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Ancient places can be found all over Europe. Their fascinating histories and impressive artifacts open intriguing glimpses to times past, and open up a window on European history. Visiting such ancient places in Europe 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 Europe, as well as new discoveries of ancient places that are worth paying a visit.

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
3 January, 2023 - 13:59 Sahir

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
30 December, 2022 - 21:57 Lex Leigh

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...
Representative image shows the reconstruction of a Viking Hall at Lofotr Viking museum, Borg, Norway. Source: Jon Olav Eikenes/CC BY 2.0
27 December, 2022 - 21:58 ashley cowie

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
27 December, 2022 - 17:54 ashley cowie

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
27 December, 2022 - 01:00 Gary Manners

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...
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...
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
20 December, 2022 - 00:59 ancient origins

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
16 December, 2022 - 18:00 Robbie Mitchell

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...
The 13th century medieval Kelburn Castle in Scotland received a colourful graffiti makeover in 2007. Source: Andreas Flohr / CC BY NC ND 2.0
7 December, 2022 - 00:59 Lex Leigh

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
1 December, 2022 - 13:29 ancient origins

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
29 November, 2022 - 14:00 ashley cowie

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
29 November, 2022 - 00:52 Robbie Mitchell

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...
From the Old Colosseum, by Valdemar Irminger. Source: Public domain
27 November, 2022 - 18:00 Robbie Mitchell

10 Shocking Facts about the Ancient Romans

When studying ancient societies, it isn’t uncommon to experience some culture shock. Even after researching a society for years, you’ll come across something that will stop you straight in your...
Irish castle Source: Christie’s International Real Estate
21 November, 2022 - 17:48 ashley cowie

10,000 Years of History Up for Sale: Fancy Your Own Irish Castle?

Southern Ireland is peppered with hundreds of historic stone castles from different time periods. While most are crumbling into the sea, Blackwater Castle has been maintained continuously for over...
The Falasarna archaeological site in Crete, with a representation of the façade of the temple dedicated to the Goddess Demeter. Source: Greek Ministry of Culture
18 November, 2022 - 21:59 Sahir

An Abundance of Artifacts Unearthed at Falasarna Acropolis in Crete

Excavations at the acropolis in Falasarna (also Phalasarna) in the far west of Crete continue to produce rich archaeological bounty. Most recently, hundreds of artifacts including female clay...
Roman theater unearthed at the archaeological site of Lissos on island of Crete. Source: Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports
10 November, 2022 - 22:00 Sahir

Timeworn Roman Theater Uncovered at Remote Site of Lissos in Crete

Even today, the Cretan town of Lissos can only be reached by sea or a seemingly endless hike across the stunning landscape and mountains that surround it. Despite previous excavations uncovering...
The Judean desert has numerous caves, which provided refuge for Jewish resistance to Roman rule. The Cave of Letters got its name from the recovered cache of documents related to the Bar Kochba Revolt Source: Pavel Bernshtam / Adobe Stock
3 November, 2022 - 21:18 Molly Dowdeswell

Cave of Letters: Probably the Most Important Cave For Ancient Jewish History

The Cave of Letters is quite literally a cave of secrets. Rediscovered by archaeologists in the 1960s, its contents told of uprisings as well as everyday life in ancient Israel. What at first...
30 October, 2022 - 17:50 Sahir

Perfectly Preserved Byzantine Business and Gastronomy District Discovered in Turkey

Archaeologists have uncovered a “sensational” find in Ephesus (also spelled Ephesos), an ancient Greek city which was destroyed suddenly in 614-15 AD, located in modern-day Turkey’s Izmir province...
North gate of the city of Resafa, site of Hisham's palace and court. Source: Dario Bajurin / Adobe Stock
17 October, 2022 - 18:40 Robbie Mitchell

Hisham’s Palace: Insight into Early Islamic Architecture

Hisham’s Palace, or Khirbat Al Mafjar, is an important early Islamic archaeological site, and one of the few surviving antiquities of the Roman and Byzantine eras in the West Bank area. Located just...
The Roman Colosseum’s architecture remains awe-inspiring today, with more still to be learned. Source: daliu / Adobe Stock
16 October, 2022 - 22:50 Robbie Mitchell

The Mind-Blowing Architecture and Engineering of Rome’s Colosseum

The Roman Colosseum is one of the most famous and impressive ancient sites still in existence today. Every year, millions of tourists flock to see it, and it has been dubbed one of the ‘New Seven...
An ancient burial mound in Poland, Tumuli in Wesiory (representational image). Artur Henryk / Adobe Stock
9 October, 2022 - 15:00 Sahir

Over 800 Ancient Monuments Found in Polish Forest with LiDAR!

One of the last primeval forests in Europe, Białowieża forest in Poland , is the subject of a fascinating new LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) survey. It has yielded a vast and incredible array of...
Drone photograph of the excavations of the royal hall unearthed at Rendlesham. Source: Suffolk County Council
5 October, 2022 - 18:51 Sahir

1,400-Year-Old Royal Hall of East Anglian Kings Unearthed in Suffolk

An ongoing community archaeology project in southeast Suffolk, known as Rendlesham Revealed , has uncovered a royal hall “of international importance” dating back 1,400 years. Termed the “Hall of the...
2 October, 2022 - 19:01 ashley cowie

Baby Slings Were a Thing 10,000 Years Ago, New Discovery Reveals

A team of archaeologists have studied the remains of a 10,000-year-old baby with high technology. Their new paper not only found signs of ritual burial, but it reveals that baby carriers, or baby...
Valley of the Tower of Tombs, ruins of ancient Palmyra in Syrian desert Source: Monik-a / Adobe Stock
30 September, 2022 - 01:53 Robbie Mitchell

Piecing Together the Lost Mitanni Empire

The Mitanni Empire was established in 1475 BC and was disestablished in 1260 BC. It was one of the biggest and most powerful nations of its time, and its influence spread far and wide. Yet you’ve...

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