Hellenistic

12 January, 2021 - 17:56 ashley cowie

Four Water Cisterns Found At The Ancient City Of Metropolis

The city of Metropolis, “The City of the Mother Goddess,” is a jewel in the crown of Turkish archaeology. Metropolis was a spiritual center and a king pin in the trade and economics of the ancient...

19 December, 2020 - 22:10 ashley cowie

Revealing The Hellenistic Origins Of Jaffa, The Holiest Port

Jaffa, or Yafo in Hebrew, is a city port and southern suburb of Tel Aviv, located on the Mediterranean coast of Israel. As one of the oldest ports in the world, the Bible says Jaffa was founded by...

2 December, 2020 - 13:35 Ed Whelan

Surveillance of Looters Leads to Discovery of Sarcophagi in Turkey

In Turkey , an operation to stop illegal excavations has led to the discovery of rare sarcophagi . The authorities used the latest in surveillance technology to detect the looters , which in turn led...

20 October, 2020 - 21:32 Ed Whelan

First Greek Snake Altar To Underground Gods Found in Southern Turkey

Snakes are one of the most popular and feared symbols of ancient civilizations. Recently, a mysterious Greek snake altar has been discovered in Turkey , and it has caused considerable excitement in...

The ancient ruins of Soli Pompeiopolis, where the large memorial tomb of the ancient Greek poet Aratus was discovered. Source: Vassia Atanassova - Spiritia / CC BY-SA 3.0

14 October, 2020 - 22:02 Ed Whelan

Tomb of Ancient Greek Poet and Astronomer Found in Turkey

Throughout time some people are remembered after they die for their achievements. But some individuals are celebrated both in life and death and they are especially important. What archaeologists...

31 May, 2020 - 18:56 Ed Whelan

2300-year-old Anchor Devoted to Goddess of Love Hauled Up

Marine archaeologists have made many important ancient discoveries in the Mediterranean and now an Italian team have uncovered an anchor at the bottom of the sea. It is 2,300 years old and it is...

Depiction of ancient Greek woman. Source: Algol / Adobe stock

15 February, 2020 - 18:01 B. B. Wagner

What Was Life Really Like for an Ancient Greek Woman?

The lives of the ancient Greeks were ones of hardship and endurance. The experiences of ancient Greek women were even tougher. If a newly born Greek girl was deemed worthy and not abandoned, their...

Detail of The Boxer at Rest, Greek Hellenistic bronze sculpture of a sitting nude boxer at rest. Credit: giorgio / Adobe Stock

9 February, 2020 - 18:40 dhwty

Boxer at Rest: The Most Iconic Ancient Bronze Statue in the World

The Boxer at Rest is a bronze sculpture from the Hellenistic period , the most iconic ancient bronze statue in the world. When it was discovered in Rome during an excavation in the 19th century it...

The Seleucid Empire was a Hellenistic state that fought in the Syrian Wars to retain their empire. Source: Kings and Generals / YouTube.

19 September, 2019 - 02:01 dhwty

The Rise and Demise of the Seleucid Empire

The Seleucid Empire was a Hellenistic state that existed between the 4th and 1st centuries BC. It was established by Seleucus I Nicator (meaning ‘victor’ or ‘conqueror’), one of the diadochi, or...

Two disciples saw Jesus after his resurrection on the road to Emmaus. Source: icksanglee / Adobe Stock.

3 September, 2019 - 18:58 Ed Whelan

Experts Think They Have Uncovered the Biblical Town of Emmaus

Archaeologists have made what is an important discovery for Christendom in Israel. They claim that they have found a Hellenistic era fortress and this could be the location of one of the most...

The Hellenistic tomb of a woman found in the Kozani region of Greece. Source: Kozani Ephorate of Antiquities

14 August, 2019 - 23:03 Alicia McDermott

Hellenistic Elite Found 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...

Archaeologists examine the remains of an ancient fortress off the coast of Dor Beach, Israel, March 19, 2019. Credit: Hagai Nativ / Haaretz

1 June, 2019 - 18:47 Ed Whelan

Underwater Fortress Found: Ancient Fort Linked to Bloody Biblical Battles Found Off Coast of Israel

Underwater archaeology is helping to transform our knowledge of the ancient world. In Israel, maritime archaeologists have discovered a 2,200-year-old Hellenistic fortress linked to biblical battles...

Topographical image analysis has now revealed that the mummy is Nespamedu

14 January, 2019 - 18:51 Ed Whelan

When the Identity of this Madrid Mummy Was Finally Established, One of the Surprises Was a Swift Gender Reassignment

Often it takes many years before the full significance of an archaeological discovery can be established. This was the case with an enigmatic mummy that had been on display at Madrid’s National...

20 October, 2018 - 02:16 Mark Miller

Ancient Egyptian Texts contain Hangover Cure and Radical Eye Disease Treatments

Radical surgery and medicaments with ingredients now known to be toxic are among eye disease treatments in 1,900-year-old medical papyri of ancient Egypt that have been under translation from Greek...

The frescos narrate everyday scenes of life in the town.

26 September, 2018 - 14:01 ashley cowie

Bizarre Comical Frescoes Complete with Speech in a Lost Hybrid Language Found in Jordan Tomb

Archaeologists digging in Jordan have unearthed a Roman tomb decorated with colorful frescoes including ancient “comic writing bubbles” scribed in Aramaic using Greek letters. The remarkable...

Decorated Hellenistic pot lid found at the site.

11 January, 2018 - 22:46 Theodoros Karasavvas

False Door Tombstone and Array of Artifacts Unearthed in the City of Alexandria

A team of Egyptian archaeologists has recently uncovered the remains of many Greco-Roman tombs, including a "distinguished" tombstone, in the eastern cemetery of the ancient city of Alexandria. New...

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Myths & Legends

Were the Merovingians Descended from a Monster? Meet the Quinotaur

You’ve probably heard of a Minotaur (half-man, half-bull), but what about a Quinotaur? In early Frankish history, there was a “beast of Neptune,” which was said to look like a creature called a Quinotaur.

Edgar Cayce, Six-fingered Giants and the Supernatural Creation Gods of Atlantis: Part 1

The ‘Dynastic Race’ and the Biblical ‘Japheth’ – Part I: After the Deluge

Batman Existed in Mesoamerican Mythology and His Name Was Camazotz

The Legends and Archaeology of Devil’s Lake: A Place of Ancient Power in Wisconsin

The Last of the Siberian Unicorns: What Happened to the Mammoth-Sized One-Horned Beasts of Legend?

Human Origins

Edgar Cayce (Credit: Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research and Enlightenment, Author provided)

Edgar Cayce, Six-fingered Giants and the Supernatural Creation Gods of Atlantis: Part 1

For nearly 30 years I have returned to the famous “Sleeping Prophet” Edgar Cayce’s readings as a road map to try and piece together the complex origins of civilization and the creation of Homo sapiens. Cayce (March 18, 1877 – January 3, 1945) was an American Christian mystic born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky who answered questions on subjects as varied as healing, reincarnation, wars, Atlantis, and future events while in a trance state.

The ‘Dynastic Race’ and the Biblical ‘Japheth’ – Part I: After the Deluge

Rh-Negative Blood: An Exotic Bloodline or Random Mutation?

7.2 million-Year-Old Pre-Human Fossil Suggests Mankind Arose in Europe NOT Africa

The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts

Ancient Anomalous Human Skeletons: Humanity Could be Much Older Than We Think

Ancient Technology

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

The Norimitsu Odachi is a huge sword from Japan. It is so large, in fact, that it was said to have been wielded by a giant. Apart from the basic knowledge of it having been forged in the 15th century AD, measuring 3.77 meters (12.37 ft.) in length, and weighing as much as 14.5 kg (31.97 lbs.), this impressive sword is shrouded in mystery.

Secrets Behind the Creepy Plague Doctor Mask and Costume

Egyptian Blue – The Oldest Known Artificial Pigment

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

A History of Timekeeping: Mankind’s Obsession With Time

Philip’s Fountain: The Oldest Still-In-Use Hydraulic Work in the World

Ancient Places

Birka: The Mysterious Demise of a Majestic Viking Trading Center

The Viking Age in Europe brought a lot of key events and innovations, and greatly shaped the future of things that were to come. But there is a popular misconception that the Vikings were all about...

This is What a Man from the Tomb of Sunken Skulls Looked Like

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

Witches, Monsters and Dragons, All at Frankenstein Castle

The Great City of Uruk Became Sumerian Powerhouse of Technology, Architecture and Culture

The Colossal Hand of Hercules, So Where is the Rest of Him?

Opinion

Petroglyphic Features of Portable Rock Art

Paleo rock art from around the world ranges in style, method, and age, and includes cave paintings, petroglyphs, pictographs, polished and engraved stones such as effigies, stone sculptures, and portable ceremonial objects.

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?

3 Problems to Remember When Trying to Find Atlantis

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.