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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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The ancient lipstick vial found in Iran. Left) the carved chlorite vial containing the cosmetic preparation. Right) image of mineral composition of the substance found. Source: Left: M. Vidale, Right: F. Zorzi /Nature CC BY 4.0 DEED

Ancient Red Lipstick Found in 4,000-Year-Old Vial Unearthed in Iran

Archaeologists studying a unique artifact obtained from an ancient cemetery in Iran have identified it as a small cosmetics vial made from chlorite. Most notably, inside the vial they found the...
Yakhchal cooling device in Kashan, Iran. Source: knovakov / Adobe Stock.

The Yakhchāl: Ancient Ice-Making Machines in the Desert (Video)

In the arid expanses of the Persian desert , an ingenious ancient technology known as the Yakhchāl has been discovered, revealing a sophisticated approach to ice-making dating back to 400 BC. These...
Mesopotamian clay balls have been unearthed in Iran. Source: Fair use

Mesopotamian Clay Balls: Ancient Relics or Prehistoric Hard Drives?

Research conducted in late 2013 offered intriguing clues to decoding the secrets of the Mesopotamian clay balls, which date back 5,500 years. The study, which used CT scanning to look inside the clay...
Top image: The Emperor's Carpet. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art / Public Domain

Reinvigorating an Emperor's Persian Carpet – A Three Year Journey (Video)

Standing before The Emperor's Carpet, a masterpiece of Persian artistry from the 16th century, we unveil its remarkable history. This exquisite creation likely emerged during the reign of Shah...
The Sanctuary of Truth, Pattaya, Thailand. Source: pierrick / Adobe Stock.

Explore These Eight Extraordinary Temples (Video)

In a world rich with cultural treasures and spiritual landmarks, a selection of eight temples beckons travelers with their unique allure and historical significance. The Wat Samphran in Thailand's...
Traditional Lenj boat building on Qeshm Island, Iran. Source: Gone For A Drive. / Adobe Stock.

The Dying Craft of Traditional Boat-Building in Iran (Video)

For nearly 400 years, the Guranian people of Iran's Qeshm Island have upheld the extraordinary art of crafting Lenj boats - large, handmade wooden vessels used for transporting passengers and cargo...
Cliff dwellings in Kandovan village, Iran. Source: Left; knovakov / Adobe Stock, Right; naytoong/Adobe Stock

Kandovan: The Volcanic Cave Cut Village of Iran

Kandovan is a unique cave village located in the northwestern province of East Azerbaijan, Iran. The village is famous for its extraordinary architecture, where people have carved their homes into...
Ancient windmills, Iran. Source: ghiaseddin / Adobe Stock.

Watch 1,000-Year-Old Windmills in Action (Video)

Located in the remote Chiffon village in northeast Iran , a collection of 1,000-year-old windmills still stand tall and proud, their blades whirring steadily in the strong winds that blow across the...
Tablet depicting Aryan warriors. Source: Justin Gauraqv Murgai / CC BY NC ND 2.0

Debunking the Aryan Race “Myth” and Separating Fact from Fiction

Today, the word "Aryan" has become synonymous with all sorts of negative connotations, including theories of racial superiority and white supremacy . This association has led to a widespread...
Massacres have been a near constant in human history. Pieter Bruegel the Elder painting The Triumph of Death, circa 1562. Source: Public Domain

The Stories Behind Seven of the Worst Massacres in Ancient History

We all know that the ancient world was a violent place, but we often don’t appreciate just how violent it was. The world was in a near-constant state of bloodshed and warfare. Massacres and mass...
Astrolabe tile fragments recovered at Lambsar castle. Source: ILNA / Tehran Times

Astrolabe Tile Fragments Recovered from the Lambsar Castle of the Hashshasins

Lambsar Castle, representing the gargantuan castle in the popular ‘Assassin’s Creed’ franchise, has yielded stunning astrolabe tile fragments during excavations. Located in the Central Alburz...
The recently discovered underground corridors near Shahr-e Belqeys appear similar to this photo of the subterranean site of Nushabad.	Source: Fotokon / Adobe Stock

Medieval Underground Corridors Found in Iran During Roadwork

A routine road construction project has led to the accidental discovery of an extensive network of underground corridors in Bam village of Esfarayen county in northeast Iran. Archaeologists have...
Alexander Of Macedon And His Nemesis Persian Darius III

Alexander Of Macedon And His Nemesis Persian Darius III

Ironically, Xenophon’s Cyropaedia, written around 370 BC, a narrative describing the education of the ideal ruler centred on Cyrus the Great founder of the Achaemenid Dynasty, was a great inspiration...
The Hashshashins were a military group of trained fedayeen fighters, also known as the Order of Assassins. Source: warmtail / Adobe Stock

The Notorious Hashshashins, the Original Assassins of Persia

When it comes to legends, none is quite as moviesque as that of the Hashshashins, who in the Middle Ages inspired fear in the hearts of leaders in the Middle East. Hassan-i Sabbah, dubbed the Old Man...
Rome’s National Museum of Oriental Art displayed the reconstructed face of a female skeleton which was found in Iran’s Burnt City wearing a fake eye. The museum closed in 2017 and its collections were transferred to the Pigorini National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography in Rome.

World’s Oldest Fake Eye from 2800 BC Found in Iran’s ‘Burnt City’

Believe it or not, fake eyes have existed for thousands of years. Besides improving the physical appearance of the patient needing the artificial eye, fake eyes also prevent tissues in the eye socket...
Saffron

Saffron: Tracing the Origins of a Treasured Ancient Spice

Considered the world’s most expensive spice , saffron has been highly valued by many ancient civilizations, but its origins have long been debated. A new study claims to have traced the evolution of...
The Guennol Lioness of Elam from ancient Iran is over 5,000 years old!		Source: Unknown sculptor / Public domain

The Guennol Lioness and Her Secrets: An Enigmatic Figure in Ancient Iran

The world of the ancient past is undoubtedly filled with many mysteries. The knowledge of the ancients escapes us today: we are not fully aware of the extent of their wisdom and their ability to...
The fire temple of Baku, c. 1860. Hindus, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians have worshipped here. Source: Public domain

Zoroastrianism: 4000 Years of Faith, Fire and the Battle Between Good and Evil

The origins of Zoroastrianism can be traced back to nearly 4,000 years ago. It was the first monotheistic faith in the world and even Persia’s official religion from 600 BC to 650 AD. And it still...
Selection of the Persian clay tablets that were reevaluated in the study. Source: ILNA

Clay Tablets Reveal Persians Paid with Silver Coins… But is it News?

A new research paper claims to reveal new facts about the ancient Persian (Achaemenid) Empire. While headlines tell of the 33 Achaemenid clay tablets determining that Persian laborers were paid wages...
10th Century Astronomical Text of Abd-al Rahman al-Sufi Unveiled

10th Century Astronomical Text of Abd-al Rahman al-Sufi Unveiled

The “suwar al-kawakib" or the Book of Fixed Stars is a 10th century astronomical Arabic text, authored by the famed scholar Abd-al Rahman al-Sufi in the year 964 AD. It was produced by the powerful...
Gorgan Wall Work Reveals Minutiae of 7th Century Sasanian Empire

Gorgan Wall Work Reveals Minutiae of 7th Century Sasanian Empire

Excavations have been ongoing on at the Sasanian Empire’s Great Wall of Gorgan, a 125-mile (200-kilometer) long defensive fortification built across Golestan Province in northern Iran in the fifth...
Altar in the Zoroastrian Chak-Chak fire temple in the mountains near Yazd, Iran.

Rare “Divine” Ancient Fire Temple Found in Iran

The remains of an ancient mountain fire temple have been discovered in Iran. While archaeology knows of almost 200 fire temples around the world this one is special because it displays a rare ancient...
Ruins of Shahr-i Sokhta, the “Burnt City,” in Iran.

Shahr-i Sokhta, Mysteries of the Burnt City of Iran

Located near Zabol in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, the ancient site of Shahr-i Sokhta (“Burnt City”) is one of the largest and richest Bronze Age sites in Iran and the Middle East...
Persian princess. Credit: odnolko / Adobe Stock

Mummy Cold Case: Tracing the Identity of the Mystery ‘Persian Princess’

This story details a cold case like no other. It occurred after the discovery of a mummy that was alleged to be an ancient Persian Princess. It ultimately led archaeological investigators on a wild...

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