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63 Interesting, Strange And Even Creepy Discoveries And Artifacts
People lived differently in the past: even life in the 1950s was wildly different from how we live today in 2026. But what if we travel even further back? How do we know what people's lives were like thousands of years ago? What did they eat, what did they drink, what Gods did they pray to, and what did they do in their free time?
Archaeology can help us with that a great deal. The antiques and other fascinating finds they discover give us a glimpse into what life was like back then. They can tell us that ancient Roman women wore wigs made from hair moss, show us what 3,000-year-old cheese looks like, or just let us admire the craftsmanship of an ivory carving of three puppies from 18th-century Japan.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Golden Celestial (Astronomy) Globe With Pearl Inlay, Qing Imperial Workshop, Qianlong Period
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#2
The "Sleeping Antelope" Petroglyph At Tin Taghirt, Tassili N'ajjer, Algeria. Neolithic Period, Rock Art Of The Sahara
#3
Miniature Books Inside A Book-Case Inside A Box In The Shape Of A Book
This Perfect Example Of Bookbinding Was Made By Suenonius Mandelgreen In 1736 To Be Given As A Present On The Occasion Of The Birth Of Willem Van Borssele. Now It's Stored In The National Library Of The Netherlands.
#4
Corinthian Helmet From The Battle Of Marathon (490 Bc) Found With The Warrior's Skull Inside
#5
“Death Blowing Bubbles” Plaster Relief By Johann Georg Leinberger. Michaelsberg Abbey In Bamberg, Germany, 1729-1731
#6
The Iron-Shod Oak Doors Of Chepstow Castle In Wales
Thought To Be The Oldest Surviving Castle Doors In All Of Europe, They Were Comissioned In 1190 By The Legendary Knight William Marshal After Chepstow Came Into His Posession As Lord Of Striguil
#7
Ibis-Shaped Coffin With An Ibis Inside. Egypt, 305–30 Bc
#8
Terracotta Ife Head 12th-15th Century Ad Berlin, Ethnological Museum
#9
Christ Child As Good Shepherd, Carved From Ivory In The Portuguese Colony Of Goa, India, CA. 17th Century
Sara Frazer 11 hours ago
I'm not religious at all but this is beautiful, I love the details, and the tiny sheep!
#10
In 2016, Archaeologists Found An Ancient Clay Pot With Traces Of 3,000-Year-Old Burnt Cheese, Tossed In An Ancient Trash Heap In Denmark
#11
Abolition Teapot By Josiah Wedgwood & Sons, C. 1760
#12
Marble Seats Of Honor From The Theatre Of The Amphiareion Of Oropos, Greece, 1st Century Bce
#14
420,000 Year-Old Clacton Spear Point, The Oldest Known Wooden Weapon In The World According To The Natural History Museum, London. Found In Clacton On Sea, Essex, UK
Knucklehead 9 hours ago
I just made one of those the other day,who knew it would belong in a museum.
#15
Pair Of Glasses With Case. Paris, France, 16th Century
#16
Set Of Porcelain Dolls Likely Commemorating The 300th Anniversary Of The Coronation Of Queen Elizabeth I
The Group Includes The Queen In The Most Elaborate Costume, Along With Six Ladies-In-Waiting, And Three Guardsmen In Brown Velvet Costumes With Red Trim, 1858
#18
Greenlandic Seal Fur Underwear At The National Museum Of Denmark C.1800s
#19
Ivory Carving Of Three Puppies. Japan, 18th Century
#20
The 4th-Century Ce "Great Hunt" Roman Mosaic Floor, Located Inside The Villa Romana Del Casale Near Piazza Armerina, Sicily, Italy
#21
4,000-Year-Old Geometry Homework Showing A Mistake Made By The Student When Calculating The Area Of A Triangle. Iraq, Old Babylonian Empire, 1900-1600 Bc
#22
Bronze Head Of Augustus From Meroë, CA. 25 Bc
#23
Artist’s Sketch Of A Horse, New Kingdom, C. 1300–1080 B.c
#24
Stone Model Of The God Khepri As A Six Or Eight Armed Humanoid Emerging From A Scarab Shell. Egypt, Late Period. 664 To 332 Bc
#26
Moche “Warrior Duck” Vessel With Shield And Club Created In Peru Between Between 560-650 Bce. Care Of Museo Huacas De Moche In Peru
#27
Rhyton Forepart In The Form Of A Centaur, Hellenistic, C. 160 Bce. Silver, Partially Gilded. From Falerii Novi (Cività Castellana, Italy)
#28
Knotted Dragon Ring, 3rd Century Bce, Eastern Zhou Dynasty
#29
Bronze Model Of A Bull Cart With Driver. Harappa, Indus Valley Civilization, 2000 Bc
#30
An Ancient Roman Wig Worn By A Woman In The Frontier Settlement Of Vindolanda, Near Hadrian's Wall
The Lady's Wig, Which Survived In The Anaerobic Soil Of The Site, Is Made From Hair Moss. Now Housed At The Chesterholm Museum In England.
#32
Horn (Oliphant), South Italian, 11th–12th Century Ce
#33
Ancient Roman Statue Of A Child Satyr Wearing A Theater Mask Of An Old Satyr. The Art Institute Of Chicago
#34
Ancient Mesopotamian Statuette Of A Supernatural Being ~3000 Bce - Art Institute Of Chicago
#35
The Only Bucket Made Of Wood That Has Survived From Roman Times
The Characteristic Spout Allowed The Liquid To Be Poured Out Easily. The Object Was Aboard A River Ship Sunk 1,800 Years Ago On The Rhine.
#36
Neo-Babylonian Striding Lion Made Out Of Glazed Bricks. Institute For The Study Of Ancient Cultures, Chicago
#37
Preserved Golden Dress Believed To Have Been Worn By Queen Margaret I Of Denmark, Early 14th Century
#38
Furniture Plaque Carved In Relief With A Winged Female Figure And A “Sacred Tree” (9th-8th Century Bce) (Neo-Assyrian)
#40
Clockwork Brooch Shaped Like A Peacock, With Mechanism That Moves The Tail Feathers When Wound Up. Germany, 1880-1890
#42
Burmese Adorant Statue That Would Be Placed At A Buddhist Altar Wearing An Elaborate Gold And Green Grass Burmese Royal Costume. Myanmar, CA. Early 20th Century
#46
Thousands Of Viking Silver Coins Discovered By A Metal Detectorist In Finland, Dated 1000-1050 Ad
#47
"Smoking Pipe" Unknown Country (Western Europe), Late 19th Century, Located At The Russian Hermitage. Material: Meerschaum And Amber
#50
Head Of An Amarna Princess (1350 Bce) (Ancient Egypt) (Egyptian Museum, Cairo)
David 9 hours ago
an art style only used during the Amarna period in Egypt, created at the order of king Akhenaten through Ay, ended when Horemheb seized power and founded the 19th Dynasty. Just a few decades, but this style for both drawing and sculptures made a huge historical impact, given how much survived when Amarna was discovered.
#52
The Jade Burial Suit Of Lady Dou Wan, Made Of 2,160 Jade Pieces Sewn Together With Gold Wire. China, Han Dynasty, 118-104 Bc
#55
Drawing Of The Amabie, A Fish-Like Being That Appeared In The Sea Alongside A Glowing Object, And Delivered A Message. Translation In Comments. Japan, 1846
CJandMuse 8 hours ago
As they didn't include the translation in the comments... In Higo Province (modern Kumamoto), a glowing light was seen every night in the sea. When officials went to investigate, they found the being portrayed on the left. It said, "My name is Amabie. I live in the sea. Over the next six years, there will be bountiful harvests, but also diseases. Hurry and show my image to the people." Then it submerged back into the ocean. This is a copy of the report sent to Edo by the officials. Middle of the 4th month, 3rd year of Kōka (May 1846)
#56
Saber Worn By Li Xian, Grand General Of The Pillar State, Northern Zhou Dynasty, China (557–581 Ad)
#57
Girl's Haregi (Formal Kimono) With Axis Flags, Tanks, Planes, And Airships. Japan, 1940
Peter Bear 6 hours ago
Not that different from modern American flag t-shirts, hats, and pants.
#59
Hexagonal Flask With Menorah, Shofar, Lulav, And Etrog. Jerusalem Or Vicinity, CA. 600 Ad. Mold-Blown Glass. Walters Art Museum Collection
#60
Buddhist Stele With Rubbing Of Inscription On The Back, Made By A Monk Named Hui Mie. China, Northern Qi Dynasty, 550-577 Ad
#61
Ancient Urn Found In A Forest In Mazovia Region, Poland By A Couple Foraging For Mushrooms. Bell Graves Culture, C. 4th Century Bce. Photo By Mazowiecki Konserwator Zabytków
#62
Terracota Figure Of Xipe Totec "The Flayed One" Wearing The Skin Of A Sacrificial Victim, Toltec Period 950 To 1150 Ce
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