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Smart News / Smart News History & Archaeology

Roman mosaics date back to the Bronze Age, and a new one has just been discovered at the Roman Baths in Bath, England.

Oldest Mosaic at Roman Baths Found During Excavations

Mosaics have a long history, but this is considered the oldest at the site

Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park gives a view of Neníisótoyóú’u (Longs Peak) in Colorado, left of center.

Cool Finds

This Account is Reclaiming the Indigenous Names for Mountains One Geotag at a Time

A Navajo climber is leading a social media campaign to spread awareness of the indigenous names of peaks

Ask Smithsonian

Is the Fall Equinox the Secret to the Pyramids’ Near-Perfect Alignment?

One engineer says yes

Markus Brunetti, Wells Cathedral Church of St. Andrews, 2015-2016 Archival Pigment Print

Thousands of Photographs Created These Hyper-Real Portraits of Historic Buildings

German artist Markus Brunetti brings a high-tech approach to capturing centuries-old cathedrals

Restored Stone Declaration of Independence.

Copy of Declaration of Independence, Hidden Behind Wall Paper During the Civil War, Resurfaces in Texas

The document, which belonged to James Madison, is one of 200 facsimiles commissioned in the 19th century

"Scenes From the Collection" emphasizes modern and contemporary art in its exploration of Jewish identity

The Evolution of Jewish Identity Takes Center Stage at Revamped Jewish Museum Exhibition

The redesigned permanent exhibition highlights a rotating selection of artifacts spanning 4,000 years of history

Colorado State University archeologist Chris Fisher has used the laser mapping technique in Mexico and Honduras.

Laser Mapping Shows Ancient City in Mexico Contained 40,000 Buildings

Researchers used LiDAR scanning to reveal the sprawling metropolis of Angamuco

The exhibition features a pair of 18th-century stork scissors, heavy tailors’ shears and calligraphy scissors

Exhibition Cuts Into the Fascinating History of Scissors

Fashion and Textile Museum traces scissors’ role in life and death, fairy tales, crime and punk

Tombs in the ancient city of Hierapolis, in modern-day Turkey.

New Research

How the Roman “Gates of Hell” Killed Animal Sacrifices but Let Human Priests Escape Unharmed

In ancient times, the gates seemed to respond to supernatural powers, but it’s actually all about science

Gilbert Stuart Williamstown Portrait of George Washington

Lock of Washington’s Hair Found in 18th-Century Almanac

It was once common practice to give away locks of hair as gifts and keepsakes

Portrait of the unknown judge.

Can You Identify the Judge in This Courthouse Portrait?

Officials of the John Adams Courthouse in Boston are asking the public for help in uncovering the identity of the anonymous jurist

Members of the U. S. figure skating team pose before boarding a Belgian Sabena airline plane at New York's Idlewild Airport on February 14, 1961. The plane crashed on February 15 near Brussels Airport, killing all on board.

The Beijing Winter Olympics

The Devastating Impact of the 1961 Plane Crash That Wiped Out the Entire U.S. Figure Skating Team

On this day in 1961, the U.S. figure skating team was headed to the World Championships in Prague. They never made it

Cool Finds

Life-Size Camel Carvings Found in the Saudi Desert

Archaeologists estimate the reliefs are 2,000 years old but are unsure what culture made them

The Louvre museum has opened two showrooms with 31 paintings on display which can be claimed by their legitimate owners.

The Louvre Puts Nazi-Looted Art in Public Eye in Effort to Find Rightful Heirs

The museum hopes the initiative will help connect the works to their legitimate owners. But critics say the move is too little, too late

Cool Finds

Monster Fatberg Goes On Display at London Museum

The mass clogged the sewer under Whitechapel last year with 820 feet of solid grease, fat and dirty diapers

Cropped stamp featuring a portrait of William Shakespeare.

Software Points to Possible Inspiration for 11 Shakespeare Plays

Researchers used plagiarism software to highlight similarities between Shakespeare’s work and an obscure, unpublished manuscript

Founders of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), Annie Kenney and Christabel Pankhurst. The group's motto was "deeds, not words," Marshall writes in his blog.

Cool Finds

Photographs Documenting the Struggle for Women’s Suffrage Are Reimagined in Full Color

Colorizer Tom Marshall’s deft touch brings new life to 100-year-old photographs

A tessera or a Roman six-sided die from the Vidy Roman Museum

How Centuries-Old Dice Reveal Changing Attitudes About Fate

Dice made in Roman times were lopsided and irregular, but they became more consistent during the Renaissance

Inaugural Parade for President John F. Kennedy

Trending Today

The History of Military Parades in the U.S.

Displays of military might aren’t common in modern America outside of wartime

New Research

Study Reveals Deep Shortcomings With How Schools Teach America’s History of Slavery

Southern Poverty Law Center’s recent report identifies key problems when it comes to educating students on slavery—and offers guidance on how to fix them

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