From A Warrior Statue In Kyrgyzstan To A Maya City In Mexico, These Are The Most Significant Historical Discoveries Of 2022

Published December 30, 2022
Updated March 12, 2024

These discoveries changed our understanding of the past — and some of them might even rewrite the history books.

History can seem like a dry topic, frozen in the pages of musty textbooks. But as these 11 history news stories from 2022 prove, history can be breathtaking, beautiful, and even bizarre.

Below, read some of the most fascinating history news stories of the year, like the examination of the centuries-old “mermaid” mummy in Japan, the allegation that George Washington had a child with an enslaved woman, the discovery of a wooden bird from Anne Boleyn’s private apartment, and more.

History News 2022
History Uncovered Podcast
Episode 53: The Most Interesting History News Of 2022
These are the most interesting news stories of 2022, from the shipwreck that may have inspired The Goonies to the Australian town that was taken over by kangaroos.

Descendants Of West Ford Claim That He’s George Washington’s Illegitimate Son

One history news story that caused significant discussion this year was the claim that George Washington had an illegitimate son, West Ford, with an enslaved woman named Venus, who worked on his brother’s plantation.

Ford’s descendants insist that there’s plenty of evidence tying Ford to Washington, the first president of the United States. For starters, Venus herself claimed that Ford’s father was “the old general.” And George Washington and his family seemed to pay special attention to West Ford.

Not only did George Washington allegedly take Ford on rides and to church, but his sister-in-law, Hannah, made a point to free Ford when she died — and only Ford. Her other 35 slaves remained in bondage.

West Ford

Getty ImagesA depiction of West Ford from Harper’s New Monthly Magazine. 1859.

But experts on George Washington have pushed back on Ford’s descendants’ allegations. Douglas Bradburn, the president and CEO of Mount Vernon, stated that George Washington “wasn’t anyone’s father.”

Ford’s descendants have argued that a DNA test could put the matter to rest, but others argue that it could only prove that Ford was fathered by a member of the Washington family, not necessarily George Washington.

Indeed, some historians think it’s more likely that West Ford’s father was Washington’s brother, John Augustine, or one of Augustine’s sons.

author
Kaleena Fraga
author
A senior staff writer for All That's Interesting since 2021 and co-host of the History Uncovered Podcast, Kaleena Fraga graduated with a dual degree in American History and French Language and Literature from Oberlin College. She previously ran the presidential history blog History First, and has had work published in The Washington Post, Gastro Obscura, and elsewhere. She has published more than 1,200 pieces on topics including history and archaeology. She is based in Brooklyn, New York.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
Based in Brooklyn, New York, John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of expertise include modern American history and the ancient Near East. In an editing career spanning 17 years, he previously served as managing editor of Elmore Magazine in New York City for seven years.
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Fraga, Kaleena. "From A Warrior Statue In Kyrgyzstan To A Maya City In Mexico, These Are The Most Significant Historical Discoveries Of 2022." AllThatsInteresting.com, December 30, 2022, https://allthatsinteresting.com/history-news-2022. Accessed July 18, 2025.