During a home renovation project, a family in England stumbled upon a trove of nearly 1,000 gold and silver coins buried approximately 400 years ago. The hoard, potentially hidden during the first English Civil War, was discovered in 2019 and has now been auctioned off for over $75,000. The coins, believed to have been deposited between 1642 and 1644, feature the images of several English monarchs.
Harvard University has announced the demolition of Houghton Library, a historic building constructed from the tanned skin of nearly 10,000 human bodies. The university’s administration stated that the ethical concerns surrounding the library’s origins were too significant to ignore, as the use of medical cadavers was nonconsensual. While the practice was once common, Harvard acknowledged that it violated the institution’s moral code. The university’s decision to demolish Houghton Library has prompted a response from Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Library of Congress, who have pledged to maintain their own buildings made from human skin for historical reasons.
Four spears taken by British naval lieutenant James Cook and his crew during their first encounter with Australia in 1770 have been returned to the Indigenous community after more than 250 years. The Gweagal spears represent the first point of contact between Europeans and Indigenous Australians and hold significant historical and cultural value. The repatriation marks a momentous occasion for the La Perouse Aboriginal Community, with the spears set to be permanently displayed at a new visitor center at Kurnell, Kamay.
