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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Egyptians

From Sumerian time to modern-day clocks, the number 60 has stood the test of time. Source: (Samantha/CC BY 2.0), nebula NGC 1788 Orion constellation (ESO/CC BY 4.0), Zodiac of Dendera (Alice-astro/CC BY-SA 3.0)

Sumerians Invented the System of Time 5,000 Years Ago – And We Still Use It Today!

One might find it curious that we divide the hours into 60 minutes and the days into 24 hours – why not a multiple of 10 or 12? Put quite simply, the answer is because the inventors of time did not...
The ancient site of Masada, Israel. Source: Jonatan / Adobe Stock.

From Pyramids to Temples: Discovering the 15 Most Ancient Buildings on Earth (Video)

The world is full of ancient structures and buildings that have managed to withstand the test of time. From Gobekli Tepe, the oldest place of worship in the world, to the ancient Fortress of Masada...
Roman bathhouse. Source: 4K_Heaven / Adobe Stock.

Keeping it Clean: A Look at Ancient Hygiene Practices (Video)

From the Sumerians and Egyptians to the Victorians and beyond, humans have been striving to keep their surroundings clean since they first settled down and built permanent homes. Before civilization...
Painting of foreign delegation found at the tomb of Khnumhotep II. This contains a man described a “Abisha the Hyksos”, one of the earliest known uses of the term Hyksos. Source: Public domain

Researchers Reveal True Story of Hyksos Dynasty in Ancient Egypt

Researchers have revealed the truth behind the rise of the first “foreign” rulers of Ancient Egypt . It was long held that the Hyksos, the first non-native dynasty to rule Egypt, were invaders. A...
Beyond the Pyramid Ramp: Unravelling Egypt’s Most Elusive Enigma

Beyond the Pyramid Ramp: Unravelling Egypt’s Most Elusive Enigma

The mystery of how the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt were built continues to elude scholars, even in the 21 st century. As famed Egyptologist Flinders Petrie records in his The Pyramids and Temples of...
The Acropolis Athens (where the cyclopean wall can be found) during sunset.             Source: sea and sun / Adobe stock

The Acropolis' Cyclopean Wall, Sages and Our Deeply Connected Past

The Athenian Acropolis . This rocky citadel sits alone, striking out imposingly against the backdrop of the dry, blue Mediterranean sky. Towering 490 feet (150 meters) over the modern cityscape, the...
Pole starts used to align the pyramids at Giza.          Source: Aliaksei / Adobe Stock

Ancient Egyptian North Star Eclipsed By Astronomical Discovery

The star used by ancient Egyptians as their North Star has just been discovered to be one part of a pair of binary stars that periodically eclipse one another, according to NASA scientists. The team’...
A depiction of Ahmose fighting back the Hyksos from Egypt.  Source: Public domain

Did the Hyksos Pull Off a Peaceful Invasion of Egypt?

The Hyksos were a dynasty of kings who ruled over the northern part of Egypt during the 2 nd millennium BC. They were not native Egyptians, but came from the East, most likely Western Asia...
Egyptian mummy. Credit: markrhhiggins / Adobe Stock

Nine Parts of the Human Soul According to the Ancient Egyptians

The idea of the human soul has fascinated humankind for thousands of years. Cultures around the world have sought to explain the soul or spirit in a wide and fascinating variety of ways. The soul is...
Ancient beer from biblical times and beyond has been brewed in Israel. Source: 9parusnikov / Adobe Stock

Researchers Brew Biblical Beer Using Yeast From Ancient Pottery

A multidisciplinary team in Israel believe that they have brewed ancient beers similar to those once drunk by Biblical characters such as David and Goliath . They were able to extract yeast, a key...
An artist's depiction Sunni Ali Ber, African warrior king of the Songhai empire.

Ten of Africa’s Most Powerful Kings, Queens, Warriors and Legends

Africa is a region with a long and glorious history, with hundreds of distinct cultures and traditions. From the Egyptians to the Zulus each culture has produced some of the greatest warriors and...
Beautiful woman with fashion make-up and hairstyle like Egyptian queen Cleopatra (EmotionPhoto / Adobe Stock)

8 Ancient Beauty Secrets We Can Still Use Today

Beautification and cosmetology have been important to humans for many thousands of years. Obsessing over our appearance is something that seems to go back to the very roots of modern human behavior,...
Ancient Khmer carving of childbirth.

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...
Skull exhibiting evidence of cancer. Source Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities

Cancer Deaths Were Far Less Prevalent in Ancient Egypt

Researchers in the deserts of Egypt have made a remarkable discovery while studying the bones of ancient Egyptians. In total, they were able to identify six cases of cancer at a burial site at an...
All Giza Pyramids in one shot.

From the Pyramids to Stonehenge – were Prehistoric People Astronomers?

Daniel Brown / The Conversation Ever since humans could look up to see the sky, we have been amazed by its beauty and untold mysteries. Naturally then, astronomy is often described as the oldest of...
3,200-Year-Old Human Remains Discovered in Biblical Gezer, Israel Support Destruction Theory

3,200-Year-Old Human Remains Discovered in Biblical Gezer Support Destruction Theory

A team of archaeologists in Israel has unearthed the human remains of three individuals in what is believed to be the site of the Biblical city of Gezer, almost 3,200 years after its catastrophic...
Egyptian Fellah woman with her child, Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann, 1872

Did Eternity Obsessed Ancient Egyptians Know How to Prevent Pregnancy?

It is hard to believe that the Ancient Egyptians, a culture completely infatuated with the preservation of life after death, would be concerned with the prevention of pregnancy. But they were one of...
Making Peace in Ancient Syria: A Long-Awaited Egyptian–Hittite Peace Treaty

Making Peace in Ancient Syria: A Long-Awaited Egyptian–Hittite Peace Treaty

In 1259 BC two of the most powerful ancient armies met near the city of Kadesh in what is now Syria. The number of victims and descriptions of the epic battle are still the cause of scientific debate...
During the sack of Rome by the Vandals in the 5th century AD, the Vandals took hostages include Roman Emperor Petronius Maximus’ wife.

The Strategic Use of Hostages in the Ancient World

The practice of taking hostages is not a new phenomenon but has existed since ancient times, and was a strategic tool employed by various civilizations around the world, particularly during times of...
Meeting Between Cambyses II and Psammetichus III, as imaginatively recreated by the French painter Adrien Guignet

The Battle of Pelusium: Psychological warfare leads Persians to victory

The Battle of Pelusium is an historically important battle that took place in the 6th century BC, in which the Egyptians were decisively defeated by the Persians, and the Persians became the new...
The teeth of a 17th dynasty (circa 1550 BC) mummy had his teeth broken out, probably during the embalming process. This mummy's wrappings were removed in the early 20th century.

First Physical Evidence found of Ancient Egyptian Opening of the Mouth Procedure

Ancient Egyptians took great care to mummify the bodies of high-status people and adorned and entombed them with some of the most beautiful objects ever made. However, in what appears contrary to the...
The battle of Qadesh

Trojans at the Battle of Qadesh

The Battle of Qadesh (Kadesh) immortalized the embellished feats of Ramesses II (i.e. Ramesses the Great), the 19th Dynasty Pharaoh of the New Kingdom of Egypt ca. 1279 - 1213 BCE. The pharaoh would...
Ancient Egyptians - Jewellery From Meteorites

Ancient Egyptians Crafted Jewellery From Meteorites

Scientists have discovered that an ancient Egyptian jewellery item found in a 5,000 year old tomb was carved from a meteorite. The tube-shaped iron beads were originally uncovered over a hundred...