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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Observatory

Caracol Collage, created by the author:  The Observatory in 2023; photo by author, Starry sky background compliments of Felix Mittermeier, Pixabay, To the upper left is the lithograph of El Caracol by Frederick Catherwood, 1844, To the upper right is the recreation of El Caracol at Chichén Itzá by artist J.S. Bolles, 1935, Flanking the Caracol are two heads of K’uk’ulkan, photos from Ruppert, Karl, The Caracol at Chichen Izta (sic) Yucatan, Mexico, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 1935.

El Caracol Conundrum: Secrets of Chichén Itzá’s Famous Maya Observatory

Standing unique among ancient structures, Chichén Itzá’s enigmatic “Observatory”, El Caracol, may be the world’s most mysterious and distinctive stone monument. It was built by the Maya of the...
Artist impression of the 4000 year old sanctuary in Tiel, made by Alexander van de Bunt	Source: Alexander van de Bunt/Municipality of Tiel/BAAC

4,000-Year-Old Stonehenge-Like Sanctuary Unearthed in the Netherlands

Archaeologists digging at an ancient site in the central Netherlands over the course of several years discovered something remarkable and unexpected. Following an analysis of excavations that have...
One of two mirrored temples at Ek’ Balam called Los Gemelos (The Twins)	 Source: Jose Ignacio Soto / Adobe Stock

Ek' Balam: Haunting Ruins of an Abandoned Maya Kingdom

One of the most fascinating archaeological sites in Central America is Ek’ Balam. Ek’ Balam is found in Temozón, Yucatán, Mexico in the Northern Maya lowlands, several miles northeast of Chichen Itza...
This ancient Aztec observatory has allowed researchers to discern how the Mexico told time and planned their agricultural calendar. Source: Ben Meissner

Aztec Observatory Temple Reveals Ancient Calendar Secrets

Archaeologists in Mexico have always wondered how sky watchers tracked the sun over time to maintain their farming calendar. Now, a new paper demonstrates how Mexica temples were used, with entire...
Tile 107, or “the Outlier” as it is known, is one of 256 tiles of the Murchison Widefield Array observatory located 1.5km from the core of the telescope that detected the radio wave.	Source: ICRAR

Unknown Space Object Bombarded Earth With Strong Radio Wave

Astronomers were both puzzled and delighted to discover a mysterious deep space object that had been sending out powerful radio waves that were detectable on Earth. Designated with the catchy title...
Statue of Tycho Brahe, characteristically looking up. Source: Sven Rosborn / CC BY-SA 3.0.

Who was Tycho Brahe? Astronomy with a Naked Eye (and a Missing Nose)

The name Tycho Brahe is not a familiar one to most people. And those who have heard the name, perhaps in the same sentence as Copernicus, or Galileo, may struggle to remember what the man himself was...
The thirteen towers of Chankillo, Peru

Chankillo: The Oldest Solar Observatory in the Americas

Located in the Peruvian coastal desert at the Casma-Sechin Oasis stands the incredible monumental complex of Chankillo. The archaeological site consists of a fort located on a hilltop and thirteen...
The German Stonehenge at sunset in Pömmelte.       Source: Mattis Kaminer / Adobe stock

Pömmelte Ring Sanctuary Eclipses Stonehenge With Homes and Ghastly Burials

Scientists think an ancient astronomical observatory in Pömmelte, Germany will overshadow England’s famous Stonehenge in terms of archaeological data and the number of human burials. Over 4,000 years...
Master Architects of Sardinia: The Sacred Well of Santa Cristina

Master Architects of Sardinia: The Sacred Well of Santa Cristina

The Well of Santa Cristina is an ancient structure located on the Italian island of Sardinia. The name of the structure is somewhat misleading. In spite of its association with a Christian saint, the...
While exploring the Argimusco Plateau, you’ll come across the Eagle. Is it the work of an ancient megalithic culture? Or one of nature's spontaneous works of art? Source: ildiora / Adobe Stock

The Enigmatic Argimusco Plateau: A Glimpse into Sicily’s Distant Past

Sicily is well known for its rich and unique history. The largest island of the Mediterranean Sea, it hides a turbulent story and hosted some very distinctive ancient cultures. Before the age of...
Bologna, San Petronio: Meridian of Giandomenico Cassini

Synchronizing Science and Religion? Why We Find Solar Observatories and Astronomical Features in Churches

It is often assumed that science and faith are always at loggerheads with each other. This, however, is a common misconception, as there are numerous instances demonstrating the co-existence and co-...
Painting of astronomers located at the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Source: LoggaWiggler / CC0

The Star-Gazing Sultan and His Ulugh Beg Observatory

The Ulugh Beg Observatory is an astronomical observatory located on a hill near Samarkand, in modern day Uzbekistan. This observatory, which is often considered to be one of the finest of its kind in...
Cheomseongdae observatory at night, Gyeongju, South Korea.          Source: Ivan / Adobe stock

Star Gazing at Cheomseongdae - East Asia’s Oldest Observatory

The Korean peninsula is known for many things. One thing that may be less well known about Korean culture is its contribution to world astronomy. One particularly visible contribution is the oldest...
Jantar Mantar in India. Source: Aliaksei / Adobe Stock.

Jantar Mantar – The Ancient Astronomical Observatories of India

The Jantar Mantar refers to a group of five astronomical observatories built in India during the 18th century. The largest and best-known of these observatories is located in Jaipur , a city founded...
Almendres Cromlech megalithic site, Portugal.

Almendres Cromlech: Rare Twin Megalithic Stone Circles of Portugal

Located on the slopes of the Monte dos Almendres in Portugal is the ancient megalithic site of Almendres Cromlech, also popularly known as the ‘hill of the stone amphorae.’ The stunningly well-...
Zorats Karer, the Armenian Stonehenge

Zorats Karer: The Incredible History of the 7,500-year-old Armenian Stonehenge

Armenia is full of archaeological surprises. It is a country where mysterious stories appear at every corner and most of them still wait to be solved. However, one of the greatest stories of...
Neutrino concept art

Unidentified High-Energy Particles Detected Passing through the Antarctic Ice

The IceCube Observatory carries the distinction of being the most remote astronomical facility on Earth. Anchored deeply in the ice of Antarctica, in the very definition of the middle of nowhere, the...
Externsteine, north-eastern face, across Wiembecke pond.

Worship? Meditation? Sacrifice? What Ancient Ritual Activities Were Held at the Externsteine Sacred Stone Formation?

Externsteine is an unusual sandstone rock formation near Ostwestfalen-Lippe in the northwest of Germany. It is unique among other monolithic sites in Europe because it is a natural formation that has...
A D-shaped structure built by the Wari culture, found near Cusco in Peru.

Peruvian Archaeologists Unearth Silver Artifacts, a Massive Temple and an Astronomical Observatory Near Cusco

An astronomical observatory, massive Inca stone walls, ruins of a huge temple, and artifacts left by elite members of the Wari culture are some of the fascinating elements found at a Pre-Hispanic...
Stone reliefs found at Göbekli Tepe

A Monumental Cover Up? Why did Gobekli Tepe End Up in the Dirt?

In the farmlands of southeastern Turkey there is a hill that rises out of the landscape. Unlike the surrounding plateaus, it has a gentle slope like a mound. At its top is a depression which looks...
Xochicalco: New Wave Mayan City That Was a Prime Target for Destruction

Xochicalco: New Wave Mayan City That Was a Prime Target for Destruction

After the collapse of Teotihuacan and other major centers of the Mesoamerican Classic Period (circa 250-750 AD) such as Monte Alban, Tikal, and Palenque, Mesoamerican civilization entered uncertain...
The Maiden Tower is the most recognized structure in the Old City of Baku, Azerbaijan.

A Fiery Maiden Guards Her Secrets

“At the beginning of the 1st millennium BC, there was raised an 8-storied towered temple (Maiden’s Tower) devoted to seven gods, grandiose for those day… [possessing] seven sacred levels, [and] wall-...
El Caracol Observatory at Chichen Itza (Wright Reading/CC BY-NC 2.0) and Composite 3D laser scan image of El Caracol from above

Advanced Engineering Discovered at the Maya Observatory at Chichen Itza

In 1526, the Spanish conquistador Francisco de Montejo arrived on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and found most of the great Maya cities deeply eroded and unoccupied. Many generations removed from...
Megaliths Discovered in Brazil May Be an Amazonian Stonehenge Created By an Advanced Ancient Civilization

Megaliths Discovered in Brazil May Be an Amazonian Stonehenge Created By an Advanced Ancient Civilization

A group of scientists and researchers have found evidence that a highly advanced ancient civilization could have existed in Brazil. Almost 500 years before the European colonization of the Americas...

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