Christian

2 June, 2019 - 01:31 dhwty

Who Destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria?

The destruction of the great library of Alexandria has been lamented as one of the biggest losses of the ancient world. Nearly one million documents from across Assyria, Greece, Persia, Egypt, India...

The Fortingall Yew is the oldest living thing in Europe. The original size of the trunk is marked by the wooden poles. Source: Moeng / CC BY-SA 3.0

28 May, 2019 - 22:57 ashley cowie

Brainless Tourists Slaughter 5,000-Year-Old Sacred Scottish Tree

An ancient and highly-sacred Scottish tree, The Fortingall Yew, located on the Glenlyon Estate in Perthshire , is thought to be between 3,000 - 5,000 years old and possibly the oldest tree in Europe...

Christian church ruins discovered in ancient port of Marea, near Alexandria

28 May, 2019 - 12:56 Ed Whelan

Christian Church Ruins Unearthed in Alexandria May Be Oldest Ever Found in Egypt

An excavation in Egypt has unearthed some ruins that they say is one of the oldest Christian churches ever found in the country. The experts were working on a ruined basilica when they found the...

27 May, 2019 - 01:59 Ed Whelan

The (Almost) Forgotten History of The Mission of San Ignacio Miní

The name Argentina comes from the Latin word for sliver 'argentum', and it is indeed a country rich architectural heritage, especially in its main cities. Some of the finest architectural ruins in...

The ancient Crusaders' DNA can help us understand historical events. Source: Alessandro Cristiano / Adobe.

19 May, 2019 - 18:58 ancient-origins

A History of the Crusades As Told by Crusaders' DNA

History can tell us a lot about the Crusades , the series of religious wars fought between 1095 and 1291, in which Christian invaders tried to claim the Near East. But the DNA of nine 13th century...

19 April, 2019 - 01:58 Caleb Strom

The Twelve Apostles of Ireland and Their Legendary Miracles

The original Twelve Apostles in the Christian religion are responsible for taking the faith and spreading it across the Mediterranean World. These are the Twelve Apostles who were among the original...

18 April, 2019 - 23:09 Joanna Gillan

The Ancient Pagan Origins of Easter

Easter is a festival and holiday celebrated by millions of people around the world who honor the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred three days...

Fire in the frame of Notre Dame cathedral.

17 April, 2019 - 14:03 ancient-origins

Notre Dame: How a Rebuilt Cathedral Could Be Just as Wonderful

The destruction of Notre Dame cathedral is lamentable. A wonderful icon has been largely destroyed by fire . However, we should not despair. Part of the reason this loss is so upsetting is because we...

31 March, 2019 - 18:51 Caleb Strom

Mysterious Janus Figures of Ireland Reflect Pagan - Christian Fusion

Tucked away on two tiny islands in Northern Ireland – Boa Island and White Island – are a series of ancient anthropomorphic figures that are regarded as the most enigmatic and remarkable stone...

30 March, 2019 - 01:01 Natalia Klimczak

A Tale of Two Brigids: A Celtic Goddess and a Christian Saint

St Brigid is one of the patron saints of Ireland. But the virgin nun has roots that go back to the days when the land’s pagan deities received prayers instead. It seems the Celtic goddess Brigid...

Carlisle Cursing Stone, carved in 2000 using a 16th century curse.

13 March, 2019 - 22:09 Sarah P Young

Cursing Stones of Ireland: When Christianity and Pagans Pooled Their Sacred Water

Ireland is a country famed for its spectacular scenery and landscapes. Known to many as the Emerald Isle, the land is characterized by lush and verdant greenery. But the landscape is more than just...

US Navy employees receive the sacramental ashes during an Ash Wednesday celebration.

7 March, 2019 - 01:55 ancient-origins

4 things to Know About Ash Wednesday

William Johnston / The Conversation For Christians, the death and resurrection of Jesus is a pivotal event commemorated each year during a season of preparation called Lent and a season of...

23 February, 2019 - 18:55 dhwty

The Bizarre Crucifixion of Margaretta Peter: The Short Life of a Prodigy and Devoted Christian

Margaretta Peter was a Swiss woman who lived during the 19 th century. As a child, Margaretta was considered to have been a prodigy and was particularly noted for her religious zeal. As she grew up,...

23 February, 2019 - 01:57 Ed Whelan

Throne Hall of Dongola: Hidden Christian Beginnings Revealed in the Walls of the Oldest Preserved Mosque in Sudan

Relatively little is known of Sudan beyond the borders of Africa even though it is a country which has been home to significant civilizations and has many fascinating archaeological sites. One of the...

Relics of St. Valentine of Terni at the basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin.

14 February, 2019 - 19:02 ancient-origins

The ‘Real’ St. Valentine Was No Patron of Love

By Lisa Bitel / The Conversation On Feb. 14, sweethearts of all ages will exchange cards, flowers, candy, and more lavish gifts in the name of St. Valentine. But as a historian of Christianity, I can...

29 December, 2018 - 01:58 ancient-origins

A Christmas story: the arrival of a sweet baby boy – or a political power to change the world?

Robyn J. Whitaker / The Conversation Dear tiny Jesus, with your golden fleece diapers, with your tiny little fat balled-up fists … Dear 8 pound 6 ounce newborn infant Jesus, don’t even know a word...

Pages

Myths & Legends

Ubasute: Is the Ancient Tradition of Dumping the Elderly in a Forest Encouraging Modern Murder?

Ubasute is an ancient practice from Japanese folklore in which a sick or elderly relative is dumped in a remote place to die. Although ubasute is attested in a number of Japanese legends , it is...

Batman Existed in Mesoamerican Mythology and His Name Was Camazotz

Lilith: Ancient Demon, Dark Deity or Sensual Goddess?

Ten Mythological Creatures in Ancient Folklore

The Real Story of Medusa: Protective Powers from a Snake-Haired Gorgon

Cerberus: Legendary Hell Hound of the Underworld

Human Origins

Early man looking up at the stars (Kovalenko I / Adobe Stock)

Translation of 5,500-Year-Old Babel Text from China Reveals Oldest Known Map of Inner Solar System

It is obvious to any astronomer that some of the brightest objects in the night sky are the planets. It is thus mysterious that there are so few references to the planets in ancient literature.

The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts

Dwelling in the Land of Nod – Was it a Real City?

Resurrecting the Ancient Israelites From the Valley of Dry Bones

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

The human skull that challenges the Out of Africa theory

Ancient Technology

Ancient Chinese Earthquake detector - Zhang (‘Chang’) Heng

The incredible earthquake detector invented nearly 2,000 years ago

Although we still cannot accurately predict earthquakes, we have come a long way in detecting, recording, and measuring seismic shocks. Many don’t realise that this process began nearly 2000 years...

The revolutionary invention of the wheel

Ten amazing inventions from ancient times

150,000-Year-Old Pipes Baffle Scientists in China: Out of Place in Time?

Secrets Behind the Creepy Plague Doctor Mask and Costume

Brain Surgery in Ancient Times

Ancient Places

Entrance to Balankanchè Cave. Source: Artix Kreiger 2 / CC BY-SA 2.0.

Maya Gateway to the World Below: Balankanchè Cave, Throne of the Tiger Priest

Caves are central to the cosmologies of many world cultures, used by humans from the dawn of time.

Speculum Alchemiae: Secret Underground Alchemy Lab Discovered in Prague During Flood

The White Slaves of Barbary

San Pedro de la Roca Castle and the Military Might of Spain in Cuba

The Dark Secret Behind the Hidden Room of Glamis Castle

The Grim Reality of the Brothels of Pompeii

Opinion

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,...

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

The Secrets of the Kabbalists Garden

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.