Ancient Places

Ancient places can be found all over the world. Their fascinating histories and impressive artifacts open intriguing glimpses to times past, and visiting such ancient places in the world 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 the most interesting archaeological sites all over the world, as well as new discoveries of ancient places that are worth paying a visit.

Painting of astronomers located at the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Source: LoggaWiggler / CC0

20 June, 2020 - 14:02 dhwty

The Star-Gazing Sultan and His Ulugh Beg Observatory

The Ulugh Beg Observatory is an astronomical observatory located on a hill near Samarkand, in modern day Uzbekistan. This observatory, which is often considered to be one of the finest of its kind in...

Buddhist monk meditation in temple Source: Sasint / Adobe Stock

19 June, 2020 - 02:01 Ed Whelan

The Ancient Temples and Tolerance of Ramateertham Village, India

India is blessed with an abundance of ancient historic and religious sites, but the small village of Ramateertham is unique. Nestled in its hills are sites that are sacred to Buddhists, Jains, and...

Representation of a Valkyrie

17 June, 2020 - 22:49 Veronica Parkes

The Bold and Beautiful Valkyries and Their Mortal Lovers

In Norse mythology, Valkyries were originally sinister spirits that would fly above the battlefield in search of the dead, deciding the fate of the fallen for Odin . The word “Valkyrie” means “...

Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Source: Haris Gunawan / Adobe Stock

15 June, 2020 - 13:40 dhwty

The Meaning of Mecca, Islam’s Holiest City

Mecca (also spelled as Makkah) is regarded as the holiest city in Islam. Apart from the fact that Mecca was the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, it is also the city where Islam’s holiest place of...

Roman legionary Source: serpeblu / Adobe Stock

14 June, 2020 - 22:58 Ed Whelan

Kings Weston Roman Villa, Where a Murder Lay Hidden for 1500 Years

Britain was part of the Roman Empire from the 1 st century AD to the start of the 5 th century AD when the emperor withdrew the legions from the islands and left the inhabitants to govern and fend...

The Fall of Babylon

12 June, 2020 - 22:15 dhwty

The Monumental Fall of Babylon: What Really Shattered the Empire?

The fall of Babylon is a historical event that occurred in 539 BC. This event saw the conquest of Babylon by the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus the Great and marked the end of the Neo-Babylonian...

The Bridestones, several large stones Source: Peel, M / CC BY-SA 4.0

12 June, 2020 - 01:32 Ed Whelan

Unveiling the Bridestones Cairn of Cheshire

The British landscape is dotted with the remains of its Stone Age past. We are all familiar with Stonehenge , one of the most famous prehistoric monuments in the world, but few people are familiar...

Example of an Adena mound in Mound Cemetery at Marietta Ohio. Unfortunately the Spearhead Mound was destroyed in 1940 for gravel operations.

11 June, 2020 - 14:09 Jason Jarrell

The Spearhead Mound: Interpretation of a Forgotten Adena Burial Site

The people of the Adena Culture were some of the first to construct burial mounds and earthworks in the Ohio River Valley. Early Adena sites date to between 1000 and 200 BC and usually consist of...

Aerial view of Frankenstein Castle in southern Hesse, Germany Source: Iurii / Adobe Stock

10 June, 2020 - 01:33 Ed Whelan

Witches, Monsters and Dragons, All at Frankenstein Castle

Castles are often associated with the supernatural and gruesome events and none more so than one of the most famous castles in all of Germany, Frankenstein Castle. This ruined fortress is synonymous...

European standing stones: Rudston Monolith (CC0), Maen Llia (Tony Martin Long /Adobe Stock), Maen Madoc (Alan Bowring/CC BY SA 2.0), Kerloas Menhir (mariof /Adobe Stock), Riesenstein (Tecty/CC BY SA 4.0), Menir da Meada. (StockPhotosArt /Adobe Stock)

7 June, 2020 - 13:51 Aleksa Vučković

European Standing Stones: The Mute Witnesses of Forgotten Times

If we reach far back into the distant past of our ancestors, as far back as the Neolithic and the Bronze Age, we can get a critical glimpse into the lives and traditions of Europe’s ancient...

Cordoba, Spain Skyline Source: SeanPavonePhoto/ Adobe Stock

6 June, 2020 - 13:51 Ed Whelan

The Roman Bridge of Cordoba that Transported Armies, and Spans Time

Ancient structures often tell us a great deal about the history of a region or country. They reveal what materials were available, the culture and beliefs of the people, and which nations, if any,...

Deciphering the Deities of Hinduism

6 June, 2020 - 01:48 manharsharma

Deciphering the Deities of Hinduism

There are no ancient civilizations that have not practiced some kind of religion. When we study the history of the oldest and the earliest civilizations, we do not find exact dates or traces of...

The Arch and Rotunda, Remains of a Vast Palace Complex Built by Galerius

3 June, 2020 - 02:02 Ed Whelan

The Arch and Rotunda, Remains of a Vast Palace Complex Built by Galerius

One thing gastronomists, sun worshipers and historians can agree on is that Greece has more than a little of something for everyone. Regarded as the birthplace of democracy and the cradle of Western...

Trials of Germany’s Impregnable Königstein Fortress

2 June, 2020 - 01:33 Ed Whelan

Trials of Germany’s Impregnable Königstein Fortress

Due to its turbulent history, Germany has many impressive military fortresses. One of the best known and most spectacular is the Königstein Fortress, located in the free state of Saxony Switzerland...

5 Lone Standing Stones of Europe – Our Old Menhir Warriors

31 May, 2020 - 14:06 Aleksa Vučković

5 Lone Standing Stones of Europe – Our Old Menhir Warriors

When it comes to the ancient beliefs and rituals of our earliest ancestors, nothing can be more captivating than standing stones and similar megalithic structures. Dating far back in time to the...

31 May, 2020 - 01:50 Jason Jarrell

The Mound Builders' Moon Goddess: Grandmother of the Eastern Woodlands

“With the Uncanny one has reached the fringes of the Numinous.” --C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain During a period spanning roughly 500 BC—500 AD, the Eastern Woodlands of North America were the...

The Bosnian Pyramids: One of the Greatest Finds Ever?

29 May, 2020 - 02:50 Richard Hoyle

The Bosnian Pyramids: One of the Greatest Finds Ever?

In 2020, as we begin a new decade, Dr Sam Osmanagich and The Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun Foundation is celebrating its 15 th year since multidisciplinary investigations of the Bosnian Pyramids began...

Rendering of bison in Niaux Cave Source: Valette, C / CC BY ND 2.0

28 May, 2020 - 01:46 Ed Whelan

Follow Ancient Footsteps to the Famous Rock Art of Niaux Cave

France is famous for its beautiful scenery, historic cities, and of course, wine. The country also has many spectacular cave systems such as the Bournillon Cave which has the highest cave opening in...

Sweetheart Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland Source: Heartland Arts / Adobe Stock

27 May, 2020 - 01:47 Ed Whelan

Sweetheart Abbey, a Shrine to a Beautiful Scottish Love Story

Scotland is a picturesque and historic land and the country has a long history with many celebrated landmarks. Sweetheart Abbey, a monastery built in Middle Ages is now in ruins but still remarkable...

Ancient Pyramids in an Icy Landscape: Was There an Ancient Civilization in Antarctica?

26 May, 2020 - 19:11 Clyde Winters

Ancient Pyramids in an Icy Landscape: Was There an Ancient Civilization in Antarctica?

In 2016 the World Wide Web was all abuzz with Google Earth images of Antarctica that appear to show pyramids in the icy landscape. The images show what appears to be three pyramids with four sides...

Deriv; The sands of Rub’ al Khali in Saudi Arabia (CC BY-SA 3.0), and dwellings near the Liwa Oasis, UAE

22 May, 2020 - 01:41 David Millar

Qidan, The Lost City of King Ad: Hoax or Reality?

In the middle of World War II a Royal Air Force (RAF) transport plane flying off course over the Arabian desert found a ‘lost city’ deep in the Empty Quarter. It was never seen again. Or was it? In...

The mystique of megalithic Japan is largely misunderstood, and it seems that the government does not care to find out more. From Yonaguni to Ishi-no-Hoden, let’s delve deeper into the unknown. Pictured: Divers inspecting the underwater site of Yonaguni in Japan. Source: nudiblue / Adobe stock

20 May, 2020 - 23:01 Freddie Levy

Unravelling the Lesser-known Laser-sharp Cuts of Megalithic Japan

A hurdle in the way of many Western researchers of megalithic Japan is the mystique that surrounds the history of the combined 6,800 islands that piece together the archipelago of Nippon - a place...

Stone formation Ales Stenar in southern Sweden on the Baltic Sea coast. Source: Fabian/ Adobe Stock

19 May, 2020 - 01:42 Ed Whelan

Ales Stenar, Sweden’s Stone Circle May Have More Secrets

Sweden is famous for the Northern lights, IKEA and their Vikings, known as Varangians. The country has a rich history and many heritage sites, one of which is the enigmatic Ales Stenar, (or Ale’s...

Smaller Ayaz Kala ruins. (bbsferrari /Adobe Stock)

18 May, 2020 - 14:01 dhwty

The Ayaz Kala Desert Fortresses: Spectacular Silk Road Ruins

Ayaz Kala in is most famous for its mudbrick fortresses; desert ruins echoing tales of the Silk Road. Today, three sets of ruins still stand in remembrance of the days when they served as a defense...

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