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Ancient Traditions

Ancient Origins brings you articles related to Ancient Traditions from all over the world. Find related articles in the sections of history, archaeology, human origins, unexplained, artifacts, ancient places and myths and legends.

The Great Pyramid, south side. Source: © Jonathon A. Perrin
13 January, 2023 - 21:50 Jonathon Perrin

The Lost Egyptian Origins of the Superstitious Numbers 13 and 18

The superstitious numbers 13 and 18 both have a long history reaching back millennia. The first is usually regarded as unlucky, the latter, lucky – but why? What are the actual origins of these...
January 14th, the day after St Knut’s Day, in Stockholm, Sweden is when everyone tosses out the Christmas tree but only after a good party the day before! Source: Swedense
13 January, 2023 - 13:59 Lex Leigh

St Knut’s Day: Jan 13 - The Scandinavian Fun Finale To Christmas!

Every culture has its own unique holidays and traditions, but one of the most interesting cultural holidays is St Knut’s Day. St Knut’s Day, also known as the Feast of St Knut, is a traditional...
Roland the Farter’s flatulence was seemingly so impressive that it garnered a gift of land from King Henry I. Painting of The Court Jester by John Watson Nicol, 1895 Source: Public Domain
10 January, 2023 - 00:54 Sahir

Roland the Farter: Medieval England’s Celebrity Flatulist

A manor in Suffolk and a whopping 30 acres (12 hectares) of land was given to a person who was renowned for his ability to gas, quite literally, at the behest of King Henry II. Roland le Petour, also...
The complex Mesoamerican calendars have fascinated for centuries. New LiDar surveys provide evidence that they were used much earlier than previously thought. Source: Frenta / Adobe Stock
8 January, 2023 - 17:51 Sahir

Lasers Map Mysteries of the Maya Calendar, Centuries Older than Thought

Renowned for their precision, vision, and place in time, Mesoamerican calendars have long been held up as an example of the early advancement of the civilizations of the indigenous people of North,...
Some of these ancient medical treatments will make you understand how the ‘mad doctor’ trope got started. Source: vchalup / Adobe Stock
7 January, 2023 - 14:00 Lex Leigh

Murderous Medicine: Six Strange and Horrifying Ancient Medical Treatments

The medical field has advanced significantly compared to where it was fifty years ago, let alone over 1,000 years ago. Although modern technology has allowed us to understand more about the human...
Tzolkin section in the Dresden Codex, starting from the day 1, Manik'. (Lacambalam /CC BY-SA 4.0)
7 January, 2023 - 00:57 Marie D. Jones ...

Sacred Calendars and New Years: Cycles of Time and Ages

The global holiday of a new year symbolizes all we have experienced for the duration of the year, and all our hopes and dreams for the year ahead. Such observances date back over 4,000 years, often...
A Byzantine depiction of the Three Wise Men (526 AD) from the Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy. Source: Nina-no / CC BY-SA 2.5
6 January, 2023 - 13:56 dhwty

The Feast of Epiphany: Who Were The Three Kings and Where Did They Come From?

In Western Christianity, the feast of Epiphany, also known as Three Kings’ Day, is celebrated annually on the 6th January to commemorate the visit of the Magi , wise men, or kings from the East to...
This capacocha victim, a boy recovered from Cerro El Plomo in 1954, was the first finding of its kind to be the subject of scientific studies. Pictured with excavated grave goods: a female silver statuette, gold llamas and spondylus shell, a chuspa stuffed with coca leaves, scrotum and animal intestine bags with clippings of nails, hair and teeth, and a silver bracelet. Source: Jisa39 / CC BY SA 4.0
4 January, 2023 - 13:52 Robbie Mitchell

Capacocha: Ritualized Child Sacrifice in the Inca Empire

The Inca were an impressive people. From the 1400s to 1532, they created an empire so large it spread from modern Ecuador to central Chile. Master builders that rivaled the ancient Egyptians, their...
Toasting with champagne and sparklers is a New Year’s tradition, or is it a ritual? Source: Valerii/Adobe Stock
3 January, 2023 - 01:00 ancient origins

Why Rituals Have Been Crucial for Humans Throughout History

By Michelle Langley /The Conversation Each December, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, among others, take over our thoughts and our wallets as we participate in ceremonies our ancestors have practiced...
‘A Dance to the Music of Time’ (1634-1635) by Nicolas Poussin. Source: Public Domain
31 December, 2022 - 21:52 Joanna Gillan

Humans Have Been Making New Year’s Resolutions for Over 4,000 Years

New Year’s resolutions are a popular practice. Countless people begin to consider them every year as December 31st rolls around. Although big plans and ambitious goals can be difficult to follow...
Mongolian yurts in the summer meadows in Nalati, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Source: 孝通 葛 / Adobe Stock
31 December, 2022 - 17:48 Robbie Mitchell

From Nomads to Glampers: The History of the Yurt

The yurt is an early form of tent that has been in use in parts of Asia for over a millennium. Today, they are primarily associated with nomadic Mongol herders and hunters, but their use dates back...
Swimmer in a lake, an activity dating back 100,000 years. Source: astrosystem/Adobe Stock
31 December, 2022 - 00:45 ancient origins

The Earliest Humans Swam 100,000 Years Ago, and Included Neanderthals

By Jane Messer / The Conversation One of my life’s aims is to swim in as many lakes, rivers, pools and oceans as I possibly can, to use my liberty and swimming skills as freely as I can. I love the...
The world’s oldest brewery is located in Bavaria, Germany, established by Benedictine monks. Cellar scene with happy monks by Simony Jenson, 1904. Source: Public Domain
30 December, 2022 - 21:57 Lex Leigh

Weihenstephan: The Oldest Brewery in the World?

Humans have been making beer for thousands of years, but the oldest brewery still in existence wasn’t built until the 11th century. The Weihenstephan Brewery was founded in Freising, Germany in 1040...
Taking ‘brain food’ literally – baked brains with roasted roses, another disgusting ancient food Source: Dubnytskaya Photo / Adobe Stock
30 December, 2022 - 17:38 Lex Leigh

Nine Absolutely Disgusting Ancient Foods Our Ancestors Enjoyed

Cuisine is an essential aspect of one’s culture. The meals enjoyed by various communities in ancient times have evolved throughout history to become the foods we know and love today. However, these...
Ancient warfare tactics were no less brutal than today’s and some were quite innovative. Source: Arhun / Adobe Stock
30 December, 2022 - 13:51 Robbie Mitchell

6 Shockingly Successful Ancient Warfare Tactics

As long as humans have walked the Earth, they’ve been finding reasons to kill each other. Over time, we’ve gotten pretty good at it. It should come as no surprise then that over the years armies have...
Firewood was a gift brough to housewarming parties, literally to warm the house. Source: Adobe Stock Free
26 December, 2022 - 18:00 Lex Leigh

9 Crazy Things Ancient People Gave as Gifts

The holiday season is upon us, and gifts have been given to loved ones and friends. After a time of wracking your brains for the perfect gift, you may have wondered what types of items ancient people...
Coin sword made of an iron rod with Chinese cash coins of the 19th century tied to it with red and green string in the shape of a sword, with hanging ornaments. Source: British Museum / CC BY NC SA 4.0
25 December, 2022 - 17:32 Lex Leigh

Ancient Chinese Coin Swords: Demon Fighting Weapons of the East

One of the most fascinating discoveries from ancient China are coin swords. Coin swords, also known as cash swords, are an ancient type of feng shui talisman that has been around since the Qing...
The Legend of the Christmas Spider is a folktale that dates back hundreds of years from German and Ukrainian origin. Source: VideoCorpus / Adobe Stock
25 December, 2022 - 13:52 Lex Leigh

Silver and Gold: The Legend of the Christmas Spider and Tinsel

If you celebrate Christmas, you likely have annual traditions when it comes to decorating your Christmas tree. There are many accessories we like to decorate our trees with, but one of the most...
Red skull, representational. Source: ahlaj77 / Adobe Stock
24 December, 2022 - 17:55 ashley cowie

Pre-Inca Peruvians Painted Skulls with Red Pigments

It is well known that ancient cultures in what is today Peru deformed their babies' skulls to form elongated shapes. A new study reveals that, a millennium ago, people 'finger painted' the skulls of...
Representation of a medieval hall - The Temperate and the Intemperate: Miniature from Valerius Maximus, Faits et dits mémorables des romains, translation by Simon de Hesdin and Nicolas de Gonesse of Facta et dicta memorabilia, about 1475–1480. Source: Master of the Dresden Prayer Book /Getty
20 December, 2022 - 00:59 ancient origins

Medieval Great Halls Were at the Heart of the Festive Season

Giles Gasper /The Conversation The great hall is one of the most enduring images from the Middle Ages – and with good reason. Surviving written sources as well as archaeological and architectural...
This ancient Aztec observatory has allowed researchers to discern how the Mexico told time and planned their agricultural calendar. Source: Ben Meissner
18 December, 2022 - 17:59 ashley cowie

Aztec Observatory Temple Reveals Ancient Calendar Secrets

Archaeologists in Mexico have always wondered how sky watchers tracked the sun over time to maintain their farming calendar. Now, a new paper demonstrates how Mexica temples were used, with entire...
The traditional British Christmas pudding has evolved over the years into a sweet delicacy of fruits and nuts. Source: Maksim Shebeko / Adobe Stock
17 December, 2022 - 17:57 Lex Leigh

Christmas Pudding: Savor the Flavor of Ancient Tradition!

Every family has their own holiday traditions, but one tradition that goes back centuries is the making of Christmas pudding. Christmas pudding is a traditional dish made in many British households...
You can find beautiful, fairy-tale like Christmas markets around Europe, with many dating back hundreds of years. The picturesque Gdansk, Poland Christmas market shown. Source: Patryk Kosmider / Adobe Stock
16 December, 2022 - 18:00 Robbie Mitchell

Looking for Christmas Cheer? Six of the Oldest (and Best) Christmas Markets in Europe

If you visit any large European town or city during December, there’s a very good chance you’ll see a Christmas market. The traditional Christmas market is a centuries-old European tradition, and it...
The Uushgiin Ovor deer stone site near Mörönь, Khovsgol, Mongolia. Source: Aloxe / Free Art Libre
13 December, 2022 - 14:00 Lex Leigh

The Mysterious Deer Stones of Mongolia

Mongolia is steeped in rich, ancient culture. One of the most fascinating discoveries made in Mongolia is that of their mysterious deer stones. These deer stones are estimated to be at least 2,700...

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