All  

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ Mobile

Latest News

All the latest news on finds, advancements, and research in archaeology and ancient history, from the No 1 Ancient History website in the world

News

The astronomical ceiling at the Pronaos, Detail of the first Band west from the center. From left to right: two wind creatures (the winged ram with four heads personifies the south wind), the snake- and frog-headed eight goddesses and gods of the Ogdoad who ruled the cosmos before the creation of the world and Osiris seated on a throne sails across the sky as personification of the full moon accompanied by the seated goddesses Nephtys (left) and Isis on the right (Maat stands near the bow of the ship). Siri

Changing Colors and Scampering Across the Night Sky: What Did the Ancients Say about Sirius?

In Egypt, Sirius was the Star of Isis, Isis being the companion and rescuer of the god Osiris. In a very deep way, Osiris was Egypt. His body was believed to be the body of Egypt, an actual overlay...
This dwarf-like, protective deity was very popular in ancient Egypt. Bes is represented with the nude body of a dwarf, grotesque facial features, and the ears and mane of a lion. He wears a tall feather-crown and usually rests his hands on his hips. Known from as early as the Middle Kingdom circa 2000 BC.

Think Egypt Think Magic: The Power of Heka in the Life of King and Commoner – Part I

Ancient Egypt was renowned and respected for her wisdom, art and architecture by all those who came into contact with her. What also caught the attention of these admirers was the practice of magic...
A modern representation of a member of the Knights Hospitallers.

The Knights Hospitallers: Courageous Crusaders of Many Names, Homes, and Roles

The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (known simply also as the Knights Hospitaller) was a religious military order that was founded in Jerusalem during the 11th century AD...
Roman busts found in an ancient cemetery outside the old city of Beit She'an, Israel

Woman Spots Stone Head Poking Out of the Ground in Israel and Discovers Two 1700-Year-Old Statues

A woman walking through a cemetery in northern Israel has made a very important discovery. After heavy rains had washed away top soil, she chanced upon the top of a stone head, which turned out to be...
Jayne and Martin Townley at their Middle Ages themed house hosting a medieval banquet

Jousting Champion and Magician Wife Transform House into Medieval Castle Complete with Banqueting Hall

A medieval-obsessed couple have transformed their four-bedroom, semi-detached home in Somerset, England, into a Middle-Ages-themed castle complete with a banqueting hall. Martin and Jayne Townley...
White Buffalo

Mythological Creatures Are Among Us: Guardians of the Sacred White Bison

Cynthia Hart-Button and husband Charles are the Guardians of the Sacred White Bison. They have cared for and nurtured a small herd of these rare creatures for nearly two decades. This couple’s...
On Left - The Battle of Crécy. On Right – Philip VI of France.

The Real Game of Thrones: Enduring Saga of The Hundred Years’ War

The Hundred Years’ War was a series of conflicts (as opposed to a single, continuous war) fought between England and France. According to record, the war began in 1337 and ended in 1453 (a total of...
Artist’s Vision of Ptesan Wi (Courtesy of Pamela McCabe)

Mythological Creatures Are Among Us: Tatanka Ska - The Sacred White Bison

Iconic myths about the American White Bison are scattered among the oral tradition of various Native American tribes stretching from Canada to Mexico. Respected mythologist Joseph Campbell sometimes...
Medieval science

The Grave That Heals: Irish Folktale Proven True as Soil from Priest’s Grave Shows Key to Fighting Drug-Resistant Bacteria

Traditionally ancient folk remedies are not treated seriously by medical researchers and professionals. However, some scientists are taking a new look at these remedies because some are believed to...
Alive Divine Body Mind

The Mind-Body Problem: Mankind’s Elusive Enigma

What is the universe? Where did it come from? Does it still exist when we die? Do we create the universe, or does it create us? These questions all pertain to what has become known as the mind-body...
Modern depiction of Edward II and Piers Gaveston.

Piers Gaveston: Exile, Secrets, and Jealousy Marked the Life of the Favorite of King Edward II

Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall, was an English nobleman who lived during the 13th and 14th centuries AD. He was “the favorite” of English king Edward II - what exactly that means in his case is...
On Left – Portrait of Edward III of England. On Right – Edward III of England proudly receives his son, Edward the Black Prince, for the successful conduct of the Battle of Crécy.

King Edward III Had Eyes on the French Kingship and it Led to the Hundred Years War

King Edward III of England had his eyes set on the French throne in the 14 th century AD. He was a descendant of French kings on his mother’s side and apparently was not satisfied with just being the...
A Maori Warrior

The Maori: A Rich and Cherished Culture at the World’s Edge

New Zealand was one of the last landmasses to be colonized by humans. When Pleistocene megafauna had gone extinct elsewhere in the world, New Zealand was still inhabited by the moas, giant flightless...
Detail of a Knight of the Teutonic Order.

The Teutonic Order: How a Hospice for Pilgrims Turned into a Legion of Crusaders

The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem (commonly known as the Teutonic Order) is a military order that was founded in the Holy Land during the Crusades . The Teutonic...
Old catapult in Les Baux-de-Provence, France

Rare Find of Stone Catapult Ball Fired During Medieval Siege Unearthed in Scotland

Archaeologists in Scotland have made the rare discovery of a stone ball that was used like a cannonball during a medieval siege. The find is helping experts to better understand Scotland’s Wars of...
On Left - Isabella directing the Siege of Bristol. On Right - Isabella of France is welcomed to Paris when she returned from England to pay homage to her brother, King Charles IV of France.

The Wild Life of English Queen Isabella, She-Wolf of France aka the Rebel Queen Who Killed the King of England

Fourteenth century English Queen Isabella, the She-Wolf of France aka the Rebel Queen, was a complex, violent person who drank heavily but who was charitable to the poor and well-liked by her people...
‘Invincible’ a modern depiction of a battle between Rus and Khazars.

The Khazars: A Forgotten Medieval Empire that Ruled the Northern Caucasus

"The Khazar people were an unusual phenomenon for Medieval times. Surrounded by savage and nomadic tribes, they had all the advantages of the developed countries: structured government, vast and...
The likho is said to only have one eye and look like a goblin.

Don’t Go Looking For Evil, You May Find The Likho

The likho is a creature found in Slavic mythology and is believed to be the personification of evil and misfortune. There are various stories about this terrifying creature, usually ending with...
Edward II feasting at Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

Why was Edward II Such A Hated King?

Edward II was an English king who lived between the 13 th and 14 th centuries AD. A stark contrast to his highly capable father Edward I, Edward II was a weak ruler. Although he continued his father’...

A Christmas story: the arrival of a sweet baby boy – or a political power to change the world?

Robyn J. Whitaker / The Conversation Dear tiny Jesus, with your golden fleece diapers, with your tiny little fat balled-up fists … Dear 8 pound 6 ounce newborn infant Jesus, don’t even know a word...
Some of the ancient idols found alongside a riverbank in Kerala, India.

Flood Reveals Ancient Idols Holding Secrets to Early Hinduism and a Long-Lost Civilization

Indian authorities have announced a dramatic discovery on a riverbank in the south-west of the country. Fishermen found some Hindu idols on the banks of the Pamba River in Kerala State and it is...
A fight between a Roman and a Germanic warrior.

Raiders of Hispania: Unravelling the Secrets of the Suebi

In the 5th century AD, the reign of the Roman Empire in the west came crashing down with a series of barbarian invasions. Visigoths, Franks , and other groups laid waste to the villas and cities of...
Magi paying homage to Jesus.

Political Landscape of the Nativity of Jesus

To paint the canvas around the time of the birth of Jesus, one needs to examine the unfolding political landscape of Judea a generation before Jesus’ birth. By 40 BC, Judea was under Parthian rule...
‘The Fall of the Titans’ (1588-1590) by Cornelis van Haarlem.

Homosexuality in Ancient Greece - One Big Lie?

You may have heard that homosexuality was celebrated in ancient Greece more than any other place and time. Some scholars have even called ancient Athens a gay paradise, where same-sex romance...

Pages