Ancient Origins presents how human origins are explained through three different perspectives: a) science and scientific evidence, b) religions and creation stories and c) folklore and mythology.
At the southwestern tip of Eurasia, the geological cul-de-sac known as the Iberian Peninsula resides. With the majestic Pyrenees Mountains to the north, and the Pillars of Herakles at the Strait of...
Death always held great significance amongst the ancient cultures of the world. For many, death was a gateway into a new and different life in the underworld that was governed by the gods of death (...
The astronomer Carl Sagan once said that the question of the nature of life on Earth and the question of whether life can be found beyond Earth are two sides of the same question. In the case of...
Many ancient cultures around the world have their own creation myth to explain their origins, and how the universe came into being. But few are as vivid, or as apocalyptic as the creation myth of the...
When ancient Egypt and Ireland are spoken about in the same breath it usually results in the rolling of eyes, polite exits and the sound of murmurs citing pseudo-history and new age babble. At least...
Mount Shasta is not the tallest or most beautiful mountain in the Cascade Range; but it is the most legendary. In terms of weirdness and strangeness, the unusual stories surrounding the mountain will...
The different milestones in world history that have shaped the foundations of human civilization also hold promising cultural significance. One such event which has been mired in the cloud of...
What happens when an archaeological site is so extraordinary, that it threatens to eclipse everything we knew about history up to that point? Some discoveries are just too hard to fully grasp, and...
Last year, the United States signed into law 5,500 pages of legislation, most of which dealt with economic stimulus. But it dealt with something else too – UFOs! The revelations have explosive...
A genetic study hints strongly that the Denisovans , who roamed the earth down to the end of the last ice age, possessed autistic skills, which were then passed on to their modern-human descendants...
The world of a monk is a world of seclusion and solitude. It offers introspection and an inner peace that is so crucial in comprehending greater religious philosophy. And the lives of Carthusian...
Illusion magic is a performing art that has existed throughout the ages. In what follows we will refer to this art as magic. One should be careful, however, not to confuse illusion magic with acts of...
From the lush oases of Africa’s Ethiopia, across the planet to the sweltering jungles of Mexico, beyond the horizon to the primordial coasts of Hawaii, and back again to the gardens, olive groves,...
From time immemorial, people had the need to venerate objects of great significance: religious relics, mythical symbols, or depictions of holy figures. And as if answering this need, the religious...
The Maori people (Māori) are the natives of New Zealand who, like other societies, have myths that are related to the creation of the world and mankind. These Maori creation stories were memorized...
Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu are the two main deities in the dualistic doctrine of Zoroastrianism. The former is the supreme deity of this religion, whereas the latter is the evil, destructive spirit...