Middle East

Google Image of some of the “wheel” geoglyphs found in the Azraq Oasis of Jordan.

3 December, 2015 - 03:52 Alicia McDermott

Some Giant Geoglyphs in Jordan are Older than the World Famous Nazca Lines

Despite the difficulty in discerning the finished product of the giant designs from earth, archaeologists have recently announced that at least some of the great “works of old men” (as the Bedouin...

10 August, 2015 - 23:59 ancient-origins

Abrupt Climate Change May Have Rocked the Cradle of Civilization

New research reveals that some of the earliest civilizations in the Middle East and the Fertile Crescent may have been affected by abrupt climate change. These findings show that while socio-economic...

An Ulfberht sword displayed at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg, Germany

16 December, 2014 - 00:45 ancient-origins

A Step Closer to the Mysterious Origin of the Viking Sword Ulfberht

By Tara MacIsaac , Epoch Times Ulfberht was like a Medieval luxury brand for swords—but unlike your Gucci purse, the swords were of such high quality they were almost … mystical. Dozens of these...

12 December, 2014 - 12:18 aprilholloway

Ten Amazing and Mysterious Geoglyphs from the Ancient World

The most well-known geoglyphs in the world are undoubtedly the Nazca Lines of coastal Peru. Yet, scattered across the globe are thousands of other geoglyphs that are equally as impressive. The earth...

11 November, 2014 - 12:03 mrreese

The Works of Old Men: Geoglyphs of the Middle East

Stretching from Syria to Saudi Arabia, thousands of ancient geoglyphs built from stone stretch across the desert plains. Known as the “works of old men”, some display a kite-like structure while...

6 November, 2014 - 21:01 lizleafloor

Giant stone circles in the Middle East puzzle archaeologists

Huge stone circles in the Middle East have been imaged from the air, but researchers remain puzzled as to why they exist, and who made them. 11 Big Circles dot the landscape across Jordan and Syria...

This skull was unearthed from a lake bed in central Sweden

19 September, 2014 - 02:04 aprilholloway

New study reveals third group of ancient ancestors of modern Europeans

It has long been thought that modern Europeans descended from both indigenous hunters and Middle Eastern farmers. However, a new study published in the journal Nature , shows that a third population...

23 August, 2014 - 03:28 aprilholloway

Oldest metal object found to date in Middle East

A copper awl, the oldest metal object found to date in the Middle East, was discovered during the excavations at Tel Tsaf, according to a recent study published by researchers from the Zinman...

4 February, 2014 - 05:58 aprilholloway

New research reveals back-to-Africa gene flow from Eurasia to southern African populations

We hear a lot about the ‘Out of Africa’ theory that humans originated in Africa and then migrated to other countries around the world. But a fascinating new study published in the Proceedings of the...

11 December, 2013 - 03:25 aprilholloway

Discovery Reveals Cyprus was part of Neolithic Revolution

Artefacts found at an archaeological site in Cyprus suggest that humans occupied the Mediterranean island about 1,000 years earlier than previously believed. The implication is that Cyprus was part...

23 November, 2013 - 23:49 aprilholloway

Largest and Oldest Wine Cellar of the Middle East Unearthed

Archaeologists have unearthed what may be the largest and oldest wine cellar in the Middle East in Tel Kabri, Israel. The massive cellar contained forty jars, each of which would have held fifty...

Pages

Myths & Legends

A 19th-century interpretation of Charon's crossing by Alexander Litovchenko.

Charon, Son of Night and Shadow, Ferrier of the Dead

The Cat Came Back: A More Than Mythical History – Part I

Does the Brewer Cave Story Unlock a Hidden History?

The Bringer of Souls: The Stork Myth In Ancient Pan-European Beliefs

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

Wayland the Smith: The Lost Germanic Legend of the Flying Blacksmith

Human Origins

Representational image of human skeletons. The discovery of anomalous skeletons suggests humanity may be older than we think.

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

There are many reported human skeletal finds which are in discordance with current evolutionary beliefs dating back to anomalously ancient geological periods in the distant past, way before it is accepted that human beings ever existed.

The Cat Came Back: A More Than Mythical History – Part I

Where are Ashkenazi Jews from? Their Origins May Surprise You

Sky Burial: Tibet’s Ancient Tradition for Honoring the Dead

The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts

Do you dare enter a fairy ring? The mythical mushroom portals of the supernatural

Ancient Technology

The Medieval ring found in Kavarna, Bulgaria (Image: Kavarna Municipality)

Jewelry to Die For: 14th-Century Bulgarian Ring with a Killer Dose

When a medieval ring was uncovered by Bulgarian archaeologists excavating the remains of the medieval fortress on Cape Kaliakra, near the town of Kavarna on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, they were surprised to discover that it was not a simply a decorative piece but looked to have been designed for the far more sinister use of murder.

Uncovering Ancient Pyramid Science at Teotihuacan, Where Men Become Gods

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

Etruscans Transported Bees by Boat to Reach the Best Flowers!

Defenders of the Dutch Polders: The Kinderdijk Windmills

Norimitsu Odachi: Who Could Have Possibly Wielded This Enormous 15th Century Japanese Sword?

Ancient Places

Tombeau de la chretienne, Tipasa. (tomb of the Christian Woman – an alternate name of the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania).

The Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania: Deadly Wasps Once Prevented its Destruction

In almost any culture, an ancient royal couple would have been expected to have provided themselves with a superior, monumental, or otherwise unique final resting place. Such was the case with Juba and Cleopatra Selene II.

Tunnels to the Sun: Exploring the Mysterious Ravne Tunnels in Bosnia

Uncovering Ancient Pyramid Science at Teotihuacan, Where Men Become Gods

Liu He and the Tomb of Two Million Coins

The Walls of Jericho: How Accurate Was The Biblical Account?

A Storybook Setting: The Famous German Fairytale Castle of Neuschwanstein

Opinion

Trojan War scene. Achilles dragging the dead body of Hector in front of the gates of Troy

Was There Ever a Trojan War?

Was there ever a Trojan War? That is, the almost legendary battle fought between Greeks and Trojans. This question continues to go unanswered by the academic and archaeological world. If we read from...

Floki and the Viking Discovery of Iceland

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?

Our Mission

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.

The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe.

We’re the only Pop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives.

By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings.