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Smart News / Smart News History & Archaeology

Cows are considered sacred in Hinduism.

India Wants to Replace Valentine’s Day With ‘Cow Hug Day’

The Hindu nationalist government says that Western culture threatens Indian traditions

Construction workers in Rome were surprised when they discovered an ancient marble statue.

Cool Finds

Ancient Statue of Emperor Dressed as Hercules Discovered During Roman Sewer Repairs

The life-size statue was likely buried along the Appian Way in the early 20th century

The damaged castle following the earthquakes on February 6

Earthquakes Damage 2,000-Year-Old Castle in Turkey

The 7.8-magnitude quake also harmed other historic structures throughout Turkey and Syria

The dako sword found at Tomio Maruyama

Cool Finds

Seven-Foot Sword Unearthed From 1,600-Year-Old Burial Mound in Japan

Archaeologists think the artifact was used to protect against evil after death

An intact Roman dodecahedron at the Gallo-Roman Museum

Cool Finds

Metal Detectorist Finds Mysterious Roman Object Possibly Used for Magic

Patrick Schuermans discovered a fragment of a 1,600-year-old dodecahedron in Belgium

The Djidji Ayôkwé was kept at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris for about a century.

French Museum Will Return ‘Talking Drum’ to Ivory Coast

Colonial settlers seized the ten-foot-long wooden instrument in 1916

The findings suggest Neanderthals made deep cut marks on the foot bones of straight-tusked elephants to access the rich deposits of fat in the animals' foot pads.

Neanderthals Hunted and Butchered Massive Elephants 125,000 Years Ago

Meat from the gigantic animals could have fed hundreds of hominids, according to a new analysis of bones found in central Germany

Viking burial mound at Heath Wood being excavated

Vikings Brought Horses and Dogs to England, Study Finds

Cremated bone fragments suggest these animals were companions to the Vikings

An artistic illustration of Egyptian embalmers in the underground embalming workshop at Saqqara

The Surprising Substances Ancient Egyptians Used to Mummify the Dead

An analysis of 2,500-year-old embalming ingredients suggests some of them came from far-off places

Two of the gemstones discovered at a Roman bathhouse in Carlisle, England

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Find 2,000-Year-Old Gemstones in Drain Beneath a Roman Bathhouse

The stones, known as intaglios, likely fell from the rings of wealthy bathers

One of the recently discovered tombs at the Saqqara archaeological site

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth Oldest Known Gold-Covered Mummy in Egypt

The year-long excavation has also revealed statues, tools, pottery and dozens of other artifacts

Researchers discovered an ancient tavern at Lagash in southern Iraq.

Cool Finds

5,000-Year-Old Tavern With Food Still Inside Discovered in Iraq

Archaeologists found benches, an oven and food remnants dating back to 2700 B.C.E.

The gold pendant likely dates to around 1521.

Cool Finds

Metal Detectorist Discovers Rare Gold Pendant Celebrating Henry VIII’s First Marriage

The heart-shaped accessory features the entwined initials of the Tudor king and Catherine of Aragon

A soldier standing guard over the Odesa Opera and Ballet Theater in March 2022

UNESCO Adds Odesa to List of World Heritage in Danger

The new designation is intended to offer additional protection and resources to the historic port city

A portrait of Anne d’Alégre, a 17th-century French noblewoman who masked her poor dentition with gold wire and an elephant ivory false tooth

What Secrets Lie Beneath This 17th-Century French Aristocrat’s Smile?

New research suggests noblewoman Anne d’Alégre used gold wire to keep her decaying teeth in place

Salman Rushdie's latest book, Victory City, will be released on February 7.

In Salman Rushdie’s New Book, Stories Outlive Tyrants

‘Victory City’ comes just six months after the author survived a violent attack at a speaking event

A fresco stolen from an archaeological site at Herculaneum, an ancient town near Pompeii that was buried by Mount Vesuvius' eruption

Italy Celebrates Return of Looted Artifacts Worth $20 Million

Some of the five dozen items had been on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Officials in Peru closed Machu Picchu following security concerns and damage to nearby railways.

Peru Closes Machu Picchu Amid Anti-Government Protests

More than 50 people have died as demonstrations escalate and police crack down on dissent

As of January 24, the Doomsday Clock sits at 90 seconds to midnight.

The Doomsday Clock Is Now Closer Than Ever to Midnight

The reset comes amid the war in Ukraine, nuclear threats and climate change

The mummified teen digitally unwrapped in four stages

Digital Scans Reveal Secrets of ‘Golden Boy’ Mummy

The 2,300-year-old mummified teen was buried with 49 protective amulets, several made of gold

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