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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.

Remains of healthy snacks have been found at the Colosseum, Rome. Source: Amith/Adobe Stock

Romans Snacked on Nuts and Melons While Enjoying Colosseum Bloodbath

Over the last year archaeologists excavating the Colosseum in Rome have unearthed animal bones and coins. Now, they’ve discovered “snacks” that were consumed by the bloodthirsty spectators. Dating...
A golden mummy from Manchester Museum. Source: Allan Gluck / CC BY-SA 4.0

Mummification Had Nothing to Do With Preservation, Claims Exhibit

For over a century archaeologists and teachers have taught students that ancient Egyptians mummified corpses to “preserve” their bodies. Now, a disruptive new museum exhibit in the UK is set to...
The modern paleo diet is also called the caveman diet, as it’s inspired by Paleolithic eating habits. But is this meat-heavy depiction of ancient diets accurate?          Source: Gorodenkoff / Adobe Stock

Three Ancient Diets That Are Still Popular Today

There is no denying that the weight loss and diet industry in the Western world is huge. For many people, inspiration comes from our very early ancestors, who are believed to have eaten a simple,...
The backboard of the Kiribati armor was designed to protect from rear attacks (British Museum / CC BY SA 4.0)

Kiribati Coconut Armor - Not as Nutty as it Sounds!

At first sight, Kiribati armor might look a little strange, it is certainly not a suit of armor as we tend to think of it. It was surprisingly effective, given that it was made from coconut fibers,...
Fight with Cudgels by Francisco de Goya, circa 1820, resembles a bataireacht brawl   Source: Public Domain

Bataireacht: The Irish Stick Fighting Martial Art Making a Comeback

Many countries have martial arts that are closely associated with their national identity. Kung-fu and China, Tae Kwon Do and Korea, and Muay Thai and Thailand. Few people would ever associate...
Medieval medicine understood that the placebo effect could induce self-healing. Source: GINGER_Tsukahara / Adobe Stock

Medieval Medicine Understood How the Placebo Effect Could Heal

Is it time to kill the term “placebo effect”? A researcher looking at questionable medieval medicines, that are today shunned as placebos, has shown how early physicians triggered patient’s brains...
Swear words in a speech bubble. Source: Yuliia / Adobe Stock

14 Old Swear Words That Should Totally Make a Comeback

Cussing has been around since the time we could stub our toes. Though we’re all familiar with the swear words of the modern age, what about swear words from before our time? Believe it or not, there...
A woman wearing a veil, a tradition which has taken many different fomes throughout time and place.	Source: eugenepartyzan / Adobe Stock

Wearing of the Veil Traditions Throughout History

There is perhaps no piece of clothing in history that has caused more controversy than the veil. Currently, protests to raise awareness of the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, a lady who died after being...
The wako pirates are typically portrayed as Japanese pirates, but the reality was more complex. Depiction of a pirate ship sailing on the ocean against a golden sky. Source: Gasi / Adobe Stock

The Notorious Wako Pirates of Japan

The wako (also called wokou or waegu) were a group of marauders that dominated the seas of East Asia for centuries. They have been seen by Western historians and culture as a kind of Japanese pirate...
Tattoo on the left femur of a mummified Egyptian woman buried at Deir el-Medina. Source: Anne Austin/University of Missouri-St. Louis

Not A Tramp Stamp: Thigh and Hip Tattoos Found on Female Egyptian Mummies

Ancient burial sites in Egypt have yielded tattooed mummies, that are predominantly female rather than male. Over time, various debates have arisen about who these mummies were, in terms of their...
Hygiene has evolved over the years, but we’ve been taking showers for centuries. Women bathing in a public gymnasium; Gouache painting based on an ancient Greek vase. Source: Wellcome Collection / Public Domain

Hygiene Through History: How Filthy Were Our Ancient Ancestors?

People in the past have a reputation for being dirty and unhygienic, but is this true? While many aspects of personal hygiene have evolved over the centuries, others have remained surprisingly...
Heralds acted as messengers on the battlefield. Source: rudall30 / Adobe Stock

Heralds: Diplomats, Referees, and the Ultimate Power on the Battlefield

If you’ve ever watched a royal ceremony on television, been to a medieval fair, or watched a film set in the medieval ages you’ve probably seen a herald busy at work. These brightly dressed men...
Roman centurions like this were the backbone of the Roman army. Source: Fernando Cortés / Adobe Stock

Roman Centurions: Elite Forces of the Roman Empire’s Military

The ancient world had some impressive military forces. For example, Egypt was famed for its chariots and Greece for its navy. The Romans? They were famous for their foot troops, the legionaries. Yet...
Medieval sex was frequently restricted by the Catholic Church in many ways. Detail from The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, circa 1500. Source: Public Domain

Medieval Sex Rules - How Not to Have a Good Time

These days, sex is everywhere. It's in our books, films, songs, TV shows, and now, even our history articles. Although some countries still impose strict rules upon sex, the fact is most western...
A kite from above, taken from a balloon with a camera attached. Source: Global Kites Project

Desert Kites: Ancient Hunters Built Massive Death Traps for Animals

Located on the Ustyurt plateau spanning Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are some puzzling ancient structures - or what remains of them. The plateau is a dry, clay desert which stretches a...
Knight giving an oath of allegiance. Source: Andrey Kiselev

The Legendary Origins of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

Monarchies collect a whole host of traditions through the centuries, and the United Kingdom is no exception. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an ancient order of chivalry that dates back to 1348...
The armor of Henry II, King of France, ca. 1555 AD. This is one of the most elaborate and complete French parade armors. The surfaces are covered by dense foliate scrolls inhabited by human figures and a variety of creatures that derive from the Italian. Weight: 53 lb. 4 oz. (24.20 kg). Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public Domain.

16 Insanely Cool Suits of Armor

We have likely all seen the stereotypical image of a knight in shining armor , but there is more to the world of armory than the steel plate armor we are often exposed to. Armor came in innumerable...
Depiction of Anubis supervising mummification from a sarcophagus painting dating back to 400 BC. Source: André / CC BY-SA 2.0

The Healing Arts and Spiritual Mumbo-Jumbo in the Ancient World

The history of medicine is an amazing tale. Not only that, but a peek beneath the covers can hopefully help us understand some of the bizarre worldviews confronting us today in the realm of...
A modern monk walks into Shaolin Temple, famous for its kung-fu warriors, located in the high mountains of Henan, China.                Source: Daniel / Adobe Stock

The Historic Struggle of China’s Culturally Rich Shaolin Temple

The still famous and active Shaolin Temple monastery is best known as the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu and Chan Buddhism, a traditional Chinese subtype of Mahayana Buddhism. Also called Shaolin...
The emerald is known as the gemstone of lovers. Source: Balazs / Adobe Stock

The Bloody Legacy of Emeralds – The Gemstone of Lovers

People are a lot like magpies. We like shiny things. Since the beginning, we have ascribed value to pretty rocks with little practical value. To try and explain their obsession with these stones...
Left: Barbary apes can are intelligent, nimble, and can get pretty angry. But were they used as military monkeys in ancient times? Right: It’s not unheard of for monkeys to have thoughtful burials. Shown: An Indian monkey buried like a child in Egypt. Source: Left: Peter Mazlan / Adobe Stock, Right: Marta Osypińska / Science in Poland

Ancient Monkey Soldiers? Romans Buried Barbary Ape with Military Offerings

Militaries from many countries past and present have used animals in their work. Whether using horses to carry men, or dogs to track and patrol, the use of animals has been significant throughout...
The Galli: The Cross-Dressing Cybele Cult Priests Who Castrated Themselves

The Galli: The Cross-Dressing Cybele Cult Priests Who Castrated Themselves

The galli were priests who formed the cult of the goddess Cybele (Magna Mater in Rome) and her consort Attis. Because of the galli’s adoption of women’s clothing and jewelry, self-castration, and...
Large boab tree with coiled snake carving, northern Tanami Desert. Source: Darrell Lewis / Antiquity Publications Ltd

Tracking Down Ancient Artwork Carved into Australian Boab Trees

Archaeologists and historians from Australian National University, the University of Western Australia and the University of Canberra recently teamed up with a group of First Nations Australian...
King Charles III’s coronation is set to be an understated affair. Source: Maksym Yemelyanov / Adobe Stock

King Charles III Modernizes Coronation and Strips Back Ancient Traditions

When King Charles III is crowned in June 2023, the accompanying ceremony will be a decidedly streamlined affair and will strip back a lot of the ancient traditions it usually entails. This is in...

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