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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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This ancient Egyptian tomb may have been ransacked by priests. Source: YouTube Screenshot / Smithsonian Channel.

Was This Ancient Egyptian Tomb Ransacked by Priests? (Video)

In the heart of the Valley of the Kings lies a mysterious tomb, designated as KV64. This mysterious burial site unveils a tumultuous chapter in ancient Egypt's history. The tomb , untouched and...
Archaeologist Dr Van Ess speculate a third of Uruk was covered in gardens and canals on stead of streets were used. AI generated ( Rick / Adobe Stock)

Uruk: Ancient Civilization Archaeological Superstar Status

Uruk, in southern Iraq, has reached superstar status in the realm of archaeological excavations of ancient civilizations by delivering the Sumerian King Lists among the 5,000 cuneiform tablets...
Illicitly traded cuneiform tablet seized by the US Department of Homeland Security HSI. Source: US Homeland Security Investigations/Antiquity Publications Ltd

Illicit Artifact Trading Falls From Top Three Dark Economies

For at least half a century it has been believed, and repeated, that the buying and selling of illegal artifacts was in the top three most illicit trades in the modern world. However, new research...
The heart-breaking theft of some artifacts in history: The Crown Jewels and an illustration of Thomas Blood. The Mona Lisa.  Dublin Police notice of theft of crown jewels. Hans Memling's Last Judgement. Elgin Marbles. Rosetta stele. Solomon's Temple. Source: Historic Royal Palaces, Public Domain, Public Domain, Public Domain, Justin Norris/CC BY 2.0, Trustees of the British Museum/ CC BY NC SA 4.0, Public Domain

Stealing History: 10 of the Most Tragic Artifact Thefts in History

Throughout history, the theft of valuable artifacts has captivated the public's imagination, revealing the audacity and cunning of those who sought to possess pieces of our shared heritage. These...
Ai Weiwei’s exhibition of animal bronze heads, entitled the Circle of Animals, are replicas of the famous looted zodiac heads and part of a contemporary commentary on the Communist Party and its nationalistic discourse. Source: Public domain

A Rabbit and a Rat Sparked a Serious China-France Showdown

In a bizarre twist of fate, a rabbit and a rat became the center of an international dispute between China and France in 2009. For these animals were part of a famed collection of Chinese bronze...
Upper ivory denture with human teeth. Source: Science Museum, London / CC BY 4.0

Teeth Scavenged from Fallen Soldiers at Waterloo Were Used as Dentures

Get ready to sink your teeth into a little-known fact about the infamous Battle of Waterloo! While many of us have heard of this bloody European battle that sent Napoleon Bonaparte packing, what you...
Portrait of Looty the Pekingese lion dog, commissioned by Queen Victoria and painted by Friedrich Wilhelm Keyl. Source: Public domain

Queen Victoria’s Dog Was Stolen from Chinese Emperor and Mockingly Called ‘Looty’

What at first glance appears to be an unexceptional dog , actually started out its life in the household of the Chinese emperor before being looted by the English during their sacking of the Old...
Temple of Rameses II at Abu Simbel. Source: matiplanas/Adobe Stock

Audacious Attempt to Crane Lift Away 10-tonne Pharaonic Statue Foiled

Thieves trying to loot a giant antique statue by prizing it up with a crane ended up in police custody in Aswan in Egypt. The statue of pharaoh Ramesses II weighs a whopping 10 tonnes. According to...
Photo of the Parthenon Marbles, East Pediment. The Elgin Marbles have been controversial ever since they were taken from Greece. Source: Justin Norris / CC BY 2.0

Are the Controversial Elgin Marbles Finally Destined for Athens?

For over a decade, staff at The British Museum refused to even discuss returning the controversially procured Elgin Marbles to Greece. Now, they’re sitting around a table with Greek heritage...
Sarcophagus of Ramses II’s royal secretary discovered in Saqqara, Egypt. Source: MOTA

Red-Pink Granite Sarcophagus of Ramses II’s Secretary Found at Saqqara

The pink-red granite sarcophagus of Ptahmweia, a royal secretary during the reign of Ramses II (1279-1213 BC) of the Nineteenth Dynasty, has been discovered at the Saqqara necropolis. This is the...
Goods with Celtic influence found in Przeworsk burial at Velyka Dibrova, Lviv region, Ukraine. Source: V. Sydorovych / Lviv Regional Council

Grave Robbers Return Przeworsk Culture Burial Goods in the Ukraine

An extraordinary incident has helped archaeologists in Ukraine gain fresh insights into how Celtic culture influenced development in the lands of their country more than 2,000 years ago. The event in...
Khmer artifacts have been looted all over Cambodia, here a looted scene of Koh Ker, Siem Reap, Cambodia. 	Source: YukselSelvi/Adobe Stock

Cambodia Demands British Museums Return Stolen Khmer Artifacts

Stolen Khmer artifacts from ancient Cambodian temples should be returned now. This is what Cambodian heritage authorities have told London's Victoria & Albert and British Museum who currently...
Representative Scythian gold warrior helmet kept in the National History Museum Kyiv.	Source: Yurii Zushchyk/Adobe Stock

Russian Soldiers Empty Ukraine Museum Of Scythian Artifacts

Russian soldiers have entered a Ukrainian museum where they stole a priceless collection of ancient artifacts. Their haul included a 2,300-year-old Scythian gold crown. The ancient crown was used by...
The man’s skull with golden tongue clearly visible was discovered during excavations at Oxyrhynchus. Source: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Two Oxyrhynchus Mummies Discovered with Golden Tongues

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said on Sunday that two 26th Dynasty tombs were excavated at El-Bahnasa (Oxyrhynchus) archaeological site in the Upper Egypt governorate of Minya...
The ‘slave room’ found in Villa Civita Giuliana in Pompeii. Source: Pompeii Archaeological Park

Horrific Slave Room Discovered in Pompeii’s Civita Giuliana

A well-preserved slave room has been discovered at Villa Civita Giuliana , a wealthy suburb of Pompeii located about 700 meters (2296.59 ft.) northwest of the city walls. This large and exuberant...
Left: Kim Kardashian. Right: The stolen Nedjemankh sarcophagus. Source: Left: Nicole Alexannder / CC BY 3.0. Right: Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Kim Kardashian Unwittingly Helped Find Stolen Nedjemankh Sarcophagus

A ring of illegal antiquities dealers was exposed and their shocking relationship with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City revealed, thanks to an apparently innocent picture taken of a...
Prehistoric Guennol Stargazer Idol to Stay in the US, Court Rules

Prehistoric Guennol Stargazer Idol to Stay in USA, Court Rules

After eight steamy days in a U.S. court, it was ruled that a 6,000-year-old artifact will stay in the country. A Manhattan judge firmly rejected Turkish antiquities authorities’ claim for the return...
More “Anti-Ten Commandment” Theft at the Museum of the Bible

More “Anti-Ten Commandment” Theft at the Museum of the Bible

The United States Department of Justice has ordered the forfeiture of a rare cuneiform tablet, seized from Hobby Lobby’s controversial Museum of the Bible back in 2019. The 3,000-year-old...
The bent Iberian lead plate, with its strange inscription, found at the Pico de Los Ajo (Yátova) in a nearby ancient metal recycling site. Source: University of Valencia

Rare Lead Plate With Mysterious Text Rescued From An Iberian Dump

A unique lead plate covered with Iberian writing has been recovered from Pico de los Ajos (Yátova), one of the most important archaeological sites in Spain. Bent out of shape, with a mysterious...
Is Jiroft Site in Iran a True Cradle of Civilization?

Is Jiroft Site in Iran a True Cradle of Civilization?

Archaeologists are preparing to launch the third major excavation of an important site on the Jiroft plain , in the Halil River valley of southeastern Iran . The Konar Sandal remains were exposed...
The Curse of the Mijikenda Vigango Statues

The Curse of the Mijikenda Vigango Statues

During the 1980s, Coastal Kenya experienced the largest heist of ancestral artifacts in history. Over 300 wooden Vigango statues were taken from the sacred grounds of several Mijikenda tribes. These...
Baroque library hall in the National Library of the Czech Republic in Prague. A collection of 13,000 occult and witchcraft books that were once part of Himmler’s “witch library” were found in the library.

Was Heinrich Himmler’s 'Nazi Witch Library' Discovered in a Czech Library?

In 2016, along with a vast array of international publications, the Daily Mail picked up a story that had been published by a Norwegian-based paper prior to a conference about the confiscation of...
Is the Blood of Jesus Really Held in the Basilica of the Holy Blood?

Is the Blood of Jesus Really Held in the Basilica of the Holy Blood?

Bruges in Belgium is a world-famous city, known for its incredible architecture. The Basilica of the Holy Blood, a Roman Catholic basilica, stands proud among the many incredible buildings. The...
Surveillance of Looters Leads to Discovery of Sarcophagi in Turkey

Surveillance of Looters Leads to Discovery of Sarcophagi in Turkey

In Turkey , an operation to stop illegal excavations has led to the discovery of rare sarcophagi . The authorities used the latest in surveillance technology to detect the looters , which in turn led...

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