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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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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.

Thucydides: General, Historian, and the Father of Scientific History
24 February, 2016 - 03:48 dhwty

Thucydides: General, Historian, and the Father of Scientific History

Thucydides was an Athenian general and historian, most notable for his work known as the History of the Peloponnesian War . Whilst Herodotus, a near-contemporary of his, is often hailed as the Father...
Screenshot of ‘What are song lines?’
22 February, 2016 - 14:49 dhwty

Songlines: Mapping the Journeys of the Creation Ancestors in Australia

Songlines (known also as dreaming tracks) are believed by the Aboriginal people of Australia to be the journeys taken by the creation ancestors (or creator-beings) across the land during the Dreaming...
Musa depicted holding a gold coin from the 1375 Catalan Atlas.
21 February, 2016 - 21:49 dhwty

The Legend of How Mansa Abu Bakr II of Mali Gave up the Throne to Explore the Atlantic Ocean

Mansa (meaning king , emperor or sultan ) Abu Bakr II was a 14th century ruler of the Mali Empire in West Africa. This period of time, i.e. the 14th century, was a time when the Mali Empire had...
Hernando De Soto and Spanish Conquistadores seeing the Mississippi River for the first time.
21 February, 2016 - 14:51 Natalia Klimczak

The Forgotten Story of Spanish Conquerors in North America

Official history says that the Spanish colonizers in America were focused on the territory from Mexico to the end of South America. For centuries, there was the question of why the Spaniards didn't...
Area Sacra di Largo Argentina in Rome
21 February, 2016 - 00:52 Carsten Timm

Four Sanctuaries for The Gods: Area Sacra di Largo Argentina in Rome

An ancient secret is buried in front of us—just meters below our current street level. Four years ago Spanish researchers of the Institute of History of the Center for Humanities and Social Sciences...
Alexander and his queen at table, and again in the foreground with a feather in his throat after being poisoned, 323 BC.
20 February, 2016 - 14:54 Natalia Klimczak

Did the Trusted Ptolemy Murder Alexander the Great?

Alexander the Great was the ruler of one of the biggest empires in the ancient world. However, he died before his 33rd birthday, leaving behind a legend. He was careful and apparently avoided many...
The Royal Ballet of the Dowager of Bilbao's Grand Ball, 1626.
20 February, 2016 - 03:52 dhwty

Displaying Sophistication with Masks and Curtsies: The Early History of Ballet

Ballet has been described as an art form created by the movement of the human body . It is a type of dance performed on a stage in front of an audience. The word ballet is derived from the French...
A modern religious painting shows the Founding-King in similar motifs.
17 February, 2016 - 03:55 dhwty

The Legendary Founder of Korea, Dangun Wanggeom

According to Korean tradition, Dangun Wanggeom (known also as Dangun or Tangun) was the legendary founder of Gojoseon (or ‘Old Joseon’), the first recorded state in Korean history. This state...
The Gate of Nimrud (Metropolitan Museum)
16 February, 2016 - 03:53 Natalia Klimczak

The Mythical Lamassu: Impressive Symbols for Mesopotamian Protection

Lamassu are human-headed, eagle-winged, bulls or lions that once protected cities in Mesopotamia. They were believed to be very powerful creatures, and served both as a clear reminder of the king’s...
The Statue of Marcus Aurelius (detail) in the Musei Capitolini in Rome.
15 February, 2016 - 00:29 ancient-origins

Marcus Aurelius: Life of the Famous Roman Emperor and Philosopher

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, known more commonly as Marcus Aurelius, was the 16th emperor of Rome, who reigned from 161 AD to his death in 180 AD. Marcus Aurelius is remembered as the last of the Five...
Detail of altar frontal (antependium}, France or Italy, 1730-1740. Silk satin with silk and metallic-thread embroidery, guipure and gaufrure.
13 February, 2016 - 03:47 Natalia Klimczak

Stitching the Story of Cutwork Embroidery, One of the Most Luxurious Goods in Europe

Different types of embroidery are known in the history of every single civilization. It seems that people liked to create beautiful personal adornments almost since the beginning of time. Cutwork is...
The Great Deluge, a global flood. (1869).
12 February, 2016 - 00:51 Christos Djonis

Evidence of The Great Flood – Real or a Myth? Part I

The story of a “Great Flood” sent by God (or gods according to much earlier testimony) to destroy humanity for its sins is a widespread account shared by many religions and cultures around the world...
Detail from an illustration of a body in its coffin that starts to bleed in the presence of the murderer during a cruentation 1497.
11 February, 2016 - 03:47 ancient-origins

The Bizarre Importance of Bleeding Bodies in Medieval Trials

The history of criminal justice and forensic science is really interesting because of all the absurd rituals and superstitions courts relied on to determine guilt or innocence right up until the 19th...
Carvings depicting the Chinese Zodiac on the ceiling of the gate to Kushida Shrine in Fukuoka, Japan.
9 February, 2016 - 00:35 dhwty

The Whimsical Legend of How the Chinese Zodiac Animals were Chosen

According to Chinese culture, each year is related to an animal or 生肖 (‘Sheng Xiao’, which literally means ‘birth likeness’). There are 12 animals, and together, they make up the Chinese zodiac. The...
An Illustration of Lao-Tzu.
8 February, 2016 - 03:40 dhwty

Lao Tzu: The Founder of One of the Three Pillars of Traditional Chinese Thought

Lao Tzu is traditionally regarded as the founder of Taoism, a school of thought that developed in ancient China. Taoism is seen as one of the three main pillars of traditional Chinese thought. The...
Main: Artistic representation of Piers Gerlofs Donia, ‘cca made by rudy faber.’ Inset: Picture of Grutte Pier’s Sword. (1953) Fries museum in Leeuwarden.
6 February, 2016 - 23:04 dhwty

Pier Gerlofs Donia: The Giant Frisian Rebel, Warrior, and Pirate

Pier Gerlofs Donia was a Frisian warrior, pirate, and rebel who lived between the 15th and 16th centuries AD. He is more well-known perhaps by his nicknames – Grutte Pier in West Frisian, Grote Pier...
Hellenistic culture in the Indian subcontinent: Greek clothes, amphoras, win,e and music. Detail from Chakhil-i-Ghoundi Stupa, Hadda, Gandhara, 1st century AD.
4 February, 2016 - 03:45 Natalia Klimczak

What Does Alexander the Great Have to Do with Buddhist Imagery?

When Alexander the Great arrived in Pakistan and India two very different civilizations confronted and were influenced by each other. The first anthropomorphic representations of Buddha were...
Painting of an ancient Egyptian woman being served beer.
3 February, 2016 - 14:46 dhwty

Provocative Yet Sacred: The Ancient Egyptian Festival of Drunkenness

The Festival of Drunkenness is a religiously significant celebration that was held annually (said to be biannually in some places) by the ancient Egyptians. The background story for the celebration...
Johannes Hevelius, Prodromus Astronomia, volume III, Johannes Hevelius, by Daniel Schultz.
3 February, 2016 - 03:43 Natalia Klimczak

The Magnificent Observatory and Discoveries of Johannes Hevelius

Johannes Hevelius is one of the symbols of Gdansk, Poland. He is also one of the three great intellectuals, along with Fahrenheit and Schopenhauer, who were born in this city. During Hevelius’ life,...
Bloodletting was treatment for infection in the past.
1 February, 2016 - 14:51 ancient-origins

In a world with no antibiotics, how did doctors treat infections?

The development of antibiotics and other antimicrobial therapies is arguably the greatest achievement of modern medicine. However, overuse and misuse of antimicrobial therapy predictably leads to...
The fall of Casto Méndez Núñez in May 2nd, 1866
1 February, 2016 - 03:36 Natalia Klimczak

Born for the Seas and Honor: Examining the Modest Life of the Spanish Navy Officer, Casto Mendez Nunez

The history of Spain is full of great stories about the brave sailors and won sea battles. One of the important players in these tales comes in the form of Casto Mendez Nunez. Casto Mendez Nunez was...
Hans Makart's painting of Charlotte Wolter in Adolf Wilbrandt's tragedy, Arria und Messalina.
1 February, 2016 - 00:57 Natalia Klimczak

Questioning the Dramatic Story of the Empress Messalina, Was She a Cruel Doxy or the Victim of a Smear Campaign?

In Ancient Rome, Valeria Messalina was a symbol of vanity and immorality. For centuries, people identified her as one of the most demoralized women in history, but how much of what we know about...
Goddess Council 4900-4750 BC Neolithic Culture of Cucuteni-Tripolye exposed in Cucuteni Museum of Piatra Neamt
30 January, 2016 - 21:57 ancient-origins

Ancient Ink: How Tattoos Can Reveal Hidden Stories of Past Cultures

The English word tattoo is commonly said to be derived from the Polynesian word tatau or tatu . This Polynesian word means ‘to mark something’. Additionally, this word is an onomatopoeia, and is...
Arde Lucus Gladiatrix
30 January, 2016 - 03:48 Natalia Klimczak

Gladiatrix: Female Fighters Offered Lewd Entertainment in Ancient Rome

Female gladiators (gladiatrix) were just a thing of legend for many years. However, decades of research have made it possible to finally confirm their existence and importance in the Ancient Roman...

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