https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/archaeology/RSS feed for ArchaeologyenFri, 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/neanderthals-got-cavities-too-and-new-research-suggests-they-drilled-into-their-teeth-to-treat-them-just-like-modern-dentists-180988746/Researchers unearthed a 59,000-year-old Neanderthal molar that shows signs of dental surgery, a discovery that pushes back the earliest evidence of dental work by roughly 45,000 yearsFri, 15 May 2026 13:34:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthals-got-cavities-too-and-new-research-suggests-they-drilled-into-their-teeth-to-treat-them-just-like-modern-dentists-180988746/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-english-king-minted-these-coins-to-ward-off-a-viking-invasion-instead-the-seafaring-raiders-turned-the-pennies-into-jewelry-180988716/Aethelred the Unready viewed the attacks on his kingdom as divine retribution. He hoped that a show of public penance, including the creation of coins featuring religious imagery, would help earn God's forgivenessTue, 12 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-english-king-minted-these-coins-to-ward-off-a-viking-invasion-instead-the-seafaring-raiders-turned-the-pennies-into-jewelry-180988716/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discovered-the-remnants-of-a-secret-illegal-distillery-in-a-stunning-scottish-park-180988718/The copper still, likely used to make whisky, would have been hidden away from the oversight of tax collectors after Scotland outlawed unlicensed distilling centuries agoMon, 11 May 2026 20:23:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discovered-the-remnants-of-a-secret-illegal-distillery-in-a-stunning-scottish-park-180988718/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-this-wealthy-scotsman-pay-a-jeweler-to-wrap-his-teeth-in-gold-wire-hundreds-of-years-ago-180988709/What an early example of a dental bridge reveals about health, wealth and social values in the late medieval and early modern worldFri, 08 May 2026 21:32:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-this-wealthy-scotsman-pay-a-jeweler-to-wrap-his-teeth-in-gold-wire-hundreds-of-years-ago-180988709/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-hiker-in-norway-found-an-elite-warriors-golden-sword-ornament-it-was-likely-a-sacrifice-to-the-gods-made-during-a-time-of-turmoil-180988707/Volcanic eruptions, climate change, crop failures, famine and plague all may have swept through Norway in the sixth century C.E., putting pressure on leaders and their communitiesFri, 08 May 2026 19:45:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-hiker-in-norway-found-an-elite-warriors-golden-sword-ornament-it-was-likely-a-sacrifice-to-the-gods-made-during-a-time-of-turmoil-180988707/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-green-rocks-discovered-in-a-remote-cave-in-spain-might-be-signs-of-prehistoric-people-working-with-copper-180988706/The find challenges assumptions that people in the region thousands of years ago did not spend much time at high altitudesFri, 08 May 2026 17:42:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-green-rocks-discovered-in-a-remote-cave-in-spain-might-be-signs-of-prehistoric-people-working-with-copper-180988706/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-franklin-expedition-officer-died-in-the-arctic-in-uniform-that-didnt-belong-to-him-now-dna-has-revealed-his-identity-180988702/New research has identified four members of the doomed 1845 search for the Northwest Passage, including the owner of a paper-stuffed wallet that has long mystified historiansFri, 08 May 2026 16:07:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-franklin-expedition-officer-died-in-the-arctic-in-uniform-that-didnt-belong-to-him-now-dna-has-revealed-his-identity-180988702/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fall-of-the-roman-empire-was-less-a-clash-of-civilizations-and-more-an-opportunity-to-mix-and-mingle-a-new-genetics-study-shows-180988699/Researchers who analyzed genomes from early medieval graves in modern-day Germany hypothesize that people from the former Roman Empire formed families with Germanic people soon after the empire fellFri, 08 May 2026 15:54:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fall-of-the-roman-empire-was-less-a-clash-of-civilizations-and-more-an-opportunity-to-mix-and-mingle-a-new-genetics-study-shows-180988699/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/divers-discover-the-shipwreck-of-a-world-war-i-era-coast-guard-cutter-which-vanished-with-131-sailors-on-board-in-1918-180988676/The wreckage of the "Tampa," which was torpedoed by a German submarine, was found 50 miles off the coast of Cornwall, England. The disaster was the largest single American naval combat loss of life during the warThu, 07 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/divers-discover-the-shipwreck-of-a-world-war-i-era-coast-guard-cutter-which-vanished-with-131-sailors-on-board-in-1918-180988676/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-what-underwater-robots-are-finding-at-frances-deepest-shipwreck-a-16th-century-merchant-vessel-resting-at-the-bottom-of-the-mediterranean-180988685/Known as the "Camarat 4," the ship was loaded with cannons, cauldrons and hundreds of ceramics—which are still visible on the seafloor. Researchers are surveying the site and carefully recovering a small selection of artifactsThu, 07 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-what-underwater-robots-are-finding-at-frances-deepest-shipwreck-a-16th-century-merchant-vessel-resting-at-the-bottom-of-the-mediterranean-180988685/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-the-ancient-world-this-pigment-was-worth-more-than-gold-archaeologists-discovered-it-buried-with-babies-in-roman-coffins-180988678/A funerary custom in Roman Yorkshire of pouring liquid gypsum over bodies before burial preserved traces of Tyrian purpleTue, 05 May 2026 18:20:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-the-ancient-world-this-pigment-was-worth-more-than-gold-archaeologists-discovered-it-buried-with-babies-in-roman-coffins-180988678/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/see-the-largest-viking-age-hoard-ever-found-in-norway-at-nearly-3000-coins-and-counting-the-cache-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-find-180988657/Buried in the mid-11th century, the stash includes silver pieces minted under rulers such as Cnut the Great, Aethelred the Unready and Harald HardradaMon, 04 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-largest-viking-age-hoard-ever-found-in-norway-at-nearly-3000-coins-and-counting-the-cache-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-find-180988657/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/six-decades-ago-a-boy-stole-medieval-tiles-from-an-english-monastery-he-just-returned-the-illicit-souvenirs-180988663/A ghoulish face and a graceful dragon decorate the broken clay tiles from the late 13th century or early 14th century. They were found tucked in an old toffee tinFri, 01 May 2026 18:39:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/six-decades-ago-a-boy-stole-medieval-tiles-from-an-english-monastery-he-just-returned-the-illicit-souvenirs-180988663/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dead-bodies-filled-a-mass-grave-when-the-first-pandemic-struck-this-early-medieval-city-new-research-explores-the-identity-of-the-victims-180988652/Researchers analyzed isotopes and DNA in the teeth of remains found in a mass grave from the Plague of Justinian, which swept through the Byzantine EmpireFri, 01 May 2026 15:29:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dead-bodies-filled-a-mass-grave-when-the-first-pandemic-struck-this-early-medieval-city-new-research-explores-the-identity-of-the-victims-180988652/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-and-his-dog-accidentally-discovered-a-3400-year-old-ax-head-while-out-for-a-walk-in-one-of-englands-ancient-forests-180988649/Researchers believe the ax dates to between 1400 B.C.E. and 1275 B.C.E. and is a relic of the Bronze Age, when humans started to work with metalThu, 30 Apr 2026 18:45:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-and-his-dog-accidentally-discovered-a-3400-year-old-ax-head-while-out-for-a-walk-in-one-of-englands-ancient-forests-180988649/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-metal-detectorist-stumbled-upon-a-silver-coin-it-turned-out-to-be-part-of-a-stash-buried-during-the-viking-invasion-of-britain-180988645/Archaeologists say that the 63 coins, most of which bear the name of King Burgred of Mercia, might have been hidden in the ninth century to keep them safe at a time of unrestThu, 30 Apr 2026 12:42:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-metal-detectorist-stumbled-upon-a-silver-coin-it-turned-out-to-be-part-of-a-stash-buried-during-the-viking-invasion-of-britain-180988645/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/smart-news/what-killed-the-neanderthals-new-research-suggests-a-lack-of-genetic-diversity-may-be-partially-to-blame-180988612/When the climate cooled, the population of Neanderthals shrank. Most that lived between 60,000 and 40,000 years ago were descended from the same lineage and had very similar DNAFri, 24 Apr 2026 14:04:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-killed-the-neanderthals-new-research-suggests-a-lack-of-genetic-diversity-may-be-partially-to-blame-180988612/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-graveyard-of-shipwrecks-between-europe-and-africa-archaeologists-discovered-vessels-doomed-over-thousands-of-years-180988605/The "harbor" of the Strait of Gibraltar is the final resting place for shipwrecks from ancient Rome, the medieval era and World War II, according to a new archaeological surveyFri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-graveyard-of-shipwrecks-between-europe-and-africa-archaeologists-discovered-vessels-doomed-over-thousands-of-years-180988605/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/new-archaeological-discoveries-reveal-how-san-antonio-colonists-irrigated-crops-and-accessed-drinking-water-180988571/While preparing for school renovations, researchers in Texas found remnants of the historic San Pedro acequia, a centuries-old technology that provided water to the burgeoning villageTue, 21 Apr 2026 17:26:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-archaeological-discoveries-reveal-how-san-antonio-colonists-irrigated-crops-and-accessed-drinking-water-180988571/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthal-kids-grew-up-so-fast-at-least-compared-to-their-human-peers-thanks-to-genetic-adaptations-to-their-environment-180988583/Scientists think Neanderthal children may have had faster growth rates because larger bodies tend to retain heat more effectively than smaller onesTue, 21 Apr 2026 15:14:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthal-kids-grew-up-so-fast-at-least-compared-to-their-human-peers-thanks-to-genetic-adaptations-to-their-environment-180988583/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-gods-name-was-mud-archaeologists-discovered-a-water-filled-temple-possibly-tied-to-him-in-egypt-180988581/A structure blending Egyptian, Greek and Roman styles was discovered in the ancient city of Pelusium at the edge of the Nile DeltaTue, 21 Apr 2026 01:59:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-gods-name-was-mud-archaeologists-discovered-a-water-filled-temple-possibly-tied-to-him-in-egypt-180988581/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-discovered-stone-tools-made-from-geodes-and-fossils-hint-at-homo-erectus-connection-with-the-cosmos-180988565/Archaeologists in Israel unearthed prehistoric hand axes that Homo erectus crafted from stones including fossils and crystals, perhaps a sign that they wanted to connect with the cosmosMon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-discovered-stone-tools-made-from-geodes-and-fossils-hint-at-homo-erectus-connection-with-the-cosmos-180988565/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-medieval-castle-sits-atop-a-prehistoric-time-capsule-new-excavations-could-reveal-the-history-of-neanderthals-in-britain-180988562/In a cave tucked beneath the Welsh landmark, archaeologists have found evidence of human and animal visits over the past 120,000 years. Now, they're starting a five-year excavation projectMon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-medieval-castle-sits-atop-a-prehistoric-time-capsule-new-excavations-could-reveal-the-history-of-neanderthals-in-britain-180988562/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-times-trouble-maya-rejected-divine-kingship-newly-discovered-public-building-reveals-how-the-transition-to-shared-power-unfolded-180988567/Archaeologists in northern Guatemala unearthed a colonnaded open hall that may have served as a council house, where local leaders and everyday people met to discuss political issuesMon, 20 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-times-trouble-maya-rejected-divine-kingship-newly-discovered-public-building-reveals-how-the-transition-to-shared-power-unfolded-180988567/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hundreds-of-spanish-settlers-died-at-the-port-of-famine-this-newly-discovered-silver-coin-reveals-where-the-doomed-colony-was-founded-400-years-ago-180988519/Ciudad del Rey Don Felipe was established on the north shore of Chile's Strait of Magellan in 1584. When an English navigator came across it several years later, few survivors remainedFri, 17 Apr 2026 17:42:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hundreds-of-spanish-settlers-died-at-the-port-of-famine-this-newly-discovered-silver-coin-reveals-where-the-doomed-colony-was-founded-400-years-ago-180988519/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-is-a-cold-war-bunker-buried-underneath-this-medieval-english-castle-in-case-of-nuclear-armageddon-180988561/Archaeologists uncovered a relic of the 20th-century conflict beneath Scarborough Castle, decades after the bunker was sealed and its exact location was forgottenThu, 16 Apr 2026 19:00:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-is-a-cold-war-bunker-buried-underneath-this-medieval-english-castle-in-case-of-nuclear-armageddon-180988561/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/turtles-may-have-been-tasty-snacks-for-neanderthals-125000-years-ago-but-their-shells-were-probably-the-real-prize-180988550/New research based on fragments discovered at the Neumark-Nord site in Germany suggests Neanderthals may have transformed the shells into toolsWed, 15 Apr 2026 14:46:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/turtles-may-have-been-tasty-snacks-for-neanderthals-125000-years-ago-but-their-shells-were-probably-the-real-prize-180988550/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/long-misidentified-this-seal-tooth-pendant-was-carefully-crafted-by-a-prehistoric-human-roughly-15000-years-ago-180988543/Discovered in 1867, the artifact raises new theories about the Magdalenian people who inhabited southwest England during the Late Upper Paleolithic periodTue, 14 Apr 2026 18:23:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/long-misidentified-this-seal-tooth-pendant-was-carefully-crafted-by-a-prehistoric-human-roughly-15000-years-ago-180988543/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-antilla-shipwreck-tells-the-story-of-when-world-war-II-came-to-Aruba-180988529/Tourists can learn about this history by snorkeling over the wreck of the German ship in shallow waters just off the island’s coastTue, 14 Apr 2026 12:54:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-antilla-shipwreck-tells-the-story-of-when-world-war-II-came-to-Aruba-180988529/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-millennium-old-sacrificial-altar-in-mexico-belonged-to-a-civilization-that-thrived-before-the-aztecs-180988539/Surrounded by human skulls, the artifact was uncovered at the site of the Toltec people's capital in central Mexico ahead of construction of a new railway projectTue, 14 Apr 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-millennium-old-sacrificial-altar-in-mexico-belonged-to-a-civilization-that-thrived-before-the-aztecs-180988539/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-built-thomas-jeffersons-monticello-brick-by-brick-archaeologists-just-discovered-one-of-the-kilns-they-used-180988525/Researchers think the newly unearthed structure was used to fire and cure bricks during construction of the site’s original mansion in the early 1770sMon, 13 Apr 2026 10:00:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-built-thomas-jeffersons-monticello-brick-by-brick-archaeologists-just-discovered-one-of-the-kilns-they-used-180988525/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-nearly-80-years-of-doubt-scientists-say-a-spear-lodged-between-elephant-ribs-offers-evidence-that-neanderthals-hunted-big-game-180988522/In 1948, amateur archaeologists unearthed the remains, which should have shifted researchers' views of Neanderthals. But poor documentation sowed skepticism in the scientific communityFri, 10 Apr 2026 16:05:15 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-nearly-80-years-of-doubt-scientists-say-a-spear-lodged-between-elephant-ribs-offers-evidence-that-neanderthals-hunted-big-game-180988522/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/long-before-machine-guns-ancient-roman-troops-were-using-this-rapid-fire-weapon-180988504/Ancient Roman forces may have used the polybolos to quell a rebellion at Pompeii in 89 B.C.E. The unique weapon was likely developed by a Greek engineer centuries earlierThu, 09 Apr 2026 11:13:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/long-before-machine-guns-ancient-roman-troops-were-using-this-rapid-fire-weapon-180988504/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/2000-year-old-cargo-from-roman-ship-discovered-at-the-bottom-of-swiss-lake-180988492/Divers recovered weapons, tools, pieces of horse-drawn chariots, ceramic plates, platters and goblets. One archaeologist surmises that the loss would have been "immense" at the timeWed, 08 Apr 2026 14:31:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2000-year-old-cargo-from-roman-ship-discovered-at-the-bottom-of-swiss-lake-180988492/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/this-danish-warship-exploded-in-battle-225-years-ago-now-archaeologists-are-racing-to-recover-its-artifacts-180988493/The destruction of the "Dannebroge" was documented in art and history books. Now, thanks to a museum's excavations, archaeologists can study the wreck up close for the first timeTue, 07 Apr 2026 11:16:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-danish-warship-exploded-in-battle-225-years-ago-now-archaeologists-are-racing-to-recover-its-artifacts-180988493/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/la-brea-tar-pits-sucking-visitors-millennia-paleontologits-still-finding-out-what-lies-within-ooze-180988404/In Los Angeles, scientists are delighted to decode one of the richest fossil records on EarthTue, 07 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/la-brea-tar-pits-sucking-visitors-millennia-paleontologits-still-finding-out-what-lies-within-ooze-180988404/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-soldier-died-of-yellow-fever-during-a-hurricane-153-years-ago-archaeologists-just-found-his-grave-180988484/George Tupper, a 22-year-old from Massachusetts, was nearly a year into his military service when a yellow fever outbreak struck Fort JeffersonMon, 06 Apr 2026 18:05:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-soldier-died-of-yellow-fever-during-a-hurricane-153-years-ago-archaeologists-just-found-his-grave-180988484/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/are-these-the-earliest-known-dice-in-the-world-native-americans-may-have-used-them-to-play-games-of-chance-more-than-12000-years-ago-180988479/A new study suggests that humans were playing with probability during the Ice Age—and that dice were invented 6,000 years earlier than previously thoughtFri, 03 Apr 2026 14:30:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/are-these-the-earliest-known-dice-in-the-world-native-americans-may-have-used-them-to-play-games-of-chance-more-than-12000-years-ago-180988479/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/is-this-1800-year-old-mosaic-the-first-known-image-of-a-woman-fighting-wild-beasts-in-an-ancient-roman-arena-180988456/The artwork was destroyed during World War I. But an archaeologist's sketch may reveal a female figure wielding a whip and facing off against a leopard, a new study suggestsWed, 01 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-this-1800-year-old-mosaic-the-first-known-image-of-a-woman-fighting-wild-beasts-in-an-ancient-roman-arena-180988456/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/to-finance-lifestyle-young-french-couple-cambodia-steal-antiquities-they-did-almost-everything-wrong-180988403/Clara and André Malraux conspired to loot the pink temple of Banteay Srei, but their failure started a battle of reclamationWed, 01 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/to-finance-lifestyle-young-french-couple-cambodia-steal-antiquities-they-did-almost-everything-wrong-180988403/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-skeleton-found-beneath-the-floor-of-a-dutch-church-may-belong-to-dartagnan-the-fourth-musketeer-180988448/Workers discovered the skeleton during recent repair work at the church in Maastricht. D'Artagnan died during the siege of the city in 1673Fri, 27 Mar 2026 21:36:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-skeleton-found-beneath-the-floor-of-a-dutch-church-may-belong-to-dartagnan-the-fourth-musketeer-180988448/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/scientists-identify-the-worlds-first-known-dog-which-pushes-back-the-animals-genetic-record-by-about-5000-years-180988444/Two new ancient DNA studies suggest that domesticated dogs were widespread in western Eurasia more than 14,000 years agoFri, 27 Mar 2026 17:49:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-identify-the-worlds-first-known-dog-which-pushes-back-the-animals-genetic-record-by-about-5000-years-180988444/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-this-600-year-old-grape-seed-is-genetically-identical-to-modern-varieties-used-to-make-pinot-noir-180988437/Researchers analyzed grape seeds dating to between 2300 B.C.E. and 1500 C.E., including one particularly intriguing sample found in the toilet of a medieval hospital in FranceThu, 26 Mar 2026 17:43:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-this-600-year-old-grape-seed-is-genetically-identical-to-modern-varieties-used-to-make-pinot-noir-180988437/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-discover-an-intact-cannonball-from-the-battle-of-the-alamo-one-day-before-the-pivotal-conflicts-190th-anniversary-180988402/The projectile is made of bronze, which suggests it was fired by the Mexican Army during the siege leading up to the 1836 battleWed, 25 Mar 2026 18:31:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-an-intact-cannonball-from-the-battle-of-the-alamo-one-day-before-the-pivotal-conflicts-190th-anniversary-180988402/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/archaeologists-unerath-more-than-40000-pieces-pottery-that-ancient-egyptians-used-scrap-paper-180988414/The ostraca, some dating back to the time just before Cleopatra, were discovered within the ancient ruins of AthribisTue, 24 Mar 2026 20:01:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unerath-more-than-40000-pieces-pottery-that-ancient-egyptians-used-scrap-paper-180988414/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-identify-traces-of-childrens-fingerprints-still-visible-on-clay-beads-created-15000-years-ago-180988400/Discovered in present-day Israel, the beads suggest that Natufian groups used clay for symbolic purposes many years earlier than scholars previously thought, according to a new studyTue, 24 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-identify-traces-of-childrens-fingerprints-still-visible-on-clay-beads-created-15000-years-ago-180988400/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-traces-of-a-mysterious-medieval-city-that-was-abandoned-under-puzzling-circumstances-hundreds-of-years-ago-180988391/Found in a Polish forest, the town of Stolzenberg appears to have been built around the turn of the 14th century. Surveys revealed evidence of a town square, a main street and a moatFri, 20 Mar 2026 19:53:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-traces-of-a-mysterious-medieval-city-that-was-abandoned-under-puzzling-circumstances-hundreds-of-years-ago-180988391/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/at-the-colosseum-new-marble-slabs-mark-where-towering-columns-stood-thousands-of-years-ago-180988378/Crowds once mingled below two tall arcades supported by 164-foot-tall columns. But due to earthquakes and unstable foundations, these architectural elements collapsed long agoFri, 20 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/at-the-colosseum-new-marble-slabs-mark-where-towering-columns-stood-thousands-of-years-ago-180988378/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-groundskeeper-noticed-a-sinkhole-on-a-golf-course-it-turned-out-to-be-a-wine-cellar-full-of-empty-bottles-untouched-for-more-than-100-years-180988379/The cellar is located near the 13th hole of a course at the Davyhulme Park Golf Club in England. Staffers think it was previously part of a manor that was torn down in 1888Thu, 19 Mar 2026 19:04:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-groundskeeper-noticed-a-sinkhole-on-a-golf-course-it-turned-out-to-be-a-wine-cellar-full-of-empty-bottles-untouched-for-more-than-100-years-180988379/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-diver-stumbled-upon-a-centuries-old-sword-beneath-the-mediterranean-sea-years-later-he-found-another-one-nearby-180988370/Shlomi Katzin, who unearthed a 900-year-old sword in 2021, recently discovered a similar artifact jutting out of the seabed off the coast of IsraelThu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-diver-stumbled-upon-a-centuries-old-sword-beneath-the-mediterranean-sea-years-later-he-found-another-one-nearby-180988370/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-brilliant-blue-paint-covering-this-lavish-room-in-ancient-pompeii-may-have-cost-more-than-half-the-annual-salary-of-a-roman-foot-soldier-180988374/Researchers have estimated how much the home's owners may have paid to paint the small sacrarium, calculating the price of the Egyptian blue pigment and the hours of labor required to prepare itWed, 18 Mar 2026 19:38:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-brilliant-blue-paint-covering-this-lavish-room-in-ancient-pompeii-may-have-cost-more-than-half-the-annual-salary-of-a-roman-foot-soldier-180988374/