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Smart News / Smart News History & Archaeology

The three-inch blade is one of the earliest surviving examples of a runic inscription in Denmark.

Cool Finds

Engravings on 2,000-Year-Old Knife Might Be the Oldest Runes Ever Found in Denmark

The letters on the blade read “hirila,” which experts say may translate to “small sword”

A gilded unicorn atop a silver baton from the regalia of Scotland's Usher of the White Rod

How the Unicorn Became an Enduring Symbol—and Scotland’s National Animal

The Perth Museum’s inaugural exhibition examines the mythical creature’s long history

One side of the silver medal depicts Zeus holding Nike in the palm of his hand, while the other side features the Acropolis in Athens.

The Paris Olympics

Winners Got Silver Medals at the First Modern Olympic Games in 1896

A rare example of the nearly 130-year-old silver medal just sold at auction for $112,000

Churchill's custom-made dentures helped him maintain his distinctive speaking style.

Winston Churchill Wore False Teeth to Deliver Historic Wartime Speeches. Now, They’re for Sale

The British prime minister likely acquired the custom gold-mounted dentures around the beginning of World War II

A recently reconstructed brass Roman arm guard, now green and discolored, "gleamed gold" 2,000 years ago.

Experts Solve ‘Ancient Jigsaw Puzzle’ by Reassembling Roman Armor Broken Into 100 Pieces

The fragments of the brass arm guard were discovered at an ancient fort complex in Scotland over a century ago

A more than four-foot-long medieval sword was found just to the left of the Swedish man's skeleton.

Cool Finds

This Medieval Man Was Buried With a Four-Foot-Long Sword in Sweden

Researchers in Halmstad think he was a high-ranking member of the nobility before his death some 600 years ago

The artifact was found during a two-week dig by a volunteer group in the village of Norton Disney.

Cool Finds

Another Mysterious Roman Dodecahedron Has Been Unearthed in England

More than 100 such ancient artifacts have been found throughout Europe, but nobody knows what they are

Turkey’s government hopes the new policies will help protect the 1,500-year-old landmark in Istanbul.

Hagia Sophia Introduces Entry Fee for Foreign Tourists

Worshippers will be able to use a separate entrance to gain free access to the 1,500-year-old landmark in Istanbul

Many of the graves found at this ancient Roman burial ground were protected by tile or terra-cotta coverings.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth Ancient Roman Cemetery Full of Jewelry, Coins and Clothing

Discovered north of Rome, the burial ground lies near what was once an upper-class villa

Chicago's Field Museum announced its decision to cover certain display cases several days before new federal regulations went into effect.

Field Museum Covers Native American Displays to Comply With New Regulations

The federal rules require museums to obtain consent from tribal leaders before displaying or researching cultural heritage items

The envelope was sent twice: once on May 2, 1840, and again on May 4, 1840.

First Known Piece of Mail Sent Using a Stamp Goes to Auction

The 183-year-old envelope is a rare example of two early forms of prepaid postage: Mulready envelopes and adhesive stamps

To understand Elma's life, researchers cut her tusk lengthwise and took samples to study the elements present in the ivory.

Meet Elma, a Woolly Mammoth Who Roamed Far and Wide More Than 14,000 Years Ago

By analyzing a fossilized tusk, scientists have pieced together the animal’s movements

This reconstruction shows the 4,000-year-old structure in its original form.

New Research

Archaeologists Discover 4,000-Year-Old Wall Built Around Oasis in Saudi Arabia

The nine-mile-long structure surrounding the Khaybar Oasis may have once protected against raiders

Found by workers during recent restorations, the wall paintings feature three crowned motifs.

Cool Finds

Forgotten Tudor Wall Paintings Discovered in a Cambridge University Loft Space

Unseen for nearly 300 years, the art resurfaced during restorations at Christ’s College

Forensic scientist Joe Mullins created this reconstruction using the victim's skull.

See the Face of Roman Britain’s Only Known Crucifixion Victim

A forensic artist has reimagined what the man may have looked like 2,000 years ago

The National Portrait Gallery in London is missing 45 items, according to PA Media's investigation.

What Are the 1,700 Items Missing From England’s Museums?

Freedom of information requests have revealed more details about absent artifacts from the last 20 years

The area was surveyed using lidar technology, which revealed a large-scale network of roads and platforms.

New Research

Archaeologists Discover Ancient Cities Hidden in the Ecuadorean Amazon

Laser imaging has revealed an extensive network of settlements and roads that challenge historical understandings of the area

Workers discovered this Indigenous ossuary while digging in Toronto.

Construction Workers Discover Indigenous Burial Ground in Toronto

Researchers who investigated the site estimate that it’s about 700 years old

Genes that significantly increase risk of developing multiple sclerosis were introduced to northwestern Europe by herders who migrated from the east around 5,000 years ago.

Ancient DNA From Eurasian Herders Sheds Light on the Origins of Multiple Sclerosis

Genetic variants linked to the risk of MS were brought to Europe during a migration around 5,000 years ago, a new study finds—and they might have helped herders survive

An artist's impression of Gigantopithecus blacki near a forest in southern China.

What Caused the Mysterious Extinction of ‘Giganto,’ the World’s Largest Ape?

The massive primates were unable to shift their diet to keep pace with a changing climate, according to a new study, forcing them to eat less nutritious bark and twigs

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