Smart News History & Archaeology

Paleontologist Lee Berger, who led the new research, walks in the Rising Star cave system in South Africa, where the possible burial sites were uncovered.

Ancient Human Relatives May Have Buried Their Dead

Remains in a South African cave system predate the oldest known human burials by about 160,000 years or more

Underwater researchers have encountered many other shipwrecks while studying the Maravillas in the Bahamas.

Unraveling the Secrets of the Long-Lost Shipwrecks in the Bahamas

Using historical records, a new initiative has identified and mapped 176 wrecks in the region

One of the vessels excavated from the funerary site in Carmona, Spain

New Research

What Did the Ancient Romans Smell Like?

Scientists have analyzed the composition of a 2,000-year-old perfume unearthed in Carmona, Spain

In the Heege manuscript, an English tutor may have copied the text of a medieval minstrel’s repertoire book.

Cool Finds

Medieval Manuscript Reveals 15th-Century Comedy Routine

Written to be performed live, a medieval minstrel's jokes poked fun at the powerful

The toilet discovered at the House of Ahiel

New Research

Iron Age Residents of Jerusalem Suffered From Dysentery

A new analysis of 2,500-year-old toilets has found early evidence of a harmful parasite

The National Genealogical Society, based in Falls Church, Virginia, is one of the nation's oldest groups dedicated to ancestry.

National Genealogical Society Apologizes for 'Racist and Discriminatory' Past Actions

In a new report, the group reckons with its long history of racism and eugenicist beliefs

Paleontologists discovered Oda's remarkably intact fossilized skeleton in Svalbard in 2008.

Unraveling the Mysteries of Oda the Ichthyosaur

Paleontologists used X-rays to identify the 240-million-year-old creature's flattened and fossilized remains

The exterior of Club Ebony, taken before the renovation

Club Ebony, Historic Stop Along the Chitlin Circuit, Reopens

The legendary Black-owned nightclub hosted the likes of Tina Turner, Ray Charles and more

The 144-foot Blythe Star coastal freighter

Lost for 50 Years, Mysterious Australian Shipwreck Has Finally Been Found

The "Blythe Star" sank off the coast of Tasmania in 1973, heralding improvements to the country's maritime safety laws

The first step in the restoration process will be stabilizing the Tanner house's roof and walls.

Henry Ossawa Tanner Was One of the First World-Famous Black Artists. Now, His Home Is in Danger

The Philadelphia row house hosted generations of Black scholars and leaders

This picture taken on July 26, 2020 shows a cemetery undergoing demolition amidst ongoing construction at the historic City of the Dead.

Activists Work to Protect Cairo's City of the Dead From Demolition

Historic graves are being moved or destroyed as Egypt builds new roads and bridges

An overhead view shows the full layout of the 3,000-year-old bakery.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists in Armenia Unearth a Bakery—Complete With 3,000-Year-Old Flour

Originally thought to be ash, the ancient powdery substance helped researchers identify the building's purpose

The timepiece is one of just eight known Patek Philippe watches of its kind known to exist.

China's Last Emperor Brought This Wristwatch With Him to Prison

He gave the timepiece, which just sold for $6.2 million, to his Russian translator at a Soviet detention camp

Levi's 501 blue jeans were granted a patent 150 years ago.

After 150 Years, Levi's 501 Blue Jeans Are Still Kicking

The iconic garment began as a practical piece of clothing for miners to wear during long, difficult shifts

A portrait of Prince Alemayehu in July 1868

Buckingham Palace Refuses to Repatriate Remains of Ethiopian Prince

Taken from his home as a small child, Prince Dejatch Alemayehu died in England at age 18

Natasha Poonawalla arrives on the red carpet in a sari for the Met Gala in May 2022.

The Evolution—and Reinvention—of the Sari

"The Offbeat Sari" explores the traditional garment's role in fashion, protest, sustainability and more

Dogs sunbathing at the Acropolis

Pets Will Soon Be Welcome at More Than 120 Archaeological Sites in Greece

The new policies won't apply at certain high-traffic destinations like the Acropolis

The only meeting between Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X occured on March 26, 1964, at the U.S. Senate.

Martin Luther King Jr. Never Said Famous Quote Criticizing Malcolm X

One journalist's archival discovery is changing historians' understanding of the two civil rights leaders

One of the marble capitals found by swimmer Gideon Harris

Cool Finds

Swimmer Stumbles Upon 1,800-Year-Old Marble Columns From Shipwreck Off Israel’s Coast

The artifacts help settle an unanswered question about ancient architectural materials

A close-up view of the Titanic's bow

See the Titanic in Stunning Detail With New 3D Scan

Researchers collected 16 terabytes of data to create the very first full-sized 3D scan of the wreckage

loading icon