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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Representational image of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. Source: Ryan / Adobe Stock

Details of 586 BC Babylonian Destruction of Jerusalem Revealed in Fire Analysis

A team of Israeli archaeologists recently completed a study of a large building that was apparently obliterated by fire during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 586 BC. This research was unique,...
The excavation site at Sem where the large Viking Longhouse has been detected. Source: Frank Rødberg / County Municipality

Remarkably Massive Viking Longhouse Discovered in Norway

While excavating near the ruins of a 17th century royal estate near the village of Sem in the Eiker district of southeastern Norway, archaeologists unearthed dozens of ancient postholes spread around...
The Maya ruins at Copan in Honduras have stood the test of time. (bennytrapp / Adobe Stock)

Ancient Formula for Super-Durable Maya Plaster Finally Revealed

A team of scientists in Spain appear to have discovered the elusive formula for lime plaster and mortar used by the ancient Maya of Mexico and Central America. It seems that the incredibly durable...
Aerial image of the excavations in progress showing the scale of the Roman megastructure uncovered in Reims, France. Source: Yoann Rabaste / INRAP

Massive Hidden Roman Megastructure Unearthed in Reims Cemetery

Archaeologists digging in Reims, France have discovered a monumental ancient Roman complex dating back to the second to third century AD. The Roman megastructure uncovered in Reims was found complete...
The Great Wall of China. Source:  Li Ding / Adobe Stock

Ancient Reeds Whisper Secrets about China’s Great Wall

Scientists analyzing microscopic plant materials trapped within building materials on The Great Wall of China have derived volumes of information about ancient environmental and climatological...
Mongolian yurts in the summer meadows in Nalati, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.          Source: 孝通 葛 / Adobe Stock

From Nomads to Glampers: The History of the Yurt

The yurt is an early form of tent that has been in use in parts of Asia for over a millennium. Today, they are primarily associated with nomadic Mongol herders and hunters, but their use dates back...
Pinned to the side of its cliff face is the Xuan Kong Si, also known as the Hanging Monastery of Mount Heng. (Public domain)

15 Incredible Cliff Constructions from the Ancient World

Humans have created monumental constructions on cliff faces throughout the world. These striking architectural wonders have often times been inspired by the desire to come closer to the heavens or to...
Researchers found the charred remains of wooden furniture at the site of the former Astra cinema in Verona leading them to the discovery of the ancient Roman building that is now being called a "miniature Pompeii."

Roman Building Found Under Cinema in Verona A “Miniature Pompeii”

Recently, during excavations carried out in Verona, Italy under an abandoned cinema, archaeologists discovered the remains of a second-century Roman building. According to the Superintendency of...
A group of three mustatils.

Mapping Mustatils, Saudi Arabia’s 7000-Year-Old Stone Monuments

Over 7,000 years ago, people built hundreds of large stone structures in the area that is now northwest Arabia. Archaeologists have identified this act as the earliest known example of a widespread...
Pensioner Finds 800-Year-Old Bishop’s Palace in His Back Garden

Pensioner Finds 800-Year-Old Bishop’s Palace in His Back Garden

An 81-year-old retired banker’s construction plans have been halted by the discovery of a lost bishop’s palace in Wiveliscombe, Somerset, England. While archaeologists have called the Medieval ruins...
Mound to Mountain: The Evolutionary Path to Building the Great Pyramid

Mound to Mountain: The Evolutionary Path to Building the Great Pyramid

Read Part I Pyramids were built for over a millennium in ancient Egypt. During that time, we can discern a definite trend in their development, experimentation, ambition, and the peak precision in...
Mule Canyon: Ancestral Pueblo Village of the Anasazi

Mule Canyon: Ancestral Pueblo Village of the Anasazi

The Four Corners region of the United States is a unique place in North America . It is the meeting place of the four corners of Utah, Arizona , New Mexico, and Colorado . With its distinct...
Mound to Mountain: The Long Road to the Great Pyramid

Mound to Mountain: The Long Road to the Great Pyramid

Who built the Great Pyramid? Was it built by simple Egyptian farmers with mud ramps, or aliens, or a lost society from the last Ice Age? Did the ancient Egyptians inherit this massive stone building...
Luke De Garis is the apprentice who has joined forces with Martin Tyler at Dry Stone Walling Dry to learn the ancient craft of stone walling, thanks to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust. Source: Kristie De Garis

Saving the Forgotten Craft of Dry Stone Walling in Scotland

Dry stone wall building is one of Scotland’s oldest crafts, dating back as far back as 5,000 years ago, during the Neolithic period. Unfortunately, this ancient construction technique is disappearing...
Monte Albán, Oaxaca, Mexico. Source: WitR /Adobe Stock

Enormous Ancient Building Identified Beneath Monte Albán’s Main Plaza

Researchers in Mexico have discovered a vast ancient building buried beneath the Main Plaza at the ancient capital of Monte Albán. Monte Albán is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site located in...
A Buddhist monk creating a mandala

Intricacy and Reflection: Transforming Mandalas from Sacred Designs to Art Therapy

Although the word ‘Mandala’ simply means “circle” or “discoid object” in Sanskrit, the significance is far more complex. Traditionally, mandalas represented the intricacy of the universe and served...
Roman Bridge Pont du Gard in France. Credit: JackF / Adobe Stock

6 Ways Roman Engineers Were Way Ahead of Their Time

Ancient Roman engineers were able to construct many different kinds of remarkable structures which have stood the test to time. In many places around the world we can still see and admire their...
One of the so-called dragon houses (drakospita)

The Megalithic Mystery of the Greek Dragon Houses

Mt. Olympus, the Peloponnesian War, Pericles, Athens, and, of course, the Parthenon. When one considers ancient Greece, these are only a few of the topics that usually spring to mind. The heroic age...
The mounds on the Isle of Pines have remained a mystery for years.   Source: Daniela Photography/Adobe Stock

The Isle of Pines Mounds: A South Pacific Mystery Solved?

A small, picturesque, island in the French territory of New Caledonia hides a mystery that continues to defy rational explanation. More than 400 grass-covered mounds, averaging two or three meters in...
The Crooked House of Windsor. Left: From the Front. Right: From the Back

A House with a Twist: The Crooked House of Windsor’s Colorful History

The Crooked House of Windsor, also known as the Market Cross House, is a 16th century building located in the market town of Windsor, in the southeastern English county of Berkshire. As its name...
Troglodyte structures in Setenil de las Bodegas in Cadiz Province, Spain.

Setenil de las Bodegas: Troglodyte Buildings in a Quaint Spanish Town

Setenil de las Bodegas is a town located in Cádiz, a province in the southern part of Spain. The current town dates back to the 15th century AD, when the Moors who occupied it were expelled during...
Scientists Settle Wilson’s Arch Debate Pinpointing Temple Mount Origin

Scientists Settle Wilson’s Arch Debate Pinpointing Temple Mount Origin

Historians and archaeologists have long argued about when exactly “Wilson’s Arch” in Jerusalem was built, with their estimates varying by 700 years. But now, a new cuttng-edge C14 testing method...
Göbekli Tepe’s construction secrets may be tied to the stars. (Deriv.) Source: Brian Weed /Adobe Stock

Scrutiny of Göbekli Tepe’s Construction Reveals Celestial Secrets

Recently, it was announced that two Israeli archaeologists have detected what they consider to be an underlying geometry included in Göbekli Tepe’s construction. Gil Haklay and Avi Gopher, from Tel...
Pietraperzia, an example of one of the pyramids in Sicily. Source: Università degli studi di Catania

Pyramids in Sicily: Forgotten Remnants of the Sea Peoples?

There is a fascinating architectural structure that comes to us from the distant past. It is found almost everywhere on Earth and many independent researchers propose a unique cultural origin for its...

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