High-quality, authentic artifacts are at the heart of our programs. These fall into two types. First are the program standard artifacts, one for every student in the program. These are the items which the students can handle and clean, identify and, at the close of the program, keep. Our programs also include 'special' artifacts, generally more scarce but invaluable as instructor's aids to help paint a picture of ancient life.
Buying antiquities and artifacts on the open market can be a risky and time-consuming proposition these days. History in Hand has built up an extensive network of sources for antiquities, well-tested and reliable. We put our own long-term experience in the ancient artifacts marketplace to use in grading and assessing all materials. Our artifacts are all sorted and culled to ensure they are of a quality which students can clean and identify with relative ease. History in Hand is committed to providing quality in our programs. All materials are carefully vetted and we make sure that all unacceptable artifacts are sorted and removed before any packages are shipped.
Standard Artifacts
Our package includes one standard artifact for each student in the group, at the end of the program it will be theirs to take home and treasure. These artifacts are selected and checked to ensure there is variety in the items the students will unearth, a wide assortment of recognizable and relevant materials.
History in Hand artifacts are not cast-offs from a retail business but are purchased from local "on-the-site" resources specifically for our student programs. Our suppliers are at the source of the artifacts, we do not buy at second or third hand from dealers who have picked over the items and extracted the finer pieces. Great care is taken to ensure that the students will come out of the program with a memorable treasure that perhaps may form the foundation of a future collection.
Premium Artifacts
A percentage of special artifacts is included in every program kit. It isn't by nature of being higher quality than our standard artifacts - all our artifacts are high quality - but rather that they are generally more scarce and therefor more valuable. Some of these pieces are quite unique. Quantities for these artifacts may be increased when placing an order.
These premium artifacts can be used as rewards, incentives and prizes for the students or preserved to be used each time a new History in Hand program is run.
Special Artifacts
From time to time, we do acquire some very unique and exceptional artifacts and offer them in our programs. Authentic and beautiful, these artifacts can offer students an exciting and exotic glimpse into life in vanished civilizations.
Replicas
Although never included in the packages as genuine antiquities, History in Hand does provide a selection of replica artifacts for use as teacher's aids. We take care to deal only with suppliers who produce period-accurate, replica artifacts, often hand made and never mass-produced.
Providing an opportunity to view artifacts as they would have looked when newly-made centuries ago or demonstrating at first hand antiquities which could only be glimpsed beyond the glass in a museum or a collector's showcase these facsimillies add an extra dimension to the programs.
For more detailed information on our artifacts, follow the links at right to the individual program pages
From it's founding under the Greeks through the rise and fall of the Macedonians, Romans and Byzantines, Thessalonika was a city of culture and standing. Our dig includes coins, ornaments and utensils from all of these civilizations. 
The earliest wanderers to North America brought with them the first stirrings of community and culture. In our Prehistoric dig students will uncover ancient stone tools and fossils which bring to life the world of our ancient ancestors.
The civil war has passed from living memory
Kings and pyramid builders, warriors, astronomers and simple potters. Students will learn about all aspects of the world of the ancient Maya by unearthing a Maya Lord's burial site and reconstructing the artifacts they discover.