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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Pirate flag. Source: adimas / Adobe Stock.

The Pirate Code: Law and Order Beneath the Black Flag (Video)

In the world of pirates , where lawlessness is often the image that comes to mind, a surprising system of governance existed beneath the black flag . Pirates may have lacked a singular written code,...
The heart-breaking theft of some artifacts in history: The Crown Jewels and an illustration of Thomas Blood. The Mona Lisa.  Dublin Police notice of theft of crown jewels. Hans Memling's Last Judgement. Elgin Marbles. Rosetta stele. Solomon's Temple. Source: Historic Royal Palaces, Public Domain, Public Domain, Public Domain, Justin Norris/CC BY 2.0, Trustees of the British Museum/ CC BY NC SA 4.0, Public Domain

Stealing History: 10 of the Most Tragic Artifact Thefts in History

Throughout history, the theft of valuable artifacts has captivated the public's imagination, revealing the audacity and cunning of those who sought to possess pieces of our shared heritage. These...
10 Of The Most Famous Pirates, Male And Female, Who Ruled The Seas!

10 Of The Most Famous Pirates, Male And Female, Who Ruled The Seas!

There was a Golden Age of Piracy, and that’s not just figurative. It was literally true! Men and women made untold fortunes in gold, silver, jewels, and goods while riding the high seas and bringing...
A Jolly Roger, the infamous pirate flag

The Origin of the Jolly Roger, The Ultimate Pirate Flag

There are many objects of piracy that are used as symbols of the practice today – walking the plank, a wooden leg, an eye patch , a hook for a hand, and a single gold hoop earring. However, the most...
Face of the coffin in which the mummy of Ramesses II was found. (Credit: Petra Lether, designed by Anand Balaji)

Living God in a Wooden Box: In Whose Coffin was Ramesses II Buried?

Usermaatre Setepenre Ramesses II, the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty, was one of ancient Egypt’s longest-reigning monarchs. In an astonishing sixty-seven regnal years – the glory days of...
A fitting, probably from a book. The style is typical of Celtic and Irish areas and dates from the 800s. Silver with traces of gilding. Image Credit: Åge Hojem, NTNU University Museum

Archaeologists in Search of Beer End Up Discovering Valuable Viking Trove

A team of archaeologists searching to find beer and other brewing materials, ended up discovering something way more valuable; a trove of amazing Viking artifacts, including an out of place Celtic...
The imposing mortuary temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu. Design by Anand Balaji.

Butehamun, Opener of the Gates to the Underworld: Dismantling Sacred Places of the Dead

At the very end of the Twentieth Dynasty and through to the beginning of the early Twenty-First Dynasty, one after another, the many royal dead in the Valley of the Kings were divested of their...
Bust of Timur ( CC BY-SA 3.0 ), and Timur defeats the Sultan of Delhi

To Plunder, Destroy and Kill: Atrocity and Terror as Tamerlane Sacks Delhi— Part II

Timur, historically known as Tamerlane (1336 - 1405), was a Turco-Mongol conqueror and the founder of the Timurid Empire in Persia and Central Asia. After having conquered much of the Near East,...
Thutmosis III statue and Ancient Egyptian military in battle

What Was in Store for the Citizens of the Besieged City? The Battle of Megiddo—Part II

Pharaoh Thutmose III pushed his 12,000-strong army towards the banks of the Orontes River. His scribe, Tjaneni, kept a daily journal in order to have the Pharaoh’s military exploits inscribed by his...
Assyrian relief of a horseman from Nimrud, now in the British Museum

The Iron Army: Assyria - Deadly and Effective Siege Machine - Part II

Assyrian sappers (soldiers for building, demolitions, general construction) would approach the walls possibly under the cover of shield bears, the same type that protected the archers one could...
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...
Sack of Rome

Exploring the Origins of the Vandals, The Great Destroyers

The word vandal today may be defined as a person who deliberately destroys or damages property. Historically speaking, a Vandal was “a member of a Germanic people who lived in the area south of the...
British soldiers at Amphipolis Tomb

Did British soldiers plunder Amphipolis Tomb in 1916?

A photograph has emerged depicting soldiers from a regiment of the British Army, proudly holding skulls found around the Amphipolis Tomb in Greece, raising questions about whether they may have...