An exceptional archaeological discovery has been revealed at the Sárrétudvari–Hízóföld cemetery, located in Hungary. Researchers have identified the first known tomb of a woman buried with weapons in the Carpathian Basin, dating to the 10th century, during the Hungarian Conquest period. This discovery challenges traditional conceptions about gender roles in medieval Central European societies and […]
Weapons
Posted inSecond World War
How the Germans Developed and Used the First Operational Jet Bomber in History During World War II
The first operational jet bomber in history was called the Arado Ar 234 Blitz and entered service with the Luftwaffe in 1943 during World War II. It participated in several operations, demonstrating a speed that made it impossible for enemy fighters to intercept. However, it did not have the impact it could have had because […]
Posted inStone Age Archaeology
The Oldest Bowstrings in Europe, 7,000 Years Old, Found in a Cave in Granada, Spain
A recent study led by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has revealed the sophistication of Neolithic archery equipment on the Iberian Peninsula (5300–4900 BCE). The analysis of remains found in the Cueva de Los Murciélagos in Albuñol (Granada, SpainCordage fragments from Cueva de los Murciélagos identified as possible bowstrings.) has not only reconstructed the […]
Posted inAge of Exploration, Archaeology
Nature of the Enigmatic “Armas de la tierra” of the Coronado Expedition in the 16th Century Revealed
Recent research has unveiled the nature of the weaponry used by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s expedition (which crossed the present-day U.S. states of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas), referred to as Armas de la tierra (weapons of the earth), which had until now remained an enigma. This study, led by Deni J. Seymour, […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
An Exceptional Viking Sword Forged in the Late 9th Century, Found by an Army Museum Employee While Swimming in a River in Poland
In November 2024, the Army Museum in Białystok unveiled an impressive historical treasure: a Viking-era sword, dated between the 9th and 10th centuries. This exceptional discovery was made by a museum employee, Szczepan Skibicki, during a dive in the Supraśl River in the Podlachia region of Poland in the summer of 2022. The sword, accompanied […]
Posted inPrehistory
The Clacton Spear is the Oldest Known Wooden Tool
In 1911, an extraordinary archaeological discovery was made in the small coastal town of Clacton-on-Sea (Essex, England). Samuel Hazzledine Warren, an amateur prehistorian who had been searching for simple stone tools in a Paleolithic sediment, discovered what he initially thought was a piece of animal antler. But he soon realized it was a fragmented wooden […]
Posted inBronze Age Archaeology
Unique Characteristics of Late Bronze Age Swords Discovered in the Balearic Islands
A recent study published in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences explores the development and unique characteristics of Late Bronze Age swords found in the Balearic Islands (Spain). These weapons, dated between 1000 and 800 B.C., reveal a fascinating intersection between local traditions and imported technologies, reflecting the increasing connectivity of the Western Mediterranean during this period. […]
Posted inClassical Archaeology
The Fame of Gladiators Reached the Remotest Areas of the Roman Empire: A Left-Handed “Secutor” Knife Handle Found at Hadrian’s Wall
In the waters of the river near the Roman town of Corbridge, at Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland, a knife handle shaped like a Roman gladiator has come to light. This unique piece, crafted from copper alloy and intricately sculpted, represents a gladiator of the secutor type, famed for their impressive strength and heavy equipment. The discovery […]
Posted inMiddle Ages, Science
Greek Fire, the Byzantine Empire’s Secret Incendiary Weapon That Survived Until the 19th Century
They began to blow with blacksmiths’ bellows into a furnace where there was fire, and from it came a great noise. There was also a brass [or bronze] tube, and from it came much fire against a ship, which burned quickly so that it all turned into white ashes… This excerpt is from the Yngvars […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
The Norwegian Vikings Possessed an Abundant and Disproportionate Number of Swords
A recent study published in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology reveals that Norwegian Viking society was significantly more violent than that of Denmark. This finding is based on a detailed analysis of skeletal traumas, weapons, and archaeological evidence reflecting the social and political dynamics of these ancient Scandinavian peoples. The study offers an innovative perspective […]
