Ancient Art

October 3, 2022

3,000-Year-Old Canoe Found in Wisconsin Is Oldest One Ever Discovered in Great Lakes

Scuba diver and maritime archeologist Tamara Thomsen is on an amazing streak. In November 2021, while swimming on her off day in Wisconsin's Lake Mendota, she spotted an interesting logout buried in the sand. Upon further investigation, the log turned out to be a 1,200-year-old dugout canoe stretching a whopping 15 feet in length. Now, less than a year after her impressive find, Thomsen has discovered another ancient canoe.

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July 4, 2022

Explore the Early 20-Side Icosahedron Dice That Were Tossed in Ancient Rome

Dice—and their attendant games of chance—have an ancient history. Dice probably originated with marked knucklebones which were used to cast lots and interpret the divine. These relics are clearly recognizable to the modern eye as dice, but other multi-faceted versions might seem a bit befuddling. Polyhedrons (multi-sided solids) inscribed with Greek or Roman characters were common and likely used in conjunction with oracles. Polyhedral dice include the standard six-face die.

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May 9, 2022

Woman Buys Statue at Goodwill for $35 and Discovers It’s a 2,000-Year-Old Roman Bust

We've heard of some interesting thrift store finds before, but Laura Young‘s story may top them all. In 2018, Young, who has been selling antiques for about 10 years, was looking through a Goodwill in Texas when she stumbled across something that caught her eye. Tucked away under a table, there was a marble bust that was intriguing. It weighed about 50 pounds and cost $34.99.

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February 23, 2022

Largest Ancient Roman Mosaic in 50 Years Unearthed in London

The ancient Roman Empire extended all the way to the United Kingdom, so it's not unusual for archeologists to dig up treasures in England. However, a recent find in London is even more impressive than usual. The largest Roman mosaic found in the capital in 50 years has been unearthed near the Shard in central London. Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) came across the elaborate mosaics during a construction project in Southwark.

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