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Kingdom of Loango, a productive trade center. Source: Public Domain

Selling Their Souls: Kingdom of Loango, Africa’s Pre-Colonial Power

At the time when European explorers were first setting foot in Africa, the continent seemed to them a vast and enchanting realm with many unique cultures. They also encountered proper kingdoms that...
Warriors of the Kingdom of Kush. Source: Horticulture / Adobe Stock.

Secrets of the Kushite Empire and How They Took Over Egypt (Video)

The Kushite takeover of Egypt is a story that is often overlooked in history books. Most of what we know about the kingdom of Kush comes from the perspective of the Egyptians , who wrote everything...
The Bansa, or residence of the King of Kongo, and capital of the Kingdom of Kongo was called St. Salvador or Mbanza-Kongo, seen here in 1745. (Public domain)

The Rise and Fall of Central Africa’s Mighty Kingdom of Kongo

Nestled between the Congo River and the Atlantic Ocean lies a hidden gem of African history: the Kingdom of Kongo. Despite its vast territory spanning modern-day Angola, Congo and Gabon, this...
Rabana ‘sanctuary, fortifications at the Rabana-Merquly. Source: © Rabana-Merquly Archaeological Project / Antiquity Publications Ltd

Lost Royal City of Natounia May Have Been Found in Zagros Mountains

An ancient, fortified settlement known as Rabana-Merquly, which was located high in the north-central Zagros Mountains of modern-day Iraqi Kurdistan, was protected by impenetrable fortifications...
A new study reveals the role droughts played in the development and spread of Islam. Source:  Leo Lintang / Adobe Stock

Power Vacuum Caused by Extreme Drought Led to the Spread of Islam

A power vacuum caused by an extreme drought 1,500 years ago in the Arabian Peninsula led to political unrest, war, and societal change. These were the preconditions that led to the development and...
King Arthur statue at Tintagel Castle, one of the mysterious Celtic Kings of legend. 	Source: Alex / Adobe Stock

The Royal Burials of 65 Celtic Kings Identified in England and Wales

Researchers in England had always known there was something special about these 65 graves. Now, a new paper explains that these are likely the resting places of powerful post-Roman period Celtic...
Ruins of the Tribal Nanzhao Culture Recently Uncovered

Ruins of the Tribal Nanzhao Culture Speak of Buddha

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient temple complex dating back to a society once subjugated by the Tang Dynasty - the state of Nanzhao. Researchers found the words "Buddha sarira enshrined by...
Baboon Skull Could Lead to the Long Lost Land of Punt

Baboon Skull Could Lead to the Long Lost Land of Punt

Researchers believe they have uncovered the first clear example of a treasure the ancient Egyptians brought home with them from the legendary, lost Land of Punt. It is a 3,300-year-old baboon skull...
The sorties of many brave Indian queens have been lost to history.     Source: jozefklopacka/Adobe Stock

Remembering Brave Indian Queens: 10 Powerhouses History has Forgotten

Just like Gaea, the embodiment of Mother Earth in Greek mythology, India also has a concept of Adi Parashakti, the supreme mother who is behind the creation of the entire universe, the cosmos, and...
The Phrygian King Midas monument named Yazilikaya at Eskişehir, Turkey. (Selcuk/Adobe Stock)

Lost Kingdom that Crushed King Midas Identified in Turkey

Archaeologists have made an amazing discovery in the south of Turkey. While investigating an area rich in archaeological remains they believe that they have found a formerly lost city and kingdom...
Michael Harrower and Cinzia Perlingieri mapping architecture at the Aksumite town of Beta Samati. (Credit: Nicole Harrower) A Christian stone pendant and a gold and carnelian intaglio ring found in the basilica. (Credit: I. Dumitru)   Source: Antiquity Publications Ltd.

Lost Aksumite Town Reveals Secrets of Enigmatic Kingdom

Despite their prominent place in the ancient world, much of the story of the Aksumite civilization is still a mystery to archaeologists today. This partly explains why the discovery of the town of...
Shureimon Gate in Shuri castle, home to the former Ryukyu Kingdom, in Okinawa. Source: f11photo /Adobe Stock

Ryukyu Kingdom: Castles, Customs, and China and Japan's Rivalry

As far as Asian nations and their histories go, one of the most interesting places that grabs everyone’s attention is Japan. The islands of Japan were always home to many lords, kingdoms, and...
Left: The excavation site at Zincirli, southern Turkey. (Lucas Stephens)Top Right: Baking and cooking pots and trays found at Zincirli, including a ceramic pot with soot still left on the bottom from when it was last used (left). Bottom Right: Items found at Zincirli include bronze needles stored in a bone case (top left), a bronze figurine of a goddess (left), and animal knucklebones often used as dice (bottom). (Roberto Ceccacci)

3,500 Years Ago, Hittites Sacked and Razed an Unwary City

Archaeologists in Turkey have unearthed a city that was sacked by the Hittites over 3,500 years ago. One afternoon more than 3,500 years ago, hundreds of families were getting about their everyday...
Medieval knight riding into battle. Credit: rudall30 / Adobe Stock

The Dramatic History of the Normans: A Tale of Medieval Conquest

History is full of stories that will grip you like a modern page-turner novel, but only a few can do it as easily as the tale of the Normans. Proud and fearsome, these Viking descendants were key...
Imaginary ruins of a sunken kingdom. Source: manjik /Adobe Stock

10 Sensational Sunken Kingdoms: Atlantis’ Companions Beneath the Waves

Some of the most exciting archaeological discoveries and mysteries are the ones involving the ancient ruins of kingdoms lost beneath the waves. There is something about the underwater world that...
An 1811 wood engraving depicts the coronation of King Henry. Source: Fine Art America

The Kingdom of Hayti and the Slave that Pronounced Himself King

By Marlene Daut / The Conversation Marvel’s blockbuster “Black Panther,” which recently became the first superhero drama to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award, takes place in the secret...
Royal Palace at Ebla. Source: CC BY-SA 3.0

First Kingdoms: The Forgotten Mesopotamian Kingdom of Ebla

Spectacular things were happening in Mesopotamia in the period we call the Early Bronze Age, particularly in the southern part of it, commonly called Babylonia. It was here that the wealthy,...
A fight between a Roman and a Germanic warrior.

Raiders of Hispania: Unravelling the Secrets of the Suebi

In the 5th century AD, the reign of the Roman Empire in the west came crashing down with a series of barbarian invasions. Visigoths, Franks , and other groups laid waste to the villas and cities of...
King Offa of Mercia in procession.

King Offa of Mercia: A Ruthless Anglo-Saxon Hellbent on Power and Prestige

One of the most prominent Anglo-Saxon kings, Offa of Mercia in southern England, came to power upon the murder of his cousin, King Aethelbald. He went on to rule for 39 years and consolidated much of...
Royal tombs in Neungsan-ri

The Little Known Ancient Korean Sites of the Baekje Kingdom Finally Receive Worldwide Recognition

Eight areas in Korea that used to be part of ancient Baekje Kingdom were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015. They were registered at Number 12 on the list, which covers over 1000...
Aztec Calendar Sun Stone, used by the Aztecs as well as other Pre-Columbian peoples of central Mexico and Central America

Nahuatl, The Language of the Aztec Nation

Today, Spanish is the dominant language of Mexico and most central and South American countries. There was a time, however, when Nahuatl, a language spoken by the indigenous inhabitants of the Valley...
False Doors: The Gateways to the Egyptian Underworld

False Doors: The Gateways to the Egyptian Underworld

As the name would suggest, a false door is an imitation door usually found in mortuary temples and tombs across ancient Egypt. Facing west, these doors served as an imaginary passage between the...
Tigranes the Great, King of Armenia

The Rise and Fall of Tigranes the Great, King of Armenia

Under King Tigranes II the Great, from 95 to 55 B.C. Armenia thrived, and became the strongest state in the Roman east for a time. In the millennia leading up to Roman rule, the Armenian Plateau...
Concept art of Asian palace - South Korea

Massive Earthen Ramparts in South Korea Believed to Be Hiding an Ancient Palace

Archaeologists in South Korea believe they have unearthed evidence of a 6th century palace of Ara Gaya, an ancient city-state kingdom, in the modern town of Haman in the Gyeongsang Province of South...

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