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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Other Artifacts

Other Artifacts covers many items which have been recovered from the past and give us insights into ancient human worlds. From loaded Roman dice to the Shroud of Turin, these items help tell the stories of the varied culture and everyday lives of our ancestors. 

This Forgotten Egyptian Dish Reveals Early Astronomical Symbols of Key Constellations

This Forgotten Egyptian Dish Reveals Early Astronomical Symbols of Key Constellations

While traveling in Egypt for my studies, I came across a unique artifact in the Nubian Museum in Aswan. It was a dish which had not been recognized for the important information it holds. As soon as...
The Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca Head: Evidence for Ancient Roman Transatlantic Voyages, a Viking Souvenir, or a Hoax?

The Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca Head: Evidence for Ancient Roman Transatlantic Voyages, a Viking Souvenir, or a Hoax?

A mysterious terracotta artifact known as the Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca head was discovered in Mexico, but it looks exactly like well-known Roman artifacts. How did this enigmatic object arrive in Toluca...
Golden Gifts to a Sea God: The Broighter Hoard and Its Mysterious Golden Boat

Golden Gifts to a Sea God: The Broighter Hoard and Its Mysterious Golden Boat

The golden treasure called the Broighter Hoard was found at the site of Lough Foyle, near Limavady in Northern Ireland at the end of the 19th century. Its discoverers couldn't believe their eyes when...
Upcycling Ancient Beauty – How Precious Stones, Monuments, and Jewels Have Been Re-Used

Upcycling Ancient Beauty – How Precious Stones, Monuments, and Jewels Have Been Re-Used

Sculptures, monuments, jewels, and even floors of churches and palaces… Impressive artifacts, outstanding pieces of art, and treasures which could satisfy even the most demanding person... Many of...
Interpreting the Murals of Egypt through the Eyes of the Hopi

Interpreting the Murals of Egypt through the Eyes of the Hopi

There has to be something missing in our explanation of the murals of Egypt. Why are there so many symbols— snakes, birds with human heads, feathers, buzzards, life symbols, monkeys, scarabs,...
Extravagance and Illness: The Cursed Karun Treasure of the Lydians

Extravagance and Illness: The Cursed Karun Treasure of the Lydians

A collection of gorgeous artifacts discovered in the Uşak Province in Turkey overwhelmed the world of archaeology, but also caused many troubles. The impressive assemblage of ancient mystical...
Peeking Behind the Veil: Unique and Decorative Burial Urns with Faces in the Pomeranian Culture

Peeking Behind the Veil: Unique and Decorative Burial Urns with Faces in the Pomeranian Culture

The Pomeranian culture is one of the most mysterious Pre-Christian cultures which lived near the Baltic Sea. Although many of their sites have been lost, the story behind their decorative urns...
Crowning Glory Long Gone: Recalling the Regalia of Polish Kings

Crowning Glory Long Gone: Recalling the Regalia of Polish Kings

Before World War II, Poland had lots of treasures located in its castles and palaces. Memories of the best times in the rich history of the country are well documented too. However, the regalia of...
The Incredible Discovery of the Golden Pietroasele Treasure

The Incredible Discovery of the Golden Pietroasele Treasure

The Pietroasele Treasure is the name given to a hoard of gold artifacts discovered during the 19 th century. These precious objects were discovered in an ancient grave in Pietroasele, Buzău County,...
The Ring of Senicianus: One Ring to Rule Them All

The Ring of Senicianus: One Ring to Rule Them All

Today, there are many Roman rings of gold and silver in museums and archives. However, one Roman ring stands out as legendary. Known as the Ring of Senicianus, the Ring of Silvianus, or the Vyne Ring...
Curse of the Buried Pearl: Ancient Magick and the Many Hazards of Treasure Hunting – Part II

Curse of the Buried Pearl: Ancient Magick and the Many Hazards of Treasure Hunting – Part II

No English translation exists of The Buried Pearl , although it is a rather strange fact that in 1901, the French archaeological mission in Cairo made a regular French edition. Strange, because its...
For Good and Evil: Witch Bottles as Countermagical Devices Through History

For Good and Evil: Witch Bottles as Countermagical Devices Through History

In 16th and 17th century Europe, witchcraft was deemed a serious threat and court records attest to the terror evoked by suspected sorcery. Judges gave serious consideration to the danger posed by...
The famous Ica Stones in the collection of Professor Cabrera.

Library in Stone: The Ica Stones of Professor Cabrera – Part II

I came to the realization that the dismissive attitude of orthodox science annoyed and aggrieved Professor Cabrera. He frequently voiced his outrage at the refusal of mainstream scientists to...
What is in that Reliquary? Trying to Find the True Cross

What is in that Reliquary? Trying to Find the True Cross

The cross of Jesus is one of the most important objects in Christianity and there are many reliquaries around the world which are believed to contain a piece of the cross. The most famous one is...
Hundreds and Hundreds of objects in the once-secret collection of Professor Cabrera.

Professor Cabrera’s Cabinet of Horrors: Secret Chambers and Shocking Artifacts with Controversial Origins

In Ica, Peru, I visited the most mysterious museum on our planet. It is the Museo de Piedras Grabadas de Ica , (Museum of the Engraved Stones of Ica). Professor Javier Cabrera Darquea (1924-2001)...
Kuman Thong amulets.

Child Angels, Golden Boys, Supernatural Dolls and Necromancy in Thailand

Recently, reports of a Thai doll craze have been featured at the end of news hours, a spot typically reserved for pop culture tidbits like hijab wearing Barbies (“hijarbies”) or the birthday of the...
The Norse spearhead from Charles Point on an image of a Viking Ship.

A 1000-Year-Old Nordic Spearhead Raises the Question - Were The Vikings in New York?

A 20th century find suggests that the Vikings may have explored North America as far south as New York. Although the reasons for its presence in Charles Point are contested, no one can deny the fact...
Searching for Truth in Bones: The Mysterious Relics of Mary Magdalene

Searching for Truth in Bones: The Mysterious Relics of Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene is one of the most fascinating people from the times of Jesus. Although every year there are more and more people who follow her as if she were a super-heroine, her story has been...
Photo of metal plate from Father Crespi’s collection.

On the trail of the Father Crespi Collection: A Sad Discovery – Part II

[Read Part I] “There is nothing of Padre Crespi’s collection left in our building!” ‘Brother Gatekeeper’ assures us when we arrive at the main portal of the Salesian monastery of Cuenca in Ecuador. “...
Left: Father Crespi holding a metallic artifact that appears to contain a series of hieroglyphs. (Source). Right: Photographs of Crespi’s so-called ‘Metallic Library’. Credit: Ancient-Origins.net.

On the trail of the Father Crespi Collection – Part I

A desperately poor clergyman tends to a small South-American community. He teaches the children, and procures the schoolbooks for them. The people are poor and cannot afford medical assistance;...
Moche Sacrifice Illustration

By the Cut of a Tumi: An Iconic Ceremonial Artifact of Ancient Peru

The tumi was a ceremonial knife used by several pre-Columbian cultures that inhabited the Peruvian coast, including the Moche, Sicán, Chimu, and Inca cultures, to carry out blood sacrifice and...
Mythical Benben Stone: The Landing Site of Egyptian God Atum

Mythical Benben Stone: The Landing Site of Egyptian God Atum

The Benben stone is an object that is found in the mythology of ancient Egypt. This mythical stone is said to have once been housed in a shrine within the compounds of the temple dedicated to the...
This 300-year-old shoe was discovered behind a wall at St John's College and is thought to have been an amulet meant to ward off evil. (St. John’s College photo)

300-Year-Old Shoe Behind Wall of English College Was Meant As Protection From Malicious Spirits

Workers discovered a shoe this month behind a wall at a Cambridge University college in England that was probably meant to protect inhabitants of the building from mischievous or malicious spirits...
This photo of Ötzi’s clothing was taken by Niall O Sullivan of the Institute for Mummies and the Iceman.

5,300-Year-Old Otzi the Iceman Was Wearing Clothing from Five Separate Animal Species

Otzi the Iceman, a mummy found in 1991 on a glacier in the Tyrolean Alps, was clothed in a bearskin cap, goatskin leggings, sheepskin coat, cow skin shoes and a deerskin quiver when he was killed in...

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