Artifacts

Authorities seize thousands of stolen artifacts in raid on antiquities smuggler's home in West Bank

Trading in antiquities without a permit and searching for antiquities without a license using a metal detector are all criminal offenses under Israeli law.

Ancient coins seized during raid on home of suspected antiquities smuggler, July 28, 2026.
The earliest surviving example of Homer’s Odyssey, July 21, 2026.

Oldest copy of Homer’s Odyssey in book form joins Christopher Nolan's film press tour

Visitors view the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft during the grand opening on June 25, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Lincoln Memorial to pull historic documents from public display over fear of heat damage - report

One of the 3,000 artifacts discovered in Drenthe, the Netherlands, June 19, 2026.

Archaeologists find over 3,000 artifacts from Stone Age to WWII in Netherlands valley


Greece returns over 1,000 coins to Turkey in joint effort against antiquities smuggling

The two ministers held several talks regarding future cooperation between the two countries in the field of culture and the fight against antiquities trafficking.

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy sign agreement at first Turkey-Greece Culture Forum, ,June 19, 2026.

US family returns four artifacts to Egypt, including statue head thought to depict female pharoah

The artifacts were received in Cairo on June 5 before being transferred to the Egyptian Museum for further examination, documentation and restoration ahead of their display in the museum. 

Three artifacts returned by American family to Eygpt, June 18, 2026.

Greece calls for return of Parthenon Statues from British Museum at UNESCO, backed by 20 countries

Greece and Turkey argue that Lord Elgin had no firman permissing him to remove the artifacts, while the UK claims Elgin had all necessary documents and brought the Statues to Britian legally.

Visitors view the Parthenon Marbles, also known as the Elgin Marbles, at the British Museum in London on January 9, 2023.

Over 30 mummified cats, ancient Egyptian tombs, coffins discovered at Luxor necropolis site

According to preliminary studies, four of the coffins date to the 18th Dynasty, including one bearing the name of Merit, believed to be a chantress of Amun.

Ancient Egyptian wooden coffin found at  Draʻ Abu el-Naga’s necropolis site near Thebes, Egypt, May 19, 2026.

Eight-year-old boy visiting Ramon Crater finds over 1,700-year-old statue fragment hidden in rocks

“I was looking for special things on the ground that I could show in class,” Wolynitz shared. “ Suddenly, I noticed an interesting stone with stripes lying on the ground, and picked it up.”

Eight-year-old Dor Wolynitz with the over 1,700-year-old statuette fragment he found in the Ramon Crater area, May 11, 2026.

Collection of Greek, Roman, Byzantine artifacts discovered in neighborhood of Egypt’s Alexandria

Professor Ibrahim Mustafa, head of the archaeological mission and director of the Central District, stated that initial restoration work for the artifacts has already started.

Statues of ancient Greek and Roman dieties discovered in  in the Muharram Bek neighborhood of Alexandria, Egypt, May 8, 2026.

Turkish authorities reportedly seize gold Hebrew manuscript inscribed on python skin

Per Turkey Today, a foreign national, identified only as A.E., suspected of attempting to sell the manuscript on the black market, was detained by local units of Turkey’s Gendarmerie General Command.

The Hebrew manuscript inscribed in gold on python skin, displayed alongside its copper casing, at the Gaziantep Provincial Gendarmerie Command, April 24, 2026.

Finally returning home: American family repatriates five ancient artifacts to Greece

Mendoni expressed her gratitude to the Gray family for their decision to return the artifacts, noting that it “highlights the decisive role of citizens in the protection of cultural heritage.” 

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni with five artifacts returned to Greece by a family from Chicago, April 28, 2026.

Partial statue of Ramesses the Great found in ancient Egyptian capital city along Nile

Ramesses II (“Ramesses the Great”) is believed by many to have been the pharoah in the biblical story of the Exodus.

Partial statue of Ramesses II ("Ramesses the Great") discovered at Tel Faraon, Egypt, April 23, 2026.

'Not just history': Belongings of Gush Etzion heroes to be publicly displayed for first time

The traveling exhibit is part of a new educational initiative led by the Gush Etzion Regional Council to deepen the study of the area's history in schools.

The hat of Moshe Silberschmidt, the last commander of Gush Etzion, and the wool sweater of Palmach fighter and combat medic Uriel Ofek, April 21, 2026.