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5 Major Ancient Egyptian Discoveries in 2024: Rare Artefacts, Rituals, Ancient Medical Insights, and More
Throughout 2024, Egypt's archaeological sites revealed groundbreaking discoveries, including the first known astronomical observatory, evidence of hallucinogenic rituals, and ancient medical practices. Highlights include the intact tomb of Idi, a governor’s daughter, gold tongues believed to aid afterlife communication, and a 4,500-year-old skull...
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Ancient Bronze Statues Unearthed from Etruscan Healing Spring in Italy
Bronze statues, including snake sculptures and a child priest holding a divination ball, have been unearthed at a sacred hot spring in San Casciano dei Bagni, Italy. Dating back to the Etruscan era and later used by Romans, the site was a place for votive offerings tied to healing rituals. The excavation also revealed preserved organic remains, suc...
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2,500-Year-Old Rare Bronze Age Sword with Iron Rivets Unearthed in Danish Bog
A rare Bronze Age sword, bent into an S-shape, was recently discovered in a Danish bog near Veksø. Estimated to be 2,500 years old, the sword is believed to have been part of a ritual sacrifice. Alongside the sword, a bronze neck ring and other artefacts were uncovered. Archaeologists believe this sword marks an important shift between the Bronze ...
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Rare Cave Pearls with Ancient Pottery Discovered in Jerusalem’s Joweizeh Tunnel
A remarkable discovery in Jerusalem's Joweizeh Spring Tunnel has revealed 50 cave pearls, including 14 embedded with ancient pottery fragments and plaster. The artefacts span historical periods, from the Iron Age to the Byzantine era. This unique find showcases the interplay of human activity and natural mineral formation, shedding light on ancient...
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New Study Confirms Nebra Sky Disc’s Ancient Origins and Advanced Craftsmanship
The Nebra Sky Disc, unearthed in 1999 and dated to 3,800 years ago, has been verified as an authentic Bronze Age artefact by a new study published in Scientific Reports. Using metallurgical analysis, researchers demonstrated the disc's creation involved over ten cycles of heating and hammering at 700°C. The copper used originated from Austrian min...
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Aztec Turquoise Mask of Xiuhtecuhtli Taken by Spanish Conquistador Reveals Ancient Violent Ritual
An intricate turquoise mask, believed to depict the Aztec fire god Xiuhtecuhtli, is displayed at the British Museum. Originating from 16th-century Mesoamerica, the wooden mask features turquoise mosaic, mother-of-pearl eyes, and conch shell teeth. Central to Aztec rituals, such masks symbolised fire and renewal. The artefact may have been part of c...
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Researchers Find Evidence of the Oldest Alphabetic Writing in Human History in Syria
Clay cylinders bearing alphabetic inscriptions have been discovered in a 2400 BCE tomb at Tell Umm-el Marra, Syria. The find challenges prior beliefs about the origin and timeline of alphabetic writing, previously thought to have emerged around 1900 BCE in Egypt. The artefacts, unearthed by Johns Hopkins University researchers, include Early Bronze...
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Rare 2,000-Year-Old Gladiator Knife Handle Found Near Hadrian's Wall
Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,000-year-old knife handle near Hadrian’s Wall. The artefact, shaped like a gladiator, represents a left-handed secutor fighter, a rare feature. Discovered in the River Tyne, it provides new insights into the widespread popularity of gladiatorial combat in the Roman Empire. This unique find will be displayed at Co...
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12,000-Year-Old Doughnut-Shaped Pebbles in Israel May Be Early Evidence of Wheel Technology
Archaeologists in Israel have discovered 12,000-year-old doughnut-shaped pebbles at Nahal Ein Gev II, suggesting early experimentation with rotational tools. Believed to have functioned as spindle whorls, these artefacts may have been used for spinning textiles. The study, published in PLOS One, suggests that such early rotational tools could have ...
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Greek Tomb Possibly Holds Alexander the Great's Tunic, New Study Suggests
A recent study suggests a tomb in Vergina, Greece, thought to belong to Philip II, may instead hold the remains of Alexander the Great's half-brother, Philip III Arrhidaeus, and a sacred tunic once worn by Alexander. Antonis Bartsiokas, a professor emeritus at Democritus University of Thrace, bases his claims on historical evidence and an analysis ...
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1,200-Year-Old Viking Cemetery Found in Sweden with Stone Ship Burials
Archaeologists in Sweden have discovered a Viking cemetery, dating back 1,200 years, in the village of Tvååker. The site contains over 100 graves, including unique stone ship outlines. Artefacts such as human and animal bones, metal items, and a fragment of a silver coin were found. This discovery sheds light on Viking burial practices and their ...
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Thousands Of Bones And Weapons Uncover Brutal 3,250-Year-Old Battle
Researchers have unearthed a trove of artefacts, including bronze and flint arrowheads, swords, wooden clubs, and human remains.
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Sudan Museum's Artefacts Looted In War, Offered For Sale Online
Sudan's priceless archaeological heritage is being stripped from museums, with looters loading statuettes and fragments of ancient palaces onto lorries, smuggling them out of the war-torn country, and selling them online.
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US Returns Ancient 'Shiva Triad', Other Stolen Artefacts To Cambodia
New York prosecutors said Friday they had returned to Cambodia and Indonesia 30 antiquities that were looted, sold or illegally transferred by networks of American dealers and traffickers.
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Archaeologists Find Microplastic Contamination In Ancient Remains
The findings highlight the pervasiveness of plastic pollution, reaching even into the seemingly untouched layers of the past.
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5 Major Ancient Egyptian Discoveries in 2024: Rare Artefacts, Rituals, Ancient Medical Insights, and More
Throughout 2024, Egypt's archaeological sites revealed groundbreaking discoveries, including the first known astronomical observatory, evidence of hallucinogenic rituals, and ancient medical practices. Highlights include the intact tomb of Idi, a governor’s daughter, gold tongues believed to aid afterlife communication, and a 4,500-year-old skull...
-
Ancient Bronze Statues Unearthed from Etruscan Healing Spring in Italy
Bronze statues, including snake sculptures and a child priest holding a divination ball, have been unearthed at a sacred hot spring in San Casciano dei Bagni, Italy. Dating back to the Etruscan era and later used by Romans, the site was a place for votive offerings tied to healing rituals. The excavation also revealed preserved organic remains, suc...
-
2,500-Year-Old Rare Bronze Age Sword with Iron Rivets Unearthed in Danish Bog
A rare Bronze Age sword, bent into an S-shape, was recently discovered in a Danish bog near Veksø. Estimated to be 2,500 years old, the sword is believed to have been part of a ritual sacrifice. Alongside the sword, a bronze neck ring and other artefacts were uncovered. Archaeologists believe this sword marks an important shift between the Bronze ...
-
Rare Cave Pearls with Ancient Pottery Discovered in Jerusalem’s Joweizeh Tunnel
A remarkable discovery in Jerusalem's Joweizeh Spring Tunnel has revealed 50 cave pearls, including 14 embedded with ancient pottery fragments and plaster. The artefacts span historical periods, from the Iron Age to the Byzantine era. This unique find showcases the interplay of human activity and natural mineral formation, shedding light on ancient...
-
New Study Confirms Nebra Sky Disc’s Ancient Origins and Advanced Craftsmanship
The Nebra Sky Disc, unearthed in 1999 and dated to 3,800 years ago, has been verified as an authentic Bronze Age artefact by a new study published in Scientific Reports. Using metallurgical analysis, researchers demonstrated the disc's creation involved over ten cycles of heating and hammering at 700°C. The copper used originated from Austrian min...
-
Aztec Turquoise Mask of Xiuhtecuhtli Taken by Spanish Conquistador Reveals Ancient Violent Ritual
An intricate turquoise mask, believed to depict the Aztec fire god Xiuhtecuhtli, is displayed at the British Museum. Originating from 16th-century Mesoamerica, the wooden mask features turquoise mosaic, mother-of-pearl eyes, and conch shell teeth. Central to Aztec rituals, such masks symbolised fire and renewal. The artefact may have been part of c...
-
Researchers Find Evidence of the Oldest Alphabetic Writing in Human History in Syria
Clay cylinders bearing alphabetic inscriptions have been discovered in a 2400 BCE tomb at Tell Umm-el Marra, Syria. The find challenges prior beliefs about the origin and timeline of alphabetic writing, previously thought to have emerged around 1900 BCE in Egypt. The artefacts, unearthed by Johns Hopkins University researchers, include Early Bronze...
-
Rare 2,000-Year-Old Gladiator Knife Handle Found Near Hadrian's Wall
Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,000-year-old knife handle near Hadrian’s Wall. The artefact, shaped like a gladiator, represents a left-handed secutor fighter, a rare feature. Discovered in the River Tyne, it provides new insights into the widespread popularity of gladiatorial combat in the Roman Empire. This unique find will be displayed at Co...
-
12,000-Year-Old Doughnut-Shaped Pebbles in Israel May Be Early Evidence of Wheel Technology
Archaeologists in Israel have discovered 12,000-year-old doughnut-shaped pebbles at Nahal Ein Gev II, suggesting early experimentation with rotational tools. Believed to have functioned as spindle whorls, these artefacts may have been used for spinning textiles. The study, published in PLOS One, suggests that such early rotational tools could have ...
-
Greek Tomb Possibly Holds Alexander the Great's Tunic, New Study Suggests
A recent study suggests a tomb in Vergina, Greece, thought to belong to Philip II, may instead hold the remains of Alexander the Great's half-brother, Philip III Arrhidaeus, and a sacred tunic once worn by Alexander. Antonis Bartsiokas, a professor emeritus at Democritus University of Thrace, bases his claims on historical evidence and an analysis ...
-
1,200-Year-Old Viking Cemetery Found in Sweden with Stone Ship Burials
Archaeologists in Sweden have discovered a Viking cemetery, dating back 1,200 years, in the village of Tvååker. The site contains over 100 graves, including unique stone ship outlines. Artefacts such as human and animal bones, metal items, and a fragment of a silver coin were found. This discovery sheds light on Viking burial practices and their ...
-
Thousands Of Bones And Weapons Uncover Brutal 3,250-Year-Old Battle
Researchers have unearthed a trove of artefacts, including bronze and flint arrowheads, swords, wooden clubs, and human remains.
-
Sudan Museum's Artefacts Looted In War, Offered For Sale Online
Sudan's priceless archaeological heritage is being stripped from museums, with looters loading statuettes and fragments of ancient palaces onto lorries, smuggling them out of the war-torn country, and selling them online.
-
US Returns Ancient 'Shiva Triad', Other Stolen Artefacts To Cambodia
New York prosecutors said Friday they had returned to Cambodia and Indonesia 30 antiquities that were looted, sold or illegally transferred by networks of American dealers and traffickers.
-
Archaeologists Find Microplastic Contamination In Ancient Remains
The findings highlight the pervasiveness of plastic pollution, reaching even into the seemingly untouched layers of the past.
