Since the dawn of humanity, countless civilizations have engaged in ritual sacrifice. Often, these sacrifices involved other humans, and were so common they were considered a normal aspect of life...
Much of the prehistory of Mesoamerica is veiled in deep mystery, with just hints of the life of ancient societies. But some sites that persevered through the centuries help us paint a better picture...
In the ancient, high desert lands of northwest Peru, it’s easy to see why water was more than just a necessity - it was practically divine. Nestled in the Andes, yet surrounded by arid terrain, water...
A significant cultural heritage site in Mexico has suffered devastating damage as extreme weather continues to wreak havoc on ancient monuments around the world. On the night of July 29, 2024,...
A team of archaeologists and genetic scientists have completed an extensive DNA analysis of the skeletal remains of a child who was buried several hundred years ago at the pre-Columbian site of...
The ancient Maya civilization , known for its intricate and highly developed society, flourished in Mesoamerica for thousands of years, reaching its zenith during the Classic Period (250-900 AD)...
The Native American tribes boast a very complex and thought-provoking set of beliefs and traditions, in which the legend of heroic twin brothers is often shared and found in many tribes. In the myths...
Each year, the United States has an average of 1,200 tornadoes, making up more than 75% of worldwide occurrences. The Central Great Plains is a unique geographical landscape that produces the perfect...
While carrying out excavations at the site of North America’s first great city, which is called Cahokia by historians, a team of archaeologists and students from Saint Louis University unearthed a...
The lush Amazon rainforest, a sprawling and dense expanse of biodiversity, is not only a haven for a multitude of flora and fauna but also a fertile breeding ground of diverse myths and legends...
The god Tezcatlipoca was a major Aztec deity who was worshiped in east-west facing temples in many Mesoamerican city-states under the influence of the Aztecs, particularly Texcoco. He was considered...
In November 1519, the formidable Aztec king, Montezuma , ruled over a flourishing empire at its pinnacle. His empire, comprising 500 city-states and nearly 6 million people, centered on the...
Montezuma's gold is a legendary treasure said to have been hidden by the Aztec emperor Montezuma II during the Spanish conquest of Mexico. According to folklore, the treasure consists of vast amounts...
Nestled deep in the heart of the Honduran jungle, there is said to be a long-lost city that has eluded explorers for centuries. This fabled city, known as the "The White City" or "La Ciudad Blanca,"...
The legend of El Dorado has captivated the imaginations of explorers , adventurers, and treasure hunters for centuries. But for Colonel Percy Fawcett , it was more than just a myth. He believed in...
Legend has it that the City of Caesars, otherwise known as the Wandering City, once existed in Patagonia, nestled between contemporary Chile and Argentina. Despite rumors and reports having...
Who doesn’t love a good ghost story? Historic monuments throughout the globe are said to be home to ghostly goings-on. Travel to any city in the world and you’re likely to find haunted landmarks and...
A long time before the Inka reigned, there were in those parts men in the manner of giants, as grown as they showed the figures that were sculpted in the stones. Pedro de Cieza de León Crónica de...
A cryptid is a type of animal that some people believe to be real, despite the fact that its existence is disputed or “unproven”. Sometimes these are animals that science believes to be extinct, but...
The Inca were an impressive people. From the 1400s to 1532, they created an empire so large it spread from modern Ecuador to central Chile. Master builders that rivaled the ancient Egyptians, their...
The Wendigo is a horrifying creature of Algonquian Native American legends said to devour human flesh to survive a harsh winter. But are they only part of Native American mythology or are there...
Our understanding of the past is fluid. Very often things we think we know about the past turn out to be false or highly distorted. Historians aren’t perfect; sometimes they make mistakes, other...
Coatlicue was one of the most important gods in the Aztec pantheon. Not only was she the goddess of fertility, but she also gave birth to Huitzilopochtli, the Aztec god of war and the sun. Her high...
The Aztecs were known for their many unique deities, but one of the most fascinating is Xōchipilli, the Aztec god of flowers, love, art, and fertility, as well as patron of homosexuality. Xōchipilli’...
