Human curiosity is naturally engaged for both the past and the future, with archaeologists working to fill that curiosity. Ar

Human curiosity is naturally engaged for both the past and the future, with archaeologists working to fill that curiosity. Artifacts from the past are sharing details and experiences from throughout history. The National Museums of Scotland have acquired a coin that has been determined to be the first coin to have ever been minted in the country. It is a silvery penny from the reign of King David I, minted in the later part of the 1130s. Minting of the coins occurred in Edinburgh, and they were stamped with the bust of David I wearing a crown and holding a scepter on one side, with an inscription on the other that surrounds a cross and notes where it was minted. Prior to the discovery of this coin, the oldest was one that was minted in 1135, after David I had invaded England. The coin was found in a field with a metal detector and will remain on display at the museum. In Dorfen, Bavaria, a trumpet has been unearthed that was made of ceramic. Broken into eight different pieces, it was put together in efforts to restore it to its original state. Upon reconstruction, it was found to be missing the mouthpiece and a smaller piece of the bell. At just over 17 inches long, it is recognizable as a trumpet and similar to a metal trumpet, though is played without keys or valves, with the sound being created through the tension in the lips of the musicians. The trumpet was found in a moat that was outside of the city gates, in a section that would have been commonly used for tanning and processing animal skin into leather. Tanning businesses were located in areas of town that were less desirable, due to the smell of chemicals and other byproducts, leading to the suggestion that, rather than a musical instrument to create several notes, that it was instead used as an alarm. A trumpet note that is played loudly and sustained would be able to alert others to fire or other threats. Artifacts that were found along with the trumpet were dated to the 18th and 19th centuries, while trumpets of this type were expected to have been made much earlier. Bronze Age weapons that were found in 2021 have become part of the museum's Worcestershire UK. Included with this collection are a spearhead and a knife, found together but dating to different times. The spearhead has been dated to between 1550 and 1250 BC and reaches 5 inches with the elliptical blade that tapers and has loops on the socket. The knife was dated to 1000 to 800 BC and is 4 inches in length with a blade that is similar to a leaf. Located within 55 feet of each other, they have not been determined to have been buried together or separately, though each was found in clay that was still wet from the nearby water source. Rituals from the Bronze Age suggest they may have been sacrificed in a water source such as a bog, river, or lake, where they would collect over time. This would create a collection of items in one area that were all deposited at different times. Further excavations and investigations with more metal detectors may show additional finds and confirm if this was a location for sacrifices. In fields near Geizervald, Poland, a rare medieval weapon was uncovered and identified to be a kishin. This is a very rare weapon, with only three others known in Poland. Linked to the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, it is a brutal weapon that causes skull-crushing injuries and it was found within the area that the battle had occurred. These were made with a metal or a wooden handle that has a striker attached to one end with leather, rope, or chain. Both cavalry and infantry would use it throughout Europe during the time period of the 11th to the 15th centuries. They were designed to crush the things they came into contact with, including armor and the heads of other soldiers. Though they are well known throughout historical records and accounts, they are a rare artifact and very few remain. Added historical context is present, with it being located so closely to a battle in which they were known to be used, making it even more valuable. The battle occurred on July 15, 1410, and there were approximately 50,000 soldiers present that day. Further restoration and study will be conducted upon the weapon, and then it will be displayed. Another find in Poland, this time near Gruzjadz, has revealed a Roman enameled fibula or brooch. As the second one to be found in all of Poland, and it was dated to approximately 2,000 years ago. Believed to be part of the Wielbark culture from Scandinavia in the 1st and 2nd century CE, the brooch is displaying the extensive and involved trade network that was already in place. The brooch has several different colors applied to the enamel, and the 12 small rounded petals surround a centerpiece of red. Other versions that have been found had 8 rather than 12, and the colors have varied. Though the origins have not yet been confirmed, it is a popular type that was made and worn across Roman provinces between the 1st and 2nd century CE, frequently worn as dress fasteners. A Roman inscription found in Kartagena has added to the history records a previously unknown governor, and it is evidence of the use of casting lots. It was uncovered in the Molonet Archaeological Park, which stands where the ancient Roman city of Karhago Nova once stood. Buried in the rubble of a structure which has not yet been identified, and which burned down in the 3rd century CE, it was almost overlooked. Once the 200 fragments were restored, the vessel could be identified as a sitella. These were metal containers that Romans used during the casting of lots. Made of copper alloy, they would be used for completing assignments that were made by change or to consult the gods. On one side of the vessel, the inscription includes the word SORDES, as a reference to the tokens that would be used for drawing names or other words during a ritual. Another portion of the inscription includes the name of a Roman official that was not yet known to researchers, Spurius Lucretius Teresipitinus, who was said to have full authority when the governor was absent as quaestor pro praetore, in a rare role that has only been seen once before. This inscription dates the piece to around 47 to 27 BCE, when he held his position. Evidence of souvenirs in the entire souvenir industry has been found in Hyrcania, in the Judean desert, as the discovery of a mold. This was a mold that was used in the manufacturing of devotional flasks, which would be sold to pilgrims who stopped on their pilgrimage. A cross with elaborate designs and an inscription in Greek, which said Lord's Blessing from the Holy Places, was made with the mold and display the presence of a tourism industry during the 6th and 7th centuries AD. This is one of the first incidents to be seen of travelers purchasing or seeking out physical representations of their visits to the sacred locations they experienced. The excavations that unearthed it were occurring at the Desert Fortress Monastery of Hyrcania, along with many other artifacts displaying the wealth of the city. Made of limestone, it was sized and shaped to create ampullae, which would be able to be filled with holy oil or holy water to be carried home. Each of these would be made on site, and were likely to have been filled on site as well. Christian history may be changing with the newly found 1,800-year-old silver amulet, which is connected to the Roman Empire. Found within a grave in Germany next to the remains of the deceased, it is helping to provide insight into what it was like and how risky it may have been to be a Christian during that time. It appears that the person was wearing the amulet during burial as it rested just below their chin upon discovery, with the remains belonging to a man from 240-270 AD. CT scans were able to read the scroll that was wound within the 1.4-inch amulet and revealed it was written in Latin upon the silver foil. Often the amulets were worn to offer protection or healing to those who wore them, addressing illness, aches, infertility, and to stave off demons. Common in the time of late antiquity, they offered comfort to those who needed it in a time before regular health and medical care. Within the cave complex that is home of Katarinska Cave, a cuneiform tablet was found to be in pieces, along with several shell fragments and other artifacts. The shells have been dated to 8,000 years ago, and two decorative items made from shells, which were sourced from the Danube River. When dating the pieces, it was found the was written in the ancient language of Mesopotamia and originated around 3,400 BC, and then continued to spread across several civilizations, allowing them to communicate with each other. However, the location of the cuneiform tablet being in Central Europe is also suggesting that there were large trade routes and networks which influenced not only the exchange of items and money, but also of cultural aspects. Extensive excavations have been done in the cave complex over several years, resulting in several discoveries including charcoal drawings from the prehistoric period. These drawings have made the cave a key site for cave art throughout the Czech Republic, and some are now available for visitors as they tour the area. Also found in the cave system are the workshop of a counterfeiter, evidence of ceremonial spaces, and long-term use from the Neolithic period to the medieval times. Lund University Library in Sweden has been holding a rare book by Nicolaus Copernicus without knowing it was there. The copy of De revolutionibus orbium colosteum, already a rare find, is a second edition from 1566 and is one of only 325 copies to have been printed, with only 276 first editions. It was in this book that the heliocentric model of the universe was birthed, creating the belief that the sun is the center of the universe rather than the earth, launching the scientific revolution in the 16th century. During a search for a newer edition through the recently digitized library, the older book was located, along with the sought-out book with only a small note on an old card that said it was there. Sitting on the stacks among the other books, it was easily located once the librarian knew it was there, in the same place that it is expected to have sat for over 100 years. Organized crafts may have been created well before expected in prehistoric Argentina. With the discovery of bone arrows, there is a new understanding growing of the crafting and techniques used during the late pre-Hispanic period. During this period in Argentina, the civilizations had been mixing economies, hunting and gathering, and farming, moving from one style of life to another. Seasonal settlements that still allowed for mobility between them, though they left behind few artifacts that were scattered across great distances with no concentrations of them. Other instances of bone tools have been found, and have helped to study their culture and the raw materials used. To correct this, a study of 117 bone artifacts has been conducted, resulting in new finds, including the types of bones used, mostly the metapodia, and how they were prepared for use through splitting lengthwise. They were then ground flat on stones and scraped or whittled into shape. Decorative aspects may have been added, and the arrowheads may have been polished, depending upon the intended use. Bones from animals that were hunted for food were most commonly used, with bones from other animals being used less frequently. The site and the way the arrowheads were found within the site have shown that they worked together to create tools and weapons together, rather than individually. Artifacts can turn up in surprising places, as seen in a recent discovery of a samurai sword in an attic in Berlin. The attic itself was the remnants of one that had been bombed during World War II, and it has been found to have many hidden secrets being unearthed by recent excavations. One of the finds is a 400-year-old sword, heavily corroded and estimated to have been made during the 17th century. With only a suggestion of how it ended up in Berlin, a diplomatic mission to Japan occurred in the 19th century, which involved the exchange of gifts that were relevant to the meetings. Though it was damaged, intricate decorations were found around the guard that had been made with copper, while the guard itself was wood that had been wrapped with strips of both leather and cloth. Engravings of chrysanthemums, streams, and other Edo-period art motifs show it to have been made between 1603 and 1868. Some researchers have suggested that the blade appears to be a century older than the hilt, forged in the early 1500s. It was identified as a wakizashi, which was carried by a samurai in feudal Japan as a secondary blade, as part of their code. Its presence in and suspected involvement in a gift exchange during diplomatic meetings shows the importance of these connections even as Japan was just easing out of isolation. Bronze daggers that have been found to have been used in ancient rituals were found in Germany. Estimations of the age have set it to 3,000 years old, and one of the oldest Bronze Age artifacts to be found in the region. As they were used in rituals, they are providing new information about the rituals and beliefs of the ancient cultures and communities in the region. And these daggers have already been connected to ritual sacrifices. The field in which the daggers were found have been searched with geomagnetic surveys in order to determine if ruins or additional artifacts were located in the field. Shapes that indicate large buried objects, which resulted in further excavations, including the two bronze dagger blades 11 inches below ground, additional structures, were also found that are continuing to be investigated. While one of the daggers was found vertically in the ground, the other appeared to have been knocked over by a plow at some point. Fourteen Byzantine coins along with gold discs were used to make a necklace in the 16th century, and it is now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. During the Byzantine Empire, it was common to make jewelry and belts out of gold coins, and this neck ring was made in The use of coins would display wealth and power, or a connection to the emperor, with this example being one of the most intricate from the time period. Weighing 0.75 pounds and with a 9.5-inch diameter, it has a medallion that is now missing, which would have been attached to the bottom. In the center was a large gold disc, which was which would have a third of the value. Each of these coins were minted in Constantinople during the last days of the Roman Empire, and they are a rare set of coins. The center disc mimicked a coin with an emperor figure and inscription with a cross and personified city on the back. During a behind-the-scenes tour at the King's Theater in Edinburgh, a crown decoration, which sits proudly above the stage, revealed a bottle that held a message behind it. The crown was sitting 40 feet above the stage and difficult to access, so the bottle, hidden directly behind the crown, was safe from discovery for 119 years. After finding a way to remove the note inside without damaging either the note or the bottle, it was found to contain a list of all the people who were involved in building the theater in 1906. A visitor who was taking the tour was the one to climb on a ladder and find the message, as they were viewing the new restorations that were being completed. Efforts had been taken to ensure that the bottle was sealed when it was written, including dripping the bottle into plaster to coat and seal the bottle. Over years, the letter within had become stuck together, and when it was time to open it, the top of the bottle was cut off completely, and the letter carefully loosened from itself and carefully unraveled. A lamp that was donated to the Perdur Anantapadmanabha Temple in 1456 AD was found intact and still within the temple. On the lamp there were two sculptures, both very rare, one of Shaiva and one of Vaishnavate. It is unusual that they would both be on the same lamp, and the designs reflect daily life and rituals of each of the groups. The Puranic story is represented on the lamp, and the Lord Shiva is dancing as Nataraja, surrounded by a drummer, Pravadi on a bull, and Ganapati on a vehicle. The other side has Bhringi playing Yala, and Khadga Ravana seated on Goddess Mari. It is intricately detailed and focused on the sharing of the stories and images that are most connected to the depictions. On the other side is Brahma with a sacred book and mudra, Indra with Vajra in his hand, and Anantapadmanabha with four hands holding a spoon and conch. Each of the figures is wearing a different type of headgear, standing in a different pose, and representing a different story or imagery. The lamp is certainly one of a kind, designed with attention to detail and for a specific purpose. Proof that people enjoyed hallucinogenic rituals as long ago as 2,200 years has been found in an Egyptian vase. The vase, or pot, in which it was found, was designed as the head of the god Bess. Chemical analysis was completed and showed that it at one time had contained fermented fruit. Paganum harmala, or Syrian rue, nymphaia cerulea, or blue water lily, fermented alcohol which was made of fruit, honey, and blood. As many of these have hallucinogenic properties, the overall effect was strong and would cause several effects on whoever drank it. It is believed the alcoholic beverage of fruit and honey was added for flavor, while the human bodily fluids were likely for ritual purposes. Studies suggest it was used by the ancient Ptolemaic culture which was known for worshipping Bess, who was part feline and part human, and offered protection to those who consumed the mixture. Through this vase, there is a large amount being learned about the rituals and religious traditions of the time period. While artifacts are found frequently, it is more rare for them to be found intact or close to it. Often they are found in pieces or need to be rebuilt, but an oil lamp in Zippori National Park in Galilee is almost intact and offering insight to ancient Jewish life. Dating has determined that the lamp is from the 4th to 6th century CE and would have been used by residents local to the area in which it was found. The city holds great importance in Jewish history, where the Mishnah was completed, suggesting the lamp also was used by members of the Jewish community. Measurements for the lamp were found to be 7 inches in diameter and 7.5 inches high, with evidence of it being made by a very skilled craftsman. An opening in the front has 55 perforations around the exterior of it which would allow the light to radiate from the lamp, provided from the burning oil candle inside. Lamps were often connected to deeper ritual meanings and they were used not only for providing light, but also to decorate spaces, in burial practices, to light common spaces and to represent their culture. Often they were decorated to match the popular motifs of the time or to show their purpose. An assessment of a heritage property on the main street of Moncton, N.B., Canada has led to the discovery of a porcelain doll and a portion of another one. The home was built by Thomas Williams during the Victorian era, remaining in the family until 1983 when they handed it over to a historical society. With a body made of canvas and sawdust, the first doll was larger than expected and had a crack in the paint of the face, and the second doll was broken, with only the legs being found. After assessing the location of the dolls and the dolls themselves, it was determined that they had intentionally been built into the wall and should be returned. It is expected that the remainder of the second doll is still within the wall and that they were built into the space above the front door to bring luck to the home and the family. This is a tradition that was easy in ancient time periods and may have been carried down across Europe to bury something, at times coins, into the foundations or walls of the home for luck or protection. It is suspected that the dolls belong to one of the eleven children in the home, perhaps one of the six who were born in it. Roman-era jewelry is found in some unusual areas, and a gold military bracelet found in the UK is just one example of this. Found in a field during a regular walk, it is in exceptional condition for its age and location, and has been dated to the 1st century. Worn by a man, it is most likely one that was given for valor in the conquest of Britain, showing appreciation and rewarding their efforts. It was made with sheet gold and has raised molding going the full length, and it is estimated it would be made after the invasion into Britain in 43 AD. As it was found, it measures three inches in length, expanding to longer once it is unfolded, and it is an armilla bracelet which were used as military awards. In later years, the awards were given in cash rather than in bracelets, making them a more rare and important find. Once it has been cleaned and restored, it will be placed on display in the local museum. Musical instruments have been an important part of community for as long as have formed, though they have changed significantly over time. The kulintang is an ancient instrument that has a row of gongs on a platform that is a bit of the way up the A-frame structure, and has a larger gong and two drums. The eight smaller gongs are in a row, with a larger one hanging above them, each of the gongs and the drums all being played with a set of mallets. As the size and shape affected the sound, each version of the instrument has a different arrangement that fits their needs. These would be used throughout Southeast Asia, Southern Philippines, Eastern Malaysia, Eastern Indonesia, Brunei, and Timor. Within areas that are common for the use of gong or chime instruments, they were a common find, and unfortunately not many have survived over the centuries. It is believed that they evolved from a warning system that would offer protection to villages and settlements. A gope board is a ritual object carved into a piece of wood, which was made in the Papuan Gulf of New Guinea, with each one representing an ancestor. They were used as a way to represent hero ancestors, and they offered protection from the spirits and from death for members of the clan. Studies of the wood that is used to create them has shown that they were often made of the wood from inside of a canoe, allowing the resources to be used again after it was taken from an enemy. Additionally, they were used as rewards for bravery during battle, with each being made by the uncle of the receiver who also names it at their ceremony. Shaped as an elliptical, they can reach eight feet long, and once the relief is carved, they are painted with lime, red ochre, and other colors. Younger or uninitiated boys would have received smaller ones that are not given a name. An installation at the Smithsonian American Art Museum is perhaps one of the most important from the 1950s and 1960s. By James Hampton, the Throne of the Third Heaven of the nation's Millennium General Assembly consists of around 180 elements, and approximately 60 of them are on display at this time. Each piece was created individually and then covered with silver and gold foil while working in Washington, D.C. To make them, he used items that he found discarded and that were everyday use items. Some of the items used included tables, chairs, vases, light bulbs, and other home items. In the center, it has the words, Fear Not. Crowns included in the piece are created to fit a human head, along with all of the other items being made in human scale. And each of the items is a stunning piece of work on its own, with the beauty being multiplied when it is all placed together. Around 14 years were used to the throne in a carriage house that he had rented, remaining incomplete after his death. At the National Museum of Scotland, the Declaration of Arbroath will be on display. It is dated to 700 years ago, with the anniversary occurring in 2020. And, as it has not been displayed in over a decade, it is sure to bring in many visitors interested in the history. Dated and signed on April 3, 1320, it was created and signed by the Barons and Freeholders of Scotland in their authority for the Kingdom of Scotland. Presented to Pope John XXII, it was intended to have the independence of Scotland and to announce Robert the Bruce as the king. Though it is written in Latin and expected to have been written at Arbroath Abbey, accounting for the name, it has been translated for others to be able to read and understand it. Due to the fragile condition of the item, it will not be on permanent display, and protective measures are taken. Knives were created both as weapons as well as tools, and one of the most common ancient knives for cooking and working is the ulu. Often they were referred to as the woman's knife and was popular with the Inuit, Inupiat, Yupik, and Alouette women in several different uses. The range of things they could be used for included skinning and cleaning animals for both cooking and for making clothing and other items, haircuts, cutting food, cutting and trimming snow blocks for use in igloo building, or other purposes. To make the knives, they used animal products such as caribou antler, muskox horn, or ivory from a walrus with a wooden handle and a slate cutting surface. When wood wasn't used for the handle, it may have been from bone, and in the Northwest Territories they used copper as the blade or cutting surface. Modern versions are still using the same materials when available. With caribou antler or hardwood, making the handle, and steel for the blade, most are made at home still, though there are some available for sale. The average the blade measures around 5 centimeters for use on small tasks, 15 centimeters for general use, and 30 centimeters for larger tasks or for people with larger hands. Each location that uses them has adapted them to fit their needs, so they are different in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and even within those spaces they may be adapted regionally. The curved blade has a handle that rises above the flat side, putting the weight and pressure over the middle of the blade rather than on one end, making it easier to use for many tasks, especially for cutting bone and other hard items. The oldest have been dated to as early as 2500 BCE and were still used in the 19th century. Several remain on in museums around the USA. Painted pebbles are a Scottish artifact that are formed from quartzite pebbles which become rounded on the beach. They are painted with dye that was made in a dark brown and are rooted to around 200 AD through to the 8th century AD. 55 of these pebbles have been found around the country, with 11 in Kythnes, 5 in Orkney, and 27 in Shetland. In each of the areas they were found, they could be connected to manufacturing or settlements, including having found an inscribed spindle whorl nearby, others that are close to wheelhouses, and others with decorations that match other finds. It remains unknown what the paint was made with, however, it has tested to match burning peat, which would also occur in areas of manufacturing. The painting was done with a straw, or halved quills, along with the stems of angelica roots. Caves can be some of the best areas for prehistoric items and ancient artifacts, as seen with a knife that was found in a Neanderthal cave. This is not like a regular ancient knife, but rather is the first-ever example of a multifunctional tool. It was dated to 130,000 years ago, when the Salian glaciation was ending. One tibia from a cave lion was used to carve four tools, which has led it to being called the prehistoric Swiss army knife. Markings and wear on the tool show signs of significant use, repurposing, and deliberate shaping, showing the entire lifespan of the tool. Evidence suggests it was used for chiseling, then when it became broken it was reused to make or sharpen flint tools. The bone tool was found in Sklondina Cave, a well-known excavation site in Belgium that has provided hundreds, if not thousands, of artifacts. Other finds in the cave have included remains of a child, flint tool fragments, and bones from prehistoric animals. Discoveries within the cave have helped to reshape the beliefs about how advanced or primitive Neanderthals were, showing they had much more advanced tools and processes than previously thought.