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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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History

From the powerful civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley, to the fearsome yet sophisticated society of the Vikings, the ancient world was a surprising and challenging place. Here we feature some of the most seminal and influential events and people throughout history, that have helped shape the world we know today.

William Wallace statue stands proudly. The National Wallace Monument is a tower standing on a hilltop in Stirling in Scotland. Source: Jacek/Adobe Stock
15 February, 2024 - 20:57 Robbie Mitchell

Braveheart - Great Movie But How True Was the Story? (Video)

The film "Braveheart," lauded for its cinematic achievements, takes considerable liberties with historical accuracy. Released in 1995, it garnered acclaim, earning 31 out of 61 award nominations,...
Cupid and Psyche (Amore e Psiche) - symbol of eternal love, by sculptor Giovanni Maria Benzoni. Source: Paolo Gallo/Adobe Stock
14 February, 2024 - 16:41 ancient-origins

Love May Be Timeless, But the Way We Talk About It Isn’t

By David Albertson /The Conversation Every year as Valentine’s Day approaches, people remind themselves that not all expressions of love fit the stereotypes of modern romance. V-Day cynics might plan...
Sigismunda Mourning Over the Heart of Guiscardo by William Hogarth (1759). Source: Tate/ CC BY NC-ND 3.0
14 February, 2024 - 13:45 ancient-origins

Forget Flowers, 18th Century Romantics Gave Their Actual Hearts

Jolene Zigarovich /The Conversation Every Valentine’s Day, we’re inundated with hearts. We purchase cards with hearts and heart-shaped balloons. We wear clothing with hearts and adorn ourselves with...
AI image of ancient emperor Genghis Khan. Source: Andrea Raffin/Adobe Stock
13 February, 2024 - 20:02 Robbie Mitchell

How Many People Are Actually Related to Genghis Khan? (Video)

The genetic legacy of Genghis Khan , the famed Mongol conqueror, extends far beyond his vast empire. Due to his prolific procreation habits and the polygamous customs of his time, approximately 1 in...
Ancient Greek temple in Magna Graecia, modern day Segesta, Sicily. Source: Ludvig14/CC BY-SA 4.0
13 February, 2024 - 13:51 Robbie Mitchell

Magna Graecia's Legacy: The Stories of Italy’s Ancient Greek Colonies

Long before the Roman Empire came along, the Ancient Greeks controlled much of southern Italy. From the 8th to the 5th centuries BC, intrepid Greek settlers transformed this region into a mosaic of...
Representational image of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Source: ckybe / Adobe Stock
12 February, 2024 - 21:42 Aleksa Vučković

Who Was Thomas Aquinas and Why Is He Mentioned So Often?

Thomas Aquinas, who lived from 1225 to 1274 AD, played a crucial role in medieval Catholic theology and philosophy. Thanks to his profound insights and masterful integration of faith and reason,...
An engraving from 1724 of Bartholomew Roberts (aka Black Bart Roberts), the notorious Welsh pirate (1682-1722). Source: Benjamin Cole/CC BY-SA 4.0
12 February, 2024 - 19:46 Robbie Mitchell

Bartholomew Roberts- The Pirate That Hated Literally Everyone (Video)

In the tumultuous era of 1722, the notorious pirate Bartholomew Roberts carved a path of chaos and vengeance across the high seas. His ruthless demeanor, revealed in the wake of Captain Howell Davis'...
Aerial view of Amazon tributary river, San Jose do Rio Claro, Mato Grosso, where ancient manufacturing of terra preta has been found. Source: Uwe Bergwitz/Adobe Stock
12 February, 2024 - 13:25 Sahir

Advanced Amazonian Agriculturalists Intentionally Created ‘Terra Preta’ Thousands of Years Ago

A fascinating body of research has revealed how intimately our ancestors were connected to the earth – specifically, ancient Amazonians, who intentionally created a fertile dark earth or ‘terra preta...
Pirate crew members diligently swab the deck, maintaining the condition of their ship while sailing across the ocean. Source: Davivd/Adobe Stock
11 February, 2024 - 19:49 Robbie Mitchell

The Five Worst Jobs on a Pirate Ship... (Video)

Life on a pirate ship was fraught with peril, particularly for those assigned to the five most dreaded roles: topmen, forced men, swabbers, liars, and shipboard musicians. Topmen, the nimble climbers...
Statue of William Wallace at Aberdeen. Source: Public Domain
10 February, 2024 - 13:59 Robbie Mitchell

Beyond Braveheart – Revealing the Real William Wallace

Except for perhaps Robert the Bruce, William Wallace has to be the most famous figure in Scottish history. This legendary Scottish hero defied the odds and through his many clashes with the English...
A depiction of Ivar and Ubba setting forth to avenge their father, Loðbrók, as it appears on folio 47v of British Library Harley 2278. Source: Public Domain
9 February, 2024 - 20:09 Robbie Mitchell

The Great Heathen Army and the Truth about Ivar the Boneless (Video)

In the realm of Viking lore, Ivar the Boneless emerges as a formidable, if mysterious, figure. Born to Ragnar Lothbrok and Aslaug, Ivar led the infamous Great Heathen Army during the Viking Age. The...
La Noche triste (the sad night). Source: Public Domain
8 February, 2024 - 23:11 Robbie Mitchell

The Hunt for Montezuma’s Stolen Aztec Treasure (Video)

In November 1519, the formidable Aztec king, Montezuma , ruled over a flourishing empire at its pinnacle. His empire, comprising 500 city-states and nearly 6 million people, centered on the...
Representational image of a Red Turban warrior. Source: Generated with Adobe Firefly
8 February, 2024 - 16:52 Aleksa Vučković

The Revolutionary Red Turban Rebellion: When Peasants Take Up Arms

The Red Turban Rebellion, which took place from 1351 to 1368, was a pivotal event in Chinese history, marking the decline of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty and the rise of the native Ming Dynasty. This...
Caves and rock shelters dot the mountains in the northwestern highlands of Thailand. Over 40 in Mae Hong Son province contain wooden coffins on stilts, dating back 1,000 - 2,300 years. Source: © Selina Carlhoff/ Max Planck Society
8 February, 2024 - 14:02 ancient-origins

DNA Elucidates Thailand's Iron Age ‘Log Coffin Culture’

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology A mortuary practice known as ‘Log Coffin culture’ characterizes the Iron Age of highland Pang Mapha in northwestern Thailand. Between 2,300 and 1,...
The bone, black henbane seeds and tar plug used to keep it sealed. Source: BIAC Consult
8 February, 2024 - 00:00 Nathan Falde

For Pain or Pleasure? Poisonous Plant Henbane Used by the Romans

While digging at the site of a rural, first-century AD Roman settlement in Houten-Castellum in the Netherlands, archaeologists uncovered a most unusual artifact. Inside a hollowed-out animal bone,...
Reenactment of two Armored Medieval Knights Fighting with Swords. Source: Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock
7 February, 2024 - 20:01 Robbie Mitchell

What a Medieval Duel Really Looked Like (Video)

In medieval Europe , justice was often sought through grim ordeals, and the judicial duel was a stark example. The murder of Charles the Good, Count of Flanders, triggered a brutal confrontation...
Dazu Rock Carvings in Chongqing, China . Source: rabbit75_fot/Adobe Stock
7 February, 2024 - 13:53 Aleksa Vučković

Guardians of History: How the Dazu Rock Carvings Captivate the World

The Dazu Rock Carvings are a series of Chinese religious sculptures and carvings located in the Dazu District of Chongqing, China. These carvings date back to the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD) and the...
Edward IV of England & Lancastrian Fugitives at Tewkesbury Abbey. Source: Public Domain
6 February, 2024 - 20:16 Robbie Mitchell

Top Five Worst Rebellions Under the Tudor Regime (Video)

The Tudor era , spanning 118 years, emerged from the aftermath of the Wars of the Roses . Henry VII's victory at Bosworth in 1485 secured his tenuous claim to the throne, symbolized by the Tudor Rose...
A mass grave of over 50 headless Vikings, known as the headless Vikings of Dorset. Source: Simon Fraser University / CC BY 2.0
6 February, 2024 - 14:15 mrreese

Unraveling the Mystery of the Headless Vikings of Dorset

In June 2009, archaeologists made a shocking discovery in the seaside town of Weymouth in Dorset, England. While excavating in preparation for the anticipated Weymouth Relief Road, archaeologists...
Photograph of the Pocahontas statue in Historic Jamestown, Virginia, USA. Source: I, Rolfmueller/CC BY-SA 3.0
5 February, 2024 - 23:54 Robbie Mitchell

The Real Pocahontas: Tragedy Beneath the Jamestown Sky (Video)

The historical narrative of Pocahontas , popularized through the writings of English explorer John Smith, presents a complex and contested tale. Smith, a key figure in Jamestown's early days,...
Bas relief at Nagsh-e-rostam showing the investiture of Ardashir I, Province du Fars, Iran. Source: Fabienkhan/CC BY-SA 2.5
5 February, 2024 - 20:10 Robbie Mitchell

The Parthian Empire: Rome’s Greatest Enemy (Video)

The Parthian Empire, successor to the Persian legacy, emerged in 238 BC, springing from the Parni tribe's conquest of Parthia in modern-day northeastern Iran. Although initially subdued by the...
Representative image of a soldier from the Abbasid Caliphate. Source: Harry / Adobe Stock
5 February, 2024 - 13:33 Robbie Mitchell

From Splendor to Ruin: The Epic Tale of the Abbasid Caliphate

The Abbasid Caliphate was an Arabic dynasty that ruled over much of the Muslim world for over 500 years. It rose from bloody beginnings to become the center of the Muslim world during the Islamic...
Divination was an important aspect of everyday life in ancient Mesopotamia. Source: breakermaximus / Adobe Stock
4 February, 2024 - 16:37 Aleksa Vučković

Divination and Omens in Mesopotamian Society

Ancient civilizations, throughout history, depended on the skill and intricacy of their diviners. Divination is the method of ritually foreseeing the future and the outcome of big events. In this way...
The Salem Witch Trials: "Trial of George Jacobs, August 5, 1692" by Thomkins H. Matteson. Source: Public domain
3 February, 2024 - 22:06 mrreese

Salem Witch Trial Hysteria and the Courageous Stance of Giles Corey

In Spring of 1692, a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, accused others in their village of practicing witchcraft, unleashing a hysteria that caused the deaths of at least 24 people...

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