Artifacts & Treasures
Searching for the Lost Treasure of Alaric the Visigoth
For those with a mind to search for them, there are many rumoured lost treasures out there. Some are certainly waiting to be find, sunken ships loaded with valuables or hidden caches.…
The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus
Ever wondered why proponents of medieval alchemy thought they could turn lead into gold? Such a transmogrification seems the stuff of fantasy to us with our modern understanding of matter, chemistry and…
The Komet: The Most Dangerous Warplane Ever Built?
World War Two was the driving force for military innovation in the 20th century. The Cold War and its hot counterparts in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan may have had their own moments…
Colada and Tizona, the Two Legendary Swords of El Cid
Throughout history the sword has held a special place of pre-eminence. It has evolved beyond a mere practical and versatile weapon to become something symbolic. This is however not entirely fair. The…
Terror, and the Screaming Bullets of the Ancients
Burnswark Hill in Scotland dominates the local landscape. A prominent mound in the south of the country, atop its commanding slopes sits an iron age hill fort and a surrounding community, spread…
The Voynich Manuscript: Never to be Deciphered?
In 1912 a Polish book dealer came across a manuscript which, at first glance, did not seem to be that out of the ordinary. Composed of roughly 240 pages of vellum, it…