India is renowned for having distinctive religious practices that coexist with one another. The numerous shrines and monuments allow one to contemplate the importance of faith for many. One of the...
Throughout the centuries, the British Isles have been home to a wide array of customs, traditions, and beliefs that reflect the intricate tapestry of our cultural history. One such tradition that has...
Exploring the ancient history of dance is no easy task. Unlike enduring relics like stone tools or cave paintings, dance often leaves behind ephemeral traces, making its origins challenging to...
The Native American tribes boast a very complex and thought-provoking set of beliefs and traditions, in which the legend of heroic twin brothers is often shared and found in many tribes. In the myths...
Archaeologists have uncovered the first-ever Celtic ritual lake site in Poland, a “revolutionary” discovery that dates back to the 3rd century BC. This find has been so termed as it has prompted a...
Stonehenge , an iconic Neolithic marvel, unveils a tapestry of enigmatic secrets beyond its towering stones. Amidst its grandeur lies a forgotten narrative of human settlement, as Stonehenge once...
Horse sacrifices were a mainstay of pagan rituals across the Baltic. The archaeology leaves no doubt: from the 1st to 13th centuries AD this pagan belief scarcely wavered in popularity: even the loss...
New research has shed light on the rituals surrounding the construction of a ballcourt in the ancient Maya city of Yaxnohcah. A collecting of botanicals, subjected to environmental DNA analysis, has...
In traditional Andean cosmovision, the natural world and the divine are united, and offering ceremonies are seen as a part of the reciprocity system between the material and spiritual worlds...
A woman who lived in 16th century Italy was buried in a most unusual fashion. Originally excavated in a mass grave of medieval plague victims several years ago, the woman’s skull was found with a...
A complex Neolithic burial with two monumental mounds has been unearthed on the Eulenberg near Magdeburg, Germany. Dated to 6,000-years-ago, the year long excavation has yielded these two mounds at a...
Over five millennia have passed since Ötzi the Iceman was struck down by an arrow from an unknown assailant in the frigid northern regions of the Alps. But still the ancient frozen body has secrets...
Something unexpected from the early Neolithic has been found in Turkey. During excavations in an ancient cemetery, a team of archaeologists from several institutions unearthed more than 100 small...
In a new chemical analysis performed on ceramic vases recovered during excavations at the ancient metropolis of Cotzumalhuapa in southwestern Guatemala, a team of researchers from Yale University and...
Archaeologists have discovered a prehistoric plaza high in the Andes, known as Callacpuma stone plaza, was built nearly 5,000 years ago by ancient nomadic groups. At an elevation exceeding 3,000...
The first analysis results now confirm that the grave in Tiarp is one of the oldest stone burial chambers in Sweden . “It’s an early grave which dates to the Early Neolithic period, about 3500 BC,”...
Of the many ancient remains found preserved in bogs and marshes, perhaps the most interesting is the Grauballe Man. Discovered in a peat bog in Jutland, Denmark in 1952, experts believe that the man...
In Ecuador, New Year’s celebrations are steeped in unique traditions and peculiar rituals. One such eccentric custom is the creation and burning of Año Viejo effigies on the night of the 31st...
Many ancient festivals had elements that were far from innocent, often involving rituals, practices, and customs that might seem strange or even disturbing by today's standards. From bloodletting, to...
In central Ireland, beneath the looming presence of Croghan Hill, lies a mystery shrouded in history. Known simply as the Old Croghan Man , his true name remains a riddle lost to time. Archaeologists...
For thousands of years, people have been plagued by the haunting belief that envious or disdainful gazes could bring them harm, injury, bad luck or even death. In response, various cultures have...
Few festivals of the ancient world are as strikingly eerie and gruesome as the Aztecs' Tlacaxipehualiztli. Held annually during the second month of the Aztec calendar, Tlacaxipehualiztli was a...
Sacred dance has always been an integral part of Hinduism, intricately woven into rituals and spiritual practices. The Vedas , the holy texts of Hinduism, intermingle performance arts with rituals,...
In the annals of history, we have witnessed a myriad of unique, and at times, bizarre traditions that have defined civilizations and their leaders. One such tradition that stands tall in its peculiar...