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2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck discovered with treasures still clustered where it sank

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:00:48 -0400

Archaeologists recently found well-preserved ancient treasures at the bottom of a Swiss lake — and the treasures remain close to where the ship sank.

The shipwreck was found in Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, some 75 miles southwest of Zurich, by a team of Swiss archaeologists, according to news agency Jam Press.

A team of excavators from the Cantonal Archaeology Office of Neuchâtel (OARC), the Octopus Foundation and the Archaeological Service of the State of Fribourg conducted the search in March 2025, though officials didn't announce the finds until last month.

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The cargo, which dates to between 20 and 50 A.D., was once part of a Roman merchant vessel traveling on Lake Neuchâtel.

The treasure includes hundreds of finely crafted dishes, bowls, cups and plates that were produced across the Swiss Plateau, the central lowland region between the Jura Mountains and the Alps.

In antiquity, the area was known as the Roman province of Helvetia.

Pictures from the dive show archaeologists surrounded by ceramic plates, dishes and other debris on the lakebed.

Archaeologists also uncovered amphorae once used to transport olive oil from Hispania, now modern-day Spain.

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The objects were grouped close together — indicating that they remained close to where the ship sank.

Archaeologists also found everyday items used by the crew, including tools, harnesses and parts of wagons.

The wheels, strikingly well-preserved after 2,000 years underwater, are believed to be the only Roman examples of their kind ever found in Switzerland.

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The team also uncovered a sword at the underwater site, which suggests a military escort may have been aboard the ship.

Officials caution that the artifacts are fragile and vulnerable to damage.

In a statement, OARC said the precious artifacts are exposed to lake bed erosion, as well as "the anchoring of pleasure boats… and, above all, acts of vandalism and looting."

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In the meantime, they've removed the most vulnerable items from the site as a precaution.

Officials said the discovery is unlike anything previously found in the region.

"The richness and diversity of this collection of goods, in an excellent state of preservation, make this discovery exceptional, unique in Switzerland and in the inland waters north of the Alps," the statement said.

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Researchers are now conserving and studying the artifacts before going on display at the nearby Laténium Archaeology Park and Museum, Switzerland's largest archaeological museum.

Titanic survivor life jacket set to fetch staggering price as anniversary nears

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:28:35 -0400

A rare life jacket worn by a Titanic survivor is set to be auctioned more than a century after the disaster.

The flotation device, used by first-class passenger Laura Mabel Francatelli during the ship’s 1912 sinking, is expected to sell for roughly $339,000 to $475,000, news agency Cover Media reported.

Francatelli wore the life jacket as she boarded Lifeboat No. 1 after the Titanic struck an iceberg just before midnight on April 14, 1912. She later signed the item along with seven other survivors from the same lifeboat.

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The life jacket remained in her family for decades before being acquired by a private collector about 20 years ago.

It is believed to be one of only a handful of Titanic life jackets still in existence — and the only one ever offered at auction, Cover Media noted.

Auctioneers at Henry Aldridge & Son said the item has generated global interest ahead of the sale, which is scheduled to take place April 18.

Francatelli, who was just 22 at the time, boarded the Titanic in France and was traveling as a secretary to fashion designer Lady Lucy Duff Gordon and her husband, Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon.

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She later recalled being told not to worry as she was helped into a life preserver before making her way to the ship’s deck, where lifeboats were being lowered.

The group ultimately boarded Lifeboat No. 1 — which had a capacity of about 40 people but was launched with only 12 on board.

The lifeboat later became the subject of controversy after its occupants did not return to rescue others in the water. Reports at the time also raised questions about payments made by Sir Cosmo to crew members, though the circumstances were widely debated.

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The survivors were eventually picked up by the RMS Carpathia, which arrived hours after the Titanic sank and rescued more than 700 passengers.

Francatelli later returned to Britain and married Swiss-born hotel manager Maximilian Haering in 1913.

The couple eventually moved to New York, where they worked in the hospitality industry and operated hotels together.

After her husband’s death, she returned to the United Kingdom — where she spent the remainder of her life until her death in 1967.

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The cream-colored life jacket, made of canvas with cork-filled sections, has been displayed at museums in both the United States and Europe.

"There are only a handful of life jackets worn by survivors which still exist today," auctioneer Andrew Aldridge told Cover Media, adding that most are held in museums and are unlikely to be sold.

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The upcoming sale is expected to draw collectors and history enthusiasts from all over the world.

Curators at Library of Congress discover lost film by legendary cinema pioneer after spotting 'subtle clue'

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:00:54 -0400

What began as a routine day for Library of Congress librarians turned into a major find when they discovered a lost 1897 film featuring one of cinema's earliest robots.

The film, called "Gugusse and the Automaton," was made by legendary French filmmaker Georges Méliès in 1897.

Méliès was a pioneer of special effects and directed the famous 1902 film "A Trip to the Moon."

The newly discovered film shows a magician battling a mischievous automaton in a brief slapstick sequence.

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The Library of Congress described the film as "the first appearance of what might be called a robot."

It was uncovered by librarians who had been examining a collection of deteriorating film reels. They identified the film in September, though officials kept the discovery under wraps until late February.

"It had not been seen by anyone in likely more than a century," the release said.

The curators didn't immediately know what they were looking at, said Jason Evans Groth, a curator of the Moving Image Section at the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center in Culpeper, Virginia.

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Groth told Fox News Digital that the team noticed a "subtle clue" in a frame that made them wonder if it was a Méliès film.

"After looking closely at the film on their inspection table, they saw a star painted on one of the props," he said.

"Knowing that Méliès’ film production company was called Star Film, and that he often used that iconography in his movies, they contacted a colleague who is a Méliès expert with a photo of the frame," Groth said.

The colleague responded, "Congratulations! You’ve discovered a lost Méliès!"

Groth added, "They also identified the title for us — which cinema and Méliès historians knew had existed, but which had been lost for decades."

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The reel was sent to the Library of Congress by Bill McFarland, a Michigan man whose family had preserved the films for decades, storing them in basements, barns and garages.

Groth described the film as a "copy of a copy of a copy," indicating it had likely been widely duplicated and shared.

"We don’t know exactly how [McFarland's great-grandfather] William DeLyle Frisbee got this one, or if it was one of his favorites, but having a French magic trick film to show to folks in Pennsylvania — especially one with a robot! — must have been something to see," he said.

For those unfamiliar with Méliès' work, Groth said his influence spans from the earliest days of filmmaking to the 2011 Martin Scorsese film "Hugo," in which he is portrayed as a character.

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Méliès "made hundreds of movies, and rather than just documenting what he was seeing, he managed to weave imaginative stories into the shorts he created, conjuring atmospheres and moods that were rooted in fantasy, early science fiction and illusion," said Groth.

"He created new worlds and mystified audiences, leaning on narrative storytelling to capture the audience’s minds and imaginations rather than just showing them the world on screen."

Groth noted that a "very large percentage" of early silent films have been lost to history — making the discovery particularly special.

"Luckily, more and more presumed lost films are coming to light," he said.

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"Some are buried in larger collections," he said. "Some are, like in this case, passed down from generation to generation but are not able to easily be projected and, thus, sit fallow until they get into the right hands."

Discovery at Monticello reveals construction secrets Thomas Jefferson left out of maps and letters

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:00:11 -0400

Archaeologists have uncovered a previously unknown remnant of Thomas Jefferson's era at Monticello: a brick kiln used to build his home.

The kiln was recently found on the east side of the Founding Father's home amid an excavation that began in March, officials said.

Monticello historians believe it dates back to the early 1770s — some time before Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

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It was part of the construction of Monticello I, the first version of Jefferson's home.

The current structure reflects a later rebuild and expansion completed after his time in France, after 1789.

Photos from the site show researchers working around a rectangular dig at Monticello, exposing evenly spaced brick channels and revealing several bricks stamped with initials.

The kiln was a large, temporary oven used to harden bricks, said Crystal O'Connor, manager of archaeological field research at Monticello.

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O’Connor told Fox News Digital that archaeologists found brick channels "filled with overcooked brick rubble, and the soil beneath them had been baked hard by intense heat."

Archaeologists "immediately started hitting brick, and uncovered a series of low parallel brick walls, evenly spaced about a foot and a half apart, with channels running between them," she said.

"While the team and I weren’t sure of what we were looking at initially, that pattern is a telltale sign of a brick kiln," O'Connor added.

Workers once stacked thousands of unfired bricks atop the kiln and kept fires burning for several days until the bricks, eventually used to build Monticello, hardened.

"When the firing was done, workers took the kiln apart and carried the finished bricks to the house," said O'Connor.

She added, "This kiln was crucial to building the home of the author of the Declaration of Independence."

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O'Connor noted that it was likely run by George Dudley or William Bishop, two White workmen who were hired by Jefferson — and that it relied heavily on slave labor.

Though Jefferson wasn't making the bricks by hand, the Virginia statesman was certainly aware of the kiln's existence.

"Jefferson knew about this work because he contracted with his brickmakers for a set number of bricks before each major building campaign," O'Connor said.

"He would not have overseen the firings himself. Dudley or Bishop would have managed that process."

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O'Connor said records show Jefferson calculated whether hauling finished bricks uphill or producing them on site was more efficient in late 1774.

"We wonder if the brickmakers themselves pointed out the problem of dragging barrels of water and loads of firewood uphill, and if that helped push Jefferson to do the math and move the work downhill, closer to the raw materials," she added.

O'Connor noted that "very few" artifacts were found at the site, other than bricks — but 18th-century remnants were interesting nonetheless.

These included "several bricks shaped in special molds to match the design of the house."

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"These are decorative bricks with curved and S-shaped profiles," said O'Connor. "Jefferson used them in the exterior brickwork of the dining room wall, which dates to around 1772."

She added, "They don't appear anywhere else on the house and represent a crazy amount of customization. Finding them in the rubble next to the kiln is what tells us it dates to the early 1770s."

The official stressed the importance of archaeology at Monticello, especially because the kiln was entirely unrecorded in Jefferson's maps, drawings, notes and letters.

"The discovery has already changed how we understand the building of Monticello," she said.

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"Even at one of the best-documented historic sites in America, archaeology keeps revealing what the written record does not."

This article was published on April 13, 2026, which would have been Thomas Jefferson's 283rd birthday.

Ancient 'seated' skeletons unearthed beneath modern school site, puzzling archaeologists

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 07:55:14 -0400

Archaeologists have uncovered ancient skeletons beneath a school site in France — all buried in an unusual seated position.

The discovery was announced by Inrap, France's national institution for preventive archaeology, in a press release in March.

The skeletons were found on the grounds of the Josephine Baker school complex in Dijon, roughly 195 miles southeast of Paris. The campus serves students from preschool through elementary school.

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The graves date to the Gallic period in France, a time when Celtic tribes known as the Gauls lived in the region.

The Gallic period lasted from the fifth century B.C. to 50 B.C., when Julius Caesar conquered the area.

Inrap first found similar Gallic burials at the site in 2024.

While excavators found 13 graves two years ago, they discovered "five to six" new ones during the most recent excavation — three of which formed a second, parallel line.

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Pictures of the site show archaeologists working as sections of ground are carefully excavated into circular pits, with skeletons positioned inside.

Inrap said the new graves were "seated at the bottom of the pit, [their] backs against the eastern wall, facing west," according to a translated release.

"Their arms rest along the torso, with hands near the pelvis or femurs," the release described.

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"Their legs are tightly flexed, often asymmetrically."

Adding to the mystery, archaeologists found no personal items or grave offerings, other than a black stone armband dated to the third century B.C.

Archaeologists have released few details about the site, but noted that the graves found in 2024 showed "signs of unhealed violence."

The injuries "likely indicate intentional killing," Inrap said — and included cuts on an upper arm bone.

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"One individual suffered two blows from a sharp object (possibly a sword) to the skull," the release said.

Officials also said the discovery is significant for the number of burials and "the good state of skeletal preservation."

"Examples of individuals buried in a seated position are known from as early as the Mesolithic and, although rare, throughout prehistory," the statement said.

"Only about a dozen archaeological sites have yielded around 50 ‘seated’ burials, typically located near elite residences, sanctuaries or places of worship, and set apart from standard cemeteries."

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Archaeologists are still investigating whether the individuals were warriors, members of elite families or figures tied to religious practices.

Fox News Digital reached out to Inrap for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

The latest find is one of many recent notable archaeological discoveries in France.

Last year, Inrap archaeologists uncovered a 16th-century gallows, in which condemned prisoners were put on display during the Protestant Reformation.

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Last summer, officials announced the discovery of a rare 16th-century shipwreck in French waters, found at record depth.

Cold War bunker 'waiting for Armageddon' found beneath medieval castle in 'perfect location'

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:00:31 -0400

Experts recently uncovered a nuclear bunker from the Cold War — located, strangely, on the grounds of a medieval castle in England.

The bunker was decommissioned and sealed in 1968, British news agency Jam Press reported.

The hideout was presumed lost until archaeologists from English Heritage recently pinpointed its location at Scarborough Castle in North Yorkshire.

CONSTRUCTION CREW UNEARTHS SURPRISING 300-YEAR-OLD CANNON WHILE DIGGING IN HISTORIC CITY

The tiny space measures roughly 15 feet, 6 inches long and 7 feet, 6 inches wide.

The bunker was intended for volunteers of the Royal Observer Corps (ROC), who would monitor and report on nuclear blasts in the event of war.

The lookout post has remained a mystery since its closure, with online sleuths suggesting it was buried somewhere between the castle and the North Sea.

Britain was once dotted with around 1,500 ROC posts, a little-known Cold War network, said Kevin Booth, senior curator at English Heritage.

"Wherever you lived in Britain, you were probably no more than a few miles from an ROC post," he told Jam Press.

Booth added, "It seems strange to have a Cold War bunker built inside Scarborough Castle, but in many ways, it is a perfect location."

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The expert cited the bunker's strategic position on a headland used since the Bronze Age, including during the Roman period and the Middle Ages.

He described it as a "1960s concrete bunker watching for Armageddon."

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Booth added that researchers were keen to locate it and "reopen it [to] see what was inside."

"Old mapping gives a sense of where it might be, but it really comes down to survey — looking under the ground with radar to find the big black blob that is a concrete structure," he said.

The bunker remains sealed for now, and researchers found that it had around six feet of water in it.

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They hope to open it in the future once it is safe to access.

The find adds to a growing list of recent archaeological discoveries across England.

Excavators recently found four-wheeled wagons from the Iron Age near the village of Melsonby in Yorkshire — the first such discovery in Britain.

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Officials also recently announced they had identified a 2,000-year-old coin unknowingly used as bus fare in Leeds.

Valuable discovery in Egypt reveals 3,000-year-old scrolls with secret messages still unread

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:00:52 -0400

Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered rare papyrus scrolls — and the "valuable" items are yielding remarkable insights.

The eight rare papyri, found along with a "cache of colorful coffins of Amun chanters," date back to the Third Intermediate Period, which lasted from 1070 B.C. to 664 B.C. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery just last month.

The scrolls were uncovered during an excavation in the Qurna area on Luxor's West Bank, near the tomb of Seneb.

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Excavators found the ancient scrolls in a large pottery vessel, with some even bearing their original, 3,000-year-old clay seals.

"They vary in size and are considered a valuable source of information, with the world awaiting the results following their restoration and translation," the translated release said.

The coffins of Amun chanters — temple singers dedicated to the god Amun — were found stacked in a rock-carved rectangular funerary chamber.

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Officials said that ancient Egyptians "maximized space by arranging the coffins in 10 horizontal rows and separating the lids from the boxes to increase the chamber’s capacity."

The wood was in "poor condition," the statement noted — prompting urgent work to preserve them.

"The mission's restoration team carried out urgent conservation work, including treatment of deteriorating wood fibers and weakened painted plaster layer, [as well as] careful mechanical cleaning to remove deposits without affecting the vibrant colors," the release added.

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Archaeologists are currently trying to identify the occupants — a significant challenge, as the coffins display the decedents' titles rather than their names.

"The most common title is 'Chanter(s) of Amun,' opening new avenues for studying the class of chanters and singers during that period," officials said.

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said the discovery "represents a significant addition to Egypt’s record of distinguished archaeological finds."

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"It reflects the full and ongoing support provided by the Egyptian state for archaeological research, as part of a comprehensive strategy to preserve cultural heritage and highlight its civilizational and human value," he noted.

The discovery is the latest in a string of recent notable archaeological finds in Egypt.

In December, officials said they found a "pleasure boat" near Cleopatra VII's palace in the royal harbor of Alexandria.

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In October, archaeologists found a fortress that was built along the ancient military road mentioned in the Book of Exodus.

Ancient monastery from earliest centuries of Christianity unearthed at desert site

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:50:36 -0400

An ancient monastery dating to the dawn of Christianity was recently uncovered in an Egyptian desert, according to local officials.

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced in late March the monastery had been found in Wadi El-Natrun in Beheira Governorate.

Wadi El-Natrun is considered "one of the most important centers for the emergence of monasticism in Egypt and the world," according to officials — and the monastery dates from the fourth to sixth centuries A.D.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER MYSTERIOUS CHRISTIAN ARTIFACT NEAR WATERS TIED TO JESUS' MINISTRY: ‘NO KNOWN PARALLEL’

The mudbrick building measures around 21,528 square feet, with walls more than three feet thick and rooms reaching about seven feet in height.

The site features an open courtyard surrounded by buildings. The buildings housed monks' cells, ovens, kitchens and storage areas.

Archaeologists also found human skeletal remains — believed to belong to monks — along with wall paintings and architectural features.

"Architectural studies show the use of various roofing systems, including vaults and domes constructed from mudbrick," the officials noted.

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"The walls were coated with a layer of white plaster and decorated with wall paintings featuring crosses, palm trees and various plant and geometric motifs."

Excavators also unearthed several inscriptions bearing the names of monks who lived there, along with "religious texts invoking mercy and forgiveness."

"These contribute to dating the building and documenting the daily lives of its inhabitants," the release said.

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Sherif Fathy, minister of tourism and antiquities, said the find "represents a significant addition to our understanding of the origins of monasticism in Egypt, which began on Egyptian soil before spreading worldwide."

Fathy also emphasized the "ministry’s commitment to integrating Coptic heritage sites into comprehensive tourism offerings … to enrich the tourist experience and highlight Egypt’s rich heritage."

Mohamed Taman, head of the central administration for Lower Egypt and Sinai Antiquities, said the discovery "adds a new dimension to understanding the layout of early monasteries, particularly with the presence of internal burial spaces reflecting monastic life."

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The discovery comes soon after archaeologists uncovered a similar monastic complex in the Beheira Governorate.

The Christian monastic site, which officials announced on March 23, featured a guesthouse with 13 rooms, as well as wall paintings.

Earlier in January, Egyptian officials announced that another monastery had been found in the village of Al-Duwair in the Sohag Governorate.

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At the site, archaeologists found the remains of "a fully integrated residential complex for monks dating back to the Byzantine period," the statement said.

Student 'accidentally' finds 'extremely rare' Crusader-era sword after chasing off suspected thieves

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:00:36 -0400

A student in Israel recently made a chance discovery tied to one of history's most violent eras: the Crusades.

The University of Haifa recently said in a release that one of its students "accidentally" discovered a Crusader-era sword off the coast of Dor, an ancient port in northern Israel.

The sword, which dates to the 12th century, measures over three feet long.

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University of Haifa student Shlomi Katzin was swimming near Dor when he "noticed a group of divers with metal detectors," per the translated release.

Katzin, who studies maritime civilizations, suspected the group were antiquities thieves.

"Shlomi managed to drive them away from the area, and later during his swim, he spotted the sword protruding from the seabed and acted quickly," the release said.

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"He informed Prof. Debbie Cvikel from the Department of Maritime Civilizations at the University of Haifa, who contacted the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA)."

Once the IAA approved the sword's removal, it was sent to Elisha Medical Center for a CT scan.

Pictures of the artifact show it was heavily encrusted with shells over the centuries, though it still retains the unmistakable shape of a sword.

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Debbie Cvikel, a professor at the University of Haifa, called the artifact an "extremely rare find that sheds light on the Crusader presence along the country’s coastline."

She added, "Only a handful of similar swords from the Crusader period are known in the Land of Israel, and this discovery greatly contributes to our understanding of the use of maritime anchorages and the lives of warriors during this time," according to the release.

Eyal Berkowitz, imaging sciences expert at the University of Haifa, noted that his team's imaging techniques were non-invasive and kept the artifact intact.

"Using CT, we were able to see what the human eye cannot — the internal structure of the sword and its precise physical condition — all through a non-invasive examination that preserved the integrity of this rare artifact for future generations," he said.

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Researchers said the sword also carried symbolic significance.

In the release, Sarah Lantus from the Department of Maritime Civilizations at the University of Haifa noted that swords were symbols of "knights and chivalry, as well as of the Christian faith."

"It was also one of the most common weapons used by Crusader knights, and their lives depended on them," said Lantus.

"Swords were valuable objects — and therefore were carefully maintained and preserved."

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The Crusades were a series of wars between Christian and Muslim forces between the 11th and 13th centuries.

They began when Pope Urban II called to reclaim the Holy Land in 1095, with the First Crusade resulting in the siege of Jerusalem in 1099.

The discovery is the latest in a string of notable archaeological finds in the region.

In March, archaeologists announced that they had found a 2,100-year-old sling bullet with a sarcastic message aimed at enemy forces.

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Also, last month, officials announced the discovery of a mysterious Christian artifact near the Sea of Galilee, not far from Jesus' ministry.

Construction crew unearths surprising 300-year-old cannon while digging in historic city

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:00:25 -0400

Construction workers in the United Kingdom recently unearthed a 300-year-old cannon during a routine day on the job.

The find was made during work in Kingston upon Hull, a city in East Yorkshire, according to an announcement earlier this year from the Hull City Council.

After the cannon was found, archaeologists from Humber Field Archaeology, a unit of Hull City Council, examined it.

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The cast-iron cannon likely dates to the late 17th century or early 18th century.

The artifact measures nearly nine feet long and weighs over a ton, officials said.

"Initial observations indicate the cannon had been decommissioned, with the nozzle deliberately capped," the announcement said.

"Archaeologists believe it was likely repurposed as a mooring post, a common practice in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, before being pushed into the dock area prior to it being infilled in the 1930s," the council noted.

Pictures show the iron cannon heavily encrusted with dirt and corrosion after being unearthed at the site.

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The discovery was "very unexpected," said Peter Connelly, archaeology manager for Humber Field Archaeology.

Connelly told Fox News Digital the contractors "certainly weren’t expecting a cannon to turn up" — and didn't even realize it was a cannon at first.

"The archaeologists weren't expecting it because they knew that the deposit being dug into was dock backfill," he said.

He observed, "This discovery just goes to show that people will deposit anything in a conveniently large hole in the ground when it is being backfilled."

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While such finds are not unheard of, Connelly described the find as "definitely very rare."

Hull archaeologists previously found a Henry VIII-era cannon in the late 1990s, as well as a fragment of a cannon from just before the English Civil War.

"This new cannon discovery is only the third of its kind in 30 years," said Connelly.

Archaeologists were instead expecting typical 20th-century "domestic refuse," he added, as well as the "occasional accidental loss."

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"For example, a complete late 19th century glass decanter was recovered from the dock backfill — somebody was probably quite upset when they lost this," Connelly recalled.

The archaeologist said the cannon showed clear signs of being deliberately decommissioned before being reused.

"After the dock fell out of use, and as it was being backfilled and converted to a garden, this mooring post no longer had a function and the cannon was tipped with the backfill," he said.

Researchers will analyze the cannon to see whether it was made in Hull, as the city had its own cannon makers in the late 18th century.

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"Further work is still to be carried out on the cannon to focus on when exactly it was cast, where it was made and hopefully find out who made it," Connelly said.

Archaeologists uncover mysterious Christian artifact near waters tied to Jesus' ministry: 'No known parallel'

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:00:42 -0400

Archaeologists have uncovered a one-of-a-kind artifact near the Sea of Galilee that may reveal new details about how early Christians practiced baptism.

The 1,400-year-old artifact was recently found in the ancient city of Hippos, a prominent bishop's seat during the Byzantine era, according to a March 30 press release shared with Fox News Digital.

The city was once the only Christian city around the Sea of Galilee, controlling territory associated with Jesus' ministry.

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The marble block was found in a hall of baptism called a photisterion. It may shed light on "a stage of the early Christian baptismal rite that has until now gone unrecorded," officials said.

Hippos' cathedral had two baptismal halls: one for adults, and another for infants and children, which is where the new object was found.

The smaller hall was constructed after 591 A.D. and was destroyed by an earthquake in 749 A.D. — meaning the object is roughly 1,400 years old.

COIN USED AS BUS FARE TURNS OUT TO BE 2,000-YEAR-OLD RELIC, ITS JOURNEY STILL A MYSTERY

Officials described the artifact as "a rectangular block bearing three hemispheric cavities, found beside a baptismal font in a newly revealed ceremonial hall."

Researchers believe the block may have held three different oils used during a threefold baptismal immersion ceremony.

Pictures of the object show the weathered marble block with three bowl-shaped basins, suggesting it was designed to hold liquids side by side.

Early Christian baptisms more commonly involved two anointings before and after the rite — which makes the three-part design particularly unusual.

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"The collapse buried the marble and bronze artifacts beneath the rubble, preserving them until their recent discovery," the release noted.

Officials added, "After extensive examination and comparison, the scholars concluded that no known parallels to the artifact exist."

Michael Eisenberg, a University of Haifa archaeologist who recently published the results in the journal PEQ, along with colleague Arleta Kowalewska, said the object was found among a variety of "remarkable liturgical objects," including a bronze candelabrum used to hold candles.

"Only after careful research did we realize how unique they are for understanding Christian ritual practices in the cradle of Christianity by the Sea of Galilee," he said.

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The object was "nothing special at first glance," to the excavations, Eisenberg told Fox News Digital.

"But here is exactly where the archaeological and liturgical studies came into play."

"Realizing that it is a one-of-a-kind artifact that may fill unknown regional and perhaps wider lacunae in one of the most ancient and sacred Christian ceremonies was a complete surprise."

Eisenberg said the findings may "open a portal" to the development of baptism rituals in the early Christian world.

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"In different regions, distinct liturgical traditions developed, many of which are not documented in written sources," the archaeologist said.

"This find offers a rare glimpse into how the baptismal rite was shaped and practiced in the Byzantine Christian community of Hippos."

The find joins a long list of significant archaeological discoveries found at Hippos in recent years.

Last year, excavators in Hippos found a 1,600-year-old Christian care facility for the elderly, which is possibly the world's oldest nursing home.

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Last July, metal detectorists found a trove of ancient jewelry and gold coins near ruins in Hippos.

Archaeologists find 2,100-year-old bullet that sent 'sarcastic' message to enemy forces

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 18:10:39 -0400

Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,100-year-old sling bullet in Israel inscribed with a pointed message aimed at enemy forces.

The scientists found the bullet in a necropolis area along an ancient road at Hippos, once a prominent bishop's seat during the Byzantine era. The city was known as Susita during the Hellenistic period, which lasted from 323 B.C. to about 31 B.C.

The projectile, which officials date to the second century B.C., was carved with the Greek word "Learn," according to a press release obtained by Fox News Digital.

COIN USED AS BUS FARE TURNS OUT TO BE 2,000-YEAR-OLD RELIC, ITS JOURNEY STILL A MYSTERY

A picture of the ancient, oval-shaped lead sling bullet shows faint traces of the Greek script.

Michael Eisenberg, a University of Haifa archaeologist who recently published his findings in the journal PEQ along with colleague Arleta Kowalewska, believes the phrase was a "sarcastic" taunt, he said.

"At Hippos alone, 69 such projectiles have been identified so far, but this is the first in the world to bear the inscription 'Learn,'" Eisenberg said, per the March release.

"This represents local sarcastic humor on the part of the city's defenders, who wished to teach their enemies a lesson with a wink: ‘Learn your lesson!’"

The artifact is roughly 3.2 centimeters long and 1.95 centimeters wide, weighing 38 grams.

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Excavators observed signs of impact damage on the projectile and believe it once weighed 45 grams.

The projectile was likely "fired by the city’s defenders from the city walls toward the enemy advancing to besiege the city," officials said.

Lead bullets were considered a cheap but lethal form of ammunition at the time.

"Sling bullets were produced by casting lead in stone molds in a relatively simple process that could be carried out even during a military campaign," the release noted.

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Officials said that "many projectiles were decorated with the name of a military commander, the name of a city, sarcastic humor similar to ‘Catch!' or symbols intended to imbue them with power, such as a trident, lightning bolt or scorpion."

The artifact represents an unusual and unprecedented find, said Eisenberg.

"To find a sling bullet with an inscription is very rare; to find this Greek word on a sling bullet is the first time in the world," Eisenberg told Fox News Digital.

"We know of similar mocking or sarcastic humor directed at the enemy, but this specific example was unknown and reveals the humorous local trend among the Hellenistic defenders of Hippos."

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He also noted the significance of where it was found, which strongly suggests it was fired during a siege.

"The bullet's location near the ancient main road below the city's fortifications, in addition to the impact mark on the bullet, supplies a colorful reconstruction of the defenders shooting the bullet toward the besieging forces advancing towards the city," Eisenberg said.

The discovery adds to a growing list of major archaeological finds at Hippos.

Excavations unearthed a 1,600-year-old Christian care center for the elderly at Hippos last year, possibly the world's oldest nursing home.

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Also at Hippos, archaeologists found a trove of ancient jewelry and gold coins last year, thanks to metal detectors.

Dogs were 'loyal companions to Ice Age hunters' far earlier than believed, study finds

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 10:00:38 -0400

A new study published in the journal Nature suggests that man's best friend lived alongside humans far earlier than previously believed.

The study was detailed in a University College London (UCL) press release March 26.

The findings centered around ancient DNA found at archaeological sites in the United Kingdom and Turkey, including Gough's Cave in Somerset, England.

FIRST OF ITS KIND WAGON EVIDENCE UNCOVERED IN MASSIVE IRON AGE TREASURE TROVE

Researchers were initially unsure if the skeletons were dogs or wolves because they would have been "indistinguishable," the release said.

The team sequenced DNA from the ancient remains and compared it with more than 1,000 dogs and wolves worldwide, confirming the animals were early domestic dogs.

The DNA dates to the Late Upper Palaeolithic period and is between 14,000 and 16,000 years old.

Previous studies showed that ancient dogs lived alongside humans 10,000 years ago, but the new findings push the timeline back 5,000 years.

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"Researchers from UCL played a critical role by identifying that skeletal remains excavated from the Upper Palaeolithic site of Gough’s Cave in Somerset belonged to domesticated dogs rather than wolves," the release said.

"Similar tests found that remains at Pınarbaşı and Boncuklu in Turkey were also from dogs dating to the Upper Palaeolithic period."

Researchers also gleaned insight into what modern breeds the dogs were similar to, the release noted.

"They were more closely related to the ancestors of present-day European and Middle Eastern breeds, such as boxers and salukis, than to Arctic breeds like Siberian huskies."

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The release said that "this indicates today’s major dog genetic lineages must have been established by the Upper Palaeolithic period."

Simon Parfitt, a co-author of the study, said the DNA "confirms they were ancient domestic dogs, loyal companions to Ice Age hunters at the northern edge of the inhabited world."

"Notably, some bones show deliberate human modification, including perforations in mandibles, suggesting these dogs held symbolic significance after death as well as companionship during life," he said.

The identification of the Paleolithic dogs "represents a step-change in our understanding of the earliest dogs," said William Marsh, a postdoctoral researcher at the Natural History Museum who was part of the study.

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"These specimens allowed us to identify additional ancient dogs from sites in Germany, Italy and Switzerland, which clearly show that dogs were already widely dispersed across Europe and Türkiye by at least 14,000 years ago," said Marsh.

Researchers believe the dogs acted as hunting partners, companions and guard animals.

UCL Professor Louise Martin, a member of the international research team, noted the dogs were "given burials, with some at Boncuklu buried alongside humans."

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She added, "It highlights the special close relationship between people and dogs even at these early stages."

Cannonball 'very likely' fired in 1836 Battle of the Alamo found buried near church

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:00:37 -0400

Archaeologists have uncovered a historic cannonball at the Alamo — an artifact that was likely fired during the 1836 battle.

The discovery was announced by the Alamo Trust, the nonprofit organization that oversees the Alamo Mission, on March 19.

The cannonball was uncovered on March 5 — just one day before the 190th anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo.

LEGENDARY CAPTAIN WHO INSPIRED 'THE THREE MUSKETEERS' MAY HAVE BEEN FOUND UNDER CHURCH ALTAR

The clash was fought between Mexican forces and Texian rebels, and began on Feb. 23, 1836.

Texian forces — including Davy Crockett and William B. Travis — held off a much larger Mexican army during a 13-day siege before Mexican troops launched a final assault.

Nearly all the roughly 200 Texian defenders were killed as Mexican forces overran the Alamo — and the "Remember the Alamo!" cry helped fuel a decisive Texian victory weeks later at San Jacinto.

The cannonball, which was found around three feet below the ground outside the Alamo Church, weighs four pounds.

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Researchers also found four exploding shot fragments — three bronze and one iron — identified as Howitzer rounds designed to explode on impact and scatter shrapnel.

The cannonball is made of solid bronze and was "very likely" tied to the historic battle, said Tiffany Lindley, the director of archaeology at the Alamo.

Lindley told Fox News Digital the cannonball was found in a layer that dates back to the siege, with the Mexican Army bombarding Texian forces from an artillery battery on the northeast side of the compound.

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She emphasized that the artifact's significance lies in its status as the only solid shot — or nonexplosive cannonball — of its size found at the site.

"Due to significant utilization of the site post-battle, the looting of the site in the immediate period following the battle, and previous utility installation, many artifacts — especially those this large — were taken off site," said Lindley.

"Once an artifact is removed from its original deposition, it loses its context and, for researchers, it becomes less significant. … The context of this solid shot is what makes the find significant."

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Researchers at the site will analyze the cannonball once fieldwork wraps up, and the cannonball may be displayed in the future.

"We hope as our archaeological project progresses to find a place to display the cannonball on site – perhaps even in our future world-class Alamo Visitor Center and Museum, currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2028," said Lindley.

The cannonball joins over 250,000 artifacts found at the site, the expert added, which mostly include ceramic pieces, musket balls, adobe floor fragments and glass bottles.

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"While not every artifact will find its way to public display, they all contribute to expanding the story of the Alamo," she noted.

Coin used as bus fare turns out to be 2,000-year-old relic, its journey still a mystery

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 06:00:45 -0400

A 2,000-year-old coin was unknowingly used as bus fare in England — before officials realized it dated back to the Carthaginian empire.

The artifact, produced in what is now Cadiz, Spain, was recently donated to Leeds Museums and Galleries, according to a March statement from the City of Leeds.

Carthage, an ancient civilization based in North Africa, lasted from roughly 800 B.C. to 146 B.C. — and the coin dates to the first century B.C.

LEGENDARY CAPTAIN WHO INSPIRED 'THE THREE MUSKETEERS' MAY HAVE BEEN FOUND UNDER CHURCH ALTAR

The relic was collected in the 1950s by a Leeds City Transport employee named James Edwards, who tallied fares from bus and tram drivers at the end of each day and counted them.

Edwards would set aside coins that couldn't be cashed — including foreign or counterfeit currency — and take them home.

He gave the ancient coin to his grandson, Peter, who stored it in a wooden chest.

Now 77, Peter Edwards recently revisited the coin and researched its origins.

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"Neither of us were coin collectors, but we were fascinated by their origin and imagery — to me, they were treasure," said Peter Edwards.

He added, "The coin always fascinated me because it was hard to decipher where it came from."

Edwards donated the coin to Leeds Discovery Center's collection, a free museum that includes "coins and currency from cultures around the world spanning thousands of years of history," the city said.

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The coin may have been collected by a soldier who returned to Leeds, said a Leeds City Council spokesperson, but officials say they "will never know for sure."

Similar coins have been found previously, the official told Fox News Digital, allowing experts to cross-reference and identify this example.

The spokesperson added that a Leeds curator confirmed the coin's identity and provided additional background following Peter Edwards' donation.

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The Carthaginian coin bears the image of the god Melqart, the Phoenician counterpart of Hercules.

"At that time, some Phoenician coins carried Greek imagery to make them more appealing to traders," Leeds City Council said in a statement.

Edwards told city officials his grandfather would be "proud" to know that the coin would come back to Leeds.

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He added, "However, how it got there will always be a mystery."

Hidden NYC tunnel tied to Underground Railroad at risk of ‘significant damage,’ advocates warn

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:15:08 -0400

An Underground Railroad passageway in New York City was recently identified and is now under potential threat from proposed commercial development, according to advocates.

The passage, found in the Merchant's House Museum in the NoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, is believed to have been part of a secret network of routes that helped enslaved Black Americans escape to freedom.

The structure is described as "about 2 feet square and secreted beneath a built-in chest of drawers on the second floor, [and] descends 15 feet to the ground floor," according to a statement from the Merchant's House Museum.

MASSIVE INDUSTRIAL SITE UNCOVERED IN UNLIKELY LOCATION AS ARCHAEOLOGISTS CITE 'ENORMOUS' POTENTIAL

Though the home dates to 1832, it's unclear when the passageway was built.

The house, however, was built by an abolitionist, Joseph Brewster, and the hidden passage "serves no known domestic purpose," according to the museum.

The passageway was first found in the 1930s. Historians did not know until recently that Brewster was an abolitionist.

Museum officials said the analysis of the site took two years of "extensive research," and now the site is at risk. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

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The concern is connected to the proposed development of a nine-story mixed-use building that could possibly damage the walls and foundation of the Merchant's House Museum, according to The Associated Press.

Emily Hill-Wright, the museum's director of operations, recently told the AP that engineers have raised concerns about potential structural damage.

"What our engineers are saying is that there really is no way that a building of that size is built immediately next door to the museum without causing significant structural damage to our historic building," she said.

Museum officials also said the discovery has brought in more visitors in recent months.

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New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission is set to make a decision on the development, but members of the community are raising concerns.

In a statement last week, Rev. Al Sharpton warned the site is at risk of "irreversible damage."

"When engineers tell me that an African American heritage site is in danger of structural compromise or any other sort of irreversible damage, I listen," Sharpton said in a statement.

A private developer, Kalodop II Park Corp., wants to replace the one-story garage it owns at 27 East 4th St. with a nine-story office building that includes ground-floor space likely to be used for a restaurant or art gallery, the New York Post reported.

The developer filed two earlier applications for construction on the lot; the most recent was approved in 2023, the Post also said. But Kalodop never began the construction and, in December, submitted new plans for a building that would have two more stories.

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Helping enslaved people would have come at a great cost to Brewster, Harlem Historical Society Director Jacob Morris told The Associated Press.

"Bounty hunters were all over the place in New York City. They made their living on catching freedom-seeking Blacks," Morris said.

"If you got caught helping Blacks escape from slavery, a mob could come and burn down your house and beat you up. And maybe even tar and feather you, or worse."

The passageway discovery is one of many recent archaeological finds involving African American history.

Last June, a South Carolina tourist found "historically significant" remains on Edisto Island, once home to a community of African American sharecroppers.

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Also, last summer, archaeologists in Williamsburg, Virginia, dug up artifacts from the oldest surviving schoolhouse for Black children.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

Free museums may now slap entry fees on millions of tourists under hotly debated proposal

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:56:48 -0400

A new recommendation currently under discussion in the United Kingdom would change how foreigners visit popular national museums such as the British Museum and the National Gallery.

Margaret Hodge, a former Labour Party member of Parliament, submitted an independent review of the Arts Council England that suggests reform and addresses funding shortfalls by employing a new financial push — which the government has agreed to explore.

AMERICANS MUST PAY HIGHER FEE FOR A TICKET TO THE WORLD’S MOST VISITED MUSEUM

"The government believes charging international visitors at national museums could provide significant benefits," the response notes.

In France, officials recently raised prices at the Louvre for foreign visitors.

Foreigners from outside the European Union now pay $12 more than a typical ticket for that museum, from $25 to $37, Fox News Digital previously reported.

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As numerous reports have noted, charging foreigners a fee for U.K. museum visitation could present challenges, as there is currently no legal requirement to carry an ID — making it difficult to distinguish citizens from non-citizens.

At the end of parliament’s session, a "Digital ID scheme" is set to roll out; it would store personal information such as name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, plus a photo.

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"Your free digital ID will be stored securely on your phone … simplifying access to government services and a range of uses across the private sector," said a recent update from the government.

The implementation of digital IDs could help address the issue of identifying visitors, some reports have noted.

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The British Museum, which opened its doors in 1759, was the most visited museum in the U.K. in both 2024 and 2025, with 6.1 million people visiting last year, according to Museum and Heritage.

As a piece in The Times (London) noted, "The government of Tony Blair abolished entry charges for England’s national museums 25 years ago. That policy is now under challenge." (Special collections may still charge fees.)

Maria Balshaw, director of the Tate, expressed thoughts about the notion of charging foreign visitors an entry fee to U.K. museums.

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"The British Museum and the [Victoria & Albert Museum], in particular, hold the best of many other nations’ art and culture," Balshaw told The Financial Times, as The Art Newspaper reported.

"What does it say to people from the rest of the world if we say, ‘We’ve got your stuff, but we’re going to charge you to come in’? I don’t like that idea."

First of its kind wagon evidence uncovered in massive Iron Age treasure trove

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:00:35 -0400

Archaeologists have discovered four-wheeled wagons — the first such discovery in Great Britain.

The researchers announced their findings in the journal Antiquity on March 17.

The vehicle remnants were unearthed at an Iron Age site near the village of Melsonby, some 35 miles south of Durham, in Yorkshire, England.

MASSIVE INDUSTRIAL SITE UNCOVERED IN UNLIKELY LOCATION AS ARCHAEOLOGISTS CITE 'ENORMOUS' POTENTIAL

Researchers conducted a metal-detecting survey in the area in 2021, leading to an excavation in 2022.

The cache was found during the excavation, though the researchers' findings were not announced until the paper was recently published.

Dating from 100 B.C. to 40 A.D., the items were discovered less than a mile from Stanwick.

Stanwick, a prominent Iron Age stronghold in northern England, is widely believed to have been a political hub of the Brigantes, a powerful Celtic confederation with a complex relationship with Rome.

The remains of the wagons were found among 950 metal objects, which also included vehicle parts and harness fittings for horses.

Archaeologists also found ceremonial vessels and weapons in the cache and — crucially — kingpins, which were used for steering the vehicles.

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The collection also included cylindrical iron bands and U-shaped brackets, which, when pieced together, appear to be hub collars from four-wheeled wagons.

In the article, researchers said the artifacts represented "one of the largest Iron Age metalwork deposits found so far in Britain."

The hoard also "represents the first potential tangible evidence" of four-wheeled wagons in Britain, the paper added.

"Among the tires was a series of broad, flat iron bars with a central U-shaped bend, described here as brackets," the paper said.

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"These items are not found on two-wheeled chariots in Britain."

The wagons would likely have been used by high-status elites in ancient Britain as symbols of wealth — similar to sports cars today.

The researchers wrote that the presence of four-wheeled wagons at Melsonby "would transform our understanding of the forms of wheeled transport and the role of such vehicles in the British Iron Age.

"At the same time, the scale of the Melsonby deposits emphasizes that communities in northern Britain had levels of material wealth comparable to their counterparts elsewhere in Europe," the paper said.

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Researchers stressed that the conservation and analysis of the parts are "still in the early stages … [F]urther work will significantly augment our understanding of this material; Melsonby is only just beginning to reveal its secrets."

The hoard is part of a growing number of Iron Age finds continuing to emerge across Britain.

In Scotland, construction workers recently found the remains of Iron Age roundhouses while working on a sewer project.

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Archaeologists also discovered a Celtic battle trumpet in Norfolk, possibly tied to the tribe of the legendary Queen Boudica.

Legendary captain who inspired 'The Three Musketeers' may have been found under church altar

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:15:16 -0400

Archaeologists may have uncovered the remains of Charles de Batz de Castelmore d'Artagnan, the legendary French musketeer who inspired Alexandre Dumas' "The Three Musketeers."

The skeleton was found in front of an altar at St. Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht, the Netherlands, local officials said Wednesday.

Workers found the human remains in February after the floor caved in, Reuters reported.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER EERIE ANGLO-SAXON 'SAND BODIES' AT NUCLEAR POWER STATION SITE

Researchers are now testing DNA from the jawbone to see if it lines up with d'Artagnan's descendants.

The church has long been considered a possible burial site for d'Artagnan, according to officials.

Speaking to Reuters, archaeologist Wim Dijkman said the excavation has become a "top-level investigation."

He added, "We want to be absolutely certain — or as certain as possible — whether it is the famous musketeer, who was killed here near Maastricht."

Fox News Digital reached out to Dijkman for further comment.

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Born in 1611, d'Artagnan served under King Louis XIV — known as the "Sun King" — and rose to captain of the Musketeers of the Guard, an elite military unit.

He was killed on June 25, 1673, near Maastricht, after being shot in the throat during a French siege.

It's believed that d'Artagnan was buried nearby, as it would have been impractical to transport his body back to France in the summer heat.

Jos Valke, a deacon of the church, told Reuters that additional clues also pointed to d'Artagnan.

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These included a coin from 1660 and a fragment of a lead bullet near the burial.

Valke noted that d'Artagnan was supposedly buried in consecrated ground, according to a contemporary letter.

"Well, ⁠under an altar — it couldn't be much holier than that," he said.

Valke added, "When you add it all up, then, it seems plausible to us. But of course, nothing is certain yet."

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Dumas published "The Three Musketeers" in serial form beginning in May 1844, immortalizing d'Artagnan in fiction.

Published in book form later that year, it has since been widely read and adapted into films, plays and TV shows.

The discovery is one of many significant archaeological finds in the Netherlands in recent years.

Last summer, officials showcased a medieval sword with rare symbols that was found in a river by Dutch construction workers.

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In 2024, archaeologists in North Holland found a creepy, centuries-old floor made of animal bones in a red-light district.

Reuters contributed reporting.

Never-before-seen photos of Neil Armstrong's near-fatal NASA mission surface 60 years later

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 19:02:39 -0400

Never-before-seen photos of late astronaut Neil Armstrong’s return to Earth after one of NASA’s closest calls 60 years ago are now available to the public.

The photos of Armstrong, who died in 2012, and fellow astronaut David Scott after their unplanned splashdown near Japan after their ill-fated Gemini 8 mission in 1966 have been donated to the Armstrong Air & Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio, by the widow of photographer Ron McQueeney.

Armstrong and Scott were forced to end the mission early when both spacecraft started to tumble uncontrollably after the astronauts completed the first successful docking in space.

They separated from the other spacecraft but continued to tumble at one revolution a second until Armstrong decided to deploy the thrusters to stop the spinning, which burned some of the fuel they would have needed to complete the mission. The astronauts risked losing consciousness during the spinning.

NASA DELAYS ARTEMIS MOON MISSION AFTER FINDING FUEL LEAKS IN TEST RUN

The men splashed down off Okinawa, Japan, about 10 hours after their launch on March 16, 1966, and were brought to Naha Air Base.

McQueeney, an Army veteran, was called in to document the astronauts after the splashdown, an event few media outlets attended because it was unexpected.

"Sometimes, an incredible event can actually be documented by some of the most ordinary means," Dante Centuori, executive director of the museum, told The Associated Press.

The photos show the men on the deck of a U.S. Navy ship that brought them to the base in Japan and waving to U.S. service members once they got to the base.

Another photo shows the Gemini 8 spacecraft being lifted after the splashdown.

NASA ASTRONAUT REVEALS HE WAS THE ONE WHO HAD MEDICAL ISSUE THAT LED TO CREW'S EARLY RETURN TO EARTH

"The obvious thing that sticks out to me is that they are very happy to be alive," historian Robert Poole of the University of Lancashire told the AP.

He added that Armstrong's composure under pressure was one of the key factors that led to him being chosen for the Apollo 11 moon landing three years later.

Centuori said their smiles also show their ability to stay calm in a stressful situation.

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More than 50 years since the last moon mission, NASA is preparing to launch Artemis II, which will send four astronauts around the moon next month.

"Seeing people launch to space frequently can suggest that it’s easy, but it’s very hard," Emily Margolis, a curator at the National Air and Space Museum added. "And it requires a lot of resources and attention."

Pilot claims Google Earth image may show Amelia Earhart's missing plane on Pacific island reef

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 20:28:16 -0400

A pilot with decades of experience flying thinks he may have found an image of Amelia Earhart’s lost plane via Google Earth.

Justin Myers told Popular Mechanics recently he began looking through satellite images of Nikumaroro Island in the Pacific after watching a documentary on her final flight.

"To be totally honest, my interest started after watching a documentary on the National Geographic Channel. It was the next day when curiosity about Nikumaroro Island took me to looking on Google Earth."

When first looking at images of Nikumaroro, an uninhabited coral atoll in the Pacific, Myers said he wasn’t trying to find the Lockheed Electra 10E. "I was just putting myself in Amelia and [her navigator] Fred’s shoes."

ARCHAEOLOGIST BELIEVES HE FOUND LEGENDARY VIKING RULER'S LOST GRAVE IN REMOTE SPOT: 'THIS IS RARE'

But then he tried to imagine, as a pilot, "where I would have force landed a light twin aircraft in their position, lost and low on fuel."

Once he zoomed into an area where he thought they might have tried to land, he noticed a "dark-coloured, perfectly straight object" that measured approximately 39 feet, the same as Earhart’s plane.

"I used the measuring tool on Google Earth and to my surprise and mild little shiver it measured approximately 39 ft," he wrote in a blog post.

FBI FILES REVEAL NEW D.B. COOPER SUSPECT — MAINE PILOT ONCE INVESTIGATED IN SKYJACKING MYSTERY

"It looked man-made," he told Popular Mechanics. "It looked like a section of aircraft fuselage. That was remarkable by itself, let alone the possibility it was Electra 10E NR16020, even though the measurements looked the same."

Earhart was attempting to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe in 1937 when she and her navigator lost radio contact on July 2 while attempting to land on Howland Island in the Pacific, north of Nikumaroro.

Neither the pair nor their plane have been found, leaving nearly a century of professional and amateur investigators attempting to figure out what happened to them.

LONG-LOST SHIPWRECK RESURFACES ON JERSEY SHORE AS OFFICIALS WARN AGAINST DISTURBING THE RUINS

Myers said as he continued to look at the satellite imagery, he thought he saw more plane debris, thinking he might have gotten lucky with his sighting.

"There was an element of luck in spotting that aircraft debris, as Mother Nature had revealed what had been buried on the reef for a long time," he said. "I managed to catch some photos before being covered over again by passing weather systems."

Myers wrote in his blog that he attempted to contact several agencies with his findings but was largely ignored.

POLICE STUMBLE UPON ANCIENT SHIPWRECK AMID ROUTINE PATROL, KEEP LOCATION SECRET TO DETER LOOTERS

The National Transportation Safety Board said the island wasn’t its jurisdiction, so he filed a report with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau but never heard anything back.

He also contacted Purdue University but never heard anything, and he contacted an expedition company in the state but said he hadn’t heard back from them in a while.

Myers is hardly the first person to believe he figured out the mystery of the aviators’ disappearance.

Last year, Purdue announced its own expedition to research the Taraia Object, a visual anomaly also on Nikumaroro that some think could be the plane’s wreckage.

The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery also believes that Nikumaroro is where Earhart went down, based on a huge body of evidence and a dozen visits to the island between 1989 and 2019, according to Archaeologychannel.org.

Tony Romeo, a former Air Force intelligence officer and CEO of Deep Sea Vision, made news a couple of years ago after sonar images from a 2023 expedition showed what looked like a plane on the seafloor near Howland.

But it was soon discovered to just be a natural rock formation with plane-like features.

Still, that hasn’t deterred Myers in his findings.

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"The bottom line is, from my interests from a child in vintage aircraft and air crash investigation, I can say that is what was once a 12-metre, 2-engine vintage aircraft," he told Popular Mechanics, adding the caveat that he’s not sure it’s Earhart’s.

And even if it's not the famed pilot’s plane, "then it’s the answer to another mystery that has never been answered. This finding could answer some questions to someone who disappeared many years ago."

America's UFO-inspired Carvel Flying Saucer turns 75 — and it's still flying off shelves

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:52:57 -0400

Carvel is marking a milestone in ice cream history as its signature Flying Saucer sandwich — inspired by America's 1950s-era UFO craze — turns 75 this week.

Billed as the "original round ice cream sandwich," the Flying Saucer features soft-serve vanilla sandwiched between two chocolate wafers. Created by founder Tom Carvel, it debuted in 1951.

The treat's name and shape were inspired by the UFO obsession sweeping the country at the time, according to the company.

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In 1947, a pilot's widely publicized report of a "flying saucer" sighting sparked hundreds of similar claims across the U.S., according to History.com and historical accounts.

This led to a full-blown cultural fixation heading into the 1950s, when Carvel's Flying Saucer launched along with the opening of the company's 100th store, according to Westchester magazine.

The milestone followed Carvel's founding in 1934, when Tom Carvel began selling melting ice cream roadside after his truck broke down in Hartsdale, New York, according to reports.

Customers embraced the texture, later branded as "soft serve," helping to launch what became the country's first retail ice-cream franchise.

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"From Tom Carvel's first roadside stand in 1934 to the creation of the Flying Saucer during the 1950s UFO craze, our brand has always embraced a spirit of imagination and fun," Marissa Sharpless, Carvel's vice president of marketing, said in a company news release.

The dessert is one of Carvel's most recognizable menu items, alongside its novelty ice-cream cakes, with over two million flying off shelves last year.

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"The Flying Saucer endured the test of time because it is simple, nostalgic and the taste has remained unchanged," the company told Fox News Digital. "It is a treat that resonates across generations, one that parents pass down to their kids, who become fans themselves because it tastes just as good as it did 75 years ago."

The Friday anniversary coincides with the first day of spring, with Carvel offering the treat for 75 cents at participating locations.

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Carvel is also leaning into the treat's out-of-this-world theme with oversized Flying Saucer inflatables that have "crash-landed" at three historic shop locations in Coney Island, New York; Massapequa, New York; and West Palm Beach, Florida.

The sites were chosen for their ties to the brand's history. The Coney Island shop has been operated by the same family for four generations, the Massapequa location reflects Carvel's New York roots, and the Florida store was once used by Carvel to test new products during the winter, according to the company.

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Today, Carvel has more than 300 U.S. locations and hundreds more worldwide.

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Beyond the one-day promotion, loyalty members can purchase a six-pack of Flying Saucers for $7.50 this weekend, while a weekday deal offers buy-one, get-one 50% off six-packs Monday through Thursday.

Temple from time of Christ reveals powerful society lost to history, archaeologists say

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:00:53 -0400

Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,000-year-old temple in Denmark — offering a glimpse into the mysterious, once-powerful society that built it.

The Museum of Central Jutland (Museum Midtjylland) unveiled the discovery of the temple at Hedegård, an ancient site that contains Scandinavia's "largest and richest burial site," according to its website. The latest excavation began last August.

Hedegård, located near Ejstrupholm north of the Skjern River, has been identified as Denmark's largest settlement from the time "around the birth of Christ," the museum said.

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Working with researchers from Museum Horsens and Moesgaard Museum, archaeologists found evidence of a vast fortified settlement that once served as a regional power center during the Iron Age.

The settlement has yielded luxury goods, weapons from Celtic tribes and "prestige" items from Roman workshops.

Evidence shows the settlement "flourished in the period leading up to the birth of Christ."

The museum said that "this is when we see the rich graves and numerous weapon graves in the cemetery north of the village."

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But the crown jewel of the excavation was the temple — which measured roughly 49 by 53 feet.

The structure had once burned down. Beneath the burn layer, excavators found traces of "two temple phases" that offer insight into its history.

"At the exact center was a [6 x 6 foot] raised clay platform," officials said.

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"In the younger phase, an ornamented hearth was built here, partially covering the earlier hearth. The younger temple was shifted about [30 inches] north compared to the older one, but was otherwise nearly identical. The older hearth remained untouched — the new one was simply built over it."

Archaeologists also found plaster fragments that suggest the temple's walls were once painted white.

"Preliminary results suggest the temple functioned in the decades around the birth of Christ," the site stated.

"The structure likely appeared as a tall, almost square, tower-like building with an outer colonnade. The hearth dominated the interior space."

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The museum also said, "The temple was carefully cleared before being deliberately burned, leaving few finds. However, two exceptional glass beads were discovered — likely produced in the Middle East or Egypt."

The site has been the subject of scholarly interest since Danish archaeologists found an unusual number of richly-adorned graves in the late 1980s.

"It remains unique in Northern European archaeology — an early and unparalleled display of military, economic, and religious power," the museum's statement said.

Since the site was discovered over three decades ago, archaeologists have known that the site was "something completely different," said Martin Winther Olesen, an archaeology curator.

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"When our geophysical surveys revealed a fortification in the village it was clear that this was something out of the ordinary," he noted.

Olesen identified the temple as a pagan structure, which was built between 50 B.C. and 50 A.D.

"Christianity did not reach Scandinavia until almost 1,000 years later," he said — adding that Hedegård had "extensive foreign relations" including knowledge of Celtic and Roman architectural traditions.

Evidence appears to suggest that Hedegård was only in use for three generations before it disappeared.

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All the evidence proves Hedegård had "everything it takes to be an early Iron Age power center," said Olesen — and he said that he could talk about the site "for two hours straight."

"The site is strategically located and controls the most important road up through Jutland," the expert said. "There is clear militarization in the form of weapons, but also in the construction of the fortification."

He added, "There is a political elite, monumental construction, there are crafts and trade and — of course — it is also a center for the practice of the cult."

The official noted the discovery was only made possible thanks to "super talented archaeologists and researchers from Denmark and abroad."

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"It is an exquisite privilege to be allowed to work with a find that has an international dimension," said Olesen.

Archaeologists uncover lost medieval city that vanished without a trace: 'True time capsule'

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 08:00:25 -0400

Archaeologists have uncovered a lost medieval town nestled in a remote forest — and new evidence is revealing what the city looked like before its sudden decline.

Researchers uncovered the remains of Stolzenberg, a medieval town that appears to have collapsed in the 14th or 15th century, in a forest outside the modern-day Polish village of Sławoborze.

The city was founded on the border of Pomerania and Neumark, a historically contested border region between Germany and Poland.

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Guided by historical sources, researchers first searched for Stolzenberg's remains in present-day Sławoborze — but they found no features confirming the medieval town's location.

In the forest, however, researchers found massive earthen ramparts and an 18-foot-deep moat, said archaeologist Marcin Krzepkowski of the Relicta Foundation.

Krzepkowski told Fox News Digital that a recent geophysical survey confirmed the site of the lost city after researchers had already gathered archaeological finds and cartographic data.

"The results of these surveys dispelled any remaining doubts," he said.

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"In the central part of the area surrounded by the moat, regular magnetic anomalies were revealed, indicating the existence of remains of buildings surrounding the rectangular market square, the city's central square," researchers noted.

"This layout is typical of medieval towns founded under German law. Traces of buildings can also be seen along the street leading to the expected city gate."

Metal detectorists also unearthed over 400 artifacts, some of them as old as the Bronze Age and a few — including containers filled with meat products and butter — dating as recently as World War II.

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"The most valuable artifacts for us were medieval, confirming that the site was in use at the time," Krzepkowski said.

"These included silver coins, metal belt elements and coat clasps typical of medieval bourgeois costume."

Archaeologists also found tools like knives and iron padlocks — but the most significant discovery, Krzepkowski said, was fragments of cannon grenades and lead rifle bullets.

"We linked [these artifacts] to a battle that took place in this area in 1761 between Russian and Prussian forces, [during] the Seven Years' War," he said.

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"All these artifacts testify to the rich and complex past of this site, which is not limited to the late Middle Ages, when the town of Stolzenberg existed."

Experts are unsure why Stolzenberg was abandoned — and Krzepkowski said there were likely multiple factors behind its decline.

"Strange as it may seem, cities were sometimes relocated to new, more convenient locations, even as far as a dozen or so kilometers," he remarked.

"This could be due, for example, to proximity to a river and the threat of flooding, or to the search for a location that would allow for faster development. … Sometimes, a town's decline was caused by shifting trade routes or competition from other nearby towns."

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Krzepkowski noted that the Relicta Foundation specializes in lost medieval cities, and in the case of Stolzenberg, it's "difficult to pinpoint the time and cause of its decline."

"We've only discovered a few artifacts that can be dated to the 16th or 17th century," said Krzepkowski. "This suggests that the town was already gone by that time. … The decline may have occurred in the 14th or 15th century."

He added, "The topic of vanished medieval towns in Europe is incredibly fascinating, both at the identification stage and during further research. Their search is incredibly fascinating because they typically existed for a short time, and therefore very little historical data has survived."

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Interestingly, archaeologists uncovered proof that some urban plots appeared undeveloped — which Krzepkowski said indicates "that the town fell at a relatively early stage, and its entire planned area was not developed."

Looking ahead, researchers will now try to confirm the location of Stolzenberg's town hall and church, as well as learn more about the city's layout.

The Relicta Foundation is hopeful that bioarchaeological analyses can even reveal the health status of the town's former inhabitants and their diets.

Krzepkowski said that, though the research has taken years, his team is "still at the beginning of the journey."

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"This site is a true time capsule, harboring many mysteries," he said.

"Unraveling them will help us better understand the settlement and city-forming processes in this part of Europe."

Alexander the Great's long-lost city located after nearly two millennia: 'Absolutely stunning'

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:00:53 -0400

Archaeologists have confirmed the location of a long-lost city founded by Alexander the Great — a once-thriving trade hub that's been hidden for centuries.

The ancient city, known as Alexandria on the Tigris, is located in southern Iraq, near the Persian Gulf.

It was founded in the fourth century B.C. as a port city linking trade from India to Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean world. It fell into obscurity after the third century A.D., when the path of the Tigris shifted.

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Over the past few years, researchers have mapped the city's fortification walls, street grids and city blocks, thanks to drone imagery and high-resolution geophysical scans.

Archaeologists have worked at the site since the 2010s, a time when ISIS exerted control over Iraq — but it wasn't until now that the full scale of the lost metropolis was revealed.

The University of Konstanz in Germany, in a Jan. 28 press release, said excavators were "only allowed to conduct surface surveys under the close supervision of either soldiers or police officers."

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Researchers identified temple complexes, workshops with kilns and furnaces and the remains of the city's harbor and canal system.

The city had been "repeatedly flooded," but it was miraculously well-preserved, said Stefan R. Hauser, an archaeology professor at the University of Konstanz.

Hauser told Fox News Digital that, like its more famous counterpart in Egypt, Alexandria on the Tigris was founded at a crossroads between river and sea.

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The city was founded at a time when a new harbor for trade with India was desperately needed in southern Mesopotamia.

Hauser said Alexander the Great personally chose the site in 324 B.C., citing the author Pliny the Elder, who relied on older sources.

Alexander, the Macedonian leader who conquered the Persian Empire, was drawn to the site by the strategic river location.

The archaeologist said he was surprised by the city's size at 2.5 square miles, which he called "enormous for an ancient city."

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"The size of the city blocks is extraordinary," he said. "It surpasses even those of the major capitals of the time, like Seleucia on the Tigris or Alexandria on the Nile."

Hauser added, "The quality of the geophysical evidence is absolutely stunning… The preservation of buildings is surprisingly good, and we started identifying the walls immediately beneath the surface, which also accounts for the good results in geophysical exploration."

Hauser said the research began in 2016 under British archaeologists Jane Moon, Robert Killick and Stuart Campbell, whom he credited with launching the project.

Excavating the site was a challenge, he said, as summer temperatures rise above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, the general area suffers from air pollution.

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The team of researchers plans to investigate the city's quarter and its workshops and kilns in the future, pending funding.

Hauser stressed that the site could shed new light on the Parthian Empire, which controlled the city centuries after Alexander's conquest. He described the empire as one of antiquity's most understudied powers.

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"There is not a single useful summary [of] its history, structure and culture," said Hauser.

The site is "particularly well suited for this kind of research, because there has been no later building activity since antiquity," he added.

"We have the nearly unique chance to reconstruct an entire city plan [through] geophysical research, and currently hope to complete geophysics this year."