All  

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ Mobile

concubines

Chinese emperor. Source:

Weird Things That Were Normal for Chinese Emperors (Video)

In the rich tapestry of Chinese imperial history , the idiosyncrasies of emperors present a captivating tableau. These divine sovereigns, reigning over China for millennia, engaged in customs that...
Chinese concubine. Source: TK0920 / Adobe Stock.

Life and Death in the Harem: China's Imperial Concubines (Video)

Imperial China's history is full of tales of rich and powerful men who kept concubines in their lives, with the most famous system of concubinage existing within the Chinese imperial family. From the...
The Forbidden City of China. Source: Source: ABCDstock / Adobe Stock

The Great Forbidden City: A Glimpse into China's Imperial Past

The Forbidden City of China, a sprawling imperial palace that once housed the China’s powerful emperors, is a marvel of ancient architecture and Chinese history. Spanning an impressive 720,000 square...
Shadow of a eunuch in the Forbidden City of China

The Fascinating Life of a Chinese Eunuch in the Forbidden City

The Inner Court of China’s Forbidden City was the emperor’s private realm, where no other men were allowed to linger for too long. Officials, military personnel, and even male relatives of the...
Much of the Radhanites' overland trade between Tangier and Mesopotamia was by camel. Source: Gaper / Adobe Stock

The Radhanites: A Glimpse into the Trade Networks of the Middle Ages

It is no secret that throughout the classical and early medieval period, trade played an immense role in the economy of the world. Trade routes were spread all over Eurasia, and effectively connected...
Resounding geomungo, praiseworthy lotus from Hyewon pungsokdo (1805).Gansong Art Museum in Seoul, South Korea (Public Domain)

Gungnyeo, the Ranks and Regiment of Women Serving Korean Royalty

The smooth running of Korean royal households depended upon the unseen hands of gungnyeo; the seamstresses, cooks, chambermaids, water- and firewood bearers and other servants. Behind the scenes a...
Concubine

The Secret Life of an Ancient Concubine

In many ancient cultures and religious traditions, rulers and elite members of society not only had wives, they also had concubines. Concubines normally served a dual purpose – to increase a man’s...
Chinese concubines in a harem

20,000 Women and 100,000 Castrated Men to Serve the Emperor: The Imperial Harem of China

In Imperial China, one of the important tasks that the emperor needed to do was to ensure the continuation of the dynasty, which was achieved by the production of a male heir. For this purpose, the...
Royal dogs in the ancient Forbidden City of China

The opulent life of royal dogs in the ancient Forbidden City of China

From specially-tailored dog outfits to slave eunuchs to serve their every need, the royal dogs of China’s Forbidden City had it all. Now researchers have revealed the opulent life of these royal...
Moulay Ismaïl of Morocco

How the Sultan Moulay Ismail of Morocco Sired 1,000 Children

Sultan Moulay Ismaïl of Morocco, "The Bloodthirsty," was the second ruler of the Moroccan Alaouite dynasty and reigned from 1672 to 1727. Like others of the dynasty, he claimed to be a descendant of...
Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang

Human remains found in Mausoleum of First Emperor of China

Archaeologists have said that a five-year excavation of small burial pits inside the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, China’s First Emperor (259-210 BC), have proven historical records that say imperial...

Archaeologists Uncover Tomb of Tyrannical Chinese Emperor

Archaeologists in China have discovered the tomb of Emperor Yang Guang , one of the most famous and tyrannical emperor’s in Chinese history, who is known to have brought the Sui Dynasty (581 – 618 AD...