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Archaeology

Experts at the British Museum examined the coins before returning them to the finders.

Cool Finds

A Family Found These Rare Tudor Coins Buried in Their Backyard. Now, the Trove Is Heading to the Auction Block

Discovered in southern England, the collection features dozens of gold and silver coins dating to the 15th and 16th centuries—including several inscribed with the initials of Henry VIII’s wives

Storage jars found among the cargo known as Dor L1

New Research

Three Shipwrecks Discovered Off the Coast of Israel Shed New Light on the History of Iron Age Maritime Trade

An anchor, basket handles, jars and other artifacts were found among the cargoes at the three sites, the oldest of which dates to the 11th century B.C.E.

Divers excavating the 12th-century Huaguangjiao One wreck uncover stacked Song dynasty bowls.

Treasure Trove of Shipwrecks Along China’s Coast Reveals How East Met West on the Maritime Silk Road

Sunken finds in the South China Sea testify to rich trade networks used over hundreds of years. The sea routes brought porcelain, tea and other goods from Asia to Africa, the Middle East and Europe

The curved walls were likely designed to help the fortress withstand wind and sand erosion.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover 3,500-Year-Old Egyptian Military Fortress in the Sinai Desert

Excavations are shedding light on what life was like at the ancient site, which may have once housed hundreds of soldiers at a time

The first hand and foot fossils clearly linked to Paranthropus boisei reveal the human relative could have handled stone tools.

Cool Finds

Discovery of First Fossil Hand Linked to P. Boisei Suggests the Bygone Human Relative Could Have Used Tools

A new study sheds light on the enduring mystery of whether our ancient cousins were toolmakers, too

The cache includes a mix of coins and other treasures.

Cool Finds

This Fisherman Was Digging for Worms in Sweden When He Stumbled Upon a Trove of Medieval Silver

Experts think that someone may have buried the copper cauldron full of coins and jewelry to keep it safe during a tumultuous period in the 12th century

Researchers studied ancient tooth fossils and found that a gene mutation in modern humans (right) better protected them against lead and gave them an advantage over Neanderthals (left). 

Our Human Ancestors Were Exposed to Lead, and New Research Suggests It May Have Shaped Human Evolution

Lead exposure may have spelled evolutionary success for humans—and extinction for our ancient cousins—but other scientists are casting doubt on the headline-making study

The V-shaped traps funneled animals downhill into a circular enclosure.

New Research

High in the Andes of Northern Chile, Hunters Once Used These Stone Wall Traps to Capture Prey

Archaeologist Adrián Oyaneder discovered dozens of structures called chacu while reviewing satellite images of the Camarones River Basin

The stone is dedicated to soldier Sextus Congenius Verus.

Cool Finds

The Mystery of the Ancient Roman Gravestone Discovered in a Family’s Backyard Has Been Solved

The couple hadn’t known how the artifact made its way to their property in New Orleans. But after their story went viral, a former owner of the home came forward with new information about the object

The Passage of Commodus was used by Roman emperors.

You Can Now Walk Through the Colosseum’s Secret Tunnel Once Used by Ancient Roman Emperors

Experts say the notorious emperor Commodus may have survived an assassination attempt inside this tunnel, which is now open to the public following extensive restorations

Installation view of "Divine Egypt," now open at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through January 2026

Meet 25 of the Ancient Egyptians’ Most Significant Gods and Goddesses, From the Falcon-Headed Horus to the Sky Deity Hathor

“Divine Egypt,” a new exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, features nearly 250 artifacts representing the rich pantheon of Egyptian deities

The pillar is topped with a simple carving of a human face.

Cool Finds

A Human Face Was Carved Into This Stone Pillar in Turkey 11,000 Years Ago

The T-shaped pillar is the first with a face to be found in the Stone Age archaeological sites of Turkey’s Taş Tepeler

The stone is dedicated to soldier Sextus Congenius Verus.

Cool Finds

A Married Couple in New Orleans Found a Stone in Their Backyard. It Turned Out to Be an Ancient Roman Soldier’s Gravestone

The piece bears a Latin inscription describing the legionary’s service aboard a warship

Students will have a chance to study the mysterious artifacts in a new course slated to launch in the fall of 2026.

Cool Finds

Someone Donated These Mysterious Artifacts to a Thrift Shop. Experts Think They Might Date to Medieval Times

A shopper who said he was an archaeologist spotted the 11 rings and two medallions and alerted a volunteer

The four individuals lived in the Andes in Colombia between 1216 and 1797.

These Individuals Were Buried in Colombia Wearing ‘Death Masks.’ Researchers Just Digitally Removed the Skull Coverings to Reveal Their Faces for the First Time

See the portraits of a 6- or 7-year-old child, a woman in her 60s, and two young men who were buried in Colombia between the 13th and 18th centuries

More than 250 looted objects are on display in UNESCO's Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects.

The World’s First Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects Wants Its Collection to Shrink, Not Grow

Visitors can explore 3D renderings of stolen artworks, historical artifacts, rare books and more in UNESCO’s new digital museum

Generations of bearded vultures return to the same nesting sites for centuries, offering archaeologists a glimpse into the past.

Generations of Bearded Vultures Stashed Humans’ Treasures, Including a 650-Year-Old Sandal, in These Bird Nests

Researchers recovered more than 200 human artifacts from historical nests in southern Spain

A magnified view of tiny specks of blue residue found on a Paleolithic stone artifact

Cool Finds

These Archaeologists Set Out in Search of Animal Fat. Instead, They Found the Oldest Blue Pigment Ever Discovered in Europe

Blue residue on a 13,000-year-old stone artifact, long believed to be an oil lamp, may paint a new picture of Paleolithic art and culture

The piece was carved from local red deer antler.

Cool Finds

A Rare Medieval Hair-Styling Tool Was Found at Scotland’s Eilean Donan Castle

The artifact is part of a large assemblage of excavated artifacts recently acquired by National Museums Scotland

Highlighted engravings at Jebel Misma. 

Cool Finds

Researchers Discover 12,000-Year-Old Life-Size Animal Engravings in Saudi Arabia

The findings address an important gap in the region’s archaeological record and history

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