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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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A Ming Dynasty tomb, remarkably preserved, was discovered in Xinzhou city, located in Shanxi province. Source: Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology

Pristine Ming Dynasty Tomb Unearthed in China’s Shanxi Province

For centuries, the pale blue doors of a formidable stone Ming Dynasty tomb in China’s Shanxi Province have remained tightly shut, shrouded in mystery. Upon gaining entry, archaeologists were greeted...
Within Chinese medicine, dragon bones or long gy have long been prescribed to treat a variety of ailments. Source: Nu / Adobe Stock

Thanks to the ‘Dragon Bones’ Malaria Cure, China Unearthed its Earliest Writing

Believe it or not, but the intriguing discovery of China's earliest writing was thanks to an unlikely ally— malaria . When the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, Wang Yirong, contracted malaria, he...
The Pyramid texts discovered within the tomb of Unas at Saqqara in Egypt. Source: EvrenKalinbacak / Adobe Stock

The Pyramid Texts: Evidence for Hypnosis and Trance

There has been a long history of Egyptologists denying that the Egyptians had any mystical doctrines and practices connected with the world of the living, despite everything to the contrary said...
Mayan codex with hieroglyphic alphabet script writing system, Mexico City, Mexico. Source: SL-Photography / Adobe Stock.

9 Mysterious Undeciphered Codes and Inscriptions in History

From Neolithic tablets containing the oldest known system of writing, to a series of letters scrawled on the back of a dead man’s book, some of the most legendary undeciphered codes and texts remain...
Detail of one of the Jelling Stones. Source: National Museum Denmark

Carvers of the Jelling Stones Identified by Danish Archaeologists

A new study has solved an intriguing historical mystery involving treasured Danish artifacts that are now more than 1,000 years old, having been made during Scandinavia’s Viking Age in the 10th...
Votive stele of Gudea, ruler of Lagash, to the temple of Ningirsu. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul. Source: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP (Glasg)/CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Rule of Ensi Gudea and the Golden Age of Lagash

Ancient Mesopotamia, called by many the “cradle of civilization”, is in many ways enigmatic and mysterious. There is plenty about it that we are still to uncover, as it reaches so far back in time...
The Taylor Prism was discovered in 1830 at Nineveh and is currently housed at the British Museum in London. It tells the story of King Sennacherib’s third campaign and his conquests in Judah. Source: Public domain

Sennacherib's Prisms Reveal the Glorious Reign of an Assyrian King

Imagine if all of the world’s ancient cultures and civilizations had had well-developed writing systems. Then envision the marvels we would know about today, the hidden secrets and remarkable tales...
AI robot as an archaeologist, uncovering an ancient artifact.  Source: Hatia/Adobe Stock

Beyond Shovels and Brushes: The AI-driven Evolution of Archaeological Exploration

It seems pretty clear right now that AI is likely the “next big thing.” This exciting (and perhaps scary) technology seems set to change the world and revolutionize our lives in a myriad of ways. But...
The fragment of pottery with the Virgil quote overlaid. Source: Iván González Tobar/Labex Archimède; University of Córdoba

1800-Year-Old Roman Amphora of Olive Oil Contains Quote from the Legendary Virgil

A fragment of an amphora of olive oil, dated to the Roman period in southern Spain 1,800 years ago, has astounded the archaeological community at large. Plucked from the earth during prospecting...
The runestone discovered in Randers, Denmark is likely older than the Jelling stones. Source: Lene Brandt/DR

Giant Runestone Discovered Under Kitchen Floor in Denmark

A routine home renovation just outside the city of Randers in Denmark, turned into something out of a fantasy-treasure novel. A young couple stumbled upon a sizable runestone just as they were...
The pyramid texts of ancient Egypt’s pyramids are a rich source of information on their beliefs and religion. Source: EvrenKalinbacak/ Adobe Stock

The Pyramid Texts: Incantations Carved in Stone

The ancient Egyptians were known for their elaborate funerary traditions and beliefs in life after death, with the pharaohs being the most powerful and religious rulers of their time. The Pyramid...
The Reed Flute Cave in southern China is a beautiful geological marvel. Source: Dennis Jarvis / CC BY SA 2.0

China’s Reed Flute Cave: A Natural Masterpiece with a Rich History

There are a lot of fascinating natural wonders in the world, but one of the most interesting is the Reed Flute Cave in Guilin, in southern China. The Reed Flute Cave is a limestone cave known for its...
The structure and decorative elements of the Heliodorus pillar which links ancient India to Greece and serves as a precise time marker. The pillar originally supported a statue of Garuda, now lost, or possibly located in the Gujari Mahal Museum in Gwalior.

The Heliodorus Pillar: Proof of Greek Worshippers In 200 BC Hindu India?

Sometimes archaeological discoveries are made that don’t make much sense or seem out of place. Often these mysteries are solved and have simple explanations. Take for example the Heliodorus pillar in...
The Runamo Runes: The Mysterious Runic Inscription that Never Was!

The Runamo Runes: The Mysterious Runic Inscription that Never Was!

Before the invention of paper, humanity often inscribed words, symbols, and images onto the living stone of the surrounding landscape. These images, often commemorating significant cultural events or...
Scroll of Asclepius with an inscription. Source: Background; Alexey Pavluts / Adobe Stock, Insets; Left;CC BY-SA 3.0; Right; CC BY-SA 4.0

Second Century Asclepius Inscription Found at Anatolian Site

Archaeologists performing excavations in the ancient city of Hadrianopolis in Paphlagonia, in the Black Sea region of northern Turkey unearthed a piece of rock that contained a most revealing...
Archaeologists pose near the St Peter’s inscription found on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel, which could finally prove a number of things about the first apostle of Jesus. Source: El Araj Excavation Project

Ancient Greek Inscription in Mosaic Reveals Birthplace of Apostle Saint Peter!

Saint Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s 12 Apostles and the first pope of the Roman Catholic Church is a crucial figure whose name appears throughout Christian theology. His birthplace has been a long...
Close-up of one of the Palmyra Aramaic inscriptions to the “Anonymous God”. Source: Aleksandra Kubiak-Schneider / PAP

Aramaic Inscriptions in Palmyra, Syria, Solve Mystery of the ‘Anonymous God’

The analysis of over 2,500 Aramaic inscriptions in Palmyra in south-central Syria has helped solve a 100-year-old mystery. Two hundred texts, dated mainly to the 2nd and 3rd century AD have been...
The other side of this graffiti covered slab at The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem led to the discovery of the beautiful medieval ancient altar.		Source: YouTube screenshot / Reuters

Stunning Lost Medieval Altar Found in the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

For many years in an obscure back corridor of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem there was a large stone slab leaning against a wall. The eight-feet-by-five-feet (2.5 meter...
One of the four Umayyad inscriptions recently discovered at the ancient city of Knidos in southwestern Turkey.		Source: DHA

Four Umayyad Inscriptions Unearthed in Turkey’s Ancient City of Knidos

Four Umayyad inscriptions inscribed on limestone and marble blocks have been discovered among the ruins of the 2,600-year-old city of Knidos in western Turkey. The four Umayyad inscriptions, from...
Deriv; Hawaiian Tiki carvings and Easter Island statues with Rongorongo script

Was there a Common Writing System used by Pacific Islanders?

In 2016 two tourists found engraved petroglyphs on a Hawaiian Beach. This was an important find because it suggested that the ancient Polynesians had a common writing system which was used from...
One of the more mysterious Saudi Arabia rock art examples found in the Bir Hima region.                  Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage / UNESCO

Bir Hima Saudi Arabia Rock Art Site Gets UNESCO World Heritage Status

UNESCO has just added the famed Saudi Arabia rock art of site Bir Hima to its list of World Heritage sites. Officially designated as the “Hima Cultural Area,” this expansive section of the Najran...
The Curious Red and Black Inscriptions Found at Spanish Roman Quarry

The Curious Red and Black Inscriptions Found at Spanish Roman Quarry

The Roman quarry of El Mèdol , located in modern-day Tarragona (Tarraco in ancient times) in Catalonia is literally a man-made marvel. This limestone quarry was used by the Romans to build the city...
Unknown Constellations And More Discovered At Egypt’s Esna Temple

Unknown Constellations And More Discovered At Egypt’s Esna Temple

While the world was locked-down this summer, a team of brave researchers in Egypt cleaned up an ancient cult temple, and what they discovered is truly astronomical. The Esna Temple (or Temple of Esna...
Temple of Edfu passage with glowing walls of Egyptian hieroglyphs on either side.	Source: Konstantin / AdobeStock

Decrypting the Temple of Edfu and the Edfu Texts

Edfu city is located between Luxor and Aswan in the southern area of Egypt. The city, which is situated on the west bank of the Nile , is world famous for its temple, which was built during the...

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