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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.

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...
Were Asclepian Centers Powered By Magical Ritual or Holistic Healthcare?
23 September, 2020 - 22:01 Gloria Moss

Were Asclepian Centers Powered By Magical Ritual or Holistic Healthcare?

Doctors the world over take the Hippocratic oath swearing to do no harm to patients. In doing this, to quote the words of the oath itself, they “call upon Apollo the physician and Asclepius, Hygeia...
Man drinking alcohol. Credit: Rainer Fuhrmann / Adobe Stock
21 September, 2020 - 13:56 Ed Whelan

Infamous Ancient Irish Spirit Is Now Legal and Sales Are Booming!

An Irish spirit that was until recently illegal is making a big comeback. Poteen which is pronounced as potcheen is a potent alcoholic drink and was notorious because it was so strong. Distillers in...
Eat Like a Viking: Ancient Gruel Was Tastier Than it Sounds!
20 September, 2020 - 00:23 Alicia McDermott

Eat Like a Viking: Ancient Gruel Was Tastier Than it Sounds!

Gruel . Indecipherable grey mush slopped on a plate? Not necessarily! Viking food was simple but that was just the beginning. Porridge and gruel made from whole or cracked grains were popular meals...
A Roman legion and its general.
5 September, 2020 - 13:54 Aleksa Vučković

The Roman Legions: The Organized Military Force Of The Roman Empire

There is no doubt that the magnificent and long history of Rome was to a large extent dependent on its strong and highly developed army . From its earliest emergence, through the Roman Kingdom,...
Chumash cave paintings at Painted Cave in the mountains above Santa Barbara
4 September, 2020 - 21:20 Riley Winters

The Colors of the Wind: Hidden Messages of the Chumash Cave Paintings

Take a moment, and close your eyes. Breathe deeply, and inhale the salt of the air and feel the light brush of low-hanging tree branches caressing your face. Feel the rocky ground beneath your toes,...
Mithras and the bull, fresco from Temple of Mithras, Marino, Italy, dated 2nd century AD. Source: Public Domain
31 August, 2020 - 18:45 John S. Richardson

Mithras, the Persian God Championed by the Roman Army

Mithras the god originated in the east, in Persia (modern day Iran) where he was first worshipped. When soldiers of the Roman Empire came back to the West they brought this cult with them and in time...
Portrait of Empress Mathilda, from "History of England" by St. Albans monks (15th century); the beginning of The Anarchy. (Overlay, modern Anarchy sign) Source: Public Domain (Overlay; Public domain)
26 August, 2020 - 13:53 Aleksa Vučković

The Anarchy: A Whirlwind of Chaos and Warfare in Medieval England

Anarchy. The word itself is enough to paint a stark picture of lawlessness and disorder, a picture of a world in which no rules exist – for anyone. Such a world is bound to collapse under its own...
The magi or three kings who followed the Star of Bethlehem to find the new-born Jesus. Source: Pawel Horazy / Adobe Stock
18 August, 2020 - 02:06 Robert W. Weber

Did Augustus' Royal Coins Lead the Magi from Parthia to Bethlehem?

One of the great mysteries of the New Testament is the Star of Bethlehem and the magi (the three kings or wise men) who “followed” the star to pay their respects to the newborn Jesus . Most...
The Classis Britannica was an important fleet in the Roman Navy. Source: RadoJavor/Deviant Art
29 July, 2020 - 13:59 John S. Richardson

Powerhouse of the Roman Navy: The Classis Britannica

The Roman Empire is perhaps best known for its legions, which were famous for their ability to overcome even their greatest defeats. However, while the legions of Rome were the all-conquering land...
A Samurai Preparing for Seppuku
2 July, 2020 - 20:51 MartiniF

The Honorable Death: Samurai and Seppuku in Feudal Japan

While martial suicide is a practice found in a lot of cultures, the act of seppuku , or ritual self-disembowelment, is peculiar to Japan. The earliest known acts of seppuku were the deaths of samurai...
Calling of the Varangians, part of early Kievan Rus' history Source: Алексей Кившенко / Public domain
1 July, 2020 - 22:56 Aleksa Vučković

The Kievan Rus’ – When Vikings and Slavs Cooperated to Shape History

The history of the Slavs is a long and ancient tale. Their roots reach far into the past, deep into the oldest beginnings of Europe. These culturally, linguistically, and genetically connected...
Little is known about the Neolithic Age Battle Axe culture, but archaeologists and scholars continue to apply new technologies to piece together a more complete picture. (Image, Stone Axes in Turov Local History Museum). Source: Grigory Bruev
24 June, 2020 - 14:01 Aleksa Vučković

The Battle Axe Culture: Piecing Together the Age of Crushed Skulls

Peering into the development stages of the Neolithic cultures of Old Europe has always been a challenging task for archaeologists and scholars. Reaching so far back into time in the hope of piecing...
Much of the Radhanites' overland trade between Tangier and Mesopotamia was by camel. Source: Gaper / Adobe Stock
19 June, 2020 - 13:58 Aleksa Vučković

The Radhanites: A Glimpse into the Trade Networks of the Middle Ages

It is no secret that throughout the classical and early medieval period, trade played an immense role in the economy of the world. Trade routes were spread all over Eurasia, and effectively connected...
Tarot card reading. Credit: Benjavisa Ruangvaree / Adobe Stock
6 June, 2020 - 22:51 ancient-origins

Tarot Resurgence: People Turn to Occult in Uncertain Times

Faced with the uncertainties of life under lockdown, is it any surprise that many people are turning to methods of fortune telling such as tarot cards ? Journalists are often tempted to ask whether...
Deciphering the Deities of Hinduism
6 June, 2020 - 01:48 manharsharma

Deciphering the Deities of Hinduism

There are no ancient civilizations that have not practiced some kind of religion. When we study the history of the oldest and the earliest civilizations, we do not find exact dates or traces of...
Trade in Ancient Egypt portrayed in ‘Israel in Egypt’ by Edward Poynter Source: Edward Poynter / Public Domain
5 June, 2020 - 14:10 dhwty

The Vagaries of Trade in Ancient Egypt

Along with a lust for building enigmatic and long lasting structures, trade was an important feature of Ancient Egypt . The ancient Egyptians traded with many lands that bordered their country,...
A Deadly Formula - Why Viking Weapons and Armor Were So Effective
1 June, 2020 - 23:07 Aleksa Vučković

A Deadly Formula - Why Viking Weapons and Armor Were So Effective

Nothing continues to be so inspiring and thrilling from early medieval history such as the Viking Age. This exciting historical period turned the nations of Europe upside down, and ushered in a new,...
Do Akhenaten’s Links With Shavuot Shed New Light on Moses? – Part 2
30 May, 2020 - 23:01 Jonathon Perrin

Do Akhenaten’s Links With Shavuot Shed New Light on Moses? – Part 2

Buried beneath the themes of first fruits and wheat offerings lie deeper connections between Shavuot and Akhenaten. These are suggestive and persuasive and go far beyond delicious foods and...
The origins of the Jewish festival Shavuot’s traditions are obscure. But what if they could be linked to Pharaoh Akhenaten, offering a new view on Moses? Pictures: Representation of Moses’ famous crossing of the sea. Source: Vlastimil Šesták / Adobe stock
30 May, 2020 - 02:06 Jonathon Perrin

An Akhenaten Connection to the Harvest Festival of Shavuot - Part 1

The Jewish festival of Shavuot is taking place around the world. It is an ancient celebration of the spring harvest of grains and first fruits. It is the year’s first wheat harvest, and Jews around...
The history of childhood and education in Western civilization has evolved significantly over the last 2000 years, from no education to child labor to formal schools, how exactly did it all change? Pictured: Top left: The School of Athens, a famous fresco by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael, with Plato and Aristotle as the central figures in the scene (Jorge Valenzuela A / CC BY-SA 3.0). Bottom left: Group of child labor boys during the Industrial Revolution (Lewis Hine / Public domain).
27 May, 2020 - 13:03 B. B. Wagner

“We Don't Need No Education!” – The History of Childhood

Over the last two millennia of Western civilization, the concept of ‘childhood’ has significantly evolved from one of a family-oriented perspective to that of the child-centered universe. Those of us...
The Old Kingdom, or more appropriately the ‘Age of the Pyramids’, was the first period the ancient Egyptians announced themselves as a colossal civilization. Pictured: ancient Egyptian corridor with hieroglyphs on the wall. Source: boscorelli / Adobe stock
22 May, 2020 - 22:54 dhwty

The Old Kingdom of Egypt – Dynasties That Changed the World

The Old Kingdom is the name given to the period in ancient Egyptian history that spans from the 27th to the 22nd century BC. This period begins with the Third Dynasty, and ends with the Sixth Dynasty...
The legendary Welsh dragon. Credit: warpaintcobra / Adobe Stock
16 May, 2020 - 22:55 dhwty

The Legendary Welsh Dragon that Expelled the Saxons

The Welsh Dragon is a heraldic symbol of Wales, and arguably one of the country’s most recognizable symbols. The image is most notably seen on the flag of Wales. Additionally, this symbol is also...
Many think of modern globalization as a corporate phenomenon, linking it to the spread of coronavirus. But in fact, archaeology evidences it began in antiquity up to 5,000 years ago. Pictured: Ptolemy’s Global map. Source: British Library
15 May, 2020 - 01:59 ancient-origins

Elephants to Electronics: The Ancient Phenomenon of Modern Globalization

Many think of globalization as a modern and corporate phenomenon , and it has been readily linked to the spread of coronavirus. But modern globalization isn’t new. Archaeological research shows it...

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