Found This Small Kettle Years Ago. Tried Searching For A Similar One, But Have Always Come Up With Nothing. Anybody Have An Idea Why This Has This Unique Shape?

Isn’t that a portable men’s urinal for bedbound patients?

What Is This? Was Labeled As A Xylophone? Bought For $9 At An Antique Store

Nine dollars for a tongue drum the size of an end table?! I’m an instrument collector, and I’ve gotten some goooood deals… But wow. I’ve never gotten a deal that good.

I Inherited This From My Grandpa. It Probably Belonged To My Great Grandpa. It Came With A Vintage How To Sketch Book

Precision vintage drafting tools.

Spoon Type Thing With A Metal Plate And Hole?

My husband and I went thrift shopping and found this weird sterling silver spoon but we have no idea what it’s used for? Looked up the brand “reed and Barton” and found that it’s an old sterling silver company but couldn’t find a spoon like this anywhere. Anyone know what it is or what it’s used for?

The End Appears To Be Rabbit Hair And The Handle Is Like A Marbled Bakelite Or Maybe Plastic?

It’s a powder puff wand for face powder. This is a very nice example! Also called a “patter wand”. The idea was popping/beating the powder on your face has a more finished look than using your hand.

Found At Antique Festival Near Atlanta, Is 17″ By 5.5″

It’s for rolling newspapers into a “log” for the fireplace.

Found This Hidden In The Ceiling Of My Basement With A Bunch Of Others. Made Out Of Glass, Appears To Have Some Sort Of Tape Or Paper Border Around It

Nice find! Magic Lantern glass slide.

Old Leather Boot With Long Metal Spikes. Leather Is Old And Stiff, Sole Is Wood, Metal With Nails Or Rivets Around The Sole, 4” Spikes. Seems Like It Might Be A Mountaineering Boot

They’re for crushing chestnuts.

Found In A Demolition Along With Old Money. They Appear To Made From Some Sort Of Fabric

These are German emergency bills that were issued in times when there wasn’t enough money available at the central bank. I believe the ones you have may be made of silk or linen.

Expandable Metal Circle With Chain And Lid. This Top Comes Off But Is Attached With A Hinge. When The Top Is Off It Can Expand

It says it’s from Germany. It belonged to an antique shop owner who didn’t know what it was.

Found This Cast Iron Coffin In A Closed Funeral Home. I Have Ideas On What It Is, But Want To Be Absolutely Sure

I would guess it’s a version of the Fiske coffin. These coffins were designed after the advent of major railway transportation and offered airtight coffins. This helped to naturally preserve the body. When people began traveling far from families and then subsequently dying, people needed a way to transport bodies long distances to get them back for the funeral and last goodbyes from living relatives.

The window was put in place for health reasons. Should a person have died while in quarantine or from a deadly disease, the window allowed relatives to see and confirm the body’s identity before burial.

I Found This Ring In My Backyard While Doing Gardening. After Cleaning It, It Doesn’t Look Like A Normal Ring. Any Ideas?

It’s a Georgian/early Victorian mourning ring. The initials belong to the lost loved one.

They were typically made from gold (18k+) and enameled in black. Yours looks like it was made around the 1820s-40s.

Found In The Basement Of German House That Was Built Shortly Before World War II

Mortar and pestle. A very old one, too.

Found In The Yard Of My Old House. Agra, India

My father sent a few samples to the Archaeological Survey of India in Agra, as suggested by many, so thank you. Those of you who said they are Terracotta figures, you were correct. They are Portuguese Terracotta figures from the 3rd to 4th century. Though there haven’t been many accounts of such well-preserved Terracottas, they’re not uncommon for the area of Agra, as the Taj Mahal features many Terracotta designs and mouldings. I can’t believe I thought these figurines were nothing of value, and considered throwing them away. Thank you all again for urging me not to throw these away, notifying me about ASI, and warning me about scammers. For now, my family plans on keeping the figures in a safe place.

Made Of Wood. Too Shallow To Store Pens. Hangs On Wall

It is for a large box of matches.

Open Spoon With Spikes; Trident-Like Fork; Tongs With A Chicken Foot And A Perforated Spoon. All Antique Silver

Olive server, lettuce server, ice tongs. Having a talon on ice tongs is a novelty feature, but there are a lot of them out there!

What Is This Large Vessel I Found In The Basement Of An Old Psychiatric Hospital?

Looks like a great big autoclave used to sterilize mattresses and bedding.

Found In My Grandparents Basement. What Is This?

Solitaire Game. It’s pretty expensive.

Mom Found This In A Box In The Attic

Phurba, a three-sided peg, stake, knife, or nail-like ritual implement deeply rooted in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and Bön traditions.

A Departed Someone Loved To Garage Sale Shop. Trying To Identify This Old Antique. I Think It May Be Used To Hang Or Display Clothing But I’m Really Not Sure

It’s a valet stand. It holds a man’s suit and other accessories.

Antique From The 1800’s, Have To Figure Out What It Is For A School Project

Antique Soap Saver. Small scraps of soap were put in the cage, and when people did dishes by hand, the soap saver was swished though the dishwater to made suds.

Found In An Antique Store

It’s a wild boar tooth.

Found This In Grandpas Box Of Old Things. Might Be From Asia Because Of The 3rd Eye? Any Ideas?

Sorry for the letdown… This was part of a set of premiums for malted milk. Very cool, but not very exotic.

Just Moved To A New Apartment, Found This In The Living Room. What Is This?

It is an antique Turkish brazier, used for heating. Also called a mangal.

Found In An Old Junk Drawer

Traveling ink well 100%.

Landlord Found It In The Basement. Heavy Metal. Google Isn’t Responding Well To “Scary Wand”

Soldering iron. The end you are holding is the head, and is usually copper. The other end would normally have a wood handle.

Found In A House Along With Lots Of Old Maritime Artifacts

Knot gauge/ speed log. Basically, a boat speedometer. The propeller looking object is in the water, spinning as the boat moves, the rope spins and moves the dial, letting you know the speed as indicated on the dial.

Ceramic Dachshund With Small Dish On One Side And Larger Rectangle Dish With Holes In The Bottom On The Other Side. No Markings. Found At The Relative’s House

It’s a ceramic dresser valet from approximately the 1950s! The square side is to hold a wallet, and the round one to hold misc small items from your pocket.

What Is This Thing? Circular Thing On A Post In An Antique Place

This is an Engine Order Telegraph used in older marine vessels. Allowed the Captain remote communication with the ship’s engine room.

A Knife I Received From A Friend. His Grandparents Had Owned It. Seems Pretty Old And Rustic! Any Ideas?

I think it’s specific to the early 20th century. Moroccan Koummya dagger. They look very similar, look kind of the same materials and the shape, and the bevels on the blade look identical.

Cleaning Out A House And Came Across This. The Little Cup At The Top Swings Back And Forth. Says It’s From Japan

It’s a bridal cup. Bridal cups are a Nuerenberg, Germany tradition that date back to the 1400’s. It represents the start of a life long union between man and woman and is a symbol of faithfulness and good luck.

The small swiveling cup and inverted hollow dress were designed to allow both bride and groom to drink simultaneously to toast their wedding. The groom would drink from the larger cup (the inverted skirt), and bride would drink from the small swivel cup.

Wood Artefact With Fabric Stripes. It Seems An Old Piece Of Furniture. Picture Taken At A Market In Piedmont, Italy

Victorian fireplace screen like this.

Teeny Tiny Flask-May Be 100 Years Old And Smells Like Cloves Inside

It is for toothaches, not perfumes. The clove and design give it away. The perfume necklaces are usually very delicate; they are usually made of silver, and those are the ones that survived to be antiques today.

I Found This Under The Floorboards In A 1800s-Era House

Removed the top of soft-boiled eggs, I think.

My Father Found And Bought This At A Garage Sale Last Week. It’s Cool To The Touch, And The Little Doors Make A Clinking Sound, So I’m Guessing It’s Carved Stone

It looks like it features images from the Nativity of Christ–the overall shape being the stable where he was born. Based on the artistic style, possibly Coptic (Ethiopian Christians)? Their iconography looks extremely similar.

Probably Around 5kg, Found In An Antique Shop In Australia. About 20-30cm Deep With A Binocular-Like Leather Case, Not Sure If Removable

It’s a Geiger counter.

Knife Found At The Bottom Of My Grandfather’s Belongings. Supposedly, It Was Given To Him By My Great Aunt, Who Was A Diplomat Pretty Much All Over Asia During The Vietnam War

Big one is definitely a khukuri, I’m from Nepal. As for the two smaller ones, The “Karda” (one edge sharpened) is a small utility knife used to perform small tasks that the big kukri blade cannot. The “Chakmak” (Both edges dull/unsharpened) is the sharpener used to sharpen both the main blade, which is the Kukri.

Found An Antique Metal Object At My Local Charity Shop. It Is In The Shape Of A Droplet And Has Button Or Pressing Mechanism And A Tiny Hole In The Top

1930s Art Deco Marcel Franck Atomizer Perfume Bottle.

Picked This Up At A Local Antique Shop. The Left Side Is Copper Lined, The Right Side Is Not, And The Center Divider Is Concave

It looks something like an old “smokers table”. The copper could be an ashtray and the curved area could be for bottles as well. Combined booze and tobacco table?

Old Mechanical Device Found In A Dumpster. Extreme Heavy. Cash Register? Mechanical Calculator?

It is indeed a mechanical calculator, an Odhner 1950/60’s model.

What Is This Antique Fork Looking Tool, And What Is It Used For?

It’s an ice breaker.

Wall Mounted Wooden Antique Cylinder With Belt Mechanism That Rotates The Cylinder – Labels Says “Charles Parker Manufacturing”

I believe it is a map roller for multiple maps. Each map would have been attached in one of the visible slots. The map would be selected by pulling down on the rope close to the wall, then reversed to display the chosen map. My memory of it is vague, but I once saw something like this in an old bank office that was being dismantled in about 1960. I do not recall seeing it operated. There is likely some sort of spring loaded ratchet mechanism involved, hence the noisy operation.

Cylindrical Unfolding Artefact. It’s Quite Heavy With Metal Hinges. Recovered From Grandparents’ Home

It’ a travel triptych.

Found In A Garden. Metallic Object That Closes In On Itself

Looks like a Hindu ritual box. It is missing the middle piece that would sit in that central hole.

Found In An Unfinished Basement Of An Old Home. Looks Like A Coin But It’s Hollow And Opens Up

Possibly it was a coin lighter, but now it’s missing some parts.

The post 45 Times Online Sleuths Cracked The Case Of Strange Old Finds appeared first on Barnorama.

A 3200-Year-Old Egyptian Attendance Tablet

Held by The British Museum, a limestone tablet or ostracon dating back to 1250 BCE offers a fascinating glimpse into the work-life balance of ancient Egyptian workers. 40 employees and their reasons for missing work are inked in red and black New Egyptian hieratic script. Among them are entries like ‘embalming brother’, ‘brewing beer’, and ‘scorpion bit him’.

A 1,500-Year-Old Pair Of Lady’s Sandals

A 1,500-year-old pair of Byzantine-era lady’s sandals was discovered during digs associated with the Marmaray, a commuter rail line, Project in Istanbul. The sandals, which likely belonged to a Greek woman, bear the following message in Greek: “Use in health, lady, wear in beauty and happiness.”

A 121-Year-Old Time Capsule

While replacing a bridge in Kingussie, Scotland, construction workers discovered a 121-year-old time capsule. Buried deep in the foundations of the bridge, the metal box held the following items: a newspaper dated 22 September 1894, a scroll and a bottle of whiskey.

A 1,500-Year-Old Byzantine Church

During the expansion of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway in 2015, construction workers made an interesting discovery: a 1,500-year-old Byzantine church. With a white marble floor and a cross-shaped baptistery, the condition of the elaborate church far surpassed other similar structures discovered in the Holy Land.

The Herculaneum Bread Loaf

Stamped sourdough bread probably isn’t the first thing you think of at the mention of historical artifacts. The Herculaneum loaf was baked just before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD and discovered in 1930 after the excavation of the House of the Stags. It is currently preserved in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

White Mountain’s Numerous Handprints

At least 200 years ago, handprints were carved into the sandstone surface of the White Mountain in Wyoming. They are unlike any other petroglyphs because they’re deeply etched into the stone. While archaeologists are baffled by the prints, visitors feel a compelling connection to those who created them.

A Medieval Hospital In Madrid

In 2013, construction workers unearthed a 15th-century hospital in Madrid during an excavation for a new Apple Store. Four years earlier, other construction workers at a neighboring site had uncovered the ruins of an adjoining church. It is believed the hospital was used to treat plague patients before being demolished in the 1850s. 

The Ancient Clay Tablets Of Akkadia

Researchers from the Girsu Project uncovered more than 200 tablets at a site in Southern Iraq, dating back to the third millennium BCE. Written in Cuneiform, a Middle Eastern writing system, the tablets detailed all aspects of Sumerian life, including people’s names, their roles, state of affairs, blueprints, maps, and much more. The tablets reveal just how concerned the Akkadian Empire was with bureaucracy.

A 60,000-Year-Old Mammoth Tusk

Property owner AMLI is credited for the discovery of a Columbian Mammoth tusk fossil at their apartment development site in Seattle. Regarded as the largest and most intact tusk discovered in Seattle, paleontologists estimated it to be over 60,000 years old, with its exact age to be determined using carbon dating. It was carefully removed for preservation by the paleontologists and eventually found a home at the Burke Museum of Natural History.

The Nazca Lines Of Peru

The Nazca lines were constructed over 2,000 years ago by people of the Nazca culture. The drawings spanned kilometers and included geometric shapes, straight lines, plants, and animals. Since their discovery in the 1920s, their importance remains a mystery, but some hypothesize they were drawn for astronomical purposes or religious ceremonies.

The Antikythera Mechanism

In 1901, the Antikythera mechanism was discovered among the remains of a shipwreck off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera. The hand-powered device is regarded as the first known analog computer and was used to predict eclipses and astronomical positions years in advance. It could also track the cycle of the ancient Olympics.

The Peculiar Roman Dodecahedron

The Roman Dodecahedron is one of a few historical artifacts that still baffles people today. First found in 1739, over 130 have since been discovered all over Europe. They are small and hollow objects with 12 faces made from copper alloy. With no inscriptions, their purpose isn’t known, and as a result, more than 50 possible explanations have been published to date.

The Mysterious Dropa Stones

Discovered in 1938 by Chinese professor Chi Pu Tei, the Dropa stones allegedly detail the story of an extraterrestrial spacecraft carrying Dropa people that crash-landed on Earth. Chinese archaeologists translated the stones’ hieroglyphic-type markings, and their findings were purportedly published in Tsum Um Nui’s academic journal. However, no records of this journal have ever been found, and others question the existence of both Chi Pu Tei and Tsum Um Nui.

1300 Year-Old Viking Skis

In 2014, archaeologists uncovered a lone wooden ski on Digervarden Mountain in Norway. Fast forward to 2021, researchers discovered the second ski buried more deeply in the ice. Both skis were handmade over 1,300 years ago and were not identical due to their individual history of wear and repair.

The Pyramidion Of Amenemhat III

Crafted around 1850 BC, the pyramidion (capstone) of the Pyramid of Amenemhat III in Dahshur, Egypt, was excavated from the sand on the east side of the pyramid in 1900. The pyramidion was carved out of black granite and was intricately inscribed on all four faces. It is now at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

A 17th Century African Burial Ground

In 1991, a lower Manhattan excavation for a new federal building unearthed a 17th-century burial ground where enslaved Africans were interred between the 1690s and 1790s. The site is considered New York City’s earliest African American cemetery and was named a National Historic Landmark in 1993, followed by a National Monument in 2006.

Two Dozen 18th Century Coffins

While building an apartment building in Philadelphia’s historic district in 2017, construction workers unearthed two dozen intact coffins and human remains. Experts dated the remains, belonging to over 60 individuals, to the 18th century. The site is believed to be a decommissioned burial ground for the First Baptist Church, established in 1707. When the church relocated to a larger location in 1860, all remains should have been transferred to the Mount Moriah Cemetery. How or why these were left behind is unknown.

The Temple Of Pharaoh Ptolemy Iv

In 2019, construction workers in the Tama township located in northern Sohag, Egypt, discovered the long-lost temple of Pharaoh Ptolemy IV while drilling for a new sewage drain. The 2,200-year-old temple from Ptolemy IV’s reign (221 to 204 BC) bears inscriptions reading “Ptolemy IV” along its limestone walls, together with imagery of animals and birds.

An Unexploded Ordnance From Ww2

On Christmas Day in 2016, 54,000 Augsburg residents had to be evacuated from their homes while explosives experts worked to defuse a RAF b**b from WWII found under a construction site. If detonated, the 2-ton b**b could have destroyed all buildings within a mile radius. The unexploded b**b was one of many discovered in Europe and Asia multiple years earlier.

The Saqqara Bird

In the 1898 excavation of the tomb of Pa-di-l’men, the Saqqara Bird was discovered. The wooden model bird is dated to 200 BCE and has a wingspan of 18 cm. From a ceremonial object to a toy, the bird has many suggested purposes. Another hypothesis is that it is a model aircraft, but there is insufficient evidence to support this theory.

A 1,100-Year-Old Viking Sword

In 2017, reindeer hunters on a mountain in southern Norway discovered a Viking sword made of high-quality iron. Archaeologists believe the high altitude (5,381 ft above sea level) and the mountain’s cold, dry conditions helped preserve the sword. They also think the sword may have been lost over 1,100 years ago by a Viking journeying through the rough terrain during a blizzard.

The Tintignac Swan Helmet

In 2004, archaeologists discovered the swan-shaped Gallic bronze helmet in an excavation of Tintignac in Southern France. Dated to the 1st century BC, the helmet was most likely worn by a wealthy, high-ranking member of society. Although it was excellently crafted from bronze and made to protect the wearer’s ears and head, it was probably only used as a ceremonial item.

A 60-Year-Old Letter To Santa

British builders found a 1943 letter written by a boy named David during the demolition of a chimney. The letter was to Santa and detailed a humble list of things he wanted for Christmas, such as toys and slippers. Contractor Lewis Shaw started the #FindDavid campaign on social media and successfully delivered the letter and wishlist to David.

A 12th-Century Mansion In Wellington

In 2013, at a construction site in Wellington, British archaeologists discovered the foundations of a 12th-century mansion no one knew existed. During the dig, they also uncovered ceramic roof tiles and floor tiles with intricate designs similar to the ones at Glastonbury Abbey. These suggested the mansion was of high status and historically significant.

A Mammoth’s Skull And Tusk

In 2020, oil workers found Woolly mammoth remains while working on an oil field on the Yamal Peninsula near the Arctic Circle in Russia. The skull and tusk were the second-largest mammoth discovery that year, likely due to global warming induced permafrost thaw in the region. 

An Ancient Mayan Ball Court In Mexico

In 2006, construction workers discovered a 2,500-year-old Mayan ball court while working on construction for a housing project in Merida, Mexico. The court, described as 70% intact, is 82 ft long and 15 ft wide. Archaeologists also linked it to a ballgame which held deep cultural and religious meaning in Mayan society.

Bronze Coins Buried In A Ceramic Jar

In 2018, archaeologists unearthed a 15th-century ceramic jar full of bronze coins at a residence belonging to a samurai just north of Tokyo. The coins were most likely acquired over time through trade, as they were from different regions and periods. The exact reason why the jar was buried remains a mystery.

A Ceremonial Obsidian Blade

An Obsidian blade was discovered by the Wilder brothers after an earthquake in Northern California unearthed it. It is said to have been used ceremonially by the Karuk people. Some members of the Karok tribe claim these blades are still used today.

An 18th Century Cemetery

In 2011, an archaeologist named Ryan Gray uncovered a burial site at the French Quarter during a test dig for a pool installation at Vincent Marcello’s residence. The remains were part of the St. Peter Cemetery in New Orleans, where other skeletons were found in the 80s. Gray excavated all the coffins and transported them to Louisiana State University for further examination.

The Black Stone In The Center Of The Grand Mosque

Located in the eastern corner of the Kaaba, the Black Stone dates back to the time of Adam and Eve and is an Islamic relic revered by Muslims. Believed to absorb the sins of all who touch it, the artifact plays a central role in some Islamic pilgrimage rituals.

The post 30 Historical Objects So Strange They Seem Almost Unreal appeared first on Barnorama.