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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.

Detail of an illustration of a woman emptying her chamber pot out the window. Medieval sanitation wasn’t very sanitary.
24 October, 2018 - 18:57 dhwty

Cheerio and Gardi Loo! Words of Warning Prompted By Medieval Human Waste Disposal

In 1775, the Scottish inventor Alexander Cumming was granted the first patent for the design of a flushing toilet. Although the Romans were known for their innovation in sanitation, which included...
We can understand the progression of decoration in an ancient Egyptian tomb by analyzing the images present in KV57, the tomb of King Horemheb - the last pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty - in the Valley of the Kings.
24 October, 2018 - 16:27 anand balaji

Scribes in Egypt: Brilliant Practitioners of the Outstanding Profession – Part II

Scribes were counted among the elite in ancient Egypt and led charmed, yet challenging, lives. They influenced virtually every sphere of the public and private affairs of the citizenry to an...
Black magic ritual
22 October, 2018 - 18:56 ancient origins

Ex-Devil Worshipper Says: I'm Shocked Christians Celebrate Halloween

Hallowe’en, a shortened form of "All Hallows' Evening" is an echo of Celtic harvest festivals of pre-Christian Europe. Observed now in several countries around the world, it is the evening before ‘...
On the Southern Part of the East Wall of Horemheb’s Saqqaran tomb, military scribes, magnificently represented, scrupulously record the details of long files of prisoners escorted by Egyptian soldiers (not in pic). This depiction is often speculated to represent women scribes.
22 October, 2018 - 15:53 anand balaji

Scribes in Ancient Egypt: Custodians of the Voice and Words of the Divine – Part I

The rich scribal tradition of ancient Egypt was one of the foremost pillars of the development of that culture. At a time when much of the world could not read or write; these resourceful and erudite...
The Mongol ruler Hulagu in Baghdad interns the Caliph of Baghdad among his treasures. Hulagu founded the Ilkhanate.
22 October, 2018 - 13:57 dhwty

The Ilkhanate Had Only Two Goals: Conquest and Power

The Ilkhanate was one of the four khanates that emerged after the fragmentation of the Mongol Empire. This khanate was founded by Hulegu Khan, one of Genghis Khan’s grandsons, and lasted from the...
21 October, 2018 - 18:58 ashley cowie

The Genghis Khan Biography: Military Genius, Genocidal Maniac, Serial Abuser Of Women

Genghis Khan: the infamous 13th century Emperor of the Mongol Empire was one the most ferocious and ruthless people to have ever lived on planet Earth. If you read a Genghis Khan biography, it won’t...
A statue of Batu Khan in Turkey.
20 October, 2018 - 13:56 dhwty

Batu Khan: The Leader of the Golden Horde Kept His Grandfather Genghis’ Legacy Going

Batu Khan was a Mongol ruler and the founder of the Golden Horde (known also as the Kipchak Khanate, and the Ulus of Jochi). He was a grandson of Genghis Khan through Jochi, the Great Khan’s eldest...
Artistic representation by Heinrich Harder of humans hunting glyptodon, a megafauna that lived during the Pleistocene period.
19 October, 2018 - 23:02 Caleb Strom

Pleistocene Epoch: Humans, Welcome to Earth

The Pleistocene epoch is a geologic epoch which began around 2.6 Mya (Million years ago) and came to an end around 11,700 BP (Before Present). It is characterized by lower sea levels than the present...
Fry in Eleusis, painting by Henryk Siemiradzki (1889).
19 October, 2018 - 16:30 MartiniF

Baubo, Great Goddess and Demeter’s Female Fool in the Eleusinian Mysteries

In 1898, a group of German archaeologists working in the Demeter sanctuary at Priene unearthed a peculiar set of Hellenistic female figurines. The head of each of these figurines sits directly on her...
‘Mongols at the Walls of Vladimir’ by Vasily Maksimov. Depiction of Mongols of the Golden Horde outside Vladimir - presumably demanding submission before sacking the city.
19 October, 2018 - 14:02 Mark Miller

The Golden Horde and the Mongol Mission to Conquer Europe

Before Mongol emperor Genghis Khan died in 1227 AD, he divided his vast empire into four khanates (fiefdoms) among three sons and a grandson. The westernmost of these regions was ruled by the Golden...
The Merkit were known as belligerent people, having made war on neighboring tribes, including the Mongols.
18 October, 2018 - 01:57 Mark Miller

Genghis Wipes Out His Own Bloodline with the Slaughter of the Merkit People

Genghis Khan may have been the supreme khan of the Mongol people and ruled over a vast territory in Mongolia and far beyond, but he had some opposition from other peoples of the region early on,...
Canada legalizes marijuana concept.
17 October, 2018 - 16:54 Bryan Hill

Legalized Marijuana: Canada Comes Round to the Wisdom of Ages

In 1997, a hemp rope dating back to 26,900 BC was found in Czechoslovakia, making it the oldest known object to be associated with marijuana. Since that time, hemp has played an important role in...
Halloween Haunted House
17 October, 2018 - 15:45 Mark Rose-Christie

Hunting the Haunted: Ghosts, Ghouls and Geists of South Africa

In Quantum Physics, the First Law of Thermodynamics - The Law of Conservation - states says that: “Energy is never created, energy is never destroyed, energy can only ever be transferred or...
The Borneo elephants are about 70% smaller than the Asian elephant, with a long tail hanging down to the ground and a relative short trunk. Their faces are baby-like with a cute appearance. (Image © Willem Daffue)
15 October, 2018 - 16:19 Willem Daffue

The Enigma of the Origins of the Borneo Elephants

Through history, at least 32 elephant species have existed on planet earth, some became extinct as early as the Miocene epoch (23.03 to 5.333 million years ago), but most species were exterminated by...
Warrior Khutulun in the series Marco Polo
14 October, 2018 - 13:59 dhwty

Khutulun: The Undefeated Bad-Ass Mongolian Warrior Princess

Khutulun was a Mongolian noblewoman who lived during the time of the Mongol Empire. She is recorded to have been a great warrior and was especially noted for her prowess in the sport of wrestling...
A ghostly pale woman holding a pumpkin. Halloween and paranormal phenomena often go hand in hand.
13 October, 2018 - 18:28 ancient-origins

This Scary Season: Halloween and Paranormal Phenomena Make for Spooky Supernatural Events

Every year, amidst the excitement of Halloween-related fun, conversations commonly turn toward scary and unnerving talk of the mysterious world of paranormal and supernatural phenomena. Unlike the...
Ogedei Khan.
13 October, 2018 - 14:01 dhwty

Ogedei Khan: Only His Death Could Save Europe from the Mongols

Ogedei Khan was the second Khagan (meaning ‘Great Khan’) of the Mongol Empire. He was the third son of Genghis Khan and succeeded his father in 1229. Ogedei continued to expand the Mongol Empire, a...
The Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1563)
12 October, 2018 - 16:01 pkoutoupis

Of One Language: In Search of Our Mother Tongue

Mankind is familiar with the narrative surrounding the construction of the Tower of Babel, passed down through the generations and across multiple cultures. The most well-known version is chapter 11...
Marine research and excavation in the area of the Mentor shipwreck
11 October, 2018 - 18:41 dhwty

The Mentor Shipwreck and the Disastrous Journey of the Parthenon Marbles to Britain

The British Museum in London is one of the largest and extensive museums on earth, containing approximately eight million works—objects taken from all over the world during the time of the British...
Diamonds and ruby.
10 October, 2018 - 15:57 ashley cowie

King of the Ancient Gemstones: Ruby Trumps Diamond

Western culture has a relatively shallow relationship with gemstones. Most people place great value on diamonds as being symbolic of commitment and only a few know this entire ritual began in a 1947...
Statue of Sun Tzu in Yurihama, Tottori, in Japan.
9 October, 2018 - 18:52 Alicia McDermott

Sun Tzu: Famous Chinese Strategist and Philosopher

“Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent’s fate.” General Sun Tzu...
A Mongol warrior. Although Jebe started out as an enemy of the Mongols, he eventually became on the Genghis Khan’s most trusted generals.
9 October, 2018 - 13:59 dhwty

Jebe: Genghis Khan’s Would-be Assassin Becomes His Sharpshooting General

Jebe was a prominent Mongolian general who served under Genghis Khan. He was a converted enemy soldier who lucked out after shooting an arrow at the infamous Khan during battle. In a strange turn of...
Sirens And The Night by William Edward Frost (1810–1877)
8 October, 2018 - 14:59 MartiniF

Identity Crises of the Sirens: Wise Women, Murderesses or Singing Prostitutes?

Ancient cultures around the world saw the sea as a dangerous place, filled with beings who preyed upon people - especially men. The Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder, whose Natural History would serve...
Medieval stargazers. People have been fascinated by the stars and their possible influence over our lives, long before and after the time of Babylonian astrology.
7 October, 2018 - 17:20 Sarah Roberts

Babylonian Astrology: How Mesopotamian Priests Influenced Your Horoscope

Mankind has always looked up to the sky and wondered at its beauty and secrets. Human beings are also incredibly good at spotting patterns, so it is no wonder that we noticed the changing appearance...

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