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Pharoah’s Little Helpers: The Shabti Funerary Statuettes of the Ancient Egyptians

Pharaoh’s Little Helpers: The Shabti Funerary Statuettes of the Ancient Egyptians

A shabti is a funerary figurine used by the ancient Egyptians. These statuettes were placed in tombs as grave goods and were believed to function as servants for the deceased in the afterlife...
One of the ivory manikins reclining on its 'bed' with all its organs placed inside. Source: RSNA

Secrets of Medicine’s Mysterious Ivory Manikins Revealed

Little is known about the origins of manikins- small anatomical sculptures thought to be used by doctors four centuries ago- but now advanced imaging techniques have offered a revealing glimpse...
An illustration of Vasilisa the Beautiful, by Ivan Bilibin.

A Freaky Fairy Tale of Ancient Folklore: Vasilisa the Beautiful and Baba Yaga

“[…] In the evening the girl laid the table and began waiting for Baba-Yaga. It grew dark. The black horseman swept by and it was night. The skulls’ eyes began to shine. The trees creaked, the dead...
Witch of Eye was burned at the stake. Fire and witch

Witch of Eye Burned Alive at the Stake: Did She Use Black Magic to Bewitch a King in a Game of Thrones-Style Plot?

For over 900 years, people have been telling stories of wicked witches who have used Black Magic to overthrow kings. Morgan Le Fay in Arthurian legends of the early 12th century is thought to have...
Nampa Image or figurine

The Nampa Figurine: 2-million-year-old Relic or Just a Hoax?

In 1889, a group of workers was searching for water near the town of Nampa in southwestern Idaho. To create a well, they drilled a borehole down about 295 feet (90 meters), at which point their steam...
Kuman Thong amulets.

Child Angels, Golden Boys, Supernatural Dolls and Necromancy in Thailand

Recently, reports of a Thai doll craze have been featured at the end of news hours, a spot typically reserved for pop culture tidbits like hijab wearing Barbies (“hijarbies”) or the birthday of the...