Religion | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/religion/RSS feed for ReligionenWed, 15 Jul 2026 17:31:42 +0000Ancient Egyptians Believed That These Newly Discovered Gold Tongues Allowed the Dead to Communicate in the Afterlifehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptians-believed-that-these-newly-discovered-gold-tongues-allowed-the-dead-to-communicate-in-the-afterlife-180989127/Excavations at Marina el-Alamein, an archaeological site west of Alexandria, unearthed about two dozen of the rare artifacts, including one shaped like the Eye of HorusWed, 15 Jul 2026 17:31:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptians-believed-that-these-newly-discovered-gold-tongues-allowed-the-dead-to-communicate-in-the-afterlife-180989127/An English King's Bones Were Moved Over Centuries and Eventually Lost. One Researcher Claims He Discovered Their Location—Under a Parking Lothttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-english-kings-bones-were-moved-over-centuries-and-eventually-lost-one-researcher-claims-he-discovered-their-location-under-a-parking-lot-180989121/Alfred the Great defended Wessex from the Vikings. Researchers have been searching for his remains for years after their resting place in an abbey was disturbedTue, 14 Jul 2026 20:37:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-english-kings-bones-were-moved-over-centuries-and-eventually-lost-one-researcher-claims-he-discovered-their-location-under-a-parking-lot-180989121/Ancient Romans Put Their Faith in Guardian Spirits. Archaeologists Just Found a Rare 1,600-Year-Old Carving of One in Northern Englandhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/romans-put-their-faith-in-guardian-spirits-archaeologists-just-found-a-rare-1600-year-old-carving-of-one-in-northern-england-180989118/Known as a “genius,” the protective spirit or deity was believed to bring good fortune and prosperity to a particular person, household or place. Archaeologists haven't found many depictions of them across Roman BritainTue, 14 Jul 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/romans-put-their-faith-in-guardian-spirits-archaeologists-just-found-a-rare-1600-year-old-carving-of-one-in-northern-england-180989118/This Ancient Monolith That Archaeologists Unearthed in Mexico May Depict People Receiving ‘Divine Liquid’ in a Ritualhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-monolith-archaeologists-unearthed-in-mexico-may-depict-people-receiving-divine-liquid-in-a-ritual-180989049/The stela was found with a large, decorated platform and remnants of offerings in the state of VeracruzWed, 01 Jul 2026 14:33:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-monolith-archaeologists-unearthed-in-mexico-may-depict-people-receiving-divine-liquid-in-a-ritual-180989049/Rembrandt Began a Biblical Painting. Another Artist Finished It 'Rather Crudely.' Now, Restorations Have Revealed the Long-Lost Originalhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rembrandt-began-a-biblical-painting-another-artist-finished-it-rather-crudely-now-restorations-have-revealed-the-long-lost-original-180989045/An art dealer stumbled across "Let the Little Children Come Unto Me" at a German auction house in 2014. Experts have now carefully removed layers of overpaint from the forgotten masterpieceTue, 30 Jun 2026 19:10:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rembrandt-began-a-biblical-painting-another-artist-finished-it-rather-crudely-now-restorations-have-revealed-the-long-lost-original-180989045/The Hall of Raphael Frescoes in the Pope’s Residence at the Vatican Is Getting a Much-Needed Restoration With the Help of Lasershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-vaticans-hall-of-raphael-frescoes-in-the-popes-residence-is-getting-a-much-needed-restoration-with-the-help-of-lasers-180989041/Conservators will spend the next five years cleaning and retouching the Renaissance frescoes, which date back to the early 16th centuryTue, 30 Jun 2026 13:31:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-vaticans-hall-of-raphael-frescoes-in-the-popes-residence-is-getting-a-much-needed-restoration-with-the-help-of-lasers-180989041/After the Concept of Peaceful Disobedience Was Established in America, It Traveled Around the World Before Taking Holdhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/concept-peaceful-disobedience-established-america-traveled-world-taking-hold-180988847/“Force may subdue, but love gains”: The Quaker practice of conscientious objection evolved through Thoreau, Tolstoy and Gandhi before becoming the hallmark of the Civil Rights movementThu, 11 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/concept-peaceful-disobedience-established-america-traveled-world-taking-hold-180988847/You Can Soon Build the Sagrada Família Out of 12,060 Legos. Here's Why the Famed Basilica Is an Architectural Marvelhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-soon-build-the-sagrada-familia-out-of-12060-legos-heres-why-the-famed-basilica-is-an-architectural-marvel-180988927/Pioneering architect Antoni Gaudí’s plans for the basilica were ambitious and complex, drawing on creative geometric forms and ancient inspiration, which is one reason it remains unfinished after 144 yearsWed, 10 Jun 2026 17:44:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-soon-build-the-sagrada-familia-out-of-12060-legos-heres-why-the-famed-basilica-is-an-architectural-marvel-180988927/This Basilica Has Been Rising Above Barcelona for 144 Years. With Its Central Tower Now Complete, Pope Leo XIV Prepares to Visithttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sagrada-familia-basilica-has-been-rising-above-barcelona-for-144-years-with-its-central-tower-now-complete-pope-leo-XIV-prepares-to-visit-180988906/When Antoni Gaudí dreamed up his ambitious vision for Sagrada Família, he knew he wouldn't live to see its completion. One hundred years after the architect's death, the tallest tower has reached its peakFri, 05 Jun 2026 19:14:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sagrada-familia-basilica-has-been-rising-above-barcelona-for-144-years-with-its-central-tower-now-complete-pope-leo-XIV-prepares-to-visit-180988906/Secrets From Centuries of Paris History Are Emerging From Archaeological Digs After the Notre-Dame Cathedral Firehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/secrets-from-centuries-of-paris-history-are-emerging-from-archaeological-digs-after-the-notre-dame-cathedral-fire-180988886/Ahead of planned redevelopment around the iconic Gothic landmark, researchers are digging into the city’s past, through medieval and Roman layersWed, 03 Jun 2026 14:13:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/secrets-from-centuries-of-paris-history-are-emerging-from-archaeological-digs-after-the-notre-dame-cathedral-fire-180988886/Meet Hilma af Klint, the Occultist Who Believed Otherworldly Spirits Told Her What to Paint. Now, She's Considered One of History's First Abstract Artistshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-hilma-af-klint-the-occultist-who-believed-otherworldly-spirits-told-her-what-to-paint-now-shes-considered-one-of-historys-first-abstract-artists-180988859/The Swedish painter created bold, vibrant works as early as 1906—several years before contemporaries like Wassily Kandinsky. A new exhibition in France celebrates her sweeping "Paintings for the Temple" seriesFri, 29 May 2026 16:08:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-hilma-af-klint-the-occultist-who-believed-otherworldly-spirits-told-her-what-to-paint-now-shes-considered-one-of-historys-first-abstract-artists-180988859/