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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Philip II banned Arabic in an attempt to quash Moorish heritage. Detail from the ceiling of the Hall of Kings at the Alhambra in Granada. Source: Rumomo / CC BY-SA 4.0

Philip II Outlawed Arabic to Try to Erase Moorish Heritage in Spain

The reign of Philip II of Spain stands as a pivotal era marked by religious fervor. In 1566, Philip II issued a decree that reverberated across the Iberian Peninsula. This edict not only outlawed the...
Left; Dr Frederica Gigante examining the Verona astrolabe, Right; The Verona Astrolabe. Source: F. Gigante/University of Cambridge

The Verona Astrolabe Reveals A History of Islamic – Jewish Scientific Exchange

Tom Almeroth-Williams /University of Cambridge The identification of an eleventh century Islamic astrolabe bearing both Arabic and Hebrew inscriptions makes it one of the oldest examples ever...
Creating a Moroccan Court Inside the Met. Source: YouTube Screenshot / The Met.

Building a Moroccan Court Inside the Met (Video)

In 2011, the Metropolitan Museum of Art unveiled the Patti Cadby Birch Court, an extraordinary Moroccan court nestled within its walls. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this architectural...
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...
Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey. Source: yusuftatliturk / Adobe Stock

The Majesty of Mosques: 12 Captivating Photos That Showcase Islamic Architecture

Mosques are known for their stunning architecture and intricate craftsmanship. From the grandeur of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, to the delicate beauty of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul,...
Female monarchs have been rare, but not unheard of, across the world. Like their male counterparts, they had mixed track records. Source: FrankBoston / Adobe Stock

Five Female Monarchs of the Muslim World

The death of British Queen Elizabeth II earlier this year provoked retrospectives on her reign, as well as reflection on the rule of other female monarchs. Many powerful women leaders of the West are...
North gate of the city of Resafa, site of Hisham's palace and court. Source: Dario Bajurin / Adobe Stock

Hisham’s Palace: Insight into Early Islamic Architecture

Hisham’s Palace, or Khirbat Al Mafjar, is an important early Islamic archaeological site, and one of the few surviving antiquities of the Roman and Byzantine eras in the West Bank area. Located just...
The luxurious Islamic mansion found in the Negev desert also had a substantial subterranean portion, as this image reveals. Source: IAA

Lavish Early Islamic Mansion Found in Israel’s Negev Desert Astounds!

In the Bedouin town of Rahat, during pre-emptive excavations carried out before the building of a new neighborhood by the Israeli government, archaeologists stumbled upon a 1,200-year-old Islamic...
Pen with blood ink. Source: VJP / Adobe Stock

Blood Quran: Ancient Holy Text Written in the Blood of Saddam Hussein

The Qur’an is the Islamic Holy text written approximately 1400 years ago, originally memorized and recited orally, and believed to contain the words of archangel Gabriel revealed to the Prophet...
The Ma’agan Michael B Shipwreck.	Source: A. Yurman / The Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies, University of Haifa

Dead Rats and Diverse Pots Reveal Long Voyages of 1400-year-old Shipwreck

Scientists from the University of Haifa in Israel have been studying an ancient shipwreck off the Mediterranean coast of Israel. The Ma‘agan Mikhael B shipwreck has provided a rich haul of artifacts...
Drawing of the Six Kings of the Earth fresco at Qasr Amra. Source: Public domain

The Enigmatic Six Kings of the Earth Fresco Uncovered

Discovered in a crumbling desert castle located in modern-day Jordan, a fresco known as the “Six Kings of the Earth” provides a curious glimpse into the early medieval Islamic world . It is...
The battle of Wadi al-Khazandar in 1299, depicting Mongol archers and the Mamluk cavalry.		Source: Public domain

A Brief Overview of the Mamluks, the Elite Slave-Soldiers of the Islamic World

It is a sad fact that our ancient history was filled with slavery and injustice of all kinds. Great empires and powerful rulers often relied on their slave forces both for building of cities and for...
Renovations at Cervecería Giralda uncovered the remains of an ancient Seville bathhouse. Source: Álvaro Jiménez

Islamic Bathhouse Discovered in Seville Tapas Bar

Renovations in a Spanish tapas bar in Seville , southern Spain, have uncovered a forgotten 12 th -century Islamic bathhouse. The ancient structure was covered up in the early 20th century by an...
The Holy Saviour Church in Chora. Credit: Yordan Rusev / Adobe Stock

Turkey Converts ANOTHER Former Byzantine Church into a Mosque

Just one month after announcing that the world-famous Hagia Sophia, originally a Byzantine cathedral, would be converted back into a mosque , Turkish President Erdogan has inflamed tensions yet again...
Painting of astronomers located at the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Source: LoggaWiggler / CC0

The Star-Gazing Sultan and His Ulugh Beg Observatory

The Ulugh Beg Observatory is an astronomical observatory located on a hill near Samarkand, in modern day Uzbekistan. This observatory, which is often considered to be one of the finest of its kind in...
Long Before Face Masks, Islamic Healers Tried to Ward Off Disease With Talismans

Long Before Face Masks, Islamic Healers Tried to Ward Off Disease With Talismans

Just as many now don face masks and do breathing exercises to protect against COVID-19 – despite debates around the science behind such practices – so too did the Islamic world turn to protective...
Aerial View of Banbhore, where the largest ancient ivory workshop has been found.   Source: Engr.aly / CC BY-SA 4.0

Largest Ancient Ivory Factory Discovered In Pakistan

When vast quantities of discarded ivory fragments were unearthed at the ancient port city of Bhanbhore, they revealed what would be the largest ivory production facility found in the ancient world...
Altar of Mount Ebal. Source: Hoshvilim / CC BY-SA 4.0

Is Mount Ebal the ‘Real’ Home of God?

A controversial researcher claims Jerusalem’s place “where God will choose to dwell” was not the famous Temple on Mount Moriah. The Temple in Jerusalem , also known as Mount Moriah , is traditionally...
This rural mosque likely served nearby farmers sometime between 600 and 700 AD. (Emil Aladjem / Israel Antiquities Authority)

One of the Oldest Islamic Holy Sites in the World Discovered in Israel

The remains of a 1,200-year-old mosque have been unearthed in Israel’s Negev desert and it’s being celebrated as one of the earliest known mosques in the world. Hidden beneath the sands of Rahat,...
The famous colonnade street of Apamea which has reportedly been destroyed. (Maurizio / Adobe)

Syrian Army Discovers Tragic Destruction of Apamea at the Hands of Terrorists

The Head of the Department of Antiquities and Museums of Hama in Syria, Abdul Qader Farzet, has announced that the ancient Syrian city of Apamea, which was recently reclaimed by government forces,...
"Muhammad the Apostle of God” .

The First Caliphs of Islam: Power, Corruption, War, and Treachery in the Rashidun Caliphate

The first caliphs of the Islamic World were the Rashidun , or “rightly guided,” caliphs and they controlled a vast empire. According to the Sunni Muslims, the Rashidun caliphs were chosen by Muhammad...
Portrait of the great Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta.

Ibn Battuta—The Marco Polo of Dar-al-Islam

Before the invention of transportation such as trains, airplanes, and efficient, cheap travel over open ocean, people did not usually travel farther than perhaps 20 miles from their hometown. An...
The August 7, 2018 Ibn Sina Google Doodle.

Who Was Ibn Sina and Why is He a Google Doodle?

A surprising Google Doodle has greeted users of the search engine in the UK. The image celebrates the 1038th birthday of Persian polymath Ibn Sina. For many in the West, this may be the first...
Wadi Al-Salam: Magnificent Ancient Cemetery in Iraq

Wadi Al-Salam: Magnificent Ancient Cemetery in Iraq is Largest in the World

Wadi Al-Salam, meaning Valley of Peace in Arabic, is an ancient Islamic cemetery located near the holy city of Najaf, Iraq. From an aerial view, it looks like a sprawling city. However, its residents...

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