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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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The five Roman tombs found at the Beir Al-Shaghala site in the Dakhla Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert.

Roman Era Tombs Discovered in Egypt Reveal Diverse Trends in Burial Architecture and Grave Goods

Not all Egyptian tombs are alike. Apart from the impact of social status, there is also a difference in architectural styles and burial preferences over the long history of their existence. This can...
Mosaic, shown Gargoyles in form of Theatrical masks of Tragedy and Comedy. Roman artwork, 2nd century AD.

Masks, Sex, Laughter, and Tears: The Exciting Evolution of Ancient Greek Theater

The city of theater was Athens. Athens birthed drama, bred drama, and ultimately was responsible for cultivating it into the premiere art of the Classical world—at least according to Greek...
Dramatic mask with tusks and feathers, Ninghai, Zhejiang, China

Ferocious Beast-Head Masks, Heavy Robes & Swirling Colors: What are the Unspoken Messages in Ancient Chinese Opera?

In “Civilization of China” (1911), Herbert Giles wrote that “for pleasure pure and simple, independent of gains and losses, the theater occupies the warmest place in every Chinaman's heart”. The fact...
An artistic representation of Al-Muqanna, the Veiled Prophet.

Second Moon Uprising: How Science and Skullduggery Helped an 8th Century Prophet Raise a Revolt

“The 'Moon of Nakhshab' was an artificial moon which Hakim Ibn-e 'Ata, known as Muqanna' (the Veiled One), caused to arise from the Pit of Nakhshab. This moon had been prepared by means of [magical]...
Front and back view of the 3,000 year old mask.

3,000-Year-Old Copper Mask Found in Argentina Challenges Ideas of South American Metalwork Development

Archaeologists that recently discovered an ancient, rectangular copper mask in the southern Andes in Argentina claim the discovery challenges the dominant theory that South American metalworking...
Researchers traced around the edges of the figures to reveal a hunter, a possible shaman (medicine man) and an ostrich, which are still hunted today by San people of Africa. If you look underneath the image, you can see some faint pecking in the rock that clearly show the prehistoric human and ostrich images.

Ancient Egyptian Ritual Image Predates the Rise of the Pharaohs

The ancient Egyptians built their first great monuments in stone beginning with the step pyramid of Djoser about 4,650 years ago. Well before that, around 6,000 years ago, a fine artist working in...
This rare ritual mask fuses together the exotic beauty of Luba with the hypnotic power of Songye art.

Half A Million Dollar Mask With Otherworldly Origins

Deep in the Congo, at the darkest moment within a three-day long drug enhanced ritual, this mask is revealed to initiates as representing a being from another dimension, a collision of man, animal...
Golden treasures that were found inside Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Everyone Knows the Mask of King Tut, but Have You Seen Any of the 5,000 Other Treasures from His Tomb?

To his subjects, King Tutankhamen was part man, part god. His death in 1323 BC signaled the end of an era - the end of Egypt as an imperial power. The circumstances surrounding King Tut’s death are...
Entering an Unknown Pagan Sanctuary: New Discoveries Made at a Roman Site in Israel

Entering an Unknown Pagan Sanctuary: New Discoveries Made at a Roman Site in Israel

A team of researchers have finally found the missing link in the ancient Israeli city of Hippos-Sussita. Following discoveries of a large bronze mask of the Greek god Pan and a monumental gate, they...
Chiseling Away at the Mystery of the Neanderthal Mask of La Roche-Cotard

Chiseling Away at the Mystery of the Neanderthal Mask of La Roche-Cotard

A piece of flat flint may have been shaped by the hands of a Neanderthal who once lived near the cave La Roche-Cotard in the territory of Langeais, France. Many people see a face in this artifact,...
A baked clay theater mask that was discovered among the grave goods provides information about the people whose bodies were buried in the chamber.

Striking Grave Goods Begin to Shed Light on Hellenistic Life in Turkey

A burial chamber had been discovered near the city of Aydin, Turkey, located in the southwestern part of the country. Aydin is a famous location for very well preserved archaeological sites. It bears...
A crypt with up to 30 burials discovered in Siberia

Haunting new find of death masks from ancient Siberian warrior race

By Anna Liesowska / The Siberian Times A crypt with up to 30 burials is giving archaeologists fresh insights of intriguing ancient Siberians famed for their death masks which give us a clear idea of...
Tutankhamun’s death mask

Tutankhamun Death Mask was Made for Nefertiti, Archaeologist says

A new analysis of Tutankhamun’s golden death mask has led to a radical new theory – the mask was originally made for Nefertiti, step mother of Tutankhamun , as a co-regent to her husband king...
The Mycenaean Death Mask of Agamemnon

Questioning the Mycenaean Death Mask of Agamemnon

The German archaeologist, Heinrich Schliemann is perhaps one of the luckiest archaeologists in history. His discovery of the Mask of Agamemnon was not his first, but second remarkable discovery...
The Green Man Legend

Unraveling the Nature and Identity of the Green Man

An enigma spanning thousands of years, the Green Man is a symbol of mysterious origin and history. Permeating various religious faiths and cultures, the Green Man has survived countless...
Extracting papyri from a Greco-Roman mummy mask, in hopes that early Biblical texts might be found.

Researchers extract Papyrus Text from Mummy Mask, revealing what might be the oldest known Gospel

A team of scientists claim to have recovered the oldest known copy of a gospel, dating back to the 1 st century AD, which they extracted from papyri used to create an Egyptian mummy mask, Live...
Neolithic spirit masks - Jerusalem

Incredible collection of Neolithic spirit masks revealed for the first time

More than 10,000 years ago, ancient people living in the Judean Desert and Hills abandoned their nomadic lifestyles and established permanent settlements. Around this time, art, culture, and...
Hopi Mask Returned

US charity bought Hopi masks for $530k then returned them to tribe

The Hopi tribal mask is revered as a sacred ritual artefact by the Native American Hopi tribe in Arizona. The masks are worn by dancers during religious ceremonies and are considered as living beings...
Pharaoh Mask Egypt

The Crowns of the Pharaohs

In Ancient Egypt, the gods and kings (pharaohs) were depicted with a crown, which, according to Egyptologists, were also taken into the grave for the afterlife. These crowns however have never...
Ancient Japanese Mask

World’s Oldest Japanese Mask Unearthed

Archaeologists have unearthed a fragment of the oldest known Japanese mask at the Daifuku archaeological site in Japan. The finding suggests possible cultural links between this area of western Japan...

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