In a year dominated by disheartening news, including the Covid-19 pandemic, threats to American democracy and reminders of systemic racism, archaeological and cultural discoveries offered a welcome distraction. 2021 yielded an array of intriguing finds, particularly as lockdowns lifted and researchers returned to the field. Spanning disciplines, historical eras, geographic locations and cultures, some of the 99 items highlighted below were first unearthed years ago but only documented now, while others were identified more recently. From a forgotten work by Pablo Picasso to the site of Harriet Tubman’s Maryland home to an Aztec altar, these were the most fascinating finds of 2021, as covered by Smithsonian magazine.
