6 astonishing artefacts you've likely never heard about

Throughout history, every country and culture has certain artefacts that are prized above all others, from ancient bone idols lost for millennia to modern masterpieces cherished by millions. When thinking of these ancient relics, your mind will probably race to the likes of King Tutankhamun’s dazzling funerary mask or the extraordinary Terracotta Army. But have you ever discovered the Nebra Sky Disc – considered the oldest astronomical chart in history? Or the spectacular Tillya Tepe hoard, which offers a unique insight into Afghanistan’s cultural heritage?

Our new book Cultural Treasures of the World brings together more than 200 of these extraordinary objects, exploring the fascinating and unique stories behind each of them. With this exclusive extract, take a peek inside the book and discover six of history's most astonishing artefacts ever created.

Tillya Tepe Hoard

In 1978 a team of archaeologists discovered an extraordinary site of six burial mounds at Tillya Tepe (“mound of gold”) whose spectacular contents gave a unique insight into Afghanistan’s cultural heritage. Amongst the 20,000 stunning artefacts dated from c.1st-century CE discovered on the high-ranking nomadic nobles, was a magnificent gold crown made of thin cut-gold pieces in intricate floral and tree patterns.

Igbo-Ukwu Bronze Wares

These remarkable bronze wares are the work of the earliest copper metalworkers and lost-wax bronze casters in West Africa, dating to around the 9th century. Hundreds of highly decorated objects were uncovered at the archaeological sites, ranging from ritual vessels, crowns, swords, and fly-whisk handles, all of which point to a highly sophisticated and significant local metalworking society.

Death Mask of Pakal

Deep inside the Temple of the Inscriptions, the largest monument of the Maya city of Palenque in Mexico’s Chiapas province, a crypt lay hidden for centuries. Discovered by the Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier in 1952, the tomb contained the sarcophagus of K’inich Janaab’ Pakal, Palenque’s greatest ruler. Inside the sarcophagus were jade statuettes of the Maya maize god and jade cubes, but most startling of all was the death mask of the king, a mosaic formed of large pieces of precious green jade. Pakal’s mask was intended to protect him as he entered Xibalba (“the place of terror”), the Maya underworld.

Naztec Figure Vessels

When it comes to the artwork of ancient Peru, nothing is more fascinating than the ceramic works of the historic cultures. The Nazca culture flourished in the south of Peru from between 100 BCE to 750 CE and produced an array of crafts, such as its inventive textiles and the highly distinctive ceramics. These rare and distinct clay figure vessels boldly decorated in a variety of earth tones and rounded shapes, expertly demonstrate the Nazca culture’s mastery of the art of polychrome pottery.

Nebra Sky Disc

One of the most exciting archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, this unique Bronze Age artefact is considered one of the earliest known astronomical chart in human history. The bronze base has a striking blue-green patina to represent the sky, with heavenly bodies – sun, moon, and stars – picked out in dazzling gold leaf.

Whilst it remains unknown whether the disc’s function was as a practical astronomical instrument, or whether it had some religious significance, it does offer a unique insight into early humans’ observations of the sky.

Head of an Akkadian King

Created in Mesopotamia around 2300 BCE, this striking bronze head succinctly charts the rise and fall of an Akkadian leader and his empire. Believed to be a representation of Sargon the Great, the head embodies great artistic skill and craftsmanship, as befits such a powerful, godlike leader. That was until a later conqueror deliberately mutilated and discarded it, suggesting that Sargon was not the earthly ruler he was depicted as, and the empire he had created had been brought to an end.
Discover more than 200 of history's most precious, iconic, and celebrated objects ever created in the pages of Cultural Treasures of the World.
Cultural Treasures of the World

Cultural Treasures of the World

Take a guided tour through history and discover the most precious, iconic, and celebrated objects ever created.Revered, ...