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.

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...

The Meiji Shrine, Tokyo. Source: beeboys / Adobe Stock

7 December, 2019 - 01:58 Ed Whelan

The Meiji Shrine: An Oasis of Zen in the Center of Bustling Tokyo

Japan is a unique country, one that is both very modern and also very traditional. In the heart of Tokyo, there is a shrine dedicated to one of the most important Japanese Emperors and his wife. This...

Heavy snow blizzard in Tokyo - Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, Japan. Source: martinhosmat083 / Adobe Stock

29 November, 2019 - 01:42 Ed Whelan

Sensoji Temple, Tokyo’s Throbbing Heart of Japanese Buddhism

Tokyo is a modern city, yet it is also a very historic place and it is especially renowned for its temples. One of the most famous temples in Tokyo is the Sensoji Temple. This is the oldest in the...

Srivijaya was a maritime trade center. Source: Anandajoti / CC BY-SA 3.0

26 November, 2019 - 01:39 dhwty

Whatever Happened to Srivijaya, Forgotten Maritime Trade Center?

Srivijaya (often referred to as the Srivijaya Empire ) was a thalassocracy (meaning a maritime /sea-based state) that flourished between the 7th and 13th centuries AD. This state was based on the...

Bible Old Testament: Joshua and the walls of Jericho. Source: Archivist / Adobe Stock

22 November, 2019 - 01:49 Caleb Strom

The Walls of Jericho: How Accurate Was The Biblical Account?

Jericho is famous both to prehistorians and Biblical scholars. It is likely the oldest continuously inhabited permanent settlement in the world, known for ancient astronomical observatories,...

Harran, Turkey

19 November, 2019 - 18:26 Lucy Wyatt

Why were the Knights Templar So Interested in Harran?

Harran is one of the oldest cities in the World. Located in southern Turkey, a remarkable feature of this ancient place is its beehive-shaped adobe houses, built entirely of mud without any wood...

Wu zhu bronze coins found in Liu He’s tomb. Source: nocoev.com

14 November, 2019 - 22:59 Aleksa Vučković

Liu He and the Tomb of Two Million Coins

Archaeology is always full of surprises. When an excavation is started, the team never knows what the next artifact will be to see the light of day. Many times a find is mundane – pottery shards,...

Shureimon Gate in Shuri castle, home to the former Ryukyu Kingdom, in Okinawa. Source: f11photo /Adobe Stock

11 November, 2019 - 01:22 Aleksa Vučković

Ryukyu Kingdom: Castles, Customs, and China and Japan's Rivalry

As far as Asian nations and their histories go, one of the most interesting places that grabs everyone’s attention is Japan. The islands of Japan were always home to many lords, kingdoms, and...

A Buddhist stupa at Thotlakonda Buddhist Monastery

29 October, 2019 - 22:02 Ed Whelan

Heavy Rain Reduces Indian Buddhist Stupa to Rubble

In India, archaeologists and historians have been shocked by the sudden collapse of a restored 2200-year-old Buddhist stupa at a monastery in India. The monument half-collapsed after a prolonged...

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the emperor's ceremony of enthronement to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

22 October, 2019 - 18:22 dhwty

A New Japanese Emperor Takes To The Chrysanthemum Throne

The Chrysanthemum Throne is the throne of the Emperor of Japan and a metonym referring to the Japanese monarchy itself. The Japanese imperial family has recently been in the news, due to the...

The Cathedral of the Dormition is an 11th century cathedral in Kutaisi, Georgia of the Bagrationi dynasty. Photo source: viii / Adobe Stock.

20 October, 2019 - 23:04 dhwty

The Bagrationi Dynasty – A Millennium of Christian Power

The Bagrationi (sometimes Hellenized as Bagratid) dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Georgia for over a millennium. This dynasty was founded during the Middle Ages and ruled the country until the...

Khmer Empire city found north of Angkor Wat. Here, Ta Prom Khmer ancient Buddhist temple in jungle forest

15 October, 2019 - 11:57 ashley cowie

Lost City of Khmer Empire Finally Found in Cambodia!

Ancient Cambodia’s Mahendraparvata , one of the first Angkorian capital cities of the 9th to 15th century Khmer Empire, has finally been located to the northeast of Angkor Wat in Cambodia...

Ancient site of Göbeklitepe in Turkey, the oldest temple in the world. Source: JB Press / CC BY-SA 2.0)

14 October, 2019 - 23:04 Refik

Was Göbeklitepe An Ancient Temple of Sacrifice?

Göbeklitepe, the world’s oldest temple , is around 12,000 years old. It was built by hunter-gatherers in the pre-pottery Neolithic period, before writing and the wheel were invented. Göbeklitepe has...

Mount Hua, Huashan, trail

12 October, 2019 - 01:16 dhwty

Mount Hua Trail: Where 100 People Plummet to Their Deaths Every Year

The Huashan Trail is considered by some to be one of the most dangerous hiking trails in the world. This trail is located on Huashan (or Mount Hua), a mountain situated near the city of Huayin in the...

Ruins of ancient Persepolis, Iran, with the columns of the Apadana Hall on the right. Source: pawopa3336 / Adobe Stock.

29 September, 2019 - 02:03 Aleksa Vučković

Apadana – The Everlasting Hall of the Achaemenids

Throughout countless centuries, across all kinds of different epochs, the great hypostyle hall of Apadana has been an impressive source of wonder and inspiration for all manner of folk. This once...

Ruins of Mehrgarh. (M. Thoury et al./CC BY 4.0) Insert: Detail of a female figure made of terracotta from Mehrgarh, circa 3000 BC. (Denis Biette/CC BY SA 1.0)

23 September, 2019 - 14:02 dhwty

A Treasure in Ruins: Ancient Mehrgarh Lost to Thieves and Violence

Mehrgarh is an archaeological site situated in the Balochistan, in the southwestern part of Pakistan. In the native Balochi language, ‘mehr’ is said to mean ‘love’, and ‘garh’ means heaven. Thus, the...

The Persian Empire used a satrapal system for local rulers. Source: Konstantin / Adobe Stock

21 September, 2019 - 21:14 dhwty

Satraps of the Persian Empire – Rebellious Protectors of the Realm

The Achaemenid Empire was an ancient empire whose heartland was the region of Persis , in the southwestern part of modern-day Iran. At its greatest extent, the Achaemenids ruled over an empire that...

The Midas Monument, Yazılıkaya.

11 September, 2019 - 01:47 dhwty

The Mysterious Midas City: 2,800-Year-Old City with Monumental Facades and Strange Inscriptions

A being named Midas has been immortalized in Yazılıkaya, Turkey. Many people think the famous inscription dedicated to this person referred to the king remembered for his ‘golden touch’, but that’s...

Drukgyel Dzong, Bhutan Source: Chuck Moravec / CC BY 2.0

4 September, 2019 - 01:55 Ed Whelan

Drukgyel Dzong and How a Lama Unified Bhutan

Bhutan is a Himalayan kingdom with a rich history and a distinctive Buddhist culture . It has barely been impacted by modernity and globalization, and has managed to largely preserve its ancient...

Entrance to the Aleppo Citadel Source: Shariff Che'Lah / Adobe Stock

2 September, 2019 - 01:50 Ed Whelan

Ancient City and Citadel of War-Torn Aleppo Are Syria’s Golden Age Legacy

A quick look up of Aleppo on any search-engine will bring up hundreds of articles about the conflict in Syria and sadly the name has become a byword for the horrors of war. The country though, has a...

The Odessa Catacombs: Lost in Eternal Darkness

19 August, 2019 - 13:59 Aleksa Vučković

The Odessa Catacombs: Lost in Eternal Darkness

Ukraine. A vast country that prides itself on a history rich with heroes and artists. A nation whose foundations stand on centuries of struggle and fighting for independence. Many of Ukraine’s cities...

Makhunik, Iran

18 August, 2019 - 00:35 Joanna Gillan

Was Makhunik an Ancient Iranian Lilliput?

In August 2005, a tiny mummified body was found in the ancient Persian village of Makhunik in what is now Iran. The discovery caused an international sensation when researchers reported that the...

Chinese empress. Credit: wichansumalee / Adobe Stock

17 August, 2019 - 23:05 Aleksa Vučković

The Reign of Wu Zetian: From Concubine to Empress to… Emperor!

There are rarely any parts of our history more intriguing and interesting than the chronicles of ancient China . Full of unique cultural traits, obscure and colorful mythologies, and above all...

Zorats Karer, the Armenian Stonehenge

2 August, 2019 - 14:17 Natalia Klimczak

Zorats Karer: The Incredible History of the 7,500-year-old Armenian Stonehenge

Armenia is full of archaeological surprises. It is a country where mysterious stories appear at every corner and most of them still wait to be solved. However, one of the greatest stories of...

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