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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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The remains of the woman with male DNA contained grave goods that make researchers think she had high status in her community. (Photo by Museum of London)

Person genetically a male but physically a female lived in London nearly 2,000 years ago

Scientists say that in a few births per thousand there are males born with female chromosomes and females born with a male chromosome. One such case came to light recently in London in the skeleton...
This skeleton was of a woman who was a first generation Londoner with northern European ancestry who was likely born in Britain. She was buried with grave goods that made researchers think she was of high status in her community.

Roman-Era London May Have Been as Ethnically Diverse as Today

London appears to have been just as ethnically diverse when it was founded by ancient Romans as it is now, when only 45 percent of its residents are Caucasian and people of various neighborhoods...
Ruin of a second-century public toilet in Roman Ostia.

Rats, Exploding Toilet Seats and Demons of the Deep: The Hazards of Roman Sewers

I have spent an awful lot of time in Roman sewers – enough to earn me the nickname Queen of Latrines from my friends. The Etruscans laid the first underground sewers in the city of Rome around 500 BC...
Ancient Roman coins (representational image only)

Farmer discovers huge hoard of more than 4,000 ancient Roman coins in Switzerland

A Swiss farmer made an incredible find in his cherry orchard when he spotted something shimmering in a molehill and subsequently discovered a trove of 4,166 bronze and silver Roman coins. The hoard...
Roman Fish Market. Arch of Octavius

Exotic Goods and Foreign Luxuries: The Ancient Roman Marketplace

The word forum is a Latin term denoting a ‘public open space’. In ancient Rome, forums would normally be found in the center of cities, and were often surrounded by a number of other buildings, such...
This delicately elaborate mosaic has been excavated from a possible rich person’s villa in Roman Doliche, one of the few areas in Roman Syria where archaeologists can work.

War limits study of Roman Syrian sites, but one has yielded priceless treasures of the past

The war has so disrupted parts of the Near East that scholars have just a few Roman Empire sites to study in what was the Roman province of Syria. But archaeologists are able to work a few sites,...
Section of the ruins of the city of Thuburbo Maius, Tunisia.

The History and Photogenic Ruins of the Forgotten City of Thuburbo Maius

Carthage was at one point of time Rome’s greatest rival in the Mediterranean. This great civilization was first founded as a Phoenician colony in modern day Tunisia and extended its influence in time...
The team found amphoras of a type that have never been found in shipwrecks before. They also found anchors, pottery used by the crew and cooking pots.

22 Shipwrecks spanning Ancient Era to the Renaissance discovered at Aegean archipelago

Archaeologists doing an underwater survey in the Aegean Sea in Greek territorial waters have found an amazing 22 shipwrecks of merchant vessels that sank between 700 BC and the 16th century AD. The...
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...
Head of Medusa by Peter Paul Rubens

Archaeologists Unearth Marble Head of Medusa at Roman Ruins in Turkey

Archaeologists in Turkey have unearthed a marble head of Medusa, the legendary gorgon from Greek mythology with snakes in place of hair who could turn any person to stone with just her gaze. The...
Illustration from the 1920s depicting Alaric parading through Athens after conquering the city in 395 AD.

Archaeologists Launch Official Search for Treasure of King Alaric Sought by the Nazis

The local and provincial administration of Cosenza in Italy has launched a plan to systematically search for the treasure hoard of Alaric, King of the Visigoths, who looted the riches during his sack...
Mosaic of the ‘bikini girls’ from the Villa Romana del Casale, Piazza Armerina, Sicily.

When it Came to Ancient Undergarments Less Was Often More

Undergarments are an essential part of today’s society. They can be readily purchased from departmental stores, come in all shapes and sizes, and serve a variety of functions. In the ancient world,...
Roman settlement

1,900-Year-Old Roman Village unearthed in Germany

The ancient Romans had an insatiable desire to conquer territory and they ranged far outside Italy to do so. An excavation this summer revealed that one place where the Romans had an outpost was in...
Bélisaire, depicting Belisarius as a blind beggar.

Belisarius: Powerful General of the Byzantine Empire

Flavius Belisarius was a Byzantine general who lived during the 6th century AD. He is often regarded as one of the greatest generals of the Byzantine Empire . Additionally, he is one of the...
The ruins of the Roman rooms lie in the interior of the Palace Canevari, former headquarters of the Italian Geological Institute

Archaeologists discover ancient Rome may have been much larger than previously believed

A house discovered in ancient Rome’s central district may prove that the city was considerably larger than previously believed. The rectangular residence, which is still largely intact, has been...
The ancient Roman coins, dating to the 1st century AD alongside the clay vessel in which they were found; the owner’s name is inscribed on the vessel.

Nearly 3,000 Roman silver coins dating to 1st century AD found in Bulgaria

A trove of 2,976 silver Roman coins stamped with emperors and their family members has been unearthed in Sofia, Bulgaria, at an ancient Roman and Thracian city inside the city’s borders...
The young man on the 1,800 year old sarcophagus, Ashkelon, Israel

Builders Uncovered Unique Sarcophagus in Israel… and Hid It

A 1,800 year old sarcophagus believed to have belonged to a young Roman man has been returned to the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA) after initially being hidden by builders. The sarcophagus is...
A roman lead sling bullet with a relief of what appears to be an insect or spider

Messages on missiles: Here is a Sugar Plum for You!

Writing messages on bullets and missiles goes back at least to Biblical times and continues to modern times among Israelis, Jordanians, Americans and others. The practice became industrial to ancient...
This gold vial may have contained incense. Its contents, which were fossilized, will be analyzed.

Priceless treasure hoard found in 1st century grave of Sarmatian woman in Russia

Archaeologists doing exploratory digging for an airport in Russia have found the grave of an apparent noblewoman with very valuable items, including a sword and knives, gold and silver jewelry,...
Theater Mask discovered in 2015, Huqoq, Galilee region, Israel.

New Mosaics Add to the Intrigue of Israeli Synagogue Story

Some archaeologists apparently have all the luck. Mythological creatures, cupids with discs, theater masks, various male and female figures, a rooster, and elephants add to the array of mosaics...
The mural shows a woman plucking a harp. (Photo by the Arles Museum of Antiques)

A rare treasure of ancient Roman frescoes comparable to Pompeii has been unearthed in France

Archaeologists have excavated an ancient Roman villa in Arles, France, with fresco murals depicting a musician playing a harp, Dionysus and the entourage of Bacchus. Researchers say it is rare to...
The Palace of Diocletian: Roman Retirement Home and Palace Fortress of Croatia

The Palace of Diocletian: Roman Retirement Home and Palace Fortress of Croatia

Considered to be one of the most imposing Roman ruins, Diocletian’s Palace is the main attraction of the city of Split, Croatia. Spanning more than 30,000 square meters, this extraordinary complex of...
The Roman hob-nailed boot print on the ground and a 3D scan of it

Archaeologists find hobnailed boot print of Roman soldier in Israel

Archaeologists excavating an ancient Roman fortified hill town in Israel have made a remarkable find there: hobnailed-boot prints typical of a Roman soldier. The Romans had “boots on the ground,” as...
Roman women bathing

Swans Fat, Crocodile Dung, and Ashes of Snails: Achieving Beauty in Ancient Rome

Now learn, my dears, the art of beautifying your faces; learn by what means you can retain your charms. This line, taken from Publius Ovidius Naso's (Ovid's) Medicamina Faciei Femineae , or The Art...

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