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Artifacts

An aerial view of the dig site at Tel Shimron

Cool Finds

Mysterious 3,800-Year-Old Canaanite Arch and Stairway Unearthed in Israel

Researchers don’t know the purpose of the brick arch, which leads to a set of stairs descending deeper underground

The female whale was found stranded in January on a beach near Palm Coast, Florida.

How an Orca Skeleton Made Its Way From Florida to the Smithsonian

Washed up in a rare stranding event, the newly collected specimen will offer rich exploration for researchers

The four swords in their showcase during an announcement event on September 6

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth Four 1,900-Year-Old Roman Swords in Israeli Cave

Jewish rebels may have hidden the weapons away from the Roman army in the second century C.E.

These shell dolls were among the artifacts that the Manchester Museum returned to the Anindilyakwa people of Australia.

Manchester Museum Returns 174 Artifacts to Indigenous Australians

After years of planning, the museum handed over dolls, baskets, maps and other objects acquired in the 1950s

Researchers study wreckage from Moody's P-39 aircraft, which lies in pieces on the floor of Lake Huron.

Divers Pull Wreckage of Tuskegee Airman’s Plane From the Depths of Lake Huron

During World War II, a young pilot named Frank Moody died while training in Michigan

West Point officials opened the time capsule in a much-hyped livestreamed ceremony.

Cool Finds

A Time Capsule Opened Live on Stage Was Empty. Later, Treasures Emerged From the Silt

Found at West Point, the 200-year-old box concealed six silver coins and a medal

The Titanic struck an iceberg on the evening of April 14, 1912, and sank several hours later in the early morning hours of April 15.

The U.S. Government Is Trying to Stop an Upcoming Titanic Expedition

A company is planning a mission to recover artifacts, including the famed Marconi wireless telegraph, in 2024

The silver denarius weighs 0.08 ounces (2.4 grams) and is one of the only coins of its kind found in Bremen.

Cool Finds

Boy Playing in Sandbox Finds 1,800-Year-Old Roman Coin

The rare silver denarius was minted during the rule of Marcus Aurelius (161-180 C.E.)

The building complex measures more than 5,000 square feet.

Cool Finds

Ruins of 2,000-Year-Old Roman Walls Unearthed in Swiss Alps

Archaeologists found the stone structures—along with a rich collection of artifacts—in a gravel quarry

Archaeologists unearthed the bedroom in a Roman villa near Pompeii.

Enslaved Individuals Slept in This Bedroom, Untouched Since Mount Vesuvius’ Eruption 2,000 Years Ago

The small room with two beds—but only one mattress—sheds new light on slavery in a Roman villa near Pompeii

Brooker began collecting in 1959 in Paris and has been assembling his library ever since.

Trove of Rare Renaissance Books Could Fetch $25 Million at Auction

T. Kimball Brooker has amassed a collection of more than 1,300 texts from the 16th century

In 25 B.C.E., Romans founded a colony called Augusta Emerita in what is now Mérida, Spain.

Cool Finds

Iron Window Bars Unearthed at a Roman Public Bath in Spain

The crisscrossing bars were likely part of the bath’s changing room, called the apodyterium

The coins depict the god Apollo on one side and a horse surrounded by symbols on the other.

Cool Finds

Metal Detectorists Discover 2,000-Year-Old Gold Coins in Wales

The 15 artifacts are the first Iron Age gold coins ever found in the country

The arrowhead was originally discovered in the 19th century, then stashed away as part of a museum collection. Recently, researchers decided to take another look.

New Research

This Arrowhead Was Made From a Meteorite 3,000 Years Ago

Found in Switzerland, the 1.5-inch-long artifact was fashioned from meteoric iron during the Bronze Age

Phin Sokol, the abbot of Khemararangsi Buddhist Temple, performs a Buddhist blessing at a ceremony for the repatriation of three bronze statues that were previously part of the collection of the National Gallery of Australia.

Australia Returns Three Looted Statues to Cambodia

The rare artifacts will remain on display at the National Gallery of Australia for up to three years as the Cambodian government prepares a place for them

Tupac Shakur designed the gold, ruby and diamond crown ring, which recently sold at auction for a little over $1 million.

Drake Buys the Most Valuable Hip-Hop Artifact Ever Sold: Tupac Shakur’s Ring

Shakur designed the piece himself and wore it during his last public appearance before his death in 1996

An archaeologist works on the second lead sarcophagus discovered, which is engraved with dolphins.

Cool Finds

Roman-Era Cemetery With Over 100 Tombs Unearthed in Gaza

The “unprecedented” dig also yielded two rare lead sarcophagi decorated with images of grapes and dolphins

Archaeologists uncovered human remains and a mysterious arrangement of boulders at the site in the Shetland Islands.

4,000-Year-Old Cemetery Discovered Beneath Future Rocket Launch Pad in U.K.

Artifacts found at the site will help scientists shed new light on the groups living on the Shetland Islands

An aerial view of the excavation site, where archaeologists found what they think are the ruins of Emperor Nero's theater

Cool Finds

Have Archaeologists Finally Found Emperor Nero’s Lost Theater?

Ahead of a planned luxury hotel, excavations have revealed what may be the ruins of the venue

Archaeologists recovered a collection of blown-glass tableware in excellent condition.

Cool Finds

‘Perfectly Preserved’ Glassware Recovered From 2,000-Year-Old Shipwreck

The Roman vessel may have sunk while transporting glass from the Middle East to France

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