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Smart News / Smart News History & Archaeology

Construction of the famous stone statues of Rapa Nui, called moai, was previously thought to have contributed to the island's population collapse.

Easter Island’s Ancient Population Never Faced Ecological Collapse, Suggests Another Study

New DNA analysis adds to growing research indicating the famous Pacific island did not collapse from overuse of resources before the arrival of Europeans

This rare copy of the Constitution was signed by then Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson.

Cool Finds

This Forgotten Copy of the Constitution Discovered in a Filing Cabinet Could Sell for Millions

The historic text, which bears the signature of Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson, was one of 100 copies ordered on September 28, 1787

Researchers discovered Thorin's fossilized remains in 2015 in a cave in southern France.

Ancient DNA Reveals Neanderthal Group Was Isolated for 50,000 Years

A new study, based on the remains of a Neanderthal nicknamed Thorin, is shaking up what archaeologists long thought about these early humans in Europe

The helmet was excavated at at the Łysa Góra site in Poland's Mazovia region.

This Ancient Celtic Helmet Is the Oldest Ever Found in Poland

Unearthed at the Łysa Góra archaeological site, the artifact, some 2,300 years old, is a prime example of Celtic metalworking

The bunker is located 14 feet below a field in Derbyshire.

You Can Own a Rare Nuclear Bunker Built in England in the 1950s

The underground hideout, which will go to auction this month, was designed to shelter three people for two weeks in the event of an attack

The ring was found on the floor of a Pictish house near Scotland's northern coast.

Cool Finds

Volunteer Discovers 1,000-Year-Old Ring on the Last Day of an Excavation in Scotland

The artifact likely belonged to the Picts, who occupied a large settlement in what is now the town of Burghead

The 900-year-old picture stone features a carving that may depict Otto of Bamberg.

Cool Finds

Man Discovers 900-Year-Old Stone Carving Beneath His House in Germany

The rare picture stone may depict Otto of Bamberg, the bishop who helped spread Christianity throughout the region

A Victorian era depiction of the Battle of Stirling Bridge, which took place on September 11, 1297

On This Day in History

How William Wallace of ‘Braveheart’ Fame Defeated the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge

On September 11, 1297, the warrior vanquished the superior armies of Edward I, cementing his status as one of Scotland’s most iconic heroes

This necklace was likely stolen from a Turkish archaeological site in 1976.

Boston Museum Returns Looted 2,700-Year-Old Necklace to Turkey

The gold and carnelian artifact is nearly identical to other jewelry found at an archaeological site in western Turkey

The coins were minted between 94 B.C.E. and 74 B.C.E.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth Rare Trove of Silver Coins on Mediterranean Island

The 27 Roman denarii found on the island of Pantelleria date back more than 2,000 years

Masada is now one of Israel's most-visited tourist attractions.

New Research

The Roman Siege of Masada May Have Lasted Weeks, Not Years

New research suggests that the Romans defeated the Jewish rebels at Masada much more quickly than scholars previously assumed

Pieces of the Arch of Constantine came loose during a thunderstorm on September 3.

Rome’s Ancient Arch of Constantine Has Been Struck by Lightning

A fierce thunderstorm dislodged marble fragments of the 1,700-year-old monument

The remains of a house that was once submerged in the Mornos artificial lake in Greece, along with several other structures, have re-appeared after drought caused the water level to drop.

Drought Reveals a Sunken Village in Greece as a Reservoir Dries Up

After the country’s hottest June and July on record, a shrinking artificial lake has uncovered ruins of a school and other buildings that were submerged in the 1970s

Divers observed the HMS Hawke's intact guns at the bottom of the North Sea.

Divers Discover Sunken Warship Torpedoed by Germany in World War I

A German U-boat sank the HMS “Hawke” off the coast of Scotland in the early days of the war

These colorful rings could become a permanent fixture of the Eiffel Tower.

The Paris Olympics

Paris Mayor Wants to Keep the Olympic Rings on the Eiffel Tower

Critics worry that the symbol will tarnish the iconic structure’s historic character

A coin featuring Edward VIII designed by Humphrey Paget 

Money Is Art in an Exhibition at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum

“Money Talks” features currency from around the world spanning thousands of years—from ancient coins and historic banknotes to contemporary NFTs

The opening to the cistern was discovered beneath Jefferson Drive, which runs alongside the Smithsonian Castle and other museums.

Cool Finds

Workers Uncover an Underground Chamber Sealed for More Than a Century Near the National Mall

The dry cistern was discovered by construction crews working on the Smithsonian Castle’s renovation

This silver lidded vessel was discovered in Scotland as part of the Galloway Hoard, but originates from Asia.

A Viking-Era Vessel Found in Scotland a Decade Ago Turns Out to Be From Asia

Experts used X-ray technology to link the artifact—part of the famous Galloway Hoard—to an Iranian silver mine

A recent expedition to the Titanic's wreckage found that part of the ship's iconic bow railing has collapsed.

New Photographs Reveal Decay of the Titanic and Collapse of Its Iconic Railing

An expedition this summer documented signs of deterioration on the wreck, but it also rediscovered the Diana of Versailles statue, the centerpiece of the ship’s first-class lounge

Reserachers believe Viking children once played with this animal figurine.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists in Iceland Can’t Agree Which Animal This Mysterious Viking-Era Toy Depicts

The tenth-century stone figurine, alternatively identified as a pig, a bear or a dog, sheds light on the lives of long-ago Norse children

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