All  

Store Banner Mobile

Store Banner Mobile

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 Octavius ghost ship remains an unsolved mystery. Source: psychoshadow / Adobe Stock

The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship

There are many strange mysteries that reside in history, but one of the most unsettling is that of the Octavius ghost ship . Discovered along the coast of Greenland in 1775, the Octavius had no...
The complex Mesoamerican calendars have fascinated for centuries. New LiDar surveys provide evidence that they were used much earlier than previously thought. Source: Frenta / Adobe Stock

Lasers Map Mysteries of the Maya Calendar, Centuries Older than Thought

Renowned for their precision, vision, and place in time, Mesoamerican calendars have long been held up as an example of the early advancement of the civilizations of the indigenous people of North,...
Winter Solstice at Mnajdra Temple in Malta. Source: Declan Hillman / Adobe Stock

Eight of the Oldest Temples in the Ancient World

Since the earliest days of human civilization, humans have worshipped gods and built temples in their honor. Today, many of these impressive structures are still standing, a testament to the...
A CGI representation of the Pool of Siloam as it once would have been. Source: Israel Antiquities Authority Screenshot

Pool of Siloam Where Jesus Healed a Blind Man To Be Fully Excavated

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has announced that the 2,700-year-old Pool of Siloam, which is believed to have been used as a ritual bath by the ancient residents of Jerusalem, will be fully...
The plague of Athens killed between 25-33% of the ancient city’s population, yet what happened is still a mystery. This oil painting by Michael Sweerts, circa 1652, is called “Plague in an Ancient City,” and some scholars interpret it as a depiction of the Athenian plague that broke out in 430 B.C. Source: Public Domain

The Plague of Athens Killed Over a Quarter of the City's Population

Pandemics and plagues seem to be the flavor of this decade, occurring at regular intervals throughout history. Some pandemics have been nipped in the bud due to effective collective action or by...
The world’s oldest brewery is located in Bavaria, Germany, established by Benedictine monks. Cellar scene with happy monks by Simony Jenson, 1904. Source: Public Domain

Weihenstephan: The Oldest Brewery in the World?

Humans have been making beer for thousands of years, but the oldest brewery still in existence wasn’t built until the 11th century. The Weihenstephan Brewery was founded in Freising, Germany in 1040...
One of two mirrored temples at Ek’ Balam called Los Gemelos (The Twins)	 Source: Jose Ignacio Soto / Adobe Stock

Ek' Balam: Haunting Ruins of an Abandoned Maya Kingdom

One of the most fascinating archaeological sites in Central America is Ek’ Balam. Ek’ Balam is found in Temozón, Yucatán, Mexico in the Northern Maya lowlands, several miles northeast of Chichen Itza...
Scenes of the evacuation and flood of Petra historic site. Source: Twitter Screenshot

Petra Historic World Heritage Site Blasted By Flash Floods

In another case of nature’s wrath rearing its head, flash floods have struck the iconic world heritage site at Petra, Jordan, forcing the evacuation of 1,700 tourists . A whopping 66 millimeters of...
Aerial view of Uşaklı Höyük excavations. At the bottom center, the circular structure, a further clue as to whether this is the holy city of Zippalanda, found during the 2022 excavation campaign is visible.	Source: Emanuele Taccola/University of Pisa

Closer Still To Identifying The Lost City Of Zippalanda

4,000-year-old Hittite texts speak of the lost cultic centre of Zippalanda, somewhere in modern Turkey. Now, new discoveries at the Uşaklı Höyüy site further suggest this was the ancient holy city...
Representative image shows the reconstruction of a Viking Hall at Lofotr Viking museum, Borg, Norway. Source: Jon Olav Eikenes/CC BY 2.0

Harald Bluetooth Era Viking Hall Discovered in Denmark

When archaeologists in Denmark identified the foundations of a huge Viking hall they knew they’d hit archaeological paydirt. But they didn’t expect that this building would be the largest Viking hall...
Relief inscription fragment, God statue and cloak pin found at the extensive Herwen-Hemeling Roman sanctuary site. Source: RAAP

Roman Temples and Sacred Stones Unearthed in the Netherlands

The discovery of this ancient sacred site was described as “special” no less than seven times in the Dutch archaeologist’s press release. Inside one of the intact Roman temples the excavators...
Men an Tol small formation of standing stones in Cornwall, UK. Source: Sacredsites.com

Stunning Sacred Megalithic Sites of Britain

More than nine hundred stone circles exist in the British Isles and twice that number may originally have been built. These megalithic structures are more accurately called rings rather than circles...
Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec god of the dead, was quite busy in 15th century. The cocoliztli epidemic may have killed up to 15 million people! Source: Ivan / Adobe Stock

What was the Deadly Cocoliztli Disease that Decimated Aztec Society?

When the Spanish crossed the Atlantic and started arriving in hordes to begin their conquest and plunder of the Americas, they had a weapon in their arsenal that they had not anticipated: disease...
The columns of the Hypostyle Hall at the Karnak temple complex in Egypt. Source: whatafoto / Adobe Stock

The Awe-Inspiring Karnak Temple Complex and Vatican of Ancient Egypt

Karnak in Egypt is the largest known religious complex on Earth located on the east side of the River Nile at the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes. Referred to as the Vatican of ancient Egypt, many...
Interior of the tomb purported to be that of Holly Salome in Israel.	Source: Israeli Antiquities Authority

Is This Really the Lost Cave Tomb of Holy Salome?

In the days leading up to the biggest Holy Day (holiday) of the Christian year, celebrating the birth of Christ, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) have announced “the cave of Holy Salome,' the...
Windsor Castle from the Long Walk at sunset.  Source: Diliff / CC BY SA 3.0

Windsor Castle Through the Ages: Embodiment of 1,000 Years of British History

Windsor Castle, located in Berkshire, England has always had close ties to the British royal family. Originally built in the 11th century AD, the castle has seen numerous renovations over the years...
Representation of a medieval hall - The Temperate and the Intemperate: Miniature from Valerius Maximus, Faits et dits mémorables des romains, translation by Simon de Hesdin and Nicolas de Gonesse of Facta et dicta memorabilia, about 1475–1480. Source: Master of the Dresden Prayer Book /Getty

Medieval Great Halls Were at the Heart of the Festive Season

Giles Gasper /The Conversation The great hall is one of the most enduring images from the Middle Ages – and with good reason. Surviving written sources as well as archaeological and architectural...
You can find beautiful, fairy-tale like Christmas markets around Europe, with many dating back hundreds of years. The picturesque Gdansk, Poland Christmas market shown.          Source: Patryk Kosmider / Adobe Stock

Looking for Christmas Cheer? Six of the Oldest (and Best) Christmas Markets in Europe

If you visit any large European town or city during December, there’s a very good chance you’ll see a Christmas market. The traditional Christmas market is a centuries-old European tradition, and it...
Cahuachi pyramid at Nazca, Peru.	Source: Daniel Prudek/Adobe Stock

Cahuachi Necropolis, Sacred Burial Ground of the Nazca

We can learn a lot about a civilization from how it treated its dead. The Nazca of Peru, for example, often carried their dead to Cahuachi, an important religious center, to be buried. Even though...
Egyptian mummified cat. Source: Andrea Izzotti / Adobe Stock

13 of the Coolest (and Creepiest!) Egyptian Animal Mummies

Ancient Egypt is well-known for its practice of mummification, but few realize the monumental scale in which they also mummified animals. A staggering 70 million mummified cats, dogs, birds, rodents...
The 13th century medieval Kelburn Castle in Scotland received a colourful graffiti makeover in 2007.	Source: Andreas Flohr / CC BY NC ND 2.0

Why is the 13th Century Kelburn Castle covered in Colorful Graffiti?

Kelburn Castle is one of the oldest castles still standing in Scotland. Located in Fairlie, North Ayrshire, Kelburn Castle has a rich history that dates back to the 13th century. Now, however, it is...
A chapel to worship St Erasmus has been discovered at Westminster Abbey, shown here. Source: Richie Chan / Adobe Stock

Lost Medieval Chapel Sheds Light on Royal Burials at Westminster Abbey

New evidence, helping to form a 15th century reconstruction of part of Westminster Abbey, demonstrates how a section of the building was once the focus for the royal family’s devotion to the cult of...
The 2022 excavations from the air, illustrating the scale and variety of the trenches examined, to enable a broader understanding of the villa complex. Source: © Historic England

Luxury Bath Spa At Rutland Villa Was A Roman Barn Conversion

Last year archaeologists in the UK unearthed a rare Roman mosaic at a luxury 3rd century villa. Now, further excavations have revealed an “early barn conversion” with underfloor heating and a bespoke...
Visiting mythical places, like the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland pictured, helps us connect with our past, as well as nature. Source: drimafilm / Adobe Stock

Live the Legend: 8 Mythical Places That Actually Exist

When it comes to ancient mythology it can sometimes be difficult to separate fact from fiction. While most myths are obviously fictional, they often contain at least a grain of truth. The ancients...

Pages