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Sealed inside a ceramic funerary pot for over 4,500 years, an Old Kingdom man has become the first ancient Egyptian to undergo whole genome analysis. The man had North African Neolithic ancestry, mixed with a 20% genetic contribution from the Eastern Fertile Crescent

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Sealed inside a ceramic funerary pot for over 4,500 years, an Old Kingdom man has become the first ancient Egyptian to undergo whole genome analysis. The man had North African Neolithic ancestry, mixed with a 20% genetic contribution from the Eastern Fertile Crescent

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For the first time in 200 years, the Parthenon’s exterior is completely free of scaffolding on all sides. It’s also the first time in 20 years that the western side has been scaffold-free. At least six generations have never seen the Parthenon unobstructed.

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For the first time in 200 years, the Parthenon’s exterior is completely free of scaffolding on all sides. It’s also the first time in 20 years that the western side has been scaffold-free. At least six generations have never seen the Parthenon unobstructed.

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The 24,000 years old remains of Mal'ta Boy, discovered in the 1920s in Siberia, Russia. The boy belonged to the population of Ancient North Eurasians, who were genetically intermediate between modern western Eurasians and Native Americans, but distant from east Asians

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The 24,000 years old remains of Mal'ta Boy, discovered in the 1920s in Siberia, Russia. The boy belonged to the population of Ancient North Eurasians, who were genetically intermediate between modern western Eurasians and Native Americans, but distant from east Asians

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The mummy of king Tutankhamun was laid inside 3 coffins nested within each, with the innermost coffin made of 110.4 kg of solid gold. For the first time since his tomb was opened 100 years ago, the 3 coffins will be displayed together at the new Grand Egyptian Museum

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The mummy of king Tutankhamun was laid inside 3 coffins nested within each, with the innermost coffin made of 110.4 kg of solid gold. For the first time since his tomb was opened 100 years ago, the 3 coffins will be displayed together at the new Grand Egyptian Museum

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This 2,500-year-old Egyptian bead net funerary shroud was made entirely by weaving thousands of tiny, multicolored beads. It was placed over mummies to turn them into Osiris, housed in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.

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This 2,500-year-old Egyptian bead net funerary shroud was made entirely by weaving thousands of tiny, multicolored beads. It was placed over mummies to turn them into Osiris, housed in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.

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Discovered in a cave in southern Poland in the 1980s, this prehistoric boomerang was made from a mammoth tusk and estimated to be 18,000 years old. But new analysis has uncovered that the boomerang is between 39,000 to 42,000 years old, making it the oldest known boomerang in history.

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Discovered in a cave in southern Poland in the 1980s, this prehistoric boomerang was made from a mammoth tusk and estimated to be 18,000 years old. But new analysis has uncovered that the boomerang is between 39,000 to 42,000 years old, making it the oldest known boomerang in history.

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Among the treasures discovered in King Tut’s tomb is an elaborate pectoral with a central scarab carved from a canary-yellow material called Libyan Desert glass. Found in the sand dunes of Egypt’s western desert, the glass was formed about 29 million years ago by a meteorite strike

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Among the treasures discovered in King Tut’s tomb is an elaborate pectoral with a central scarab carved from a canary-yellow material called Libyan Desert glass. Found in the sand dunes of Egypt’s western desert, the glass was formed about 29 million years ago by a meteorite strike

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General view of the chapel's east wall, a feature from the tomb of Khnumhotep II at Beni Hassan in Egypt. The murals depict Khnumhotep II, who was an ancient Egyptian Great Chief of the Oryx nome, hunting in the marshes. 20th century BCE

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General view of the chapel's east wall, a feature from the tomb of Khnumhotep II at Beni Hassan in Egypt. The murals depict Khnumhotep II, who was an ancient Egyptian Great Chief of the Oryx nome, hunting in the marshes. 20th century BCE

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The Herodium, Herod the Great’s fortress and one of the largest from the ancient world. He intentionally buried the whole mountain and converted it to a funerary complex upon his death

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The Herodium, Herod the Great’s fortress and one of the largest from the ancient world. He intentionally buried the whole mountain and converted it to a funerary complex upon his death

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Marble female figurine, Early Cycladic , Greece, 2800-2300 B.C. The best known type of Cycladic art is the marble figurine, a full-length female with arms folded across the front. Their function remains uncertain, but most were found in graves, indicating a funerary role...

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Marble female figurine, Early Cycladic , Greece, 2800-2300 B.C. The best known type of Cycladic art is the marble figurine, a full-length female with arms folded across the front. Their function remains uncertain, but most were found in graves, indicating a funerary role...

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A trepanned neolithic skull of a woman that had a prosthetic ear made from seashell attached, found at Roque d'Aille in France and dates from 3000-2000 BCE. The skull shows evidence the woman had survived the "open brain" operation and gone on to live for many years

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A trepanned neolithic skull of a woman that had a prosthetic ear made from seashell attached, found at Roque d'Aille in France and dates from 3000-2000 BCE. The skull shows evidence the woman had survived the "open brain" operation and gone on to live for many years

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After 220 years, the Western pediment of the Parthenon has been restored to its most complete form. The restoration uses marble extracted from the same mountain as the ancient original, Mt Pentelicus.

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After 220 years, the Western pediment of the Parthenon has been restored to its most complete form. The restoration uses marble extracted from the same mountain as the ancient original, Mt Pentelicus.

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This skull was preserved in a Danish bog for 5000 years, with the murder weapon beside it. The man was struck 8 times in the head with this wooden club, and analysis showed that his DNA differed from that of the local Danish population, indicating that he grew up somewhere else

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This skull was preserved in a Danish bog for 5000 years, with the murder weapon beside it. The man was struck 8 times in the head with this wooden club, and analysis showed that his DNA differed from that of the local Danish population, indicating that he grew up somewhere else

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Kraters were used for mixing wine with water at symposia in Ancient Greece. However, the Derveni Krater was also used as a funerary urn. It contained the cremated remains of a man and a younger woman. 40kg, 90 cm, 4th century BCE

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Kraters were used for mixing wine with water at symposia in Ancient Greece. However, the Derveni Krater was also used as a funerary urn. It contained the cremated remains of a man and a younger woman. 40kg, 90 cm, 4th century BCE

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A funerary Mimbres black-on-white ceramic bowl with a kill hole at its base. The Mimbres of the American Southwest placed such bowls over the heads of the deceased, believing the spirit must exit the body and return to the underworld through the hole

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A funerary Mimbres black-on-white ceramic bowl with a kill hole at its base. The Mimbres of the American Southwest placed such bowls over the heads of the deceased, believing the spirit must exit the body and return to the underworld through the hole

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The 4,200-year-old bag from Horseshoe Ranch Cave - prehistoric craftsmanship in North America. Discovered in Horseshoe Ranch Cave, dates to around 2200 BCE and was made by ancient Indigenous peoples of the region, likely ancestors of hunter-gatherer groups living in what is now Texas.

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The 4,200-year-old bag from Horseshoe Ranch Cave - prehistoric craftsmanship in North America. Discovered in Horseshoe Ranch Cave, dates to around 2200 BCE and was made by ancient Indigenous peoples of the region, likely ancestors of hunter-gatherer groups living in what is now Texas.

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4000 years old, this male figure with scaled skin is attributed to Archaeological Complex of Bactria Margiana or eastern Iran. It is made of chlorite, calcite, gold, and iron.

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4000 years old, this male figure with scaled skin is attributed to Archaeological Complex of Bactria Margiana or eastern Iran. It is made of chlorite, calcite, gold, and iron.

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Apollo of Gaza, in 2012 a Palestinian fisherman from Gaza recovered the Ancient Greek bronze statue of Apollo and put it up for sale for $500k on EBay. The statue, more than 2000 years old, was seized by police and never seen again.

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Apollo of Gaza, in 2012 a Palestinian fisherman from Gaza recovered the Ancient Greek bronze statue of Apollo and put it up for sale for $500k on EBay. The statue, more than 2000 years old, was seized by police and never seen again.

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Fresco of a Winged Genius carrying a tray and Holding a Handle. From Boscoreale, near Mount Vesuvius, Italy . ca. 50/40 BC. Plaster and pigments. By the time of the eruption in 79, this work was already over 100 years old, likely appreciated for its age.

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Fresco of a Winged Genius carrying a tray and Holding a Handle. From Boscoreale, near Mount Vesuvius, Italy . ca. 50/40 BC. Plaster and pigments. By the time of the eruption in 79, this work was already over 100 years old, likely appreciated for its age.

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Ancient Akkadian Obelisk: The Maništūšu Stele — A 4,200-year-old black basalt monument from Mesopotamia, covered in cuneiform inscriptions recording royal land grants by King Maništūšu, son of Sargon of Akkad. One of the earliest detailed records of property ownership.

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Ancient Akkadian Obelisk: The Maništūšu Stele — A 4,200-year-old black basalt monument from Mesopotamia, covered in cuneiform inscriptions recording royal land grants by King Maništūšu, son of Sargon of Akkad. One of the earliest detailed records of property ownership.

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