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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Mask

Undated photo of a mosaic jade mask discovered inside an ancient Maya tomb dating back 1,700 years in Chochkitam, Guatemala, near the borders of what are now Mexico and Belize, on July 1, 2022. Source: Francisco Estrada-Belli/Tulane University

Haunting Jade Mask and Inscribed Bones Unearthed In Guatemala

An ancient Maya tomb, dating back 1,700 years, has been uncovered at the site of Chochkitam in Guatemala, near the border of modern-day Mexico and Belize. This looted, pyramid tomb revealed an...
The Olmec mask in The Met Collection. Public Domain.

Uncovering the Met’s 3,000-Year-Old Olmec Mask (Video)

This ancient Olmec face, on display at the Met, stands as a remarkable exhibit that underscores the enduring power of art and the intriguing craftsmanship of the Olmec culture. While commonly labeled...
The mask of Warka, from Warka, ancient Uruk, Iraq. 3000-2900 BC. The Iraq Museum, Baghdad. Source: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP (Glasg)/CC BY-SA 4.0

Is the Mask of Warka the World’s Oldest Representation of a Human Face?

The once-fertile region of Mesopotamia, cited by many as the cradle of civilization, is a true treasure trove of ancient relics and archaeological wonders. A land where numerous prominent city states...
The Helmet of Henry VIII. Source: Geni / CC by SA 4.0.

The Legendary Helmet of King Henry VIII (Video)

The Horned Helmet of King Henry VIII is a truly enigmatic and iconic artifact that continues to intrigue historians and scholars alike. Crafted as a ceremonial gift of great status by the court...
Guy Fawkes masks have become a symbol of anarchy and protest against tyranny, seen here during a protest in Madrid. Source: Daniel López García / CC BY 2.0

Why Masks Depicting England’s Guy Fawkes Were Banned in Saudi Arabia

With its highly-stylized moustache, the so-called Anonymous mask has featured in multiple protests across the globe. Described by the Fair Observer as “a staple of anti-authoritarian activist...
Silver Coffin of Psusennes I, a.k.a. the Silver Pharaoh. Source: Aidan McRae Thomson / CC BY-SA 2.0

Psusennes: The Silver Pharaoh with Treasures to Rival Tutankhamun's

Amidst the chaos of the Second World War in Western Europe, a French archaeologist named Pierre Montet unearthed a stunning treasure in 1940 in Tanis, Egypt. The find was on par with the legendary...
An ancient Peruvian funerary mask. Source: Olena / Adobe Stock

Ancient Peruvian Gold Mask Was Painted with Human Blood!

Archaeologists with the Sicán Archaeological Project , a decades-long study of a lost pre-Incan culture, unearthed a tomb and its contents along the northern coast of Peru in the early 1990s...
Giant Face of Ucanha: Giant Sculpted Mayan Mask Found in Mexico

Giant Face of Ucanha: Huge Sculpted Mayan Mask Found in Mexico

In the southeastern Mexican state of Yucatán on the Yucatán Peninsula, an archaeological team digging at a lightly explored site near the tiny, picturesque village of Ucanha uncovered something...
Detail of a Phoenician grinning mask, 4th century BC, found in a grave at San Sperate, Cagliari, Museo Archeologico Nazionale.

The Disturbing Truth Behind a Sardonic Grin

Creepy and more than a little uncomfortable to behold, one usually thinks of DC Comics' Joker when hearing the phrase "sardonic grin." A "smile" that pulls up the corners of the mouth in a way that...
5,000-Year-Old Masked Figurine Found in Siberian Mass Grave

5,000-Year-Old Masked Figurine Found in Siberian Mass Grave

Archaeologists have discovered a strange little masked figurine in Siberia. It was found upon the shoulder of a woman who was buried face down in a mass grave 5,000 years ago. The whole scenario has...
Plague Doctor Mask, Steno Museum

Secrets Behind the Creepy Plague Doctor Mask and Costume

The plague doctor mask is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Black Death. Though the image is iconic the relationship may be a little anachronistic. While plague doctors have been plying...
A new CT scan of the Tashtyk death mask has uncovered the face of the ancient Tashtyk man, revealing he had a scar on his face from a wound stitched up after his death. Source: ©The State Hermitage Museum / The Siberian Times

Tashtyk Death Mask Scan Reveals Evidence of Prehistoric Surgery

The surgically enhanced face and skull of an ancient tattooed Tashtyk man, hidden behind a stirring gypsum death mask for 1,700 years, has been 3D-visualized for the first time. Discovered wearing a...
This bronze vessel was one of many Macedonian treasures missed by looters at Ahlada, near Florina, in Macedonia    Source: Greek Ministry of Culture

A Wealth of Macedonian Treasures Overlooked By Looters

Archaeologists at a Macedonian graveyard in Greece have been ecstatic to find that graverobbers had far from cleaned out the ancient resting place. The burial ground was looted in ancient times and...
Death mask of Napolean Bonaparte

10 Sacred Masks for Hunting, Ritual, Shame and Death

Masks are one of the few things on the earth that connect all of humanity throughout time. We have created ritual masks since our very beginnings in order to disguise, protect, or entertain. They...
Cliff of Bandiagara

How the Dogon Preserved Their Unique Culture Along The Cliff of Bandiagara Mali

The Cliff of Bandiagara (or Land of the Dogons) in Mali is an outstanding landscape and has earthen architecture that seems to defy the laws of nature and the passing of time. Despite globalization,...
The Inca artifact found in Florida.

Ancient Inca Artifact Discovered in Florida Points to a $4 billion Sunken Treasure Hoard

In a confidential location at sea near Melbourne, Florida, explorers and treasure recovery experts have found an ancient Peruvian funeral mask which they think is evidence of a sunken treasure worth...
9000 year-old mask that was recovered.

Stone Mask from the Dawning of Ancient Societies Found in Israel

The Israel Antiquities Authority has announced the recovery from looters of a very rare Neolithic mask made from stone. The item was originally discovered this year in Hebron, on the West Bank. This...
Square faced mummy, The Louvre

Mummy À La Mode: Elaborate Treatment of the Square-Faced Mummy with Intricate Décor

Everybody knows the traditional wrappings of a mummy; long strips of fabric are wrapped around the body from head to toe. But this mummy from the Louvre has an intricately woven square design on its...
Newly unearthed mask of Pakal

Ritual Mask of Legendary 7th century Maya King Pakal the Great has been unearthed in Mexico

Archaeologists digging in Mexico's Palenque ruins have uncovered a mask believed to represent the 7th-century Maya ruler K'inich Janaab Pakal, commonly known a ‘Pakal the Great’ - one of ancient...
Amiternum funerary procession relief.

Mimes, Paid Grievers, and Masks: The Insane Theatrics of Ancient Roman Funerals

Two thousand years ago, funerals weren’t the quiet, somber affairs we have today. They were loud, boisterous shows that started with a massive procession of people parading down the streets, pounding...
The silver facemask gilded with gold found on the face of the mummy.

2,000-Year-Old Egyptian Mummy Workshop and Goldmine of Treasures Unearthed in Saqqara

A team of Egyptian-German Archeologists announced to the world’s media yesterday that their recent dig in Saqqara, Egypt, led to the unearthing of “a rare mummification workshop containing mummies...
One of the three Mesolithic deer skull headdresses from the new Star Carr exhibition at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

11,000-year-old Spiritualized Deer Masks Whisper Tales Of A Forgotten World

Deer skulls with carved eyeholes dating to 11,000 years ago have been discovered at Star Carr Mesolithic archaeological site about five miles (8.0 km) south of Scarborough in North Yorkshire, England...
The newly-discovered mummy from a tomb in Luxor.

Two Ancient Tombs Containing Numerous Treasures Unearthed in Egypt and One Contains a Mummy

Egyptian authorities have announced the discovery of two ancient tombs in the southern city Luxor that date around 3,500 years. They are packed full of grave goods, and one includes the mummified...
A Malakulan spider web mask.

Museum Mix-up Creates a Sticky Mess: Spider Web Masks Did NOT Suffocate Widows

Spider webs are sticky, somewhat creepy, and generally not something you like to see in your house. But they are also intricate and beautiful when the right light hits them. Even more intriguing than...

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