Search

Niflheim in Norse Mythology: Land of the Dead and Home to Lady Hel

In Norse cosmology, the universe was made up of nine distinct realms. Each had its unique inhabitants and mythology, but some played bigger parts in the Norse mythology than others. One of the most popular in western pop culture is Niflheim, making its way into the Marvel movies and video games like God of War. But how accurate are these depictions and how much do we actually know about Niflheim in Norse mythology on the whole?

Robbie Mitchell - 05/10/2022 - 01:50

The Lost Tomb of King Arthur: The Search for Camelot and the Isle of Avalon

One man’s journey to uncover the final resting place of the historical King Arthur

ancient-origins - 06/01/2017 - 15:38

Columbus’s Identity Crisis and the Ongoing Spread of False Columbus News

The news was astounding! Famous India was discovered just a month’s sailing across the Atlantic, proclaimed the first-ever International Press Release, dated Lisbon, March 4, 1493.

Manuel Rosa - 23/09/2021 - 14:37

The Lost Tomb of King Arthur: The Search for Camelot and the Isle of Avalon

One man’s journey to uncover the final resting place of the historical King Arthur

ancient-origins - 11/02/2017 - 03:56

For the Maya, Solar Eclipses Were a Sign of Heavenly Clashes

Kimberly H. Breuer/The Conversation

We live in a light-polluted world, where streetlamps, electronic ads and even backyard lighting block out all but the brightest celestial objects in the night sky. But travel to an officially protected “Dark Sky” area, gaze skyward and be amazed.

ancient-origins - 08/04/2024 - 17:35

Wizard Battles And Demon Traps Revealed In Ancient Christian Texts

A “wizard battle” and over 300 other bizarre stories including “trapped demons” have been published by Biblical scholars translating apocryphal ancient Christian texts into English for the first time. The facts about Jesus’s life are shadowy to say the least, but by the end of the fourth century the church had selected and canonized the biblical texts for inclusion

ashley cowie - 24/09/2020 - 00:57

King Edmund Ironside Was Killed on the Toilet by a Cesspit Assassin

Having ruled England for less than a year, King Edmund is primarily remembered for his unusual death.

Cecilia Bogaard - 22/03/2023 - 00:59

Lost Star of Myth and Time: The Rise and Fall of Civilizations

The idea of a worldwide Dark Age or universal decline in man’s knowledge may be difficult to accept because the broad deterioration of ancient civilizations didn’t happen at an even pace in all geographic regions, and records are very sketchy. The Arab and Chinese civilizations, for example, are believed to have held up relatively well while many European cities succumbed to the worst of the Dark Ages.

Walter Cruttenden - 26/08/2018 - 13:53

Rare Measuring Table Reveals Temple Mount Market

A rare 2,000-year-old measuring table used for calibrating wine and olive oil vessels has been found in Jerusalem, leading experts to tentatively conclude they have found the site of a key ancient market en route to Temple Mount.

ashley cowie - 07/01/2020 - 17:06

Surprising Facts and Beliefs About Eclipses from the Medieval and Renaissance Eras

By Sandra Knispel/University of Rochester

In medieval and Renaissance society and culture, celestial events were not mere spectacles in the sky. Rather, they were omens, predictors of the future, and windows into the workings of the universe.

ancient-origins - 04/04/2024 - 17:49

New Digital Map Gives Fresh Details About The Ancient City Of Pergamon

The German Archaeological Institute has just released detailed updated digital maps of the ancient city of Pergamon (also known as Pergamum). For the first time since 1973, the new cartography includes all known archaeological locations in Pergamon.

ML Childs - 05/02/2021 - 00:56

Lost Lovers and Heroes: 90% of Medieval Manuscripts Have Not Survived

A study comparing the survival of medieval manuscripts and tales from regions around Europe has arrived at some stark conclusions about the preservation of the medieval European past. A vast majority of the manuscripts recording heroic tales and chivalry have been lost. But interestingly, if you wanted to be a hero whose story passed the test of time, your best chance was to come from an island.

Sahir - 18/02/2022 - 13:59

Face of Notorious “Witch” Digitally Reconstructed 300 Years after her Death

A group of elite forensic scientists from the University of Dundee, has reconstructed digitally the face of one of Scotland's most notorious “witches”, Lilias Adie. The only documents that helped them with their demanding scientific work, were a few photographs of her skull.

Theodoros Karasavvas - 01/11/2017 - 21:53

Forget Folk Remedies, Medieval Europe Spawned a Golden Age of Medical Theory

It’s often said that there was no tradition of scientific medicine in medieval times. According to the usual narrative of the history of progress, medicine in the European Middle Ages – from around the 5th to the 15th centuries – was a formless mass of superstition and folk remedies; the very antithesis of science.

ancient-origins - 07/02/2017 - 13:44

Caernarfon Castle: The Imposing Welsh Constantinople

Caernarfon Castle (often anglicized as Carnarvon or Caernarvon) is a castle in Caernarfon, in the northern Welsh county of Gwynedd, that was built during the Middle Ages. The castle is closely associated with the conquest of Wales by the English king, Edward I, and was part of his so-called iron ring of castles that was meant to subjugate the country.

dhwty - 14/07/2020 - 02:06

Medmenham Abbey: When the Monks Left Debauchery and the Hellfire Club Moved In

Medmenham is a village and civil parish located in Wycombe, a district in Buckinghamshire, England. The parish is best-known for its abbey, which was founded during the Middle Ages. As a monastic institution, Medmenham Abbey was of little importance. Its fame (or infamy) was achieved during the 18^th century, long after the monks ceased living there. In that century, Medmenham Abbey was transformed into the base of the Hellfire Club.

dhwty - 14/12/2018 - 22:48

Understanding the Swinging Seismographic Gavazan Column at Tatev Monastery

The Gavazan Column, called the Gavazan Siun, is a unique monument located in the compound of the Tatev Monastery in Armenia. During the Middle Ages, the monastery was a great center of learning in Armenia, and its monks made various contributions in the fields of science, religion, and philosophy.

dhwty - 03/07/2020 - 14:00

Curious and Unusual Spells from the Greek Magical Papyri

The Greek magical papyri, as it is commonly known, is an extensive collection of ancient Greco-Roman Egypt magical spells, rituals, remedies, hymns, and myth. Scholars have placed its origin between the second and fifth century BC during Roman occupation.

Jessica Nadeau - 08/04/2022 - 18:54

Perfectly Preserved Byzantine Business and Gastronomy District Discovered in Turkey

Archaeologists have uncovered a “sensational” find in Ephesus (also spelled Ephesos), an ancient Greek city which was destroyed suddenly in 614-15 AD, located in modern-day Turkey’s Izmir province. An incredibly well-preserved Byzantine business and dining space has been discovered, perhaps the most significant find to date from this site since finding the renowned terrace houses, according to the head of the excavation, Sabine Ladstätter.

Sahir - 30/10/2022 - 17:50

The Encoded Crusader Sword: Can You Solve the Cryptic Code?

Can you solve the cryptic code engraved into the blade of this 13th century sword? The curious inscription continues to baffle historians, cryptographers ad linguists and last year the British Library appealed to the public for help in cracking this 800 year old mystery.

As you read this article, you will notice that my personal research has turned a tiny, but significant key in this mystery, but maybe you can solve it once and for all?

ashley cowie - 25/03/2017 - 17:50