All  

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ Mobile

funeral

Sky burial in Tibet. Source: CC BY-SA 3.0

In Tibetan Sky Burials, The Dead Are Given To Vultures to Feast Upon

Tibetan sky burials present a striking and somewhat shocking funeral tradition, where the deceased are offered to vultures. This practice, deeply ingrained in Tibetan culture , is also known as the '...
Traditional cremation ceremony in Bali. Source: Victoria Boroda / Adobe Stock

From India and Taiwan to Tibet, the Living Assist the Dead in their Passage

Many people see death as a rite of a passage : a journey to some new place, or a threshold between two kinds of being. Zoroastrians believe that there is a bridge of judgment that each person who...
Living with the Dead: Corpses Dressed Up in Indonesian Tradition (Video)

Living with the Dead: Corpses Dressed Up in Indonesian Tradition (Video)

The Torajan people, living in Sulawesi, Indonesia, have a unique funeral tradition . According to their beliefs, a person isn't truly dead until water buffalo have been sacrificed at their funeral,...
Detail of a painting depiction the Sati of Ramabai, the wife of Madhavrao Peshwa the ninth Peshwa of the Maratha Empire who reigned from 1761 to 1772. Source: Public domain

Sati Widow-Burning: A Dark Chapter in Indian History

Sati, the practice of a widow self-immolating on her husband's funeral pyre, remains one of the most controversial and emotive issues in South Asian culture. While some view it as a sacred funerary...
A traditional burial site in Tana Toraja, whose culture is known for elaborate funeral rituals. Source: fabio lamanna / Adobe Stock

Elaborate Funeral Rituals and Exhumation of the Dead in Toraja Culture

The unforgettable Tana Toraja is a regency located in the picturesque mountains of South Sulawesi in Indonesia. This region is home to the indigenous Torajan people, whose way of life is deeply...
Scene from the funeral service for Constantine II at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. Source: YouTube Screenshot

European Monarchies Pay Their Respects at the Funeral of Greece's Last King

The last man to serve as King of Greece, Constantine II, passed away on January 10, 2023 in an Athens hospital from complications related to a stroke. Constantine II hadn’t served as king since the...
Splat pattern. Source: Ruslan Gilmanshin / Adobe Stock By Sahir Pandey

William the Conqueror’s Body Exploded in a Grotesque Shower at Funeral

The first Norman king of England met an untimely and turbulent death, although, to be fair, the situation really ‘exploded’ after his death. William the Conqueror, sometimes known as William the...
Replica of the “Saxon Princess” bed burial at Kirkleatham Museum. Source: Prioryman/CC BY-SA 3.0

Bed Burials Linked to Medieval Christian Husband Hunters

A burial practice among elite medieval Europeans was to be interred on their beds, a rite which archaeologists call “a bed burial.” An English researcher has now completed an analysis of 72 bed...
The Hellenistic tomb of a woman found in the Kozani region of Greece. Source: Kozani Ephorate of Antiquities

Hellenistic Elite was Buried on a Bronze Bed with Gold in Her Mouth

Ancient tombs are fascinating finds, especially when they’re intact. They can provide us with clues on how a person died, social status, burial styles, and funerary rites. The last of these is...
One of the 128 child urn burials discovered in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Source: Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Over 120 Child Remains Found in Jars in Inner Mongolia

In the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in northern China, archaeologists have unearthed tombs with urn burials – of 128 children! The remains of these 128 children have been found near the ruins of...
The Living Dead: Chinese Hopping Vampires

The Living Dead: Chinese Hopping Vampires

The Hopping Vampires (jiang shi) are a type of undead creature found in Chinese folklore. Although its Chinese name is often translated as ‘Chinese hopping vampire / zombie / ghost), its literal...
Stephen Childs theorizes that Gobekli Tepe was once a site for dramatic funerals and corpse exposure, where vultures and carnivores circled awaiting to play their part. Source: Ezume Images / Adobe Stock

Corpse Recycling at Gobekli Tepe: The True Purpose of its Ancient Stone Circles?

The following essay is an extract from Stone Circles Explained by Stephen Childs, in which the author offers some original theories regarding the purpose of stone circles. Covering sites from around...
Vikings are most often remembered as warriors. Source: Nejron Photo /Adobe Stock

History of the Vikings: All You Need to Know

Vikings are more popular than ever. With dramas such as Vikings and The Last Kingdom the ancient Norsemen have reached new generations. Of course, there is dramatic license taken to particular...
6000 tombs from a timespan of 2000 years provide archaeologists with special insight into ancient Chinese burial customs. Source: 51grb

Ancient Chinese Burial Customs Exposed at Cliff of Tombs

In China, archaeologists have found thousands of burials on a cliff. The burial ground was in use for over 2000 years. Many important historical artifacts have been uncovered in the tombs. These...
St George’s Chapel. Credit: Andrew Abbott / Creative Commons

St George’s Chapel: A Right British Royal Peculiar

St George’s Chapel is part of Windsor Castle, a royal residence of the British monarchy situated in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. The chapel attained its present...
The Funeral of a Viking - painting 1893.

What Really Happened at Viking Funerals? It’s Not What You Think!

Like many ancient societies, the Vikings believed in an afterlife, and these were based on the religious beliefs they held. The current understanding of Viking funerary practices has been discovered...
‘Hercules Fighting Death to Save Alcestis’ (1869-1871) by Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton. Many ancient death rituals seem very odd or macabre to modern minds.

Bizarre, Brutal, Macabre And Downright Weird Ancient Death Rituals

Any parent must agree that one of the greatest hardships experienced around the death of a family member is having to explain to children what happened and what happens next? Should you tell them the...
A supposed Victorian tear catcher. The real use of this type of glass vial is debatable.

Capturing Scents, Not Tears: Debunking the Myth of Tear Catchers

Victorians are often remembered for their obsession with death and mourning. It is not too surprising to discover that they had specific practices and even special objects created to further enhance...
Men of the Vedda culture.

Meet the Half Million-year-old Jungle People of Sri Lanka! The Fascinating Vedda Culture

In the western world, a statue, monument, or fountain might inspire thoughts and debates about the First World War, the American Civil War, or the Protestant Reformation. What doesn’t often pop up...
Newly unearthed mask of Pakal

Ritual Mask of Legendary 7th century Maya King Pakal the Great has been unearthed in Mexico

Archaeologists digging in Mexico's Palenque ruins have uncovered a mask believed to represent the 7th-century Maya ruler K'inich Janaab Pakal, commonly known a ‘Pakal the Great’ - one of ancient...
Ancient human remains.

Nine Weird and Wonderful Facts about Death and Funeral Practices

It might not be something you want to think about very often, but it turns out that the way we treat our dead in the modern age is heavily influenced by the way our ancestors treated theirs. When you...
Amiternum funerary procession relief.

Mimes, Paid Grievers, and Masks: The Insane Theatrics of Ancient Roman Funerals

Two thousand years ago, funerals weren’t the quiet, somber affairs we have today. They were loud, boisterous shows that started with a massive procession of people parading down the streets, pounding...
Decorations placed around a coffin at a home funeral in Da Nang, Vietnam. At left, placed in front of the coffin, is an altar featuring a framed photo of the deceased and a pot for offering joss sticks. At right are a number of flower bouquets with attached condolences, and in the background are a number of vertical banners, also offering condolences.

Traditional Funerary Rites Provide a Glimpse at Mystery Neolithic Vietnamese Culture

3,000 years ago, a small community on a Vietnamese island disappeared. No one is certain why, but even their very existence is a surprise. Luckily for archaeologists, it seems that their traditional...
Artist’s impression of elderly Neanderthal male based on fossil found at La Chappelle-aux-Saints

Neanderthals Cared for Each Other and Survived into Old Age – New Research

James Ohman & Asier Gomez-Olivencia / The Conversation When we think of Neanderthals, we often imagine these distant ancestors of ours to be rather brutish, dying at a young age and ultimately...

Pages