fort

7 August, 2018 - 13:54 dhwty

Beni Hammad Fort: Ruins Attest the Dreams of a Medieval Algerian Islamic Dynasty

Today, only the ruins of the city attest to the important status Beni Hammad Fort once enjoyed in the history of Algeria. It saw glory as a Medieval stronghold and as the capital of a local dynasty...

Felice Varini artwork on Carcassonne Citadel, France.

14 May, 2018 - 22:52 Ed Whelan

Controversy Over Art Installation on the Stonework of one of France’s Greatest Medieval Sites

There has been a decidedly mixed reaction to an artist attaching geometric aluminium ring strips to, Carcassonne Fort one of the most famous medieval sites in France. Reports claim that the artist’s...

Dunnideer Castle, built on the site of a hillfort with a remaining vitrified rampart.

10 May, 2018 - 14:01 Ed Whelan

No Atomic Blast. Fire Melted the Stones of Iron Age Forts Say Investigators

In Scotland, archaeologists believe that they have solved the mystery of an Iron Age fort in which stones had melted in a process termed vitrification. The team of experts studied the vitrified fort...

3 January, 2018 - 13:55 Riley Winters

Castle in the Sand: Arg-e Bam as a Pillar of Middle-Eastern Longevity

Iran’s Arg-e Bam, Bam Citadel, once stood as a pillar of longevity in the Middle East. Created upon the beginnings of the Achaemenid Empire (6th-4th centuries BC), and building on the commercial...

Access ramp at Qal'at al-Rahiyya, view toward the north-west.

27 December, 2017 - 01:56 ancient-origins

Discovery of a 4,000-year-old military network in northern Syria

The discovery of more than a thousand sites in Syria has revised our understanding of the settlement of the steppes during all periods in the history of the Near East. Recently, analysis of aerial...

Battle of Grand Port by Pierre-Julien Gilbert

1 December, 2017 - 13:52 micki pistorius

Mauritius: From Conquests to Naval Battles, Piracy and a Long-Awaited Independence

Volcanic activity in the Indian Ocean gave rise to the island we know today as Mauritius. Undetected for millennia, like a tiny green emerald dropped in the azure blue Indian Ocean, it lay virginally...

Castillo de San Felipe del Morro (El Morro), Puerto Rica

10 October, 2017 - 23:04 ML Childs

El Morro: The Great 16th Century Fort That Saved Puerto Rico from British and Dutch Invasions

Castillo de San Felipe del Morro is a fort that sits majestically on the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico in the capital city of San Juan. In 1983, the fort was declared a world heritage site by the...

Samian ware pottery that was found at the site at the end of last month

11 September, 2017 - 22:58 Gary Manners

Two Roman Cavalry Swords and Two Toy Swords Amongst Treasures Found at Frontier Fort

Evidence of both work and play have been found at a Roman fort near Hadrian’s Wall in the UK. Two Roman swords as well as two wooden toy swords have been found in ongoing investigations which are...

This is the "Celtic Cross" side of a Pictish stone in Aberlemno, Scotland. This stone dates from around 700AD, and the other side of it has some of the mysterious symbols used by the Picts, who lived in this part of Scotland at the time.

23 August, 2017 - 23:06 Riley Winters

Picking Apart the Picts: The Value of Aberdeen's Newest Discovery

One of the greatest mysteries of Scotland lies in the northeastern portion of the country. Though named for the Scots because the titular medieval clan won a decisive battle, much of Scotland's...

A photo of the Warangal Fort’s Kakatiya Kala Thoranam.

5 August, 2017 - 14:02 dhwty

Warangal Fort: More Spiritual Haven than Safe Haven

When you think of a fort you probably picture a pretty solid and intimidating structure. A practical, no frills affair. The Warangal Fort was somewhat different. A huge and opulent construction built...

Burghead, recognized as an important seat of power during the Early Medieval Period

2 August, 2017 - 02:36 Theodoros Karasavvas

Millennium Old Structure Unearthed at Medieval Pictish Fort in Scotland

Archaeologists have recently uncovered the traces of a millennium old building at the location of the Pictish fort of Burghead in Moray, Scotland. The fort dates back to the time of Alfred the Great...

12 July, 2017 - 18:57 Theodoros Karasavvas

Archaeologists Uncover Spine-tingling New Hoard of Roman Letters at Vindolanda Fort

Archaeologists have spotted a stockpile of Roman letters at Vindolanda, the fort below Hadrian’s Wall in the north of England. Experts can’t hide their excitement about the newly found 25 tablets and...

22 June, 2017 - 19:00 dhwty

Jaisalmer Fort: The Imposing Desert Fort With a Bone-Chilling Custom

Sitting in the desert with its towering golden-hued walls and imposing bastions, the 12th century Jaisalmer Fort certainly makes an impact. This fort has two important titles - the oldest desert fort...

7 May, 2017 - 22:56 Natalia Klimczak

Rhodes in Spain? The Tempestuous History of the Strategic Coastal City of Roses

The city of Roses (Greek: Rhode) in Catalonia, Spain, founded most probably in 776 BC, became the basis for some remarkable stories that last from ancient times until now. In accordance with its...

A model of the prehistoric town of Los Millares, with its walls. Andalucia, Spain

4 May, 2017 - 02:03 Natalia Klimczak

The Lost Iberian Civilization of Los Millares: Was Copper the Secret of its Success?

Los Millares is an impressive size settlement that was in use from the end of the 4th millennium BC to the 2nd millennium BC. During these twenty centuries, the mysterious people who created this...

Overlooking Inch Island from the "Grainan of Aileach" ancient stone ring fort, Donegal, Ireland Gareth Wray

25 March, 2017 - 12:45 Natalia Klimczak

Grianan of Aileach: Hillfort of a Legendary Kingdom Which Lies on 5000-Year-Old Sacred Ground

Around the 12th century, the mysterious kingdom of Ailech created many precious objects that now feature as artifacts in museum collections and fascinate many people. These settlers also constructed...

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Myths & Legends

King Arthur monument in Tintagel, Cornwall.(left), Excalibur in Brocéliande Forest, Brittany, France.(right)

Has the King Arthur Gene Been Traced?

If stories of King Arthur and his knights are based on real people their DNA markers should still be with us today. New DNA research has perhaps found the King Arthur gene.

The Dogon’s Extraordinary Knowledge of the Cosmos and the Cult of Nommo

Legendary Black Knights: Mysterious Medieval Entities of Neutrality

Was Dracula Story inspired by Abhartach, the Bloodsucking Chieftain of Ireland?

The Dark Reputation of the Dunmore Cave of Ireland

Baba Yaga: The Wicked Witch of Slavic Folklore

Human Origins

The Faces of Ancient Hominids Brought to Life in Remarkable Detail

Several years ago, a team of scientists from the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt, Germany, set out to put a human face to ancient hominid species that once walked the Earth.

Research Confirms that Neanderthal DNA Makes Up About 20% of the Modern Human Genome

The Controversial Lapedo Child – A Neanderthal / Human Hybrid?

The Mythological Maori Origin Stories of New Zealand

The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts

The human skull that challenges the Out of Africa theory

Ancient Technology

Catapult: The Long-Reaching History of a Prominent Medieval Siege Engine

One of the most iconic images of the European Middle Ages is the castle. This defensive structure was often heavily fortified and provided its inhabitants with much-needed safety. It was usually quite difficult for an enemy to capture a castle, and for that, an attacking army needed siege engines.

Han Purple: A 2,800-year-old artificial pigment that quantum physicists are trying to understand

The Evidence is Cut in Stone: A Compelling Argument for Lost High Technology in Ancient Egypt

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

The ancient invention of the steam engine by the Hero of Alexandria

Is this a 300 million-year-old screw or just a fossilized sea creature?

Ancient Places

Tollund Man – the preserved face from Prehistoric Denmark and the tale of ritual sacrifice

Tollund Man is the naturally mummified body of a man who lived during the 4th century BC, during the period characterised in Scandinavia as the Pre-Roman Iron Age. He was hanged as a sacrifice to the...

Varna Man and the Wealthiest Grave of the 5th Millennium BC

Kidd Mine Ontario: The World's Oldest Pool of Water

Ten incredible underwater discoveries that have captured our imagination

Unravelling the Mystery Behind the East Bay Walls: Who Really Made Them and Why?

The Great Serpent Mound of Ohio, the Largest Earthen Effigy in the World

Opinion

Unearthing Ancient Magic in The Runes –Messages with Hidden Symbols and Powerful Numbers

The etymology of the word “rune” means: “to carve, or to cut.” In Low German the word is “raunen.” As the runes were cut and carved into wood, metal or stone, the word “rune” was analogous to the rune letters themselves.

Petroglyphic Features of Portable Rock Art

The Northern Mysteries Current: Futhark and Mystery Schools of the Viking Age

Was There Ever a Trojan War?

Floki and the Viking Discovery of Iceland

Messiah on Temple Mount: Are We Nearing the End of Time?

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.