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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ Mobile

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Tribe of four ancient humans wearing animal skin.  Source: Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock

When Did Humans Stop Being Naked? (Video)

The origins of clothing are shrouded in the challenges of preservation, yet traces of ancient textiles provide glimpses into our sartorial past. In 1913, during an Egyptian excavation, William...
A Roman wearing Tyrian purple. Source: AI generated.

Roman Citizens Could Be Punished with Exile for Wearing Purple

The ancient Roman Empire was not only a marvel of architecture, politics, and warfare but also a hub of societal regulations and fashion statements. One might believe that the color of a garment...
Indigo dye. Source: Thirawatana / Adobe Stock.

The Link Between Japanese Samurai and Real Indigo (Video)

Within the captivating tapestry of Japanese history , a fascinating link emerges between Samurai culture and the realm of real indigo. Tucked away in Tokushima, Japan, a region steeped in tradition,...
Traditional kimono making, Okinawa. Source: YouTube Screenshot / Great Big Story.

The Kimono World’s Dirty Little Secret (Video)

Amidst the tranquil landscapes of Amami Ōshima, an island near Okinawa , Japan, an ancient tradition thrives—one that transforms mud and aged tree trunks into exquisite kimonos, each bearing the mark...
Forbes pigment collection. Source: YouTube Screenshot / Great Big Story.

Forbes Pigment Collection: The World's Rarest and Most Ancient Colors (Video)

Amid the vast palette of colors that grace our world, some hues have more intriguing origins than others. Nestled within Harvard University lies the Forbes pigment collection, a treasury of...
Turkish artist Garip Ay producing ebru water art. Source: YouTube Screenshot / Great Big Story)

The Ancient Turkish Art of Painting on Water (Video)

We’ve all heard of watercolor painting but what about painting on water? Few artworks are as unique as those produced by the Turkish artist Garip Ay who masterfully resurrects the ancient technique...
Tyrian purple is made from the murex snail. Source: CrisMc / Adobe Stock.

Tyrian Purple: The Secret Process Behind the World’s Most Expensive Dye (Video)

Tyrian purple is an ancient and rare dye that is derived from the murex snail, which is found in the Mediterranean Sea. The process of extracting the dye is complex and labor-intensive, requiring a...
The oldest piece of tartan ever found in Scotland was created in the 16th century. Source: Alan Richardson / V&A Dundee

Peat Bog Yields Oldest Known Scottish Tartan Fabric

A thin but intact square of old fabric removed from a Highland peat bog four decades ago is likely the oldest tartan ever found in Scotland, a new battery of tests has revealed. It is estimated that...
Archaeologists Strike 3000-Year-Old “Royal Purple” In Israel Dig

Archaeologists Strike 3000-Year-Old “Royal Purple” In Israel Dig

Rare 3,000-year-old samples of “royal purple” have been discovered at Timna dating to the biblical reigns of King David and Solomon. A team of researchers led by the Israel Antiquities Authority was...
An Edo period painting showing a woman with teeth stained black by the practice of Ohaguro.

The Allure of Blackened Teeth: A Traditional Japanese Sign of Beauty

Ohaguro (which may be translated as ‘blackened teeth’) is a practice in which people (usually women) dye their teeth black. While this custom is known to be practiced in different parts of the world...
Medieval manuscript. Credit: Andrzej Solnica / Adobe Stock

Experts Solve 1000-Year-Old Mystery of Rare Medieval Blue Ink

Portuguese researchers believe that they have identified the long-lost process and plant that provided a unique purple-blue pigment in the Middle Ages . This was used to color many things including...
Left: bird’s eye view shot of the excavation site, and right: Minoan treasure / gold ring unearthed at site.        Source: Greece Ministry of Culture and Sports

New Minoan Hoard Proves Snails Were Lucrative

Archaeologists working on an uninhabited island off Crete have made a series of amazing discoveries. They have uncovered a Minoan treasure trove linked to the production of a prized purple dye in...
Scraping hides at the Chouara Tannery, the largest of the Fez’s leather tanneries and the oldest in the world.

The Ancient and Vibrant Leather Tanneries of Fez, Morocco

Fez is one of the most important cities in Morocco. Located in the northern part of the country, this ancient city served as Morocco’s capital for centuries. The historic part of the city, known also...
A Jewish prayer shawl adorned with ritual tassels that contain tekhelet-dyed threads.

Piece of Ancient Fabric Revealed True Source of Biblical Blue Dye Lost for 1,300 Years

An ancient blue dye, known as tekhelet, once adorned the precious robes of kings, priests, and high-ranking Jews. But around two millennia ago, this highly-valued commodity became lost to the pages...
Think Your Blue Jeans Are Faded? Compare Them to This 6000-Year-Old Textile Found in Peru

Think Your Blue Jeans Are Faded? Compare Them to This 6000-Year-Old Textile Found in Peru

Although denim jeans in their modern form are an invention from the late 1800s, the process of dying cotton with indigo is a technique that dates back thousands of years. Previously acknowledged as...
Fermented Urine Dye Discovered in One of the Oldest Illuminated Manuscripts

Fermented Urine Dye Discovered in One of the Oldest Illuminated Manuscripts

A mixture of urine and weeds has been discovered in the dye used on the stunning 1,500-year-old Byzantine text known as the Codex Purpureus Rossanensis, one of the oldest surviving illuminated...
New Research Shows that Some Ancient Egyptians Were Naturally Fair-Haired

New Research Shows that Some Ancient Egyptians Were Naturally Fair-Haired

According to Dr. Janet Davey from the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine in Australia, some ancient Egyptians were naturally blonde or red haired. Her research has brought an answer to an...
The Pantheon dome - made entirely out of concrete.

From Chrome Plating to Nanotubes: the ‘Modern’ Chemistry First Used in Ancient Times

The ancient Babylonians were the first to use sophisticated geometry – a staggering 1,400 years before it was previously thought to have been developed. Sadly, these mathematical innovations were...
3,300-year-old Egyptian woman with hair extensions discovered in Armana

3,300-year-old Egyptian woman with hair extensions discovered in Armana

Archaeologists carrying out excavations at Tell el-Amarna in Egypt, the capital city built by Pharaoh Akhenaten in c. 1330 BC, have found a number of human remains containing well-preserved elaborate...
Egyptian Blue pigment

Egyptian Blue – The Oldest Known Artificial Pigment

Egyptian Blue, also known as calcium copper silicate, is one of the first artificial pigments known to have been used by man. The oldest known example of the exquisite pigment is said to be about...
Saffron crocus flowers - Minoan fresco

Saffron: Ancient Healing Powers Confirmed by Science

By Sayer Ji , www.greenmedinfo.com Clearly there is something magical about the Crocus sativus flower, from which the spice saffron is derived. If its striking beauty does not immediately cast a...
Tekhelet - Israel

Ancient textile may contain Biblical blue dye lost for 1,300 years

An extremely rare blue dye which adorned the robes of kings, priests, and Jews in ancient times, and which was lost to the world nearly 1,300 years ago, is believed to have been found on a 2,000-year...