlands' Role in the Slave Trade

The monarch's statement coincided with the 150th anniversary of slavery's abolition in the country's colonies

Visited by millions every year, the Colosseum has already been vandalized four times in 2023.

Tourist Carves Girlfriend's Name Into the Colosseum

Video footage shows a man using keys to scratch a message into the 2,000-year-old amphitheater's wall

A walkway for visitors to tour the newly opened site

You Can Now Visit the Site Where Julius Caesar Was Stabbed

Rediscovered in the 1920s, the Roman square is now welcoming visitors for the first time

The hilt of a the recently discovered Bronze Age sword, which was extraordinarily well-preserved

Archaeologists Find 3,000-Year-Old Sword So Well Preserved It 'Almost Still Shines'

The Bronze Age artifact was discovered in a grave during excavations in southern Germany

An astonishingly well preserved mosaic was unearthed at the same site in early 2022.

Rare Roman Mausoleum Unearthed in London

Archaeologists say it's the most intact structure of its kind ever found in Britain

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