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The central atrium.
Almuñécar, Spain

Cave of the Seven Palaces

Despite its grandiose name, this enigmatic first-century void under the town is no cave, and it's possibly not a palace either.
The wooden hull of ship 17.
ships

Found: A Ship Once Described By Herodotus

A wreck discovered in the Nile suggests the ancient Greek historian's description was spot on.
Jonathan Carey March 19, 2019
The death mask of Mayan king Pakal the Great.
Mexico City, Mexico

Death Mask of Pakal the Great

The striking jade death mask of an ancient Maya king is displayed in a replica tomb in Mexico City.
The Lady of Cerro de Los Santos
Madrid, Spain

The Lady of Cerro de los Santos

This enigmatic artifact is a rare depiction of an ancient Iberian noblewoman.
Bridgend, Wales

St. John's House

This 500-year-old Tudor home is a treasure trove of history and mystery.
The Catalan Atlas, featuring a depiction of Mansa Musa.
museums

5 Objects That Illuminate the Medieval Exchange Between Africa and Europe

A new exhibit explores the impact trade had on both cultures through artwork and artifacts.
Jonathan Carey January 16, 2019
Stone Head of Salaspils.
Riga, Latvia

Stone Head of Salaspils

This enigmatic artifact remained buried in a churchyard for years.
The museum building.
Mexico City, Mexico

Museo Anahuacalli

The Mexican painter Diego Rivera created this unusual museum to display his collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts.
Disk of death on display at the museum.
Mexico City, Mexico

Disk of Death

This strange sculpture of a menacing skull surrounded by sun rays was discovered at the foot of the Pyramid of the Sun.
Speyer, Germany

Speyer Wine Bottle

Aged nearly 1,700 years, the world's oldest bottle of wine is probably still drinkable.
"Giants and big heads."
Madrid, Spain

Museum of Popular Art and Traditions

Strange masks and obscure costumes are housed in this old Madrid corrala.
Prognosticating devices, perhaps?
neolithic

The Many Possible Uses For Scotland's Knobbly Orbs

We asked for your thoughts on the function of these mysterious relics, and boy did you deliver.
Christina Ayele Djossa May 25, 2018
The "Chalice".
New York, New York

Antioch Chalice

Once thought to be the fabled Holy Grail, it is now known to be an oil lamp.
Have you ever received something from one of your heroes?
celebrity

Did Your Childhood Hero Ever Write You Back?

We want to see the treasured letters or artifacts you've received from your idols!
Eric Grundhauser April 3, 2018
Gondolas and Piazzetta di San Marco, Venice, c. 1900.
lost wonders

The Quest to Find the Lost Column of Venice

Led by a pipe-smoking Venetian diver, an eclectic team is searching for a legendary monument.
Sarah Laskow and Vittoria Traverso March 7, 2018
art

A 19th-Century Chinese Hat Stand Spent 50 Years in Disguise as a Welsh Lamp

Chinese-porcelain expert Ivy Chan tells the story of a fancy incognito furnishing.
Ashawnta Jackson December 5, 2017
One side of the seal shows two nude lovers embracing.
Norwich, England

Balthild Seal Matrix

This unusual 7th-century Frankish seal offers more questions than answers about its past.
A visitor to the Louvre is tempted by Canaletto's 18th-century painting "The Rialto Bridge in Venice."
wunderkammers

Why Can't People Stop Touching Museum Exhibits?

After years of watching, one researcher thinks she's got the answer.
Cara Giaimo November 10, 2017