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European History

An illustration of Molly Maguires on their way to the gallows in Pottsville, Pennsylvania

Untold Stories of American History

Eight Secret Societies You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

Many of these selective clubs peaked in popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries

Hans Holbein the Younger's 1539 portrait of Anne of Cleves before (left) and after (right) conservation

See the Portrait That Made Henry VIII Fall in Love With Anne of Cleves, Newly Restored to Its Former Glory

The Louvre cleaned and conserved Hans Holbein’s 1539 likeness of the Tudor queen, revealing its vibrant colors and previously hidden details

An illuminated manuscript illustration of Marie de France, a 12th-century poet

How Medieval Women Expressed Their ‘Forbidden’ Emotions

Upper-class women used letters and embroidery to reflect on their inner lives

Religious lore suggests that God showed Patrick the entrance to purgatory, where the Irish could witness the consequences of not embracing Christianity with their own eyes.

St. Patrick Opened a Portal to Purgatory on This Little-Known Irish Island

Medieval pilgrims flocked to the site for spiritual purification

Princess Dashkova (center) exchanged letters with Benjamin Franklin and befriended Catherine the Great.

This Russian Noblewoman, Beloved by Catherine the Great and Benjamin Franklin, Embodied the Age of Enlightenment

Princess Dashkova led research institutes, wrote plays and music, and embarked on a Grand Tour of 18th-century Europe

The dagger was discovered in a forest near Korzenica in November 2023.

Cool Finds

Found in a Polish Forest, This Dagger Belonged to an Elite Warrior 4,000 Years Ago

A metal detectorist came across the copper artifact while searching for objects from World War I and World War II

A view of the Korolevo archaeological site. Researchers used the decay of isotopes in rocks dug up from the site to determine the age of the stone tools.

Stone Tools Found in Ukraine May Be the Oldest Evidence of Early Humans in Europe

The 1.4-million-year-old rocks may have belonged to Homo erectus, and they shed light on migrations of human ancestors, a new study suggests

The Bréal Cup, designed by French scholar Michel Bréal, was awarded to the winner of the first Olympic marathon.

The Paris Olympics

Paris Is Preparing for the Summer Olympics With a New Exhibition at the Louvre

“Olympism” explores the history of the ancient Olympics and France’s influence on the modern games

The shield has been withdrawn from an auction at Anderson & Garland, where it was expected to fetch between £800 and £1,200 (roughly $1,000 to $1,500). 

Auction House Cancels Sale of Looted Ethiopian Shield

Heritage officials have called for the return of the artifact, which British forces seized in 1868

An ancient fresco depicting Helle reaching for her twin brother, Phrixus, after falling from a golden ram

Cool Finds

A Remarkable Fresco Depicting a Scene From Greek Mythology Has Been Found in Pompeii

The vibrant painting portrays siblings Phrixus and Helle as they flee from their stepmother

Researchers drove a car equipped with ground-penetrating radar over the land near Utstein Monastery on the island of Klosterøy.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists May Have Found Traces of a Viking Marketplace in Norway

Ground-penetrating radar found evidence of a trading hub buried near the island of Klosterøy’s historic monastery

Partially buried dolia at a wine cellar in the town of Boscoreale, Italy

This Is What Ancient Roman Wine Tasted Like

New research shows that clay vessels known as dolia were essential to the drink’s distinctive taste, flavor and texture

Rasputin with his acolytes in 1914

Russian Revolution

What Really Happened During the Murder of Rasputin, Russia’s ‘Mad Monk’?

Aristocrats plotted to kill the Siberian peasant, who wielded undue influence over Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra. But the conspiracy backfired, hastening the coming Russian Revolution

Researchers have pieced together a 26-foot-tall statue of Atlas originally built some 2,500 years ago.

A Towering Statue of Atlas Emerges From the Ruins of Sicily’s Ancient Temple of Zeus

In the fifth century B.C.E., 38 looming sculptures of the Titan stood guard at the structure

The metal slab is called a tasset, a piece of armor worn over the upper thigh.

Cool Finds

Why Did Colonists Trash This Piece of Armor After Settling in Maryland 300 Years Ago?

The metal plate was unearthed in the cellar of a storehouse dating to the mid-1600s

Math historian Glen Van Brummelen came across decimal points in Giovanni Bianchini's manuscript, Tabulae primi mobilis B.

New Research

The Decimal Point Is 150 Years Older Than Previously Thought, Medieval Manuscript Reveals

A Venetian merchant used the mathematical symbol while calculating the positions of planets between 1441 and 1450

This 5,000-year-old ceramic vessel contains burnt food remnants that are helping scientists develop a more comprehensive understanding of food preparation in the region.

New Research

Archaeologists Discover Burnt Porridge Inside a 5,000-Year-Old Clay Pot

The leftovers shed new light on the dietary habits of residents of a village in Germany

The clay head of the Roman god Mercury is roughly two inches long.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth ‘Incredibly Rare’ Roman-Era Clay Figurine of the God Mercury

The excavations led to the discovery of a previously unknown ancient Roman settlement in England

Remains of a stillborn infant with Down syndrome from the Iron Age, found in a 2,800-year-old house at the Las Eretas archaeological site in Spain.

DNA Reveals Presence of Down Syndrome in Ancient Society

The burials of infants with Down syndrome in Europe provide insight into how babies with genetic conditions were cared for in premodern times, according to a new study

The mural, now known as Entrée du port, depicts buildings, ship banners and masts piercing a sky.

Cool Finds

This Cézanne Mural Was Hidden in the Walls of the Artist’s Family Home

Workers found fragments of a naval scene while renovating the mansion in the south of France

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