When it comes to archaeology, the phrase 10 times small reminds us that even the tiniest objects can rewrite history. Nobody cares about a lamp wick when massive Egyptian tombs dominate the headlines, yet these modest discoveries often pack a punch that reshapes our understanding of ancient peoples.

10 Times Small: Astonishing Tiny Finds

10 Unique Pencil

Scientists only became aware of Denisovans in 2008. A small finger fragment revealed an entire branch of humanity that went extinct thousands of years ago. One group lived in Siberia, in a place known for great archaeological finds, including the groundbreaking finger bone. Called Denisova Cave, it yielded another unique item in 2018. It was a piece of hematite, a natural pigment that would have produced reddish‑brown streaks. Indeed, the “pencil” (also described as a “crayon”) showed signs of use.

Since the stump was found in a layer from 45,000 to 50,000 years ago, in an area of the cave where other Denisovan artifacts were found, the crayon could have belonged to them. However, at one point, the shelter was also home to Neanderthals, another extinct hominid and a good candidate for artistic tools. Although the newly discovered hematite is the only artifact of its kind to come from Denisova Cave, similar pencils were already known from another location, called Karabom Paleolithic site, located about 120 kilometers (75 mi) away.

9 Decoy Feathers

In 2018, scientists examined 31 pieces of amber containing feathers from the Cretaceous. Bird feathers from this era are not unknown. However, for decades, study was hampered, since all previous fossils were in a squashed state. These new amber samples provided a perfect look in 3‑D, and paleontologists were astonished. Everything they knew about Cretaceous feathers was wrong.

Previously, it was assumed that ancient birds had tail streamers for the same purpose as their modern cousins; to look good, especially during courtship. However, the ancient feathers were far from colorful. Additionally, they were built unlike anything today. The central shaft was not closed like modern birds’ but C‑shaped, with an open underside. Incredibly, this shaft was thinner than a human blood cell yet rigidly supported side barbs.

Several clues suggested that the feathers dislodged easily. The drab colors and ability for quick removal suggested that Cretaceous streamers were decoys. Their length ensured a greater chance that predators would grasp the tail and not the prey. In that case, the bird, somewhat plucked, could live another day.

8 The Pilatus Ring

During excavations in 1968 and 1969, a 2,000‑year‑old copper ring surfaced at Herodium. Located southeast of Bethlehem, the palace once belonged to King Herod (74–4 BC). At first, archaeologists failed to notice the ring’s inscription. In 2018, special photographic techniques revealed an unexpected Greek engraving that read, “of Pilatus.”

Pontius Pilatus, also known as Pontius Pilate, was the Roman prefect who condemned Jesus to the cross. Although Pilatus was a rare Roman name, and he likely visited Herodium while in Judea (AD 26–36), the ring probably was not his. It was a working ring, the type used as a seal, but a Roman prefect’s would have been one that displayed more bling, such as a silver or gold band decorated with gems.

The simplistic copper ring also bore Jewish art—not a hot favorite of Roman prefects. One possibility is that one of Pilatus’s family members or workers used the name for their own seal. There is also the chance that a lower‑ranked individual, with no connection to the prefect other than sharing the same rare name, owned the ring.

7 Unusual Indus Find

Together with Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, the Indus Valley is considered one of the Old World’s cradles of civilizations. It produced the mysterious Harappan culture, a Bronze Age people who lived the northwestern parts of South Asia. None of this was on the mind of Karl Martin when he rummaged through a yard sale in England one day. He just fell in love with a brown ceramic pot decorated with an antelope. After purchasing it for less than £4, Martin got practical. He assigned the small vessel the job of toothbrush holder, a duty it held for years.

In 2018, he was moving vessels at the auction company where he worked when their decorations struck a chord. Remarkably, some of the paintings resembled the antelope on his bathroom jar. The technique used the same rough style to depict animals. When he took his pot to the auctioneers, experts determined it was made 4,000 years ago in Afghanistan. How this ancient artifact ended up in a car‑boot sale in England is a mystery.

6 Mouth Harp

Around 1,700 years ago, somebody crafted tiny musical instruments from bone. Owner and artifacts became separated, nearly two millennia passed, and 2018 arrived. It was during this year that archaeologists visited the Altai Mountains of Russia and discovered the five mouth harps. They were found at two sites called Cheremshanka and Chultukov Log 9. Locating the delicate, ancient instruments was delightful enough. However, researchers being researchers, they put the harps to their lips and tooted. Incredibly, one produced a sound, the same it probably played over 1,000 years ago. The noise was comparable to a flageolet, a flute‑type instrument from the Renaissance.

The working harp measured 10.9 centimeters (4.3 in) in length and 8.4 centimeters (3.3 in) wide. Just like the rest, the palm‑sized instrument appeared to be made from ribs, harvested from horses or cows. The nomadic Altai craftsmen differed in this regard to other miniature harp makers across Central Asia, who preferred to use horn as their material of choice.

5 Bizarre Bird Skull Burial

In 2018, a project re‑examined long‑stored artifacts found in Tunel Wielki Cave in Poland. When researchers opened one box, they discovered a child’s skeleton—minus the head. The youngster suffered from malnutrition and died, aged ten, during the late 18th or early 19th century. Beyond that, the story turned hazy. Oddly, the shallow grave was alone, not just in its own cave but all over the region, where not a single other cave burial existed.

When researchers sought answers in an old photograph and the case notes, things got downright bizarre. The skeleton was discovered in the late 1960s, and right afterward, the skull vanished when it was sent off for analysis—but not before archaeologists recorded a strange burial practice. For unknown reasons, somebody placed the tiny skull of a bird (a chaffinch) in the child’s mouth. Pressed against the youngster’s cheek was another chaffinch head. The lonely grave was already mysterious, but the inclusion of two tiny bird skulls stumped the experts.

4 Woolly Mammoth Tiara

Denisova Cave in Siberia’s Altai Mountains is an archaeologist’s dream. The site has yielded exceptional finds, including the first remains of the elusive Denisovans, as mentioned above. In 2018, excavations in the same section turned up more bony pieces. This time, however, it was not a human skeleton but ivory. The tusk bits represent one of the rarest artifacts from Northern Eurasia’s Upper Paleolithic era—the tiara.

These personal items were made from mammoth tusk, antler, or animal bone. Nobody expected to find one at Denisova, and to boot, this could be the oldest one in history. The headband is an estimated 50,000 years old at the most. Researchers cannot say if the tiara belonged to a Denisovan, only that its curve fit a man’s head.

The creation of the item required great dedication, including removing the tusks from the animal and softening them in water for shaping, followed by a finishing process of cutting, grinding, and drilling holes for strap ties. The purpose of Paleolithic tiaras is unknown. They could have been status symbols or, more blandly, bands to hold hair back.

3 Painting With Reptile Pee

Peru’s Paracas culture (900–100 BC) created colorful ceramics. In 2018, 14 painted pots were analyzed, and the results delivered a mystery, a unique ingredient, and a slice of history. The pigments and ceramics were made at different times and places, but one thing stayed the same—the binder. This substance kept the paint intact. It was plant‑based, but when scientists tried to identify the species, they failed miserably.

The mysterious binder remains elusive, but a surprising ingredient came to light when the paint was examined. Two pottery pieces, bearing blue and white, had different pigments than the rest. They contained concentrated amounts of uric acid, which turned out to be reptile pee. Nobody knows how the urine was harvested or why it was mixed with the pigments.

The pots also supported theories about how the Paracas dealt with neighbors. They were believed to have been influenced by a culture called the Chavin (900–200 BC). Paint on older vessels contained cinnabar, which was mined by the Chavin. Over time, the cinnabar’s use was replaced by red ocher. This suggested Chavin influence slowly deteriorated, as possibly did relations between the two cultures.

2 Rare Flax Wick

The ancient town of Shivta can be found in Israel’s Negev Desert. It remains a mystery why this site was abandoned, especially since it thrived around the fifth to sixth centuries AD. In 2017, archaeologists re‑examined items found in Shivta during the 1930s. The team happened upon a tiny treasure. A lamp wick doesn’t sound like much, but this was one of the rarest artifacts in the world. Back in the day, flax wicks were common, but since their sole purpose was to burn, few survived. In Israel, only two others had surfaced in the past.

The 1,500‑year‑old strip, nestled inside a copper tube, measured a few inches long and was kept intact by the desert’s dry conditions. The linen was rough, which suggested that higher‑quality flax was reserved for linen cloth and the subpar product for wicks. This did not affect the wicks’ ability to shine brightly; they glowed strongly without odor or smoke. This particular one was destined to illuminate a glass Byzantine lamp but, to archaeologists’ delight, was never used.

1 Miniature Terracotta Army

One of China’s most famous cultural icons is the Terracotta Army. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, was interred in 210 BC inside an elaborate grave that included statues of life‑size horses, chariots, soldiers, officials, and entertainers. In 2007, a pit was discovered near the city of Linzi. Inside was a super find, a sort of miniaturized version of the emperor’s ceramic army. The site yielded small musicians, infantry, cavalry, chariots, and watchtowers, all meticulously arranged. The 300 infantrymen stood around 22 to 31 centimeters (9–12 in) tall.

The collection appeared to have been made a century after the Terracotta Army. Similarly, the figures were meant to grace the grave of a high official or royal. A good candidate was a prince called Liu Hong, from the city Linzi. Thus far, his tomb and body remain missing. However, elderly locals told researchers that once, there was a nearby hump. Aerial photographs from 1938 confirmed that a raised structure existed near the pit. It stood 4 meters (13 ft) high and resembled a burial mound. Sadly, it was razed by construction workers during the 1960s or 1970s.

These ten diminutive discoveries prove that size isn’t everything in archaeology; even the tiniest relic can illuminate entire civilizations.

When you picture ancient commerce, you might imagine dusty market stalls and simple bartering, but the truth is far more thrilling. The phrase 10 amazing ancient enterprises brings to mind a dazzling array of workshops, factories, and offices that rival modern startups in ingenuity. From a shop that was literally frozen in time by a volcanic eruption to a sophisticated Roman tax office, archaeologists have unearthed evidence that ancient peoples ran businesses with surprising sophistication, creativity, and sometimes tragic fate. Let’s embark on a whirlwind tour of these ten remarkable discoveries, each shedding light on how our ancestors produced, sold, and regulated goods long before the digital age.

10 The Pompeii Shop

A bustling retail space met its abrupt end in AD 79 when Mount Vesuvius unleashed its deadly plume, burying the shop and its patrons under ash. In 2016, a Franco‑Italian team revisited the Herculaneum port and uncovered a tragic scene: a teenage girl among the victims, alongside several other young shoppers. Alongside the skeletal remains, glittering gold coins and an ornate gold necklace were recovered, hinting at the shop’s prosperity and the suddenness of its demise.

Excavators noted clear signs of looting during the catastrophe—tools and wares seemed to have been rifled as the disaster unfolded. While the exact merchandise remains a mystery, evidence points to a workshop equipped with an oven, possibly dedicated to bronze casting. A second adjacent shop, featuring a well and a spiral staircase, also emerged, yet its commercial purpose remains puzzling to scholars.

These findings not only illustrate the perilous nature of ancient commerce but also provide a snapshot of daily life frozen at the moment of disaster, offering a poignant reminder of humanity’s resilience and vulnerability.

9 The Flint Factory

Buried beneath a deserted kindergarten in Bulgaria, archaeologists in 2016 uncovered a sprawling flint production complex dating back roughly 6,500 years. The site revealed a sophisticated assembly line, where workers specialized in distinct stages of tool creation—from core preparation to final sharpening—demonstrating an early form of industrial specialization.

Only unfinished stone fragments, cores, and flint debris were present; no fully formed knives or axes were found. This suggests that once a batch of tools reached completion, they were swiftly dispatched for trade, hinting at an export‑oriented enterprise. Among the debris lay a burial containing a man clutching a stone‑ax scepter, underscoring the cultural reverence for these implements.

Overall, the factory showcases an impressive level of organization and scale for a prehistoric manufacturing hub, reshaping our understanding of early economic networks.

8 Nonstick Frying Pans

First‑century Roman gastronomy texts, notably De Re Coquinaria, reference a mysterious cookware line called Cumanae testae—early non‑stick frying pans prized for simmering chicken stew. In 1975, archaeologist Giuseppe Pucci hypothesized that these pans corresponded to the famed Pompeian Red Ware, a ceramic style noted for its smooth, glazed interior.

Support arrived in 2016 when a massive dump near Naples yielded nearly 50,000 pottery shards, including pots, lids, and frying pans dating to the second century AD. Most fragments displayed a distinctive red‑slip coating on their interiors, mirroring Pucci’s description of the ancient non‑stick surface. The proximity of Cumae—just 19 km from Naples—reinforces the notion that this city mass‑produced and exported such cookware across the Mediterranean, reaching Africa and beyond.

This discovery bridges literary evidence with material culture, highlighting Roman ingenuity in culinary technology and the expansive trade networks that disseminated it.

7 The Naxos Mine

On Greece’s island of Naxos, a prehistoric quarry known as Stelida rose 118 meters high, composed almost entirely of chert—a prized raw material for stone tools. First identified in 1981, the site revealed continuous exploitation from the Paleolithic through the Mesolithic, suggesting a millennia‑long tradition of tool production passed down across generations.

Excavations in 2013 uncovered layers of debris left by ancient toolmakers, indicating that the hill served as both a mine and a workshop. Although no finished implements have been recovered, the sheer volume of waste points to large‑scale manufacturing. Moreover, the location may illuminate previously unknown migration routes, as early humans likely traversed this area when moving from Asia into Europe.

The Naxos Mine stands as a testament to the enduring importance of natural resources in shaping early economies and human dispersal patterns.

6 The Galilee Kiln

In the modern town of Shlomi, Israel, archaeologists uncovered a remarkable Roman‑era pottery workshop dating to roughly 1,600 years ago. What sets this site apart is its double‑chambered kiln, carved directly into soft, chalky bedrock—a natural furnace that could withstand intense heat while being easily shaped.

Analysis of the ceramic remains indicates the workshop’s primary output: storage jars and containers for oil and wine. One chamber functioned as a firebox, feeding the blaze with branches and tinder, while the adjacent chamber served to fire the clay vessels, achieving the required vitrification.

This find underscores the ingenuity of ancient artisans, who adapted local geology to create efficient production facilities, thereby supporting regional trade in essential commodities.

5 Foundry Complex

A serendipitous discovery in 2016 along a tourist trail near Lake Baikal in Siberia revealed a medieval metallurgical hub. The site, perched on a wind‑exposed hill, contained slag, clay, and the remnants of two stone furnaces—evidence of a sophisticated foundry capable of producing weapons, horse‑tack, clothing accessories, and sickles.

Dating to around AD 1000, the complex showcases a level of technical proficiency surpassing contemporary European workshops. Scholars suspect the Kurykan people, renowned for their metalworking expertise, operated the facility, leveraging the hill’s breezy conditions to enhance combustion efficiency.

This find expands our understanding of medieval Siberian industry, illustrating that advanced metallurgical practices were not confined to traditional European centers.

4 The Glass Community

On Mount Grojec in Poland, a 2,000‑year‑old glass‑making settlement emerged in 2017, revealing a community of artisans who produced glass long before the Middle Ages. Excavations uncovered furnaces, slag, and partially formed glass—evidence of an active production line, though only tiny beads survived as finished goods.

The site’s significance lies in its age: it is likely the oldest glass workshop discovered in Poland, challenging the prevailing belief that glassmaking only flourished there during medieval times. Some furnaces also appear to have been used for metalworking, suggesting a versatile craft hub.

While the origin of the raw glass remains uncertain, the settlement highlights early technological exchange and the presence of skilled artisans in regions previously thought to lack such expertise.

3 Christian Winery

In 2013, archaeologists uncovered a sizable Byzantine‑era wine production complex near Hamei Yo’av, Israel. Spanning over 100 square meters, the facility featured designated areas where grapes were deposited, allowed to ferment, and then pressed on a sloping floor that directed juice into holding vats.

Beyond crafting premium wine, the workers ingeniously repurposed grape waste to produce vinegar and a modest “pauper’s wine.” A striking artifact—a ceramic lamp shaped like a church, complete with cross‑carved apertures—suggests the winery may have been owned by a Christian community.

This discovery illustrates how ancient entrepreneurs blended religious identity with commercial activity, creating diversified products to meet varied market demands.

2 The Surgeon’s Room

When seismic rubble from a 2017 earthquake was cleared in Nea Paphos, Cyprus, researchers uncovered a likely surgeon’s office dating to the second century AD. The complex comprised several rooms, one of which housed a pristine glass unguentarium—a vessel for storing oils, perfumes, and medicinal concoctions.

The highlight was a set of six metal surgical tools: one iron instrument and five bronze pieces, including a narrow spoon, pliers, and devices likely used for bone setting. Coins discovered in an adjacent room date the collapse to the AD 126 quake, which sealed the space and preserved its contents remarkably well.

This find provides a rare glimpse into ancient medical practice, revealing both the sophistication of tools and the resilience of knowledge despite natural disasters.

1 Revenue Office

Nicopolis ad Istrum, founded by Emperor Trajan around AD 102 in present‑day Bulgaria, was a bustling Roman city whose commercial affairs were tightly regulated. Excavations in 2016 near Veliko Tarnovo revealed a substantial public building that functioned as the imperial tax office.

Inside, archaeologists found an abundance of stone weights and measuring devices called egzagia, essential for ensuring fair trade by standardizing measures across the market. The presence of these tools indicates a sophisticated bureaucracy overseeing commerce, preventing deceit, and collecting revenue for the empire.

This structure underscores the importance of state‑controlled economic oversight in ancient urban centers, highlighting how taxation shaped daily life and trade.

From volcanic tragedy to meticulous tax regulation, these ten remarkable enterprises demonstrate that ancient commerce was as diverse, inventive, and dynamic as any modern industry. Each discovery adds a new chapter to the story of humanity’s relentless drive to create, trade, and thrive.

FADE IN:

3120 CE. During a routine scan of planets in the Solar Federation, a surveillance probe detects a shiny object reflecting from XP-3. A signal is transmitted to Inter-Galactic Command, which quickly dispatches The Rocinante for a closer look. Unbeknownst to the crew, the lifeless, toxic sphere — long ago ravaged by nuclear war, disease, and climate transformation — will soon yield a bounty of peculiar items…

The scene just described might seem like the opening of a science fiction flick, but future archaeologists will find themselves nonplussed by the piles of weird stuff found on the third rock from the sun. 

8. Vaping

By now, most people are aware that cigarettes are bad for you. Extensive studies and millions of deaths have led to widespread public bans on smoking and not-so-subtle warning labels declaring THIS PRODUCT WILL KILL YOU. As a result, a new alternative to lighting up was born. 

Vaping involves a battery-powered heating device (including e-cigarettes), which vaporizes liquid inside a cartridge or reservoir. The user then inhales the nicotine-laced aerosol residue. Unlike conventional cigarettes, which contain over 7,000 chemicals (several of which are carcinogenic), vaping is marketed as a ‘healthier’ substitute than sucking on old fashioned cancer sticks. Or is it?

Although more information is needed before long-term effects can be fully understood, health concerns related to vaping — especially respiratory injuries — are becoming increasingly common. Meanwhile, shops continue popping up everywhere, featuring terrible puns (Planet of the Vapes, Darth Vaper, etc.) that will only further confuse a 31st century Indiana Jones.  

7. Botox 

There’s an old French saying: “Il faut souffrir pour être belle.” Roughly translated, it means, “beauty is pain.” Although dangerous fashion trends are nothing new, sticking a needle between your eyes and injecting a deadly form of bacteria seems a bit excessive. 

Botox was originally designed to treat muscle spasms until a patient’s wrinkles suddenly disappeared. Before long, the miracle serum vials emerged as a multi-billionaire dollar business for anyone looking to defy the dreaded ravages of old age. 

According to Dr. John Paul Tutela, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York, “Botox is a cosmetic injectable neurotoxin that is a very diluted form of botulinum toxin, which is found in the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. In this diluted format, it is used to relax your muscles—typically in your forehead, in between your eyebrows, and around your eyes.”

While it’s always best to have a trained professional administer these procedures, the product has become readily available online for those looking to save a few bucks and go the DIY route. Big mistake. Even though free delivery and a BOGO (Buy One Get One) coupon can be tempting, the risk of permanently damaging your face should probably be left to the pros. 

6. Silicone Breast Implants

On November 26, 1922, famed Egyptologist Howard Carter stood at the doorway leading to the long-buried tomb of King Tutankhamun. As Carter peered into the darkness with a flickering candle, his patron, Lord Carnarvon, asked: “Can you see anything?” Carter replied: “Yes. Wonderful things. Wonderful things!”

It’s a safe bet that probably won’t be the response when graveyards like Hollywood Forever Cemetery are excavated in the distant future. Instead of golden treasures and priceless artwork, a trove of synthetic orbs will be discovered next to piles of dusty old bones. 

Breast augmentation surgery originated in the early 1960s when Drs. Frank Gerow and Thomas Cronin first invented silicone breast implants. Since then, the procedure has been performed on countless women, from porn stars to First Ladies, all seeking to be fuller-figured gals at any cost.

5. The Sport of Hurling 

Hurling is a stick and ball game steeped in ancient Irish history. Billed as the fastest sport on grass (Giancarlo Stanton may beg to differ), it combines elements of hockey, baseball, and lacrosse — or as rocker Noel Gallagher once described it, “gang war with sticks.”

Teams of 15 players square off on a rectangular grass pitch with H-shaped goals at each end, using a wooden stick (‘hurley’) and a stitched leather ball (‘slioter’) that can travel at speeds over 110 miles per hour. Goals are scored by hitting the ball into the net, which is worth three points, and putting the ball over the crossbar scores a point. 

The athletic, highly skilled game is fast-paced and played over two 35-minute halves. It’s also extremely hard-hitting. But unlike other violent contests such as Aztec and Mayan ball games, at least the losing captain isn’t sacrificed to the gods. 

4. Bleached Flour 

A staple found in most kitchens, bleached flour is a versatile foodstuff used to make many of our favorite baked goods, from bread and cakes to cookies and doughnuts. Unfortunately, it also undergoes a transformation that strips away nearly all of its nutrient value and contains the same chemicals used to disinfect swimming pools.

The production of flour dates back to prehistoric times, in which grains such as wheat are milled into a powdery meal. Later, bleaching agents (benzoyl peroxide, chlorine gas, etc.) were added to the mix to speed up the aging process, brighten the color, and create a longer shelf life. 

Although this refinement produces a softer texture resulting in moist and fluffy desserts, the loss of minerals and vitamins can impact one’s health. Furthermore, when combined with other ingredients such as sugar, oils, and preservatives typically associated with beloved processed foods, the likelihood of obesity, diabetes, and cancer is drastically increased. 

3. Thrill Rides 

The new HBO Max documentary Class Action Park “explores the legend, legacy, and truth behind the world’s most insane amusement park.” Throughout the 1980s, thrill-seekers flocked to the New Jersey attraction, where the price of admission included head injuries, broken bones, and even death by electrocution. 

From small-town carnivals to world-renowned destinations, thrill ride accidents continue to occur at an alarming rate. Roughly 30,000 amusement park-related injuries are reported each year in the US, often stemming from loose regulations, poorly-trained staff, and structural flaws. 

In 2016, a 10-year-boy was decapitated when his raft on “the world’s tallest waterslide” went airborne and hit a metal pole at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas. Murder and other criminal charges were filed against the designers and operators of the 17-story ride. The case, however, was later dismissed by the local county judge. 

2. 8-Track Tapes 

Here’s a nostalgic riddle for you: What was portable, melted like butter, and sounded terrible? If you guessed 8-track tapes, give yourself a well deserved martini while cruising down memory lane with speakers on full blast. 

As the first commercially successful platform for playing recorded music in the car, 8-tracks became wildly popular as the must have automobile accessory. Plastic cartridges contained a spool of magnetic-tape on a loop, featuring four program segments comprised of two tracks for stereo sound — hence the term “8-track.” By 1967, all Ford vehicles offered the tape player as a dash-mounted upgrade option. 

These bulky ‘carts’, however, had several shortcomings. The tape would often fade in and out, become tangled up, or simply broke. Additionally, the plastic components easily warped from being left in the player too long. After peaking in the late 1970s, 8-tracks were eventually replaced by smaller cassette tapes, which then became obsolete with the arrival of compact discs a decade later. 

1. KUWTK

Shakespeare tells us that “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Unless, of course, you’re a Kardashian, in which case a sex video and 24/7 TV cameras would lead to a global empire.  

Since 2007, the queens of reality TV have garnered fame and fortune with their hit show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians (KUWTK), revealing all the intimate ups and downs of what it’s like to be “famous for being famous.” 

Kris, the matriarch (or “momager”) of the clan, had her first brush with celebrity back in the 1990s when her ex-husband helped acquit OJ Simpson of a brutal double murder. She later married Bruce Jenner and had two more daughters, only to wind up single again when Bruce came out as a woman named Caitlyn.

The family recently announced via Instagram that the show would end in 2021 after a record-setting 20 seasons on the air. Years from now, the discovery of landfills strewn with KUWTK merchandise will undoubtedly lead to some serious head-scratching. The same goes for all those boxes of Wheaties featuring a heavily jacked decathlete who bears a striking resemblance to Caitlyn.