Ancient Traditions (Page 33)

Sarcophagus of Tutankhamun with close up on the crook and flail. Source: Public Domain

7 May, 2020 - 19:14 Michelle Freson

Why Did the Humble Crook and Flail Symbolism Appeal to the Pharaohs?

Kings and queens, monarchs, emperors and rulers all over the world, through time immemorial, have had the responsibility of leading their people and defending their kingdoms. Monarchs are viewed as...

Entrance to the Luxor Temple at sunset showing the obelisk and statues of pharaohs

4 May, 2020 - 14:02 dhwty

Luxor Temple: The Sacred Sanctuary With An Eternal Legacy

Luxor Temple is one of the most famous temple complexes in Egypt. This temple complex is situated on the east bank of the Nile River, in Luxor, the main city of Upper Egypt’s fourth nome. Luxor...

Research shows that Egypt’s pyramids and other megaliths worldwide are able to collect and focus electromagnetic energy. Could this be linked to accessing genetic memory and savant-like abilities? Pictured: a representation of the power of the mind. Source: agsandrew / Adobe stock

1 May, 2020 - 22:48 Freddie Levy

How the Ancients Accessed Genetic Memory and Savant-Like Abilities

The concept known as “genetic memory” is much less studied and far more controversial than what we know as “regular” memory. Whilst there are a multitude of other examples in animals (see: Gallagher...

Representation of a mystery school. Source: leks_052 / Adobe stock

21 April, 2020 - 19:01 Nicola Bizzi

Initiation to Secrecy: Unravelling the Truth Behind Mystery Schools

As the great Irish esotericist John Heron Lepper wrote, one could say that the existence of secret or closed societies [namely mystery schools] – in which certain teachings or practices are passed on...

Medieval village with key players from the hierarchy including: the king, queen, priests, monks and soldiers. Source: Matrioshka / Adobe stock

13 April, 2020 - 19:01 Aleksa Vučković

Feudalism and the Medieval Village Hierarchy

Life in a medieval village was surely no fairytale. Hard work, poverty, uncertainty of life and its comforts, the iron fist of the feudal lord - the disadvantages were numerous, and benefits few and...

Hares and chickens were revered during the Iron Age. Source: Uros Petrovic / Adobe Stock.

11 April, 2020 - 01:51 ashley cowie

Curious Reverence of the Chicken and the Hare by Iron Age Brits

New archaeological research demonstrates brown hares and chickens held godly status in Iron Age Britain . We invite you to tumble down the rabbit hole and learn about a new archaeological analysis...

9 April, 2020 - 13:23 Joanna Gillan

The Ancient Pagan Origins of Easter

Easter is a festival and holiday celebrated by millions of people around the world who honor the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred three days...

Bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism. Source: yuliana_s / Adobe Stock.

6 April, 2020 - 23:01 dhwty

Bodhisattvas – Selfless Saviors of Mahayana Buddhism

In Buddhism, a bodhisattva, in its most general sense, refers to a person who is on his/her way to becoming a buddha. More specifically, bodhisattvas are savior-like beings who forsake their own...

Famous structure of the Nuragic civilization. Su Nuraxi of Barumini, included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 1997

5 April, 2020 - 22:54 Kristen C

The Mysterious Nuragic Civilization of Sardinia

Throughout the ancient island of Sardinia, the story of the indigenous Nuragic civilization lies obscured by unanswered questions. Although one can examine thousands of their laboriously-assembled...

Top 15 interesting facts about ancient Egypt. Source: Maurizio / Adobe stock

31 March, 2020 - 18:59 Aleksa Vučković

Top 15 Interesting Facts About Ancient Egypt That You May Not Know

One of the greatest civilizations in our history belonged to the ancient Egyptians. It flourished in the fertile valleys of the world’s longest river - the Nile, where a magnificent civilization rose...

Marforio at the Musei Capitolini (Public Domain)

27 March, 2020 - 22:20 Roberto Volterri

Vox Populi: Ancient Gossip of the Talking Statues of Rome

Medieval Italy gave birth to the most talented sculptors, such as Michelangelo and Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Rome hosts some of the most famous sculptures such as the Pieta, Moses, David and the busts...

27 March, 2020 - 13:02 dhwty

The Deadly Elixir of Life – Was a Shot at Immortality Worth the Risk?

The elixir of immortality (known also as the elixir of life) is a mythical substance believed to grant those who consume it eternal life. Various civilizations throughout human history have their own...

The Olympic Games Tokyo 202has been postponed. Source: kovop58 – Adobe Stock

24 March, 2020 - 17:57 Ed Whelan

Olympic Games Postponed for the First Time in History

The postponement of the Tokyo Olympics has been announced today. This had long been expected because of the global crisis caused by the Covid 19 or Coronavirus outbreak. It is the first time in...

The inside of measuring shaft of the Roda nilometer. (Baldiri / CC BY-SA 3.0)

21 March, 2020 - 18:15 dhwty

Nilometers: Ancient Egypt’s Ingenious Invention Used Until Modern Times

For thousands of years, nilometers measured the water level of the Nile River during the annual flood season. This, in turn, was used to predict the fortunes of the annual harvest, the taxes to be...

The minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan. Source: robnaw / Adobe Stock.

20 March, 2020 - 00:57 dhwty

Minarets: The Lighthouses of Spiritual Calling

The minaret is one of the most recognizable elements of Islamic religious architecture. Essentially, the minaret is a tower attached to a mosque. In the past, the minaret served mainly as the from...

Oneiromancy, dream divination, was very important in ancient Mesopotamia

17 March, 2020 - 18:40 dhwty

Oneiromancy: Dream Predictions in Ancient Mesopotamia

Oneiromancy is a form of divination in which dreams are interpreted in order to predict the future. This form of divination was practiced in many parts of the world, including the ancient...

Ancient skulls bearing evidence of trephination - a telltale hole surgically cut into the cranium - found in Peru. Source: University of Miami

16 March, 2020 - 18:05 dhwty

Trephination: The Oldest Evidenced Surgery Still in Use Today?

Trephination (known also as trepanning, trepanation, trephining, or making a burr hole), is a surgical procedure, which involves the drilling of a hole in the skull of a living person. Trephination...

16 March, 2020 - 13:06 dhwty

The Fascinating History of Medieval Castles: From Emergence to Obsoletion

Medieval castles are one of the most iconic buildings of the Middle Ages , especially in Western Europe. During this period, the castle served generally as the residence of a king, or the lord of the...

The Egyptian egg ovens are still in use by farmers still over 2,000 years later. Source: Lenny Hoferwerf / Courtesy of Food And Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2006) / Reproduced with permission

9 March, 2020 - 18:01 Aleksa Vučković

Ancient Egyptian Egg Ovens That Are Better Than Modern Tech

It is no secret that the ancient Egyptians left a lasting and impressive heritage. The relics of their time dot the world and are marveled by many - from the pyramids to the mummies, from imposing...

9 March, 2020 - 13:01 Aleksa Vučković

Sultans Raised in ‘Cages’: Overprotection Turned to Madness

In the world of nobility, aristocracy, and famous ruling dynasties, the issue of succession was always a problem. When several sons seek the prospect of a vacant throne, the greed and desire can...

Representation of Norse-Gael (Gallowglass) warriors in battle. Source: PatSM / Adobe stock

5 March, 2020 - 18:04 Aleksa Vučković

Gallowglass Mercenaries – The Notorious Norse-Gael Soldiers of Fortune

The turbulent history of medieval Europe always called for abled and skilled warriors. Wars and battles depended on the ability of the soldiers, and a man who was skilled with a sword was a sought-...

The oldest board game in the world, the Royal Game of Ur. Source: Shriram Rajagopalan / CC BY 2.0

5 March, 2020 - 02:06 Niels Bjerre Jo...

Play the Oldest Board Game in the World: Royal Game of Ur - Part 2

In the first part of this article, we attempted to unravel the mystery symbolism on the oldest board game in the world - the Royal Game of Ur. The Heliopolitan creation myth was used to explain how...

The Royal Game of Ur board (or Game of Twenty Squares), found in the Royal Tombs of Ur in Mesopotamia, dating c. 2600-2400 B.C. Source: The Trustees of British Museum / Provided by the author

4 March, 2020 - 19:01 Niels Bjerre Jo...

Deciphering the Patterns of the Royal Game of Ur Board - Part 1

The world’s first known board game was found in Mesopotamia (c. 2600 BC). Despite this, Egyptian beliefs help us best to understand the Royal Game of Ur’s board design, rules and all. Especially the...

Representation of ancient writing of one of the oldest languages in a book. Source: Andrey Lavrishchev / Adobe stock

17 February, 2020 - 13:56 Aleksa Vučković

10 of the World’s Oldest Languages Still Used Today

Languages have always been the very fiber of humanity. The cornerstone of society, and the force that paved the way for civilization. Without it, societies could not have developed as they did - it...