martyrdom

23 July, 2017 - 13:56 ancient-origins

The Violent Birth of ‘Martyrdom’ – How the Ancient Concept Informs Modern Religious Violence

Gervase Phillips / The Conversation The word “ martyr ” has evolved into one of the most emotive terms in the English language. The faithful venerate their memories, celebrate their feast days, name...

15 May, 2014 - 00:06 aprilholloway

Researchers chart thousands of miracle stories recorded about saints of the British Isles

A conference which took place in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at the University of Cambridge saw the launch of a project to categorise and chart the thousands of miracle stories...

Myths & Legends

Could the origin of the Basajaun myth reside in an encounter between the primitive and Mesolithic populations of the ancient Basque Country, and the migrating Neolithic settlers? Source: Gorodenkoff / Adobe Stock

The Myth of the Basajaun: A Basque Story of an Ancient Encounter

The genetic background of modern day Europe can often be a complicated topic to talk about. History often brings the migrations of faraway peoples, which is how the Indo-Europeans merged with the proto-populations of Old Europe.

Crossing the Veil: The Pre-Christian Origins of Halloween and Samhain

The Cwezi: Ancient Race of Mystical People and the Modern-Day Cwezi Cult Accused of Black Magic

The Last of the Siberian Unicorns: What Happened to the Mammoth-Sized One-Horned Beasts of Legend?

The Real Story of Medusa: Protective Powers from a Snake-Haired Gorgon

The Sumerian King List still puzzles historians after more than a century of research

Human Origins

Reconstruction of what a Neanderthal may have looked like in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany

The Widespread Appearance of Neanderthal DNA: Africans Have It Too

It has long been argued that Neanderthal derived DNA is found in all non-Africans. As a result, it has been assumed that Africans fail to carry Neanderthal ancestry… even though Neanderthal skeletons have been found in North Africa at Jebel Ighoud and Haua Fteah.

Ancient Anomalous Human Skeletons: Humanity Could be Much Older Than We Think

Messiah on Temple Mount: Are We Nearing the End of Time?

Nine Parts of the Human Soul According to the Ancient Egyptians

The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts

The Nephilim: Giant Offspring of the Sons of God and the Daughters of Man?

Ancient Technology

150,000-Year-Old Pipes Baffle Scientists in China: Out of Place in Time?

Oopart (out of place artifact) is a term applied to dozens of prehistoric objects found in various places around the world that seem to show a level of technological advancement ...

Beaver's teeth 'used to carve the oldest wooden statue in the world’

The Evidence is Cut in Stone: A Compelling Argument for Lost High Technology in Ancient Egypt

An Unbreakable Story: The Lost Roman Invention of Flexible Glass

Ten amazing inventions from ancient times

Secrets Behind the Creepy Plague Doctor Mask and Costume

Ancient Places

Volterra: Home to Three Civilizations and the World’s First Witch

Volterra, an archaeological gem in the province of Pisa, in Italy, is often eclipsed by more famous historical sites. This beautiful village, however, dates to the Etruscan period and also contains many fascinating Roman ruins and medieval buildings.

The Giants of Doddridge County: Burials of a Vanished Race – Part I

If Not the Fairies, Then Who Built the Ancient Poulnabrone Dolmen?

Psusennes, the Silver Pharaoh with riches that rivalled those of Tutankhamun

25,000-Year-Old Buildings Found in Russia

Defacing of Cerne Abbas Giant by Amazon Provokes National Trust Wrath

Opinion

Floki and the Viking Discovery of Iceland

The Vikings’ next step out into the Atlantic – the discovery and settlement of Iceland – is one of the best documented events of the Viking Age. Medieval Icelanders were fascinated by genealogy, not only because, as emigrants

Messiah on Temple Mount: Are We Nearing the End of Time?

3 Problems to Remember When Trying to Find Atlantis

Naupa Iglesia: An Egyptian Portal in the Andes?

The Nephilim: Giant Offspring of the Sons of God and the Daughters of Man?

Mount Shasta: Spirits and Danger on a Sacred California Mountain

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At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there exists countless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts that have yet to be discovered and explained.

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