The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All linked stories were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

Throughout history, cultures have left behind a trail of breadcrumbs for archaeologists to follow. New sites and artifacts are found all the time, revealing forgotten secrets of the past.

Here are some of the latest discoveries:

Shallow hole turns out to be rare 1,600-year-old structure in Germany. See it

A section of the ancient wooden pipe as seen from above.

X-rays of 1,300-year-old sheath reveal first-of-its-kind blade inside. See it

A CT scan shows the design of the blade inside the 1,300-year-old sheath.

6,000-year-old figurine found in Poland called discovery of the century. See it

The limestone figurine depicts a woman with disproportionate features, archaeologists said.

Fossils found on island are far older than island itself. How? The ancient Romans

The marine brachiopod fossils are estimated to be between 145 ad 140 million years old, while Mogador Island is just 2 million years old, according to a study.

Ruins of ancient Roman camp seemed typical - then a very rare artifact emerged

An ancient Roman coin found at the site in Haltern am See.

McClatchy News continues to follow the discovery of intriguing archaeological discoveries from around the globe. Check back to see the latest finds.