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Pulemelei Mound

The Perplexing Purpose of the Gigantic Pulemelei ‘Pyramid’ Mound of Samoa

One of the most important archaeological sites in Polynesia is the Pulemelei mound - the largest ancient monumental structure, not only in Samoa, but in the South Pacific. This monument, commonly...
Study finds an archaic hominin had modern dental growth.(Inset: Two digitally reconstructed teeth)

104,000-Year-Old Tooth of Mysterious Hominin Child Raises Questions About Human Evolution

By Debbie Guatelli-Steinberg / Science Advances A relative of modern humans that lived at least 104,000 years ago in northern China showed evidence of dental growth and development very similar to...
The Anchorite Tradition of Voluntary Incarceration and Devotion to God

The Anchorite Tradition of Voluntary Incarceration and Devotion to God

An anchorite or anchoret (anchoress being its female form) was person who chose to “live alone in prayer to worship God, unceasingly and without distraction.” Although other Christian ascetics share...
Detail of a mural around a niche in one of the Roman tombs found at Beir Al-Shaghala archaeological site in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis.

Roman Tombs Found in Egyptian Oasis Reflect Cultural Blending Evident in Burial Practices

If they stayed almost any length of time, the ancient Romans left a cultural mark on the place they visited, conquered, and/or had extensive trade with. One way this makes itself known in Egypt is in...
Neolithic hunters used domesticated dogs as their hunting companions in Jordan.

In Jordan, Neolithic Hunters Used Domesticated Dogs as Small Prey Hunting Companions

11,500 years ago in what is now northeast Jordan, people began to live alongside dogs and may also have used them for hunting, a new study from the University of Copenhagen shows. The archaeologists...
Spirit poles on Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal, Russia.

Puzzling Prehistoric Posts: The Enigmatic Spirit Poles of Eurasia

Totem poles are often seen as quintessential features of the Northwest Coast of America. Simon Fraser University lists ten types of American totem pole, which indicate their diversity and how the...
The Capitoline Triad, the Museum of Guidonia.

What Was the Significance of The Capitoline Triad to the Roman Pantheon?

The Capitoline Triad was a trio of gods worshiped by the ancient Romans. This trio consisted of a male deity – Jupiter, the supreme god of the Roman pantheon and head of the triad, and two female...
Decatur Boarding the Tripolitan Gunboat during the bombardment of Tripoli, 3 August 1804. Lieutenant Stephen Decatur (lower right center) in mortal combat with the Tripolitan Captain by Dennis Malone Carter (19th century)

The Price for Peace: The First Barbary War

In 1785, John Adams and his wife Abigail made their home in London. John was the newly appointed American ambassador to Great Britain. It was already bad enough that America was a free and...
‘Arrival of Burke, Wills and King at the deserted camp at Cooper's Creek, Sunday evening, 21st April 1861’ (1907) by John Longstaff.

Exploration and Misfortune—The Tragic Tale of the Burke and Wills Expedition

Going out into the unknown comes with a cost. This was learned the hard way by the Burke and Wills expedition of 1860-1861, the first European expedition across Australia from Melbourne, Victoria in...
A Viking warrior with an axe. Eric Bloodaxe raided around Britain before settling in to a kingship there.

Eric Bloodaxe: Murderous Viking King of Norway and Northumbria

Eirik was a stout handsome man, strong, and very manly, —a great and fortunate man of war; but bad-minded, gruff, unfriendly, and silent. -Saga of Harald Fairhair Eric Haraldsson, nicknamed Eric...
coat of arms of the Tokugawa shogun clan is seen embossed on this ridge-end gargoyle tile off Hatsushima island in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shipwreck’s Cargo Belonged to Most Important Shogun Clan in Japanese History

In recent decades marine archaeology has greatly expanded our knowledge of the past. A Japanese team of marine archaeologists has made an amazing discovery at the bottom of the sea. They have been...
Portrait of the great Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta.

Ibn Battuta—The Marco Polo of Dar-al-Islam

Before the invention of transportation such as trains, airplanes, and efficient, cheap travel over open ocean, people did not usually travel farther than perhaps 20 miles from their hometown. An...
Maya steam bath system artist’s image, Guatemala

The First Complete Maya Steam Bath For Ritual Use Found in Guatemala

Archaeologists at a major Maya site in Guatemala have been forced to rethink an important find. What was initially believed to be a tomb has turned out to be a steam bath. This is very important as...
Funi Aziri Bangwe

The Comoros Archipelago and An Aged Tradition of Public Spaces

The Comoros is an archipelago of islands located off the East Coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean and north of Madagascar, and yet, one of the least known countries in Africa. Because of its relative...
Testing of DNA molecules

DNA Tool Allows You To Trace Your Ancient Ancestry

University of Sheffield Scientists at the University of Sheffield studying ancient DNA have created a tool allowing them to more accurately identify ancient Eurasian populations, which can be used to...
Topographical image analysis has now revealed that the mummy is Nespamedu

When the Identity of this Madrid Mummy Was Finally Established, One of the Surprises Was a Swift Gender Reassignment

Often it takes many years before the full significance of an archaeological discovery can be established. This was the case with an enigmatic mummy that had been on display at Madrid’s National...
Shrunken head from the upper Amazon region

Head on a Platter: The Ancient Practice of Headhunting

In 1874, during a formal meeting known as the Tumbang Anoi Agreement , held in Damang Batu, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, all the Dayak tribes gathered for a peace resolution. The meeting had lasted...
Romulus' Victory Over Acron’ (1812) by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres. Romulus was the first Roman king.

The Seven Kings of Rome: Tumultuous Origins of the Roman Republic

In the beginning, there was only dirt and mud and twigs. Then came the legendary hero Aeneas, and from him descended the sons of Rhea Silva and Mars, the god of war. These sons were Romulus and Remus...
Consciousness concept. Brain and signal waves in background.

The Amazing Study of CEMI Field Theory and Why It’s Important to Our Wellbeing

While consciousness is a term that is difficult to define, there is evidence to link it with the EM field of the brain. This EM field is well known and is utilized in many brain-scanning techniques...
Don’t look so worried Cromwell, she’s just asleep. Thomas Cromwell’s wife and daughters died of sweating sickness.

What was Sweating Sickness, the Mysterious Tudor Plague of Wolf Hall?

Derek Gatherer / The Conversation In the first episode of BBC historical drama Wolf Hall , based on Hilary Mantel’s novel of the same name, Thomas Cromwell returns home to find his wife and two...
Snake oil in Sapa.

Snake Oil Has Long Been Deemed A ‘Fake Medicine’, But It’s Not Guilty, It Really Does Cure!

In the late 19th century, microscopes enabled scientists to observe the microbial effectivity of medicines in the treatment of ailments and these new skills finally dislodged many traditional ‘...
‘Clytemnestra and Agamemnon’ (circa 1822) by Pierre-Narcisse Guérin. Nauplius told Clytemnestra that Agamemnon had replaced her with another woman, inciting her to kill her (wrongly accused) husband!

Nasty Nauplius: The Revenge-Seeking Sailor Who Ruined Trojan War Heroes’ Lives

The Trojan War cycle is replete with anecdotes of homewreckers and homecomings. Sure, everyone knows the sad stories of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra and Odysseus and Penelope , but there are a few more...
Example of Anthropodermic bibliopegy – an 18-19th century notebook allegedly covered with human skin.

Books Bound in Human Skin – The Practice Isn’t As Rare As You Might Think!

Anthropodermic bibliopegy refers to the practice of binding books in human skin . According to folk legend, the binding of books (or more appropriately manuscripts, as they were hand-written) in...
Roman weapons were vital to protecting and conquering the ancient world.

Roman Weapons: Sharp Blades to Conquer the Ancient World

The Romans were arguably one of the most successful conquerors of the ancient world. At the height of their power, the Roman Empire stretched from the British Isles in the north to Egypt in the south...

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