https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/ancient-civilizations/RSS feed for Ancient CivilizationsenFri, 15 May 2026 20:44:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-magical-mirror-the-powerful-queen-of-a-british-tribe-may-have-used-goes-on-display-as-part-of-britains-largest-iron-age-hoard-180988751/Visitors to the Yorkshire Museum can see artifacts from the Melsonby Hoard, dating to the first century C.E., that rewrite the story of wealth and power in Britain around the time of the Roman invasionFri, 15 May 2026 20:44:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-magical-mirror-the-powerful-queen-of-a-british-tribe-may-have-used-goes-on-display-as-part-of-britains-largest-iron-age-hoard-180988751/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-souvenir-bowl-may-have-commemorated-an-ancient-roman-soldiers-service-at-hadrians-wall-it-was-discovered-on-a-spanish-farm-1900-years-later-180988665/The artifact is decorated with an illustration of the defensive fortification in northern England, but it was unearthed some 1,200 miles away. A new study suggests the design reflects a soldier’s achievements at the siteMon, 04 May 2026 18:23:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-souvenir-bowl-may-have-commemorated-an-ancient-roman-soldiers-service-at-hadrians-wall-it-was-discovered-on-a-spanish-farm-1900-years-later-180988665/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-island-in-scotland-is-actually-a-man-made-mini-landmass-resting-on-a-wooden-platform-new-discovery-shows-180988674/Scientists made significant advances in underwater archaeology techniques and photogrammetry while investigating the crannog siteMon, 04 May 2026 15:16:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-island-in-scotland-is-actually-a-man-made-mini-landmass-resting-on-a-wooden-platform-new-discovery-shows-180988674/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-fled-pompeii-as-mount-vesuvius-erupted-archaeologists-found-him-2000-years-later-holding-a-bowl-to-protect-his-head-and-a-lamp-to-light-his-way-180988647/Recent excavations revealed two skeletons just outside the ancient city's walls. Researchers also created an A.I.-generated reconstruction of one of the victim's harrowing final momentsThu, 30 Apr 2026 15:10:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-fled-pompeii-as-mount-vesuvius-erupted-archaeologists-found-him-2000-years-later-holding-a-bowl-to-protect-his-head-and-a-lamp-to-light-his-way-180988647/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-400-year-old-astrolabe-made-for-royalty-by-mughal-master-craftsmen-and-owned-by-royalty-fetched-millions-at-auction-180988638/Ancient Greek astronomers and early Islamic scientists used astrolabes as mechanical computers to calculate time, determine height and navigate by the starsWed, 29 Apr 2026 14:07:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-400-year-old-astrolabe-made-for-royalty-by-mughal-master-craftsmen-and-owned-by-royalty-fetched-millions-at-auction-180988638/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-13-year-old-boy-found-this-bronze-coin-in-a-field-it-turned-out-to-be-the-first-ancient-greek-artifact-discovered-in-berlin-180988627/Minted in Troy in the third century B.C.E., the object might have been buried as a gift to the dead. Archaeologists don't know exactly how it ended up in modern-day GermanyTue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-13-year-old-boy-found-this-bronze-coin-in-a-field-it-turned-out-to-be-the-first-ancient-greek-artifact-discovered-in-berlin-180988627/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/these-modern-day-photographs-highlight-why-centuries-later-pompeii-still-attracts-tourists-and-archaeologists-180988611/The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius froze the ancient Roman city in time, giving modern-day humans a remarkable vision into the pastFri, 24 Apr 2026 13:41:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/these-modern-day-photographs-highlight-why-centuries-later-pompeii-still-attracts-tourists-and-archaeologists-180988611/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-a-papyrus-fragment-from-the-iliad-tucked-inside-the-wrappings-of-a-1600-year-old-egyptian-mummy-180988603/The excerpt from Homer's epic poem features his catalog of ships, a famous passage listing the Greek forces that sailed to Troy. It may be the first Greek literary text found in the context of mummificationThu, 23 Apr 2026 15:07:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-a-papyrus-fragment-from-the-iliad-tucked-inside-the-wrappings-of-a-1600-year-old-egyptian-mummy-180988603/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-does-this-newly-discovered-2000-year-old-stone-slab-depict-a-roman-emperor-as-an-egyptian-pharaoh-180988549/The sandstone monument shows Tiberius standing next to a family of local gods. Archaeologists say the scene illustrates the ruler's role as a leader who upheld cosmic order in Egyptian societyWed, 15 Apr 2026 17:56:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-does-this-newly-discovered-2000-year-old-stone-slab-depict-a-roman-emperor-as-an-egyptian-pharaoh-180988549/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-didnt-expect-to-find-anything-at-this-site-in-england-then-they-stumbled-upon-a-roman-villa-and-a-bronze-artifact-dubbed-norfolk-nessie-180988505/Ahead of wind farm development on Britain's eastern coast, excavations along an underground cable route uncovered the ruins of an ancient farming estate that boasted its own bathhouseWed, 08 Apr 2026 17:47:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-didnt-expect-to-find-anything-at-this-site-in-england-then-they-stumbled-upon-a-roman-villa-and-a-bronze-artifact-dubbed-norfolk-nessie-180988505/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-allegedly-stole-gold-helmet-lost-european-culture-returned-it-180988487/More than a year after the Romanian treasure disappeared from a museum in the Netherlands, it’s back in the hands of authorities. The men accused of stealing it will face trial later this monthTue, 07 Apr 2026 16:28:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-allegedly-stole-gold-helmet-lost-european-culture-returned-it-180988487/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-did-ancient-pompeians-burn-as-offerings-to-their-gods-new-research-reveals-the-surprising-answer-180988467/An analysis of incense burners discovered in the doomed city identified traces of resin imported from sub-Saharan Africa or Asia, testifying to Pompeii's extensive trade networksWed, 01 Apr 2026 18:29:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-did-ancient-pompeians-burn-as-offerings-to-their-gods-new-research-reveals-the-surprising-answer-180988467/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-2000-year-old-sling-bullet-inscribed-with-the-word-learn-180988449/The artifact is the first sling bullet of its kind unearthed at the ancient city of Hippos, though archaeologists have found dozens of other examples without inscriptions at the siteFri, 27 Mar 2026 19:25:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-2000-year-old-sling-bullet-inscribed-with-the-word-learn-180988449/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-spellbinding-exhibition-explores-how-ancient-cultures-used-magic-to-navigate-lifes-challenges-180988436/The Toledo Museum of Art is showcasing a treasure trove of masks, amulets, spellbooks and gems dating to between 2000 B.C.E. and 300 C.E.Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-spellbinding-exhibition-explores-how-ancient-cultures-used-magic-to-navigate-lifes-challenges-180988436/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-are-mystified-by-these-2000-year-old-bodies-found-seated-upright-and-facing-west-in-france-180988425/Researchers previously discovered 13 sets of human remains buried in a similar manner at the same grave site in DijonWed, 25 Mar 2026 11:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-are-mystified-by-these-2000-year-old-bodies-found-seated-upright-and-facing-west-in-france-180988425/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-bronze-age-loom-sheds-new-light-on-mediterranean-textile-practices-180988426/This 3,500-year-old warp-weighted loom was surprisingly preserved by a fire that destroyed multiple buildings in an ancient Iberian settlementTue, 24 Mar 2026 20:30:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-bronze-age-loom-sheds-new-light-on-mediterranean-textile-practices-180988426/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-ramses-iis-intricately-decorated-coffin-and-rare-treasures-from-his-reign-at-this-new-immersive-exhibition-180988306/Now on display in London, "Ramses and the Pharaohs' Gold" features 3,000-year-old artifacts alongside virtual reality experiences that transport museumgoers to the 13th century B.C.E.Fri, 20 Mar 2026 18:28:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-ramses-iis-intricately-decorated-coffin-and-rare-treasures-from-his-reign-at-this-new-immersive-exhibition-180988306/