All  

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ Mobile

Mongol

In Medieval burial ground, a rare embroidered Deisis depicting Jesus Christ was discovered. Source: Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Mongol-Era Christian Headdress Reveals A Complex Medieval Russia

Archaeologists in Russia have discovered a rare embroidered Deisis depicting Jesus Christ in a Christian medieval burial ground containing 46 graves from the Mongol period. One of the graves...
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...
Tamerlane's cruelty was legendary and extensive, including 120 skull towers containing about 90,000 heads near Baghdad after the sultan of the city insulted him. (Kanphichaya / Adobe Stock)

Did The Curse of Tamerlane Cause One of the Bloodiest Battles in World War II?

When Tashmuhammed Kari-Niyazov and Mikhail Gerasimov were tasked by Stalin to lead an expedition to Samarkand in Uzbekistan to open the tomb of Tamerlane, they didn’t know just how significant their...
Members of the international team working at the likely site of the long-lost Khan palace in Van Province, Turkey. Source: The Daily Sabah / Anadolu Agency

Long Lost Palace of Genghis Khan’s Grandson Found in Turkey

Turkish and Mongolian scientists may have found the remains of a long-lost Khan palace in eastern Turkey that they believe was built by Genghis Khan’s grandson, Hulagu Khan. Hulagu Khan was the ruler...
Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue, Tsonjin Boldog, Mongolia. Source: Guy Bryant / Adobe Stock

‘Super-Father’: One in 200 Men are Descendants of Genghis Khan

Mongol Emperor Genghis Khan (1162 – 1227 AD) was not just an infamously ruthless warrior, and founder of the largest contiguous empire in history, but was also a prolific father as well, siring so...
The Mongol invasion of Japan. Kamikaze of 1274 and 1281. Source: Fair Use

Kamikaze – The Divine Winds that Saved Japan

The Mongols attempted two major invasions of Japan during the 13th century, in 1274 and 1281 AD, led by Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan . On both occasions however, a massive typhoon (tropical...
Mystery of Genghis Khan’s Death Considered Solved

Mystery of Genghis Khan’s Death Considered Solved

A team of scientists have cleared up the myths surrounding the death of the great Genghis Khan . They claim that his passing might hold a message for today’s leaders amidst the threats of the current...
Study Unravels the Mysterious Origins of Nomadic Mongolian Empires

Study Unravels the Mysterious Origins of Nomadic Mongolian Empires

The Xiongnu, the first nomadic empire in Asia, left no known written records to explain their origins, making this an intriguing ancient genetic mystery. But a new study has cast light on how the...
The ruins of Khara Khoto in the Gobi Desert. Source: Wirestock /Adobe Stock

The Haunted Ruins of Khara Khoto, The Black City of Mongolia

Khara Khoto is an ancient city located in the western part of Inner Mongolia. It was once a thriving city, thanks to its location on the famous Silk Road. But a devastating massacre left the city in...
Photo taken on May 17, 2020 shows the excavation site of the ancient Chinese couple’s tomb dating back to the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) in Nanfentang Village, Batang Township, Ningxiang City, central China's Hunan Province.            Source: Xinhua / Liu Jing

1000-Year-Old Chinese Couple Vanish Making Way For New Motorway

A 1000-year-old “Chinese couple” were pulled out of their brick-walled graves in an ancient cemetery to make way for a motorway. In 2020, archaeologists from the Institute of Cultural Relics and...
Golden seal excavated from the Ming battlefield site on the Jiangkou stretch of the Minjiang River in Meishan City, southwest China.  Source: Xinhua / Liu Kun

Over 10,000 Extremely Rare Relics Unearthed From Ming Battlefield

Chinese archaeologists have made a historic discovery. Along with thousands of other artifacts, they have unearthed a very rare gold imperial seal that was possibly used by the heir apparent of an...
Ancient capitals of China. Representation of classic ancient Chinese architecture with a modern cityscape in the background.  Source:  gui yong nian / Adobe stock

The Jewels of the East: Top 8 Ancient Capitals of China

Considering the fact that the history of ancient China spans many centuries, it is only natural that its empires and kingdoms had a great deal of sprawling capitals and major cities. Throughout its...
Representation of genocides with photo of stacked human skulls.      Source: papi8888 / Adobe stock.

Suffering the Conquerors: 5 Worst Genocides in Ancient History

The history of our world has always been a bloody and difficult affair, full of struggles, wars and conquests. And in the centuries before our own, tribes and chieftains, kingdoms and empires, all...
Skulls from mass grave in Yaroslavl, Russia, showing traces of violence. Source: Institute of Archaeology, Russian Academy of Sciences

800-Year-Old Russian Mass Grave Illustrates Extreme Mongol Violence

DNA testing has proven that three people who were found in a mass-grave in Russia dating back 800 years ago belonged to an elite family. Reading the words ‘Russia’ and ‘mass-grave’ in the same...
Battle between Mongols clans and tribes during the time of Genghis Khan. Source: insima / Adobe Stock.

Mosquito Hordes: How a Pesky Insect Destroyed the ‘Almost’ Invincible Mongol Empire

The inhospitable, remote high steppes and grassland of the austere and windswept northern Asian plateau were occupied by warring tribal clans and duplicitous factions. Alliances were capricious,...
Many Darkhads rely on herding for a living.

The Darkhad: Guardians of The Soul of Genghis Khan

The Darkhad are a Mongol tribe who live in northern Mongolia. In particular, this tribe is found in the Ulaan-Uul, Renchinlkhumbe, Tsagaannuur, and Bayanzurkh sums (the equivalent of a district) of...
Kublai Khan: Mongol Warrior, Horseman, Hunter and Powerful Emperor

Kublai Khan: Mongol Warrior, Horseman, Hunter and Powerful Emperor

Kublai Khan is perhaps best known for his establishment of the Yuan Dynasty , and may be considered as one of China’s most famous emperors. Kublai Khan was the grandson of Genghis Khan, the founder...
Modern Mongol horsemen at the eagle festival. Life may have been tranquil for hunters during the time of Pax Mongolica too.

The Pax Mongolica: When the Mongols Brought Peace to Europe and Asia

The Pax Mongolica (translated from Latin to mean ‘Mongol Peace’) refers to a period in history when a large part of Europe and Asia was under Mongol control as a result of the military campaigns of...
The Mongol ruler Hulagu in Baghdad interns the Caliph of Baghdad among his treasures. Hulagu founded the Ilkhanate.

The Ilkhanate Had Only Two Goals: Conquest and Power

The Ilkhanate was one of the four khanates that emerged after the fragmentation of the Mongol Empire. This khanate was founded by Hulegu Khan, one of Genghis Khan’s grandsons, and lasted from the...

The Genghis Khan Biography: Military Genius, Genocidal Maniac, Serial Abuser Of Women

Genghis Khan: the infamous 13th century Emperor of the Mongol Empire was one the most ferocious and ruthless people to have ever lived on planet Earth. If you read a Genghis Khan biography, it won’t...
A statue of Batu Khan in Turkey.

Batu Khan: The Leader of the Golden Horde Kept His Grandfather Genghis’ Legacy Going

Batu Khan was a Mongol ruler and the founder of the Golden Horde (known also as the Kipchak Khanate, and the Ulus of Jochi). He was a grandson of Genghis Khan through Jochi, the Great Khan’s eldest...
Ogedei Khan.

Ogedei Khan: Only His Death Could Save Europe from the Mongols

Ogedei Khan was the second Khagan (meaning ‘Great Khan’) of the Mongol Empire. He was the third son of Genghis Khan and succeeded his father in 1229. Ogedei continued to expand the Mongol Empire, a...
Painting depicting what the silver tree of Karakorum may have looked like.

Karakorum: A Silver Tree and Other Unique Elements of a 13th Century Mongol Capital

During the 13th century, Karakorum was perhaps one of the most important cities in the world. It was the capital of the Mongol Empire. After it was destroyed, the location of the famous city was lost...
A Mongol warrior. Although Jebe started out as an enemy of the Mongols, he eventually became on the Genghis Khan’s most trusted generals.

Jebe: Genghis Khan’s Would-be Assassin Becomes His Sharpshooting General

Jebe was a prominent Mongolian general who served under Genghis Khan. He was a converted enemy soldier who lucked out after shooting an arrow at the infamous Khan during battle. In a strange turn of...

Pages