objects in history

Washington DC

What secret message did a watchmaker hide inside Lincoln's pocket watch?

On April 13, 1861, an Irish watchmaker named Jonathan Dillon scratched a secret message inside Lincoln's gold pocket watch while the president had no idea. The Smithsonian confirmed it on March 10, 2009 — 148 years later.

vienna

Is the Holy Lance of Vienna a Carolingian Forgery That Chose Emperors for 1,000 Years?

The Holy Lance in Vienna's Hofburg Treasury was considered proof of divine right to rule. A British metallurgist tested the iron — it was forged in the 7th century AD, centuries after the Crucifixion. The nail inside it, however, is consistent with a 1st-century Roman nail.