Asia

Ancient places can be found all over Asia. Their fascinating histories and impressive artifacts open intriguing glimpses to times past, and open up a window on Asian history. Visiting such historical places in Asia can be an unforgettable experience.

Science is constantly discovering new archaeological places and uncovering more evidence into what we once thought we knew about our history, therefore offering new pieces to the ever changing puzzle of humanity’s past and altering how we interpret it. This section will present the most interesting archaeological sites all over Asia, as well as new discoveries of ancient places that are worth paying a visit.

An aerial photo of the Tel Lachish in central Israel, which was quickly conquered by the Assyrians with their powerful siege ramp in 701 BC. The Assyrian siege ramp is the focus of a new study published in Oxford Journal of Archaeology. Source: The Lachish Expedition / Southern Adventist University

10 November, 2021 - 17:57 Sahir

New Study Reveals How Legendary Assyrian Siege Ramp Overcame Lachish

Israeli archaeologists have revealed the secrets behind the Assyrian siege ramp that conquered the ancient Judean town of Lachish. A recent study published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology shows...

A view of Shibam’s mudbrick skyscrapers for which Yemen’s ancient mudbrick structures have earned the moniker “the Manhattans of the Desert.” Source: Jialiang Gao / CC BY-SA 3.0

10 November, 2021 - 13:56 dhwty

Ancient Skyscrapers: The Mudbrick Towerblocks of Yemen

Skyscrapers are a common sight in today’s cities. These modern structures trace their history to the late 19th century. Nevertheless, skyscrapers have precedents in earlier times, one of which being...

6 November, 2021 - 17:57 Sahir

Lost Mongol Capital of Karakorum Mapped Properly for the First Time

The city of Karakorum, the 13th century capital of the great Mongol empire was established initially as a camp by Genghis Khan in the Orkhon Valley in 1220, and would be developed by his son and...

Pillar in Gobekli Tepe (Deriv.) (sebnemsanders) with a starry night sky. (CC0) What can be discerned about the site from Gobekli Tepe archaeoastronomy?

5 November, 2021 - 17:08 Freddy Silva

Gobekli Tepe Archaeoastronomy and the Second Hill of Osiris

The naming of places in the ancient world was a serious affair, particularly with regard to temples. A name enshrined the purpose for which the site was intended, or reflected a truth about its...

Excavators work at the site of the archaeological dig on the eastern bank of the Faidi canal, just north of Mosul, where evidence of an Assyrian wine press has been discovered. Source: The Kurdish-Italian Faida and Khinnis Archaeological Project

4 November, 2021 - 13:59 Nathan Falde

2,700-Year-Old Assyrian Wine Press Found in Northern Iraq

A team of Italian archaeologists exploring ruins connected to the legendary Neo-Assyrian Empire have discovered an ancient industrial wine press. Dating to approximately 700 BC, the remains of the...

The Beauty of Loulan, a Tarim Basin Mummy Source: Mummipedia

28 October, 2021 - 19:04 Sahir

Origin Mystery of Controversial Tarim Basin Mummies Was Solved With DNA

Located in northwestern China’s Xinjiang region, the Tarim Basin is a rich confluence of geology, history, and culture. In fact, it is speculated that this region may be one of the last to be...

The Shiyanzi grave robber discovered in China. Source: Zou et. al. / Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences

27 October, 2021 - 18:58 Sahir

“Grave Robber” Found in Cemetery Declared Victim of Murder

While his killer(s) will never be brought to justice, a new study published in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences has cleared the memory a young man who died 1,300 years ago in the northwest...

Stephen Childs theorizes that Gobekli Tepe was once a site for dramatic funerals and corpse exposure, where vultures and carnivores circled awaiting to play their part. Source: Ezume Images / Adobe Stock

23 October, 2021 - 18:49 Stephen Childs

Corpse Recycling at Gobekli Tepe: The True Purpose of its Ancient Stone Circles?

The following essay is an extract from Stone Circles Explained by Stephen Childs, in which the author offers some original theories regarding the purpose of stone circles. Covering sites from around...

Trialeti Gold Goblet from ancient Georgia, 1700 – 1500 BC, when gold was still in fashion in every way. Source: Steve Batiuk / ASOR Photo Collection

22 October, 2021 - 22:53 Sahir

Caucasus Societies Developed an Aversion to Gold “Bling,” Says Study

New research has shown puzzling evidence of gold going out of fashion for hundreds of years in ancient societies, societies which been at the forefront of technological innovation in gold mining and...

The British Museum’s long misunderstood 3500-year-old Babylonian tablet reveals a male ghost image on the left led by a woman on the right. Source: The British Museum

18 October, 2021 - 18:52 Sahir

3500-year-old Babylonian Ghost Image Discovered in British Museum Vaults!

What is believed to be the world’s oldest depiction of a ghost has recently been found on a Babylonian tablet, neglected in the vaults of the British Museum in London since its acquisition in the...

Prehistoric wooden constructions from the Qujialing culture found at China’s Jijiaocheng Site in Hunan Province. Source: ChinaNews.com

13 October, 2021 - 14:58 Sahir

Neolithic Qujialing Culture Wooden Structures Uncovered in China

Qujialing culture (3400–2600 BC) wooden structures dating back some 4800 years have recently been excavated at the prehistoric Jijiaocheng Site in Changde City in China’s Hunan Province. Some of...

A bronze statue of Lama, Lamma, or Lamassu, an Assyrian protective deity that became one of the Urartian gods. Source: EvgenyGenkin / CC BY-SA 4.0

11 October, 2021 - 14:56 Aleksa Vučković

Who Were The Enigmatic Urartian Gods?

One of the more enigmatic entities of ancient history, Urartu rose to power in the 9th century BC, spreading its influence around illustrious Van Lake in present-day Turkey. From the start, Urartu...

The Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom forged its own Greek identity, far from Greece. Source: Ksenia Tassel / Adobe Stock.

9 October, 2021 - 01:39 dhwty

The Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom: Alexander The Great’s Easternmost Legacy

Alexander the Great was one of the finest and most successful military leaders the world has ever seen. In the 4th century BC he carved out one of the largest empires in history, stretching from...

The ruins of Yamchun Fortress near Pamir, on the border of Afghanistan, where one can still see remains of the ancient classical culture of Bactria. Source: Jonny / Adobe Stock

2 October, 2021 - 14:43 Aleksa Vučković

Bactria - The Bountiful, Sought-after Region of Ancient History

Bactria was one of the more important historic regions of the ancient and classical world. A central point of more than one defining political event, Bactria experienced thousands of years of...

Looking up inside a Yakhchal

1 October, 2021 - 02:03 Caleb Strom

Ancient Advanced Technology: 2,400-Year-Old Yakhchals Kept Ice in the Desert

The ancients were cleverer than some people today assume. They didn’t have rockets or electricity, at least no indisputable proof has been found of such technologies, but they did come up with...

The Kesaria stupa in India. Source: charnsitr / Adobe Stock

11 September, 2021 - 14:37 Cecilia Bogaard

Kesaria Stupa: Ancient Site Commemorating the Alms Bowl of the Buddha

Just 68 miles (110 km) from Patna, in India’s eastern Bihar province, the Kesaria stupa lies in the landscape partially hidden amongst vegetation. The original Kesaria stupa is believed to date back...

Is there Truth to the Bedouin Legend of the Great River in the Desert?

21 August, 2021 - 00:57 David Millar

Is there Truth to the Bedouin Legend of the Great River in the Desert?

The Bedouin of the southern Arabian desert have a legend about a great river in the west, and an eighth century Arabic poem talks of wild cows living in the Empty Quarter. Can it be true? The Empty...

Two entrances to the Barabar Caves: Sudama Cave (small entrance, left side), and Lomas Rishi Cave on Barabar Hill. Source: Klaus-Norbert / CC BY 3.0

24 July, 2021 - 14:57 dhwty

The Architecture and Spiritual History of India’s Famous Barabar Caves

The Barabar Caves are a group of rock-cut caves located in the eastern Indian state of Bihar. The Barabar Caves contain a total of seven caves, the oldest of which date to the Mauryan period. The...

Church ruins at the “Ghost City” of Ani

23 July, 2021 - 14:47 Veronica Parkes

Ani: The Ghost City of 1001 Churches

First mentioned in the 5th century by Armenian chroniclers, the “Ghost City” of Ani was described as a strong fortress on a hilltop that was a possession of the Armenian Kamsarakan dynasty. From this...

Leshan Giant Buddha is the world's largest stone-carved Buddha

12 July, 2021 - 15:41 Bryan Hill

The Leshan Giant Buddha: Largest Stone Buddha in the World

Not far from the city of Chengdu in Sichuan Province, China, sits the Leshan Giant Buddha statue. Carved into the side of Mt. Lingyun, the colossal statue is over 1,300-years-old and is considered to...

Ancient Stargate: Can Sakwala Chakraya Unlock Interstellar Travel?

20 May, 2021 - 01:54 Bipin Dimri

Ancient Stargate: Can Sakwala Chakraya Unlock Interstellar Travel?

Located in the city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, the so-called “Stargate of Sri Lanka” is a mysterious place with much that is yet to be unveiled. There are many stories about UFOs and other strange...

Plain of Jars

29 April, 2021 - 01:59 Joanna Gillan

The Plain of Jars: A Megalithic Archaeological Mystery in Laos

The Plain of Jars on the Xieng Khouang plain of Laos is one of the most enigmatic archaeological points of interest on Earth. The unusual scattering of thousands of megalithic jars across nearly one...

Rav ki vav stepwell, India

21 April, 2021 - 17:05 dhwty

The Forgotten Stepwells: Masterpieces from India’s Past

Stepwells are magnificent architectural structures found in India that tapped into underground water tables, providing a year-round water supply. Thousands of the engineering masterpieces are dotted...

The Goryeo Dynasty: Buddhist Unifier of the Korean Peninsula

17 April, 2021 - 22:54 dhwty

The Goryeo Dynasty: Buddhist Unifier of the Korean Peninsula

The Goryeo dynasty was a Korean dynasty that existed between the 10 th and 14 th centuries. The Goryeo dynasty was established following the unification of Korea’s Later Three Kingdoms and ended when...

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