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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Africa

Ancient places can be found all over Africa. Their fascinating histories and impressive artifacts open intriguing glimpses to times past, and open up a window on African history. Visiting such historical places in Africa can be an unforgettable experience.

Science is constantly discovering new archaeological places and uncovering more evidence into what we once thought we knew about our history, therefore offering new pieces to the ever changing puzzle of humanity’s past and altering how we interpret it. This section will present ancient African history articles, highlighting the most interesting archaeological sites all over Africa, as well as new discoveries of ancient places that are worth paying a visit.

Great Pillared Hall, Temple of Ramesses II, Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel: The Great Temple of Ramesses II was Almost Lost

The Abu Simbel Temple is an enormous rock temple complex located on Egypt’s border with Sudan. The two temples of this complex were built in the 13th century BC during the reign of the powerful...
Sunset at the Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt. Source: Patryk Kosmider /Adobe Stock

Hidden Chambers and Meaning: Is the Great Pyramid for a King or Priests?

When I first thought of elements in the pyramid, I had no idea that I would end up postulating the existence of another hidden chamber. Can we locate it more precisely and find out how to get into it...
The Pyramid of Cheops illuminated by the sun in backlight, with people entering inside to visit it. The area with the great pyramids of Giza, Egypt. Source: Alfredo /Adobe Stock

The Great Pyramid: New Theory on God Symbolism and the Hidden Chambers

Architecture is language of form, of three dimensional images reflecting the function of a building and the time it was built. At best it demonstrates the builders’ beliefs regarding life and the...
A 5thcentury Byzantine basilica at Adulis, Eritrea, excavated in 1914   Source: Stanley, D/CC BY 2.0

Slave Trade and Exotic Animals Made the Ancient Port of Adulis Rich

The Red Sea coast has traditionally been one of the world’s great crossroads for trade and a meeting place of cultures. Because of this, there are many notable ports on this north-eastern coast of...
Ptolemaic era temple Kon-Ombo            Source: xfargas / Adobe Stock

Last of the Kings of Egypt: The Ptolemaic Dynasty

Ptolemaic Egypt is distinctive in being both the last independent Egyptian dynasty and the last Hellenistic kingdom to fall to Rome . The Ptolemies were not native Egyptians, but Greek and Macedonian...
Memorial to Stanley and Livingstone, Burundi 	Source: Poffer, D / CC BY 2.0

The Livingstone – Stanley Monument and The Famous Tale of Two Explorers in Africa

Without a doubt, European explorers in 19 th century Africa changed history. Two of the most famous are Dr David Livingstone, and the journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley , who opened central...
Queen Dido, founder of Carthage and the Punic pantheon. Source: Eloquence / Public Domain.

Gods of Carthage and The Punic Power House of Baal Hammon and Tanit

According to tradition, the city of Carthage was founded in 814 BC by the legendary Queen Dido . The founder of this city was originally a princess from the Phoenician city of Tyre. She was, however...
Maat, goddess of truth and justice

Maat: Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Truth, Justice and Morality

Maat, also known as Ma’at or Mayet, was a female goddess in the ancient Egyptian religion who represented truth, justice, balance and morality. The daughter of the Egyptian sun deity Ra and wife of...
Painted cave in Galdar, Grand Canary Island.

Cueva Pintada: Painted Cave of Gran Canaria Reveals Mystery of Ancient Inhabitants

In 1862, in the center of the Spanish town of Galdar , an incredible archaeological discovery was made while agricultural work was being undertaken. Through a hole in its roof, the extraordinary...
Burning scroll

Who Destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria?

The destruction of the great library of Alexandria has been lamented as one of the biggest losses of the ancient world. Nearly one million documents from across Assyria, Greece, Persia, Egypt, India...
Great Mosque of Touba.        Source: Visintainer, F / CC BY 3.0

The Great Mosque of Touba: Spiritual Home of the Mouride Brotherhood

Islam has a long and impressive history in Africa. The nation of Senegal , for example, has been decisively influenced by Islam and it is the location of one of the greatest mosques in the entire...
A lost desert city. Credit: frenta / Adobe Stock

Lost City of the Kalahari: Experts Search for Traces of Ancient Desert Civilization

Today, the Kalahari Desert is known as a very dry place. The word Kalahari in fact comes from a Tswana word which means ‘great thirst’. As a result, it seems an unlikely location for an ancient city...
Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Temple

Temple of Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar: Colorful Worship in Seychelles Paradise

Seychelles is a tropical paradise famous for its beautiful beaches, clear warm waters, and spectacular scenery. The archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean is best known as a holiday...
Akhenaten, relief of the pylons of the house of Panehsy, Chief Servitor of the Aten. It depicts Akhenaten making offerings to the Aten.

Pharaoh Akhenaten: An Alternative View of the Heretic King

Amenhotep IV, also known as the Pharaoh Akhenaten, was destined to be remembered for his attempt at a religious conversion of ancient Egypt; one that saw the old gods put aside and replaced by a...
The civilization called Wagadou, better known as the Ghana Empire, was a Sonniki state.

The Prosperity and Power of the Ghana Empire Flourished on the Trans-Saharan Trade Route

The Ghana Empire was the first of the great West African empires that existed during the Middle Ages. The history of the Ghana Empire is obscure and much of what we know about it is derived from Arab...
Colored Giza Casing Stones, Menkaure's Pyramid.

Stones of Diverse Colors: Symbolic and Astronomical Significance in the Very Fabric of the Giza Casing Stones

Most casual students of ancient history know that the outer casing stones of the Giza pyramids were constructed of highly polished Tura limestone blocks that caused them to gleam like a trio of...
Traditional Tammari people village of Tamberma at Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba, Kara region, Togo.

Koutammakou, Togo: Unparalleled Batammariba Life and Unique Architecture

Koutammakou, the land of the Batammariba people, has many unique architectural and ethnographic attractions found nowhere else. The harmonious integration the Batammariba have with nature is rarely...
Production of salt for the salt trade.

When Salt Was Traded for Gold: The Salt Trade of West Africa that Built Kingdoms and Spread Culture

In West Africa during the Medieval period, salt was traded for gold. This may seem astonishing as salt is a cheap commodity in today’s society. It may be added that salt is easily available today...
Askia the Great, ruler of the Songhai Empire 1493 to 1528.

How Did the Songhai Empire Dominate West Africa?

The Songhai Empire dominated West Africa between the 15th and 16th centuries. This empire was a successor state of the powerful, centuries-long Mali Empire . The weakening of Mali rule allowed the...
The Berbers, lords of the desert.

The Rich Mythology and Megalithic Culture of the Ancient Berbers, Lords of the Desert

The Barbary Coast of North Africa was named after the Berbers, the nomadic people who inhabited the region west of the Nile Valley in north Africa. Called the Amazigh or Imazighen in antiquity (...
The Mzora Stone Circle in Northern Morocco.

The Mzora Stone Circle: A Megalithic Mystery in Morocco

When people think of megalithic structures , there is a clear behemoth which undeniably dominates the history books – Stonehenge . The iconic stone circle has fascinated historians, archaeologists,...
Somalia: The Ancient Lost Kingdom of Punt is Finally Found?

Somalia: The Ancient Lost Kingdom of Punt is Finally Found?

Tourists from all over the world are welcomed in Upper Egypt to admire temples and learn about the fascinating history of ancient pharaohs. However, the pharaohs’ true origins are not told and our...
Ruins and obelisks at Axum, former capital of the Kingdom of Aksum

The Kingdom of Axum: Facts and Legends of a First Millennium Powerhouse

Located on the Horn of Africa, the ancient Ethiopian kingdom of Axum (also spelled Aksum) played a significant role in international relations around the time of the first millennium. At its height,...
Apollo 11 Cave Stones, Namibia

Namibia’s Apollo 11 Cave – How We Gained Insight Into The Minds Of Our Ancestors

Despite its name, the Apollo 11 cave in Namibia has nothing to do with space exploration. It’s the location of prehistoric art, some of the earliest examples of art in human history, and it has...

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