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The statue of St. Nicholas in Demre, Turkey. Source: olinchuk / Adobe Stock

Saint Nicholas Discovery! Has the Tomb of the Real Santa Been Found in Turkey?

Santa Claus is a mythological character, loved by children and adults alike around the world. But the fictional Jolly Old Saint Nick was actually inspired by a real-life St. Nicholas, who resided not...
The Death of King Attila the Hun in 453 from an illuminated manuscript within the Saxon World Chronicle (close up). Source: Public domain

The Fearsome Attila the Hun Died of a Nosebleed on His Wedding Night

In what must have been one of the worst honeymoons in history, Attila the Hun, the brutal nomadic warrior of the 5th century AD, was found dead in his nuptial bed, drenched in blood the morning after...
The Tomb of Jesus in Shingo, northern Japan. Source: smoke / Adobe Stock

One Japanese Legend Claims That Jesus Christ Lived and Died in Japan

A small village in northern Japan attracts thousands of visitors each year claiming to be the site of the true tomb of Jesus Christ. Local legend has it that he visited Japan during his lost years ,...
The Pacopampa priest’s tomb in its cleaned-up state, which was found by Peruvian and Japanese archaeologists in the Cajamarca of Peru. Source: Peruvian Ministry of Culture

Newly Discovered 1000 BC Pacopampa Priest’s Tomb in Peru Is Turning Heads

A team of archaeologists have discovered what they believe to be the tomb of a religious leader from ancient Peru at the Pacopampa site, a priestly figure, who was baptized as the “priest of the...
A pair of King Tut’s sandals. Source: © Merja Attia

King Tut Stepped on his Enemies: Learning from Tutankhamun’s Sandals

While Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw has entered popular imagination for her stunning array of shoes and fashion savvy, few know that the young King Tut also enjoyed a vast collection footwear...
Relief of Mentuhotep II and the Goddess Hathor, circa 2010-2000 BC Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Mentuhotep II and the Emergence of the Middle Kingdom

The iconic ancient Egyptians are perhaps the best and grandest example of an ancient civilization that was both technologically advanced and spiritually rich. It was during the Archaic Period that...
Egyptian commander’s tomb, sarcophagus and grave goods uncovered at Abusir, Egypt. Source: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities

Excavation Unearths Unique Tomb of 6th Century BC Egyptian Commander

While performing excavations near the Giza Plateau , a team of Czech archaeologists from Charles University in Prague unearthed a tomb that belonged to a powerful Egyptian military commander who...
Discovery of an elite tomb was made ahead of renovation work in a working-class neighborhood in Lima. Source: Reuters / YouTube

Pre-Colonial Elite Tomb Discovered Under Working-Class Home in Lima

In May 2022 I wrote an Ancient Origins news article about the discovery of “42, syphilis -ridden, colonial Spaniards.” These bodies were unearthed at a 500-year-old hospital in Lima, Peru’s capital...
The 6th Dynasty clerk’s tomb was found near the dry moat of the Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara, shown here. 	Source: JUAN CARLOS MUNOZ / Adobe Stock

3,500-Year-Old Keeper Of ‘Royal Secrets’ Tomb Discovered In Egypt

A magnificent tomb has been discovered in Egypt belonging to a ‘keeper of royal secrets.’ This highly-trusted man served two ancient pharaohs of the 6th Dynasty, and successfully navigated the...
Christopher Columbus statue in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Source: Nikolay N. Antonov / Adobe Stock

First Tomb of Christopher Columbus Finally Found

He can be hailed as the heroic explorer who “discovered” the “New World” or reviled as the man who set off the process of genocide of indigenous Americans, but he can’t be denied a momentous place in...
Artist’s rendition of Inca skull surgery. Credit: ThomasH

Horrifying Surgical Kit Found in 1,000-Year-Old Surgeon Tomb in Peru

An ancient surgeon’s tomb has been discovered in Peru containing his grisly surgical weapons, including knives, needles and tumis – sharp metallic tools used for medical or sacrificial purposes...
Sacrifice and care on Chinese Tomb Sweeping Day. Source: tuayai / Adobe Stock

The Myths, Legends and Traditions of Chinese Tomb Sweeping Day

Every year, the Chinese celebrate the historic Qingming Festival. Fondly known as Ancestors Day or Tomb Sweeping Day, it is a day that commemorates the onset spring and the occasion when families...
Henry VIII shares a drink with Anne Boleyn, after Daniel Maclise, but she was soon to lose her head as Henry revolted against Catholic divorce laws. (Mike Licht / CC BY 2.0)

Why is Henry VIII’s Tomb So Small When His Life Was So Very Opulent?

Hidden under the floor in St George’s Chapel in Windsor, England where thousands of people walk every day, a forgotten tomb lies. Its inhabitant was once one of England’s most exuberant kings, yet...
Canopic jars recently found at the Abusir site.	Source: Egyptian Antiquities Authority

Stack of Mummification Materials Found In Abusir Tomb

A large cache of materials and artifacts connected with the embalming and mummification process used in ancient Egypt has been uncovered in a group of extraordinarily large burial wells at Abusir...
Curse of the Buried Pearl: Tomb Curses, Spirits and the Hunt for Ancient Treasures – Part I

Curse of the Buried Pearl: The Hunt for Ancient Treasures – Part I

In economics one hears talk of “the curse of oil” – and one might say wherever there is buried treasure there will be a curse, hyper-real or real. The most famous of all curses is of course that...
The Swiss ring watch found by Chinese archaeologists within a Ming Dynasty tomb. Source: EuroPics

Bizarre Finding of a Swiss Ring Watch in a Sealed Ming Dynasty Tomb

An aura of mystery continues to surround the excavation of a curious artifact which was recovered from the depths of an ancient tomb in China. When archaeologists reportedly recovered a modern-...

The Unfinished Timurid Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi

The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is a monument in Turkestan, a city in southern Kazakhstan. The mausoleum was built during the reign of Timur, the ruler of the Timurid Empire. The monument was...
Horse buried with the dead, and decorations of shell strings at Anyang.  Source: Anyang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology)

Unique Bronze Age Clan Cemetery Excavated in Anyang, China

After two years of excavations a 3,000-year-old clan cemetery containing the treasure-laden tombs of early social elites has been uncovered in central China. Located in Anyang, the northernmost city...
Artist’s impression showing what the exterior of the Neolithic tomb cairn at Hazleton North may have looked like. Courtesy of Corinium Museum, copyright Cotswold District Council.		Source: Courtesy of Corinium Museum, © Cotswold District Council / Nature

‘World’s Oldest Family Tree’ Revealed in Neolithic Tomb in England

Genome sequencing of 35 individuals from the best-preserved Neolithic tomb in B Tomb in England ritain has revealed that 27 of the individuals were the children of 4 women – and just one man! This...
The Chinese first emperor’s tomb was protected by the famed Terracotta Warriors. Source: Carlos Adampol Galindo / CC BY-SA 2.0

Cosmic Rays Could Finally Reveal Structure of Mysterious Tomb of China’s First Emperor

For over two millennia, the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang have been locked away, with scientists and historians the world over desperate to catch a glimpse of what really lies within...
Rock coffin with four children's skeletons, including the dark black dagger in situ. Approximately 4000 years old. (Katrine Ipsen Kjær / ROMU)

Remains of Five Toddlers Found in Ancient Tombs in Denmark

Five children’s bodies have been found in one ancient burial mound in Denmark. But where are all the others? Archaeology is greatly structured on the discovery and recovery of the buildings and...
Left, Hala Sultan Tekke, Larnca, Cyprus. Right; Assorted artifacts found at the Hala Sultan Tekke site.	Source: Left; Dickelbers, CC BY-SA 3.0. Right; Peter Fischer, Teresa Bürge / University of Gothenburg

Multicultural Ancient Treasure Hoard Discovered In Cyprus Tombs

Archaeologists in Cyprus have excavated two Bronze Age Tombs at one of the most important holy sites in the Islamic world. The treasures they discovered reveal the presence of a far-reaching trade...
One of the 128 child urn burials discovered in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Source: Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Over 120 Child Remains Found in Jars in Inner Mongolia

In the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in northern China, archaeologists have unearthed tombs with urn burials – of 128 children! The remains of these 128 children have been found near the ruins of...
Deriv; Sculpture depicting the King Tutankhamun as a child, gold plate with Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun.

The Twin Tragedy of Tutankhamun: Death of a Dynasty

Tossed away callously in a dark corner of the lavish Treasury in the subterranean tomb of Tutankhamun was possibly the most poignant remnant of the boy king’s short life. Positioned next to the...

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