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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.

Depiction of ancient Greek woman. Source: Algol / Adobe stock
15 February, 2020 - 18:01 B. B. Wagner

What Was Life Really Like for an Ancient Greek Woman?

The lives of the ancient Greeks were ones of hardship and endurance. The experiences of ancient Greek women were even tougher. If a newly born Greek girl was deemed worthy and not abandoned, their...
Hungarian Vizsla out hunting with a pheasant in its mouth. Source: oroszgy / Adobe stock
14 February, 2020 - 19:05 Ksana

Link Between the Huns and Vizsla Dogs Unravels an Ancient Enigma

The history of the Vizsla or Hungarian Pointer breed goes hand in hand with that of the Huns’ (later called Hungarians’ or Magyars’) and even the history of their language. Recent DNA analysis...
Kosher Female Figurines in Judah During The Biblical Period?
11 February, 2020 - 14:10 Rabbi Allen Maller

Kosher Female Figurines in Judah During The Biblical Period?

Israeli archeologist Dr. Aaron Greener asks “what are clay female figurines doing in Judah during the biblical period?” My non-archeologist answer is; they represent kosher (suitable for religious...
Main: Group of Moai monoliths during sunset on Easter Island. Inset: Birdman cult carvings on the back of standing Moai. Source: Aliaksei & thakala / Adobe stock
6 February, 2020 - 13:42 Aleksa Vučković

Easter Island’s Birdman Cult: A Story of Struggle and Survival

The Pacific Ocean is a world filled with diverse and remote islands, which are the home to some truly unique natives. Many of these islands were discovered comparatively recently in our history, and...
Spartan woman in foreground with her warrior husband in the background. Source: serhiibobyk / Adobe stock
23 January, 2020 - 18:46 B. B. Wagner

What Makes Spartan Women So Different From Other Ancients?

In Sparta , the individual did not matter. Everything was for the preservation and continuous strengthening of the state. They built no walls since they welcomed any to challenge invasion. They lit...
Egyptian gods. Source: Catmando / Adobe Stock
22 January, 2020 - 14:02 dhwty

Polytheistic Religion: How Pantheons Reigned in the Ancient World

Over the years there have been gods for creation, death, love, war, and everything in between. Zeus, Hera, and their companions on Mount Olympus, Odin, Frigg, and the rest of the Æsir, Osiris, Isis,...
Man has requested Trial By Combat with ex-wife and her lawyer. Source: beeboys / Adobe Stock
15 January, 2020 - 23:03 ashley cowie

Man Demands Trial By Combat With Ex-Wife and Her Lawyer

A Kansas man has requested a ‘ trial by combat ’ with his wife and her lawyer to settle an ongoing dispute. To settle ongoing and clearly painful legal disputes, David Ostrom, 40, of Paola, Kansas...
Stone Age clothing suggests our ancestors were more interested in comfort than style.
12 January, 2020 - 22:52 Aleksa Vučković

Stone Age Clothing: Function Over Fashion

One of the defining periods of early humans and their development is the Stone Age . This long era of our earliest history lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and gradually ended between 8500 BC to...
Buddhist goddess. Credit: neenawat555 / Adobe Stock
5 January, 2020 - 00:53 dhwty

Tara – Goddess of Compassion and Savior of the Suffering

Tara is an important bodhisattva, i.e. someone on the path towards Buddhahood, in Buddhism , especially in Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhism). Tara is considered to be a female figure and there are various...
Chevalier Tristan Bréville, owner and curator of the Photography Museum of Mauritius Source: Courtesy Micki Pistorius
4 January, 2020 - 14:10 micki pistorius

The First Newspaper in the Southern Hemisphere

In 1773 the first printed newspaper in the Southern Hemisphere was published in Mauritius. The tiny island of Mauritius may only seem like a verdant dot in the azure blue Indian Ocean, yet this...
Man performing at the land diving ceremony on the Pentecost Island, Vanuatu Source: simanlaci / Adobe stock
30 December, 2019 - 13:58 Aleksa Vučković

Land Diving in Vanuatu: Would You Take the Leap of Faith?

Throughout the history of the world, tribal and slightly primitive people of remote corners of the globe, have always had unique beliefs and traditions. From Papua New Guinea, to Australia to the...
Mistletoe branch. Credit: Vera Kuttelvaserova / Adobe Stock.
25 December, 2019 - 02:08 ancient-origins

Mistletoe: From Toxin-Laced Darts to Fertility Symbol

Christmas and mistletoe: have you ever simply asked yourself … why? I have studied plant parasites like mistletoe for almost ten years, and I’m here to tell you that the answer is absolutely...
Depiction of a Christmas ghost standing under the moonlight in the snow. Source: Bashkatov / Adobe Stock
23 December, 2019 - 14:00 ancient-origins

Why Do Christmas Ghost Stories Have Such Enduring Appeal?

Our fascination with ghostly tales around Christmas time goes back thousands of years and is rooted in ancient celebrations of the winter solstice. In the depths of winter, pagan traditions included...
Modern decorated Christmas Tree Source: JenkoAtaman / Adobe Stock
21 December, 2019 - 01:56 ancient-origins

The Historic Growth of the Christmas Tree

François Lévêque / The Conversation A few hundred years ago, who would have dreamed that the humble Christmas tree would one day be an immense global success? Certainly not Martin Luther, who is said...
The Roman Theatre, Amman, Jordan
17 December, 2019 - 02:01 Ed Whelan

Amman, One of the Finest Roman Theatres in the World

The Kingdom of Jordan has many historical sites. Many different civilizations have flourished in the area since ancient times. One of the most important and largest heritage sites is the Roman...
Zoroastrians have used Towers of Silence in their funerary practices
6 December, 2019 - 16:55 dhwty

Zoroastrian Towers of Silence: Leaving the Dead for the Vultures

A tower of silence (known also as a ‘dakhma’) is a type of structure used for funerary purposes by adherents of the Zoroastrian faith. This Zoroastrian practice for the disposal of the dead involves...
St. Benedict of the Benedictines receiving Totila, king of the Ostrogoths. Source: Paklao / Public Domain.
6 December, 2019 - 14:06 dhwty

The Rule of the Benedictines, the Black Monks of Europe

The Order of St. Benedict ( Ordo Sancti Benedicti in Latin, abbreviated as OSB), known also as the Benedictines (sometimes referred to as Black Monks, due to the color of their religious habits), is...
England’s Medieval law and order in the. Source: Anneke / Adobe Stock.
4 December, 2019 - 19:00 Aleksa Vučković

Caught Red-Handed! Law and Order in Medieval England

In medieval societies , it was always quite important to preserve law and order, and to rightfully dispense justice. A just ruler secured himself an obedient populace, and often enough, justice was...
Roman wine was sweetened with toxic 'sugar of lead'
4 December, 2019 - 14:16 dhwty

Savoring the Danger: Romans Loved Toxic 'Sugar of Lead' Wine

How far did ancient people go to enhance the flavor of their food and drinks? Would they consume toxic substances if it made things a little more appetizing? The Romans did, by adding a sweet version...
: “The First Thanksgiving 1621, oil on canvas by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1899). The painting shows common misconceptions about the event that persist to modern times: Pilgrims did not wear such outfits, and the Wampanoag are dressed in the style of Native Americans from the Great
27 November, 2019 - 16:40 lizleafloor

American Thanksgiving Origins and Roots in the Old World

As the leaves turn beautiful golden and fiery red hues, the weather gets colder, and people prepare for the oncoming winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Americans enjoy the annual celebration of...
A scene from the Books of the Dead (based at the Egyptian Museum) shows the ibis-headed god Thoth recording the result of “the final judgement”. Source: Wasef et al. - PLOS ONE / CC BY-SA 4.0.
20 November, 2019 - 13:59 ancient-origins

Holy Bin Chickens: Ancient Egyptians Tamed Wild Ibis for Sacrifice

These days, not many Aussies consider the ibis a particularly admirable creature. But these birds , now colloquially referred to as “ bin chickens ” due to their notorious scavenging antics, have a...
Roman spa. Source: araraadt / Adobe Stock.
12 November, 2019 - 18:55 dhwty

Ancient Spas: The Lifegiving Power of Water and the Gods

In the world of today, a spa is generally understood to mean a health resort, a place where people visit in order to rejuvenate their body, mind, and spirit. Spas today come in many varieties,...
A shofar is sounded under the light of the sun. Source: Rafael Ben-Ari /Adobe Stock.
8 November, 2019 - 22:48 Jonathon Perrin

“Shofar Away”: An Akhenaten Connection to the Jewish New Year

The lone blast of the shofar trumpet stretches out across the hills, illuminated by the first rays of the morning sun. The distinct sonorous call marks the important day of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish...
Nayanar statue of the Bhakti movement. Source: Lightofchairat / Adobe Stock.
3 November, 2019 - 19:02 dhwty

Who Were the Tamil Saints of the Bhakti Movement?

Broadly speaking, the Tamil saints refers to the holy men and women of Hinduism who lived in Tamilakam, the geographical area inhabited by the ancient Tamil people which covers the southern tip of...

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