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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Artifacts

There are undoubtedly millions of ancient artifacts from the past that have served to shed light on the lives of our ancestors from many millennia ago. But some ancient mystical artifacts stand out for their uniqueness, their intrigue, or their ability to expand our knowledge about previously unknown aspects of our history. Here we feature many such ancient history artifacts, from amazing examples of ancient technology, to artistic masterpieces, unexplained objects, ancient texts, and mysterious artifacts that shed light on the daily lives of our ancestors.

Coin sword made of an iron rod with Chinese cash coins of the 19th century tied to it with red and green string in the shape of a sword, with hanging ornaments. Source: British Museum / CC BY NC SA 4.0
25 December, 2022 - 17:32 Lex Leigh

Ancient Chinese Coin Swords: Demon Fighting Weapons of the East

One of the most fascinating discoveries from ancient China are coin swords. Coin swords, also known as cash swords, are an ancient type of feng shui talisman that has been around since the Qing...
Some of the objects that were dug out from the Viking grave in Oslo. The box on the left contains the remains of the cape brooch with spheres. Source: Byantikvaren in Oslo
23 December, 2022 - 21:52 ashley cowie

Very Rare Viking Grave Excavated in Western Oslo

An exceptionally rare Viking Age grave has been unearthed in Oslo, Norway’s capital city. The Viking Age (793–1066 AD) followed the Migration Period and the Germanic Iron Age in Europe . At this time...
Gold Inca mask. Source: Carlos Santa Maria / Adobe Stock
23 December, 2022 - 13:48 Joanna Gillan

12 Absolutely Amazing Artifacts of the Inca

The Inca Empire was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. From their capital, Cuzco, in the central Peruvian Andes, the empire stretched over 2,400 miles (3860 kilometers) along the length of...
Interview of Richard II and Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester. The nephew and uncle were longtime rivals. Source: Public Domain
22 December, 2022 - 21:50 Robbie Mitchell

Thomas of Woodstock and Shakespeare's Twisted History

William Shakespeare wrote ten history plays. Of these, one of the most famous is Richard II . The play Richard II , written around 1595, is based on the rule of King Richard II (reign 1377-1399), but...
The Turkey-based project has brought the smells of ancient Mesopotamian perfume back to life. Source: Marc Da Matisse / Adobe Stock
21 December, 2022 - 00:57 Sahir

Perfumers in Turkey Replicate a 3,200-Year-Old Mesopotamian Perfume

A group of perfumers have come together to recreate an ancient Mesopotamian perfume formula. Originally made 3,200 years ago, they have replicated a fragrance from what has come to be known as the...
Windsor Castle from the Long Walk at sunset. Source: Diliff / CC BY SA 3.0
20 December, 2022 - 14:00 Robbie Mitchell

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...
The hoard of fifteen tetradrachm were found in a wooden container lined with sheepskin and cloth (Israel Antiquities Authority)
19 December, 2022 - 13:59 ashley cowie

Coins Minted by Egyptian King Ptolemy VI Found in Desert Cave

Archaeologists in the Judean desert have unearthed a small wooden box lined with sheepskin and a purple cloth. Within it, they discovered fifteen rare coins minted by Egyptian King Ptolemy VI,...
Representational image of the traces of gold discovered on the surfaces of tools that made up a 3,800-year-old toolkit found near Stonehenge over 200 years ago. Source: ninell / Adobe Stock
16 December, 2022 - 00:00 Nathan Falde

3,800-Year-Old Toolkit Unearthed Near Stonehenge Was Used to Work Gold

A team of archaeologists from the Universities of Leicester and Southampton in the United Kingdom have just published a study reporting that enigmatic artifacts recovered from a significant Bronze...
A page from an 18th-century copy of the Dhātupāṭha of Pāṇini (MS Add.2351) held by Cambridge University Library. Source: © Cambridge University Library/CC BY-NC 3.0
15 December, 2022 - 21:56 ashley cowie

2,500-Year-Old ‘Language Machine’ Is Finally Decoded

A grammatical puzzle from ancient India has baffled scholars for 2,500 years. Now, a Cambridge scientist has finally cracked the meta-code underlying the ancient ‘language machine’. Pāṇini was a...
A large axe-grinding stone near Balfron in Scotland is where Neolithic toolmakers sharpened stone axes thousands of years ago. Source: Dr. Murray Cook
15 December, 2022 - 02:00 ashley cowie

Ancient Giant Axe-Grinding Stone Unearthed in Scotland

Archaeologists and volunteers examining a 4,500-year-old Neolithic site near Balfron, beside Stirling in Central Scotland, recently rolled back turf and revealed a giant slab of sandstone. Marked...
Avian artwork reproduced in facsimile painting from the Green Room found at Amarna’s North Palace. Source: Public domain
14 December, 2022 - 23:59 ashley cowie

Exquisite Avian Artwork Created Sensory Relaxation Chamber for Egyptian Queen

Back in the 1920s, archaeologists working at Amarna’s North Palace in Egypt uncovered a “masterpiece of ancient Egyptian art.” This was the palace of Meritaten, the daughter of Pharaoh Akhenaten and...
Ring bearing hieroglyphs found at Tel el-Amarna excavation. Source: MOTA
14 December, 2022 - 22:00 Sahir

Intriguing Collection of Gold Jewelry Found at Amarna Burial

An Egyptian-English mission excavating a necropolis at Tel el-Amarna in Egypt has uncovered the burial of a young woman wrapped in textile and plant fiber matting. She carried a full complement of...
Roman mosaic being excavated at the villa of Publius Vedius Pollio at Posillipo. Source: University of Naples "L'Orientale"
14 December, 2022 - 13:48 ashley cowie

Roman Mosaic Unearthed in Ancient Slave Monster’s Villa

At a luxury seaside villa at Posillipo near Naples, researchers have unearthed an ancient Roman mosaic which once decorated the home of a horrific and horrendous Roman tyrant known as Publius Vedius...
St. Patrick’s Bell (left) is a simple design. The shrine (right) later designed to cover it is quite intricate. Source: National Museum of Ireland / CC BY SA 2.0
11 December, 2022 - 22:00 Mark Brophy

St. Patrick’s Bell: The Story of an Iconic Irish Artifact

Ireland is home to many iconic historical artifacts and objects, from the Book of Kells to the Tara Brooch. Many of these items are beautifully designed but shrouded in mystery. Others have a long...
Ornamented Skull. The shell and pyrite insets into the sockets must bring some life back into these skulls, but the blades pushed into the nasal cavity and mouth have been suggested to cut off the human's vital breath. The skull covered with stones was probably worn by a priest as a mask. (Denis Jarvis / CC by SA 2.0)
10 December, 2022 - 17:59 Joanna Gillan

16 Creepy Masks Made from Real Human Skulls

How would you feel placing a mask on your face that was made from a real human skull? Would you feel differently if it were the skull of a family member, or perhaps an enemy? For many ancient people...
A door sill from the palace of King Adad-Nirari III, at Nimrud. Source: Michael Danti/
10 December, 2022 - 13:55 Sahir

Archaeologists Salvage Inscribed Palace Door Threshold at City of Nimrud

A 6.5-foot (2 meters)-high threshold stone from the 9th and 8th century BC has been unearthed by archaeologists at the ancient Iraqi city of Nimrud. This is the first major excavation at the site...
Did an ancient Greek courtesan write the first sex guide? Harem Scene, oil painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme, 1848. Source: Public Domain
10 December, 2022 - 00:59 Sahir

Filthy Philaenis? The Ancient Mediterranean Sex Guide that Steamed Up the West

Often referred to as the author of the Mediterranean Kama Sutra , little is known about Philaenis of Samos, who likely wrote this work around the 4th century BC. She is the most mentioned author of...
Ancient Bullet With ‘Victory’ Inscription Uncovered in Israel
9 December, 2022 - 17:52 Sahir

Ancient Bullet With ‘Victory’ Inscription Uncovered in Israel

A lead sling bullet from the Hellenistic period with a Greek inscription proclaiming victory in battle, has been discovered in Israel. Dated to 2,200 years old, it was excavated in Yavne, and bears...
The Mary, Queen of Scots casket was purchased by the Scottish government in 2022 and is now on display.
9 December, 2022 - 13:53 Mark Brophy

The Beautiful Casket that Killed Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary I of Scotland, or Mary, Queen of Scots is one of the most iconic monarchs in British history. She had an incredible impact on both Scottish and English history, and her life was one of tragedy,...
The intricately carved Mughal Emerald is an impressive example of the skilled gem carvings of the time. Source: Museum of Islamic Art Twitter
9 December, 2022 - 00:52 adrianrodriguez

The Mughal Emerald: The World’s Largest Engraved Emerald

Precious jewels have been symbols of wealth and status for thousands of years. From rubies to sapphires to emeralds, societies all across the world have desired these stones for their use in...
Sayburç relief in Turkey shows men in combat with animals and is the oldest narrative scene on record. Source: K. Akdemir/Antiquity Publications Ltd
8 December, 2022 - 17:10 Sahir

Oldest Narrative Scene: A Man, Holding His Penis, and Fighting Leopards!

An 11,000-year-old carving from a Neolithic bench in south-eastern Turkey maybe the world’s oldest narrative scene. It depicts menacing leopards, amongst other animals, flanking two men, one of whom...
One of the long sides of the Hagia Triada Sarcophagus, showing Minoan burial practices Source: Deyan Vasilev / CC BY SA 3.0
4 December, 2022 - 17:58 Lex Leigh

Magnificent Hagia Triada Sarcophagus Reflects Minoan Death Culture

One of the most fascinating of the many discoveries to come from the island of Crete is the Hagia Triada Sarcophagus. This beautiful ancient artifact was discovered in 1903 in a chamber tomb in Hagia...
The Kalmar sword in situ where it was found. The tip is broken. Maybe in connection with battle? Source: Arkeologerna
3 December, 2022 - 02:00 ashley cowie

This Rare Battle-Sword Just Found in Sweden Is “An Evolutionary Leap”

Researchers in Sweden were excavating a 400-year-old cellar floor when they came across this “rare” battle-sword from the Military Revolution. Archaeologists from Arkeologerna were digging at the...
Hair rings (top left), a pin (bottom left), necklaces (middle) and a choker (bottom right) were among a total of 26 gold objects from Poliochni on Lemnos examined by the international research team. Source: Christoph Schwall / ÖAI Wien
2 December, 2022 - 13:58 ashley cowie

Treasure Melting Laser Reveals Legacy of Ancient Alchemists

After a handheld laser “melted” into a collection of ancient gold jewelry a team of scientists discovered microbic evidence of an early Bronze Age trade route extending from Anatolia as far as the...

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