Overview

Historical sleuthing involves a variety methods to get to the bottom of a case.

Discover how to be a history detective with these guides that give you the all the information, tips and trade secrets to help solve your own historical mysteries.

Appraising

Look closely and see: An appraisal is a formal estimation of the provenance, veracity, significance, and in some cases, value of something.
Also see: Appraisal Glossary

Analyzing Art

Rogue's gallery: Get the big picture on detection and identification.

Ballistics

Aim to find out: You can collect clues and evidence from bullets and firearms.
Weapon dating: These techniques determine the age, origin or authenticity of a weapon.

Building Background

Under cover: Investigate the history of buildings.
Property search: Find out more about locating land records and sources.

Document Examination

See the signs: Documents are examined from three different aspects: historical, scientific, and stylistic.
Paper analysis: Looking closely you can determine age, make-up and origin.
Printed items: How to examine documents and personal papers.

Finding Experts

The right person: One of the most important aspects of any investigation is finding the best expert in their field to consult.

Forensic Anthropology

Science of the dead: Analyzing human remains can reveal the identity, age and cause of death.

Genealogy

Investigating family: Finding out more about where you came from is a popular passion for many.
Where to start: A step-by-step guide.
Oral history: Tips for recording spoken history before it is too late.
Searching the census: This is a great place to get considerable detail about individuals.
African-American genealogy: Reaching back can be challenging, but a host of tools are available if you know where to look.
Sample the technique: DNA analysis can prove kinship and ethnic origin.

Geological Analysis

Rock stories : Using scientific techniques, investigators can learn where, when, and how stone and clay artifacts were made.
Stones & minerals: Find out how to identify a type of rock or mineral.

Historical Research

Checking out: Factual records and sources can help to pin down facts.
Searching through history: Archives are a treasure trove of material.

Military History

Fighting forebears: How to target official military records to find out more about soldiers and their wwar experience.

Patent Search

Patently obvious: Find out the origin and detail surrounding an invention or innovation.

Photographs

Picture perfect: How to investigate photographs and their provenance.

Preservation

Fading away: Learn how to protect fragile family treasures.

Textile Analysis

Material worth: Analyze textiles and materials to determine their age and source.

Timber Dating

Dead wood: Determine the absolute age of wood and organic artifacts.

Tracking People

Skeletons in the closet: It takes tenacity and patience to research a person, but the payoff can often be dramatic and surprising.

Very Old Objects

Back in time: Investigating old objects can take you on a journey that predates history itself

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