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Ancient gold bracelet could be part of “Fisherman’s Jewels”

A pre-Hispanic gold bracelet repatriated to Mexico from the United States may be a long-lost piece from the collection known as the “Fisherman’s Jewels”, according to Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

Archaeologists excavate Wolin’s Silver Hill in search of Viking-Era origins

A team of Polish and Danish archaeologists has begun the second season of excavations at Silver Hill (Srebrne Wzgórze) in Wolin, continuing a three-year research project that aims to uncover the origins of one of the Baltic region's most significant early medieval trading centres.

Gold hoard found at ancient Saudi settlement linked to Medieval pilgrimage route

Nearly 100 pieces of Abbasid-period gold jewellery have been uncovered during excavations at Dariyah in Saudi Arabia's Al-Qassim region. The objects had lain buried for more than 1,100 years.

Study suggests turtles were turned into tools by Neanderthals

Neanderthals hunted European pond turtles (Emys orbicularis) in Central Europe, though probably not primarily for food. Instead, evidence from the Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord suggests that the animals’ shells were carefully cleaned and reused, possibly as small containers or scoop-like implements.

Roman-era Mithras sanctuary discovered in Regensburg’s Old Town

Archaeologists have uncovered an extraordinary Roman-era sanctuary dedicated to the god Mithras in the historic centre of Regensburg - the oldest such site ever identified in Bavaria and the first Roman sanctuary discovered in the city’s old town.

Lost temple of Isis in London

The evidence for a temple to the eastern goddess Isis is indicated by graffito on a 1st-century flagon found in Tooley Street, Southwark which reads LONDINI AD FANVM ISIDIS, or ‘To London at the temple of Isis’.

Cheesemaking from 8000 BCE

Cheese is an ancient food whose origins predate recorded history. There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, either in Europe, Central Asia or the Middle East, but the practice had spread within Europe prior to Roman times and, according to Pliny the Elder, had become a sophisticated enterprise by the time the Roman Empire came into being.

El Gigante, the giant Moais of Easter Island

Besides its remoteness, Easter Island is, of course, famous for its massive stone sculptures or "Moais." The largest of these is "El Gigante," located near the Rano Raraku Quarry, which stands some 72 feet tall (well, 71.93 to be exact).

Ancient antibiotics in beer

The ancient Nubians consumed large quantities of antibiotics that were produced in their beer almost 1,500 years ago, new research suggests.

Stonehenge make-over

Over the past 100 years, Stonehenge has gone through a series of restoration work and make-overs.

Where “Thugs” got its name

Thuggee or tuggee refers to the acts of thugs, an organized gang of professional assassins.

Roman Sex Tokens

A spintria (plural, spintriae) is a small bronze or brass Roman token, possibly for use in brothels, usually depicting sexual acts or symbols.

Last Nazi operation in WW2

Operation Haudegen was the name of a German operation during the Second World War to establish meteorological stations on Svalbard.

Nazi sun gun death ray

In 1929, the German physicist Hermann Oberth developed plans for a space station from which a 100 metre-wide concave mirror could be used to reflect sunlight onto a concentrated point on the earth.

Punishment for adultery in ancient Athens

Rhaphanidosis is the act of inserting the root of a plant of the raphanus genus (commonly known as a radish) into the anus. It is reported to have been a punishment for adultery in ancient Athens of the 5th and 4th centuries BC.

Alþingi Viking Parliament

The Alþingi (anglicised as Althing or Althingi) is the national parliament (literally: "[the] all-thing", or general assembly) of Iceland. It is one of the oldest extant parliamentary institutions in the world.

The unfinished obelisk

The unfinished obelisk is the largest known ancient obelisk and is located in the northern region of the stone quarries of ancient Egypt in Aswan (Assuan)

Ice aircraft carriers during WW2

Project Habakkuk or Habbakuk (spelling varies; see below) was a plan by the British in World War II to construct an aircraft carrier out of pykrete (a mixture of wood pulp and ice), for use against German U-boats in the mid-Atlantic, which were beyond the flight range of land-based planes at that time. The idea came from Geoffrey Pyke who worked for Combined Operations Headquarters.

Earliest usage of glue adhesives

The earliest use of adhesives was discovered in Italy. At this site, two stone flakes partially covered with birch-bark-tar and a third uncovered stone from the Middle Pleistocene era (circa 200,000 years ago) were found. This is thought to be the oldest discovered human use of tar hafted stones.

Bubonic plague fleas bombed on China by Imperial Japanese Army

Plague was used during the Second Sino-Japanese War as a bacteriological weapon by the Imperial Japanese Army. These weapons were provided by Shirō Ishii's units and used in experiments on humans before being used on the field.

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