The ancient practice of human sacrifice is one of the most haunting and mysterious aspects of human history. Most of us today find the idea abhorrent , but in many cultures around the world, they...
He'e holua lava sledding was, and is, an exhilarating ancient Hawaii pastime. But this was not just an extreme sport enjoyed by natives to the islands. He'e holua was a significant part of Hawaiian...
The circumcision ritual has long been a rite of passage for young men in many cultures. For the Xhosa people of South Africa, the tradition , known as Ulwaluko, is a crucial aspect of their cultural...
Archaeologists from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have made an exciting discovery at the Moral-Reforma Archaeological site in Balancán, Tabasco: 13 human burials at...
Sati, the practice of a widow self-immolating on her husband's funeral pyre, remains one of the most controversial and emotive issues in South Asian culture. While some view it as a sacred funerary...
Within the desolate landscape of Saudi Arabia lie massive rectangular structures known as the mustatil . Dating back to the Late Neolithic era, researchers believe they were once used for ritualistic...
For over six decades, it was believed that two wooden objects discovered in Opole, Poland were pagan Slavic masks used in mystical ceremonies held in cemetery woods. However, recent research by a...
A team of archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) have uncovered a 4,000-year-old treasure trove of ritual and religious activity in Overstone, near Northampton, England. This...
The Inca were an impressive people. From the 1400s to 1532, they created an empire so large it spread from modern Ecuador to central Chile. Master builders that rivaled the ancient Egyptians, their...
Researchers conducting excavations in Mexico City found a series of boxes containing Aztec treasures. Inside they discovered a cache of Aztec ritual offerings, including child remains, precious...
When King Charles III is crowned in June 2023, the accompanying ceremony will be a decidedly streamlined affair and will strip back a lot of the ancient traditions it usually entails. This is in...
The ancient Scottish Clan Buchannan has been without a leader since the 17th century. Now, the rightful heir to the clan has been crowned chief in a ceremony dripping with archetypes from Scottish...
Archaeologists have discovered an ancient Egyptian temple with 15 mummified falcons, many of them headless and buried around a pedestal. The discovery suggests a previously unknown ritual performed...
We’ve all taken part in toasting rituals. At birthdays and weddings, in remembrance of loved ones or as a sign of respect, modern-day toasts range from a polite nod while wetting one’s lips to...
Archaeologists digging at a Neolithic settlement site in Vrable, western Slovakia have unearthed a mass grave containing the headless remains of around three dozen people. The Vráble site is one of...
Mexico has a new protected archaeological monument. The site is a 1,000-year-old ceremonial center of the Otomi or Hnahnu people, an indigenous group that still inhabits the area around the Sierra...