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Religions

Ancient Origins articles related to Religions, we investigate the creation beliefs of the major world religions and then address the controversies surrounding the account.

Painting: The Grapes of Canaan, c. 1896-1902. Source: Public Domain

What Really Happened to the Canaanites? (Video)

The Israelites' entry into Canaan around 1250 BC, following their forty-year journey through the desert, was a pivotal event shrouded in religious significance. According to the Old Testament, the...
The Temple to Ninmakh to the east of Ishtar Gate in ancient Babylon. Source: CC BY-SA 4.0

Babylon’s Temple of Ninmakh, the Mesopotamian Goddess of Humankind

One of the great temples constructed during the Neo-Babylonian period (626-539 BC), the golden age of the city of Babylon, was the Temple of Ninmakh. The temple was built adjacent to the famous...
Statue of Hindu God Shiva Nataraja in the cosmic dance. Source: Elena Kovaleva/Adobe Stock

Shiva, One of the Oldest Gods in the World

Shiva, one of the principal deities in Hinduism, is a complex and multifaceted figure whose significance extends far beyond the bounds of religious worship. Revered as the god of destruction and...
The Bible tells an overall story about the history of the world.  Source: Pixabay/Pexels/The Conversation

Who wrote the Bible?

Philip C. Almond /The Conversation The Bible tells an overall story about the history of the world: creation, fall, redemption and God’s Last Judgement of the living and the dead. The Old Testament (...
Thailand, Pattaya December 2019 Fragment of the Temple of truth in Pattaya. A huge wooden temple with carved decorations. Buddhist temple. Source: Margarita Timofeeva/Adobe Stock

Exploring the World's Most Spectacular Temples (Video)

Discover the world's most spectacular temples as we journey through diverse landscapes and cultures. In northern Lithuania, the Hill of Crosses stands as a reminder of the nation's identity and...
Egypt’s Edfu temple with its passage lined by two glowing walls full of Egyptian hieroglyphs. Source: Konstantin/Adobe Stock

Who Are The Lost Gods Of Ancient Egypt? (Video)

Exploring the ancient Egyptian pantheon reveals gods manifested in wood, paint, and stone, shaping a rich tapestry of beliefs. Shifting from a myriad of deities to the revolutionary era centered on...
A digital representation of a vibrant ancient temple, possibly of the Carthage religion. Source: Kristian/Adobe Stock

The Religion of Ancient Carthage (Video)

The religion of Carthage , though now largely forgotten, once held a significant presence across the Mediterranean. Despite the scarcity of surviving records, modern archaeology has played a crucial...
Could the real underworld location be closer than we think? Source: 3D Station/Adobe Stock

Is The Real Location of the Ancient Underworld Right in Front of Us?

The myth of the underworld, much like the myth of the lost paradise and the worldwide deluge, is a universal one. Cultures from all across the world, past and present, widely separated and with...
The nativity story depicting the birth of Jesus. Source:  Eric Wilcox / CC BY-NC 2.0)

The Nativity Story’s Timeless Message from Ancient Writings to Modern Day

Believe it or not, the Christmas holiday season is fast approaching, when homes will be adorned with twinkling lights and the spirit of giving fills the air. A timeless narrative unfolds—one that has...
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. Source: lizavetta / Adobe Stock.

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple: The 700-Year-Old Temple of Colors (Video)

The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in southern India is an exceptional record of history, offering a window into the past that extends across 700 years. The temple's striking exterior is a melange of...
Top down view of an Ethiopian Church Forest in the early morning.  Several white-robed worshipers around the church.  Source: Gregory/Adobe Stock

Ethiopian Church Forests, Struggling Fragments of Sacred Greenery in the Desert

In the distant past, the world around us looked completely different in many ways. One notable aspect that changed is forestation. Once covered in lush forests, much of the world around us is now...
The god Khnum, accompanied by Heqet, in a relief from the mammisi (birth temple) at Dendera Temple complex. Source: Roland Unger/CC BY-SA 3.0

Beyond Fertility: Goddess Heqet’s Extensive Influence on Ancient Egypt

In ancient Egypt, the goddess Heqet reigned supreme as a symbol of fertility and childbirth. Heqet’s following spanned the ages, from the Old Kingdom to the Ptolemaic period, due to her impact on...
Tibetan monk. Source: Supermelon / Adobe Stock.

The Mysteries of Tibet’s Ancient Bon Religion

High in the mountains of Tibet, nestled among the majestic peaks and breathtaking landscapes, lies a spiritual tradition that has withstood the test of time. The Bon religion, one of the oldest and...
Representation of Egyptian super god, Ra known also as Ra-Horakhty. Source: AkuAku/Adobe Stock

The Egyptian God Ra - Lord of Life and Light

The Ancient Egyptian pantheon was filled with imaginative deities of all kinds. In fact, this pantheon numbered hundreds of different gods and goddesses, whose importance often waned over the passing...
Japanese Christian. Source: leungchopan / Adobe Stock.

Kakure Kirishitan: Japan’s Forbidden Faith (Video)

In 1614, a storm of persecution raged across Japan as Christianity was declared illegal. The crackdown led to the arrest and execution of missionaries, pushing the faithful underground. These...

Decoding Viking Origins: Genetic Clues Paint a New Picture (Video)

The word " Viking " evokes vivid images of mighty, fair-haired seafarers pillaging coastal settlements. Yet is this portrayal an accurate reflection of their genetic makeup? Groundbreaking...
Easter egg and rabbit. Source: Milenko / Adobe Stock.

Easter Rebirth: How Rabbits and Eggs Came to Symbolize New Life (Video)

The Easter holiday, known for its themes of resurrection and rebirth, has a history that dates back thousands of years. One of the most recognizable symbols of Easter is the rabbit , which was a...
Ancient DNA analysis is unlocking secrets about the genetic legacy of the Levites of ancient Israel. Source: Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing/ CC BY-SA 3.0 overlayed and cropped onto ankreative / Adobe Stock

Ancient DNA Analysis Reconstructs Legacy of the Biblical Levites

The biblical Levites were a group of people from the tribe of Levi set apart for religious service in ancient Israel. The most famous Levite was Aaron, Moses 's big brother and the first priest. The...
Athena, Goddess of Wisdom. Source: Геннадий Кучин / Adobe Stock

Athena: Fiercely Feminine Goddess of War and Wisdom

Of all the Olympian gods and goddesses, Athena was arguably one of the most fascinating. The goddess of war, wisdom, and crafts, Athena was known for her many passions and abilities that made her...
Petra, Jordan and Jerusalem are both much older than Islam’s holiest site and some say the original location of Mecca lies elsewhere in the mists of history before the prophet Mohammed finally established “his Mecca” in Saudi Arabia.

Where Is the True Location of Mecca?

Most people will recognize Mecca as the name for the Holy City of Islam. Do you know where the Holy City is? Do you know where it should be? Did it get lost? Was it ever found? Believe it or not,...
The ruins of the Enlil temple, or the Ekur, in Nippur, which was once the most important pilgrimage destination in Mesopotamia. The brick structure on top was constructed by American archaeologists around 1900.		Source: David Stanley /CC BY 2.0

Nippur: The Great Mesopotamian Holy City That Gave Early Ideas Of God

The ancient city of Nippur is one of the most interesting holy cities in the Middle East. Now only known as a dilapidated, prehistoric town, Nippur was once recognized as an essential religious...
Ezekiel’s Daniel may be Biblical, or it may be based on the Ugaritic Danel from the Tale of Aqhat, with evidence pointing in both directions. Prophets Daniel and Ezekiel on the south side of the medieval rood screen, St Firman's, North Crawley, Buckinghamshire, England.		Source: World History

Ezekiel’s Daniel: Biblical Hero or Ancient Ugaritic Legend?

Ezekiel’s Daniel could be a real person, or he could be the Danel of ancient Ugaritic legend, and evidence points both ways. In the Biblical prophecies of Ezekiel, Daniel is characterized as paragon...
The Mexican magic mushroom or Teotlnanácatl mushroom is believed to be one or a mixture of these two psilocybin mushrooms of Mexico: Psilocybe aztecorum and | or Psilocybe mexicana.		Source: alexander_volkov / Adobe Stock

Teotlnanácatl: In Search of the Aztec 'God's Flesh' Psychedelic Mushroom

Magic mushrooms, Shrooms, and the ever-famous Liberty Cap are all familiar terms for the same groovy fungus. Popularized in the western world in the late 50s, psychedelic mushrooms have been used for...
Israel’s Exodus from Egypt. Will archaeologists ever find concrete evidence for the Exodus and the metropolises the Israelites built in Egypt? Source: Public domain

Mythical Metropolises: Pithom, Piramesses, and the Israelite Exodus of Egypt

The legendary Egyptian metropolises of Pithom and Piramesses were first noted in the Exodus story of the Old Testament. One of the foundations of the Jewish religion, it told of the plight of the...

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