Ancient Places

Ancient places can be found all over the world. Their fascinating histories and impressive artifacts open intriguing glimpses to times past, and visiting such ancient places in the world can be an unforgettable experience.

Science is constantly discovering new archaeological places and uncovering more evidence into what we once thought we knew about our history, therefore offering new pieces to the ever changing puzzle of humanity’s past and altering how we interpret it. This section will present the most interesting archaeological sites all over the world, as well as new discoveries of ancient places that are worth paying a visit.

The Pictish ring photographed by National Museums Scotland

4 September, 2024 - 17:51 Gary Manners

'Remarkable' Pictish Ring Uncovered at Burghead Fort After Over 1,000 Years

A ‘remarkable’ Pictish ring, untouched for over a millennium, has been discovered at the ancient Burghead Fort in Moray, Scotland, during a dig led by the University of Aberdeen. Found by volunteer...

Masada showing the siege ramp built by the Roman army

4 September, 2024 - 15:14 Sahir

Unbelievable Revelation that the Roman Siege of Masada Lasted Weeks, Not Years

A new archaeological study has come to some incredible conclusions on the dramatic Roman siege of Masada, the legendary stronghold which served as the stage for the last stand of Jewish rebels...

Napoleon Bonaparte before the Sphinx.

3 September, 2024 - 21:14 Walker Ramspott

Invasion of Egypt: How Napoleon's Desert Campaigns Birthed Egyptology

A long while before Indiana Jones was depicted discovering the Ark of the Covenant in Cairo in that famous franchise, a young, ambitious, French soldier by the name of Napoleon Bonaparte invaded...

Bronze Age Structures Buried Intentionally by Cult in 3,000 BC in Anatolia

3 September, 2024 - 14:54 Nathan Falde

Bronze Age Structures Buried Intentionally by Cult in 3,000 BC in Anatolia

During excavations at the Küllüoba Mound site in the city of Eskişehir in central Anatolia , Turkey, archaeologists have unearthed ruins associated with an ancient cult that may have roots going as...

1729 map of New England, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Known among cartographic historic as the “Post Map”, this is Herman Moll’s important 1729 map of New England and the adjacent colonies.

2 September, 2024 - 22:44 JasonS

330 Years of Unknown History: The Oldest Road in the US Surfaces

Often, there are hidden truths and old tales that get lost with each generation. As such, there is an untold story about the United States that begins in the 1600s. Prior to English entrepreneur and...

2nd Millenium BC Megalithic Structure - A Sacred Place for Gold Miners?

2 September, 2024 - 20:36 Sahir

2nd Millenium BC Megalithic Structure - A Sacred Place for Gold Miners?

A team of adventurous researchers has revealed the findings of their study on a remarkable megalithic monument discovered in the picturesque Burabay district of Kazakhstan’s Akmola region. This...

Donkey Motif At Karahan Tepe Adds New Layer to Life at the Site

2 September, 2024 - 15:32 Gary Manners

Donkey Motif At Karahan Tepe Adds New Layer to Life at the Site

A recent excavation at Karahan Tepe, a significant Pre-Pottery Neolithic site in southeast Türkiye, has unveiled a fascinating artifact: the figure of a running wild donkey carved on a stone. This...

DNA Reveals Secrets of Cave-dwelling Medieval Community

1 September, 2024 - 17:42 ancient origins

DNA Reveals Secrets of Cave-dwelling Medieval Community

By Anders Götherström & Ricardo Rodriguez Varela /The Conversation In a new study, we have sequenced DNA from a Christian community in medieval Spain that lived in artificial caves carved into a...

Roman Camp Discovered High in the Swiss Alps

1 September, 2024 - 14:53 Gary Manners

Roman Camp Discovered High in the Swiss Alps

A previously unknown Roman military camp has been discovered at a high-altitude location in Graubünden, Switzerland, shedding new light on the Roman military presence in the region. Situated at...

Casas Grandes at Paquimé: Revealing a Center of Ancient America

31 August, 2024 - 21:02 Aleksa Vučković

Casas Grandes at Paquimé: Revealing a Center of Ancient America

Much of the prehistory of Mesoamerica is veiled in deep mystery, with just hints of the life of ancient societies. But some sites that persevered through the centuries help us paint a better picture...

Ai generated image of builders on the Giza plateau.

30 August, 2024 - 21:19 Nathan Falde

Egyptian Workers Who Built Pyramids of Giza Exposed to Dangerous Toxins

While there are still uncertainties about how exactly the three gigantic pyramids on Egypt’s Giza Plateau were built, no one doubts that the work involved was intensive and difficult. But as revealed...

Diver at the Genovesa Cave, Mallorca.

30 August, 2024 - 17:49 ancient origins

Submerged Ancient Bridge Discovered in a Spanish Cave Changes Timeline

By Cassidy Delamarter , University of South Florida A new study led by the University of South Florida has shed light on the human colonization of the western Mediterranean, revealing that humans...

30 August, 2024 - 12:30 ashley cowie

Podcast: History Fuzz: Episode 01: Professor Giulio Magli. Intentionality vs Chance in Archaeoastronomy

In this episode, I interview Professor Giulio Magli, a leading astrophysicist and archaeoastronomer who heads the Department of Mathematics at the Polytechnic University of Milan. Magli, a prominent...

29 August, 2024 - 13:30 ashley cowie

Podcast: History Fuzz: Episode 00: Ashley Cowie. Introduction. Delineating the Show Themes, Structure, and Schedule

Ancient Origins Premium is now featuring select episodes of the History Fuzz Podcast hosted by historian, adventurer, author, broadcaster, Ashley Cowie! Each episode will be featured bi-weekly and...

Composite image showing Tatiana Rodríguez from La Chichería in Cuenca, Ecuador, and images from her recipe for Tamales taken by Cecilia Bogaard.

29 August, 2024 - 12:30 Cecilia Bogaard

Tamales: Honoring Tradition and Resilience in Ecuadorian Cuisine

Popular throughout Central and South America, the tamal is a traditional dish made from ground corn filled with a variety of ingredients, wrapped in leaves, and steamed until cooked. Believed to have...

Figure of Greek mythology’s goddess Demeter appearing on the ceiling of one of the Roman era tombs in Ashkelon.

28 August, 2024 - 17:08 Gary Manners

Impressive Roman-Era Frescoes Unveiled in Ashkelon

Ashkelon, one of Israel's oldest cities, has just unveiled a remarkable archaeological discovery—two Roman-era vaulted tombs adorned with stunning wall paintings. These artworks, depicting Greek...

Temple of Athena Pronaia in ancient Delphi, Greece.

28 August, 2024 - 12:30 Jessica Nadeau

Divine Deceit: Corruption at the Temple of Apollo, Delphi

As a god of many things, Apollo was also the god of prophecy. For many years, he wandered in search of a place fit for his oracles. Under the guidance of a nymph, he made his way to the slopes of...

Iron & Viking-Age Mortuary Houses Unearthed Devoid of Remains

27 August, 2024 - 17:46 Sahir

Iron & Viking-Age Mortuary Houses Unearthed Devoid of Remains

Archaeologists have unearthed an extraordinary piece of history, right beneath the ground of a quaint village of Vinjeøra in central Norway. They have found three ancient mortuary houses dating back...

Discovery of Lost Uyghur City in Mongolia Fuels Geopolitical Wrangling with China

27 August, 2024 - 14:49 Nathan Falde

Discovery of Lost Uyghur City in Mongolia Fuels Geopolitical Wrangling with China

During an expedition in Mongolia’s Tuul Valley, a team of archaeologists from Turkey and Mongolia unearthed evidence that establishes the true location of the legendary ancient city of Togu Balik...

Fossils Offer Fresh Clues About How and When Humans First Moved into the Pacific

26 August, 2024 - 17:46 ancient origins

Fossils Offer Fresh Clues About How and When Humans First Moved into the Pacific

By Dylan Gaffney & Daud Aris Tanudirjo /The Conversation In the deep human past, highly skilled seafarers made daring crossings from Asia to the Pacific Islands. It was a migration of global...

Goats surrounding a yurt in Mongolia.

26 August, 2024 - 12:30 Aleksa Vučković

Nomadic Tribes of the Eurasian Steppes: Lifestyle and Impacts on Settled Societies

The Eurasian steppes, a vast expanse of grassland stretching from Eastern Europe to Central Asia, have long been the domain of nomadic tribes whose lifestyles and movements have profoundly impacted...

3,800-Year-Old Ruins of Water Worshipping Cult Uncovered in Andean Peru!

25 August, 2024 - 14:57 Sahir

3,800-Year-Old Ruins of Water Worshipping Cult Uncovered in Andean Peru!

In the ancient, high desert lands of northwest Peru, it’s easy to see why water was more than just a necessity - it was practically divine. Nestled in the Andes, yet surrounded by arid terrain, water...

Astronomical Observatory in Kafr El-Sheikh Unveils Advanced Knowledge of the Cosmos

24 August, 2024 - 20:32 Gary Manners

Astronomical Observatory in Kafr El-Sheikh Unveils Advanced Knowledge of the Cosmos

In a exciting archaeological discovery, the Egyptian archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities has uncovered what is believed to be the first and largest astronomical observatory...

The Peutinger Map showing Antioch, Alexandria and Seleucia in the 4th century

23 August, 2024 - 22:16 Aleksa Vučković

Principality of Antioch, the Pillar of the Crusader States

For a long period, the Crusaders coveted the reclamation of the Holy Lands in the Middle East. Fueled by their religious devotion, they spent many generations vying for power and freedom in those...

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