All  

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ Mobile

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 Pyama stupa, which may date to the Pyu period.
8 December, 2015 - 03:52 dhwty

Over a Millennium of Influence: The Pyu Civilization and Ancient City-States

The Pyu civilization, known also as the Pyu city-states, is an ancient entity located in present day Myanmar (also known as Burma). One reason this civilization/group of city states is important is...
The beautiful monument, Taj Mahal.
2 December, 2015 - 21:50 lizleafloor

Debate rages as legal case points to evidence that Taj Mahal was once a Hindu temple

The origins of the famous ancient landmark in India, the Taj Mahal, are under some dispute, casting controversy over the long-held history, and pitting religions against each other. A lawsuit claims...
Sunrise shows the loss of the larger Bamiyan Buddha statue in the Bamiyan Valley, Afghanistan.
22 November, 2015 - 14:52 dhwty

Could There be a Third Bamiyan Buddha, Hidden for Centuries?

One of the most tragic examples of religious iconoclasm in recent history is the destruction of the two giant standing statues of Buddha by the Taliban in March 2001. These were the famed Buddhas of...
The area known as “street 9” in Lothal, Gujarat, India.
22 November, 2015 - 03:23 dhwty

The Extensive Indus Valley Sites of Gujarat

The Indus Valley Civilization is believed to have existed between the 3rd and 2nd millenniums BC. This civilization covered an area of around 1,210,000 square km (467,183.6 square mi). As a...
The temples of My Son, built by the Kingdom of Champa.
29 October, 2015 - 13:49 dhwty

The Ancient Kingdom of Champa: An Enduring Power that Lasted over 1500 years in Southern Vietnam

The Kingdom of Champa was located in mainland Southeast Asia, and occupies the area which is today southern Vietnam. Like a number of other early Southeast Asian cultures, the Kingdom of Champa is...
Painting by Grinlay’s (1826-1830) of ‘The sacred town and temples of Dwarka.’
18 October, 2015 - 00:49 dhwty

Dwarka: The Home of Krishna is a Gateway to Heaven and an Underwater City

The modern city of Dwarka (meaning ‘Gateway to Heaven’ in Sanskrit) is located in the north-western Indian state of Gujarat. This city is regarded as one of the most prominent Chardham (the four...
A watercolor painting overview of the Ming Tombs. (1875-1908)
10 October, 2015 - 14:53 dhwty

A Final Resting Place Fit for an Emperor: The Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty

The Ming Dynasty was established in 1368 AD by Zhu Yuanzhang (who became the Hongwu Emperor) following the overthrow of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. Until the collapse of the Ming Dynasty in 1644 AD,...
The Great Tomb at Hili, Al Ain, built around 3000 BC
25 August, 2015 - 00:38 David Millar

The Lost Desert Cities of Dubai: The Hidden History

Dubai cultivates an ultra-modern image of dazzling architecture and effortless wealth. Yet its deserts conceal forgotten cities and a hidden history which reveal how its early inhabitants adapted and...
The northeastern corner of an Indonesian national monument. In this section the Majapahit Empire is depicted including Gajah Mada at the nearest right. Jakarta, Indonesia.
19 August, 2015 - 03:56 dhwty

The Majapahit Empire: The Short Life of an Empire that Once Defeated the Mongols

The Mongols are perhaps best known as one of history’s greatest conquerors. As they extended their borders, numerous empires were destroyed and dynasties replaced. Perhaps less well-known is the...
A view over Kharanaq, Iran.
13 August, 2015 - 03:49 aprilholloway

The 4,000-Year-Old Abandoned Mud-Brick Town of Kharanaq, Iran: A Photographic Look

Sitting in a remote valley about 70km (43 miles) north of Yazd in Central Iran, is the deserted and crumbling mud-brick village of Kharanaq. The site has been occupied for approximately 4,000 years,...
My Son temple, Quang Nam, Viet Nam
6 August, 2015 - 03:48 Alicia McDermott

Hindu Temples and a Fallen Kingdom in Viet Nam: The My Son Sanctuary

My Son is a unique Hindu sanctuary located in central Viet Nam. It was the capital of the Champa Kingdom and in use from the 4th to 13th century AD. The site once contained over 70 structures of...
The Jahaz Mahal, Mandu, India
5 August, 2015 - 03:44 dhwty

The Ancient Indian City of Mandu: A Fort and Pleasure Palace

The city of Mandu is located in the present day Dhar district situated in the Malwa region of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Perched atop a 20 square km plateau, the ruined city is not...
Paro Taktsang Monastery, Bhutan
3 August, 2015 - 02:56 Bryan Hill

Paro Taktsang: The Breathtaking Himalayan Cloud Monastery

Bhutan is a small country in South Asia and the home of many sacred sites and monasteries associated with Buddhism. One of these sacred monasteries is called Paro Taktsang or Taktsang Palphug...
The Ziggurat at Chogha Zanbil
23 July, 2015 - 21:40 dhwty

Chogha Zanbil: an Unfinished Elamite Site with a Unique Ziggurat

The ziggurat is arguably the most distinct architectural feature of the Mesopotamian civilization. Nevertheless, some of these structures have been found to exist outside the area once occupied by...
7 July, 2015 - 14:33 aprilholloway

Wat Tilok Aram: The 500-Year-Old Underwater Temple of Thailand

Submerged beneath an artificial lake in Northern Thailand is a 500-year-old temple known as Wat Tilok Aram. A stone inscription records that King Tilokkarad commanded Chao San Hua, the King of Muang...
The spectacular architecture of Angkor Wat, Cambodia
7 July, 2015 - 03:58 SACHIN KUMAR TIWARY

Tracing Indo-Cambodian relations through Magnificent Stupa Architecture - Part 2

Over the centuries, there was a great influence of art, culture, literature, and architecture from India to Cambodia. But after a certain time, when Cambodia and India become the cultural, religious...
Stupa in Asia
7 July, 2015 - 01:06 SACHIN KUMAR TIWARY

Tracing Indo-Cambodian relations through Magnificent Stupa Architecture

Southeast Asia was under Indian influence from around the 3 rd century BC until the 15th century AD, when Hindu - Buddhist influence was absorbed by local politics. India had established trade,...
The Hanging Monastery of Mount Heng
1 June, 2015 - 14:58 dhwty

The Precariously Hanging Monastery of Mount Heng

Hengshan, or Mount Heng, which is located in Shanxi province, is one of China’s Five Great Mountains. Pinned to the side of its cliff face is the Xuan Kong Si, also known as the Hanging Monastery...
Hagia Sophia at dusk
27 May, 2015 - 14:15 Steve Andrews

Secrets of the Hagia Sophia - Healing Powers, Mysterious Mosaics and Holy Relics

The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul has a very long history. It has survived earthquakes, religious power struggles, and has been a church (basilica), a mosque and is now a museum. It is known as the...
The ruins and crater at Takht-e-Soleyman Throne of Soloman, Iran. 2006.
24 May, 2015 - 14:21 dhwty

The Ancient Site of Takht-e Soleyman: Iran’s Throne of King Solomon

Between the 3 rd and 7 th centuries AD, the country now named Iran was part of the Sasanian Empire, Rome’s great rival in the East. Under this empire, Zoroastrianism was recognised as the state...
The Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans
28 April, 2015 - 01:03 dhwty

The Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans

The Nabataean Kingdom ruled over an area that spanned from the southern Levant to northern Arabia, a position that allowed them to control the Incense Route that passed through the Arabian Peninsula...
The unique landscape of the Loess Plateau in Shanxi Province.
20 March, 2015 - 02:38 dhwty

Yaodongs: Cave dwellings of the ancient world

The population of the world today is greater than any period in history, and it is expected to increase exponentially in the next couple of decades. This has caused concern for some as to whether the...
Smoothed chambers and tunnels through salt run deep into the vast Khewra Salt Mines.
11 March, 2015 - 12:51 dhwty

The enormous and ancient Salt Mines of Khewra, said to be found by horse of Alexander the Great

It is perhaps due to the importance of salt that one of the biggest salt mines in the world is associated with one of the greatest conquerors of the ancient world. Cheap and easily available, s alt...
Monumental stone face at Bayon Temple, Cambodia.
4 March, 2015 - 12:58 dhwty

Built by Kings, the Ancient Bayon Temple of Cambodia Mixes Spirituality, History and Symbolism

The 12 th century is generally regarded as a period of European decline. In other parts of the world, however, this was certainly not the case. In South East Asia, the Khmer Empire was enjoying its...

Pages