All  

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ Mobile

Americas

Left: Machi playing the Kultrún. Behind her it can be seen the inclination of the staggered Rehue . Center: A Rehue in the exhibition of the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino. Right: A Rehue as a symbolic figuration of the Tree-Man.			Source: Martin Thomas / Photographic Archive of the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino; Photo by the author: Rafael Videla Eissmann, 2017; Author provided

Araucanian “Staircase to Heaven” Symbolism in the Pre-Hispanic World

One of the fundamental magical-religious symbols of the Lituche-Araucanian cultural substrate of Chile is the Rehue or stepped totem carved in wood. The Rehue is a representation of the Axis Mundi ,...
The spectacular red rock “wonderland” of the Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, USA. 		Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Adobe Stock

Colorado Springs’ Garden of the Gods: Red Stone Geological Masterpiece

Garden of the Gods is a public park located in Colorado, USA. The park was established in the early 20th century, and later designated as a National Natural Landmark. Garden of the Gods is renowned...
Navajo mythology is woven into the Navajo culture and its legendary rugs. 		Source: Oscar Ghost / Adobe Stock

The Cosmic Tales of Navajo Mythology: Portals to Evolving Worlds

Around the globe, many mythologies talk about gods that came from the sky and their extraordinary feats. Navajo mythology also falls under this context. In the present day, Navajo Indians are in a...
Controversially, theories persist that there is an underground base occupied by extraterrestrial aliens at Dulce in Colorado. Source: vchalup / Adobe Stock

The Alien Agenda: Myth, Underground Bases & Extraterrestrials

Deep in north central New Mexico is the sleepy little town of Dulce. Located on the Archuleta Mesa on the Colorado - New Mexico border, Dulce is home to about 3,000 residents and is the headquarters...
The smile of death in the ancient land of Haiti leads to conversations about zombies and Voodoo, both of which are still living beliefs. 		Source: corradobarattaphotos / Adobe Stock

Zombies and Voodoo: The Living Dead Religion of Modern Haiti

On the list of the most well-known monsters from Hollywood movies, zombies clearly occupy one of the top positions. In their cinematographic version, they consume human flesh and brains with the...
Mysterious Bigfoot figure in the forest. Source: Dave / Adobe Stock

Bigfoot: Giant Hoax or Giant Hominid?

Fact or fiction, Bigfoot has captured the world’s imagination after a road construction crew spotted giant 16-inch-long human footprints near Bluff Creek in northern California in 1958. The discovery...
Mayan sculpture. Deciphering the story of Maya warrior Siyah K’ak’ at Tikal. Source: Marco Govel / Adobe Stock

Siyah Kʼakʼ, Warlord of Teotihuacan and his Conquest of Tikal

The pre-Colombian cities, monuments, and pyramids, found deep within the jungles and valleys of Mesoamerica are still shrouded in mystery. While academics are still trying to piece together the...
Petroglyphs of Scotland, found in Lurgan by George Currie. Source: George Currie

Comparing the Prehistoric Stone Symbols of Scotland and the Judaculla Rock

Within the rolling green hills of Scotland, slumber thousands of ancient stones bejeweled with mysterious glyphs. Across the proverbial pond, hidden in the great Appalachians of America’s North...
Magical landscape within the Arctic Circle. Source: Feel good studio / Adobe Stock

Arctic Circle Anomalies: Archaeological Insight Under the Permafrost

The Arctic Circle is the farthest northern of the five major circles of latitude on the planet. It marks the northernmost point at which the center of the noon sun is just visible on the winter...
Navajo Yebichai (Yei Bi Chei) dancers. Edward S. Curtis. USA, 1900. The Welcome Collection, London

Can a Ghost Make You Ill? The Ghost Sickness Belief of the Native American Indians

Ghost sickness is the belief that ghosts are able to cause a living person to fall ill. This particular term is used by the Native Americans, especially amongst the Navajo people. Nevertheless, this...
The malevolent Mishipizheu monster-god of Lake Superior. Source: SJB1995 / CC-BY-SA

Godlike Power and Monster Malevolence: Mishipizheu of Lake Superior

In Gordon Lightfoot’s 1976 song The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald , he figuratively blames the sinking of that ship on the “witch” of November. Folks more familiar with Ojibway mythology might,...
The Aztec calendar. Source: javier_garcia / Adobe Stock.

Sacrifice and Destruction: The Apocalyptic Aztec Creation Myths

Many ancient cultures around the world have their own creation myth to explain their origins, and how the universe came into being. But few are as vivid, or as apocalyptic as the creation myth of the...
Hopi Prophecy and the End of the Fourth World

Hopi Prophecy and the End of the Fourth World - Part 1

More than any other tribe in North America, the Hopi Indians have developed according to the dictates and demands of what may be called a legacy of prophecy. The predictions of the life to come do...
Crater Lake National Park: Puzzling Myths and Missing Persons

Crater Lake National Park: Puzzling Myths and Missing Persons

Deep in the old-growth forests of Northwestern America lives a glorious gem of natural beauty. Crater Lake is renowned for its extreme depth, vibrant color, and crystal clarity. The towering cinders...
Anubis and Xolotl: The Remarkable Resemblance of the Death Dog Gods

Anubis and Xolotl: The Remarkable Resemblance of the Death Dog Gods

Few ancient cultures have captured the modern imagination like the Egyptian and Maya civilizations, with their elaborate belief structures. The author traces a remarkable resemblance between two dog-...
Dwayyo vs Snallygaster.

The Snallygaster: Century-Old Fake News Terrorized Citizens of Maryland… But the Creature May be Real

The Snallygaster is a mysterious unknown cryptid that is said to look like a dragon. The legend of the beast originated with German immigrants that settled in Frederick County in Central Maryland...
Statue of pirate with eyepatch.

Is This the Real Reason Why Pirates Wore Eyepatches?

Between 1700 and 1725, the Caribbean was a relatively lawless place with numerous merchant ships traversing the high seas with no authorities to protect them. These factors helped to make this period...
The Planet Venus as a Symbol of Death and Resurrection in Ancient Mesoamerica

The Planet Venus as a Symbol of Death and Resurrection in Ancient Mesoamerica

Do our myths come from the stars or do we project our myths onto the stars? The story of Mithras truly does come from astronomical discoveries in the ancient world. It was noticed that every 2,160...
The Powerful and Mysterious Spider Woman of Mexico

The Powerful and Mysterious Spider Woman of Mexico

The Spider Woman of Teotihuacan continues to be one of the most mysterious figures of ancient Mexican culture. She is also known as the Great Goddess, but since 1983 Spider Woman has become the most...
Chupacabra, a terrifying Latin American cryptid

Chupacabra: Legend of a Blood-Sucking Cryptid in Latin America

The Chupacabra is a legendary cryptid often associated with Mexico, and well-known across Latin America. One of the locations the Chupacabra has made a significant impact in the past is in Puerto...
Quetzalcoatl, detail. Source: Manzanedo/Deviant Art

The Real Story of the ‘Bearded God’ Named Quetzalcoatl

Many myths have cropped up in the centuries since Columbus landed upon the shores of Hispaniola. While some of these myths have come to be seen for what they are, many more persist in the zeitgeist...
Is the answer of the downfall of the giants found in ancient texts? Source: grandfailure / Adobe Stock.

The Fall of the Giants and Their Fate According to Ancient Texts

Giants were here. In using the term giants, I am referring to persons at least 7 feet (2.1m) and up to 13 feet (4m) in height. Given that pre-modern man was significantly shorter on the average than...
Fertility goddesses can be found in all cultures and times. Source: zolotareva_elina /Adobe Stock

Praying For Life – Top 10 Ancient Fertility Goddesses

Throughout the ancient history of the world, polytheism - commonly known as paganism or heathenism - was the defining aspect of all societies and civilizations. Our ancestors had complex and...
John Brewer discovered the Brewer Cave in the 1950’s. Source: andreiuc88 / Adobe Stock.

Does the Brewer Cave Story Unlock a Hidden History?

Pseudo archaeology , and some of its more controversial claims, have long been the subject of extensive debate among mainstream scholars and the general public. From ancient aliens , creation myths,...

Pages