death

A collection of shoes, presumably from those who have taken their lives, inside Aokigahara forest.

16 September, 2020 - 20:56 Joanna Gillan

The Aokigahara Forest of Japan: Many Enter, But Few Walk Out Alive

The Aokigahara forest is situated on the north-western side of Japan’s famous Mount Fuji. It was born 1,100 years ago, when Mount Fuji erupted, spewing out lava for miles which later transformed into...

Representation of Hel, the Norse goddess of the Underworld

11 September, 2020 - 19:30 valdar

Going to Hel and Back: The Realm of the Norse Goddess of the Underworld

By far, Loki’s most well-known children are the ones he had with the giantess Angurboda. These include the wolf Fenrir, the Midgard Serpent Jormugandr, and the goddess Hel. Legends say that the...

Photograph of a face-down burial, also known as a prone burial, in a churchyard in Berlin, just one of almost a hundred medieval and post-medieval burials in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria included in the study. Source: (Claudia Maria Melisch / Landesdenkmalamt Berlin)

4 September, 2020 - 23:01 ashley cowie

Buried Face-Down 400-Years-Ago, But Through A Fear Of Zombies, Or God?

In 2014 a construction project required Swiss anthropologist Amelie Alterauge of the University of Bern Institute of Forensic Medicine to investigate a very unusual burial in a 400-year-old cemetery...

Dante holding open a copy of the Divine Comedy while gazing towards Mount Purgatory (1530), Agnolo Bronzino

1 September, 2020 - 19:01 Riley Winters

A Pilgrimage of Thought: The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

The most widely read work of Florentine politician and writer Dante Alighieri, the Divine Comedy dictates a tale of the three realms of the afterlife as believed by the Italians of the Middle Ages...

Bronze Age death rituals sometimes included curated remains, such as this skeleton that was buried with skulls and long bones of three people who had died much earlier. Source: Tees Archaeology / Antiquity Publications Ltd

1 September, 2020 - 00:05 Alicia McDermott

Bronze Age Death Rituals Included Curating Remains Of Predecessors

No two people deal with death in exactly the same way. Both on the individual and societal level we have to face the inevitable. These days many people turn to their religious, scientific, or...

The Column of Death at Mitla has been closed off from hugging by the public for a long time, as repeated hugging causes damage. But the column in the top photo is exactly identical, in every way, to the true Column of Death hugged by Mesoamericans for centuries.

28 August, 2020 - 22:57 dhwty

The Column of Death at Mitla, Hugged by Mesoamericans For Millennia

The Column of Death is the name given to a pillar at the archaeological site of Mitla , in the southwestern Mexican state of Oaxaca . The column was named for a legendary ritual in which it appeared...

22 May, 2020 - 18:50 Susan Ardizzoni

The Dramatic Death of Cleopatra – Was it Really Suicide?

According to accepted historical accounts, Cleopatra, the last active pharaoh of ancient Egypt who ruled after Alexander the Great’s death during the Hellenistic period, committed suicide by holding...

Main: view of the Els Trocs cave entrance in the Spanish Pyrenees located on the southern slope of a karst hill on the high plateau of Selvaplana; seen from the pass of the Puerto de las Aras. Source: H. Arcusa Magallón / Scientific Reports. Inset: Images of part of the skeletons damaged by blunt objects/arrows during the massacre. Source: T. Schuerch / G. Schulz / Scientific Reports

11 February, 2020 - 17:30 Ed Whelan

Truth of 7300-Year-Old Violence Uncovered in the Spanish Pyrenees

An examination of human remains found in a cave in the Spanish Pyrenees, that date to almost 7300 years ago has provided proof of the brutality of life in the Stone Age . It is believed that the...

IMAGE Upload an image to go with this article. Show row weights FILE INFORMATION OPERATIONS Image icon Egyptian-Game-of-death.jpg (113.35 KB) Alternate text Depiction of an ancient Egyptian queen playing senet (‘game of death’) from Nefertari's burial chamber, wife of Ramses II. Source: Public domain This text will be used by screen readers, search engines, or when the image cannot be loaded. Image icon game-of-death.jpg (100.58 KB) Alternate text This text will be used by screen readers, search en

10 February, 2020 - 13:56 Ed Whelan

Enigmatic Evolution of Ancient Egypt’s ‘Game of Death’ Revealed

An ancient Egyptian board game that was similar to Ludo or backgammon is offering new insights into ancient religious beliefs. It was not only a game, but it was seen as a way for the dead to...

28 January, 2020 - 16:57 Ed Whelan

Shocking Truth Behind Death of Ireland’s Egyptian Mummy Unraveled

Researchers have established that Northern Ireland’s most famous Egyptian mummy was murdered. The mummy, which is the cadaver of a woman called Takabuti who lived 2,600 years ago, is now known to...

Victims found in a fornici hiding from the blast of Mount Vesuvius Source: Rachelle Martyn et al, Antiquity

23 January, 2020 - 11:00 Ed Whelan

Hiding From Mount Vesuvius Prolonged Victims' Deaths

Herculaneum, which was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius is one of the best-preserved of all Ancient Roman settlements. Recent advances in science now allow researchers to better understand...

Depiction of one of the deaths of Roman emperors. In this case Roman senators murder Emperor Julius Caesar during a senate meeting. He served as emperor for just over 4 years. Source: Emilio Ereza / Adobe stock

24 December, 2019 - 18:46 Ed Whelan

Stats Geeks Reveal Shocking Trend in Mortality of Roman Emperors

A new study has revealed a fascinating insight into the pattern of violent deaths of Roman emperors. Researchers have been able to create a statistical model of the life expectancy of the rulers of...

Zoroastrians have used Towers of Silence in their funerary practices

6 December, 2019 - 16:55 dhwty

Zoroastrian Towers of Silence: Leaving the Dead for the Vultures

A tower of silence (known also as a ‘dakhma’) is a type of structure used for funerary purposes by adherents of the Zoroastrian faith. This Zoroastrian practice for the disposal of the dead involves...

Artist's representation of a scene during the Justinianic plague.

5 December, 2019 - 17:34 Mark Miller

The Justinianic Plague Wasn’t as Bad as Many Scholars Think

Researchers say that claims of the Justinianic plague as a “mass killer” are wrong. It certainly had some impact, but they assert that plague outbreak, which began in the 6th century, didn’t bring...

The rape of Persephone. Source: Mattes / Public Domain

5 December, 2019 - 01:59 ancient-origins

Explainer: The Story of Demeter and Persephone

Chris Mackie / The Conversation The student of Greek mythology is often struck by the fact that some gods and goddesses have extensive roles in the mythical narratives, and others have very limited...

Rescuers found three dead and several injured at the ancient monastery collapse in Egypt. Source: Youssef Sidhom.

2 December, 2019 - 22:55 ashley cowie

Three Crushed To Death In Ancient Egyptian Monastery Collapse

Three dead bodies have been retrieved from a collapsed ancient monastery wall in Upper Egypt . On Sunday night Egyptian Civil protection forces faced the terrible task of retrieving three bodies from...

Pages

Myths & Legends

Many stories from mythology are misinterpreted. ‘Norandino and Lucina Discovered by the Ogre’ (1624) by Giovanni Lanfranco. (Public Domain) Image of the Sumerian god Enki. Modern reproduction of a detail of the Adda seal (c. 2300 BC). (Public Domain) Assyrian relief carving from Nimrud, 883–859 BC, depicting a so-called handbag. (Metropolitan Museum of Art) ‘Eve Tempted by the Serpent’ (1799-1800) by William Blake. (Public Domain) By Priscilla Vogelbacher

The Nephilim, Anunnaki and More: Four Common Mistakes Made When Interpreting Mythology

The 19th century gave us some of the best work on mythology, but much of it has been ignored over time.

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

The Powerful Symbol of the Swastika and its 12,000 Year History

The Legendary Emerald Tablet and its Secrets of the Universe

Lilith: Ancient Demon, Dark Deity or Sensual Goddess?

The Life and Death of Ramesses II

Human Origins

The journey of life in many ancient beliefs and religions is also the journey of the human soul. Source: rolffimages / Adobe Stock

The Morbid Legacy Of The Doctor Who Tried To Weigh The Human Soul

The fascinating legacy of the controversial American physician who weighed the human soul and determined dogs don’t have one is an incredible story. And, like in many areas of life, what one believes and one’s beliefs have a huge influence on outcomes.

"I am the Lord God Dionysus": Parallels between Yahweh and Dionysus

Surprising Links Between Pharaoh Akhenaten and the Jewish New Year

The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts

Unity in Diversity: Studies Reveal Surprising Stories for the Genes of Ancient Hindus and Jews

Who Are the Yazidis and Why Have They Been Continually Persecuted?

Ancient Technology

Roman weapons were vital to protecting and conquering the ancient world.

Roman Weapons: Sharp Blades to Conquer the Ancient World

The Romans were arguably one of the most successful conquerors of the ancient world. So what weapons helped them achieve that status.

The Helmet That Shows Celtic Warriors Helped the Roman Army Conquer Briton

Ten amazing inventions from ancient times

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

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

Norimitsu Odachi: Who Could Have Possibly Wielded This Enormous 15th Century Japanese Sword?

Ancient Places

The Vinland Map: A Most Non-European Artifact

The Vinland Map carries with it the air of mystery and, some would say, the stench of deception. In the vaults of Yale University, and insured for $25 Million, it is either a colossal fraud or an artifact of unparalleled value.

Arene Candide: Ice Age Cave Reveals Rituals to Say Goodbye to Our Dead 12,000 Years Ago

Why the Enormous Nimrod Castle Was Built in a Massive Hurry

Meteora: Majestic Greek Monasteries Suspended in the Air

Abyssinia and the Ethiopian Empire: The Ancient History of a Struggling Nation

Theodoric the Great and His Ostrogothic Mausoleum

Opinion

3 Problems to Remember When Trying to Find Atlantis

It is perhaps the greatest unsolved mystery of all time: Did the lost city of Atlantis actually exist? And if it did once exist, where was it located before its watery demise? Fortunately, the...

Naupa Iglesia: An Egyptian Portal in the Andes?

The Nephilim: Giant Offspring of the Sons of God and the Daughters of Man?

Mount Shasta: Spirits and Danger on a Sacred California Mountain

Mysterious Worlds: Travels to the Faerie and Shamanic Realms

Pharaoh Akhenaten: An Alternative View of the Heretic King

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.