Claire Cock-Starkey

Joined: Nov 3, 2015

Claire Cock-Starkey is a writer and editor based in the UK. Her latest book, The Book Lovers' Miscellany, was published in January 2018. Visit her at www.nonfictioness.com.

The Jhelum River Bridge, part of the ancient Grand Trunk Road passing through Punjab, Pakistan.

Fossilized human footprints in New Mexico’s White Sands National Park are between 21,000 and 23,000 years old and pre-date the Clovis people in North America.

A famous fresco in Pompeii’s Villa of the Mysteries.

In 79 CE, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 20 feet of ash, preserving amazing details about daily life in the Roman Empire.

An exact replica of a cave painting in Lascaux showing a bison and aurochs facing each other, along with small horses and deer.

The astonishing cave paintings of bison, deer, and extinct animals were discovered by accident in France in 1940. They offer a tantalizing glimpse into prehistory.

Meet some of your famous family members.

Each of these ancient fossils, even if just a small part of a skeleton, represents an identifiable character in the story of humankind.

A replica of the Denisovan finger bone discovered in 2010.

The Denisovans went extinct around 30,000 years ago. Scientists are just beginning to unravel their genetic legacy.

Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, the site of humankind's earliest ancestors.

The gorge in northern Tanzania has yielded many of the oldest fossils of humankind, shedding new light on our ancient ancestors.

‘Alchemist in His Workshop’ by David Teniers the Younger, 17th century.

There’s more to this spooky pseudo-science than simply turning lead into gold.

It might not look like much, but this Neolithic door is as old as Stonehenge.

Historic doors can reveal a lot about their times—like the medieval trend of covering doors in (allegedly) human skin.

An ouroboros on a grave marker in West Highgate Cemetery, London.

The serpentine symbol has represented the eternal cycle of life for thousands of years.

From King Tut’s treasure-stuffed tomb to one of the world's oldest human burial sites, these ancient resting places sent their occupants to the afterlife in style.

The preserved hull of the Tudor warship ‘Mary Rose.’

King Henry VIII built the English Royal Navy around his favorite warship, the ‘Mary Rose,’ which sank under mysterious circumstances in 1545.

Angkor Wat reflected in one of its waterways.

Angkor Wat is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. Here is what we know of its story, from its countless carvings to feats of engineering.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s is now one of literature’s most valuable author signatures.

From James Joyce to Ernest Hemingway, discover which famous author signature is worth the most.

Claire Cock-Starkey

Joined: Nov 3, 2015

6 Strange Maritime Mysteries

8 Incredible Ancient Roads

The Grim Story of the Mackay-Bennett, the Titanic's Mortuary Ship

8 Ancient Archaeological Sites That Pre-Date the Clovis People

14 Incredible Facts about Pompeii, the Roman City Frozen in Time

12 Astounding Facts about the Lascaux Cave Paintings

10 Famous Hominin Fossils That Changed Our Thinking About Human Origins

9 Facts About the Denisovans, Our Mysterious Human Ancestor

8 Facts about Olduvai Gorge, the “Cradle of Mankind”

8 Fascinating Facts about Alchemy

The Secrets of 8 Amazing Historic Doors

Ouroboros: The Origins and Meaning of the Snake Eating its Tail

10 Fabulous Ancient Tombs

12 Facts About the ‘Mary Rose,’ Henry VIII’s Legendary Warship

10 Facts about Angkor Wat, the World’s Largest Religious Temple

10 Extremely Valuable Author Signatures