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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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pigs

Alexander driving off elephants with war pigs and musical instruments in a detail from a French illuminated manuscript from 1420’. Source: The British Library / CC BY 4.0)

War Pigs: A Flaming History of Nature’s Cutest Creations in Battle

Throughout human history, animals have been effectively domesticated and used as an extension of the territorial desires of human beings. While dogs and cattle became effective elements in the...
A man playing a fantastic pig organ, or piganino, composed of screaming pigs. Source: British Museum / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Louis XI Enjoyed an Abominable Orchestra of Squealing Pigs - the Piganino

Believe it or not, but it appears that the ruthless 15th century King Louis XI of France, nicknamed the Spider King or l'universelle araignée , took pleasure in the torture of animals. One particular...
The “articulated” pig skeleton found in an ancient dig site just outside of Jerusalem, Israel, suggesting that pork was on the menu for some for a period of time in the First Temple period.

Israeli Archaeologists Find Forbidden Pig Skeleton During Jerusalem Dig

During a recent excavation in Jerusalem, archaeologists searching through the rubble of a building constructed during the First Temple period found something unusual. Inside one room, they discovered...
How Our Ancient Noses Drove Many Species to Extinction

How Our Ancient Noses Drove Many Species to Extinction

Could it be that the key to the survival of early humans lay in their ancient noses? A new book claims that early humans had an evolutionary advantage over their rivals thanks to their ability to...
Stonehenge was one of the feasting destinations of the pigs.

Prehistoric Britons Brought Pigs From As Far As Scotland For Stonehenge Feasts

New findings suggest ancient people in the late Neolithic period travelled hundreds of kilometers across Britain’s wild landscapes to attend great feasts and festivals at stone circles in Wiltshire...
Dogs of War: Ancient History of Animals in Warfare

Dogs of War: Ancient History of Animals in Warfare

Man and beast have partnered for various reasons over tens of thousands of years—almost always for food or protection. The dirty history of animals in warfare is sometimes inspiring, sometimes...
stone age domesticated pigs

Stone Age Hunters Brought Home the Bacon

New research published in the journal Nature Communications has suggested that Stone Age hunter-gatherers in Europe may have been trading pigs with settled farmers as early as 5,000 BC. It is the...
Pig Chimpanzees Hybrids = Humans

Geneticist Suggests Humans Could be Hybrids

A new study conducted by well-known geneticist, Dr Eugene McCarthy, has controversially suggested that traits distinguishing chimpanzees from humans consistently connect with pigs and that Homo...