aztecs

27 July, 2019 - 22:49 Caleb Strom

Religion of the Aztecs: Keeping the Balance in an Unpredictable and Terrifying World

The Aztec Empire was the largest and most successful Mesoamerican empire in terms of size and demographics. It stretched across highlands, coastal plains, valleys, and forests. It is not surprising,...

Were the first rulers deities, mythical, or appointed by the gods? Source: tomertu / Adobe Stock.

14 July, 2019 - 01:53 Caleb Strom

‘First Kings’ Myths From Around the World: How Do They Compare?

Monarchs have always played a very important role in how their subjects form their cultural identity. Egypt, China, and the Sumerian city-states are examples of some of the oldest monarchies. The...

28 March, 2019 - 20:12 joannagillan

The Aztec Calendar Wheel and the Philosophy of Time

The Aztec or Mexica 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...

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...

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...

Pages

Myths & Legends

“Full moon rising over Mount Shasta, as seen from northern valley.”

Mount Shasta: Inner Earth Realms and History of the Lava Beds

There are legends all over the world, found in every culture, which populate caves with spirits and supernatural guardians who dwell in a subterranean realm hidden just beneath surface of our own...

The Enigma of the Anasazi

Baba Yaga: The Wicked Witch of Slavic Folklore

The Pyramid Complex and the Hopi: Creation Myth Sheds Light on Building Plan

A Herculean Effort: What Led to the 12 Labors of Hercules and How Did He Succeed?

The Disturbing True Story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin

Human Origins

Mysterious Worlds: Travels to the Faerie and Shamanic Realms

There are many accounts of a land of immortality and eternal youth in world myths and legends, as well as shamanic and indigenous spiritual traditions. Mysterious Worlds Writing in his recent work,...

Do you dare enter a fairy ring? The mythical mushroom portals of the supernatural

Pangu and the Chinese Creation Story

The Origins of the Faeries: Encoded in our Cultures – Part I

The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts

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

Ancient Technology

Secrets Behind the Creepy Plague Doctor Mask and Costume

The plague doctor mask is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Black Death. Though the image is iconic the relationship may be a little anachronistic. While plague doctors have been plying their trade since the Middle Ages, it was only after this period, during the 17th century, that they acquired their creepy trademark costume. But what does it mean?

Did Egyptian Mummification Descend from a More Ancient and, Perhaps, Reversible Preservation Technique?

Poisonous Pigments: History’s Deadliest Colors

The ancient invention of the steam engine by the Hero of Alexandria

Ten amazing inventions from ancient times

The Indian Sage who developed Atomic Theory 2,600 years ago

Ancient Places

Why Isn’t This Map in the History Books?

By the age of 10, most children in the United States have been taught all 50 states that make up the country. But centuries ago, the land that is now the United States was a very different place...

Mount Shasta: Inner Earth Realms and History of the Lava Beds

The Dark Secret Behind the Hidden Room of Glamis Castle

The Anomaly of King Orry’s 5000-Year-Old Grave

The Lifegiving Aqueduct of Segovia, a Glorious Roman Heritage

Lost City of Khmer Empire Finally Found in Cambodia!

Opinion

Mount Shasta: Spirits and Danger on a Sacred California Mountain

Mount Shasta, located near the Oregon border in northern California, holds the distinction of being one of the world’s preeminent sacred mountains. It is recognized as an eligible Native American...

Mysterious Worlds: Travels to the Faerie and Shamanic Realms

Pharaoh Akhenaten: An Alternative View of the Heretic King

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

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

The Secret Strategic Plans of Darius the Great

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.