In 2015, the British medieval historian Paul Booth argued he had found “(possibly) the earliest known use of the word ‘fuck’ that clearly has a sexual connotation”: in English court records of 1310–11, a man local to Chester is referred to as “Roger Fuckebythenavele”, probably a nickname [938×646]January 17, 2026
Figurines of Zoroastrian priests wearing masks and holding barsom twigs, 6th century BC [474×600]January 17, 2026
Incised piece of conch shell depicting a seated noble with a cigar in his mouth [zoom in if needed]. Maya civilization, ca. 600-900 AD. Cleveland Museum of Art collection [3172×5000]January 17, 2026
Bonbonnière made of agate and gold, with the phrase “Eloignez de vous rien n’est agreable” along the edge. England, 1755 [1500×1500]January 17, 2026
Bronze vessel with hunting scenes. China, Warring States period, 5th century BC [1530×1800]January 17, 2026
Terracotta plaques depicting a mermaid, dating to around 2,400–2,200 years ago, discovered at Chandraketugarh, India [2160×3217]January 17, 2026
Archaeologists have unearthed, in 2015, the oldest case of decapitation ever found in the New World. The skull belonged to a young man and was buried in Brazil about 9,000 years old, with severed hands covering its face in a mysterious pose [4832×3072]January 17, 2026
A linen orbiculus, from Egypt, decorated with the stroy of Joseph. On the left, you can see how he is thrown into the well and how a brother takes away his multicoloured cloak. On the right, Joseph is taken by the Ishmaelites on a camel to be sold to Pharaoh. 650-699 CE [1000×2249]January 17, 2026
A 1st century CE Roman glass bottle found in a tomb in Padua, Italy. Now housed at the Musei Civici di Padova [1091×2477]January 17, 2026
A terracotta plaque with yakshi (nature spirit) adorned with heavy jewellery, found at Tamluk in India. 200–100 BCE, now housed at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford [759×1558]January 17, 2026
Cylinder seal impression of a Hittite prince featuring the Storm God battling winged beasts, discovered last year at the site of ancient Alalakh (Aççana Höyük, Hatay Province, Turkey), Late Bronze Age [1200×1600]January 16, 2026
