aztecs

A view of the great megalithic walls surrounding the Acropolis of Chimalacatlan. Some of the stones measure over 3 meters long, with an estimated weight of between 5 to 8 tons.

9 February, 2019 - 01:43 Marco M. Vigato

Tamoanchan – In Search of the Lost Cradle of Mesoamerican Civilizations

The oldest Nahua legends speak of a mythical place called Tamoanchan , considered to be the cradle of all Mesoamerican civilizations and a sort of terrestrial paradise from which the ancestors of the...

1 February, 2019 - 22:56 Ed Whelan

Colonization of the Americas Caused Climatic Change

New research indicates that the death toll of the indigenous population of the Americas during and after European colonization was so high that it changed the environment around the globe and led to...

24 November, 2018 - 13:49 dhwty

Ancient Childbirth Beliefs and Rituals Thought to Protect Mother and Child

For much of human history, pregnancy and childbirth was an extremely dangerous period in a woman’s life. It was often believed that the expectant mother and her baby were vulnerable to malevolent...

Aztec double headed serpent turquoise chest ornament, British Museum.

19 June, 2018 - 01:49 ancient-origins

True Origin of Ancient Turquoise Outstretches Previous Beliefs

New research published in the journal Science Advances overturns more than a century of thought about the source of turquoise used by ancient civilizations in Mesoamerica, the vast region that...

2 June, 2018 - 19:33 LukeDoyle

Legends of The Sun: From Solar Gods to Flying Chariots

Thanks to scientific discoveries, we know for certain that life on Earth depends upon the sun. But long before scientists even discovered that our planet revolves around it, ancient cultures...

7 September, 2017 - 19:00 Brien Foerster

Bearded Gods of the Americas Were Jesus Resurrected?! Maybe. But Why is the Plumed Serpent Ubiquitous?

It is claimed by some authors that white missionaries or "gods" visited America before Christopher Columbus. Authors usually quote from mythology and legends which discuss ancient gods such as the...

Section of skulls at the tzompantli found near the Templo Mayor, Mexico City

3 July, 2017 - 18:57 Theodoros Karasavvas

Gruesome Remains of Aztec Skull Tower Discovered in Mexico Include Women and Children

Archaeologists have uncovered a tower of human skulls beneath the heart of Mexico City. The new find has given birth to new questions about the culture of sacrifice in the Aztec Empire after numerous...

8 October, 2016 - 00:42 dhwty

Terrifying Mesoamerican Skull Racks Were Erected to Deter Enemies

A skull rack, known also as Tzompantli in the Nahuatl language, is an object documented to have been used in several Mesoamerican civilizations, including the Aztecs, the Toltecs, and the Mayas...

Newly discovered skulls at the Templo Mayor complex in Mexico.

22 August, 2015 - 14:56 Robin Whitlock

Archaeologists unearth Aztec human skull trophy rack in Mexico temple

A trophy rack of human skulls that had once belonged to victims of human sacrifice has been discovered by archaeologists from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History at the Templo...

An Olmec style face adorns the side of the Mask Temple at the Mayan site of Lamanai in Belize

7 January, 2015 - 11:29 dhwty

The mysterious civilization of the Olmecs

Mexico is perhaps most well-known, archaeologically speaking, as the home of the Aztec civilization. Yet, before the arrival of the Aztecs, another sophisticated civilization, the Olmecs, ruled the...

2 May, 2014 - 02:45 aprilholloway

Unique artifacts uncovered in Mexico shed light on ancient civilisation

A team of archaeologists from Colorado State University have uncovered a rare copper and bronze rattle, as well as numerous human remains at a site in Angamuco, a pre-Hispanic city in the Mexican...

7 April, 2014 - 22:47 dhwty

Chinampas, The Floating Gardens of Mexico

Human sacrifice. This is probably the first thing that comes to people’s minds when they think about the Aztecs. However, there is much more to Aztec civilisation than this practice. By 1519, when...

A coloured rendition of the Sun Stone Calendar - Atzec

15 February, 2014 - 12:33 aprilholloway

The Aztec Calendar Wheel and the Philosophy of Time

The Aztec calendar wheels have been a source of fascination for centuries. It was not just a way to keep time - it was a complete philosophy of time in which every day had a religious significance...

19 January, 2014 - 00:21 aprilholloway

Human bones show evidence that Aztecs practiced ritual cannibalism

New research has revealed the Aztec rulers, priests, and high ranking warriors practiced cannibalism as a research rite. Evidence comes from fragments of human bones found in the Sacred Grounds of...

22 November, 2013 - 10:24 aprilholloway

God of Death Shrine Unearthed in Mexico

In a discovery that would send shivers up your spine, archaeologists from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History have discovered the first ever shrine dedicated to Mictlantecuhtli,...

6 October, 2013 - 10:51 ancient-origins

The Spanish use of Animals as Weapons of War

Imagine you are a people hardened in battle, with a pugnacious martial code built up through two centuries of continuous warfare with your neighbors. You are a people accustomed to victory because...

Pages

Myths & Legends

Magu, Goddess of Longevity and immortal hemp maiden.

Magu: The Hemp Goddess Who Healed Ancient Asia

"Cannabis" and "criminal" are synonymous in many countries. While cannabis has been steadily weaving onto the "right" side of the law in recent years, the "high" people get from the plant is still often associated with negativity.

The symbol of the Swastika and its 12,000-year-old history

Ancient Symbolism of the Magical Phoenix

The Glastonbury Giant: Who Did the Mystery Bones of A Nine Foot Skeleton Belong To?

Ten Mythological Creatures in Ancient Folklore

The Real Story of Medusa and the Gorgons

Human Origins

Facing the Facts: Just How Accurate Are Facial Reconstructions?

There have been a number of high-profile reconstructions of historical figures recently and it seems like whenever a reconstruction is shared there is controversy and argument about whether the person it portrays really looked like their facsimile.

The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts

Rh-Negative Blood: An Exotic Bloodline or Random Mutation?

The human skull that challenges the Out of Africa theory

Australian Aboriginals - Creation Myth

Pangu and the Chinese Creation Story

Ancient Technology

Both a Princess and a Priestess, What Did the First Known Author Have to Share with the World?

The world’s first known author is widely considered to be Enheduanna, a woman who lived in the 23rd century BC in ancient Mesopotamia (approximately 2285 – 2250 BC).

The High-Tech Stonework of the Ancients: Unsolved Mysteries of Master Engineers

Boggling Bannerstones of Ancient Americans: Were They a Function of Flight or More a Flight of Fancy?

Ten amazing inventions from ancient times

The revolutionary invention of the wheel

The Evidence is Cut in Stone: A Compelling Argument for Lost High Technology in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Places

Excavation of two quarries in Wales by a UCL-led team of archaeologists and geologists has confirmed they are sources of Stonehenge's 'bluestones'– and shed light on how they were quarried and transported.

The Where, When and How of Quarrying Stonehenge 'Bluestones' Is Revealed in New Report

Geologists have long known that 42 of Stonehenge's smaller stones, known as 'bluestones', came from the Preseli hills in Pembrokeshire, west Wales.

Were the Women of Petra More Important Than the Men?

Spectacular Royal Han Tombs Reveal Wealth and Glory of China’s Golden Age

It Looks Like a Laser Cut But What Really Split the Ancient Al Naslaa Rock?

Axum: Legendary Kingdom of Ancient Ethiopia

The Construction of Venice, the Floating City

Opinion

The astronomical ceiling at the Pronaos, Detail of the first Band west from the center. From left to right: two wind creatures (the winged ram with four heads personifies the south wind), the snake- and frog-headed eight goddesses and gods of the Ogdoad who ruled the cosmos before the creation of the world and Osiris seated on a throne sails across the sky as personification of the full moon accompanied by the seated goddesses Nephtys (left) and Isis on the right (Maat stands near the bow of the ship). Siri

Changing Colors and Scampering Across the Night Sky: What Did the Ancients Say about Sirius?

In Egypt, Sirius was the Star of Isis, Isis being the companion and rescuer of the god Osiris. In a very deep way, Osiris was Egypt.

Cracking the Code to Discover Ancient Tarot Symbolism and Forgotten Universal Knowledge

The Secret Strategic Plans of Darius the Great

The Secrets of the Kabbalists Garden

Alchemy and Generating Lifeforce —Global Temples Made in the Shape of Lingams: Shaivite Bull Cult Part II

From Green Man to Bull Son, The Universal Shaivite Bull Cult – Part I

Our Mission

At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there exists countless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts that have yet to be discovered and explained.

The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe.

We’re the only Pop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives.

By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings.