All  

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ Mobile

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 birthday of a Sun God became the birthday of the Son of God.
26 December, 2020 - 00:45 Joanna Gillan

Why Christmas is Held on December 25th

According to popular tradition, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th to honor the birth of Jesus. However, no records exist in the Bible or elsewhere to suggest that Jesus was actually born on...
Animals are commonly found in creche sets, but surprisingly not in the Bible.
24 December, 2020 - 00:50 ancient-origins

An Ox, an Ass … a Dragon? Sorry, there were no Animals in the Bible’s Nativity Scene

From nativity plays to crèche sets to Christmas cards, animals are ubiquitous in our vision of the birth of Christ – but according to the Bible, not a single animal was there. Where did all these...
Whipping boys were used by aristocrats and royalty. Source: Left; King James I of England and VI of Scotland, Public domain Right; "Edward and Whipping Boy" illustration by Walter S. Stacey, Public domain
22 December, 2020 - 14:01 Aleksa Vučković

Fact or Fiction? The Unjust Reality of a Whipping Boy

The history of the world’s nobility is filled with extravagance, wealth, and, more than often, with arrogance. In all corners of the globe, aristocrats and nobles, kings and young princes, were all...
10 Must-Have Toys for Ancient Kids
21 December, 2020 - 14:04 lizleafloor

10 Must-Have Toys for Ancient Kids

Do you think that today’s mad-dash grab for the hottest toys is just a phenomenon of modern times? Not necessarily. In the past as in the present, where we find children, we find toys, as shown by...
Painting entitled ‘Saturnalia’ (1783) by Antoine Callet.
17 December, 2020 - 21:58 dhwty

Saturnalia: The December Festival of Joy and Merriment in Ancient Rome

Saturnalia was a festival celebrated by the ancient Romans. Originally, this celebration was held annually for a day on the 17th of December, but the festival was so popular that it was extended to a...
Frankincense may soon disappear
16 December, 2020 - 18:01 dhwty

Frankincense: An Ancient Wonder Cure on the Verge of Extinction

Frankincense is famous for being one of the three gifts presented by the Magi to baby Jesus (the other two being gold and myrrh). Several thousand years ago, people knew how to use frankincense to...
Tiara of Saitaphernes postcard
12 December, 2020 - 09:04 dhwty

The Tiara of Saitaphernes: Wow Antique? Fake? Fine Art? Find Out

Some objects are especially prized because the story about them is so precious. The Tiara of Saitaphernes is certainly one of these “priceless” objects and its story is long and surprising. The Tiara...
The Northern Mysteries Current: Futhark and Mystery Schools of the Viking Age
9 December, 2020 - 19:42 Vincent Ongkowidjojo

The Northern Mysteries Current: Futhark and Mystery Schools of the Viking Age

The existence of mystery schools in the Viking Age (800-1200 CE) is deduced from myth and folklore. The poems of the Edda display the structure and content of cultic texts used within the framework...
Groom of the Stool: Was The King’s Toilet Guy The Worst Job Ever?
27 November, 2020 - 18:00 dhwty

Groom of the Stool: Was The King’s Toilet Guy The Worst Job Ever?

Some jobs are a dream and others literally stink! But the most stinky job of all, believe it or not, was actually a very powerful position because it put you right next to the king! The Groom of the...
Theseus (center) invented wrestling
19 November, 2020 - 22:24 Kerry Sullivan

The Real Reason That Men in Classical Portrayals Were Given Small Manhoods

Today, bigger is widely regarded as better. But was this always the case? This article sheds some light on how the Western culture changed in its phallic preferences. Over the past few decades,...
The Art of Courtly Love: 31 Medieval Rules for Romance
16 November, 2020 - 13:48 Aleksa Vučković

The Art of Courtly Love: 31 Medieval Rules for Romance

Love is the universal feeling. From the dawn of time, from the earliest epochs of man, and all throughout the rise and fall of world’s many civilizations, the concept of love drove the wheel of time...
Detail of a Phoenician grinning mask, 4th century BC, found in a grave at San Sperate, Cagliari, Museo Archeologico Nazionale.
5 November, 2020 - 18:56 Riley Winters

The Disturbing Truth Behind a Sardonic Grin

Creepy and more than a little uncomfortable to behold, one usually thinks of DC Comics' Joker when hearing the phrase "sardonic grin." A "smile" that pulls up the corners of the mouth in a way that...
Reog Ponorogo traditional dance lion and peacock mask
30 October, 2020 - 00:01 dhwty

The Reog Ponorogo: A Dance of Rebellion Which Changed History

A fearsome lion monster with peacock feathers on its head charged and twirled about as cavalrymen curtseyed and jumped by. The onlookers were entranced with the story playing out in front of them...
The Graveyard Prostitutes of Rome and Beyond
29 October, 2020 - 23:49 B. B. Wagner

The Graveyard Prostitutes of Rome and Beyond

Ancient regulars of the world’s oldest profession may have grown bored with the “usual” items on the coitus menu. That may be why ancient Rome enjoyed a thriving sexual ecosystem with robust variety...
Crossing the Veil: The Pre-Christian Origins of Halloween and Samhain
28 October, 2020 - 22:47 lizleafloor

Crossing the Veil: The Pre-Christian Origins of Halloween and Samhain

Halloween, or the ancient Samhain, is considered the time of year when the veil between our world and the spirit world is at its thinnest. As darkness falls and families light their pumpkin Jack-o'-...
Culinary and medicinal spices and herbs on a wooden board
25 October, 2020 - 11:43 Alicia McDermott

Ancient Herbal Medicine And What To Use At Home To Stay Healthy Today!

“Let food be thy medicine.” – Hippocrates You’d be surprised how your knowledge of natural healing medicines can benefit from the wisdom of our ancient ancestors. Herbal medicine has been in use...
A Buddhist monk creating a mandala
17 October, 2020 - 00:54 Alicia McDermott

Intricacy and Reflection: Transforming Mandalas from Sacred Designs to Art Therapy

Although the word ‘Mandala’ simply means “circle” or “discoid object” in Sanskrit, the significance is far more complex. Traditionally, mandalas represented the intricacy of the universe and served...
Modern Welsh love spoon on flower petals
13 October, 2020 - 20:17 Riley Winters

The Sweet Symbolism of a Welsh Love Spoon

Roses are red Violets are blue, Presenting a spoon Means I love you While one often thinks of presenting his/her loved ones with flowers or candy as a gesture of romance, it was once more common to...
Rivodutri’s Alchemical Door To Enlightenment In 17th Century AD Italy
12 October, 2020 - 17:59 dhwty

Rivodutri’s Alchemical Door To Enlightenment In 17th Century Italy

Add magic to natural philosophy and early chemistry knowledge and you have the ancient art of alchemy . Alchemists tried to change various substances into gold and looked hard for the elixir of...
Cormorant fishing on the Li River during the blue hour of dawn, Guangxi, China. (stveak /Adobe Stock)
9 October, 2020 - 21:55 Aleksa Vučković

Man and Bird Join Forces: The Unique Tradition of Cormorant Fishing

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish, and you will feed him for a lifetime. This ancient proverb is a well-known saying around the world, and is directly tied to one...
A Woman’s Best Friend: The Herstory of Dog Domestication
3 October, 2020 - 17:46 B. B. Wagner

A Woman’s Best Friend: The Herstory of Dog Domestication

The Grimaldi Goddess clay figurine, unearthed at the Neolithic settlement of Çatal Hüyük in Turkey, dates back to about 6000 BC. It depicts an obese woman giving birth while seated upon a throne...
An Edo period painting showing a woman with teeth stained black by the practice of Ohaguro.
30 September, 2020 - 22:20 dhwty

The Allure of Blackened Teeth: A Traditional Japanese Sign of Beauty

Ohaguro (which may be translated as ‘blackened teeth’) is a practice in which people (usually women) dye their teeth black. While this custom is known to be practiced in different parts of the world...
Reading the Rich Symbolism in Aboriginal Art
30 September, 2020 - 17:58 Liza Brooke

How to Read the Symbolism in Aboriginal Art

For thousands of years, an art form has existed that includes works in a wide range of media, including bark painting, ceremonial clothing, painting on leaves, rock carving, watercolor painting, and...
Tilapia Stew: Egyptian Recipe Found in 6000-year-old Stomach
29 September, 2020 - 14:05 Alicia McDermott

Tilapia Stew: Egyptian Recipe Found in 6000-year-old Stomach

This recipe is based on an archaeological discovery made in an upper Egypt tomb dating to around 3500 to 4000 BC. Differing from a typical mummy, which would have had its organs in canopic jars, the...

Pages