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Kneeling Bull: A 5,000-year-old hybrid creature from Iran with a mysterious purposeThis silver bull figurine posing in a human-like manner may have been buried in a ritual to mark a temple boundary 5,000 years ago.
8 Commentsmiddle-east -
Haniwa Dancers: 1,500-year-old ghostly figurines thought to hold the souls of the deadTwo cylindrical clay sculptures may represent dancers who performed at a funeral 1,500 years ago.
archaeology -
Malia Bee Pendant: A 3,800-year-old accessory found in a Minoan 'pit of gold'This extremely detailed depiction of insects holds clues to the natural world of the ancient Minoans.
8 Commentsarchaeology -
Pazuzu figurine: An ancient statue of the Mesopotamian 'demon' god who inspired 'The Exorcist'Statues of the Mesopotamian demon Pazuzu are often found at archaeological sites, and his cultural relevance is seen in recent comparisons to creepy-looking Labubu dolls.
middle-east -
Sabu Disk: A mysterious 5,000-year-old Egyptian stone sculpture that looks like a hubcapThis unique disk-shaped bowl, found in a 5,000-year-old Egyptian tomb, has puzzled archaeologists for nearly a century.
17 Commentsancient-egyptians -
Hornelund Brooches: Viking age gold ornaments mysteriously buried in Denmark 1,000 years agoTwo brooches from Denmark are unique examples of Viking Age goldwork that includes Christian and Norse designs.
2 Commentsvikings -
Meskalamdug's Helmet: One of the world's oldest helmets depicts a Mesopotamian prince's man bunThis 15-karat gold helmet was discovered in a royal tomb at Ur, but it may only have been worn for ceremonial purposes.
middle-east -
Vounous Bowl: A 4,000-year-old basin holding 4 miniature cows and 18 people — that was buried for mysterious reasons in a Bronze Age tomb in CyprusExperts have debated the meaning of this tomb offering for decades but generally agree it depicts some sort of ceremony or ritual.
11 Commentsarchaeology -
Roman dodecahedron: A mysterious 12-sided object that has baffled archaeologists for centuriesThere are more than 50 theories for the function of this 12-sided, pentagonal-faced bronze object — but archaeologists have never quite figured it out.
46 Commentsromans
