The Top 15 Remarkable Artistic, Design, and Archaeological Finds in 2023

The arts, archaeology, and literary discoveries of this year have been truly remarkable, ranging from items lost at the bottom of the ocean to hidden treasures unearthed in library archives and behind kitchen walls. Some mysteries, such as the identity of a man featured on a famous rock album cover, have only puzzled us for a few decades, while others have been hidden for thousands of years. Many of these discoveries were made through traditional methods, but others required impressive technological advancements, including the use of AI algorithms, drones, and groundbreaking scanning technology. Here are some of the most noteworthy discoveries of 2023.

A still-glimmering sword

Visualizing a millennia-old artifact in its full glory sometimes requires a bit of imagination, but that wasn't the case with an octagonal sword (pictured above) found still gleaming in a Bavarian grave this past June. Believed to be more than 3,000 years old, dating back to the Middle Bronze Ages, the sword was discovered at a site in Donau-Ries, Germany, along with the remains of three people. Although it required further examination by archaeologists, a statement from researchers later confirmed that it was a real weapon, rather than ceremonial or decorative. They also noted that "the center of gravity in the front part of the blade indicates that it was balanced mainly for slashing."

AI discovery in the archives

The identity of the author of a 17th-century Spanish play had remained unknown for centuries until AI technology revealed in January that it was a late-career work by one of the most renowned authors in the country, Felix Lope de Vega.

The original manuscript of "La francesa Laura."

Juan Medina/Reuters

Utilizing AI technology, researchers at the National Library of the country uncovered a previously unknown play by a renowned Spanish Golden Age-era playwright. Titled "La francesa Laura," or "The Frenchwoman Laura," the play delves into themes of love, jealousy, and poison as it tells the story of the French heir's infatuation with Laura, the wife of a Count. This discovery came as researchers were transcribing and cross-referencing 1,300 anonymous manuscripts and books with known works by established authors. The playwright penned this newly uncovered work before his death in 1635.

A classic rock mystery, solved

The mysterious figure carrying a bundle of sticks on the cover of Led Zeppelin's 1971 album has finally been identified after fifty years. The Wiltshire Museum in southwestern England announced in November that he was a thatcher from the late-Victorian era. This revelation came after a visiting research fellow discovered the original image captured by photographer Ernest Howard Farmer.

The long-uncredited star of "Led Zeppelin IV"

The portrait, believed to depict Lot Long or Longyear, a widower from Mere in the 19th century, was originally part of an album of architectural and countryside scenes given to the photographer's aunt. The colorized portrait was later discovered by the lead singer of Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant, during an antiquing trip in Berkshire, southern England, and eventually became the iconic image of "Led Zeppelin IV". (Courtesy of Wiltshire Museum)

Lost Truman Capote story resurfaces

The late Truman Capote, a renowned American author, had an unexpected addition to his collection this year when an editor from "The Strand" magazine stumbled upon a previously undiscovered short story in one of Capote's notebooks. Andrew F. Gulli unearthed "Another Day in Paradise," a tale about a disillusioned American woman who uses her inheritance to purchase a villa in Sicily, while sorting through materials housed at the Library of Congress in Washington. Following this discovery, a team collaborated with representatives from Capote's estate to decrypt the story, which was noted as being written in "very challenging" handwriting.

Ancient sandals get a new superlative

When 22 woven sandals discovered by Spanish miners in 1857 were initially carbon dated in the 1970s, they were believed to be approximately 5,000 years old. However, new analysis from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Alcalá University in Spain has revealed that this estimation falls short by about 1,000 years: In September, researchers announced that the footwear, constructed of plant fibers, are actually the oldest known European shoes.

Meet the worlds oldest-known flip-flops.

Martínez-Sevillaet al.,Sci. Adv

Two new “Mona Lisa” revelations

The sandals, as well as an assortment of fiber baskets and other goods, were preserved in the cave in southern Spain due to the dry conditions. According to an author of the study, this discovery demonstrates "the ability of prehistoric communities to master this type of craftsmanship."

The "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci has sparked much debate over the years, from the identity of the subject to the reason behind her smile. Recent findings by historians have challenged long-held beliefs about the painting, such as the location of the bridge in the background. Now, a study using X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy has revealed a new discovery hidden within the base layer of the paint - the presence of the mineral compound plumbonacrite, suggesting that Leonardo may have been the first to use this technique to aid in faster paint drying.

A luxurious lavatory

In February, archaeologists revealed information about possibly the oldest known flush toilet in the world. The 2,400-year-old lavatory and bent pipe, likely a status symbol among China's elite at the time, were found last summer in the remains of a palace at the Yueyang archaeological site in the city of Xian, according to Chinese state media.

This toilet seat and pipe provides a peek into Han period luxury.

Xinhua/Shutterstock

The Great Pyramids hidden hallway

The toilet was probably exclusive to a handful of people in the ruling class, as per researcher Liu Rui, who participated in the excavation of the fragmented pieces. Liu informed state media that the design probably necessitated the help of servants to pour in water after each use.

In recent years, the Great Pyramid of Giza has revealed some of its mysteries, including a mysterious void, thanks to the Scan Pyramids project. This project utilizes technology such as infrared thermography and cosmic-ray imaging to gain a better understanding of the pyramid's architectural intricacies and concealed areas. The most recent discovery is a 30-foot corridor near the main entrance.

According to Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, the corridor may have been built to redistribute weight around the entrance or to provide access to an unknown chamber. Speaking to reporters in March, Waziri also mentioned that further investigation of the hallway could enhance scientists' understanding of the pyramid's construction. An article in the scientific journal Nature echoed these sentiments, stating that studying the corridor could yield valuable insights into the pyramid's construction process.

Sending in the drones

In an ongoing initiative to explore a region in Alicante, Spain, renowned for its ancient cave art, researchers utilized drones this year to examine areascaves, quarries, and other spotsdeemed too hazardous or difficult for human access. In just a matter of days, the drones managed to uncover fresh depictions of deer, goats, and human figures.

The archaeology team has confirmed that the new group of cave paintings are among the most significant of their kind in the region discovered in recent decades, as reported by climbers.

Drones gave a front-row seat to new cave paintings.

Courtesy Javi Molina

Extraordinary artworks in unassuming places

In 2023, just like in previous years, a small number of homeowners, treasure hunters, or construction workers unexpectedly come across a piece of art history in their homes or on their properties. Always remember to check your attics.

During a home appraisal in northern France, a family uncovered a dusty painting in their living room that turned out to be one of the largest-known works by Flemish 17th-century painter Pieter Brueghel the Younger. The painting later fetched $850,000 at the Daguerre auction house in Paris.

"The Payment of the Tithes," by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, cleaned up well.

Christophe Archambault/AFP/Getty Images

In northern England, a couple renovating their kitchen in York made an unexpected find: two 400-year-old murals hidden within the walls of their modest one-bedroom home. The murals pre-date the rest of the apartment building.

Spotlight on Henry VIIIs doodles

Archaeologists in Buckinghamshire, England discovered a Roman mosaic with colorful tiles while preparing for the construction of a new Aldi supermarket. The mosaic is believed to be from a villa that once had a nearby bathhouse.

The enigmatic British monarch Henry VIII may have been somewhat disconnected at times, altering the country's religious path with disastrous consequences simply to secure a divorce, but in other ways, he was just like us, making casual drawings in the margins of books. A Canadian professor unexpectedly came across the royal marginalia while examining an ancient prayer book that belonged to the Tudor king in his later years. The professor compared his annotations— a total of 14— with other known markings to authenticate their origin.

Henry VIIIs pious markings.

The Trustees of The Wormsley Fund

Two portrait glow-ups

The beauty standards of the 21st century, including chiseled bone structure and lip filler, have been highlighted in a new analysis this year. It was revealed that two different paintings, hundreds of years old, were altered to enhance the features of their subjects.

Merchant Derich Born got a more chiseled look.

Royal Collection Trust

X-ray analysis of a 16th-century painting by Hans Holbein the Younger revealed that the artist enhanced the cheekbones of the subject, Derich Born, a young merchant who had hired him for the portrait.

Similarly, a painting of noblewoman Diana Cecil by Cornelius Johnson, created a century later, was found to have undergone unwanted alterations in the 19th or 20th century, including plumped lips and a filled-in hairline. Before an exhibition in November, conservators restored Cecil to her original appearance.

A necklace on the ocean floor

Step aside, (fictional) "Heart of the Ocean," because there is a new Titanic necklace stealing the spotlight. Magellan, a deep-water investigation company, discovered a piece of jewelry containing the tooth of a Megalodon, a prehistoric shark, within the wreckage of the iconic ship. This remarkable find is part of Magellan's ambitious project to create a full-size scan of the Titanic, which has rested at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 13,000 feet deep, since the tragic event in 1912.

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This prehistoric shark necklace was an unlikely Titanic find.

Magellan/Youtube

Richard Parkinson, CEO of Magellan, called the necklace "astonishing, beautiful and breathtaking."

And more underwater treasure

The fact that the Titanic is divided into two parts, with a three-square-mile debris field separating the bow and the stern, is not widely known. According to Parkinson, who spoke to the British television network ITV in May, the team was able to map the field in such intricate detail that they could identify specific features.

While diving off the coast of Sardinia, Italy, a diver spotted something metallic on the sea floor and it turned out to be a remarkable find. The glimmering treasure consists of an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 large bronze coins dating back to the fourth century AD. The discovery of these well-preserved coins and pieces of amphorae could potentially point to an undiscovered shipwreck in the area, according to a statement from the Italian culture ministry in November.

A Stonehenge-like sanctuary

A town east of Rotterdam can now lay claim to an ancient celestial architectural mystery not unlike the enigma of Stonehenge.

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This sprawling plot in Tiel was once a sacred place,

Archaeologists have been conducting an excavation at a site in Tiel since 2017, uncovering a 4,000-year-old sanctuary believed to be designed to align with the sun during solstices. The expansive site holds various offerings such as animal skeletons, treasures like a bronze spearhead, and graves.

The municipality of Tiel, where the site is located, stated that this sanctuary was likely a place of great importance where people observed important days in the year, conducted ceremonies, and buried their deceased. Rows of poles lined the pathways used for religious processions.