The Old Cathedral of Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, has given up one of her enduring secrets. The burial regalia of monarchs of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth has been rediscovered, hidden behind a wall in a crypt. The treasure, which includes crowns, chains, medallions and rings, was originally hidden during the Second World War to prevent the
In 1929, archaeologists excavating an octagonal monument at the heart of the ancient Greek city of Ephesus in modern day Turkey found a well preserved skeleton in a sarcophagus inside. In the hundred years since there has been much speculation about who this person was. The prime candidate is also perhaps the most exciting: since
In 1922 the British archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley discovered something unexpected during his excavation of the Royal Cemetery of Ur, in Mesopotamia. Amidst the grave goods and treasures he uncovered a rectangular piece of wood, heavily ornamented and with indentations along the sides. Woolley had found an ancient game, complete with pyramidal dice and pieces.
This is a big one, especially at this time of year: excavations at the Church of St. Nicholas in Demre, on the southern Mediterranean coast of Turkey, have found a sarcophagus. And they have reason to believe it might be the final resting place of the church’s namesake, Saint Nicholas of Myra, better known as
Few individuals have changed the world, and fewer still manage to do so, as Alexander the Great did, before the age of 30. Ascending to the throne of Macedonia at the tender age of 20, over the next decade he carved out one of the largest empires the world has ever seen, leading his undefeated
‘Tis the season to be spooky! Grab your pumpkin and your best witch’s hat, break out the skeletons for your front lawn and hope nobody puts anything dodgy in your candy. Halloween is indeed one of the most popular holidays in the American calendar, a playful time of pranks and ghostly scares built upon the