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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Europe

Ancient places can be found all over Europe. Their fascinating histories and impressive artifacts open intriguing glimpses to times past, and open up a window on European history. Visiting such ancient places in Europe can be an unforgettable experience.

Science is constantly discovering new archaeological places and uncovering more evidence into what we once thought we knew about our history, therefore offering new pieces to the ever changing puzzle of humanity’s past and altering how we interpret it. This section will present the most interesting archaeological sites all over Europe, as well as new discoveries of ancient places that are worth paying a visit.

The Pantheon is an iconic example of beautiful Roman architecture
10 January, 2019 - 02:00 Mark Miller

Durability, Power, and Imposing Public Edifices of Roman Architecture

Ancient Rome borrowed from ancient Greece for architecture, among other things, but then innovated and invented its own architectural features and building types. Roman architecture made a statement...
Agia Kryiaki Church. Inset: Saint Paul’s Column.
8 January, 2019 - 01:59 dhwty

Saint Paul’s Column: Ancient Pillar Where Paul the Apostle Was Scourged with Hundreds of Lashes

Saint Paul’s Column is a historically significant landmark situated in the Cypriot city of Paphos . According to local accounts, this was the place where Paul the Apostle was tortured when he first...
Symbol of the Order of Santiago.
5 January, 2019 - 14:02 dhwty

Order of Santiago: The Knights of Spain and Their ‘Holy War’

The Order of Santiago is a Christian religious-military order of knights that was founded in Spain during the Middle Ages. Like the Templars and Hospitallers, the order was established to protect...
Patrician Ladies with Plebeian Slave in background.
3 January, 2019 - 13:46 dhwty

The Patricians and the Plebeians: A Very Roman Social Struggle

During the time of the Roman Kingdom and the Roman Republic, Roman society was divided between two important classes – the patricians and the plebeians. Originally, the patricians were part of the...
Kalmar Castle
27 December, 2018 - 00:54 Ed Whelan

The Small Swedish Town of Kalmar Has a Massive History

The city of Kalmar is one of the most historic, not only in Sweden, but in all Scandinavia. It is located in south-east Sweden near the Baltic coast. The town is one that is much loved by...
The bones of Lazarus.
25 December, 2018 - 13:10 dhwty

Saint Lazarus Church and the Tomb of the Man Jesus Raised from the Dead

Saint Lazarus Church (known also as the Agios Lazarus Church) is a church located in Larnaca, Cyprus. This church dates to the late 9th century, making it one of the oldest churches on the island...
Aphrodite Rock.
24 December, 2018 - 23:22 dhwty

Aphrodite Rock: The Birthplace of a Goddess

Aphrodite Rock is a landmark located off the shore along the main road from Paphos to Limassol, on the island of Cyprus. As its name suggests, the rock is associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess...
Britain’s Oldest Door is in Westminster Abbey
23 December, 2018 - 14:01 dhwty

Britain’s Oldest Door is Westminster Abbey Relic that May Have Been Covered in Human Skin

Doors are an integral part of a building, and have been made commonly of wood or metal in the past. As an organic material, wood is highly susceptible to deterioration. Nevertheless, in some...
The keep of Kolossi Castle.
18 December, 2018 - 01:53 dhwty

The Incredible History of Kolossi Castle - Won By Richard the Lionheart, Home to the Knights Templar, and Birthplace of the King of Wines

Kolossi Castle is a medieval castle located on the island of Cyprus. The original castle was built during the 13 th century, not long after the island was conquered by the Crusaders. Although Kolossi...
Medmenham Abbey.
14 December, 2018 - 22:48 dhwty

Medmenham Abbey: When the Monks Left Debauchery and the Hellfire Club Moved In

Medmenham is a village and civil parish located in Wycombe, a district in Buckinghamshire, England. The parish is best-known for its abbey, which was founded during the Middle Ages. As a monastic...
A megalithic temple in Malta - evidence for early human presence in Malta.
14 December, 2018 - 18:41 Lenie Reedijk

Cover Up: Very Early Human Presence in Malta Has Been Intentionally Hidden

Owing to fluctuations in the earth’s temperatures, the sea levels all over the world rose and fell in more or less regular intervals during the Pleistocene between 400,000 to 12,000 years ago. At...
Anglo Saxon Helmet, Sutton Hoo, Suffolk. A reproduction of the helmet rebuilt from the fragments found in mound 1 in 1949.
12 December, 2018 - 18:18 Mark Miller

The Anglo-Saxon Conquerors: Creators of Medieval England

The people of England got their name from the Angles, who, along with the Saxons, invaded in the early- to mid-5th century AD, after the Roman Empire began to groan under the weight of barbarian...
Old man beguiled by courtesans.
11 December, 2018 - 17:59 Veronica Parkes

Protection or Profit? The 1000 Prostitutes Employed by the Church in 12th Century London

The modern Christian church does not condone prostitution and would never consider getting involved with it. However, in 12 th century England, a borough of London known as Southwark had eighteen...
Inside the alchemy laboratory of the Speculum Alchemiae museum.
9 December, 2018 - 18:44 Caleb Strom

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

The city of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is known for many things. But one aspect of its history is often overlooked – it was a major center of the occult and the dark arts in the 16th...
Close up of Sobek as represented on a relief from the Temple of Kom Ombo shows Sobek with typical attributes of kingship, including a was-scepter and royal kilt.
6 December, 2018 - 22:59 dhwty

Sobek, the Crocodile God Who Sweated the Nile While Creating the World

Sobek, the ancient Egyptian crocodile god of strength and power. His ferocious attributes led Sobek to become a patron of the Egyptian army, a defender of the Pharaoh, and the people of Egypt. The...
Coronation of Louis the Pious as King of Aquitaine.
3 December, 2018 - 14:01 dhwty

The Troubled Reign of Louis the Pious, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire

Louis I (byname the Pious, the Fair, or the Debonair) was a King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor belonging to the Carolingian Dynasty. He lived between the 8 th and 9 th centuries AD and reigned...
Kom Ombo Temple
2 December, 2018 - 22:55 dhwty

Kom Ombo: An Egyptian Temple Dedicated to Two Rival Gods

Kom Ombo (meaning the ‘Mound of Ombo’) is an ancient Egyptian town located in what is today the Aswan Governorate of Upper Egypt, about 50 km (31 miles) to the north of Aswan. Kom Ombo is notable...
Glösa rock art.
25 November, 2018 - 23:00 Ed Whelan

The Glösa Rock Art in Sweden Provides a Peek Into the Lives of Stone Age Hunters

One of the most interesting and enjoyable historic sites in the Scandinavian country of Sweden is Glösa. This is an area with remarkable prehistoric petroglyphs, excavated hunting pits, and a center...
Colorful sunset at Lake Dwellings of the Stone and Bronze Age at Pfahlbaumuseum in Unteruhldingen on Lake Constance, Baden-Wurttemberg.
22 November, 2018 - 01:56 Michelle Freson

Pfahlbaumuseum, Germany: 5000 Years of Incredible History Preserved on Alpine Lakes

Prehistoric ‘pile dwellings’ were discovered only 150 years ago, and Europe’s past, before the advent of the written word, is well-preserved in numerous lakes and wetlands throughout the foothills of...
Heraclius is depicted beheading Choroses, the Persian king as Cherubim angels look on.
21 November, 2018 - 13:57 Mark Miller

Wild Success and Deplorable Failure: The Cursed Reign of Heraclius, Byzantine Emperor

The reign of Heraclius, the Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641, reads like a series of disasters that continued to be visited on his heirs. In between the disasters he had some successes, but he and...
Buda Castle
18 November, 2018 - 22:54 Ed Whelan

Buda Castle: Hidden Walls, Subterranean Chambers and Medieval Structures

Castles hold a particular fascination for many modern tourists and travelers. They are a unique way to understand the past and relive history. Ranked among the top ten most impressive castles in...
Cupula of the basilica San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy.
15 November, 2018 - 02:02 Mark Miller

The Fantastic Basilica San Vitale is the Last Entirely Intact Byzantine Church

When Byzantine Emperor Justinian conquered Italy in the 6th century, he continued the building of a fantastic, octagonal church, the San Vitale Basilica in Ravenna. The church was a testament to the...
Representation of the Knights of Blanik.
2 November, 2018 - 18:03 dhwty

The Knights of Blanik Mountain Are Ready to Face the Darkest Hour

The famous Czech legend of the Knights of Blanik tells of an army of knights sleeping in a cave in Blanik, a mountain not far from Prague. It states that the knights will awake and be led by a saint...
Standing stones, Greby grave field
28 October, 2018 - 21:55 Ed Whelan

Greby Grave Field: Final Resting Place of Scottish Warriors Theory Debunked

In many European countries, prehistoric monuments are often part of the scenery and taken for granted by those who live there. To the curious they are enigmatic, and all that is known about them is...

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