Phoenician

Statue of the god Moloch, Turin Cinema Museum.

10 February, 2019 - 18:35 Caleb Strom

Was Moloch really Ba’al, the Ancient God Who Demanded Child Sacrifice?

Moloch, or Molech, is well known in the Bible for being the god to whom child sacrifices appear to have been made in a shrine outside the city of Jerusalem. Although Moloch is well known in the Bible...

An ancient Egyptian ship. Sailors sent out by Pharaoh Necho II saw some of the first hints that the world is not flat.

21 September, 2018 - 18:53 Mark Oliver

When Sailors from Ancient Egypt Discovered the World is Not Flat, No One Listened

The first ship to sail around Africa left from Egypt sometime around 600 BC. Their only goal was to find another way to the straits of Gibraltar. But by watching the sky overhead, they discovered...

Slaves working in a mine. Corinthian terracotta plaque painting, 5th century BC.

18 May, 2018 - 22:58 ancient-origins

Ice-Core Study Finds Evidence of Ancient European Plagues, Wars, and Imperial Expansion

To learn about the rise and fall of ancient European civilizations, researchers sometimes find clues in unlikely places: deep inside of the Greenland ice sheet, for example. Thousands of years ago,...

Treasure of El Carambolo, exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Seville.

10 April, 2018 - 22:58 lizleafloor

Origins of Gold Spill the Secret of a Lost Culture. Does the Treasure of El Carambolo Lead to Atlantis?

A golden hoard discovered in Andalusia in the 1950s set off a firestorm of speculation and debate: to whom did the lavish treasure belong? Where had it come from? And could it represent a piece in...

Detail of a Phoenician grinning mask, 4th century BC, found in a grave at San Sperate, Cagliari, Museo Archeologico Nazionale.

14 October, 2017 - 18:51 Riley Winters

An Ancient Method of Forced Euthanasia: The Disturbing Truth Behind a Sardonic Grin

Creepy and more than a little uncomfortable to behold, one usually thinks of DC Comics' Joker when hearing the phrase "sardonic grin." A "smile" that pulls up the corners of the mouth in a way that...

An example of the Proto-Sinaitic script.

10 April, 2017 - 02:00 dhwty

The A to Z of Alphabet Origins and the Most Ancient Written Languages

Writing is traditionally regarded as one of the requirements for a society to be considered as a civilization. Various writing systems have been invented by the great civilizations of the world, one...

12 January, 2017 - 03:51 Natalia Klimczak

Rest Like an Egyptian: Lifting the Lid on the Elaborate Phoenician Tabnit Sarcophagus

There is a remarkable sarcophagus that many tourists mistake for an elaborate ancient Egyptian creation. The perception is understandable as this kind of burial is often related to the rulers who...

11 December, 2016 - 14:55 dhwty

Inscribed Curse on the Sarcophagus of King Ahiram Displays Earliest Use of Phoenician Alphabet

The Sarcophagus of King Ahiram (spelled also as Ahirom) is an incredible monument that was unearthed in Lebanon. As its name suggests, the sarcophagus belonged to a king by the name of Ahiram, who...

15 August, 2016 - 21:49 Kerry Sullivan

The Rosetta Stone of Malta: Cippi of Malta Offers Key to Decoding the Phoenician Language

Malqart was considered lord over life and death; he was the chief deity of Tyre. His temple was the site of two major festivals and believed to have been the inspiration for the renowned Temple of...

Vikings. Summer in the Greenland coast circa year 1000.

5 June, 2016 - 14:56 William James Veall

Remote Sensing Satellite Uncovers Astonishing New Evidence of Viking Presence in Newfoundland, Canada

Ancient Origins Guest Writer, William James Veall, is far afield from his usual research concerning Trans-Oceanic visitations to South America. On this occasion he turns his attention towards the...

27 May, 2016 - 21:36 Alicia McDermott

2,500-Year-Old Phoenician DNA Linked to Rare and Ancient European Ancestry

Researchers have sequenced the first complete mitochondrial genome of an ancient Phoenician. The results of the studies of the remains of a man called the "Young Man of Byrsa" and "Ariche” has linked...

Tablet 343: Letter from Octavius to Candidus concerning supplies of wheat, hides and sinews.

8 April, 2016 - 03:52 ancient-origins

Easy as Alep, Bet, Gimel? Cambridge Research Explores Social Context of Ancient Writing

A new University of Cambridge research project is set to shed light on the history of writing in the ancient world, and explore the long-lasting relationship between society and writing that persists...

Mile long band of mysterious and unexplained holes in Pisco Valley – Peru. (CC BY 3.0). Inset: An artistic impression defining 11 pictographs and 22 characters composing just a 200 meters length of the "Band of Holes'.

2 September, 2015 - 03:59 William James Veall

The Mysterious Holes of Peru: A Pre-Columbian Domestic Water Source for Trans-Oceanic Travelers? Part II

Read Part I In Part I , Ancient Origins Guest Writer, William James Veall discussed why he believes his research has uncovered a viable solution to the long term "Mystery of the Peruvian Holes" - a...

The Abduction of Europa, 1716, Jean Francois de Troy.

26 January, 2015 - 12:46 dhwty

The Phoenician city of Tyre - A rich history of industry, mythology and conflict

According to tradition, the city of Tyre was founded in 2750 B.C., and is considered one of the world’s oldest metropolises. For much of its history, Tyre has played an important role in the region...

25 August, 2014 - 23:59 aprilholloway

2,700-year-old Phoenician Shipwreck Discovered in Maltese Waters

A group of divers have discovered a Phoenician shipwreck dating back to 700 BC off the coast of Gozo island in Malta, according to a news report in the Times of Malta . It is a unique and immensely...

23 May, 2014 - 00:19 aprilholloway

Treasure trove of ancient Phoenician artifacts uncovered in Lebanon

Archaeologists have unearthed a treasure trove of ancient Phoenician artifacts at an archaeological site in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, according to a news report in The Daily Star of...

Myths & Legends

Magu, Goddess of Longevity and immortal hemp maiden.

Magu: The Hemp Goddess Who Healed Ancient Asia

"Cannabis" and "criminal" are synonymous in many countries. While cannabis has been steadily weaving onto the "right" side of the law in recent years, the "high" people get from the plant is still often associated with negativity.

The symbol of the Swastika and its 12,000-year-old history

Ancient Symbolism of the Magical Phoenix

The Real Story of Medusa and the Gorgons

The Glastonbury Giant: Who Did the Mystery Bones of A Nine Foot Skeleton Belong To?

Ten Mythological Creatures in Ancient Folklore

Human Origins

Facing the Facts: Just How Accurate Are Facial Reconstructions?

There have been a number of high-profile reconstructions of historical figures recently and it seems like whenever a reconstruction is shared there is controversy and argument about whether the person it portrays really looked like their facsimile.

The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts

Rh-Negative Blood: An Exotic Bloodline or Random Mutation?

The human skull that challenges the Out of Africa theory

Australian Aboriginals - Creation Myth

Pangu and the Chinese Creation Story

Ancient Technology

Both a Princess and a Priestess, What Did the First Known Author Have to Share with the World?

The world’s first known author is widely considered to be Enheduanna, a woman who lived in the 23rd century BC in ancient Mesopotamia (approximately 2285 – 2250 BC).

The High-Tech Stonework of the Ancients: Unsolved Mysteries of Master Engineers

Boggling Bannerstones of Ancient Americans: Were They a Function of Flight or More a Flight of Fancy?

The revolutionary invention of the wheel

Ten amazing inventions from ancient times

The Evidence is Cut in Stone: A Compelling Argument for Lost High Technology in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Places

Excavation of two quarries in Wales by a UCL-led team of archaeologists and geologists has confirmed they are sources of Stonehenge's 'bluestones'– and shed light on how they were quarried and transported.

The Where, When and How of Quarrying Stonehenge 'Bluestones' Is Revealed in New Report

Geologists have long known that 42 of Stonehenge's smaller stones, known as 'bluestones', came from the Preseli hills in Pembrokeshire, west Wales.

Were the Women of Petra More Important Than the Men?

Spectacular Royal Han Tombs Reveal Wealth and Glory of China’s Golden Age

It Looks Like a Laser Cut But What Really Split the Ancient Al Naslaa Rock?

The Construction of Venice, the Floating City

Axum: Legendary Kingdom of Ancient Ethiopia

Opinion

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.

Cracking the Code to Discover Ancient Tarot Symbolism and Forgotten Universal Knowledge

The Secret Strategic Plans of Darius the Great

The Secrets of the Kabbalists Garden

Alchemy and Generating Lifeforce —Global Temples Made in the Shape of Lingams: Shaivite Bull Cult Part II

From Green Man to Bull Son, The Universal Shaivite Bull Cult – Part I

Our Mission

At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there exists countless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts that have yet to be discovered and explained.

The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe.

We’re the only Pop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives.

By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings.