Astonishing artifacts: A glimpse into how people lived in the past
Artifacts offer a window into the past, giving us information about people and cultures that existed centuries to millennia ago. From hoards of gold coins found hidden beneath floorboards to handmade pottery buried in caves, these intriguing objects are often the only physical evidence that remains. In some cases, the purpose or meaning of an artifact is lost to time, but its presence still reveals hints of what cultures valued or ritualized.
Each week, we showcase a different astonishing artifact that gives us new insight into how our ancestors lived.
Explore more amazing artifacts
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—32 stunning centuries-old hoards unearthed by metal detectorists
Latest about astonishing artifacts

Tumba Madžari Great Mother: A boxy goddess figurine from North Macedonia designed to protect Stone Age houses 7,800 years ago
By Kristina Killgrove published
Stone Age people in Macedonia created goddess figurines whose bottom half was a house.

The Alfred Jewel: A 1,100-year-old treasure from England's first king that proclaims 'Alfred ordered me to be made'
By Kristina Killgrove published
This gold-encrusted jewel has an inscription revealing who made it.

Lchashen wagon: A 3,500-year-old covered wagon that transported a deceased chief to the next world
By Kristina Killgrove published
This 3,500-year-old covered wagon is the best-preserved example in the world of this ancient form of wheeled transport.

Magdala stone: 2,000-year-old carving from Jerusalem is world's oldest known depiction of a menorah
By Kristina Killgrove published
A pilgrim who visited the Second Temple in Jerusalem may have carved their memories into a limestone block for another synagogue.

Ash Pendant: The only known depiction of a pregnant Viking woman
By Kristina Killgrove published
The Ash Pendant was discovered in a Viking Age burial mound in Sweden and may have been used by a female shaman.

Roman sun hat: A 'very rare' 1,600-year-old brimmed cap that may have protected a Roman soldier from Egyptian sandstorms
By Kristina Killgrove published
A rare example of a sun hat from late Roman Egypt that was stitched together from fabrics in five colors.

Pectoral with coins: 'One of the most intricate pieces of gold jewelry to survive from the mid-sixth century'
By Kristina Killgrove published
This sixth-century pectoral comprises 14 Byzantine gold coins and a gold disc gathered over two centuries.

Caergwrle Bowl: A 3,300-year-old stone-and-tin bowl with gold oars and 'protective eyes'
By Kristina Killgrove published
The ancient stone-and-tin bowl was discovered 200 years ago in a boggy field in Wales.
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