Artifact Watch
Welcome to Artifact Watch.
Every artifact has a story.
Some are unearthed after centuries beneath the earth. Others find their way home after years—or even generations—away. Each one offers a glimpse into the lives, cultures, and civilizations that came before us.
Every week, I’ll share one remarkable story from the world of archaeology: new discoveries, extraordinary scientific breakthroughs, fascinating mysteries, and inspiring journeys of artifacts returned to the people and places to which they belong.
Whether you’re an archaeology enthusiast, a history lover, or simply someone who enjoys uncovering the stories hidden beneath the surface, I’m delighted you’re here.
So, pour yourself a cup of coffee… and let’s discover what history has revealed this week.
Five Repatriations That Changed the Way We Think About the Past
Across the world, museums, universities, governments, and private collectors are being asked difficult questions: Who owns the past? Who has the right to display it? And what does justice look like when an object—or an ancestor—has been taken far from home?
A new theory for the Phaistos Disc
Discovered in 1908 at the Minoan palace of Phaistos on Crete, the Phaistos Disc remains one of archaeology’s most stubborn mysteries. The small clay disc is stamped with 241 symbols arranged in spirals on both sides, including human figures, animals, tools, weapons,…
Ancient ceramic vessel reclaimed
Artifact Watch—More than 3,900 years after it was created, this remarkable artifact has finally returned home. After a year-long investigation, Cyprus has successfully reclaimed an ancient ceramic vessel dating to approximately 1900 B.C. The engraved black-polished…
The Journey Home
Four Hawaiian cultural artifacts are finally making the journey home. The Martha’s Vineyard Museum has agreed to return a traditional canoe, poi pounder, tapa cloth, and grass skirt to Hawaii following a repatriation request from Hui Iwi Kuamo’o, a Native Hawaiian…
Why Latine/LatinX Authors Deserve Their Own Amazon KDP category
When I prepared to release my second novel featuring Latina protagonist Victoria Barrón, I expected the usual publishing challenges: marketing, discoverability, visibility. What I did not expect was discovering that Amazon KDP does not have a dedicated category for…
Why is repatriation of lost and stolen artifacts considered charity?
On January 7, 2026, news broke that the United States repatriated seven ancient Egyptian objects that had been seized years earlier by U.S. authorities. The list wasn’t flashy in the way blockbuster museum icons are, but it mattered: pieces like a mummified fish and a…
The Cautionary Legacy of Aleš Hrdlička.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons In the early twentieth century, few figures loomed larger over American anthropology than Aleš Hrdlička. (I admit, I’m still working on the pronunciation). As curator of physical anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution,…
The Exciting Challenge to Mainstream Archaeology
For much of the twentieth century, archaeology in North America operated within a reassuringly narrow window. The prevailing view held that humans arrived near the end of the last Ice Age, roughly 13,000 years ago, spreading rapidly across the continent once…
What do you think?
—I love hearing from readers like you.
Archaeology is always changing, full of debates and fascinating mysteries— your perspective can be part of the conversation.
Share you thoughts, questions, and insights in the comments below. I read every comment and truly appreciate you being part of Artifact Watch.
Thank you! Your voice helps make Artifact Watch a richer, more engaging community for everyone who loves history as much as you do.
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