This 2019 episode covers James G. Fair, known as the Silver King. But though Fair often appears on lists of the richest men in U.S. history, his image was also tainted by scandal. 

This 2019 episode covers James G. Fair, known as the Silver King. But though Fair often appears on lists of the richest men in U.S. history, his image was also tainted by scandal.

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

SYMHC Classics: James G. Fair

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/83e806d2-6f22-4e00-b572-b136003b1e5c/transcript

Part one of this quarter's edition of Unearthed! features updates, medical things, books and letters, oldest known things, and smells.

Research:
Abdallah, Hannah. “Analysis of charred food in pot reveals that prehistoric Europeans had surprisingly complex cuisines.” EurekAlert. 3/4/2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1117763
Almeroth-Williams, Thomas. “British redcoat’s lost memoir reveals harsh realities of life as a disabled veteran.” EurekAlert. 1/14/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111595
Anderson, Sonja. “Does This Skeleton Found Beneath a Dutch Church Belong to D’Artagnan, the Man Who Inspired ‘The Three Musketeers’?” Smithsonian. 3/27/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-skeleton-found-beneath-the-floor-of-a-dutch-church-may-belong-to-dartagnan-the-fourth-musketeer-180988448/
Anderson, Sonja. “Historians Thought This Rare Renaissance Portrait by One of the First Famous Female Artists Was Lost to History—Until It Surfaced in North Carolina.” 2/3/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/historians-thought-this-rare-renaissance-portrait-by-one-of-the-first-famous-female-artists-was-lost-to-history-until-it-surfaced-in-north-carolina-180988120/
Anderson, Sonja. “Hundreds of Ancient Roman Blade Sharpeners Emerge From a Riverbank in England, Revealing the Ruins of a 2,000-Year-Old Whetstone Factory.” Smithsonian. 1/20/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hundreds-of-ancient-roman-blade-sharpeners-emerge-from-a-riverbank-in-england-revealing-the-ruins-of-a-2000-year-old-whetstone-factory-180988016/
Anderson, Sonja. “The Italian Government Just Paid Nearly $35 Million for a Rare Caravaggio Portrait—One of the Most Expensive Artworks It’s Ever Acquired.” Smithsonian. 3/16/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-italian-government-just-paid-nearly-35-million-for-a-rare-Caravaggio-portrait-one-of-the-most-expensive-artworks-its-ever-acquired-180988344/
Arnold, Paul. “Poop as medicine? A Roman vial's chemistry backs up ancient medical texts.” Phys.org. 2/4/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-poop-medicine-roman-vial-chemistry.html
Arnold, Paul. “Scents of the afterlife: Identifying embalming recipes by 'sniffing' the air around Egyptian mummies.” Phys.org. 2/5/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-scents-afterlife-embalming-recipes-sniffing.html#google_vignette
Bacon, Jordan. “English history’s biggest march is a myth – King Harold sailed to the Battle of Hastings.” EurekAlert. 3/20/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1120082
Bastola, Kunjal. “A Groundskeeper Noticed a Sinkhole on a Golf Course. It Turned Out to Be a Wine Cellar Full of Empty Bottles, Untouched for More Than 100 Years.” Smithsonian. 3/19/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-groundskeeper-noticed-a-sinkhole-on-a-golf-course-it-turned-out-to-be-a-wine-cellar-full-of-empty-bottles-untouched-for-more-than-100-years-180988379/
Bastola, Kunjal. “A Little Boy’s Library Book Was Due in 1989. Thirty-Six Years Later, He Realized His Parents Had Never Returned It.” Smithsonian. 1/26/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-little-boys-library-book-was-due-in-1989-thirty-six-years-later-he-realized-his-parents-had-never-returned-it-180988046/
Baum, Stephanie. “Ancient parrot DNA reveals sophisticated, long-distance animal trade network pre-dating the Inca Empire.” 3/10/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ancient-parrot-dna-reveals-sophisticated.html
Baum, Stephanie. “From the Late Bronze Age to today, the Old Irish Goat carries 3,000 years of Irish history.” 2/26/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-late-bronze-age-today-irish.html
Benzine, Vittoria. “What Did Pompeii Smell Like? A New Study Analyzes Its Ancient Incense.” Artnet. 3/31/2026. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/pompeii-ritual-incense-study-2760240
Brooks, James. “Danish warship sunk by Nelson’s British fleet discovered after 225 years.” Associated Press. 4/2/2026. https://apnews.com/article/denmark-archaeologists-warship-nelson-copenhagen-dannebroge-lynetteholm-4519533d9e774a490f6020e893634e09
Carvajal, Guillermo. “Archaeologists achieve a historic milestone by dating French cave paintings with carbon-14 for the first time.” 3/10/2025. https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2026/03/archaeologists-achieve-a-historic-milestone-by-dating-french-cave-paintings-with-carbon-14-for-the-first-time/
Clayworth, Liv. “Bird poop powered the rise of the Chincha Kingdom, archaeologists find.” EurekAlert. 2/11/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115214
“Lost page of the Archimedes Palimpsest identified in Blois, central France.” Phys.org. 3/9/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-lost-page-archimedes-palimpsest-blois.html
Ehrlich, Claudia. “Signs on Stone Age objects: Precursor to written language dates back 40,000 years.” EurekAlert. 2/23/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1117179
Ferrer, Isabel. “Is d’Artagnan lying beneath a church in Maastricht? DNA will determine if remains found are those of the famous musketeer.” El Pais. 3/25/2025. https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-03-25/is-dartagnan-lying-beneath-a-church-in-maastricht-dna-will-determine-if-remains-found-are-that-of-the-famous-musketeer.html?outputType=amp
Gebauer, Kathryn. “Groundbreaking discovery reveals Africa’s oldest cremation pyre and complex ritual practices.” EurekAlert. 1/1/2016. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111191
Harley, Sadie. “Iron Age dental plaque reveals Scythians consumed milk from horses and ruminants.” Phys.org. 1/21/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-iron-age-dental-plaque-reveals.html
He, Ye. “Singapore’s first ancient shipwreck reveals record cargo of Yuan dynasty blue-and-white porcelain.” EurekAlert. 2/12/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116512
Johansen, Rikke Tørnsø. “Archaeologists reveal a medieval super ship: "It's the World’s largest cog".” Vikingeskibs Museet. 12/22/2025. https://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/en/news/archaeologists-reveal-a-medieval-super-ship-its-the-worlds-largest-cog
Kasal, Krystal. “Hannibal's famous war elephants: Single bone in Spain offers first direct evidence.” Phys.org. 2/5/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-hannibal-famous-war-elephants-bone.html
Kasal, Krystal. “Oldest known sewn hide and other artifacts from Oregon caves shed light on early clothing in harsh climates.” Phys.org. 2/10/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-oldest-sewn-artifacts-oregon-caves.html
Killgrove, Kristina. “Romans used human feces as medicine 1,900 years ago — and used thyme to mask the smell.” 1/29/2026. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/romans/romans-used-human-feces-as-medicine-1-900-years-ago-and-used-thyme-to-mask-the-smell
Killgrove, Kristina. “Stone Age woman was buried like a man, revealing flexible gender roles 7,000 years ago in Hungary.” LiveScience. 3/3/2026. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/stone-age-woman-was-buried-like-a-man-revealing-flexible-gender-roles-7-000-years-ago-in-hungary
Koc University. “Earliest evidence of indigo-dyed textiles and single-needle knitting discovered in Bronze Age Anatolia.” Phys.org. 2/21/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-earliest-evidence-indigo-dyed-textiles.html
Kuta, Sarah. “Did Neanderthals Use Birch Bark Tar as an Antibiotic to Treat Wounds and Infections?” Smithsonian. 3/30/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-neanderthals-use-birch-bark-tar-as-an-antibiotic-to-treat-wounds-and-infections-180988393/
Kuta, Sarah. “Ostrich Eggshells Suggest Our Ancestors May Have Understood Basic Geometry 60,000 Years Ago.” Smithsonian. 3/9/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-intricately-decorated-ostrich-eggshells-suggest-our-ancestors-may-have-understood-basic-geometry-60000-years-ago-180988315/
Kuta, Sarah. “Ötzi the Iceman May Have Carried a Cancer-Causing Strain of HPV, a Common Virus Still Plaguing Humans Today.” Smithsonian. 1/20/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/otzi-the-iceman-may-have-carried-a-cancer-causing-strain-of-hpv-a-common-virus-still-plaguing-humans-today-180988024/
Kuta, Sarah. “Shipwreck Timbers Appeared on a Beach After a Storm. They Had Been Buried Beneath the Sand Since the 17th Century.” Smithsonian. 3/2/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shipwreck-timbers-appeared-on-a-beach-after-a-storm-they-had-been-buried-beneath-the-sand-since-the-17th-century-180988260/
Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Salvador Dalí’s Largest Work Snapped Up by Florida Museum.” Artnet. 3/27/2026. https://news.artnet.com/market/salvador-dali-largest-work-bonhams-sale-2749246
Lock, Lisa. “Ancient DNA finds 15,800-year-old dogs in Anatolia, buried like humans.” Phys.org. 3/28/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ancient-dna-year-dogs-anatolia.html
Lock, Lisa. “Are one in 200 men really related to Genghis Khan? Maybe not, according to a new study.” Phys.org. 2/21/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-men-genghis-khan.html
Lucibella, Michael. “Prehistoric tool made from elephant bone is the oldest discovered in Europe.” EurekAlert. 1/26/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113140
Luscombe, Richard. “Mass grave in Jordan sheds new light on world’s earliest recorded pandemic.” The Guardian. 1/31/2026. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jan/31/plague-of-justinian-pandemic
net. “Did King Harold Sail to Hastings? New Study Sparks Debate Among Historians.” 3/2026. https://www.medievalists.net/2026/03/did-king-harold-sail-to-hastings-new-study-sparks-debate-among-historians/
net. “Viking-Age Woman Buried with Her Dog in Norway.” 3/2026. https://www.medievalists.net/2026/03/viking-age-woman-buried-with-her-dog-in-norway/
Newcastle University Press Office. “5,300-year-old ‘bow drill’ rewrites story of ancient Egyptian tools.” 2/9/2026. https://www.ncl.ac.uk/press/articles/latest/2026/02/ancientegyptiandrillbit/
Noraz, R., Chauvey, L., Wagner, S. et al. Ancient DNA reveals 4000 years of grapevine diversity, viticulture and clonal propagation in France. Nat Commun 17, 2494 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70166-z
Nordin, Gunilla. “World’s oldest arrow poison – 60,000-year-old traces reveal early advanced hunting techniques.” 1/7/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111624
Parco Archaeologico de Ercolano. “Archaeology: New precious decorations discovered at Villa Sora in the Herculaneum Park.” 2/5/2026. https://ercolano.cultura.gov.it/archaeology-new-precious-decorations-discovered-at-villa-sora-in-the-herculaneum-park/?lang=en
Paul, Andrew. “Hiker finds 3,000-year-old bull sculpture in Spain.” Popular Science. 3/17/2026. https://www.popsci.com/science/hiker-finds-bronze-age-bull-spain/
Potter, Lisa. “A wild potato that changed the story of agriculture in the American Southwest.” EurekAlert. 1/21/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113056
“Digital scans unveil new love notes and sketches on ancient Pompeii wall.” 1/19/2026. https://www.reuters.com/science/digital-scans-unveil-new-love-notes-sketches-ancient-pompeii-wall-2026-01-19/
Richard L. Rosencrance et al. ,Complex perishable technologies from the North American Great Basin reveal specialized Late Pleistocene adaptations. Sci. Adv. 12, eaec2916(2026).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.aec2916
Ruse, Amy. “Tasmanian tiger lives on in Arnhem Land rock art.” EurekAlert. 3/30/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1121955
Ruse, Amy. “World’s oldest rock art holds clues to early human migration to Australia.” EurekAlert. 1/21/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112900
Siehoff, Jonas. “Hygienic conditions in Pompeii's early baths were poor.” 1/12/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112403
Taçon, P. S. C., A.Jalandoni, S. K.May, J.Nganjmirra, and C.Mungulda. 2026. “The Devil Is in the Detail: Tasmanian Devil and Tasmanian Tiger Paintings From Awunbarna and Injalak Hill, Northern Territory, Australia.” Archaeology in Oceania. https://doi.org/10.1002/arco.70024
The History Blog. “$40 estate sale find by early African-American silversmith sells for $24,000.” 2/4/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75294
The History Blog. “43,000 ostraca found at one site shed light on social history of Egypt.” 5/15/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75609
The History Blog. “British Museum acquires Tudor Heart.” 2/10/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75343
The History Blog. “Exceptional Roman cargo shipwreck found in Lake Neuchâtel.” 3/29/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75705
The History Blog. “Extraordinary find: 10th c. bronze wheel cross matches mold found 43 years ago.” 1/24/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75220
The History Blog. “Previously unknown Hans Baldung Grien portrait emerges after 500 years in the sitter’s family.” 1/17/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75161
The History Blog. “Roman wooden writing tablets from Belgium deciphered.” 1/22/2206. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75207
Thomas, Laura. “A century-old Stonehenge mystery may finally be solved.” Science Daily. 1/27/2026. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260127010208.htm
Thorsberg, Christian. “The National Gallery of Art Acquires 17th-Century Masterpiece by Baroque Painter Artemisia Gentileschi.” Smithsonian. 2/7/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-gallery-of-art-acquired-17th-century-masterpiece-by-baroque-painter-artemisia-gentileschi-180988147/
Thorsberg, Christian. “This Luxury Steamer Disappeared on a Stormy Night in 1872. Nearly 150 Years Later to the Day, It Was Found at the Bottom of Lake Michigan.” Smithsonian. 2/18/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-luxury-steamer-disappeared-on-a-stormy-night-in-1872-nearly-150-years-to-the-day-it-was-found-in-the-bottom-of-lake-michigan-180988204/
Unibo Magazine. “Humanity’s oldest geometries, engraved on ostrich eggs.” https://magazine.unibo.it/en/articles/humanitys-oldest-geometries-engraved-on-ostrich-eggs
University of Tübingen. “Earliest hand-held wooden tools found in Greece date back 430,000 years.” Phys.org. 1/1/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-earliest-held-wooden-tools-greece.html
Villotte, S., T.Szeniczey, S.Kacki, and A.Anders. 2026. “Fixed and Fluid: The Two Faces of Gender Roles—A Combined Study of Activity Patterns and Burial Practices in the European Neolithic.” American Journal of Biological Anthropology189, no. 2: e70217. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70217.
Whiddington, Richard. “3,300-Year-Old Papyrus Reveals How Ancient Egyptians Fixed Drawing Mistakes.” ArtNet. 3/9/2026. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/ancient-egyptian-papyrus-white-out-fluid-2752125
Whiddington, Richard. “Long-Lost Archimedes Text Resurfaces in French Museum.” Artnet. 3/11/2026. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/lost-page-of-archimedes-palimpsest-found-2753005
Whiddington, Richard. “Lost Parthenon Piece Unearthed From Lord Elgin’s Shipwreck.” ArtNet. 3/19/2026. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/parthenon-fragment-lord-elgin-shipwreck-2755894
Zeilsgtra, Andrew. “Breathing in the past: How museums can use biomolecular archaeology to bring ancient scents to life.” EurekAlert. 2/5/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1114918
Zinin, Andrew. “600-year-old pinot noir grape found in medieval French toilet.” Phys.org. 3/24/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-year-pinot-noir-grape-medieval.html#google_vignette

Part one of this quarter's edition of Unearthed! features updates, medical things, books and letters, oldest known things, and smells.
Research:
<ul>
<li>Abdallah, Hannah. &ldquo;Analysis of charred food in pot reveals that prehistoric Europeans had surprisingly complex cuisines.&rdquo; EurekAlert. 3/4/2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1117763</li>
<li>Almeroth-Williams, Thomas. &ldquo;British redcoat&rsquo;s lost memoir reveals harsh realities of life as a disabled veteran.&rdquo; EurekAlert. 1/14/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111595</li>
<li>Anderson, Sonja. &ldquo;Does This Skeleton Found Beneath a Dutch Church Belong to D&rsquo;Artagnan, the Man Who Inspired &lsquo;The Three Musketeers&rsquo;?&rdquo; Smithsonian. 3/27/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-skeleton-found-beneath-the-floor-of-a-dutch-church-may-belong-to-dartagnan-the-fourth-musketeer-180988448/</li>
<li>Anderson, Sonja. &ldquo;Historians Thought This Rare Renaissance Portrait by One of the First Famous Female Artists Was Lost to History&mdash;Until It Surfaced in North Carolina.&rdquo; 2/3/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/historians-thought-this-rare-renaissance-portrait-by-one-of-the-first-famous-female-artists-was-lost-to-history-until-it-surfaced-in-north-carolina-180988120/</li>
<li>Anderson, Sonja. &ldquo;Hundreds of Ancient Roman Blade Sharpeners Emerge From a Riverbank in England, Revealing the Ruins of a 2,000-Year-Old Whetstone Factory.&rdquo; Smithsonian. 1/20/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hundreds-of-ancient-roman-blade-sharpeners-emerge-from-a-riverbank-in-england-revealing-the-ruins-of-a-2000-year-old-whetstone-factory-180988016/</li>
<li>Anderson, Sonja. &ldquo;The Italian Government Just Paid Nearly $35 Million for a Rare Caravaggio Portrait&mdash;One of the Most Expensive Artworks It&rsquo;s Ever Acquired.&rdquo; Smithsonian. 3/16/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-italian-government-just-paid-nearly-35-million-for-a-rare-Caravaggio-portrait-one-of-the-most-expensive-artworks-its-ever-acquired-180988344/</li>
<li>Arnold, Paul. &ldquo;Poop as medicine? A Roman vial's chemistry backs up ancient medical texts.&rdquo; Phys.org. 2/4/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-poop-medicine-roman-vial-chemistry.html</li>
<li>Arnold, Paul. &ldquo;Scents of the afterlife: Identifying embalming recipes by 'sniffing' the air around Egyptian mummies.&rdquo; Phys.org. 2/5/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-scents-afterlife-embalming-recipes-sniffing.html#google_vignette</li>
<li>Bacon, Jordan. &ldquo;English history&rsquo;s biggest march is a myth &ndash; King Harold sailed to the Battle of Hastings.&rdquo; EurekAlert. 3/20/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1120082</li>
<li>Bastola, Kunjal. &ldquo;A Groundskeeper Noticed a Sinkhole on a Golf Course. It Turned Out to Be a Wine Cellar Full of Empty Bottles, Untouched for More Than 100 Years.&rdquo; Smithsonian. 3/19/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-groundskeeper-noticed-a-sinkhole-on-a-golf-course-it-turned-out-to-be-a-wine-cellar-full-of-empty-bottles-untouched-for-more-than-100-years-180988379/</li>
<li>Bastola, Kunjal. &ldquo;A Little Boy&rsquo;s Library Book Was Due in 1989. Thirty-Six Years Later, He Realized His Parents Had Never Returned It.&rdquo; Smithsonian. 1/26/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-little-boys-library-book-was-due-in-1989-thirty-six-years-later-he-realized-his-parents-had-never-returned-it-180988046/</li>
<li>Baum, Stephanie. &ldquo;Ancient parrot DNA reveals sophisticated, long-distance animal trade network pre-dating the Inca Empire.&rdquo; 3/10/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ancient-parrot-dna-reveals-sophisticated.html</li>
<li>Baum, Stephanie. &ldquo;From the Late Bronze Age to today, the Old Irish Goat carries 3,000 years of Irish history.&rdquo; 2/26/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-late-bronze-age-today-irish.html</li>
<li>Benzine, Vittoria. &ldquo;What Did Pompeii Smell Like? A New Study Analyzes Its Ancient Incense.&rdquo; Artnet. 3/31/2026. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/pompeii-ritual-incense-study-2760240</li>
<li>Brooks, James. &ldquo;Danish warship sunk by Nelson&rsquo;s British fleet discovered after 225 years.&rdquo; Associated Press. 4/2/2026. https://apnews.com/article/denmark-archaeologists-warship-nelson-copenhagen-dannebroge-lynetteholm-4519533d9e774a490f6020e893634e09</li>
<li>Carvajal, Guillermo. &ldquo;Archaeologists achieve a historic milestone by dating French cave paintings with carbon-14 for the first time.&rdquo; 3/10/2025. https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2026/03/archaeologists-achieve-a-historic-milestone-by-dating-french-cave-paintings-with-carbon-14-for-the-first-time/</li>
<li>Clayworth, Liv. &ldquo;Bird poop powered the rise of the Chincha Kingdom, archaeologists find.&rdquo; EurekAlert. 2/11/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115214</li>
<li>&ldquo;Lost page of the Archimedes Palimpsest identified in Blois, central France.&rdquo; Phys.org. 3/9/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-lost-page-archimedes-palimpsest-blois.html</li>
<li>Ehrlich, Claudia. &ldquo;Signs on Stone Age objects: Precursor to written language dates back 40,000 years.&rdquo; EurekAlert. 2/23/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1117179</li>
<li>Ferrer, Isabel. &ldquo;Is d&rsquo;Artagnan lying beneath a church in Maastricht? DNA will determine if remains found are those of the famous musketeer.&rdquo; El Pais. 3/25/2025. https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-03-25/is-dartagnan-lying-beneath-a-church-in-maastricht-dna-will-determine-if-remains-found-are-that-of-the-famous-musketeer.html?outputType=amp</li>
<li>Gebauer, Kathryn. &ldquo;Groundbreaking discovery reveals Africa&rsquo;s oldest cremation pyre and complex ritual practices.&rdquo; EurekAlert. 1/1/2016. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111191</li>
<li>Harley, Sadie. &ldquo;Iron Age dental plaque reveals Scythians consumed milk from horses and ruminants.&rdquo; Phys.org. 1/21/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-iron-age-dental-plaque-reveals.html</li>
<li>He, Ye. &ldquo;Singapore&rsquo;s first ancient shipwreck reveals record cargo of Yuan dynasty blue-and-white porcelain.&rdquo; EurekAlert. 2/12/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116512</li>
<li>Johansen, Rikke T&oslash;rns&oslash;. &ldquo;Archaeologists reveal a medieval super ship: "It's the World&rsquo;s largest cog".&rdquo; Vikingeskibs Museet. 12/22/2025. https://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/en/news/archaeologists-reveal-a-medieval-super-ship-its-the-worlds-largest-cog</li>
<li>Kasal, Krystal. &ldquo;Hannibal's famous war elephants: Single bone in Spain offers first direct evidence.&rdquo; Phys.org. 2/5/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-hannibal-famous-war-elephants-bone.html</li>
<li>Kasal, Krystal. &ldquo;Oldest known sewn hide and other artifacts from Oregon caves shed light on early clothing in harsh climates.&rdquo; Phys.org. 2/10/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-oldest-sewn-artifacts-oregon-caves.html</li>
<li>Killgrove, Kristina. &ldquo;Romans used human feces as medicine 1,900 years ago &mdash; and used thyme to mask the smell.&rdquo; 1/29/2026. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/romans/romans-used-human-feces-as-medicine-1-900-years-ago-and-used-thyme-to-mask-the-smell</li>
<li>Killgrove, Kristina. &ldquo;Stone Age woman was buried like a man, revealing flexible gender roles 7,000 years ago in Hungary.&rdquo; LiveScience. 3/3/2026. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/stone-age-woman-was-buried-like-a-man-revealing-flexible-gender-roles-7-000-years-ago-in-hungary</li>
<li>Koc University. &ldquo;Earliest evidence of indigo-dyed textiles and single-needle knitting discovered in Bronze Age Anatolia.&rdquo; Phys.org. 2/21/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-earliest-evidence-indigo-dyed-textiles.html</li>
<li>Kuta, Sarah. &ldquo;Did Neanderthals Use Birch Bark Tar as an Antibiotic to Treat Wounds and Infections?&rdquo; Smithsonian. 3/30/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-neanderthals-use-birch-bark-tar-as-an-antibiotic-to-treat-wounds-and-infections-180988393/</li>
<li>Kuta, Sarah. &ldquo;Ostrich Eggshells Suggest Our Ancestors May Have Understood Basic Geometry 60,000 Years Ago.&rdquo; Smithsonian. 3/9/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-intricately-decorated-ostrich-eggshells-suggest-our-ancestors-may-have-understood-basic-geometry-60000-years-ago-180988315/</li>
<li>Kuta, Sarah. &ldquo;&Ouml;tzi the Iceman May Have Carried a Cancer-Causing Strain of HPV, a Common Virus Still Plaguing Humans Today.&rdquo; Smithsonian. 1/20/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/otzi-the-iceman-may-have-carried-a-cancer-causing-strain-of-hpv-a-common-virus-still-plaguing-humans-today-180988024/</li>
<li>Kuta, Sarah. &ldquo;Shipwreck Timbers Appeared on a Beach After a Storm. They Had Been Buried Beneath the Sand Since the 17th Century.&rdquo; Smithsonian. 3/2/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shipwreck-timbers-appeared-on-a-beach-after-a-storm-they-had-been-buried-beneath-the-sand-since-the-17th-century-180988260/</li>
<li>Lawson-Tancred, Jo. &ldquo;Salvador Dal&iacute;&rsquo;s Largest Work Snapped Up by Florida Museum.&rdquo; Artnet. 3/27/2026. https://news.artnet.com/market/salvador-dali-largest-work-bonhams-sale-2749246</li>
<li>Lock, Lisa. &ldquo;Ancient DNA finds 15,800-year-old dogs in Anatolia, buried like humans.&rdquo; Phys.org. 3/28/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ancient-dna-year-dogs-anatolia.html</li>
<li>Lock, Lisa. &ldquo;Are one in 200 men really related to Genghis Khan? Maybe not, according to a new study.&rdquo; Phys.org. 2/21/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-men-genghis-khan.html</li>
<li>Lucibella, Michael. &ldquo;Prehistoric tool made from elephant bone is the oldest discovered in Europe.&rdquo; EurekAlert. 1/26/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113140</li>
<li>Luscombe, Richard. &ldquo;Mass grave in Jordan sheds new light on world&rsquo;s earliest recorded pandemic.&rdquo; The Guardian. 1/31/2026. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jan/31/plague-of-justinian-pandemic</li>
<li>net. &ldquo;Did King Harold Sail to Hastings? New Study Sparks Debate Among Historians.&rdquo; 3/2026. https://www.medievalists.net/2026/03/did-king-harold-sail-to-hastings-new-study-sparks-debate-among-historians/</li>
<li>net. &ldquo;Viking-Age Woman Buried with Her Dog in Norway.&rdquo; 3/2026. https://www.medievalists.net/2026/03/viking-age-woman-buried-with-her-dog-in-norway/</li>
<li>Newcastle University Press Office. &ldquo;5,300-year-old &lsquo;bow drill&rsquo; rewrites story of ancient Egyptian tools.&rdquo; 2/9/2026. https://www.ncl.ac.uk/press/articles/latest/2026/02/ancientegyptiandrillbit/</li>
<li>Noraz, R., Chauvey, L., Wagner, S. et al. Ancient DNA reveals 4000 years of grapevine diversity, viticulture and clonal propagation in France. Nat Commun 17, 2494 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70166-z</li>
<li>Nordin, Gunilla. &ldquo;World&rsquo;s oldest arrow poison &ndash; 60,000-year-old traces reveal early advanced hunting techniques.&rdquo; 1/7/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111624</li>
<li>Parco Archaeologico de Ercolano. &ldquo;Archaeology: New precious decorations discovered at Villa Sora in the Herculaneum Park.&rdquo; 2/5/2026. https://ercolano.cultura.gov.it/archaeology-new-precious-decorations-discovered-at-villa-sora-in-the-herculaneum-park/?lang=en</li>
<li>Paul, Andrew. &ldquo;Hiker finds 3,000-year-old bull sculpture in Spain.&rdquo; Popular Science. 3/17/2026. https://www.popsci.com/science/hiker-finds-bronze-age-bull-spain/</li>
<li>Potter, Lisa. &ldquo;A wild potato that changed the story of agriculture in the American Southwest.&rdquo; EurekAlert. 1/21/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113056</li>
<li>&ldquo;Digital scans unveil new love notes and sketches on ancient Pompeii wall.&rdquo; 1/19/2026. https://www.reuters.com/science/digital-scans-unveil-new-love-notes-sketches-ancient-pompeii-wall-2026-01-19/</li>
<li>Richard L. Rosencrance et al. ,Complex perishable technologies from the North American Great Basin reveal specialized Late Pleistocene adaptations. Sci. Adv. 12, eaec2916(2026).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.aec2916</li>
<li>Ruse, Amy. &ldquo;Tasmanian tiger lives on in Arnhem Land rock art.&rdquo; EurekAlert. 3/30/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1121955</li>
<li>Ruse, Amy. &ldquo;World&rsquo;s oldest rock art holds clues to early human migration to Australia.&rdquo; EurekAlert. 1/21/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112900</li>
<li>Siehoff, Jonas. &ldquo;Hygienic conditions in Pompeii's early baths were poor.&rdquo; 1/12/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112403</li>
<li>Ta&ccedil;on, P. S. C., A.Jalandoni, S. K.May, J.Nganjmirra, and C.Mungulda. 2026. &ldquo;The Devil Is in the Detail: Tasmanian Devil and Tasmanian Tiger Paintings From Awunbarna and Injalak Hill, Northern Territory, Australia.&rdquo; Archaeology in Oceania. https://doi.org/10.1002/arco.70024</li>
<li>The History Blog. &ldquo;$40 estate sale find by early African-American silversmith sells for $24,000.&rdquo; 2/4/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75294</li>
<li>The History Blog. &ldquo;43,000 ostraca found at one site shed light on social history of Egypt.&rdquo; 5/15/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75609</li>
<li>The History Blog. &ldquo;British Museum acquires Tudor Heart.&rdquo; 2/10/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75343</li>
<li>The History Blog. &ldquo;Exceptional Roman cargo shipwreck found in Lake Neuch&acirc;tel.&rdquo; 3/29/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75705</li>
<li>The History Blog. &ldquo;Extraordinary find: 10th c. bronze wheel cross matches mold found 43 years ago.&rdquo; 1/24/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75220</li>
<li>The History Blog. &ldquo;Previously unknown Hans Baldung Grien portrait emerges after 500 years in the sitter&rsquo;s family.&rdquo; 1/17/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75161</li>
<li>The History Blog. &ldquo;Roman wooden writing tablets from Belgium deciphered.&rdquo; 1/22/2206. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75207</li>
<li>Thomas, Laura. &ldquo;A century-old Stonehenge mystery may finally be solved.&rdquo; Science Daily. 1/27/2026. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260127010208.htm</li>
<li>Thorsberg, Christian. &ldquo;The National Gallery of Art Acquires 17th-Century Masterpiece by Baroque Painter Artemisia Gentileschi.&rdquo; Smithsonian. 2/7/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-gallery-of-art-acquired-17th-century-masterpiece-by-baroque-painter-artemisia-gentileschi-180988147/</li>
<li>Thorsberg, Christian. &ldquo;This Luxury Steamer Disappeared on a Stormy Night in 1872. Nearly 150 Years Later to the Day, It Was Found at the Bottom of Lake Michigan.&rdquo; Smithsonian. 2/18/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-luxury-steamer-disappeared-on-a-stormy-night-in-1872-nearly-150-years-to-the-day-it-was-found-in-the-bottom-of-lake-michigan-180988204/</li>
<li>Unibo Magazine. &ldquo;Humanity&rsquo;s oldest geometries, engraved on ostrich eggs.&rdquo; https://magazine.unibo.it/en/articles/humanitys-oldest-geometries-engraved-on-ostrich-eggs</li>
<li>University of T&uuml;bingen. &ldquo;Earliest hand-held wooden tools found in Greece date back 430,000 years.&rdquo; Phys.org. 1/1/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-earliest-held-wooden-tools-greece.html</li>
<li>Villotte, S., T.Szeniczey, S.Kacki, and A.Anders. 2026. &ldquo;Fixed and Fluid: The Two Faces of Gender Roles&mdash;A Combined Study of Activity Patterns and Burial Practices in the European Neolithic.&rdquo; American Journal of Biological Anthropology189, no. 2: e70217. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70217.</li>
<li>Whiddington, Richard. &ldquo;3,300-Year-Old Papyrus Reveals How Ancient Egyptians Fixed Drawing Mistakes.&rdquo; ArtNet. 3/9/2026. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/ancient-egyptian-papyrus-white-out-fluid-2752125</li>
<li>Whiddington, Richard. &ldquo;Long-Lost Archimedes Text Resurfaces in French Museum.&rdquo; Artnet. 3/11/2026. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/lost-page-of-archimedes-palimpsest-found-2753005</li>
<li>Whiddington, Richard. &ldquo;Lost Parthenon Piece Unearthed From Lord Elgin&rsquo;s Shipwreck.&rdquo; ArtNet. 3/19/2026. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/parthenon-fragment-lord-elgin-shipwreck-2755894</li>
<li>Zeilsgtra, Andrew. &ldquo;Breathing in the past: How museums can use biomolecular archaeology to bring ancient scents to life.&rdquo; EurekAlert. 2/5/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1114918</li>
<li>Zinin, Andrew. &ldquo;600-year-old pinot noir grape found in medieval French toilet.&rdquo; Phys.org. 3/24/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-year-pinot-noir-grape-medieval.html#google_vignette</li>
</ul>

Part one of this quarter's edition of Unearthed! features updates, medical things, books and letters, oldest known things, and smells.

Unearthed! In Spring 2026, Part 1

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4bfad657-4da7-44f4-8715-b431003e2bb2/transcript

This 2022 episode covers how Courbet was iconic even in his own lifetime. He flew in the face of artistic convention, ushered in a new movement of Realism in France, and became embroiled in the country’s political turmoil.  

This 2022 episode covers how Courbet was iconic even in his own lifetime. He flew in the face of artistic convention, ushered in a new movement of Realism in France, and became embroiled in the country&rsquo;s political turmoil.&nbsp;&nbsp;

SYMHC Classics: Gustave Courbet

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/62632728-def7-4ea0-b85d-b42f0160ca0a/transcript

Tracy shares her intentions to cover Peter Kropotkin years ago, and also unpacks some of the positive and negative aspects of his life.

Tracy shares her intentions to cover Peter Kropotkin years ago, and also unpacks some of the positive and negative aspects of his life.

Behind the Scenes Minis: Oh, Kropotkin!

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f1b554eb-970b-4f50-b27d-b42c011dc319/transcript

SYMHC Classics: James G. Fair

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