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History

From the powerful civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley, to the fearsome yet sophisticated society of the Vikings, the ancient world was a surprising and challenging place. Here we feature some of the most seminal and influential events and people throughout history, that have helped shape the world we know today.

A Viking warrior with an axe. Eric Bloodaxe raided around Britain before settling in to a kingship there.
16 January, 2019 - 01:42 dhwty

Eric Bloodaxe: Murderous Viking King of Norway and Northumbria

Eirik was a stout handsome man, strong, and very manly, —a great and fortunate man of war; but bad-minded, gruff, unfriendly, and silent. -Saga of Harald Fairhair Eric Haraldsson, nicknamed Eric...
Portrait of the great Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta.
15 January, 2019 - 17:23 Caleb Strom

Ibn Battuta—The Marco Polo of Dar-al-Islam

Before the invention of transportation such as trains, airplanes, and efficient, cheap travel over open ocean, people did not usually travel farther than perhaps 20 miles from their hometown. An...
Shrunken head from the upper Amazon region
14 January, 2019 - 17:23 MartiniF

Head on a Platter: The Ancient Practice of Headhunting

In 1874, during a formal meeting known as the Tumbang Anoi Agreement , held in Damang Batu, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, all the Dayak tribes gathered for a peace resolution. The meeting had lasted...
Romulus' Victory Over Acron’ (1812) by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres. Romulus was the first Roman king.
14 January, 2019 - 15:37 Riley Winters

The Seven Kings of Rome: Tumultuous Origins of the Roman Republic

In the beginning, there was only dirt and mud and twigs. Then came the legendary hero Aeneas, and from him descended the sons of Rhea Silva and Mars, the god of war. These sons were Romulus and Remus...
Snake oil in Sapa.
13 January, 2019 - 18:58 ashley cowie

Snake Oil Has Long Been Deemed A ‘Fake Medicine’, But It’s Not Guilty, It Really Does Cure!

In the late 19th century, microscopes enabled scientists to observe the microbial effectivity of medicines in the treatment of ailments and these new skills finally dislodged many traditional ‘...
Example of Anthropodermic bibliopegy – an 18-19th century notebook allegedly covered with human skin.
12 January, 2019 - 23:03 dhwty

Books Bound in Human Skin – The Practice Isn’t As Rare As You Might Think!

Anthropodermic bibliopegy refers to the practice of binding books in human skin . According to folk legend, the binding of books (or more appropriately manuscripts, as they were hand-written) in...
This woman is showing how local textiles are woven.
11 January, 2019 - 14:56 ashley cowie

Hacking the Ancient Binary Cosmic Codes of the Inca’s Woven Textiles

Mainstream history relates how human beings hunted their way out of Africa and eventually reached the landmass now called South America about 15,000 years ago. Trading across vast mountain ranges and...
Lottery in China from 1910.
10 January, 2019 - 22:58 dhwty

From Dividing Biblical Lands to Avoiding Execution In Rome, Public Life Has a Long History of Lotteries

On the 19th of November 1994, the first draw of the UK’s National Lottery took place. The jackpot was worth £5.8 million and was shared between seven ticket holders. The history of lotteries, however...
Concordia, the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods
9 January, 2019 - 14:55 Willem Daffue

Seeking the Yeti in the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods

Between China and Russia and the Indian subcontinent lies a formidable mountain complex, sculptured by Asia’s six major mountain systems. Nowhere else on earth will one find such a treacherous and...
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...
Design on Vase from Chama representing Mayan Deities
7 January, 2019 - 16:57 jim willis

Can the Mayans be Dated to the Younger Dryas Ice Age?

How does a story one is told, or that one has read in a textbook, become irrefutable historical fact? Everyone knows the Mayans were a terrifying civilization, steeped in long range calendars,...
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...
Magic Wand of hippopotamus ivory (Middle Kingdom-Second Intermediate) depicting a procession of deities. The curve of this wand follows that of the hippopotamus tusk from which it was made, but its flat form is reminiscent of the curved throwing sticks used to catch fowl. Powerful protective deities, such as Taweret and Bes, are depicted together with protective uraeus serpents and other mythical creatures. Many of the figures brandish knives to dispel evil spirits.
4 January, 2019 - 16:10 anand balaji

Think Egypt Think Magic: Essence of Spells, Incantations, Amulets and Absolute Faith – Part II

Popular stories from different eras of ancient Egyptian history reveal staggering and incredible tales of magical feats that were performed by lector priests, sorcerers and even kings. How much of...
The astronomical ceiling at the Pronaos, Detail of the first Band west from the center. From left to right: two wind creatures (the winged ram with four heads personifies the south wind), the snake- and frog-headed eight goddesses and gods of the Ogdoad who ruled the cosmos before the creation of the world and Osiris seated on a throne sails across the sky as personification of the full moon accompanied by the seated goddesses Nephtys (left) and Isis on the right (Maat stands near the bow of the ship). Siri
2 January, 2019 - 18:58 Walter Cruttenden

Changing Colors and Scampering Across the Night Sky: What Did the Ancients Say about Sirius?

In Egypt, Sirius was the Star of Isis, Isis being the companion and rescuer of the god Osiris. In a very deep way, Osiris was Egypt. His body was believed to be the body of Egypt, an actual overlay...
This dwarf-like, protective deity was very popular in ancient Egypt. Bes is represented with the nude body of a dwarf, grotesque facial features, and the ears and mane of a lion. He wears a tall feather-crown and usually rests his hands on his hips. Known from as early as the Middle Kingdom circa 2000 BC.
2 January, 2019 - 15:13 anand balaji

Think Egypt Think Magic: The Power of Heka in the Life of King and Commoner – Part I

Ancient Egypt was renowned and respected for her wisdom, art and architecture by all those who came into contact with her. What also caught the attention of these admirers was the practice of magic...
A modern representation of a member of the Knights Hospitallers.
2 January, 2019 - 13:49 dhwty

The Knights Hospitallers: Courageous Crusaders of Many Names, Homes, and Roles

The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (known simply also as the Knights Hospitaller) was a religious military order that was founded in Jerusalem during the 11th century AD...
On Left - The Battle of Crécy. On Right – Philip VI of France.
1 January, 2019 - 01:57 dhwty

The Real Game of Thrones: Enduring Saga of The Hundred Years’ War

The Hundred Years’ War was a series of conflicts (as opposed to a single, continuous war) fought between England and France. According to record, the war began in 1337 and ended in 1453 (a total of...
Alive Divine Body Mind
31 December, 2018 - 14:48 ashley cowie

The Mind-Body Problem: Mankind’s Elusive Enigma

What is the universe? Where did it come from? Does it still exist when we die? Do we create the universe, or does it create us? These questions all pertain to what has become known as the mind-body...
Modern depiction of Edward II and Piers Gaveston.
31 December, 2018 - 14:01 dhwty

Piers Gaveston: Exile, Secrets, and Jealousy Marked the Life of the Favorite of King Edward II

Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall, was an English nobleman who lived during the 13th and 14th centuries AD. He was “the favorite” of English king Edward II - what exactly that means in his case is...
On Left – Portrait of Edward III of England. On Right – Edward III of England proudly receives his son, Edward the Black Prince, for the successful conduct of the Battle of Crécy.
31 December, 2018 - 01:32 Mark Miller

King Edward III Had Eyes on the French Kingship and it Led to the Hundred Years War

King Edward III of England had his eyes set on the French throne in the 14 th century AD. He was a descendant of French kings on his mother’s side and apparently was not satisfied with just being the...
A Maori Warrior
30 December, 2018 - 23:02 Caleb Strom

The Maori: A Rich and Cherished Culture at the World’s Edge

New Zealand was one of the last landmasses to be colonized by humans. When Pleistocene megafauna had gone extinct elsewhere in the world, New Zealand was still inhabited by the moas, giant flightless...
Detail of a Knight of the Teutonic Order.
30 December, 2018 - 18:44 dhwty

The Teutonic Order: How a Hospice for Pilgrims Turned into a Legion of Crusaders

The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem (commonly known as the Teutonic Order) is a military order that was founded in the Holy Land during the Crusades . The Teutonic...
On Left - Isabella directing the Siege of Bristol. On Right - Isabella of France is welcomed to Paris when she returned from England to pay homage to her brother, King Charles IV of France.
30 December, 2018 - 01:45 Mark Miller

The Wild Life of English Queen Isabella, She-Wolf of France aka the Rebel Queen Who Killed the King of England

Fourteenth century English Queen Isabella, the She-Wolf of France aka the Rebel Queen, was a complex, violent person who drank heavily but who was charitable to the poor and well-liked by her people...
‘Invincible’ a modern depiction of a battle between Rus and Khazars.
29 December, 2018 - 22:52 dhwty

The Khazars: A Forgotten Medieval Empire that Ruled the Northern Caucasus

"The Khazar people were an unusual phenomenon for Medieval times. Surrounded by savage and nomadic tribes, they had all the advantages of the developed countries: structured government, vast and...

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