Smart News History & Archaeology

Crews used armor-plated excavators while working on the riverbed in case they came across unexploded ordnances.

Cool Finds

Civil War Weapons Recovered From South Carolina's Congaree River

Union troops tossed Confederate munitions and supplies into the waterway after taking Columbia in February 1865

Jonny Fowle, global head of whisky at Sotheby's, tasted a tiny drop of the rare Scotch whisky and described it as "very rich."

Rare Bottle of Scotch Whisky Sells for Record-Breaking $2.7 Million

Made in 1926, the whisky aged in sherry casks for 60 years before being bottled in 1986

The sarcophagus of Ramses II is a major attraction in a new exhibition, as it has rarely been shown publicly outside of Egypt.

Why Egyptomania Is Taking Over Australia

A series of exhibitions in the country spotlight the enduring appeal of ancient Egypt for modern audiences

The store's owner said she got the skull when she bought a storage unit last year.

Why Was a Human Skull on Sale at a Florida Thrift Shop?

Experts are now analyzing the specimen, which could belong to a Native American woman

A display of low-value coins from Greece helps illustrate how money became part of ordinary peoples' everyday lives during economic transformation in medieval Europe.

How Money Transformed Medieval Europe

A new exhibition explores the questions raised by economic revolution—and how familiar those questions remain today

A drawing of a musical lion from 14th-century France

Why Is Medieval Art So Weird?

Titled "Weird Medieval Guys," a new book examines illustrations of armless frogs, human-sized snails and more

Sergeant Gabriela Corbalan rang a bell as the names of the soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment were read at a recent ceremony. 

U.S. Army Clears 110 Black Soldiers Charged in 1917 Houston Riots

The soldiers have been given honorable discharges, and their families may now be eligible for benefits

This is the only known first-class Titanic dinner menu of its kind from April 11, 1912.

Titanic Passengers Dined in Style Before Disaster Struck

A water-stained first-class dinner menu dated April 11, 1912 just sold for more than $100,000

The north wall of an ancient Egyptian burial chamber decorated with spells protecting against snake bites

Cool Finds

This Ancient Egyptian Burial Chamber Was Filled With Spells to Ward Off Snake Bites

Although serpents were a symbol of protection for the Egyptians, the discovery suggests some were wary of getting venomous bites after death

Only ten known examples of Babe Ruth's rookie baseball card still exist today.

Only Ten Babe Ruth Rookie Baseball Cards Survive. Now, One Is Going Up for Auction

Bidding starts at $2.5 million, but the auction house expects the 1914 collectible to sell for much more—and possibly break memorabilia records

Police initially arrested a 16-year-old boy in connection with the felling.

Hadrian's Wall Damaged by Sycamore Gap Tree Felling, Inspection Confirms

Cut down by a chainsaw, the beloved tree fell atop the 1,900-year-old Roman wall in September

The Great Sphinx in the Giza Necropolis

New Research

Wind May Have Helped Sculpt Egypt's Famous Sphinx

New research suggests that a natural rock formation served as the sculpture's foundation

Austin Butler stars as Major Gale Winston Cleven.

Based on a True Story

Watch the Trailer for 'Masters of the Air,' Steven Spielberg's Long-Awaited Follow-Up to 'Band of Brothers'

The upcoming miniseries follows the 100th Bombardment Group, an Air Force unit nicknamed the "Bloody Hundredth"

The letters remained unopened in storage for more than two centuries before Renaud Morieux read them.

Sealed French Love Letters Read for the First Time in 265 Years

Written during the Seven Years' War, the letters offer rare insights into the lives of everyday people during wartime

Italian officials suspect they recovered between 30,000 and 50,000 bronze coins.

Cool Finds

Divers Discover Tens of Thousands of Ancient Coins Off the Coast of Italy

Their fourth-century find also hints at the possible presence of a shipwreck hidden nearby

Xiao Qi Ji (pictured) and his parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, are leaving Washington, D.C. on November 8.

Pandamonium

The National Zoo's Giant Pandas Bid Washington, D.C. Farewell

The three beloved bears will depart for China later today, traveling in style on a FedEx cargo plane

An early Minitel terminal made in France and introduced in the early 1980s

The History of the Internet, From MP3s to MySpace Tom

A new online museum explores the digital artifacts that defined the internet's early days

The rare 14th-century portolan chart is worth $7.5 million.

Cool Finds

Sold for $239,000, This Map Is Actually a Rare 14th-Century Nautical Chart—and Worth $7.5 Million

A San Diego map dealer uncovered the artifact's true origins through impressive historical sleuthing

An interim memorial now stands in front of the Pulse nightclub, the site of a deadly 2016 mass shooting.

Plans for Museum Honoring Victims of Pulse Nightclub Shooting Have Been Canceled

The city of Orlando has agreed to buy the nightclub property, where a permanent memorial will eventually open

On the new U.S. quarter, sculptor Joseph Menna and designer Benjamin Sowards depict Tallchief floating through the air in the middle of a dramatic leap in The Firebird.

New U.S. Quarter Honors Maria Tallchief, America's First Prima Ballerina

Born on Osage land in Oklahoma, the famous dancer broke barriers for Native American women

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