A selection of ancient objects that challenge our understanding of past masters (15 photos)

Archaeologists and historians are a familiar breed, but sometimes even they are stunned. Sometimes the past leaves us with more than just shards of pottery, but true masterpieces of engineering and art. In this collection, we'll showcase objects that evoke two feelings at once: admiration for the skill of ancient people and a slight chill at the age of these objects. Here are 16 finds: from tiny puppies from Pompeii to a giant cat in the Nazca Desert.

The Oseberg Longship is a 9th-century Viking ship.





It was found in near-perfect condition in a burial mound in Norway.

One of the oldest law codes on Earth, carved in stone. A fragment of the Code of Hammurabi



A gigantic bathtub for Emperor Alexander I in the Babolovsky Palace in St. Petersburg





It was carved from a single block of granite weighing over 160 tons, brought from a Finnish island. Craftsmen worked on it for ten years.

The uniform of King Charles XII of Sweden, which he wore on the day of his death in battle in 1718



A colossal statue of Ramesses II, on display at the Grand Egyptian Museum



Opened in October 2025, the museum houses over 100,000 ancient artifacts, including the treasures of Queen Hetepheres and Tutankhamun.

Duke Charles's Chambers at Gripsholm Castle, Sweden



This is the only completely preserved room from the Vasa dynasty and one of the oldest Renaissance interiors in Sweden. The furnishings have remained virtually untouched since the 1570s.

Roman marble sculpture of four puppies sleeping together



It was found in the ruins of the House of the Faun in Pompeii. First century BC.

Roman aqueduct in the Spanish city of Segovia, built in the first century AD from 20,400 granite blocks.



This 17 km-long structure supplied water to the city until 1973. Now that's something built for the ages. Its height reaches almost 29 meters.

Giant image of a cat discovered among the famous Nazca Lines in Peru



Do you know how old this drawing is? Two thousand!

An 8th-century Quran manuscript being restored in Egypt. It is one of the oldest surviving copies.



It contains over a thousand pages, each made from an entire animal skin. The total weight of the book is approximately 80 kg.

A mummy of a cat in linen bandages and its X-ray. Egypt, 4th-2nd century BC



This thousand-year-old manuscript was created by 16 scribes at a monastery in Trier, Germany.



The Gospel text is written in gold ink on purple-dyed parchment.

Men's gilded leather boots from Norfolk, 1890s



The shoes are made of silver-plated leather and black silk brocade with gold trim.

Art Deco opal glass sculpture by French artist Lucile Sevin. Early 20th century



Brick spiral staircase inside Moot Hall Tower in Maldon, England, circa 1420