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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Aksum

A representation of the Queen of Sheba who is also known Bilqīs, Makeda, or Nicaula. Source: Archivist/Adobe Stock

Little Known Facts About the Queen of Sheba (Video)

The Queen of Sheba , a figure entwined in diverse mythologies, offers a rich tapestry of narratives across various cultures. Mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, Torah, Bible, and Qur'an, she weaves...
Excavation of one of the early churches found in Adulis, which likely served as the city’s cathedral. Source: Antiquity Publications Ltd

Two Aksumite Churches Reveal Complex Religious History of East Africa

Fresh excavations in the port city of Adulis on Eritrea’s Red Sea coast have produced evidence showing that two ancient churches unearthed more than a century ago were constructed during the reign of...
Abyssinia and the Ethiopian Empire: The Ancient History of a Struggling Nation

Abyssinia and the Ethiopian Empire: The Ancient History of a Struggling Nation

The Horn of Africa is a region with a unique identity and vibrant history. Close to the Arabian Peninsula, it always stood out from the rest of the African continent. Today, the Horn of Africa is...
Michael Harrower and Cinzia Perlingieri mapping architecture at the Aksumite town of Beta Samati. (Credit: Nicole Harrower) A Christian stone pendant and a gold and carnelian intaglio ring found in the basilica. (Credit: I. Dumitru)   Source: Antiquity Publications Ltd.

Lost Aksumite Town Reveals Secrets of Enigmatic Kingdom

Despite their prominent place in the ancient world, much of the story of the Aksumite civilization is still a mystery to archaeologists today. This partly explains why the discovery of the town of...
UNESCO World Heritage Obelisk of Axum.

The Axum Stelae: Multi-Story Buildings of Antiquity?

For those of you already familiar with the remarkable monoliths which stand in Axum, Ethiopia, you will no doubt be aware of their uncanny resemblance to modern tower block apartment buildings. Along...
A photo showing some stelae found with Arabic inscriptions.

Archaeologists Discover that Earliest Known Arabic Writing Was Penned by a Christian

The oldest known Arabic writing found in Saudi Arabia, from ca. 470 AD belong to a Christian context and predates the advent of Islam with 150 years. In December 2015, researchers from a French-Saudi...
Bas-relief ‘Carrying the Ark of Covenant’, The Aksum Obelisk, and a depiction of the Queen of Sheba from the medieval manuscript ’Bellifortis’ by Conrad Kyeser (c. 1405), Prague school.

How is the Fallen Kingdom of Aksum Connected to the Queen of Sheba and the Ark of Covenant?

The Kingdom of Aksum (also spelled as ‘Axum’) was an ancient civilization located in what is today northern Ethiopia and Eritrea. This kingdom existed roughly between the 1st and the 8th centuries AD...
Ethiopian grave

Amazing jewels and artifacts found in 2,000-year-old Ethiopian grave reveal link to Rome

A major excavation carried out in the ancient city of Aksum in northern Ethiopia has yielded stunning treasures from both the Roman empire and Aksumite kingdom, revealing a connection with the Romans...
Mysterious ancient Queen of Ethiopia

Tracing the origins of a mysterious ancient Queen of Ethiopia

According to local tradition, the fall of the Aksumite kingdom of Ethiopia toward the end of the 10 th century A.D. was attributed to a queen who invaded from the south. This queen is said to have...