Artifacts
Italy Raises Museum Prices to Help Fund Flood Relief
Recent storms damaged museum collections and turned some cultural institutions into shelters
China's Last Emperor Brought This Wristwatch With Him to Prison
He gave the timepiece, which just sold for $6.2 million, to his Russian translator at a Soviet detention camp
Who Wants to Buy the Creepy Dolls and Bowling Balls That Wash Up on Texas Beaches?
Hundreds of eclectic items were auctioned off to help fund the rehabilitation of sea turtles and birds
Swimmer Stumbles Upon 1,800-Year-Old Marble Columns From Shipwreck Off Israel’s Coast
The artifacts help settle an unanswered question about ancient architectural materials
Someone Stole Dorothy's Ruby Slippers in 2005. Now, a Minnesota Man Has Been Charged
While the "Wizard of Oz" shoes were recovered several years ago, authorities hadn't previously named any suspects
Five Men Convicted in $100 Million Jewel Heist That Rocked Germany
The thieves who robbed Dresden's Green Vault in 2019 are members of the Remmo crime family
Humanity’s First Recorded Kiss Was Earlier Than We Thought
Ancient texts suggest romantic smooching, and likely the diseases it transmitted, were widespread in Mesopotamia
Ancient DNA Reveals Who Wore This 20,000-Year-Old Pendant
Researchers have found a new way to extract human DNA from porous artifacts
These Ninth-Century Coins Change Our Understanding of Alfred the Great
Two men are now facing jail time for trying to illegally sell 44 coins worth approximately $960,000
54,000 Years Ago, Humans and Neanderthals May Have Inhabited Europe Together
Similarities between artifacts found in Lebanon and France suggest Homo sapiens migrants brought tool traditions with them
Heirs of Jewish Art Dealers Move Forward With Yearslong Restitution Battle
For over a decade, they've argued that their ancestors were forced to sell valuable artifacts. Now, they're back in court with a new legal strategy
When Did Clothing Originate?
An archaeologist traces the invention and evolution of apparel using climate data and tailoring tools
Without the First Folio, Half of Shakespeare's Plays Would Have Been Lost to History
The 400-year-old text presented the Bard's plays as serious literature, muddling the boundaries between popular culture and high art
Want to Help the FBI Find Stolen Art? There's an App for That
A new mobile app provides access to the National Stolen Art File, a database of 8,000 missing items
U.S. Returns $33 Million of Looted Antiquities to Turkey
The collection of 12 items included a headless bronze statue dating to 225 C.E.
From 'the Brick' to the iPhone, the Cellphone Celebrates 50 Years
As the technology turns 50, science fiction might hint at the cellphone's next chapter
Rare Gold Coin Celebrating Julius Caesar's Death Returned to Greece
Minted in 42 B.C.E., the looted coin broke auction records in 2020 when it sold for $4.2 million
Did Our Ancestors Actually Wield Clubs?
Inspired by pop culture depictions of cavepeople, an archaeologist searches for what is real and what is a myth
You Could Win $1 Million by Deciphering These Ancient Roman Scrolls
The Herculaneum scrolls have remained unreadable since their discovery in 1750, but researchers hope to change that
Mexico's Chichén Itzá Is Getting a New Museum
Officials hope the new facility will attract an influx of tourists arriving on the controversial Maya Train
