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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.

Foot binding tradition
2 April, 2021 - 03:11 Joanna Gillan

Last Traces of the Ancient Foot Binding Tradition Captured on Film

Throughout history, men and women alike have suffered pain and agony in the name of beauty - from the practices of body modification in indigenous tribes throughout the world, to suffocatingly tight...
2021 The Year Virtual Archaeology Fights Back
31 March, 2021 - 23:44 ashley cowie

2021 The Year Virtual Archaeology Fights Back

The 2020 lockdowns saw thousands of planned archaeological excavations canceled and postponed and those archaeologists who persisted at their projects faced serious challenges accessing archives,...
Queen Ranavalona: Ruthless Ruler of Madagascar
29 March, 2021 - 22:56 dhwty

Queen Ranavalona: Ruthless Ruler of Madagascar

Ranavalona was the 19th-century ruler of the Kingdom of Madagascar. She lived during a time when there was increasing contact between the island kingdom and Europeans. Ranavalona, however, pursued a...
Aspasia The Metiki Who Seduced And Confused Athens’ Powerful Men
29 March, 2021 - 20:32 MartiniF

Aspasia The Metiki Who Seduced And Confused Athens’ Powerful Men

In his writing on the Athenian Statesman Pericles, Plutarch (c. 46 – c. 119 AD), marvels at the "... great art or power this woman had, that she managed as she pleased the leading men of the state...
An Ancient Treat: The Rich History of Fruitcake
29 March, 2021 - 01:56 Alicia McDermott

An Ancient Treat: The Rich History of Fruitcake

Love it or hate it, fruitcake has been a winter holiday staple for a long time. You could say the earliest version was a barley, pomegranate seed, nut, raisin, and honeyed wine dessert called satura...
The story of Reynard Beck, known as “The Floating Wonder,” sounds like science fiction. Source
28 March, 2021 - 22:54 Aleksa Vučković

The Floating Wonder of Reynard Beck: Hoax or Miracle of Nature?

This world is full of mysteries - that much is true. The story of Reynard Beck is little known, but once heard it never stops to tickle the fancy. It is a story that trickled through time, from the...
Ancient Greek warrior. Source: breakermaximus / Adobe Stock
27 March, 2021 - 22:00 dhwty

Agamemnon: Greek King, Trojan War Leader and Man of Power

Agamemnon is a major figure in Greek mythology. He was a king of Mycenae, and the supreme commander of the Greeks during the Trojan War. Therefore, he plays a significant role in Homer’s Iliad . As a...
The Royal Lineage Of Jesus, Descendant Of Cleopatra
26 March, 2021 - 21:32 ralph ellis

The Royal Lineage Of Jesus, Descendant Of Cleopatra

The simplistic story of the life of Jesus, as it is presented in the New Testament accounts, is well known. He was supposedly a poor carpenter born in a stable, a disadvantaged child who rose to...
The Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci
26 March, 2021 - 01:22 Gary Manners

It’s March 25 – Happy Medieval New Year!

March 25 this year will fly by for most of us as just another day in the Gregorian calendar. But the date was far more significant in the past. For over a millennium across Europe and beyond this was...
How Agnes Bowker Gave Birth to a Cat and the Wild Trial
25 March, 2021 - 14:00 B. B. Wagner

How Agnes Bowker Gave Birth to a Cat and the Wild Trial

On January 17 th , 1569, the simple, unwed house servant Agnes Bowker of Market Harborough, England, was in the throes of giving birth to a secret child. By her side were the midwives Margaret Roose...
Ancient Chinese And South Asian Flights Of Fancy
25 March, 2021 - 01:56 Dr. Benjamin B....

Ancient Chinese And South Asian Flights Of Fancy

It may not be surprising that early cultures pondered the wonder of flight: people in most parts of the world could see birds, bats, and insects flying about, and this likely inspired a great sense...
Aethelthryth: The Extraordinary Medieval Virgin Queen and Saint
23 March, 2021 - 18:01 Meagan Dickerson

Aethelthryth: The Extraordinary Medieval Virgin Queen and Saint

It’s a name most people have never heard of and even fewer can pronounce, but St Aethelthryth of Ely is one of England’s most fascinating saints whose name has survived throughout the centuries and...
The House of Borgia is depicted here as “A glass of wine with Cesare Borgia,” a painting that clearly shows the wealth and power (church power) of this illustrious and infamous family.
23 March, 2021 - 14:27 dhwty

The House of Borgia: Family Of Great Renown, Wealth And Corruption

The House of Borgia was a noble family that rose to prominence during the 15 th and 16 th centuries. Originally from Spain, the family established itself in Italy, where they played an important role...
Psychology
22 March, 2021 - 23:39 jim willis

Panconsciousness: A Quantum Leap To Ancestor-Simulation-Program

Panpsychism holds that the universe is a web of consciousness – an empty stage in which everything that exists has somehow come into being in order to act out the great drama of life. Panpsychism may...
A witch or a woman in a dark forest? Witch pricking was used for centuries to falsely prove a woman (or a man) was a witch!
22 March, 2021 - 14:04 Aleksa Vučković

Witch Pricking And The Devil’s Mark

A witch or not? Guilty or innocent? Witch hunting was all the craze in the late medieval period and onwards in Europe and involved some rather peculiar practices. Witch hunters of all kinds emerged...
Anna Hyatt Huntington's El Cid statue at Audubon Terrace in front of the Hispanic Society Library in New York City. Source: Brocken Inaglory / CC BY-SA 3.0
21 March, 2021 - 21:51 dhwty

El Cid: Christian Champion or Mercenary for the Moors?

Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, more commonly known as El Cid, was an 11 th century Spanish knight, military leader and mercenary. This larger-than-life-figure is celebrated as a champion of Christianity...
A Farmer with a drink.
21 March, 2021 - 14:01 Alicia McDermott

Switchel: The Energy Drink of Colonial America

Before Americans had sports drinks, switchel was the beverage of choice for rehydration. Also known as haymaker’s punch, harvest drink, harvest beer, and swanky, this is a refreshing drink that was...
Hector of Troy: The Battle for Peace and the Wrath of Achilles
20 March, 2021 - 13:55 dhwty

Hector of Troy: The Battle for Peace and the Wrath of Achilles

Homer’s epic Illiad tells the mythical story of the legendary 10-year Trojan War between the Trojans and the Greeks, which erupted after the beautiful Helen, wife of King Menelaus, was taken by Paris...
The Great Inca Emperor Pachacuti: The Famous “Earth Shaker” Of Peru
19 March, 2021 - 17:45 Aleksa Vučković

The Great Inca Emperor Pachacuti: The Famous “Earth Shaker” Of Peru

Embarking on the journey of establishing your very own empire is without a doubt a hefty and daunting task. But for the famous Inca ruler Pachacuti, it was a fated endeavor. Through ruthless conquest...
Ubiquitous Ancient Education: Training Young Minds And Bodies
19 March, 2021 - 16:38 MartiniF

Ubiquitous Ancient Education: Training Young Minds And Bodies

What was school like in the ancient world? In the pre-covid-age, the enduring general image of attending school for most pupils is one of learning in a classroom with a group of fellow students with...
The Afro-Bolivians And Their Monarchy In Bolivia: An Enigmatic Kingdom
18 March, 2021 - 13:59 Aleksa Vučković

The Afro-Bolivians And Their Monarchy In Bolivia: An Enigmatic Kingdom

Bolivia is a land full of wonders and little-known facts. The majestic nature of the mountainous Andes and the adjacent tropical forests, and the illustrious capital city of La Paz, nestled high...
Rome’s African Emperor: Septimius Severus and the Scottish Invasion
18 March, 2021 - 00:57 John S. Richardson

Rome’s African Emperor: Septimius Severus and the Scottish Invasion

The Libyan-born Septimius Severus has gone down in history as the first African Emperor of Rome . With a thirst for power, he ruled the Roman Empire almost 2,000 years ago, declaring himself Emperor...
The Obsequies of an Egyptian Cat, John Reinhard Weguelin, 1886 ( Public Domain )
17 March, 2021 - 18:15 Alessandra Filiaci

Therapies, Pseudo-Science And Bizarre Remedies Of Egyptian Medicine

Everything known about ancient Egyptian medicine comes from four different types of sources: works of art, the writings of ancient historians, palaeopathology and papyri. Medical papyri can be...
Saint Patrick: When the True Story is More Exciting than the Legend
17 March, 2021 - 13:06 Joanna Gillan

Saint Patrick: When the True Story is More Exciting than the Legend

The 17th March marks Saint Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, a cultural and religious holiday celebrated every year in Ireland and by Irish communities around the world. The celebration...

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