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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Myths & Legends

All over the world there are extraordinary stories—stories that once upon a time were believed to be true but are today limited to the sphere of ancient myths and legends. The question remains, are those myths and legends something that existed in the minds of our ancestors, or were they based on true events? It is true that most of those ancient myths and legends appear to the scientific world to be fictitious products of vivid imaginations whose goals were purely to explain phenomena beyond their comprehension. Yet is it not arrogant to accuse our ancestors of being uncivilised and ignorant in one breath, then offer them praise and admiration over their monuments, buildings, art, sculptures, and societies in the next? This only proves that our modern society has two contradictory attitudes toward our past.

In this section we will explore some of the most amazing myths and legends from around the world—legends that may hold truths that can unlock the secrets of our ancient origins.

Bhangarh Fort, India

The ghost city of Bhangarh and the curse of the Holy Man

The abandoned fort of Bhangarh is thought to be the most haunted place in India, so much so that the Archaeological Survey of India has forbidden access to the site between sunset and sunrise, and...
The Fall of the Rebel Angels

Epic Cosmic Battles and the Forces of Creation and Destruction in Belief Systems around the World

Stories of epic cosmic battles can be found in many world cultures. In these battles, the lines are often drawn clearly, with the forces of good on one side and the forces of evil on the other. For...
The sacred symbol of the Djed pillar

The sacred symbol of the Djed pillar

Hieroglyphics play an important role in understanding ancient Egyptian culture. One of the most commonly found and mysterious hieroglyphic symbols is known as the djed symbol. With the appearance of...
Cernunnos,"The Horned One" - Paganism

The true meaning of Paganism

The word "paganism" has come to refer to various pre-Christian religions belonging to a number of ancient cultures—those from Greece, Rome, Egypt, Scandinavia, and so on. It has come to also...
Mysterious ancient Queen of Ethiopia

Tracing the origins of a mysterious ancient Queen of Ethiopia

According to local tradition, the fall of the Aksumite kingdom of Ethiopia toward the end of the 10 th century A.D. was attributed to a queen who invaded from the south. This queen is said to have...
The Nine Signs of White Feather’s Prophecies - Hopi

Hopi Prophecy and the End of the Fourth World—Part 2

(Read Part 1 ) The Nine Signs of White Feather’s Prophecies In the summer of 1958 a minister named David Young was driving across the Four Corners region of the U.S. when he picked up an old Hopi man...
The legendary Furies of ancient Greek mythology

The Legendary Erinyes or Furies of Ancient Greek Mythology

The Furies of Greek mythology are monstrous women who lived in the underworld and avenged murders, particularly matricides. In Greek they are called Erinyes, a name thought to have come from the...
Necromanteion – The Ancient Temple of the Dead

Necromanteion – The Ancient Temple of the Dead

The Necromanteion was an ancient temple dedicated to the god of the Underworld, Hades, and his consort, the goddess Persephone. According to ancient Greek beliefs, while the bodies of the dead...
Ancient Inscription with magic and spells

The Ancient Art of Magic, Curses and Supernatural Spells

As long as humanity has had beliefs in deities, the supernatural, and the power of magic, the use of magic, spells, and curses have featured widely across cultures. Very much entwined with human...
Xiongnu

The great and powerful Xiongnu

Between approximately 300 BC and 450 AD, there existed a nomadic group known as the Xiongnu. Their ethnic identity has been greatly contested, but they were a very powerful tribal confederation that...
Helen of Troy

In Search of Helen of Troy

Her face was the face that launched a thousand ships. Considered to have been the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen would be seduced by the Trojan prince, Paris and travel to his homeland of...
Arachne and the Spider in Dante

The symbolic spider that wove its way through history

The spider is an ancient and powerful symbol found round the globe, and have always elicited a wide range of emotions in people: fear, disgust, panic, and sometimes curiosity and appreciation. This...
Death Mask

The eerie masks that preserve history and breathe life into the dead

Masks are one of the few things on the earth that connect all of humanity throughout time. We have created masks since our very beginnings in order to disguise, protect, or entertain. They have been...
The Sacred Sex and Death Rites of the Ancient Mystery Groves

The Sacred Sex and Death Rites of the Ancient Mystery Groves

In most of the civilised world, at least as far back as 5,000 years ago, there were women shamans or priestesses who represented the godhead in sacred sex rites and, in ancient Greece, they were...
The Irish Legend of Cu Chulainn

The Irish Story and Legend of Cú Chulainn

Cú Chulainn is one of the most famous Irish mythological heroes. He appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, and Scottish and Manx folklore. He was said to be the son of Deichtine and the god Lugh...
The mouth of Truth

The Truth About Lie Detection in Ancient and Modern Times

Humans have told truths and lies throughout all of history. We stretch the truth for various reasons. We sometimes spin little white lies of convenience, and big, catastrophic lies that shake...
Penthesilea: Queen of the Amazons

The Dramatic Life and Death of Penthesilea: Queen of the Amazons

Penthesilea was an Amazonian Queen from Greek mythology. She was the daughter of Ares and Otrera and the sister of Hippolyta, Antiope and Melanippe. One of many famous Amazonian Queens, Penthisilea’s...
Legend of Troy

The Legend of Helen of Troy – Part Two

Read Part 1 The Iliad of Homer concerns the tenth and final year of the Trojan War. Throughout this tale, Helen regrets her part in causing the war and longs to return to her husband and daughter,...
The Bimini road and Atlantis

Does Bimini Road Lead to The Lost Civilization of Atlantis?

Off the coast of Bimini lies an ancient stone formation submerged beneath crystal blue waters. The mysterious path makes many wonder if it is remnants of the mythical lost land of Atlantis...
The legend of Heikegani: the Samurai ghost crabs

The legend of Heikegani: the Samurai ghost crabs

Heikegani is a species of crab native to Japan, with a shell that bears a pattern resembling a human face. According to Japanese folklore, the Heikegani crabs contain the souls of the Heike samurai...
Clodia Metelli

The Infamy of Clodia Metelli

Clodia Metelli lived in the first century BC, a time when the Roman Republic was controlled by a handful of affluent families, whose quarrels would soon lead to civil war and the rise of an empire...
The sacred and magical sistrum of ancient Egypt

The sacred and magical sistrum of ancient Egypt

The sistrum was one of the most sacred musical instruments in ancient Egypt and was believed to hold powerful magical properties. It was used in the worship of the goddess Hathor, mythological...
Theseus and Ariadne at the Entrance of the Labyrinth

The Abandoned Heroine Archetype in Greek and Roman Myth

In the epic myths of Ancient Greece and Rome, it is common for heroes to abandon their heroines in order to reach the end of their quests, as it was considered virtuous in these cultures for a man to...
Chickasaw Migration Story

The Chickasaw Migration Story: Journey from the Place of the Setting Sun

From their prehistoric migration to present-day Mississippi, Kentucky, Alabama and Tennessee, to the purchase of their new homeland in south-central Oklahoma in the mid 1800s, Chickasaw culture and...

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