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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.

Chinese knife money. Source: sytilin / Adobe Stock
27 August, 2022 - 18:51 Mark Johnston

Chinese Knife Money: Making Markets feel Murderous?

The days of ‘cash as king’ are fading. Today, credit, debit, and digital currency have begun to slowly replace cash as the primary forms of payment, but it was not always so. For centuries, paper...
The village and citadel at Thula have their roots in the Himyarite kingdom. Source: fotoember/ Adobe Stock
26 August, 2022 - 14:48 Robbie Mitchell

The Himyarite Kingdom’s Bloody Conversion to Judaism: Passion or Ploy?

The Himyarite Kingdom was established in 110 BC and lasted until 570 AC. It is most often remembered these days as the “Jewish Kingdom”, thanks to the fact that for some time its predominant religion...
Alexander driving off elephants with war pigs and musical instruments in a detail from a French illuminated manuscript from 1420’. Source: The British Library / CC BY 4.0)
22 August, 2022 - 18:51 Sahir

War Pigs: A Flaming History of Nature’s Cutest Creations in Battle

Throughout human history, animals have been effectively domesticated and used as an extension of the territorial desires of human beings. While dogs and cattle became effective elements in the...
A mural from the tomb Inkherkhau (TT359) on the West Bank of Nile - Thebes, Luxor, depicting a funerary procession with ancient Egyptian priests performing libations, the first one wearing leopard skin. Source: Svetlaili /Adobe Stock
21 August, 2022 - 14:59 Robbie Mitchell

A Day in the Life of an Ancient Egyptian Priest

We can learn a lot about a civilization from its dominant religion. Ancient Egypt is a good example. The religion of ancient Egypt had a far-reaching effect on every aspect of daily life. If you want...
Representation of a ritual human sacrifice on an altar. Source: archangelworks / Adobe Stock
19 August, 2022 - 19:00 Lex Leigh

Blood for the Gods: 10 Cultures that Engaged in Ritual Sacrifice

Since the dawn of humanity, countless civilizations have engaged in ritual sacrifice. Often, these sacrifices involved other humans, and were so common they were considered a normal aspect of life...
This replica of Captain Cook's famous Endeavour ship, one of two modern replicas. Source: Dennis4trigger / CC BY-SA 3.0
18 August, 2022 - 22:57 ashley cowie

Are Sea Creatures Really Eating Captain Cook’s “Endeavour”?

Headlines read “Shipworms threaten to destroy Captain Cook’s HM Bark Endeavour,” which was wrecked off the US east coast in the late eighteenth century. However, while museum staff “believe” it's...
This painting, from circa 1675 by Joseph Heinz the Younger, shows a wild Venetian bridge war on the famous Ponte dei pugni bridge. Source: Joseph Heintz the Younger / CC BY-SA 4.0
18 August, 2022 - 15:00 Mark Brophy

Venetian Bridge Wars: The ‘Fighting Spirit’ of Renaissance Venice

For generations of Venetians, “guerra di canne” or “war with sticks” was a celebrated tradition. Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods, Venice was divided into many different...
Glassblowing processs, with a ball of glass being heated by a kiln. Source: SvetlanaSF / Adobe Stock
17 August, 2022 - 18:59 Lex Leigh

Heat, Blow, and Roll: The History of Glassblowing

One of the most fascinating crafts in the art world is the practice of glassblowing. Glassblowing is the art of creating beautiful pieces of glassware by blowing air into semi-molten glass through a...
These knucklebones from the Hellenistic period, from roughly 2,300 years ago, were recently unearthed in central Israel in an area closely connected with the First Temple period. Source: Israel Antiquities Authority
17 August, 2022 - 14:58 ashley cowie

2,300-year-old Knucklebones Used for Divination Found In Israel

Scientists in Israel have discovered ancient animals' knucklebones used to foretell the future and as a form of spiritual protection in the wild and unpredictable ancient world. They were also the...
Les Cathares, painting by Bernard Romain. Source: Public Domain
16 August, 2022 - 22:53 Steven Darian

The Medieval Crushing of the Cathars and Sexualizing of Witches

Many Christian writers identified the gods and lesser spirits of the Greek and Roman world with demons. This ushered in the Christian practice of demonizing those they perceived as their opponents...
Splat pattern. Source: Ruslan Gilmanshin / Adobe Stock By Sahir Pandey
16 August, 2022 - 02:00 Sahir

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...
Decimation was the cruelest punishment in the Roman army. Source: vukkostic / Adobe Stock
14 August, 2022 - 15:01 Mark

Roman Decimation: The Cruelest Form of Punishment in History?

The Roman army was one of the fiercest armies ever assembled. It was disciplined, well trained, and well equipped. This combination meant the Roman army played a crucial role in Rome’s expansion from...
The Mummies of Qilakitsoq at the National Museum in Nuuk. Source: Kenny McFly / CC BY-SA 4.0
12 August, 2022 - 14:58 Joanna Gillan

Ten Incredible Mummy Discoveries That Shocked the World

Mummies of humans and other animals have been found on every continent, both as a result of natural preservation through unique climatic conditions, and as intentionally preserved corpses for...
Typhoid fever salmonella bacteria like this, according to the latest study, were a primary killer along with the plague that could well be the missing reason for the sudden Bronze Age collapse of Near East and Mediterranean societies. Source: sveta / Adobe Stock
10 August, 2022 - 23:00 Nathan Falde

Mediterranean Bronze Age Collapse Linked to Deadly Typhoid and Plague

A new genetic research project has revealed evidence of the profound impact highly infectious and dangerous diseases may have had on the Bronze Age collapse in the Mediterranean and Near East region...
Left; 1660 chart illustrating Tycho Brahe’s model of the universe Right; Portrait of Tycho Braha, Skokloster Castle, Source: Left; Public Domain, Right; Public Domain
10 August, 2022 - 14:59 Sahir

Tycho the Psycho? Meet One of History’s Maddest Scientific Minds Ever!

Tycho Brahe, the 16th century Danish astronomer, alchemist, astrologist, and scientist (1546-1601) was a force to be reckoned with – the true epitome of the brilliant, mad scientist. In the backdrop...
Majestic sunrise at Castlerigg Stone Circle in the Lake District, one of many sites located on ley lines. Source: Danoz/Adobe Stock
9 August, 2022 - 14:50 Dr. John Hill

Ley Hunters: Were Bronze Age Britons Really Following Ley Lines?

Google Earth is an amazingly useful tool for investigators to explore the sacred landscapes of prehistoric Britain. For sure, its accuracy cannot be denied. Indeed, one can even survey and measure...
Tamerlane's cruelty was legendary and extensive, including 120 skull towers containing about 90,000 heads near Baghdad after the sultan of the city insulted him. (Kanphichaya / Adobe Stock)
8 August, 2022 - 15:00 Mark Brophy

Did The Curse of Tamerlane Cause One of the Bloodiest Battles in World War II?

When Tashmuhammed Kari-Niyazov and Mikhail Gerasimov were tasked by Stalin to lead an expedition to Samarkand in Uzbekistan to open the tomb of Tamerlane, they didn’t know just how significant their...
This must have been the imagined landscape of John Wilkins' 17th-century moon mission just as his flying chariot left the clouds behind. Source: flashmovie / Adobe Stock
7 August, 2022 - 18:47 Mark Johnston

Astronomer John Wilkins Planned a Moon Mission in 1640 AD with a Flying Chariot!

In 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit the Earth. In 1969, the American Apollo 11 moon mission placed the first human boots on the surface of the moon. These nations...
Conceptual image of a large stone in the shape of a human brain. Source: Orlando Florin Rosu / Adobe Stock
6 August, 2022 - 22:30 Lex Leigh

Searching for Genius: Einstein’s Stolen Brain

When you think of intelligent people, Albert Einstein may be the first name to come to mind. Known as one of history’s greatest geniuses, he fascinated the world with his many contributions to...
Representation of ancient Egyptian military unit going to battle. Source: Acrogame / Adobe Stock
6 August, 2022 - 18:42 Robbie Mitchell

Ancient Egyptian Military: Fiercest Fighting Force of the Ancient World

One of the key reasons that the study of history is vital is to ensure we learn from our past mistakes in order to improve. While this is true in all aspects of life, it is especially true for...
Natural pearls inside an oyster shell were a surprise in the ancient food sources of peoples living on the coast in the Persian Gulf and southern India and before long they were world famous elite gemstones. Source: valeriy555 / Adobe Stock
5 August, 2022 - 22:56 Lex Leigh

Hidden Gems: The Use of Pearls Throughout History

Pearls are one of the most beautiful gemstones in the world. Beyond their shimmering beauty, they also have a fascinating history in countless regions throughout the world. From religious texts to...
Stylized depiction of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Source: Towseef / Adobe Stock
5 August, 2022 - 15:00 Khadija Tauseef

Controversial Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb & Mughal Wars of Succession

An old man sits hunched over his prayer mat as dawn breaks over the horizon, his white beard soaked from tears shed through the night. No one would believe that this troubled figure is the sixth...
A female, crowned, royal occult practitioner with a magical raven. Source: Petro / Adobe Stock
4 August, 2022 - 19:01 Robbie Mitchell

Royals and the Occult: Witchcraft, Astrology, and Mystical Healing

We often talk about the modern world’s obsession with celebrities. People love to talk about the rich and famous. This is nothing new. It’s been a part of human nature since time immemorial. Before...
Examination of a Witch (1853) by T. H. Matteson, inspired by the Salem trials, which have been finally “closed” by the exoneration of the last Salem witch, Elizabeth Johnson. Source: Peabody Essex Museum / Public domain
3 August, 2022 - 18:52 Sahir

Last Salem Witch Has Been Exonerated Posthumously By Boston Court

It’s not just something one can bury in the recesses of history because even today many cultures across the world accuse women of practicing black magic and witchcraft. And women accused of this...

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