We usually learn history through the written word. While those sources can tell us a great deal, there’s something different (and oftentimes more powerful) about seeing the actual objects that people once forged, carried, and treasured. Suddenly, distant events and long-gone civilizations become much easier to imagine.
Luckily for us nerds, there’s a subreddit dedicated to sharing fascinating historical artifacts from around the world. Whether we’re talking about ancient artwork and weapons or everyday tools and personal belongings, it’s packed with all sorts of remarkable gems. Here are our favorites.
#21 Dagger With Openwork Blade And Carved Ivory Handle Depicting Hindu Figures. Madurai, India, 1600-1645
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38points
#23 A Big Mad Letter Written By A Boy Called Theon To His Father In The 2nd Or 3rd Century Ad
Theon Was Grumpy Because His Father Was Not Going To Take Him To The Big City, Alexandria.
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#24 Meymand Is A Very Ancient Village In Iran
It Is Believed To Be A Primary Human Residence In The Iranian Plateau, Dating Back To 12,000 Years Ago. Many Of The Residents Live In The 350 Hand-Dug Houses Amid The Rocks, Some Of Which Have Been Inhabited For As Long As 3,000 Years.
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38points
#25 The Golden Larnax (Chest With The Remains) And Crown Of Alexander's Father, Philip II Of Macedon
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38points
#26 Portrait Of A Woman. Faiyum, Egypt, Roman Period, 3rd-4th Century Ad
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37points
#27 Jade Cicadas, Meant To Be Placed On The Tongues Of The Dead To Signify Rebirth. China, Han Dynasty, 202 Bc–220 Ad [2323x3000]
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#28 Byzantine Mosaic Of A Man Feeding A Donkey. 5th Or 6th Century Ce. Housed In The Istanbul Archaeological Museum In Turkey
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#29 Ivory Sculpture Of A Fisherman With Net And Basket. Japan, Meiji Period, 1868–1912
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#31 The Medieval Tombstone Of A Bride And Groom M*rdered At Their Wedding Along With All Their Guests
The Scene Depicted Here Is Their Wedding. 10th Century Ad, Noratus Cemetery, Armenia.
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34points
#32 The Wallace Amethyst. In The 20th Century, Wallace Chan Developed The Wallace Cut Technique, An Inner Layered Intaglio. China
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#33 The 3,200 Year Old Hypostyle Hall Of The Karnak Temple In Egypt, With 134 Massive Columns Covered In Hieroglyphs (And My Son To Scale)
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#34 The Flooded Crypt Of The Basilica Di San Francesco In Ravenna, Italy,10th Century
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#36 At Persepolis In Iran, Dating 518 Bc
This Stone Lion Greets The Viewer With A Smiling Face From The Front, Yet As You Move To The Side, The Same Lion Appears Fierce And Angry. It Is A Masterpiece Of Ancient Persian Art That Captures Both Serenity And Aggression.
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32points
#37 Archaeologists Unearthing A Remarkable 2,700-Year-Old Assyrian Lamassu At Ancient Dur-Sharrukin, In What Is Now Modern-Day Iraq
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#38 The Moss-Covered Gravestone Of The Wine And Textile Merchant Antoine Michel Wemaer (1763-1837 Ce), Located In The Central Cemetery In Bruges, Belgium
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32points
#40 A Photograph Of My Great-Grandfather, Who Served In The Military During The Qajar Empire, With A Note:
"At A Time When Only The Royal Family Had Access To Cameras, I Took My Family’s Very First Photograph, Hoping It Would Reach Future Generations. Friday Afternoon, August 12, 1896."
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31points
