WORLD HISTORY Objects through time
Artifacts and relics Explore where historical objects were made or discovered and where they are held today. Locations are approximate; not every object has a known current location.
Rosetta Stone 196 BCE; discovered in 1799 Cyrus Cylinder c. 539–538 BCE; discovered in 1879 Gutenberg Bible: Shuckburgh copy 1452–1455 Dead Sea Scrolls: Great Isaiah Scroll c. second century BCE; discovered in 1947 Blutfahne Documented from 1923 Antikythera Mechanism c. 2nd–1st century BCE; found in 1901 Code of Hammurabi c. 1754 BCE; found in 1901–1902 Terracotta Army c. 210 BCE; discovered in 1974 Mask of Tutankhamun c. 1323 BCE; found in 1925 Nefertiti Bust c. 1345 BCE; found in 1912 Narmer Palette c. 3100 BCE; found in 1897–1898 Papyrus of Ani (Book of the Dead) c. 1250 BCE; acquired in 1888 Venus of Willendorf c. 29,500 years ago; found in 1908 Lion-man (Löwenmensch) c. 40,000 years ago; found in 1939 Hohle Fels Flute c. 40,000 years ago (at least 35,000); found in 2008 Phaistos Disc c. 1850–1600 BCE; found in 1908 Parthenon Marbles (Elgin Marbles) c. 447–432 BCE; removed by Elgin in 1801–1812 Nebra Sky Disc c. 1800–1600 BCE; found in 1999 Sutton Hoo Helmet c. 620–625 CE; excavated in 1939 Lewis Chessmen 12th century (c. 1150–1200); found in 1831 Book of Kells c. 800 CE Bayeux Tapestry c. 1070–1080 Magna Carta (Cotton MS Augustus II.106) 1215 Mona Lisa (La Gioconda) c. 1503–1519 Messiah Stradivarius 1716 Dunhuang Diamond Sutra 868 CE; found in 1900 Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro c. 2300–1750 BCE; found in 1926 Lion Capital of Ashoka c. 250 BCE; excavated in 1904–1905 Aztec Sun Stone c. 1502–1521; found in 1790 Hoa Hakananai'a c. 1000–1200 CE; removed in 1868 Ishango bone c. 20,000 years ago (disputed); found in 1950 Ife Head (head of a ruler) c. 14th–early 15th century; found in 1938 Copper Scroll (3Q15) c. 50–100 CE; found in 1952 Enigma cipher machine (example in Milan) 1923–1945 (in use) 1903 Wright Flyer 17 December 1903 Voyager Golden Record 1977 (launched) Funerary mask of K'inich Janaab' Pakal 683 CE; found in 1952