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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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The Dead Sea Scroll fragments, which originally were believed to be blank, but now new research has revealed ancient writing.           Source: University of Manchester

‘Blank’ Dead Sea Scroll Fragments Reveal Hidden Message

A team of experts have made an important discovery about some Dead Sea Scroll fragments in the United Kingdom. They have found letters on four fragments that were believed to be ‘blanks’. This...
Medieval manuscript. Credit: Andrzej Solnica / Adobe Stock

Experts Solve 1000-Year-Old Mystery of Rare Medieval Blue Ink

Portuguese researchers believe that they have identified the long-lost process and plant that provided a unique purple-blue pigment in the Middle Ages . This was used to color many things including...
There is much debate between scholars to Jesus’ crucifixion date, but there is no real consensus. Is there anyway of us knowing the truth? Left: portrait of Sir Isaac Newton. (Public domain).     Right: representation of Jesus’ crucifixion. (Kovalenko I / Adobe stock)

Sir Isaac Newton’s Astronomical Dating of Christ's Crucifixion

Whether he existed as a physical person, or as some believe, was merely an archetype from Jewish mysticism, Jesus has taken the world by storm and according to the Complete Pilgrim , very rough...
Mosaic of the baptism of Jesus Christ by Saint John the Baptist in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2016. Source: Adam Ján Figeľ / Adobe stock

Jewish Prophet and Christian Saint – Who Was John the Baptist?

John the Baptist was a Jewish preacher and prophet who is believed to have been a forerunner to Jesus Christ . In the Book of Matthew in the Greek New Testament, John is depicted as another Elijah...
Main: The Tel Motza Iron Age temple excavation site in Jerusalem.    Source: Skyview / Israel Antiquities Authority.     Inset: Ancient figurines of people found at Tel Motza.        Source: Clara Amit / Israel Antiquities Authority

Iron Age Temple Uncovered in Jerusalem Challenges Biblical Claim

The famous Temple of Solomon might not have been the first or only temple in the Holy Land. Dating to around 900 BC, an Iron Age temple located near Jerusalem negates the long-held idea the ancient...
Depiction of the Captivity of Judah.   Source: The Providence Lithograph Company / Public domain

The End of Ancient Judaism: The Captivity

The twelve tribes of ancient Judaism were united into a single kingdom under the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon. The destruction of this kingdom and the forced exile of its population is known as...
A shofar is sounded under the light of the sun. Source: Rafael Ben-Ari /Adobe Stock.

“Shofar Away”: An Akhenaten Connection to the Jewish New Year

The lone blast of the shofar trumpet stretches out across the hills, illuminated by the first rays of the morning sun. The distinct sonorous call marks the important day of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish...
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...
The Dead Sea Scrolls

Ancient Tech Preserved Dead Sea Temple Scroll

Among the thousands of pieces of parchment found in caves near the Dead Sea, one scroll was unique among the rest. The Temple Scroll was the best preserved and with the clearest writing. Now...
Book of the Dead papyrus

Invisible Ink on Nile Papyrus Revealed by Groundbreaking Method

The first thing that catches an archaeologist's eye on the small piece of papyrus from Elephantine Island on the Nile is the apparently blank patch. Researchers from the Egyptian Museum, Berlin...
Painting of Zarathustra (Zoroaster) at a temple in Isfahan, Iran.

Who Was Zoroaster and How Did He Gain Religious Followers?

Zoroaster was a prophet of ancient Persia, whose teachings laid the foundation for the religion known as Zoroastrianism, which largely dominated the land of Iran until the arrival of Islam after the...
Mesha stele has been claimed to hold proof of the existence of King Balak

Experts Claim New Mesha Stele Reading Provides Evidence Biblical King Was An Historical Figure

Researchers in Israel believe that they have found evidence that a biblical king was a historic figure. They believe that a damaged inscribed tablet known as the Mesha Stele offers proof that a...
The Good Samaritan.

The Powerful Politics Behind the Parable of the Good Samaritan

Today, the term “Good Samaritan” is often used to refer to any person who does a selfless good deed for a stranger or someone who is not part of their normal ingroup. It is also referenced in the...
Stained glass representation of the Prophet Isaiah by Valentin Bousch.

What is the Legacy of Isaiah the Prophet?

Isaiah the prophet is known for having urged Israel to rely on Yahweh, their national god, instead of on the political power, and the gods of nations like Egypt or Assyria for protection and...
1,500-Year-Old Graffiti reveals Gladiator Battles

1,500-Year-Old Graffiti reveals Gladiator Battles

The Italian word graffiti dates only to 1851, online sources say, but the practice of drawing and scribbling on walls and surfaces in public places dates back millennia. In fact, a Professor from...
A shepherd (Jesus? Tammuz? Other?) with his flock.

Tammuz and Jesus: More Than a Distant Connection?

Christianity has its origins in a Middle Eastern religion, Judaism, so it is little surprise that there are some residual similarities between Christian theological thought and ancient Middle Eastern...
A modern interpretation of King Solomon’s Temple.

The First Temple: Crowning Achievement of King Solomon and Home of the Legendary Ark of the Covenant

The Biblical figure King Solomon was the son of King David, was reputedly both wealthy and wise. He is recorded as a prophet in both Judaism’s Talmud and Islam’s Quran and one of his major legacies...
Orant, Catacomb of Priscilla. It has been argued that these catacombs provide evidence for women having a stronger role in early Christianity, perhaps even in the priesthood.

No Girls Allowed? Debate for Women in the Christian Priesthood Rages On

In many countries, laws prohibit employers from discriminating based on sex. However, exemptions to this law are often made for religious orders. The Roman Catholic Church is adamant that women...
Can Different Religions Peacefully Share a Sacred Site? A Temple Mount Tragedy

Can Different Religions Peacefully Share a Sacred Site? A Temple Mount Tragedy

One of the major points of contention between Israel and the Arab/Moslem world is over the most sacred piece of real estate on the planet. At 37 acres, the Temple Mount is the focal point of prayer...
A Question of Faith: Is the Tomb of the Legendary King David Really on Mount Zion?

A Question of Faith: Is the Tomb of the Legendary King David Really on Mount Zion?

There is a famous tomb located on Mount Zion in the ancient city of Jerusalem. A part of the Diaspora Yeshiva, this tomb receives thousands of visitors every year. Many of them go to the site with...
Introduction of Christianity in Poland, by Jan Matejko, 1888–89, National Museum, Warsaw.

Faith or Economy? Why Pagan Religions Lost Their Position in Europe

Even though there are hundreds of thousands of followers of pagan religions, the old beliefs haven't survived enough to be included in the group of the five major religions of the world. Officially,...
Green Man in the Louvre

The Truth Behind the Christ Myth: The Green Man and the Legend of Jesus – Part II

So how did the oft-used legend of the Green Man eventually become chosen to be the legend of Jesus? Let us begin when it was the life story of the ancient Green Man and work forward to the time of...
Ostraca from Arad numbers 24, 5, and 40. The poor state of preservation, including stains, erased characters, and blurred text, is evident.

Analysis Shows that the Hebrew Bible May Be Centuries Older than Once Thought

New research may change to the early history of Christianity and Judaism. Researchers from Tel Aviv University believe that a discovery from Arad proves that the Hebrew Bible was written much earlier...
A photo showing some stelae found with Arabic inscriptions.

Archaeologists Discover that Earliest Known Arabic Writing Was Penned by a Christian

The oldest known Arabic writing found in Saudi Arabia, from ca. 470 AD belong to a Christian context and predates the advent of Islam with 150 years. In December 2015, researchers from a French-Saudi...

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