83 Incredible Artifacts That Offer A Glimpse Into The Distant Past (New Pics)

Church of Saint George Maggiore in Naples, Italy - Discovered during restoration. Link to video in comments

The group which was first mapped in 1910, is located at Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa, USA

For the first time since his tomb was opened 100 years ago, the 3 coffins will be displayed together at the new Grand Egyptian Museum

The city of Catania has been buried by lava a total of 17 times in recorded history, and in layers under the present-day city are the Roman city that preceded it, and the Greek city before that

The 4 versions that Hokusai painted over nearly 40 Years.

From top to bottom:

the 1st when he was 33 in 1792,

the 2nd when he was 44 in 1803,

the 3rd when he was 46 in 1805,

and finally the 4th and the most famous when he was 72 in 1831

"I take you to be my wife, hold you, clothe you as far as my wealth allows. I won't invite friends for drinking-party if you are opposed to it or I'm liable for a penalty fee of 18 solidi(!)". Papyrus 1756, from Egypt, now at the British Library

The Pine Trees screen is a pair of six-panel folding screens, by Hasegawa Tōhaku, that depicts a view of Japanese pine trees in the mist, with parts of the trees visible and parts obscured. The screens, made in the late 16th century, were designated as a National Treasure of Japan in 1952

It was an instruction to his crown prince. Preserved by a copy on a piece of wood discovered in 1977. Full translation:

制詔皇太子：朕體不安，今將絕矣；與地合同，終不復起。謹視皇天之嗣，加增朕在。善遇百姓，賦斂以理；存賢近聖，必聚諝士；表教奉先，自致天子。胡亥自圮，滅名絕紀。審察朕言，終身毋己。蒼蒼之天不可得久視，堂堂之地不可得久履，道此絕矣。告後世及其子孫：忽忽錫錫，恐見故里，毋負天地，更亡更在，上顧錦廬，下敦閭里。人固當死，慎毋敢妄。

Imperial Edict to the Crown Prince:

My body is unwell, and now my time has come to an end; I shall return to the earth and never rise again. Carefully observe the mandate of Heaven and strengthen what I have established. Treat the common people with kindness and levy taxes with reason. Keep virtuous and wise men close, and be sure to gather worthy scholars. Promote moral teachings and honor the ancestors and shall you attain the position of Son of Heaven. Huhai (the second emperor of Qin) destroyed himself, his name perished, and his legacy was erased from history. Examine my words carefully and adhere to them for your entire life.

The vast heavens cannot be gazed upon forever, and the grand earth cannot be trodden upon eternally, thus my journey ends here.

To future generations and their descendants: Be vigilant and cautious, for you may one day be forced to return to common status. Do not betray Heaven and Earth; whether one perishes or endures, fate will decide. Look up to the resplendent palace above, and care for the common people below. All men must die, so be mindful and do not act recklessly.

Around her, were the remains of an extraordinary head-dress, made from the bones and teeth of different animals such as deer, wild boar, crane and turtle

They were found by accident during house building works at Ife in Nigeria. The realism and sophisticated craftsmanship of the objects challenged Western conceptions of African art

Hadrian's Villa was an extravagant retreat for Emperor Hadrian, showcasing the grandeur and opulence of the Roman elite

The liquid was sealed inside the vessels and the tip of the tail had to be broken to remove the perfume. The one in the bottom picture (dated to the 1st century CE) is still intact and filled with the scented content

It was originally part of a network of tracks built to provide a dry path across the marshy ground

The weapon was found in the River Cherwell last year and has now been confirmed to date back to between 850–975 AD

Wang made the painting in 1113 CE at the age of 18, using azurite and malachite colours. Now housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing

These spectacles have diamond lenses that were cut from a single 200-300 carat diamond, and they're so clear and so flat that it almost looks like the lenses are missing

The inscription reads “Use in health, lady, wear in beauty and happiness.”

They show two women with long flowing dresses and young warriors in short skirts.These figures originally would have had white ‘stick’ heads which have now disappeared

The throne was found in her tomb, which was discovered in 1987 in Vergina, Greece, along with other royal Macedonian tombs

It is made from a single slab of red porphyry, an exceptionally hard stone which was difficult to carve. The richly detailed carvings show cupids making wine

It consists of bodice and matching skirt, in fine blue wool broadcloth decorated with a scrolling border design in applied slightly purple-blue solid cut pile silk velvet, navy ribbed silk, wide and narrow navy silk braids. Made in 1899 CE, Glasgow Museums

It was found at Bryn yr Ellyllon burial mound near Mold, Flintshire in 1833, and is now housed at the British Museum in London

She married her cousin Charles, Duke of Södermanland, in Stockholm on 7 July 1774 at age 15. The marriage was arranged by King Gustav III to provide the throne of Sweden with an heir. Royal Armory of Sweden

Found at a remote necropolis in Western Uzbekistan. Pilgrims enlarge the mausoleum every year as local lore believes the end of the world occurs when the last brick falls

It was discovered in 1820, broken into six pieces at Mit Rahina near ancient Memphis, where it lay for several decades. It is now in the entrance hall of the Grand Egyptian Museum

The atrifact, which was stolen during illegal excavations in the 1960s, is significant due to its connection to ancient Lycia, a once-flourishing Roman province in what is now modern-day Turkey

The axe is dated to 2850-2350 BCE, and weighs almost 700 grams. Now housed at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, Norway

The black accents of a mid 1890s gown & the violet silk proclaiming loss whilst at the same time indicating that a period of time has passed. The wearer is no longer in full mourning so this colour palette is acceptable

The stone, which is thought to have been made from serpentinite, may have played a role in some religious cult

It's a sinkhole that was used between 1500-1800 CE by Native American hunters, and which was deep enough to cause the crippling or death of bison which were stampeded into it. The site is estimated to contain the remains of 20,000 buffalo

It's estimated to have been constructed between 1000 BCE-1000 CE. The earthwork was built up of thousands of pieces of quartzite laid in the mounded shape of a large bird (102 ft long, and 120 ft wide)