NewsArt market
Antiquities trade should prepare for more government oversight
US Treasury Department issues a call for input on forthcoming regulation that aims to counter money laundering
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
German auction of Latin American antiquities goes ahead, but many works fail to sell
Ambassadors from eight countries—Mexico, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama and Peru—whose heritage was included in the sale launched a united front against it, with calls for Unesco to intervene
NewsMexico
Mexico attempts to halt German auction of Pre-Colombian artefacts
More than 70 works designated as national heritage are due to be sold in Munich on 21 September
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Maya stone monuments to be installed in the Met’s Great Hall
The stelae, on loan from Guatemala, feature life-sized depictions of ancient Indigenous leaders
NewsRestitution
Looted 2,700-year-old bricks—discovered in Swiss warehouse—are returned to Iran
Before the discovery of the more than 50 painted blocks, “the richness of Mannaean civilisation had not been appreciated”, expert says
NewsArt market
New York dealer arrested for selling ‘cookie cutter’ manufactured goods as authentic antiquities
Investigators found thousands of fakes, as well as tools and materials used to make them seem ancient, in rooms near Sadigh Gallery’s Fifth Avenue showroom
NewsHeritage
Monastery of powerful Anglo Saxon queen discovered in genteel Thames-side Berkshire village
Dig uncovers a wealth of objects, including jewellery probably worn by Queen Cynethryth, an influential female ruler likely to have been buried in the village
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
An ancient Roman road may lie beneath Venice’s lagoon, researchers say
Team using sonar technology have found evidence of structures and settlements on the seafloor
NewsAncient art
One of the world's first art objects? Tiny 51,000-year-old deer bone was decoratively carved by Neanderthals, new study reveals
Discovery contradicts commonly held belief that these archaic humans were incapable of creating aesthetic items
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Archaeologists find ruins of vast Medieval Nubian cathedral in Sudan
Polish team used remote sensing techniques to detect the building, the largest of its kind in the region, as well as a possible tomb of an archbishop
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Hoard of plundered ancient art—discovered by police in a Belgian dealer's home—is returned to Italy
The almost 800 rare archaeological artefacts are now on show at the Castello Svevo in Bari
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Pressure mounts for Italy to buy Torlonia marbles—world's finest collection of Greco-Roman antiquities still in private hands
As a landmark exhibition in Rome draws to a close, government's plans for long-hidden group of ancient sculpture remain unclear
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
World’s oldest war memorial may have been identified in Syria
The White Monument at Tell Banat contains the bones of what are believed to be around 30 dead soldiers, posed as if they fell in battle
NewsMuseums & Heritage
'A vast underwater museum': Greece plans to open shipwrecks and other submerged heritage sites for visitors to explore
Experienced divers and casual bathers alike will gain access to ancient marine monuments, which remain where they were found on the seabed
ReviewExhibitions
From Pompeii to post-colonial sculpture, San Francisco’s Legion of Honor pulls off a successful double-feature for its reopening
A solo show by Wangechi Mutu comments on the museum’s history, while an exceptional archaeological presentation gives antiquity a fresh feel
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Yacht rock art: prehistoric carvings found in Norway may be oldest nautical images in the world
Two life-size outlines of boats are thought to have been etched into the grey rock face 10,000 years ago—and more could still await discovery
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Ancient ABCs: The alphabet’s ‘missing link’ discovered in Israel
Ink writing found on pottery sherds suggests the system spread into the Levant earlier than originally thought
InterviewPompeii
Pompeii's new director Gabriel Zuchtriegel: how archaeology moves beyond the 'elitist male gaze' of history
The German-born archaeologist tells us about his fascination with the ancient world and the need to involve visitors in the discovery process
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Egyptian archaeologists uncover ‘lost golden city of Luxor’
The 3,000-year-old site is remarkably preserved, with pottery, daily tools and human remains found among its intact walls
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Twenty-two mummies transported in nitrogen-filled caskets across Cairo in museum move
Pharaohs opulent golden parade was streamed as part of marketing exercise
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Knife-wielding spider god mural found on ancient Peruvian temple
Farmers extending their fields first accidentally uncovered the site, which archaeologists believe was used by the Cupisnique people for water ceremonies
NewsArchaeology
Robots and submarines: France's new state-of-the-art ship is a game changer for marine archaeology
Big enough to cross the Atlantic, the high-tech research vessel Alfred Merlin ushers in a new era for French underwater heritage
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Bronze Age burial site of powerful woman discovered under ancient palace in Spain
The cache of silver grave goods suggest she was an important leader in prehistoric El Argar society
News
Pre-Columbian artefacts returned to Mexico by Arizona officials
The collection of 277 objects were recovered through two separate investigations by Homeland Security
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Ancient Egyptian pet cemetery contained much loved cats and dogs pampered in their old age
Research by archaeologists at the Roman port city Berenice shows that humans cared for their animals as much as current day people do
NewsGreece
Archaeologists appeal to Greek prime minister to halt restructuring of five big antiquities museums
Experts oppose culture ministry's proposal to separate Greece's major museums from the state archaeological service
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Walk through the 2,000-year-old Mausoleum of Augustus, Rome's first emperor
The circular tomb—used through history as a fortress, a sculpture garden and an entertainment venue—reopens as a museum after an €11m restoration
NewsPompeii
'Lamborghini' of ancient Roman chariots unearthed near Pompeii
Experts believe that the ceremonial carriage may have been used for wedding processions
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Lintels at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco to return to Thailand
Museum director says Justice Department’s legal case only served “to cloud the respectful and serious process of deaccession and repatriation”
NewsStonehenge
Was Stonehenge originally built in Wales? A new study says so
Parts of the world famous monument may have been taken from a stone circle of identical diameter around 250kms away, researchers claim
NewsArchaeology
Body of archaeologist who died defending Palmyra from Isis has been found, Syrian media reports
Khaled al-Asaad was killed “because he would not betray his deep commitment to Palmyra”, said Unesco chief
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Hear the sound of an ancient conch horn, played again after 18,000 years
The unique Palaeolithic instrument was found in a cave rich in rock art, and was marked with red pigment that matches the paintings
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Ancient Egyptians who could not afford expensive embalming resin may have used mud instead
CT scans of a mummy from an Australian museum shows the body was covered with a thin painted shell beneath its wrappings
NewsPompeii
From Roman dining to the victims of Vesuvius: Pompeii hails reopening of archaeological museum
The Antiquarium reveals treasures and recent discoveries charting the ancient Roman city's rich history before deadly volcanic eruption
NewsHeritage
From mummies to mosques—new Google Arts & Culture initiative brings Egypt’s archaeological treasures to the masses
New online platform aims to turn traditionally scholarly subject into something "easily digestible and fun to explore"
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Ancient ‘fast food’ stall comes to light during Pompeii dig
Thermopolium snack bar is revealed in full, providing "extraordinary evidence of the Mediterranean diet', says director
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Voluptuous Venus figurines may have helped prehistoric Europeans survive the Ice Age
The objects were passed on as “ideological tools” that created advantageous body ideals for women, researchers argue
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Eight miles of Ice Age rock art uncovered in Colombian Amazon
The prehistoric murals—dubbed the "Sistine Chapel of the ancients"—depict people interacting with now extinct animals such as mastodons and giant sloths, before the region became a tropical rainforest
NewsStonehenge
Stonehenge campaign group plans to sue UK government over controversial tunnel scheme
£1.7bn project breaches Unesco’s World Heritage convention says campaign group
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Hallucinogenic flower inspired Native Californian rock art, archaeologists say
“Doses” of datura plant used in communal ceremonies have been found embedded in the ceiling of Pinwheel Cave
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
New York authorities return ancient stele to Egypt
The object was seized on its way to an art fair last year and came from the same network that sold other looted antiquities to museums
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Pompeii dig unearths incredible preserved remains of two men engulfed in volcanic ash
Plaster casts were made of the newly discovered victims of Vesuvius eruption, which are believed to have been a wealthy landowner and his slave
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Incredible 1,000-year-old Viking burial site found in Norway belonged to 'Iron Age elite'
Using radar technology, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a 19m-long ship beneath a farmer's fields
NewsSaudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia continues relentless cultural drive with Jean Nouvel subterranean desert resort
The plans are part of a ten-year agreement between France and Saudi Arabia to develop the AlUla region into a tourism destination
NewsTurkey
Turkey seizes seeds from the British Institute at Ankara reflecting growing tensions in field of archaeology
Removal of ancient and modern specimens is latest run-in between President Erdogan’s government and foreign missions
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Ten most wanted antiquities: have you seen these missing artefacts?
The Antiquities Coalition releases a list of “infamous cases of cultural racketeering”
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Mummified llamas, sacrificed to the gods by Incas, uncovered by archaeologists in Peru
The animals still had their ritual adornments, including necklaces and long, colourful tassels hanging from their ears
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Massive ancient cat image discovered among Peru’s Nazca Lines
The 2,000 year-old earth carving could be the oldest geoglyph ever found
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Trove of ‘perfectly preserved’ painted coffins and mummies discovered at ancient Egyptian necropolis
The finding of 59 sarcophagi and dozens of statuettes in Saqqara is just “the beginning of the big discovery” Egypt’s antiquities minister says
NewsArt crime
Two Manhattan antiquities dealers arrested on charges of fraud
Authorities have accused Erdal Dere and Faisal Khan of running an alleged scheme to swindle buyers by using fake provenances
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
High school student leads archaeologists to lost Inca settlement
A local boy pointed out the spot in northwest Argentina where researchers discovered the previously unrecorded site Cerro Quemado
NewsExhibitions
Largest hoard of Bronze Age objects found in London—containing mysteries of city's ancient residents—goes on show
The Havering Hoard, which will be exhibited at the Museum of London, Docklands, was discovered two years ago and has never before been shown in its entirety
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Fingerprints help identify age and sex of prehistoric painters in southern Spain
Researchers studied the Neolithic rock art in the Los Machos rockshelter
NewsObituaries
Forrest Fenn, known for burying $2m worth of treasure in the Rocky Mountains, dies at 90
The controversial yet colourful Santa Fe-based art and antiquities dealer announced that his treasure had been found shortly before his death
FeatureGrand Egyptian Museum
'Grand Egyptian Museum will be finished this year': behind the scenes of the giant $1bn project
We take a tour of Egypt’s vast antiquities museum—the future home of Tutankhamun’s treasures—before its long-awaited opening in 2021
NewsHeritage
Origins of Stonehenge's giant slabs revealed in new research
Sample taken in 1958 was key in discovering ancient site’s "geochemical fingerprint"
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Decoded Maya hieroglyphs reveal the name of powerful woman ruler: ‘Lady Yopaat’
After ten years of research, the city of Cobá is revealing its secrets to archaeologists
NewsTutankhamun
BBC investigation uncovers legal dispute over blockbuster Tutankhamun exhibition
Lawyer says Egypt breached heritage protection laws by contracting a private company to tour the artefacts
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Paris dealer who sold golden sarcophagus to New York’s Metropolitan Museum charged with fraud and money laundering
The work was returned to Egypt last year after officials were shown evidence it might have been looted during the Arab Spring in 2011
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Facebook and Instagram ban trading of historical artefacts
Heritage group Athar were part of a campaign highlighting the social media giants' “black market in antiquities”
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Treasure chest filled with $2m in gold and gems found in the Rocky Mountains after ten years of searching
The eccentric antiquities dealer Forrest Fenn dropped clues to find the fortune in a poem and at least five people died looking for it
NewsDisasters & destruction
Mining company Rio Tinto apologises for destruction of 46,000-year-old Aboriginal site
Blasting of two ancient rock shelters at Juukan Gorge was authorised in 2013 by Western Australia state government
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
How Germany’s 4,000-year-old answer to Stonehenge shows that Brexit is 'nonsense'
Pömmelte, sacred site that was used by the ancient Unetice culture, is opening up to tourists
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Hobby Lobby sues Christie’s for selling it an antiquity authorities say was looted
The auction house knew that the provenance of an ancient cuneiform tablet inscribed with the Epic of Gilgamesh was made up, lawsuit claims
NewsAntiquities trafficking
International crackdown on art trafficking leads to 101 arrested and 19,000 artefacts recovered
Interpol says the operation spanned 103 countries and that objects ranged from coins to paintings to fossils
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Online antiquities smugglers are taking advantage of the coronavirus crisis
Heritage watchdog sees rise in posts from trafficking groups on Facebook
BlogDiary
World’s oldest yarn discovered, shedding new light on Neanderthal’s crafty behaviour
NewsHeritage
Unesco denounces construction project near Lebanon's ancient archaeological site Nahr El-Kalb
In an open letter, the organisation criticises building work in the historic area, which is on the nomination list to become a World Heritage site
NewsExhibitions
Major Pompeii show in San Francisco delayed as key loans remain in Italy during lockdown
The Legion of Honor, which relies heavily on exhibition revenue, hopes to present the show later this spring
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Relics in Kent church are remains of 1,400-year old Anglo Saxon princess, carbon dating suggests
If confirmed, Eanswythe's bones are the earliest identified remains of an English saint
BlogDiary of an art historian
What can mysterious markings in stone teach us about British art?
Research for a new book begins with a pilgrimage to find prehistoric rock art in northern England
NewsThe Year in Review 2019
From trafficked treasures to the ravages of climate change: the heritage headlines of 2019
We look back at the biggest stories of the year
NewsRestitution
Archaeologist launches private bid to retrieve priceless Egyptian treasures from European museums
Zahi Hawass, former Egyptian minister of antiquities, corrals international team of experts to press institutions for return of important artefacts
NewsRepatriation
Penn Museum hands over fragments of 387 ancient clay tablets to Iraqi Embassy
Archaeologists say the tablets, unearthed nearly a century ago, are akin to receipts
PreviewExhibitions
Troy meets world: London show reconciles myth and reality of ancient city
British Museum exhibition will display work inspired by epic stories alongside artefacts from 19th-century archaeological excavations
NewsEgypt
Egypt cracks down on 'thuggish acts' against antiquities and archaeological sites
A new article implements harsher fines and imprisonment for abusing archaeological sites and museums and smuggling antiquities out of the country
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Opening new galleries and showcasing its sphinx, Penn Museum rebrands its image
Museum at the University of Pennsylvania will open 10,000 sq. ft of reimagined spaces
NewsArt market
Abuse of diplomatic privilege? How missing art has been linked to embassy officials
Recent cases involving stolen art have raised questions over the behaviour of diplomats
FeatureMedia
From 'piecemealing' medievalist to TV darling: how Janina Ramirez is championing slow media about culture
The shows Raiders of the Lost Past and Handmade in Bolton on the BBC and the scholar's popular podcast reflect a thirst for in-depth knowledge
PreviewAntiquities & Archaeology
Invoking his own great-grandfather, an artist considers the fragmented history of Syrian artefacts
A Met exhibition explores fraught acquisitions in museum collections with the aim of kickstarting new conversations
NewsExhibitions
King Tut show on track to become one of the most popular art exhibitions ever in the UK—and the most expensive
Peak adult tickets for the travelling exhibition opening at the Saatchi Gallery in London this week will cost £37.40
NewsPompeii
Fresco of two fighting gladiators discovered in Pompeii
Italy's culture minister Dario Franceschini says the find shows the site is an "inexhaustible mine for archaeological research"
NewsMusée du Louvre
Louvre director plots great collections reshuffle
Jean-Luc Martinez reveals his big plans for the museum and why 250,000 objects must leave Paris
ArchiveAntiquities & Archaeology
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s coalition with the ultra-Orthodox splinter parties threatens the future of Israeli excavation
The state of archaeology in Israel today suggests there are bones of contention
ArchiveLaw
Italy sues for return of antique pottery which they claim to own under national law because they are objects of archaeological interest.
The US has filed a complaint in a federal district court to determine who owns 230 antiquities produced in ancient Italian pottery workshops
ArchiveExhibitions
The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology provides a revolution in Chinese history
265 works discovered by Chinese archaeologists, mostly over the last twenty-five years, are on loan in an exhibition that shows why the textbooks have had to be rewritten.
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Park Service report warns that Trump's border fence could harm archaeological sites
Experts worry that artefacts would be in peril if a 30-ft-high steel barrier is built
InterviewPolitics
Drawing with the ashes of Isis-ravaged buildings: Piers Secunda on the art of destruction
Artist’s works on iconoclasm in Mosul are currently on show at the Imperial War Museum in London
NewsSmuggling
Stolen artefacts from 'prolific art smuggler' returned to India
Objects are reportedly linked to antiquities dealer Subhash Kapoor who is facing criminal charges in the US
NewsAntiquities & Archaeology
Historians bake sourdough bread with yeast that could date to ancient Egypt
The loaf, made with yeast extracted from an artefact at the MFA Boston, could provide valuable insight into ancient civilisations
ArchiveTechnology
Ancient cities rise again: Introducing virtual archaeology
Technology developed by a California-based firm has made it possible to walk through vanished sites.
NewsMuseums & Heritage
For its centennial, Oriental Institute weds ancient artefacts with contemporary art
Three artists enter a dialogue with Middle Eastern antiquities at the University of Chicago
PreviewExhibitions
Ashmolean Museum show unearths doomed Pompeii's culinary life
The exhibition in Oxford, which contains loans that have never before left Italy, includes a (possible) Roman version of a chamber pot
AnalysisAntiquities & Archaeology
A Getty lifeline for classical mosaics in the Middle East and North Africa
As the Getty winds down its decade-long Mosaikon project, it leaves behind a legacy of expertise in a region threatened by looting and political unrest
CommentArt market
The Trump administration’s tariffs will not hurt China but they will hurt the US art trade
Art organisations join other US businesses at a series of hearings this week in Washington, DC on the proposed 25% tariff on $300bn worth of Chinese goods
NewsTroy
British Museum to finally display treasures of Troy in major exhibition—after failing to buy them 150 years ago
The Trojan antiquities went to Berlin after the London museum rejected an offer to acquire them
ReviewPetra Museum
Petra's rich heritage goes on show for all to see in new museum
Nearly a decade after the Arab Spring scared off tourists, the Petra Museum is poised to welcome back visitors—and open up access for locals
CommentAfghanistan
Protocols are already available to help save Afghanistan’s cultural heritage
In 2015, the Association of Art Museum Directors established a structure under which museums can act to protect cultural property in immanent peril
Frank K. Lord IV