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Shahnameh (Book of Kings) Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935–1020).

The Early Rulers of Persia, Part II: The Kayanian Dynasty

( Read Part I ) According to Persian epic tradition, the Kayanians were the second dynasty to rule the land which is known today as Iran. The Kayanians succeeded the Pishdadians, whose dynasty ended...
The 'Polish Pyramids' were megalithic structures that were built in ancient Poland by digging out the ground and piling large boulders on top. It is believed that their construction would have taken the work of hundreds of laborers.

Polish Pyramids: Ruins of Megalithic Tombs from the Time of Stonehenge Discovered in Poland

A group of monumental megalithic tombs has been discovered in Western Pomerania in Poland. Because of the enormous character of the structures, they are often called the ‘Polish pyramids.’ According...
A tiny hand, originally assumed to be of a very young child or infant was stenciled inside the outline of an adult hand on the wall of the Wadi Sura II rock shelter about 8,000 years ago. New research suggests that the prints were actually made by reptiles.

Anthropologist Suggests that Tiny Stone Age Cave ‘Handprints’ Are Not Actually Human Hands

The 6,000-8,000-year-old cave paintings at the Wadi Sura II site in Egypt have been a source of interest since they were discovered in 2002. Although there are thousands of paintings that include a...
Turtles May Have Been Feasted On as Part of Funeral Rites at Ancient Turkey Site

Turtles May Have Been Feasted On as Part of Funeral Rites at Ancient Turkey Site

During excavations at Kavuşan Höyük, six miles (9.7km) from the modern town of Bismil in Turkey, archaeologists discovered a mysterious burial. Apart from human remains, the grave includes several...
The 3,400-year-old figurine.

Curious 3,400-Year-Old Canaanite Figurine Discovered by Young Boy in Israel

Beit She’an Valley is a National Park in northern Israel. It is also one of the most important excavation sites in a country which still hides many secrets. One of the more recent discoveries at the...
“Sunset at Bathwater” Death Valley, California

The Long-Ago Shamans of Death Valley: Vision Quests and Magical Rites

Death Valley is located in southern California, adjacent to the state line with Nevada, in the United States. Running roughly north-south, this remote valley is roughly 95 miles (153 km) long and 25...
Medieval children's milk teeth.

Study reveals surprising facts about diets of Medieval children in England

Studying foods people ate is an important step towards learning more about ancient cultures. Historians try to piece together what foods ancient people ate, preparation methods, and the foods people...
Gate of all nations.

The Early Rulers of Persia, Part I: The Pishdadian Dynasty

( Read Part II ) It is arguable that the most famous empire based in Persia was that of the Achaemenids. This was one of the greatest empires in the ancient world, and is best known in the Western...
Golubac Fortress, Serbia.

Golubac Fortress: The Best Preserved Medieval Fortress in Europe

Golubac Fortress is a medieval fortified city located in the northeastern part of modern day Serbia. This fortress is situated at the very entrance of the Djerdap Gorge, which is known also as the...
Hypatia. Signed A. Seifert. Oil on panel, St Catherine of Alexandria

Is St Catherine of Alexandria a Fictional Person Based on Hypatia of Alexandria?

Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as The Great Martyr Saint Catherine, is one of the most important saints of the Middle East. Tradition says that she was a virgin who was martyred at the...
Monument to Cuauhtémoc in Veracruz, Mexico.

Cuauhtémoc, The Last Aztec Emperor to Fight Against the Spanish

Cuauhtémoc (meaning ‘Setting Sun’ or ‘Descending Eagle’) was the 11th Tlatoani (literally meaning ‘speaker’, but may also be translated as ‘king’) of Tenochtitlan, and the last ruler of the Aztec...
Deriv; Ordination of Jacques de Molay in 1265 as a Knight Templar, at the Beaune commandery and the Chinon Parchment.

The Guilt of the Gnostic Knights Templar: The Chinon Parchment

The recently discovered Chinon Parchment of the Vatican Library in 2001 has brought a level of redemption to the Knights Templar. It does not discount their “heretical” activities, which were...
Rock paintings in Tsodilo Hills, Botswana.

The Louvre of the Desert: The Impressive Rock Paintings of Tsodilo, Botswana

Tsodilo (also referred to as the Tsodilo Hills) is a site in Botswana that contains one of the highest concentrations of rock art in the world. It has been claimed that in an area of just 10 square...
Reconstruction of a Taíno village in Cuba.

The Exceptional Cuban Underwater City: Prehistoric Ramifications of its Origins – Part II

Submerged over 700 meters (2300 feet) underwater, the submerged Cuban city is thought to have been built originally built at a higher altitude and subsequently sunk to its present depth through...
"John Dee Performing an Experiment before Elizabeth I" (Henry Gillard Glindoni (1852-1913).

X-Ray Images Show Hidden Features in Painting of the Enigmatic John Dee

John Dee was a scholar, philosopher, navigator, doctor, and astrologer to Queen Elizabeth I of England. He is often remembered as an enigmatic man who repeatedly crossed the line between science and...
Jade Cong, c. 2500 B.C.E., Liangzhu culture, Neolithic period, China (British Museum)

Elaborate Jade ‘Cong’ and ‘Bi’ as Grave Goods of the Liangzhu Culture

The Liangzhu culture (written in Chinese as 良渚文化) is a Neolithic culture that existed from around 3300 BC until 2300 BC. The archaeological evidence suggests that the Liangzhu culture possessed...
A stone block shows Ay receiving the 'Gold of Honor' award in his Amarna tomb from Akhenaten.

The Sins and Glories of the Pharaoh Ay

Pharaoh Ay is known in popular books as the person who may have murdered Tutankhamun. Usually, he is described as a pharaoh-monster of the 18th dynasty. However, the real history is very different...
An artist’s reconstruction of life at Star Carr, where recent excavations have uncovered evidence of a thriving Mesolithic settlement.

Enigmatic Engraved Pendant from Stone Age Site is the Oldest in Britain

The oldest known engraved pendant in Britain, a small piece of shale dating back about 11,000 years, has been discovered at a Stone Age site in Yorkshire, England. Archaeologists found the pendant at...
"Tomyris Plunges the Head of the Dead Cyrus Into a Vessel of Blood"

Tomyris, The Female Warrior and Ruler Who May Have Killed Cyrus the Great

Tomyris was an ancient ruler of the Massagetae, a Scythian pastoral-nomadic confederation in Central Asia. She became famous for her bravery and especially for the greatest battle she ever fought –...
A fine wool textile dyed red and blue, found at Timna. The textile used the various colors of natural animal hair to create black and orange-brown colors for decorative bands.

Rare Artifacts in Timna Mine Provide New Insight on the Edomites

A team of archaeologists has discovered a collection of textiles of diverse dye colors and designs about 3,000 years old in an Edomite tin mine in Israel. Textiles this old are rare because they are...
Terra cotta image of Maya Rain God Chac at San Francisco's de Young museum.

Researchers Explore the Role of the Prehistoric Kayuko Mounds in Maya Royal Accession Ceremonies

Around the world and throughout history many rulers who’ve taken power have said their authority is ordained by God. In Europe it was called the divine right of kings and in China the mandate of...
Site of the 2,100-year old Roman tavern, featuring the pits of taboon ovens for bread, a huge dining section to the right, a drainage system and millstones.

Excavations Reveal that the Oldest Roman Tavern Nourished and Served Ancient Life

A recent archaeological find in Lattes, France may provide insight into how the Romans dined 2,100 years ago. Archaeologists have discovered a structure that they believe to be a tavern, in an area...
Decorative wall

Satellite Imaging Exposes 4,000-year-old Tomb in the Dahshur Necropolis

A Middle Kingdom (c. 2000 BC – c.1700 BC) rock-cut tomb was discovered recently in El-Lisht, Egypt, which was the ancient archaeological site of the Dahshur necropolis. The tomb is located to the...
Conservation of Ötzi, the Iceman.

Making the Dead Speak: Scientists Plan to Recreate the Voice of Otzi the Iceman

Italian scientists are attempting to give Ötzi the Iceman a voice. By using CT scans of his throat and the tissue around his voice box, the researchers believe there is a chance to recreate the...

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