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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.

Are there hidden benefits to cold treatment? Source: Dudarev Mikhail / Adobe Stock.
26 August, 2021 - 22:39 Aleksa Vučković

Therapeutic Hypothermia: Is Extreme Cold An Effective Ancient Remedy?

Of all the methods of healing and therapy, one would never think of hypothermia as an effective medical aid. But is there more to cold than we realize? Therapeutic hypothermia has surprisingly old...
Tahtib dance or ancient Egyptian martial art stick fighting being performed in modern Egypt. Source: Traditional Sports
25 August, 2021 - 15:01 B. B. Wagner

Egypt’s Ancient Tahtib Martial Arts Form: Stick Fighting Warriors!

Tahtib is an ancient Egyptian stick fighting martial art that dates back to Egypt's Old Kingdom (2649-2130 BC) during the second millennium BC. This martial art emphasizes the use of a long stick for...
The Holmgang was formalized but could still be deadly. Source: Alex_marina / Adobe Stock.
20 August, 2021 - 19:03 Aleksa Vučković

Fight For Your Honor! The Holmgang And Viking Law

Throughout their history, the Vikings were known as ferocious fighters, seafarers, raiders, and traders. The popular image depicts them as somewhat rambunctious and lawless - but that is far from the...
Haunting and beautiful Middle-Earth-like elves by artist
21 July, 2021 - 08:44 Alda S

Icelanders Believed in Elves, But it is Probably Not What You Think

Icelanders believe in elves. They refuse to begin major construction projects unless they consult with elves first. They lobby their politicians on behalf of elf colonies. They run “elf schools” and...
A Visit to the Witch by Edward Frederick Brewtnall
16 July, 2021 - 02:01 Riley Winters

Bubbling Brews and Broomsticks: How Alewives Became the Stereotypical Witch

"Brewing", "herbs," "broomsticks," "woman." When one hears these words together, most often the assumption is that the person in question is a witch. Yet brewing has a very human meaning as well, one...
A man contorting his face at the idea of some of the weirdest foods in history. Source: Kurhan / Adobe Stock
10 July, 2021 - 18:24 Aleksa Vučković

A Test for the Taste Buds: The 7 Weirdest Foods in History

In many ways, the culinary arts of preparing food are the oldest in the world. Ever since becoming sentient, humans had to experiment with cooking in order to sustain themselves. From the dawn of...
Ta’ Cenc dolmen, one of the best-preserved Megalithic dolmens in Malta, sits on the edge of the Ta' Cenc Cliffs.
8 July, 2021 - 14:58 Laura Tabone

Secrets Of The Stones: Malta’s Lesser-Known Megalithic Design

Malta’s prehistory is as dazzling as it is opaque. The excavations and research by archaeologists and other academics have been incredibly thorough, and have helped to create fantastic insights into...
Healing Temple of Aesculapius (Asklepios) by Robert Thom
3 July, 2021 - 01:58 Sarah Janes

The Healing Power of Dream Incubation in Ancient Greece

In the ancient world, many cultures built elaborate temple complexes dedicated to their healer gods - Imhotep in Egypt and Asklepios in Greece for example. These gods were recognized as having the...
Buried Alive: The Terrifying History of Death by Immurement
22 June, 2021 - 22:56 dhwty

Buried Alive: The Terrifying History of Death by Immurement

Immurement is a practice whereby a person is enclosed within a confined space with no exits. Normally, a person who is immured is left in that space till he/she dies, either of dehydration or...
Stonehenge and surrounding earthworks.
19 June, 2021 - 18:55 Dr. John Hill

Natural Harmony: How did the Stonehenge Druids Measure the Landscape?

What were the Proto-Druids up to at Stonehenge? Advances in GPS technology and other sophisticated mapping software allow their prehistoric surveying activities to be investigated in ways that were...
The holy relics and reliquary of Saint Ivo of Kermartin (St. Yves or St. Ives; 1253–1303 AD) in Tréguier, Brittany, France.
17 June, 2021 - 19:02 Meagan Dickerson

Relic Cults: Why Dead Saints Were So Important in the Middle Ages

The practice of preserving and enshrining the remains of saints and heroes, or other items associated with their life or death, has been ongoing for thousands of years dating back well into the pre-...
Modern-day legislation has been heavily influenced by Roman law. Source: Anneke / Adobe Stock
12 June, 2021 - 02:03 John S. Richardson

Roman Law and Its Lasting Influence On the Legal System of Europe

During the creation of the mighty Roman Empire, between 753 BC and 1453 AD, the Romans not only created the political institutions of Roman governance, but they also set up a series of legal...
Experts Still Stumped By Child Buried With A Bird In Its Mouth
9 June, 2021 - 01:53 Elizabeth Moore

Bizarre Burial: Girl With A Bird Skull In Her Mouth

Between the 18th and 19th century in Poland, a child was given an unusual burial involving bird skulls within the Tunel Wielki Cave. A ritualistic burial like this surely would have been a spectacle...
Spiritual Marriage and Holy Virginity: The Medieval Practice of Sexless Marriage
5 June, 2021 - 18:57 Meagan Dickerson

Spiritual Marriage and Holy Virginity: The Medieval Practice of Sexless Marriage

The institution of marriage dates back to almost the beginning of written history, with countless variations on how it has been practiced throughout the ages in different cultures and religions. The...
Anubis and Xolotl: The Remarkable Resemblance of the Death Dog Gods
1 June, 2021 - 18:48 Mark A. Carpenter

Anubis and Xolotl: The Remarkable Resemblance of the Death Dog Gods

Few ancient cultures have captured the modern imagination like the Egyptian and Maya civilizations, with their elaborate belief structures. The author traces a remarkable resemblance between two dog-...
Some of the stone structures found in the Northeastern United States appear man-made.
31 May, 2021 - 23:09 Mark A. Carpenter

Did Stone-Age Giants Live in the Champlain and Hudson Valleys?

In the serene woodlands of the Northeastern United States, the Champlain Lake Valley meanders through the landscape, dividing the Adirondack and Green Mountain ranges. As the Champlain Basin ends,...
Ostracism: From Divine Punishment to Political Maneuvers
29 May, 2021 - 18:52 Mary Mount

Ostracism: From Divine Punishment to Political Maneuvers

As the world’s powers perpetually rise and fall, exile and banishment have forever been ubiquitous elements of human history. Exile and ostracism have afflicted individuals and nations, inspiring...
Roman executions at the Colosseum were a gruesome affair, as depicted in The Christian Marturs' Last Prayer by Jean-Léon Gérôme. Source: Public domain
28 May, 2021 - 19:01 Mauro Poma

Roman Executions in the Colosseum: The Stories of Laureolus and Androcles

Public order in ancient Rome was a priority for the elite, who contrived a range of gruesome punishments for purportedly serious crimes deserving the death penalty. As a result, a day of fun and...
The diagnostic methods and treatments in the Trotula are based on the theories of Claudius Galen and Hippocrates, shown in this 12th century mural from Anagni in Italy.
26 May, 2021 - 15:04 Meagan Dickerson

Medieval Attitudes to Women’s Medical Conditions Found in The Trotula

The Trotula is a very well-known 12 th century text, originally written for male medical practitioners treating gynecological or obstetrical issues, which reveals a great deal about how people...
Security: The Long History of the Lock and Key
24 May, 2021 - 19:01 Bipin Dimri

Security: The Long History of the Lock and Key

The modern-era definition states that a lock is a mechanical device or innovation that is used for fastening any physical entity. This lock is triggered and released with the use of an object called...
Prophecy has had a strong influence since ancient times
21 May, 2021 - 14:58 Mary Mount

Prophecy Through the Ages: Society, Power and Legend

“Prophecy is an emanation sent forth by the Divine Being through the medium of the Active Intellect, in the first instance to man's rational faculty, and then to his imaginative faculty.” -...
The Tripitaka Koreana: A Vast Trove of Buddhist Woodblock Wisdom
18 May, 2021 - 15:00 dhwty

The Tripitaka Koreana: A Vast Trove of Buddhist Woodblock Wisdom

The Tripitaka Koreana is a collection of Buddhist texts, laws, and treaties originally created during the 11 th century by the Korean kingdom of Goryeo. The Tripitaka Koreana was carved onto...
Ancient Egyptian Painter Left Behind His Palette and The Paint Has Survived!
15 May, 2021 - 18:55 Alicia McDermott

Ancient Egyptian Painter Left Behind His Palette and the Paint Has Survived!

When compared to later, more naturalistic Classical art of the Greeks and Romans, ancient Egyptian art has been described as blocky, static, abstract, and formal. But that doesn’t mean that the...
Chivalry and The Order of the Golden Fleece
13 May, 2021 - 15:01 dhwty

Chivalry and The Order of the Golden Fleece

The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry that was founded by Philip III, the Duke of Burgundy, on the occasion of his marriage to Isabella of Portugal in the 15 th century. Through the...

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