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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.

Aerial view of Nahualac lake when dry. Image: Arturo Cruz, Terrasat Cartografía.
5 January, 2018 - 23:01 Theodoros Karasavvas

Has a Millennium Old ‘Floating’ Replica of the Aztec Cosmos Been Found In Mexico?

Mexican archaeologists claim to have unearthed a stone sanctuary in a small lake on the side of a volcano east of Mexico City that may have been created as a miniature model of the universe. Stone "...
Externsteine, north-eastern face, across Wiembecke pond.
3 January, 2018 - 19:02 ancient-origins

Worship? Meditation? Sacrifice? What Ancient Ritual Activities Were Held at the Externsteine Sacred Stone Formation?

Externsteine is an unusual sandstone rock formation near Ostwestfalen-Lippe in the northwest of Germany. It is unique among other monolithic sites in Europe because it is a natural formation that has...
Arge Bam, Bam, Iran.
3 January, 2018 - 13:55 Riley Winters

Castle in the Sand: Arg-e Bam as a Pillar of Middle-Eastern Longevity

Iran’s Arg-e Bam, Bam Citadel, once stood as a pillar of longevity in the Middle East. Created upon the beginnings of the Achaemenid Empire (6th-4th centuries BC), and building on the commercial...
Tingis Gate, Volubilis.
3 January, 2018 - 01:59 dhwty

Valuable Volubilis: The Best-Preserved Roman Ruins in Morocco

It was time for the harvest and the inhabitants of Volubilis were busy in their fields. This was the prime moment for a local tribe to attack the rich administrative center. As the Roman soldier saw...
Sogmatar temple ruins
29 December, 2017 - 13:54 Caleb Strom

The Celestial Temple of Sogmatar: A Sacred Site Dedicated to Sin and the Planets

Ancient Arab accounts tell of a mysterious temple in eastern Anatolia dedicated to the planets. The ruins surrounding the modern village of Sogmatar used to be an important city during the...
Artist's rendering of the hof, a pagan temple, in Uppsala, Sweden.
27 December, 2017 - 22:48 dhwty

The Heathen Hof: Resurrecting a Germanic Pagan Temple

A heathen hof, also referred to as a Germanic pagan temple, is the name given to a place of worship in the Germanic religion. These were pre-Christian temples found in various parts of Northern...
Mural from a Pompeii brothel.
19 December, 2017 - 01:58 ancient-origins

The Grim Reality of the Brothels of Pompeii

Like the anxious men who began excavations at Pompeii in the 18th century and discovered more about the ancient Italians than they had bargained for – such as phallic-shaped lamps – historians of sex...
Illustration of the "Emmons mask", a Mississippian culture carved cedarwood human face shaped object once covered in copper and painted with galena and used as part of a headdress
14 December, 2017 - 23:00 Jason Jarrell

Adena Axis Mundi & Large Skeletal Remains: Travelling to the Realm of the Dead at Grave Creek Mound - Part II

The large Grave Creek Mound proved to be an irresistible attraction to early antiquarians and curiosity seekers. In 1823, John Haywood mentioned the impressive mound: “of a conical form, 75 feet high...
Illustration of the "Emmons mask", a Mississippian culture carved cedarwood human face shaped object once covered in copper and painted with galena and used as part of a headdress
14 December, 2017 - 18:55 Jason Jarrell

Adena Axis Mundi & Large Skeletal Remains: Archaeology of the Grave Creek Mound - Part I

The City of Moundsville is located along the Ohio River in Marshall County, West Virginia. From the time of European settlement in the 1770s, Moundsville was regarded by antiquarians as one of the...
Pictorial representation of Pyramid in Teuchitlán Guachimontones Museum.
12 December, 2017 - 18:50 dhwty

Were Mexico’s Circular Pyramids Really Made for a Flying Ceremony?

Guachimontones (known alternatively as Huachimontones) is an archaeological site located in the western Mexican state of Jalisco. This is an important site of the Teuchitlan tradition, which was a...
A soldier from the game Numantia. Credit: RECO Technology
11 December, 2017 - 13:55 Theodoros Karasavvas

Remembering Numantia: Videogame Reminds Us of Brave Warriors and Their Blood on Roman Hands

The forgotten war between the Romans and the Celtiberians may not ring any bells with most people today, but many historians rank it as one of the most significant wars of the Roman era...
A diver explores the Baiae Underwater Archaeological Site
7 December, 2017 - 13:52 Theodoros Karasavvas

Hedonistic ‘Sunken City of the Caesars’ Recaptured By Divers After 1,700 Years

The sunken city of the Caesars that was lost for over seventeen centuries under the blue waters of Italy's west coast, has been uncovered in impressive new pictures taken by divers who were permitted...
Plate 1: Australian eastern seaboard (Google Earth), Statue of Garuda (Hyougushi / Hideyuki KAMON from National Museum in Delhi, India/CC BY-SA 2.0) and Tamil inscriptions, Tamil Nadu. (Shivz Photography/CC BY 2.0) Deriv.
6 December, 2017 - 22:49 William James Veall

History’s Lost Transoceanic Voyages: Tamils and Sumerians Among the FIRST to Reach Australia and Antarctica?— PART II

Regarding interesting inscriptions and shapes found by satellite archaeology, revealing what might be ancient human occupation on the continent of Antarctica, author William James Veall writes that...
Plate 1: Australian eastern seaboard (Google Earth), statue of a Sumerian woman c. 2400 BC
6 December, 2017 - 18:57 William James Veall

Tamils and Sumerians Among the FIRST to Reach Australia and Antarctica? PART I

Guest Author, Satellite Archaeologist, and Independent Researcher, William James Veall updates his recently published article on "Antarctica Writings" on Ancient Origins , to include an alternative...
The public entrance to the Unicorn Cave.
5 December, 2017 - 13:51 dhwty

What Extraordinary Discovery Led to Unicorn Cave Magically Transforming into a Cash Cow?

Einhornhöhle, which may be translated as ‘Unicorn Cave’ in English, is a cave located in the Harz, a low mountain range in a highland area Northern Germany. It has been pointed out that the Unicorn...
Sculptor’s Cave, Covesea, Lossiemouth
4 December, 2017 - 18:49 dhwty

What Really Went on in the Sculptor’s Cave Where Hundreds of Bronze Age Child Remains Were Unearthed?

Pictish carvings grace its walls; crucibles, a swan’s neck pin, and bronze arm rings were scattered across its floor – Sculptor’s Cave has had an exciting and varied history stretching back to the...
A modern depiction of the hellhound Cerberus.
3 December, 2017 - 14:04 aprilholloway

Gate to Hell Guardians Were Used to Ward People Off Deadly Cave

The Gate to Hell, also known as Pluto’s Gate, was the Greco-Roman entrance to the Underworld. When archaeologists found an example of this sacred site in Turkey they also discovered two guardians who...
The Colosseum in Rome, once home to the most brutal games in history.
3 December, 2017 - 02:01 Riley Winters

The Colosseum – From Gladiator Fights to Gory Executions and Sea Battles

Gladiatorial fights, sea battles, criminal (and Christian?) executions. These are only a few of the events, if they can even be called such, that happened in the walls of the Colosseum. Known during...
Caesar's first invasion of Britain: Caesar's boat is pulled to the shore while his soldiers fight the resisting indigenous warriors. Lithograph by W. Linnell after E. Armitage.
30 November, 2017 - 02:00 ancient-origins

First Hard Evidence for Julius Caesar's Invasion of Britain Discovered

The first evidence for Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain has been discovered by archaeologists from the University of Leicester. Based on new evidence, the team suggests that the first landing of...
Quetzalcoatl – Public Domain, and El Castillo at Chichén Itzá – CC BY-SA 4.0
27 November, 2017 - 18:57 Carl Johan Calleman

The ‘Myth’ of the Plumed Serpent: Revealing the Real Message Behind the Feathered Snake

The Plumed (or Feathered) Serpent is a Mesoamerican myth that has fascinated modern people for quite some time. Among the Aztecs and Toltecs this divinity went by the name of Quetzalcoatl and to the...
An 18th dynasty tomb unearthed in Qurna
27 November, 2017 - 13:54 dhwty

The Qurna Eviction: Separating the Living from the Dead in Egypt

Built atop the 3,000-year-old Tombs of the Nobles, Qurna, a village located on the West Bank of the Nile, is one of the most important archaeological sites in Egypt, but it is also one of the most...
Inside one of the tunnels under Rome, Italy.
25 November, 2017 - 02:04 aprilholloway

A Labyrinth of Ancient Tunnels Exist Under Roman Streets

Few visitors recognize that there is a forgotten world below the Roman Colosseum and Forum. The ancient maze of tunnels and quarries date back to the very beginning of this famous city. Locals, on...
Virtual recreation by Charles Chipiez. A panoramic view of the gardens and outside of the Palace of Darius I of Persia in Persepolis.
24 November, 2017 - 23:03 Riley Winters

An Empire in Death: The Extensive Remains of Persepolis

Once the stunning capital of the Persian Empire (also known as the Achaemenid Empire), Persepolis was lost to the world for almost nineteen hundred years, buried in the dirt of southwestern Iran...
Inside one of the tunnels under Valetta, Malta.
24 November, 2017 - 13:50 dhwty

Just for Waste and Water…Right? The Knights of Malta and Their Secret Tunnels

Hordes of tourists visit the Mediterranean island of Malta each year to enjoy the above ground attractions the country has to offer such as breath-taking sandy beaches, historical buildings, and...

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