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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Medieval torture device, the rack. Source: Bildergarage / Adobe Stock.

Anne Askew - Stretched on the Rack Until Her Tendons Snapped (Video)

In a turbulent era under Henry VIII's rule, Anne Askew's tale unfolds as a beacon of unwavering courage in the face of oppression. Born into privilege, she embraced Protestant beliefs and shared her...
The buildings of Venice appear to float above the water, begging the question “how was Venice built?” Source: muratart / Adobe Stock

Architecture of the Floating (Or Sinking) City: How Was Venice Built?

The romantic city of Venice is known by many names, including the floating city, the city of canals and even the Queen of the Adriatic. This city of water was built on dozens of tiny islands located...
The vampire slaying kit which was sold at auction. Source: Hansons Auctioneers

Vampire Slaying Kit Sells During High-Stakes Bidding War

A vampire slaying kit has been sold for five times more than expected at an auction in Derbyshire, England. The sale of this bizarre box of artifacts, once believed to help guard against vampires,...
A witch or a woman in a dark forest? Witch pricking was used for centuries to falsely prove a woman (or a man) was a witch!

Witch Pricking And The Devil’s Mark

A witch or not? Guilty or innocent? Witch hunting was all the craze in the late medieval period and onwards in Europe and involved some rather peculiar practices. Witch hunters of all kinds emerged...
A witch burning at the stake, just like the three witches of Bochnia were executed for their heinous crimes.                 Source: Matrioshka / Adobe Stock

Unearthing The Baby Burning Witches Of Bochnia, Poland

Archaeologists in Poland have unearthed two witches’ skeletons that belonged to an unholy dark trinity, who in 1679 AD were burned at the stake. What did these three women, now known as the witches...
: A hooded Inquisitor in a Medieval torture chamber. Source: diter /Adobe Stock

Medieval Torture: The Terrifying Threat of Twisting off Limbs and Burning Flesh

The Medieval period is often called (rightly or wrongly) one of the most brutal eras in European history. One of the most notorious features of the Middle Ages was the use of torture. Although...
'The Premature Burial’ by Antoine Wiertz

How Long Have We Believed in Vampires?

Vampires have a contested history. Some claim that the creatures are “as old as the world”. But more recent arguments suggest that our belief in vampires and the undead was born in the 18th century,...
Vampires Burial site in Poland

Archaeologists unearth Vampire burial in Poland

A 16 th - 17 th century grave has been unearthed in Poland which shows evidence that the deceased was believed to be a vampire – a brick was found wedged between his teeth, and his leg had been...
Vampire Burial Site

Bulgarian archaeologists unearth second ‘vampire’ grave

Archaeologists working on Bulgaria’s Perperikon site have found the skeleton of a male buried with an iron stake plunged through its chest , a ritual practiced in the Middle Ages to prevent the...