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Surrounding moat at the entrance of Cardiff Castle in Cardiff in Wales. Source: Roman Babakin/AdobeStock

9 Myths About Medieval Moats and the Truth Behind Them

Medieval moats have long been shrouded in mystery and misinformation, with tales of alligators and impenetrable walls. But the truth about these ancient structures is far more fascinating and complex...
The mystery handprint was discovered on an ancient moat wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. Source: Yuli Schwartz / Israel Antiquities Authority

Mystery Ancient Handprint Discovered in Jerusalem, the City of God

A mysterious carved handprint has been discovered in Jerusalem. But, was it created by a defending Muslim, a terrified Jew, an attacking European knight, or is it just a long-forgotten local prank?...
A bear guards the moat wall at Cesky Krumlov Castle, Czech Republic. Source: Ondrej Novotny / Adobe Stock

A Czech Castle Had a Moat of Bears… And Still Does!

Popular depictions of castle moats in film and television usually involve hungry crocodiles , flesh-eating piranhas or dangerous sharks. While most of these depictions are fanciful, one medieval...
Kenilworth Castle today. Source: Carl / Adobe Stock.

Something in the Water: Kenilworth Castle and a History of Rebellion

Kenilworth Castle is a ruined castle located in the market town of Kenilworth, in Warwickshire, a county in the West Midlands, England. It is believed the site was occupied by a fortified structure...
Aerial view of the Phoenician settlement at Cabezo Pequeño del Estaño in Alicante, Spain. Inset; Examples of Phoenician silver. Source: Fernando Prados/Public Domain/Public Domain

9th Century BC Moat to Protect Phoenician Settlement Excavated in Spain

Archaeologists working at a in the Alicante province of Spain have just discovered a large moat. This emphasizes the defensive actions taken by the settlers against the hostility they faced when they...
One of the famous and still largely unexplored tunnels of Château de Brézé. (Marc Ryckaert / CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Underground Mysteries of Château de Brézé

Pretty and charming on the outside, but deeply enigmatic and ancient down below: Château de Brézé is a place of many mysteries. Located in the scenic Loire Valley in France, this castle and the...
Agincourt mock Medieval home. Credit: Cavendish Residential Ruthin / rightmoveBy Ashley Cowie

Grab Your Very Own ‘Medieval’ Home for £210K

A Welsh house has been transformed into Medieval-style home equipped with a drawbridge over a mini moat. The detached property in the county town Ruthin in Denbighshire, north Wales, which has become...
Entrance to the Aleppo Citadel   Source: Shariff Che'Lah / Adobe Stock

Ancient City and Citadel of War-Torn Aleppo Are Syria’s Golden Age Legacy

A quick look up of Aleppo on any search-engine will bring up hundreds of articles about the conflict in Syria and sadly the name has become a byword for the horrors of war. The country though, has a...
Aerial view of Caerphilly Castle

Caerphilly Castle, Wales - Strategically Brilliant for Its Time and Haunted in Ours

Caerphilly Castle in south Wales stands proud amongst the medieval fortifications and strongholds in the United Kingdom and is classed among the finest in Europe. It is also one of the largest in...
Hannibal crossing the Alps on elephants by Nicolas Poussin

2,200-Year-Old Moat with Artifacts Linked to Hannibal Unearthed in Spain

Spanish university students trying to retrace Hannibal’s war march through northeastern Spain found a huge buried moat with ancient objects in it. The moat may have been meant to protect the ancient...
The archaeology team were delighted to find the large statue. (Image: Apsara Authority)

Unexpected Find of Impressive Ancient Statue at Cambodia's Angkor Complex

A team of archaeologists has uncovered a large ancient statue that is thought to have once stood as a guard over an ancient hospital to the north of Cambodia’s Angkor Thom city complex. Impressive...
Bayron Temple, the most notable temple in Angkor Thom

Walking in Shadows of Serenity: The Great Sacred City of Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom (which means ‘Great City’) was the last capital of the mighty Khmer Empire, which was based in modern day Cambodia. This typically intricately decorated Khmer city, which is located in...
An artist rendering of how the burial mound of Asuka originally looked

Moat ruins found in Japan may be part of a burial mound for an ancient emperor

Archaeologists in Japan have unearthed a huge stone-paved moat in Asuka, Nara Prefecture, which they believe is part of a burial mound for an ancient emperor. The finding adds to a string of...